Judy O’Rourke writes in the Daily News Santa Clarita edition that Governor Schwarzenegger’s “staff has advised Santa Clarita officials he is not meeting directly with mining giant CEMEX on his upcoming trade mission to Mexico, but on Wednesday his spokeswoman said company officials might be present at a larger business gathering on the itinerary.”
“The city has spent about $7 million on many fronts battling the 56.1 million-ton sand and gravel mine planned on the outskirts of town and is urging Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to shun CEMEX’s pitch. City officials will make their own before he departs.”
You can read the entire article here: http://www.dailynews.com/santaclarita/ci_4550217
Commentary
I wonder when residents of the City are going to start questioning City officials about the $7-$8 Million dollars that has been spent battling CEMEX. Let’s face, the City has thrown that money down a rat hole and has nothing meaningful to show for it. Further, the City has blown virtually any opportunity to sit down with officials from CEMEX to work out a plan that would be palatable to the Valley.
Congressman McKeon’s bill couldn’t help and the courts continue to rule in favor of the CEMEX and the Bureau of Land Management. When all legal options are exhausted the City will have blown nearly $10 million dollars and CEMEX will have no reason to sit with the city at that point to come up with any kind of compromise.
Tactically, the City has not played the CEMEX situation very well and the Valley has been hurt by that ineptitude. Once again the City Council has displayed its lack of skill in coming to the table and trying to work out a win/win for both sides. Instead, the Valley as a whole loses; except for the Lawyers of course!
-Dave Bossert