Opinion: Property owners are Del Mar’s ‘Forgotten Man’

By John Haraden

Resident, Del Mar

Del Mar exemplifies William Graham Summer’s essay the “Forgotten Man.”

In that essay, A observes B’s suffering, remedies B’s suffering, and bills C. The indentured C becomes Summer’s forgotten man. The property owner becomes Del Mar’s forgotten man who who supports the bloated bureaucracy.

The property owner is the stake holder. The bureaucrats and the council members are the hired hands. The benefits of government belong to the stake holders; and the burdens of government, to the hired hands. The reverse now occurs in Del Mar and demands correction.

Greed prohibits the hired hands from relinquishing their perquisites. Self-interest encourages the hired hands’ stake holder punishments, midnight ordinances, workshop sales presentations, stealth taxes, and last-minute agendas that become en camera agreements.

Only a new culture eliminates municipal abuse by slashing salary and staff levels, aligning revenues with health and welfare costs, and eschewing pretentious goals.

Government then concentrates on collecting the garbage, flowing the water, and protecting the community. The leaner government funds these essential services.

That culture also liberates the stake holders. No resident needs to defend a property right at the city council or save a shrub at the city hall.

Each resident raises a family or advances a career without fearing municipal mischief.