This week in the Bakersfield Californian there was an article about the Kern Board of Supervisors looking at ambulance response times in the county. Tehachapi area response times are lacking at best. The greater Tehachapi area has increased its population and yet there is still only one ambulance for all our citizens. This is only due to the fact the the Kern Board and Bakersfield City has allowed a monopoly for ambulance service provided by Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Halls company. What this means for us in Tehachapi is that when you need an ambulance you better hope you are the first in line. The current plan calls for back up from Arvin or Mojave but often times two or more calls happen and the patient is forced, sometimes fatally to wait for Advanced life support care. If you live in the outer communities like Stallion Alpine or Bear Valley you are waiting 15 to 20 minutes no matter what your problem is. This is purely unacceptable we need another ambulance to match the growth of the community. The only reason we do not have an additional unit now is so Mayor Hall can maximize profits you wait and he gets paid while paying out as little as possible. Please everyone create discussion and call supervisor Mayben about this topic. If you plan to live out your life in Tehachapi at some time you will need emergency service will you wait on the floor like many do now? or help bring about change?
The people of Tehachapi are being double taxed by a new road development fee. This "development fee" (tax) is a $4,777 dollar tax for each home built in the Tehachapi area. The road tax was passed by the Kern County Board of Supervisors and only for Tehachapi. Why only Tehachapi and not other towns in Kern County? This fee will be passed on to consumers from large developers and for the one time home builder this is a huge potentially project killing tax increase.
Why did our board supervisor Maben allow this new tax with the county wide sales tax increase for roads coming up on the November ballot? If this November ballot tax increase passes Tehachapi tax payers will pay more for our roads than any other city in the county.
Tehachapi area citizen's tax payments already go towards roads. Why then are we to pay additional taxes for roads if we are to build a house? If you already live in the Tehachapi area and building on land already owned why should you have to pay this fee to build your home? Even if you are new to the area a portion of your county taxes already go towards road development.
We need to ensure that money collected stays in Tehachapi. I think this new tax disguised as a development fee is wrong and potentially illegal. I would like the public to question where and how the money collected from Tehachapi development will be spent.
Please anyone who is tired of our local governments taking more money out of your pocket write or call Don Mabens office and demand a stop to this tax . If you are already a home owner and do not plan to build you should also have concern this is a tax that will affect you. We need to demand action for our money.
Supervisor Don Maben was quoted as saying "the development fee will curb urban sprawl in Tehachapi" This is totally untrue it is merely a way to take more money from the public as no one will give up on building a dream only pay more and large builders will pass costs on to you. The county coffers are the only winner in this situation.
Please copy this letter and send it to friends and family. email it, print it, give it to friends, post it at your office, tell anyone you know that we are double taxed for roads and need action.
Write or call Don Maben and demand accountability
661-868-3660
distric2@co.kern.ca.us
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