Here’s a headline to chill the hearts of elected officials.  “Angry voters are spreading recall fever.”  Yikes.  We do hear mention of that word locally. 

In Inyo, we have received website comments that advocate the recall of the District Attorney.  From Mammoth Lakes, comments that support the recall of Town Council members, particularly those who had anything to do with the Hot Creek lawsuit that has plunged the Town into unfathomable debt.  Who knew?

Councilwoman Kathy Cage did.  That’s why she alone did not vote for the Hot Creek development agreement that put the Town on the hook to let Hot Creek develop a major condo project at the airport.  Colossal mistake. A time when elected officials seemed to forget their duty to the people who voted for them.  The intoxication of money and power dulled their higher sense.  Did they have a higher sense?

Anyway, the Los Angeles Times story says, “Once a rarity, petition drives for elections to oust state and local officials are occurring at a record pace.”  Wow.  From Arizona to Nebraska and Wisconsin, citizens have had it.  According to the LA Times, the number of mayors who faced recalls doubled in 2010 from the previous year.

California’s state legislators act like no one would ever recall them.  Their arrogance is only exceeded by their immaturity.  The Democrats just can’t understand why the state controller refuses to give them their paychecks.  They just don’t get it that when you don’t do your job, you don’t get paid.  In fact, the common theme among elected officials on the state and national level – childishness.  No one is impressed by officials who stomp out of meetings and engage in theatrics to embarrass their opponents.  Get over, goof balls and grow up!!!!!

Lots of political talk in Mammoth Lakes these days as locals hold onto their hats and wait for the demise of Town government.  One man put it this way – “The Town Council”, he said, “does not get paid well by the Town.  They almost all work at other jobs for a living.  They don’t really pay attention to Town business.  They’ve got their own businesses. The Town is second.  Their livelihoods are first.” This same man said we need a full-time, paid mayor and town manager to handle matters.  He said, “The Town
Council has not made town managers accountable.  We need someone who is.”

On to another bureaucratic misstep.  Mammoth Town Councilman Skip Harvey raised the issue of how the Forest Service treats visiting film crews who want to use forest land in their productions.  Harvey said he’s been contacted by crews regarding their challenges when it comes to Forest Service permits.  Harvey said the Forest Service sits on the cusp of unfriendliness to the film folks.

Harvey said his research shows federal law requires fair and equitable fees by the Forest Service.  He said that in some cases film crews step on forest land for five minutes and are charged fees for a full day.  “We all know the value of footage shot here,” said Harvey.  More on this topic later.

And, as if you needed another bureaucrat with a badge watching over your shoulder, seems game wardens now have more leeway.  The California Supreme Court has ruled that state game wardens can stop and question motorists leaving hunting or fishing areas even if they have no reason to believe the person has done anything wrong.  Oh, great.  More holes in probable cause???!!! The case was based on a warden who used a telescope to spy on a man he suspected was illegally catching lobster out of season.  The warden stopped the man’s car and did find lobsters during a search.  The court ruled in favor of wildlife.