Fresno Mayor Alan Autry told The Fresno Bee's editorial board this afternoon that it's time for a revolt in the San Joaquin Valley over a lack of water for farms. He said communities on the Valley's west side are shriveling because farmworkers can't find work due to the drought, and long-standing water policies that are anti-agriculture.
In addition, Autry said, the federal and state governments are ignoring the Valley's water needs, even as this crisis worsens.
"Don't pay your income taxes if our farms don't get their fair share of water," Autry said. "I won't." Later, the mayor said he is willing to go to jail to help farmworkers in communities like San Joaquin, Mendota and Firebaugh. "I'll go to jail for this."
This also is about national security, Autry said. Government policies are killing agriculture and then we will have to rely on foreign countries for our food. "Talk about terror," he said. "We'll be giving control of our food supply to foreign countries." U.S. consumers will never know how safe that supply is, and the nation won't realize what it has given up until it's gone, he said.
Autry then said that on Wednesday, he will ask President Bush to declare a state of emergency in the Valley because of the water needs of agriculture.
Autry said he will be among the passengers on 20 busloads of farmworkers, farmers and supporters from the Valley traveling to Sacramento Wednesday for a water rally at the Capitol. They will meet with the state legislators and hold a news conference at 12:30 p.m. on the Capitol steps to urge action by the state.
This wasn't the topic of the editorial board meeting. Autry and his staff came in to talk about a ballot measure to create an independent police auditor. At the end of the meeting, a question turned the subject to water, and Autry then called for a revolt, including not paying income taxes.
The mayor must be suffering from drought-induced heat stroke.
Mayor Autry would not have to go to jail for not paying his incomet tax because of water delivery to the area. They'll just automatically take the money. And he knows it.
about time someone shows a backbone on behalf of our Valley. Why must it always be Autry willing to say and do what needs to be said and done! Where is dean florez and his hearings? Does he not represent these small communities? good job Mayor!
Mayor Autry should take his personal prayer maker with, H. Spees, the mayor can do that silly dance from YOUTUBE while H uses a devining rod to find the water in Sacramento and divert it to Fresno.
If nothing else he can have lunch with Arnold and they can talk about 'movie deals' for when they both return to acting as their currents jobs come to a close.
Mayor Autry is right on with his statements. However, I was there at the hearing when he made them and he said not to pay our property taxes. He did not say income taxes.
The public is sadly not getting the full picture. You do not see the full story in our newspapers or even on the air, with the exception of KMJ. The environmentalists are absolutely destroying Ca. and our lives. They want our beautiful bread basket to become a wildlife refuge. What is becoming extinct are our farmers and our safe food supply.
The farmers are the best conservationalists. They conserve the water and are tenders of the land. They do not make a religion of their care of the land. The land is not a sacred cow, to sit idle while people are starving. The land is for our use.
Go look at the westside. See the dry fields with half-grown crops. See the parched soil. Go through the towns of Firebaugh and Mendota. See the people who so want to work in those fields, as they stand in the streets, not knowing what to do. They can not care for their families or put food on their tables. Where is their American dream? These are hard working people who have given up so much to give their children an opportunity for a good life.
Turn the pumps back on. Start building dams. It is not rocket science to figure this one out. We have plenty of water that just shoots out into the Pacific Ocean as runoff.
I, too, have had it with our legislators and the environmentalists who have so infiltrated their thinking and their pocket-books with this utter stupidity. I am ready to fight to get back common sense into our state. I am embarrased by how our state has fallen into such a financial state of ruin, and by how the citizens have just sat in their pots as the water has been turned up higher and higher. We are par-boiled and it is time for a grassroot revolt! I, as the former Migrant Resource Teacher at Firebaugh High, urge all citizens to action. This touches everyone. Raise your head up and be aware of what is going on around you. It is time for warriors! Make a difference!
Jan
Not paying income taxes is usually a tactic with the lunatic fringe. I always thought better of Autry. Each of us disagrees with things done at all levels of government, and we should and most do strive to change them. And we all benefit hugely from our income taxes: highways, airport control, research on animal and human disease, and on and on. It is hypocracy not to pay taxes and take all these huge benefits. Shame on the mayor. Time for some serious reflection on his part--and on behalf of those who admire much he stands for.
Autry said he would not pay his "income taxes" at The Fresno Bee's editorial board meeting Tuesday afternoon. In earlier statements, he was urging pepole not to pay their "property taxes." However, he was told by his staff that property taxes go to the city, county and other local agencies, so he changed his "protest" to urge people not to pay their income taxes. That suggests that he really doesn't understand the tax system or how local governments are funded.
Just wondering: Is it a violation of the law to urge people to violate the law? Maybe a lawyer out there could explain that portion of the law to us.
But if this is civil disobedience, I suppose you want to break the law to make your point, and then get public sentiment on your side.