not behind closed doors and not without us

Law touted to help rural areas establish good water policy

By: Samantha M. Novick, Cronkite News Service … 01/30/2007 … PHOENIX –
Proposed legislation that includes giving rural communities the power to stop developments lacking assured water is "good public policy" that would help put planning before growth, Arizona's top water official said Wednesday. "We allow growth to occur without a water supply, and to me that just isn't common sense," Herb Guenther, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, said in an interview with Cronkite News Service. "The good policy would be to get out in front and plan for that growth rather than get in a crisis situation," Guenther said. "Smart growth is growth that's planned for."

Good – Honest – Long Term Water Policy is established as a result of open, full disclosure discussion with – the people – not by bureaucrats behind closed doors . . .

Unquestioningly Arizona is long overdue to overhaul the policies governing our water in all its forms. Mr. Guenther is correct when he states … “smart growth is growth that’s planned for” … unfortunately all the planning referenced by Mr. Guenther is performed solely by bureaucrats behind closed doors excluding the input, peering eyes and pointed questions of the people. Why is that …? I can suggest after being involved in a number processes where rules were being promulgated by state agencies they quite simply do not want your input. The input in question is yours – the citizens of Arizona. Having you involved in their process is far to messy and will not allow them to structure these rules so as to become nothing more than “paper-tigers,” conveniently holding your feet to the fire, while permitting developers, real estate promoters and others unrestricted development and growth in all parts of our state.

"The good policy would be to get out in front and plan for that growth rather than get in a crisis situation," noted Guenther in his interview with the Cronkite News Service. And I openly concur with him. I wonder what for Mr. Guenther constitutes a “crisis situation,” as many knowledgeable experts openly question how Arizona can sustain its economic mantra of unrestricted growth. I for one would really like an answer to this question…? I do not honestly expect to Mr. Guenther or his staff or our Governor or any State Legislator to choose to answer this question. Why…?, because in nearly every case, their political future has been paid for by the very folks promoting this unrestricted growth.

The reality is we – that’s Arizona and you and me – can not sustain this unrestricted growth. We are living a totally unsustainable existence. The legacy we are choosing to leave to our children, grandchildren and those yet unborn is unconscionable. “We” choose to continue to act as ostriches believing that as long as we keep our heads in the ground, we can’t see the issue, we can’t hear the issues and therefore we do not have need to address the issues associated with our water.

“We” have indeed chosen to become and remain robots to the masters