Measure C vote drives wedge in community

The fight over Merced County's Save Farmland initiative -- Measure C -- has gotten expensive and dirty.

The controversial initiative has created a divide in the farming community, heightened fears of a threat to private property, spawned misleading information and spread rumors that developers are bankrolling the measure's defeat.

In all, the battle has already cost both sides $150,000.

Funding totals aside, recent campaign filings reveal not only the gap in funding but who is backing each side and what they have to gain.

Mostly developers, big farmers and others are trying to defeat the measure.

Mostly local farmers are trying to get it passed.

That's what the campaign filings show.

The Merced County Family Farm Coalition, the group funding the opposition to Measure C, has raised more than $100,000 -- $50,000 from Mike Gallo (the CEO of Joseph Farms) and family alone, according to filings. The balance of funds came from a variety of developers, farmers, real estate interests and the building industry, among others.

In contrast, the more than $50,000 received by Citizens for Quality Growth, the backers of Measure C, has come mostly from local farmers and open space advocates. And almost a third of the funds came in small contributions.

The measure

If passed, Measure C would require a countywide vote whenever ag land larger than 10 acres is rezoned for specifically residential uses. The county has also put its own alternate initiative on the ballot, Measure D. It would modify Measure C by exempting about 2,500 acres of already planned development in the county.

Proponents of the measure argue it's the only way to check sprawl that the Board of Supervisors has failed to manage responsibly.

Opponents argue that the measure will stunt growth, infringe on private property rights and take important decision-making powers away from the county's elected supervisors, as well as threaten UC Merced's expansion plans.

Farms vs. developers?

Both sides have been slinging barbs at each other about who's a farmer and who's a developer, among other charges.

Those pushing for Measure C have characterized the anti-C backers as developer interests who only want to stop Measure C so they can keep making money on unnecessary developments, no matter the cost to Merced County.

"Nobody for Measure C has any profit to make on it passing," said Alan Schoff, spokesman for Measure C's backers. "Obviously, the development interests have a buck to make, and that's why they are fighting this."

To understand this, said Schoff, all you have to do is look at the main contributor to the measure's defeat -- Gallo. "He made his money on ag, nobody is denying that. He's probably the strongest local person against the measure because he has development interests that maybe aren't in the best interest of the whole community."

Opponents of Measure C say they're mostly farmers, even if in some cases they have land that could be developed.

Gallo in particular takes umbrage with the assertion that he's some developer out only to make a buck. Are Measure C's opponents mostly developers? "That's a lie," Gallo said. "I am a farmer, and I'll put my farming credentials up against anybody."

A farmer he may be, but Gallo said he's also planning to develop some of his land. "We have property that's in the path of development, and there are other farmers that have property in the path of development," he said. "Why shouldn't they be allowed to develop it?" He added that Measure C supporters don't want any growth at all. "They're the same people that don't want any growth or prosperity to come to this county," he said.

Despite the charges and counter-charges, the funding behind each campaign may reveal more about the two groups than any slogan or flier.

Reporter Jonah Owen Lamb can be reached at (209) 385-2484 or jlamb@mercedsun-star.com.