“Taxation without representation” was the rallying cry of the American Revolution. Historically, taxes tend to be an issue that Americans care about.

Yet, somehow, when people retire to their sweet mountain cabins, it suddenly becomes an awful lot of work to just stay informed, not to mention actually rallying…as in…fighting…for something.

Even if it is just to keep what you already have.

Double Taxes

If you live within the Pine Mountain Club Property Owners Association today, if you own property there, even if you try to avoid the facts, you are about to have a fight on your hands—one way or another. You pay Kern County taxes, but you are about to be paying even more—much more—in PMCPOA taxes.

Your PMCPOA assessments are a tax. They are not “membership dues.” They are a tax that is levied by the general manager and the board of directors on the homeowners to pay for the 60 employees and other things that the general manager wants, and that maybe the chairman and vice-chairman want.

For homeowners, it is not a good sign if PMC board members give a rubber stamp to the budget without detailed study and rigorous public questioning.

Last year the general manager tried to pull the budget process out of sight of the membership—in the first week of April, in an unpublicized “special meeting” in the pool pavilion.

The rules say the budget was supposed to be adopted two months later…only after presenting the proposed new budget to the homeowners and fully consulting with the community, so we taxpayers can examine the budget in advance, ask questions and receive full answers. That did not happen last year.

The Mountain Enterprise published many editorials and OpEds about the general manager’s coup. To their credit, the Planning Committee got a clue.

They told the board that people do seem to care about having the board follow the rules when it comes to spending their money.

Despite kicking, screaming and calling us names, the board eventually did hold its vote again, in a public meeting, so PMCPOA could comply with the letter of the law…if not the spirit.

Bait and Switch

When it comes to the 25,364 sq. foot clubhouse plan presented to the members January 14 and 21—with no credible financial projections—there is a vast chasm between what residents want and what is being presented to them by Chairman William Gurtner and Vice Chair John Cantley.

Don’t get me wrong. It is pretty. But let’s look at the documented facts: The community was told that if they agreed to invest $150,000 to explore plans to renovate the clubhouse, they would receive a menu of options for that money.

But that did not happen.

The $150,000 was obtained with a bait and switch promise—the oldest trick in the playbook. The board was duped.

Board members should be incensed. But are they?

Not one spoke up in the last two board meetings to hold Chairman Gurtner and Vice Chair Cantley to account for their broken promise. Why?

Pushed Out

People who have lived here a long time, people who have helped create this community, are talking about what they are seeing. Showing just one single plan—the “Gurtner Memorial Taj Mahal” (or as some call it, the “Tax Mahal”) is a tip-off.

Here’s a sample quote from one of your most respected neighbors:

“The purpose of this is to change the community, to upscale what they see as a low-end community.

It is gentrification. A lot of people are going to be pushed out of here and that is what they are after.

They will raise the assessments until people they don’t want will have to leave.

“That is the plan. We’re back to building the destination resort.”

That is a reference to the 2005 attempt to “push out the riffraff” as William Lucking put it then, using exponential increases in PMC taxes.

Those who can’t pay must move or get foreclosed, and PMC taxes will keep increasing.

All Should Be Invited

Another neighbor, Architect and Planner Richard Schmidt, has a solution:

“There should be no rush to build. In a well-run association, there would be plenty of time to kick around a lot of ideas other than this one that has gained official sponsorship.

“I should think a year…might be appropriate.

“The suggestion of a range of alternatives—from minimal upgrades to the Taj Mahal—makes sense. All members should be invited to be part of that.”

What do you think? The time for you to speak up is now. We are all listening.

Photo captions:

Concept drawings of an update to the PMC clubhouse proposed to be built by 2018

PMC proposes $7 million clubhouse update

‘No need to get members’ vote,’ PMC Board Chair says

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This is part of the February 3, 2017 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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