Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors have voted to oppose the incorporation unless San Martin pays an estimated $10 million to alleviate a general fund deficit the county says will be created if the area becomes a city. Negotiation attempts between the alliance and the county to achieve "revenue neutrality," or make sure each entity benefits equally, have failed.

Commissioners held public hearings on the revised initial study and on the comprehensive analysis and plan for services during their regular meeting, and San Martin residents on both sides of the issue weighed in.

"That is not how we think the game should be played," said San Martin resident John Sanders, referring to SMNA's contention that their comments have been excluded from the LAFCO packet by LAFCO staff members. He said this was the third time information from SMNA had been left out of a packet.

A handful of people who attended the meeting spoke out against incorporation.

Warren Walsh, who said his family has farmed land in San Martin for 80 years, told commissioners that incorporation would kill agriculture in the area.

"There are water district issues, agricultural water rates will go up, there's a rural crimes deputy … we'll lose that," he said. "If the board votes or allows the incorporation to proceed, it's a vote against agriculture."

John Wolfenbarger, who has been a San Martin resident for 21 years, said the residents have the right to decide for themselves.

"LAFCO should give us the right to put (incorporation) on the ballot," he said. "We should have the right to vote … We do not want to do away with farm land, we're trying to preserve it."

Sylvia Hamilton, president of the alliance, said incorporation proponents are not against farming.

"All of San Martin has agriculture and we love it," she said. "We don't think incorporation will hurt it, if anything, it would help it."

Hamilton also said that just because the area incorporates does not mean the newly-formed town would pay for putting in water and sewer systems, unless residents wanted. Personally, she said, she doesn't want to see San Martin put those in.

Staff will work with the alliance to determine costs and report to the commission June 4, LAFCO Executive Director Neelima Palacherla said.

Marilyn Dubil Marilyn Dubil covers Morgan Hill education and public safety for South Valley Newspapers. Send her an e-mail.