Questions and Answers - Budget, Salaries and Benefits
A reader wrote recently that she supports my re-election (yea!) and had some questions that she thought might be asked and answered on the campaign trail and in forums. Most of her concerns are about the budget, employee salaries and benefits.
Since 2008 the City has been engaged in remarkable events: the collapse of the financial industry due to reckless and perhaps corrupt behavior which has caused the greatest decline in home values since the Great Depression, high unemployment and a failure of the federal government to address the mortgage meltdown. These national events drive much of the discussion about events in Benicia and it is understandable that people seek answers and solutions.
Regardless of numerous articles and emails I have sent in the last year, questions and assumptions about the same issues continue to come to me. This is positive because it shows the passion and commitment our residents have about Benicia and that is to be embraced and celebrated. For reference, please see several previous articles I have sent on my email newsletter, as well as posted some of them on this blog and on my website.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Traffic Calming or Dangerous by Design
A great "aha" moment in the late 90s during the General Plan update came when a member of the task force (GPOC) advocated for "traffic calming". This term was being introduced by planners to conjure the image of slower traffic, friendlier streets and ultimately sharing the streets and sidewalks for biking, walking as well as driving. The 1999 General Plan adopted the goal of traffic calming, but not until 2003 did the program begin in earnest. Through a negotiation effort with the last large housing project in Benicia, over a quarter of a million dollars was dedicated to traffic calming (it took 20 minutes of negotiations and the story is pretty amazing). The city staff has worked to implement several projects including safety measures near Robert Semple, West K and East 5th in combination with our Safe Routes to School programs.
Remember the three Es of traffic calming: enforcement, education and engineering. Knowing that our streets are designed to speed cars along, we need to focus on the effective and affordable programs to slow the traffic and make streets safer. This is a collaborative process involving the Police Department, Public Works, the public and neighborhoods and the schools.
Remember the three Es of traffic calming: enforcement, education and engineering. Knowing that our streets are designed to speed cars along, we need to focus on the effective and affordable programs to slow the traffic and make streets safer. This is a collaborative process involving the Police Department, Public Works, the public and neighborhoods and the schools.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Sustainability means smart investment in jobs and economy
Are we in this together?
Last year I called for all to work together as "we are in this boat together" and by working together we can move forward together. Perhaps the specter of an election in November has spooked some people and I see many potential fractures of this idea that we are in this economic challenge together. For instance, recently I got a couple of emails that said, "forget history" we need to watch our pennies and not be "historical perfect", or another set of emails that the Community Sustainability Commission is "out of control and too powerful" and then my favorite is "run government like a business" as if government has a profit center (essential to business). These are confusing statements if, indeed, we are working together.
The following helps sew together the ideas that investment in our historic districts is part of growing jobs and sustainable growth and how we can grow new jobs and keep our existing jobs and finally government (and I am glad to say) is not to be run like a business but is "business plus". We need to be lean, efficient, effective for the good of all. Let me know if you know of a business model that has this as a mission statement. Government is not the panacea but it sure can advance the investment for jobs that the private sector has been shy about for more than two years.
Last year I called for all to work together as "we are in this boat together" and by working together we can move forward together. Perhaps the specter of an election in November has spooked some people and I see many potential fractures of this idea that we are in this economic challenge together. For instance, recently I got a couple of emails that said, "forget history" we need to watch our pennies and not be "historical perfect", or another set of emails that the Community Sustainability Commission is "out of control and too powerful" and then my favorite is "run government like a business" as if government has a profit center (essential to business). These are confusing statements if, indeed, we are working together.
The following helps sew together the ideas that investment in our historic districts is part of growing jobs and sustainable growth and how we can grow new jobs and keep our existing jobs and finally government (and I am glad to say) is not to be run like a business but is "business plus". We need to be lean, efficient, effective for the good of all. Let me know if you know of a business model that has this as a mission statement. Government is not the panacea but it sure can advance the investment for jobs that the private sector has been shy about for more than two years.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Delta Suisun Marsh Recreation Plan
Growing Benicia's Tourism - Plan Proposes Expanded Recreation in Delta, Bringing Boost to Local Economy
This past Tuesday, May 17, the State Parks, in cooperation with the Water Education Foundation, hosted a day-long tour of sites highlighted in the draft Delta-Suisun Marsh recreation plan, which State Parks is preparing as its bit of the overall Delta planning. I participated in the tour as part of the Parks' key step in State Parks interagency coordination process for the plan.
The plan highlights Benicia as a community with extensive recreation and tourism opportunities that can be a gateway for visitors to Suisun Marsh and the Delta. I was invited to talk about Benicia's community's visitor attractions for a few minutes as the tour bus traveled between East Bay Regional Park's Big Break shoreline and Suisun Marsh. Dan Ray, Chief of Parks Planning said, "There are so many wonderful things happening in Benicia and other Carquinez Straight communities - they deserve more recognition."
As I described the Carquinez Strait and the natural resources and industry, the tour participants could follow the bike trail from Martinez to Benicia and the Clock Tower and historic Arsenal in the distance. The tour participants included key people from the Coastal Conservancy, Delta Conservancy, Delta Protection Commission, East Bay Regional Parks, Solano Parks, CalTrans, Department of Water Resources, the Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Lands, and others as well as the State Parks.
This past Tuesday, May 17, the State Parks, in cooperation with the Water Education Foundation, hosted a day-long tour of sites highlighted in the draft Delta-Suisun Marsh recreation plan, which State Parks is preparing as its bit of the overall Delta planning. I participated in the tour as part of the Parks' key step in State Parks interagency coordination process for the plan.
The plan highlights Benicia as a community with extensive recreation and tourism opportunities that can be a gateway for visitors to Suisun Marsh and the Delta. I was invited to talk about Benicia's community's visitor attractions for a few minutes as the tour bus traveled between East Bay Regional Park's Big Break shoreline and Suisun Marsh. Dan Ray, Chief of Parks Planning said, "There are so many wonderful things happening in Benicia and other Carquinez Straight communities - they deserve more recognition."
As I described the Carquinez Strait and the natural resources and industry, the tour participants could follow the bike trail from Martinez to Benicia and the Clock Tower and historic Arsenal in the distance. The tour participants included key people from the Coastal Conservancy, Delta Conservancy, Delta Protection Commission, East Bay Regional Parks, Solano Parks, CalTrans, Department of Water Resources, the Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Lands, and others as well as the State Parks.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Council seeks to avoid layoffs
Tuesday night the Council heard testimony from city employees and citizens about the proposed layoffs and potential service cuts in order to balance the budget for the fiscal year 2011-2012.
The unanimous vote came after compelling testimony about the value of the literacy program which will be severly cut due to the state budget cuts and elimiinated if the city council initiated staff proposed cuts for next fiscal year. Ellen Kolowich eloquently testifid that the literacy program is mostly for people, the majority of whom were born in the US, but did not learn English or how to read in school. She testified how English as a Second Language literacy program opens the doors to life for them by removing the barriers of not speaking English or reading. It was compelling.
Because many of the proposed staff cuts targeted publish safety, there was discussion looking to other deparments for additional layoffs to spare public safety. The city manager pointed out that last year, that is actually what happened - positions have not been filled and layoffs occurred in many of these deparments. There are not too many more places to look for employee salary savings.
Hence, the direction to staff by the unanimous vote by Council is to seek to negotiate with the bargaining units (unions) for salary and benefit savings to avoid the layoffs and service cuts. As a city fire employee stated, "we [the public employee] didn't cause this economic recession" and yet he lamented that the public makes negative statements about them as if they are responsible for the hard times.
The unanimous vote came after compelling testimony about the value of the literacy program which will be severly cut due to the state budget cuts and elimiinated if the city council initiated staff proposed cuts for next fiscal year. Ellen Kolowich eloquently testifid that the literacy program is mostly for people, the majority of whom were born in the US, but did not learn English or how to read in school. She testified how English as a Second Language literacy program opens the doors to life for them by removing the barriers of not speaking English or reading. It was compelling.
Because many of the proposed staff cuts targeted publish safety, there was discussion looking to other deparments for additional layoffs to spare public safety. The city manager pointed out that last year, that is actually what happened - positions have not been filled and layoffs occurred in many of these deparments. There are not too many more places to look for employee salary savings.
Hence, the direction to staff by the unanimous vote by Council is to seek to negotiate with the bargaining units (unions) for salary and benefit savings to avoid the layoffs and service cuts. As a city fire employee stated, "we [the public employee] didn't cause this economic recession" and yet he lamented that the public makes negative statements about them as if they are responsible for the hard times.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Hard Budget Decisions
The City Council makes hard decisions, but laying off employees is the hardest. At its regular meeting Tuesday night, May 3, the Council may decide to reopen city employee contract agreements to avoid potential layoffs as we address the $1.7 million deficit for the 2011-12 budget. Action is necessary to achieve a budget with balanced expenditures and revenue projections for fiscal year 2011-12. Our employees stepped up in 2010 when agreeing to salary and benefits reductions requested by the Council. Revenues on which the city depends are lower because of depressed property values, lower Benicia Industrial Park sales taxes and lower franchise fees, so we continue to make expenditure adjustments. The choice between layoffs and salary and benefits reductions is not a welcome one, but the situation speaks for itself.
These decisions are grounded in the Council’s policy to maintain a balanced budget, to avoid service cuts and to maintain fair and competitive salaries. To quote our 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” Our city employees have been inventive, creative and frugal in finding ways to reduce costs and maintain our parks as the jewels of Benicia; our police deparment’s vigilant effectiveness; our fire department’s dependable and responsible emergency response; our water quality for drinking; our wastewater treatment to avoid polluting the Carquinez Strait; and other everyday public safety and administrative needs.
Their efforts are commendable. But it is not enough in the face of such a severe revenue shortfall. That is why we have the decision Tuesday night about further layoffs and potential salary and benefits reductions.
Monday, March 28, 2011
CSC Lecture-Workshop Series
The Community Sustainability Commission has worked hard to make this lecture-workshop series possible and would love to have your full participation in this FREE series.
This is a working collaboration with Solano Community College. Here's the series at one glance.
This is a working collaboration with Solano Community College. Here's the series at one glance.
Stewards of our Children's Future: 2011
for Ecologic and Economic health
+ Community Resilience
+ Community Resilience
Free Public lecture-workshop series
Monday, February 28, 2011
Smart Growth Conference
I attended the 10th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference sponsored by the Local Government Commission in Charlotte, North Carolina, from Wednesday through Sunday, Feb. 3-5, 2011. There were about 1,300 attendees from all over the United States, a mix of elected officials, local, state and federal officials, planners, public health professionals, developers and others concerned with healthy and livable communities. Vallejo City Council member Marti Brown attended as well but no other Solano officials or staff. This is too bad because many concurrent sessions were on topics of considerable interest including investment strategies for infrastructure, winning bond elections for transportation (light rail, bicycle routes and "complete streets"), locally grown food, and sea level rise.
The conference is co-sponsored by 170 organizations with wide ranging interests, and the major funder this year was the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Justice. Speakers and presenters included high ranking government officials, including former cabinet secretaries and governors as well as people simply doing great work.
As we toured the narrow streets, we saw mixed use (both within buildings and neighborhoods). In Davidson, all commercial property must front a public street - the unexpected benefit of this requirement is that the public safety is better and done by the city rather than private security patrols typical of shopping areas with public streets. Below is a grocery store on a public street. When you drive off the interstate into Davidson, you see offices, restaurants and hotels but you also see green space, homes, schools and shops all accessible by pedestrians. Davidson is the 2004 Smart Growth Award winner for Overall Excellence in town planning and design. (Read More...)
Monday, January 3, 2011
Steady Helm in a Storm
(This post also appeared in the Benicia Herald Opinion column, 1/4/2011)
“The city sure has been taking a beating,” a merchant told me last week in front of his shop. I couldn’t agree more. His comment was referring to the letters, columns and blogs with constructive — and some not so constructive — opinions about how to run the city.
This column is about where we — the city of Benicia, its staff, commissioners and Council members — have been and where we are going. Readers are welcome to respond on my blog (www.elizabethpatterson.blogspot.com), in the Benicia Herald, or during my open office hours.
They may also attend the workshops, study sessions and Council meetings we will conduct in 2011. Last year we held more than 30, posted surveys, and ran community open houses. This coming year I invite those who write letters, columns and blogs, as well as residents who read them or not, to participate in the extensive city outreach effort to: a) access and vet information; b) explore volunteer opportunities; and c) consider more new and untried budget solutions. Your participation is vital for the important decisions that will be made for our city in 2011.
Earlier this year, I affirmed at Council meetings that “we are all in this boat together” as we enter the third year of the Great Recession. The country’s financial meltdown is the result of many factors, but especially the reckless risk-taking by financial institutions, the ripple effect of which affected our neighborhoods, jobs, available funds for small businesses — and public anger.
“The city sure has been taking a beating,” a merchant told me last week in front of his shop. I couldn’t agree more. His comment was referring to the letters, columns and blogs with constructive — and some not so constructive — opinions about how to run the city.
This column is about where we — the city of Benicia, its staff, commissioners and Council members — have been and where we are going. Readers are welcome to respond on my blog (www.elizabethpatterson.blogspot.com), in the Benicia Herald, or during my open office hours.
They may also attend the workshops, study sessions and Council meetings we will conduct in 2011. Last year we held more than 30, posted surveys, and ran community open houses. This coming year I invite those who write letters, columns and blogs, as well as residents who read them or not, to participate in the extensive city outreach effort to: a) access and vet information; b) explore volunteer opportunities; and c) consider more new and untried budget solutions. Your participation is vital for the important decisions that will be made for our city in 2011.
Earlier this year, I affirmed at Council meetings that “we are all in this boat together” as we enter the third year of the Great Recession. The country’s financial meltdown is the result of many factors, but especially the reckless risk-taking by financial institutions, the ripple effect of which affected our neighborhoods, jobs, available funds for small businesses — and public anger.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Seeno Attacks Mayor (remember 2007 election?)
It is unfortunate that the Seeno Corporation has withdrawn its application for a vesting tentative map rather than live up to its verbal commitment to the City Council. Here's what hapened: After the Council voted to deny the project, Seeno approached the council to have the denial reconsidered and the Council adopted a resolution with stipulations for a specific plan, development agreement and new EIR. Seeno agreed verbally and by a general letter in order to have Council "stay" the denial. That was and is their agreement. When the council asked for detailed written assurances from Seeno that they would live up to that verbal and general letter agreement, Seeno withdrew their application.
Why now? Because next year is an election year. It apears that they don't want a strong Mayor who stands up to Seeno. They don't want a Mayor who insists on protecting the hills, air and water, and avoid big-time traffic increases. And they don't want a Mayor who asks for assurances in writing. As your Mayor, I believe that requiring Seeno to stick to their word is what is best for the City. We negotiated in good faith and they have chosen to withdraw.
Seeno says that my reciting newspaper accounts detailing the Seeno Corporation's violation of grading ordinances, Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act and numerous air pollution violations is slanderous. Really? Read their letter and stay tuned for more attacks and campaign fodder.
Why now? Because next year is an election year. It apears that they don't want a strong Mayor who stands up to Seeno. They don't want a Mayor who insists on protecting the hills, air and water, and avoid big-time traffic increases. And they don't want a Mayor who asks for assurances in writing. As your Mayor, I believe that requiring Seeno to stick to their word is what is best for the City. We negotiated in good faith and they have chosen to withdraw.
Seeno says that my reciting newspaper accounts detailing the Seeno Corporation's violation of grading ordinances, Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act and numerous air pollution violations is slanderous. Really? Read their letter and stay tuned for more attacks and campaign fodder.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Inconvenient Truths Come in Many Packages
Inconvenient truths come in many packages. I remember as a child the "debate" about the source of smog in Los Angeles. While I would get sick and my eyes would sting, I listened to adults argue about where smog came from. (Later on when I was working at Cal-Tech-JPL which is in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains north of Pasadena, I would have morning coffee outside and watched the grey stuff literally form like a vapor trail along the valley's freeways). For years the public read and listened to industry, oil and auto companies protest loudly that cars were not the source of smog. Technically, this is true. Smog is formed from the action of sun and warm temperatures on the chemicals emitted by refineries, power-plants and cars. Today it is universally accepted that cars pollute and contribute to smog. A similar so-called debate about tobacco raged on for years about whether tobacco did it or did not cause cancer. Lies and more lies by the tobacco industry came to light after a whistleblower and other heros produced documents about the deliberate scientific-speak obfuscation by the tobacco industry.
As Ronald Reagan famously said, and I paraphrase, "here we go again" with the so-called global warming, climate change debate. This is not a debate but a calculated effort by a few to cast doubt in the public's mind about whether or not we should be changing our fossil fuel habits.
As Ronald Reagan famously said, and I paraphrase, "here we go again" with the so-called global warming, climate change debate. This is not a debate but a calculated effort by a few to cast doubt in the public's mind about whether or not we should be changing our fossil fuel habits.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Survey - we want your opinion
We want your opinion about city budget solutions. Take a survey! The following introduction explains the survey available by clicking on the link below. After you take the survey of which services you think are important and which services could be cut, you may want to make other recommendations. Unfortunately the survey does not provide for comments. Please feel free to click on the "comments" link at the bottom of this post and make your comments.
The City of Benicia wants to know what your priorities are for City services. While the City has fared well during the first two years of the economic recession, City revenues dropped sharply this year and are not expected to return to previous levels soon. This revenue decline impacts the City’s ability to support the current level of services.
This survey of community priorities will help ensure that we know what the community values most and enable us to tailor our spending in ways that match community priorities.
Thank you for taking the time to answer the questions in the survey. Working together, we will make the best decisions possible.
Your answers to the questions below will tell us about the importance of a list of services provided by the City of Benicia. Please note that only services, programs and facilities funded from the General Fund are listed.
Click on the following link to take the survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3DJ72MP
The City of Benicia wants to know what your priorities are for City services. While the City has fared well during the first two years of the economic recession, City revenues dropped sharply this year and are not expected to return to previous levels soon. This revenue decline impacts the City’s ability to support the current level of services.
This survey of community priorities will help ensure that we know what the community values most and enable us to tailor our spending in ways that match community priorities.
Thank you for taking the time to answer the questions in the survey. Working together, we will make the best decisions possible.
Your answers to the questions below will tell us about the importance of a list of services provided by the City of Benicia. Please note that only services, programs and facilities funded from the General Fund are listed.
Click on the following link to take the survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3DJ72MP
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
American obsession with bottled water
At their May 17 meeting, the Benicia Community Sustainability Commission discussed prioritizing 120 Climate Action Plan strategies. One of the recommended 2010 priorites was Strategy SW-1.1. -Limit City Spending on Bottled Water: Limiting City spending on bottled water to necessary fire safety operations will reduce the City’s solid waste consumption and will demonstrate community-wide leadership, while reducing overhead.
National Public Radio (NPR) yesterday featured an interview with Peter Gleick who is with the Pacific Institute in Berkeley and a 2003 McArthur Fellow (genius award) discussing his new book: Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water. More than 85 million bottles of water are sold every day in the United States. Freshwater expert Peter Gleick explains what's in them -- and why we drink them -- in his book.
Read a fascinating excerpt from Peter Gleick's book, Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water at this link:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126833795
Below is the transcript of the NPR interview with Peter Gleick on May 17:
War On Tap: America's Obsession With Bottled Water
National Public Radio (NPR) yesterday featured an interview with Peter Gleick who is with the Pacific Institute in Berkeley and a 2003 McArthur Fellow (genius award) discussing his new book: Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water. More than 85 million bottles of water are sold every day in the United States. Freshwater expert Peter Gleick explains what's in them -- and why we drink them -- in his book.
Read a fascinating excerpt from Peter Gleick's book, Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water at this link:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126833795
Below is the transcript of the NPR interview with Peter Gleick on May 17:
War On Tap: America's Obsession With Bottled Water
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
City and Seeno - drivers seat or back seat
Last month I requested that the city council review the open 2002 application of Seeno for the Benicia Business Park in light of the recent 32-federal agent raid on Seeno's corporate headquarters. For a host of reasons, it seemed prudent to make sure the city was not exposed or in a compromised position.
The majority of the council voted to require Seeno to provide the city a progress update in six months, and asked Seeno to respond promptly to the city’s request for their participation in seeking a grant to underwrite the development of a specific plan for the property. The Seeno Company was to be informed that the city retains the option of changing its fee structure for the business park application. The city council moved to request a signed letter from Seeno that they would comply the adopted 2009 resolution.
The response is "qualified" by not agreeing to a specific plan nor to paying the fees in effect at the time of project approval (in other words the current fees, not the 2002 fees). The "guts" of the action taken in February in 2009 was the required specific plan and that the project would pay its way. There was no response in yesterday's letter about Seeno's position on the sustainability grant for which the city was applying.
As required by the council, this consideration of the 2002 application will be on the agenda for June 1, 2009. You may want to attend or email your thoughts to the city council members: mioakimedes@ci.benicia.ca.us.ca , aschwartzman@ci.benicia.ca.us , tcampbell@ci.benicia.ca.us , mhughes@ci.benicia.ca.us , and city manager, jerickson@ci.benicia.ca.us
The majority of the council voted to require Seeno to provide the city a progress update in six months, and asked Seeno to respond promptly to the city’s request for their participation in seeking a grant to underwrite the development of a specific plan for the property. The Seeno Company was to be informed that the city retains the option of changing its fee structure for the business park application. The city council moved to request a signed letter from Seeno that they would comply the adopted 2009 resolution.
The council was to have an answer and consider action for May 18th. Yesterday, the city received the Seeno response."It’s not quite time to say ‘I told you so,’” Councilmember Mike Ioakimedes told Campbell during discussion of Hughes’s motion. “If we send them a letter, and they don’t sign it, that’s an indication of their sincerity. If they do sign, that changes the ballgame in the short term."
The response is "qualified" by not agreeing to a specific plan nor to paying the fees in effect at the time of project approval (in other words the current fees, not the 2002 fees). The "guts" of the action taken in February in 2009 was the required specific plan and that the project would pay its way. There was no response in yesterday's letter about Seeno's position on the sustainability grant for which the city was applying.
As required by the council, this consideration of the 2002 application will be on the agenda for June 1, 2009. You may want to attend or email your thoughts to the city council members: mioakimedes@ci.benicia.ca.us.ca , aschwartzman@ci.benicia.ca.us , tcampbell@ci.benicia.ca.us , mhughes@ci.benicia.ca.us , and city manager, jerickson@ci.benicia.ca.us
[You may also email me, epatterson@ci.benicia.ca.us or just leave a comment here on this blog by clicking the Comments link at the bottom of this post.]
During the sometimes rancorous 2-year (one election, tons of campaign money) process that included public groups developing strategies and a specific plan vision and staff "interpreting" the council's "no" vote, it became clear that the city needed to be in the driver's seat to ensure the planning process. Without this control and authority, every single issue near and dear to Benicia was a struggle and a battle hard fought: grading, traffic, air pollution, school impacts, water use and storm runoff, energy efficiency, alternative energy, jobs matching demographics and developer fees.
Based on this experience, the qualified assurance in yesterday's Seeno letter is just that - qualified. In other words, plan on fighting for the elements agreed to in the city resolution and embracing the community meeting vision - a specific plan now that provides assurances that future development meets the community's vision.
Additionally, experience has shown that Seeno questions and negotiates to pay lower fees and that will be another fight. To put off tomorrow what could be done today - close the 2002 application - is a choice that either puts the city in the driver's seat or in the back seat. The downside of closing the application, according to others, is that the Seeno company may not do anything with the property for many years and the city would not realize economic benefits from development.
It is good to remember the events from 2002 to now: an incomplete application accepted in 2002 that took about two years to get all the information submitted for the EIR assessment. After two years of public hearings, workshops, and a facilitated public discussion on the planning for and of the so-called Seeno property at Lake Herman Road and East Second, the council passed a resolution providing for the requirements of a specific plan to, among other things, design a "walkable" sustainable business park, reduce traffic impacts, avoid net increase in air pollution, ensure no net increase in stormwater runoff and a project that does not impact city services. One key elements of the future specific plan is to design and develop for jobs that match the people who live and work in Benicia - there is a higher educational level that should be a great work force for innovative and entrepreneurial businesses to meet the challenges of an emerging green economy.
The corner stone to getting a project that reflects the General Plan and the public's vision as chronicled in the January 2009 facilitated "community meeting" is the process:
PROCESS:
A specific plan (paid for by the developer) should be a requirement.
Require substantial community involvement early in the
process—this is the key to success.
Need a new, not just a revised, project.
Promote the vision of a green gateway.
A development agreement would be good.
Need an oversight committee that reports regularly to the community.
Need someone from the City on site during construction.
Provide residents with information and confidence.
Require an outside manager for the project who would be paid by the developer and would report weekly to the City.
Include significant penalties or performance bonds for infractions.
Require a comprehensive economic analysis.
Develop a community-based process.
Make sure PLA applies to everything, including future tenant improvements.
Include form-based code.
Ensure that the City enforces rules.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Biggest Decision Council Will Ever Make
In case you missed the news, here is an excerpt from the Benicia Herald story about the City Manager's announcement of his retirement. Following this story is an article by another city manager, Rick Cole, who titles it, "The biggest decision the council will ever make". And indeed it is.
I am interested in your thoughts for what you would like in a city manager. Please share your ideas and suggestions in the Comments link below this post. I will compile them and share them with the council. The council will be discussing how to select a city manager, what are the qualities of the next city manager, and should we have an interim city manager while the search is on, among other issues.
___________________________________________________
BENICIA HERALD ARTICLE:
Benicia city manager to retire in July
Top staffer was hired in 2003; replacement talk under way
By Donna Beth Weilenman
Staff Reporter, The Benicia Herald, April 9, 2010
Jim Erickson, Benicia’s city manager since 2003, has announced his retirement. When he leaves the job July 15, Erickson, who turns 65 next month, will be ending a public service career that began 39 years ago when he became assistant city manager of Vacaville.
Read More...
__________________________________________
RICK COLE ARTICLE:
The Biggest Decision a Council Will Make
By Rick Cole
City Manager, Ventura
It’s been decades since there have been so many city manager opportunities – the sea change that our profession has been predicting is now coming to pass as baby boomer managers retirements add to the usual rate of turn-over. Many of California’s most distinguished managers have called it quits in the last couple of years, seemingly at an increasing rate. Recently a half dozen major cities were in the hunt – and some national searches have come up short, with cities turning instead to keeping their interim managers from inside.
Choosing a city manager is the biggest decision a Council will make, but few are prepared for the challenge. While responsible recruiters certainly help, our profession also has an obligation to assist Councils in working together for successful results. Obviously, good succession planning by city managers is important so that cities have viable inside choices. But if a wider search is expected or desired, our profession has a large stake in promoting successful outcomes.
As one of the few people who has been on both sides of the city manager hiring process in California, I’ve talked to Council members and Mayors from many cities about the City Manager hiring challenge. Almost invariably, they are naively unprepared for the obstacles they face.
Many simply assume that by hiring a recruiter, conducting interviews and picking the “best” choice, they have fulfilled their responsibilities. They almost never realize how difficult it is to successfully recruit in today’s fiercely competitive environment.
Here’s a quick checklist of the key elements of a successful search:
Thinking through the process. Most cities hire a reputable recruiter,although some go it alone. But most elected officials erroneously assume that the recruiter can and will do it all. They neglect the other vital places they can and should participate.
Achieving consensus on what they are looking for before beginning the search. Most elected officials lack experience in hiring a chief executive. They figure that they will interview the candidates and pick “the most qualified.” Not only do they fail to come to agreement as a group, they often individually fail to identify what the organization and the community really need in a new chief executive. Too often they simply react to the last manager – seeking to replace the qualities in a person they liked or find the opposite qualities from a person they didn’t. Even if views aren’t that subjective, they are often too narrow – “we need someone who can help revitalize downtown” or “I want someone who can stand up to our Police Chief” etc. Over the four years the average manager spends in a city (and much longer in many cases) the issues will change, so the leadership approach and the character of the person selected will count much more than specific expertise,viewpoints or experience.
Actively participating in the recruitment: Once a Council has achieved consensus, they can play an important role convincing well-suited candidates to apply. This can’t be a “free for all,” of course – it is best handled by the Mayor or a Council appointed search committee working closely with the recruiter. But with the most sought-after candidates having had their pick of opportunities in recent years, an elected official can carry great weight in persuading potential candidates to apply. Happy in my last job, I would never have become a candidate in Ventura if the Mayor had not personally talked to me at length to convince me that I might be a great fit.
Prepare for the interviews: Even experienced professional
managers often overestimate their interviewing skills. A group of
elected officials seldom are prepared to get the most out of the
highly artificial process of assessing a candidate in 45-60 minutes.
Without a thorough preparation on what to be looking for, what
pitfalls to avoid and how to ask fruitful questions, at the end of a
long day, each councilmember will have their own subjective
reactions (“I thought he came across as arrogant,” “I really liked his answer on what he’d do to reduce gang crime,” “she seemed nervous” etc.) These impressions are not an accurate measure of future performance potential.
See for themselves: Recruiters usually do a good job on checking references, but there is no substitute for some or all the Council members going to the local community to check on their final choice before signing on the dotted line. More councils are taking this step and it often not only helps solidify the choice, but also gives insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the person they are hiring. We all have them – and the vital relationship between council and manager starts with understanding them.
Getting off on the right foot: It’s not enough to finalize salary and relocation details. What are the expectations for the first six months? What kind of evaluation framework will be put in place right from the start? How will the new person be introduced to the organization and the community? These are questions that are too often taken for granted or answered only superficially. But as the cliché goes, there is only one chance to make a first impression. Working together on that (especially if the manager is hired on a split vote) is vital to minimize predictable problems down the road.
We all know that relatively trivial matters can sometimes keep a Council up to the wee hours, whether it’s a stop sign in one jurisdiction or a land use appeal in another. Outgoing managers are not always in a position to help their Councils prepare to choose their successors – and might feel like they are intruding on the Council’s business. But as a profession, we can work with the recruiting professionals to help Councils do a better job of making their most important decision – and the better job they do, the stronger it will make our profession.
--Rick Cole, Ventura City Manager
_________________________________________________
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, this is indeed a big decision for the Benicia City Council, and we need to hear your thoughts on what you would like in a city manager. I encourage you to share your ideas and suggestions by clicking the COMMENTS link directly below this post (and read the comments of others). I will compile them and share them with the council.
Thank you for your input.
--Elizabeth
P.S. To get you started, here are some comments I've already received:
________________________________________________
Hi Elizabeth,
Since I'm not quite sure what a City Manager does, but assume it has much to do with ensuring the city's budget is sound, I would think you need an individual who is strong in knowledge and in practical experience in maintaining balanced governmental budgets. I would also hope the person is a team player and is easy to work with and for, is capable of bringing new and creative ideas to the table (thinking outside the box) and is able to find practical solutions to difficult problems in a timely manner. I like someone who doesn't need to be told what to do, but can think one or two steps ahead and be prepared with practical options to present to our city's decision makers. I don't know whether any existing staff fits the bill but I would certainly encourage any current staff to apply if they think they're capable.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ELizabeth,
I want a city manager who isn't afraid of big industry and will advocare for the city/citizens. I also want someone educated to be a city manager. I want someone who looks out and understand all segments of our community and especially the needs of the poor and the folks on the other side of the freeway. I also want someone who will be able to complete projects. We have way too many uncompleted projects around this community. S/he needs to be able to work with all the members of the city council and especially the mayor.
I think the city council needs to be very clear as to what they want in a city manager and they can do this by having clearly stated goals and objectives. You are going to say that we already have that but what should happen now is that we should review them to make sure they are still accurate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ok elizabeth--here is a good starter --
1) nonpartisan --show examples
2) highest integrity--ask candidates to give five best examples in writing of how they showed it--most crucial trait
3) vision--ask what is over the horizon--listen to how they connect trends and ideas together
4) benicia needs a planner-manager---since the road ahead is always full of hairpin turns, ask candidates how they do their strategic planning and what they can teach the city's elected officials that they don't know about it.
If they do not use scenario planning routinely drop them from consideration because all they know is forecasting and in uncertain times that always fails
5) track record --must have been a ceo before--being in a top job is like no other--being required to take full responsibility for every decision and not pass the buck.
KNOW THYSELF ask them to describe in detail their three biggest failures and what they learned from each--we all make errors, some can't learn from them.
---ask what were your top 5 achievements in each of the last three jobs--how did you decide to do each one? who else was involved and why? who took the credit and why?
How long did they stay in each job? why did they leave each job? how do they win friends and influence people?
6) benicia needs a manager who understands the environmental sensitiveness of the sf bay area--ask candidates how they achieved in prior jobs to improve the environmental ambience of their areas in which they worked
7) ask them how they manage conflict--manage gossip--manage anger among others--manage their own anger--
What they believe about how groups with competing agendas should be handled (ensure all the competing leaders hear out the others until they can work together toward common good in the future is best model)
Do they prepare one budget or a best case, worse case and most probable budget each year? (latter shows more sophisticated experience )
8) ask them how they would handle wayward public opinion vs an alternative obvious right path--e.g; if 750 voting citizens and 100 high school students walked in to city hall with a surprise petition to raze the post office and build a huge statue in its place dedicated entirely to the back end of a giraffe, how would they, step by step, handle it? ( did the candidate laugh, take it seriously, offer help, try to dissuade them?)
9) ask them what their own personal goals are--what do they want to achieve in life--how is what they did before part of that plan? how is the new position part of that plan?
10) what is important to Benicia and why? --have they done their homework? can they describe each neighborhood?
what do they think of each shopping center/ what should be the economic engine of benicia? how should Benicia attract visitors?, tourists?, new residents? what should benicia look like in 25 years--how many people?, how diverse an employment base? , relationship to the university of California(if any)? what would make the best collection(& why)of future small businesses in the area from Safeway to the waterfront? in Southampton? etc
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Please click the COMMENT link below to leave more comments!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Honoring Eleanor Roosevelt
First lady recalled as 125th birthday nears
By Patti Ahern, October 9, 2009
Chicago Tribune
Powerful women today -- Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Nancy Pelosi -- don't hold a candle to Eleanor Roosevelt in terms of how they'll be remembered by historians, a number of experts say on the eve of what would have been the former first lady's 125th birthday.
"I can't think of anybody equivalent to Eleanor Roosevelt," said Jessica Michna, who will portray the social justice advocate at a fundraising party in Huntley for the American Association of University Women. "She was such a star on the horizon -- a comet coming through, and comets don't come through that often. I cannot think of another person in the world to have left such a footprint."
Roosevelt's legacy is powerful enough to have inspired a new organization, the Eleanor Roosevelt Society, at Roosevelt University in Chicago. Founded by student Mallory Umar, the group provides the opportunity to follow Roosevelt's path of serving the community."Roosevelt University is a social justice institution, and I'm inspired by Eleanor Roosevelt," said Umar, a senior psychology and sociology major. "The society will allow for students to be out in the community, and work in unique organizations from a wide range of backgrounds." The organizations have "green" initiatives, help animals, or work with the mentally disabled, to name a few, she said.
Sarah Manzeske, director of the Center for Student Involvement at Roosevelt, said the former first lady, who died almost 47 years ago, sought to raise awareness of social issues and applauded the university's goal to provide education to both sexes, without regard to race.
"Eleanor was ahead of her time and cared deeply about people. She realized that not everyone is born into a privileged life. Our students see themselves as part of a huge, connected world and that's what being a part of this [Roosevelt] society is," Manzeske said.
That Roosevelt still inspires people today comes as no surprise to Robin Gerber, who wrote "Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way." Gerber said Roosevelt's relevance to the present is "growing every day" because the United States is experiencing some of the same issues that were faced in the country when her husband, Franklin, was president.
Finding someone in public life today who might have the same passions and convictions as Roosevelt was not easy for Gerber to do.
"Hillary Clinton talks about Eleanor being a role model, and they are both women of great conviction. Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives -- we may look back on her and see incredible leadership. Michelle Obama cares deeply about public service and could make millions of bucks in a law firm, but shows a commitment to public service," Gerber said.
She suggests that probably thousands of people are quietly following in Roosevelt's footsteps every day, making changes with the same convictions or the same persistence to social reform. They're anonymous and getting little or no attention, Gerber said.
The AAUW in Huntley as well as nationally is using Roosevelt's 125th birthday on Sunday to raise money to help support education, research and legislative work on behalf of women, areas of great interest to Roosevelt.
"She was a champion for social justice in the area of discrimination and racism -- issues that plague us today," said Diane Ayers, president of Huntley's AAUW.
Michna and R.J. Lindsey will appear at a birthday party as the Roosevelts, while guests will sample Roosevelt-era food and dress in period clothing.
Michna has given historical performances for about 10 years, starting out as Mary Todd Lincoln. Along the way, she said, people began asking her to consider giving Roosevelt performances.
"Her message is so relevant today and I can think of several things that are just as important today as in Eleanor's time.
"She was a patriot in that she served the country and fellow citizens. She saw struggle, but she did not have false compassion," Michna said.
Erik Gellman, an assistant professor in the Department of History and Philosophy at Roosevelt University, is a specialist in the study of civil rights during the New Deal era. Gellman said Roosevelt was an essential advocate of civil rights in her husband's administration.
"She gave African-Americans hope during the Depression that major civil rights legislation was on the way," Gellman said. "And her early stand against segregation and racial violence would, by the end of the war, help transform civil rights into human rights with the formation of the United Nations.
"That isn't to say she supported all of the goals of American civil rights activists, but she was ahead of her time and understood the limitations of both Democratic and Cold War politics," Gellman said.
"It's hard to think of first ladies who have had an impact on politics and culture the way Eleanor Roosevelt did. No one immediately comes to mind.
"She was one of a kind."
By Patti Ahern, October 9, 2009
Chicago Tribune
Powerful women today -- Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Nancy Pelosi -- don't hold a candle to Eleanor Roosevelt in terms of how they'll be remembered by historians, a number of experts say on the eve of what would have been the former first lady's 125th birthday.
"I can't think of anybody equivalent to Eleanor Roosevelt," said Jessica Michna, who will portray the social justice advocate at a fundraising party in Huntley for the American Association of University Women. "She was such a star on the horizon -- a comet coming through, and comets don't come through that often. I cannot think of another person in the world to have left such a footprint."
Roosevelt's legacy is powerful enough to have inspired a new organization, the Eleanor Roosevelt Society, at Roosevelt University in Chicago. Founded by student Mallory Umar, the group provides the opportunity to follow Roosevelt's path of serving the community."Roosevelt University is a social justice institution, and I'm inspired by Eleanor Roosevelt," said Umar, a senior psychology and sociology major. "The society will allow for students to be out in the community, and work in unique organizations from a wide range of backgrounds." The organizations have "green" initiatives, help animals, or work with the mentally disabled, to name a few, she said.
Sarah Manzeske, director of the Center for Student Involvement at Roosevelt, said the former first lady, who died almost 47 years ago, sought to raise awareness of social issues and applauded the university's goal to provide education to both sexes, without regard to race.
"Eleanor was ahead of her time and cared deeply about people. She realized that not everyone is born into a privileged life. Our students see themselves as part of a huge, connected world and that's what being a part of this [Roosevelt] society is," Manzeske said.
That Roosevelt still inspires people today comes as no surprise to Robin Gerber, who wrote "Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way." Gerber said Roosevelt's relevance to the present is "growing every day" because the United States is experiencing some of the same issues that were faced in the country when her husband, Franklin, was president.
Finding someone in public life today who might have the same passions and convictions as Roosevelt was not easy for Gerber to do.
"Hillary Clinton talks about Eleanor being a role model, and they are both women of great conviction. Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives -- we may look back on her and see incredible leadership. Michelle Obama cares deeply about public service and could make millions of bucks in a law firm, but shows a commitment to public service," Gerber said.
She suggests that probably thousands of people are quietly following in Roosevelt's footsteps every day, making changes with the same convictions or the same persistence to social reform. They're anonymous and getting little or no attention, Gerber said.
The AAUW in Huntley as well as nationally is using Roosevelt's 125th birthday on Sunday to raise money to help support education, research and legislative work on behalf of women, areas of great interest to Roosevelt.
"She was a champion for social justice in the area of discrimination and racism -- issues that plague us today," said Diane Ayers, president of Huntley's AAUW.
Michna and R.J. Lindsey will appear at a birthday party as the Roosevelts, while guests will sample Roosevelt-era food and dress in period clothing.
Michna has given historical performances for about 10 years, starting out as Mary Todd Lincoln. Along the way, she said, people began asking her to consider giving Roosevelt performances.
"Her message is so relevant today and I can think of several things that are just as important today as in Eleanor's time.
"She was a patriot in that she served the country and fellow citizens. She saw struggle, but she did not have false compassion," Michna said.
Erik Gellman, an assistant professor in the Department of History and Philosophy at Roosevelt University, is a specialist in the study of civil rights during the New Deal era. Gellman said Roosevelt was an essential advocate of civil rights in her husband's administration.
"She gave African-Americans hope during the Depression that major civil rights legislation was on the way," Gellman said. "And her early stand against segregation and racial violence would, by the end of the war, help transform civil rights into human rights with the formation of the United Nations.
"That isn't to say she supported all of the goals of American civil rights activists, but she was ahead of her time and understood the limitations of both Democratic and Cold War politics," Gellman said.
"It's hard to think of first ladies who have had an impact on politics and culture the way Eleanor Roosevelt did. No one immediately comes to mind.
"She was one of a kind."
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Global warming impacts to public health in California
Following are some excerpts from an article from American Lung Assoc. in California :
Global warming not only poses a serious threat to the health of our planet, it also puts our own health at risk...
With rising temperatures, there will be many more smoggy days. While ozone - the main ingredient in smog - high up in the atmosphere actually protects us from the sun's ultraviolet rays, ozone down near the ground is very dangerous to lung health and can lead to wheezing and coughing, increased risk of asthma attacks, and more visits to the hospital for breathing problems...
Californians experience the worst air quality in the nation, with more than 90 percent of residents living in areas with unhealthy levels of ozone or particulate pollution, according to the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Air pollution exposure can lead to asthma attacks, chronic bronchitis, reduced lung function, worsening of lung illnesses such as emphysema, heart attacks, strokes, lung cancer, premature deaths and abnormal lung development in children. The increased frequency and intensity of heat episodes in California from global warming will create additional challenges to protecting residents from poor air quality.
(Read full article here)
(Download these authoritative reports describing the impacts Californians can expect from global warming, and recommended mitigation measures.)
Global Warming: Impacts to Public Health and Air Quality
Global Warming: Public Health Impacts and Key Mitigation Strategies
Global warming not only poses a serious threat to the health of our planet, it also puts our own health at risk...
With rising temperatures, there will be many more smoggy days. While ozone - the main ingredient in smog - high up in the atmosphere actually protects us from the sun's ultraviolet rays, ozone down near the ground is very dangerous to lung health and can lead to wheezing and coughing, increased risk of asthma attacks, and more visits to the hospital for breathing problems...
Californians experience the worst air quality in the nation, with more than 90 percent of residents living in areas with unhealthy levels of ozone or particulate pollution, according to the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Air pollution exposure can lead to asthma attacks, chronic bronchitis, reduced lung function, worsening of lung illnesses such as emphysema, heart attacks, strokes, lung cancer, premature deaths and abnormal lung development in children. The increased frequency and intensity of heat episodes in California from global warming will create additional challenges to protecting residents from poor air quality.
(Read full article here)
(Download these authoritative reports describing the impacts Californians can expect from global warming, and recommended mitigation measures.)
Global Warming: Impacts to Public Health and Air Quality
Global Warming: Public Health Impacts and Key Mitigation Strategies
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Governor signs budget-balancing bills
Published in Sacramento Bee, http://www.sacbee.com/1095/story/2062713.html
by By Steve Wiegand, Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2009
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a 27-bill "good, bad and ugly" budget-balancing package today that imposes deeper cuts in programs that range from operating state parks to preventing AIDS and puts aside a relatively paltry $500 million reserve.
"This has been a very tough budget, probably the toughest since I have been here in Sacramento," the governor said as he signed the bills before a horde of reporters and aides packed into a Capitol conference room. "I'm the only one responsible for these cuts ... but we dealt with it because I think it's important to have a reserve."
Schwarzenegger characterized what amounted to re-balancing the budget adopted last February for the fiscal year that started July 1 as "good, bad and ugly:"
• Good because it contains no tax increases, "lives within our means" and includes reforms of some programs.
• Bad because of severe cuts in virtually every state program that serves California's most needy populations. "That's why you don't see us celebrating."
• Ugly because the package legislators sent Schwarzenegger on Friday lacked a reserve and was $156 million short of balanced, forcing the governor to make even deeper cuts. "That's ugly, when already we've cut so much," he said.
The governor also warned that more cuts might be in the offing if the state's economy continues to deteriorate.
"We are not out of the troubled waters yet," he said. "We are ready if our revenues drop further to make the necessary cuts to again live within our means."
At least one legislative leader took immediate umbrage to the cuts, challenging whether the governor had the legal authority to make further reductions in a budget adopted in February.
"We will fight to restore every dollar of additional cuts to health and human services," Senate President Darrell Steinberg said in a prepared statement. "We question whether the majority of these vetoes are legal.
"The Governor has the right to blue pencil an appropriation. The funding levels identified in the budget revision in many cases are not new appropriations. This is not the last word."
To eliminate the $156 million deficit and create the $500 million reserve, Schwarzenegger made $489 million in additional cuts, borrowed $50 million from one of the state's special funds and found about $117 million in savings from money not spent in the last fiscal year.
The biggest single cut was $80 million in funds allocated to counties to finance programs that investigate and remediate cases of child abuse and neglect. Administration officials said the program had been spared in earlier rounds of budget cuts.
"The situation has just gotten to the point we can't exempt them anymore," said Mike Genest, Schwarzenegger's finance director.
Other cuts include:
• $60.6 million from funds used to pay for Medi-Cal eligibility workers at the county level. Aid to recipients was not cut, but they will likely have to wait longer for service.
• $50 million from the Healthy Families Program, a 12-year-old program that provides low-cost medical insurance to low-income families that don't qualify for Medi-Cal. New enrollments were frozen two weeks ago due to budget cuts; officials say that unless other funding is found, some families now on the program will be disenrolled.
• $52.1 million from the Office of AIDS Prevention and Treatment. Officials said the cut means the elimination of all services except providing drug assistance and monitoring the number of cases.
• $27.8 million from the Williamson Act program, which provides money to counties that give tax breaks to landowners who keep their land as open space. Because the governor couldn't unilaterally abolish the program, he cut the budget to a token $1,000.
• $6.2 million from state parks. Coupled with earlier cuts, the added reduction could mean as many as 100 of the state's 279 parks could close in October. But officials cautioned that local governments with nearby parks, or public-private partnerships, might save some parks.
Officials are banking on the package being enough to convince Wall Street lenders to provide the state with $8 billion to $10 billion in loans to help with California's cash-flow needs, and allow state Controller John Chiang to stop paying many of the state's bills with IOUs.
"It's not going to be as easy as it has in the past," Genest said of the prospects of securing the loans.
Genest said administration officials would be huddling with Chiang and state Treasurer Bill Lockyer to figure out exactly how much in loans the state should seek, and when Chiang can turn off the IOUs.
But he acknowledged that even if all of the lawmakers' and governor's machinations work, the state has no unforeseen emergencies and no one successfully sues the state to thwart some budget-balancing effort, California's books might still be from $7 billion to $8 billion out of whack by the end of this fiscal year.
"No one can predict with certainty what's going to happen," he said.
by By Steve Wiegand, Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2009
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a 27-bill "good, bad and ugly" budget-balancing package today that imposes deeper cuts in programs that range from operating state parks to preventing AIDS and puts aside a relatively paltry $500 million reserve.
"This has been a very tough budget, probably the toughest since I have been here in Sacramento," the governor said as he signed the bills before a horde of reporters and aides packed into a Capitol conference room. "I'm the only one responsible for these cuts ... but we dealt with it because I think it's important to have a reserve."
Schwarzenegger characterized what amounted to re-balancing the budget adopted last February for the fiscal year that started July 1 as "good, bad and ugly:"
• Good because it contains no tax increases, "lives within our means" and includes reforms of some programs.
• Bad because of severe cuts in virtually every state program that serves California's most needy populations. "That's why you don't see us celebrating."
• Ugly because the package legislators sent Schwarzenegger on Friday lacked a reserve and was $156 million short of balanced, forcing the governor to make even deeper cuts. "That's ugly, when already we've cut so much," he said.
The governor also warned that more cuts might be in the offing if the state's economy continues to deteriorate.
"We are not out of the troubled waters yet," he said. "We are ready if our revenues drop further to make the necessary cuts to again live within our means."
At least one legislative leader took immediate umbrage to the cuts, challenging whether the governor had the legal authority to make further reductions in a budget adopted in February.
"We will fight to restore every dollar of additional cuts to health and human services," Senate President Darrell Steinberg said in a prepared statement. "We question whether the majority of these vetoes are legal.
"The Governor has the right to blue pencil an appropriation. The funding levels identified in the budget revision in many cases are not new appropriations. This is not the last word."
To eliminate the $156 million deficit and create the $500 million reserve, Schwarzenegger made $489 million in additional cuts, borrowed $50 million from one of the state's special funds and found about $117 million in savings from money not spent in the last fiscal year.
The biggest single cut was $80 million in funds allocated to counties to finance programs that investigate and remediate cases of child abuse and neglect. Administration officials said the program had been spared in earlier rounds of budget cuts.
"The situation has just gotten to the point we can't exempt them anymore," said Mike Genest, Schwarzenegger's finance director.
Other cuts include:
• $60.6 million from funds used to pay for Medi-Cal eligibility workers at the county level. Aid to recipients was not cut, but they will likely have to wait longer for service.
• $50 million from the Healthy Families Program, a 12-year-old program that provides low-cost medical insurance to low-income families that don't qualify for Medi-Cal. New enrollments were frozen two weeks ago due to budget cuts; officials say that unless other funding is found, some families now on the program will be disenrolled.
• $52.1 million from the Office of AIDS Prevention and Treatment. Officials said the cut means the elimination of all services except providing drug assistance and monitoring the number of cases.
• $27.8 million from the Williamson Act program, which provides money to counties that give tax breaks to landowners who keep their land as open space. Because the governor couldn't unilaterally abolish the program, he cut the budget to a token $1,000.
• $6.2 million from state parks. Coupled with earlier cuts, the added reduction could mean as many as 100 of the state's 279 parks could close in October. But officials cautioned that local governments with nearby parks, or public-private partnerships, might save some parks.
Officials are banking on the package being enough to convince Wall Street lenders to provide the state with $8 billion to $10 billion in loans to help with California's cash-flow needs, and allow state Controller John Chiang to stop paying many of the state's bills with IOUs.
"It's not going to be as easy as it has in the past," Genest said of the prospects of securing the loans.
Genest said administration officials would be huddling with Chiang and state Treasurer Bill Lockyer to figure out exactly how much in loans the state should seek, and when Chiang can turn off the IOUs.
But he acknowledged that even if all of the lawmakers' and governor's machinations work, the state has no unforeseen emergencies and no one successfully sues the state to thwart some budget-balancing effort, California's books might still be from $7 billion to $8 billion out of whack by the end of this fiscal year.
"No one can predict with certainty what's going to happen," he said.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
ACTION this Tuesday - Sustainability and Arts and Cultural Commission Ordinance
Your participation in civic affairs is important and vital to ensuring our quality of life in Benicia. This Tuesday's Council meeting agenda includes two ordinances that will establish major commissions: Benicia Arts and Cultural Commission and Benicia Community Sustainability Commission. Your interest, support and future membership are welcomed.
The ordinances will be discussed and a few minor suggestions are anticipated. For instance the ordinance for the BACC should include the power and the duty to review projects for consistency with the Public Arts Ordinance. The ordinance should also clarify that membership is art and cultural demonstrated interest-based and not organization-centric (in other words, not a club for the community organizations, but a commission of broad public membership).
Please read the staff reports here:
Benicia Community Sustainability Commission
Benicia Arts and Cultural Commission
The ordinances will be discussed and a few minor suggestions are anticipated. For instance the ordinance for the BACC should include the power and the duty to review projects for consistency with the Public Arts Ordinance. The ordinance should also clarify that membership is art and cultural demonstrated interest-based and not organization-centric (in other words, not a club for the community organizations, but a commission of broad public membership).
Please read the staff reports here:
Benicia Community Sustainability Commission
Benicia Arts and Cultural Commission
Monday, July 20, 2009
CalWORKS: Is it costing too much?
It's the kind of statistic that makes radio talk show hosts drool:
California is home to about 12 percent of all Americans – and more than 30 percent of all Americans on welfare.
Critics of the state's welfare program, called CalWORKs, say it's clear proof that the system is flabby and overly beneficent, particularly as compared to other states.
"We are more lenient here; we are more generous in the state of California," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said last week, "and also we are giving greater benefits for longer periods of time, and there are really no consequences if someone doesn't fulfill the work requirements."
But program officials and advocates for welfare recipients say the statistic masks the fact that California's welfare system is one of those government rarities: a program that actually works.
"That (statistic) is an apples-and-oranges thing," said Frank Mecca, executive director of the County Welfare Directors of California. CalWORKs has been "one of the most successful programs the state has had in the past decade."
There's little argument over the numbers themselves. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 1.2 million Californians (950,000 of them children) participated during the 2008 fiscal year in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program.
In California, TANF is called CalWORKs and is fueled by about $5.5 billion in federal and state funds.
The 1.2 million Californians receiving cash assistance represent 31.3 percent of all TANF recipients – or more welfare patrons than the next nine most populous states combined.
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, California's $694-a-month grant for a single-parent family of three was surpassed only by those in Alaska and New York.
But a commonly held theory that California's relatively high benefit level attracts large numbers of welfare recipients from other states is disputed by system officials and program analysts.
"We've never seen any evidence of that," said Mecca, whose experience dates back over two decades. "The fact is, low-income people just can't pack up and move that easily."
Instead, officials and analysts point to a covey of other factors that have helped swell the ranks of welfare recipients in California, including:
The Safety Net. The federal TANF program, a product of compromise in the mid-1990s between Democratic President Bill Clinton and a Republican-controlled Congress, required that recipients be weaned off the program within five years.
California, however, is one of 11 states that have a "safety net" under its welfare program. The net allows children under the age of 18 to continue to receive cash assistance even after the five-year clock has run out on their parents.
Lack of "Full Family" Sanctions. Under the TANF program, adult recipients who fail to comply with rules on working, seeking work or undergoing job training (130 hours a month is required in California) can be sanctioned by a state, and their benefits withheld.
But California is one of six states that penalize only the adult portion of the benefit – which is currently $139.
Moreover, the five-year clock is suspended while a sanction is in place. That means children can continue to receive benefits until they turn 18, even if their parent or parents have been sanctioned for years.
"Technically, you could be on (welfare) aid for 18 years," said John Wagner, director of the state's Department of Social Services. "With our current system, an adult could either work 130 hours or face $139 in sanctions. That's very little incentive to participate in activities, including work, that lead to a family's self-sufficiency."
Undocumented Immigrants. About 48,000 of the state's 526,000 CalWORKs households are headed by illegal immigrants.
While the adults are not eligible for welfare, any of their children born on U.S. soil – about 95,000 – are American citizens, and thus entitled to all government services.
"We're trying to get numbers of similar cases in other states, but my sense is this is higher in California than in other states," Wagner said, increasing the state's welfare workload.
"Umbrella Benefits." California includes some programs under its welfare system, such as some foster care services, that other states do not, thus increasing the overall TANF-related numbers.
Eligibility Rules. Because of its higher cost of living, California allows CalWORKs participants to hold more resources than other states' welfare programs. That broadens the eligibility pool here.
But while most of those involved agree the state's large number of welfare recipients is due to a multiplicity of factors, there is sharp disagreement as to what kind of a problem it poses – and how to fix it.
The governor, has proposed a sheaf of changes to CalWORKs, including:
• Reducing total eligibility from five years to two.
• Limiting support services such as job training and child care to the 22 percent of CalWORKs families that currently meet strict federal work guidelines.
• Imposing "full family" sanctions that would end aid to children as well as adults for repeated violations of program rules.
• Requiring recipients to meet with caseworkers every six months.
"We will give you the bootstrap," Schwarzenegger said, "but you have to pull yourself up."
The administration has estimated the proposed changes could save the state $753 million in the current fiscal year and $1.5 billion by 2012.
But critics of the governor's proposals contend they are based on false assumptions and faulty logic – and would demolish a program that directly aids those who need it most.
They point out that 65 percent of CalWORKs adults who can work already participate in work or education activities; that about 500,000 people have moved from the program to jobs since 1998; that the governor's cost-cutting estimates are wildly speculative; and that slicing services such as child care during tough economic times will only exacerbate the program's problems, not solve them.
"We want to look at sensible policies," said Mecca, "but the governor hasn't increased funding for (the program) since he's been in office, and now he wants to make $800 million in cuts ... and expects that to result in a more efficient system?
"That's not sensible; it's nonsensical."
Call Steve Wiegand, Bee Capitol Bureau, (916) 321-1076.
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