City Budget, again

I know that for most of you talking about the budget for the City of Marina is about as interesting as watching the grass die in a drought. However, this is the document that the City needs to provide the direction to operate for the coming fiscal year. It will determine the number of city employees in each department (police, fire, recreation, planning, etc.), it will determine how much to spend on pot hole repairs, park and facility maintenance, and all the functions of a City.

It is with this in mind that I ask you to sacrifice a few hours of your life and attend the City Council meeting this Tuesday night (June 10^th at 6pm) to listen and provide your input on the choices before the City Council. I will try to give you an outline of the issue I think is most important in a single paragraph.

The City Council passed a resolution a couple of years ago to “balance” the City budget under the definition of “monies in equal’s monies out” in a given fiscal year. On the surface that sounds great but it also ignores the $7,000,000 in reserves the City currently has. As a result the City Council has been cutting vital services to all our City departments while maintaining an oversized reserve fund.

At the same time, the City Council will be finalizing plans to bring Measures M and N before the citizens in November for extension. It seems to me that asking citizens to continue the TOT and Sales Taxes while not using the funds already available to them is disingenuous.

While no one is demanding that we use all of our reserves, we do ask that a basic level of service be provided to our Police and Fire departments, our Recreation department, our Public Works department and all the others that provide the services we as Marina citizens expect and voted for the first time with Measures M and N. But just like your own budget, you set aside in savings monies to buy a car, replace a roof or for other big expenditures, the City has these funds set aside to use to replace old equipment, repair or replace worn out streets or maintain a basic level of service.

For some reason, this Council wants to use these funds to someday buy more land or some other plan they do not articulate rather than provide the services that 21,000 current Marina citizens expect and need. They would rather reduce staff in the Recreation department in the middle of summer, not fill positions in the Police and Fire departments, not replace worn out vehicles, not provide proper Library building maintenance and more. Although you could do all of these at once with the reserves, no one expects that. Rather, what is needed is a fair plan to use our reserves to work through a very long list of deferred issues and proper staffing as identified by the staff.

So it is with this back drop that I ask my fellow Marina citizens to attend Tuesday night’s meeting and help express the Community’s views and priorities on an issue that affects our own daily life within our community.

More later…

 

California

The June primary is just around the corner so it’s a good time to share some thoughts.

For those that have followed this column over the years I am sure it is no surprise that I identify myself as a Republican. Yes, I know just more than half of you just freaked out and jumped to all sorts of conclusion by that simple statement. My guess is that if you and I sat down for 10 minutes we would agree on some eighty percent of the issues that confront us today. Of the remaining 20 percent, we would likely agree on the issues but have differing opinions as to the solutions.

 I would say that I consider myself a fiscal conservative and more of a social libertarian. Frankly, I could care less whom you sleep with, who you love or what you do to yourself - those are the choices that you make, not me. I believe in a right and wrong and that people need to take responsibility for their own actions. There are just things in this world that are really that simple.

Now that I have said all that here is another simple statement… California is a mess and it needs to be fixed as soon as possible. This State has been ruled by one party for far too long. What we need is a balance, members from both parties working together for the good of the people not their own good. How many Sacramento politicians do we need to see indicted before we wake up? How many more budget tricks does it take to get re-elected? How soon, before we as a State pass the point of no return?

We do not need to legislate the amount of sugar in your drink, we need to address the structure of our Government. We need to consolidate departments and agencies and simply eliminate tons of redundant panels and commissions. We need to address out of control social programs that need to be adjusted, not eliminated. We need real jobs from energy, manufacturing and trade not some grand cap and trade experiment that is already failing.

That brings me to this June’s primary. I have had the opportunity to meet several of the candidates in person. I have asked questions and heard them speak before several groups. As a result I have my recommendations for you to consider. First, for Controller is the former Mayor of Fresno Ashley Swearengin. She has been endorsed around the State by newspapers and editorial boards of both parties including the Los Angeles Times. Next would be Secretary of State Pete Peterson. He has also gained the support of businesses, newspapers and editorial boards of both parties. He has a real plan to make Sacramento friendlier to business to help get our economy working again. Of all the candidates running, these two individuals can really make a difference in how our State is run and start to make the changes necessary to get California moving in the right direction.

In the Lt. Governors position, Gavin Newsome is likely a lock and that is disappointing. He needs to be challenged at every step to defend his positions. Ron Nehring will do so but he will likely not get a lot of traction unless Newsome really steps into something which he has the potential to do. I have met and talked to Ron, he is a very serious candidate but you will likely hear little about him in the weeks ahead.

Finally, realistically the two candidates that are battling in the Republican primary don’t stand much of a chance against the Brown machine.  I have had the opportunity to meet and listen to both candidates.  The one who should debate Brown would be Neel Kashkari but his chances seem slim at this point even with some very high profile endorsements. The other candidate Tim Donnelly is nowhere near qualified and that might well be an understatement. If Donnelly does indeed become the Party’s nominee he will likely hurt the qualified down ticket candidates I mentioned earlier.

It is time for the citizens of California to look beyond the party affiliation and truly look at the candidates. Take the time to understand their philosophies and ask what they would do to change California in a bipartisan manner. Anyway, those are my thoughts, what are yours?

More later….

Time to get back to it...

As many of you know I used to write a blog/column called Marina Matters. I started it back in June of 2011 as a way to communicate with the Marina community and to share my thoughts about what was going on that might be of interest to them. I stopped writing it last December so I could focus on other things that are important to me like my family and our business.

So here we are in April of 2014 and I feel there are issues within our community that are not being talked about since we do not have a daily or weekly paper that focuses on our Marina community. These are issues that if the community knew more about, we could have a dialog as to what they think about them. So I have decided to start writing the column again and use Facebook to disseminate it.

A case in point will be the extension of Marina’s sales and TOT taxes (Measures M & N) that will appear on our November ballot, the state of our City’s annual budget discussion and the Council’s desire to once again cut positions out of our police, fire and other departments while we have some $7,000,000 in reserves.

I will address these issues in coming columns but I think it is important that our Marina community understands these, and other issues, and expresses their collective opinions on our future direction.

It is my desire to facilitate the start of a healthy dialog to benefit our Marina community.

More later….

A Christmas Wish

This year has passed so quickly… it seems like only yesterday we celebrated Christmas and the start of 2013. Yet, here we are on the cusp of another Christmas and the start of 2014!

It has been a fun filled holiday season to date in Marina with the lighting of the City Christmas Tree with a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, the first ever Holiday sing-a-long at the Library with the Marina High School Choir, the annual City Senior Christmas Dinner with over 150 members of our senior community participating and, of course a few Christmas Parties and gatherings along the way.

At this point I hope we all take a few minutes and reflect on our own blessings and do what we can to help those that are less fortunate within our Community. Be it volunteering, supporting the Thomas Carman Food Pantry, making a donation to a worthy community organization or simply helping a neighbor, we can all lend a helping hand regardless of our own situation.

As we look to the new year- I hope that we all include in our plans to carry this spirit beyond the holidays and keep it close to our hearts year round. It’s important to our community and it will bring joy to your heart throughout the year.

So I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! May there be peace, goodwill and tolerance around the world. Finally, may the New Year bring together all your hopes and dreams in one magnificent package that you unwrap each and every day!

More in the New Year!

Random Thanksgiving thoughts…

So now the Marina Gazette has fully embraced the digital age. Somehow I already miss the tangible, print edition. That said; here are some more random thoughts that don’t necessarily fit in a full column but are worth sharing for this Holiday week.

We all have so much to be thankful for as we head into Thanksgiving week but a new report from the Centers of Disease Control counts Monterey County as the most dangerous County in California for youth at risk between the ages of 10 and 24. There are many elements to this but when Marina has some 76 percent of our kids that qualify for free or reduced lunches at school we know we have work to do in our own backyard.

The Marina Police Department is working with HOPE Services on a jean drive in early December. Take a few minutes and clean out your closets and drawers of those old jeans you will never wear again and take them to the Marina Police Station. There are many people, of all ages, who need them desperately.

Of course, many people do step up and help serve Thanksgiving meals to those who are in need this week. Almost all our service organizations really do a great job fulfilling this mission. If you cannot help out please consider dropping a check off to the Thomas Carmen Food Pantry at the Epiphany Lutheran and Episcopal Church (Carmel and California Streets). Can goods are always welcome but at this time of year they need to buy lots of items so a cash donation is extremely helpful.

It goes without saying that the need for help really is a year round issue and there are many organizations that do great work to benefit those of all ages. One that is close to my heart is the Nutrition Program through the City’s Recreation and Cultural Services Department. Our City staff and an incredible group of very dedicated volunteers serve breakfast at our Teen Center, Monday through Friday while school is in session. This program has reduced truancy and has helped to keep kids in school so they have alternatives in life. It also makes sure that those that may not get a good breakfast have that opportunity.

That same program extends to late afternoon with a hearty snack for many who will likely not get dinner at home. This too has made a tremendous difference in the lives of many kids in our community. To help support this program, please go to www.themarinafoundation.org and donate to the Marina Teen Center Nutrition programs. Full disclosure, I am President of The Marina Foundation and I can assure you that all donations to the program are tax deductible and all proceeds go to the program itself.

One final thought for the week. I am very grateful that I live in a community that really does step up and help those that may not be as fortunate. We as a community do so without regard to politics, race, religion, or any other measure that our society wants to pigeonhole people into. We do so because it’s the right thing to do, period.

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving week!

More later…

Measure K, Part Three

Over the course of my last two columns I have tried to explain both the Veterans perspective and the gambling issue raised against Measure K. In this column I want to wrap up the discussion and touch on several other issues and why I am voting for Measure K and against Measure M.

First, let me acknowledge that attempting to take the authority away from our locally elected officials by initiative is a terrible way to govern. This initiative process is full of special interests and unintended consequences that eliminate local authority. Measure K came about as a response to those wishing to take away access to the land promised for the Veterans Cemetery and the land for future economic development by the initiative process (Measure M). It was not a fight that was chosen rather a reaction to “secure the promise” made to our Veterans and the community as a whole.

As much as the Measure M people want you to believe, the Monterey Downs project is not approved by Measure K. Yes, it is an allowed usage of the land as it is currently under the Ft. Ord Reuse plan. If that project were to go forward it would still have to complete an EIR and be approved by the City of Seaside and Monterey County… not by the approval of Measure K.

What Measure M would do is make any project on this land impossible. That would include any project that would bring the jobs needed in our community. Under the Sierra Club agreement with FORA years ago, this land was set aside for economic development – again, Measure K keeps that promise.

As a reminder, the former Ft. Ord property is approx. 28,000 acres - about the size of the City and County of San Francisco. Of that, over 20,000 acres are already preserved as open space forever. This open space includes all the National Monument acrege, Ft. Ord Dunes State Park and hundreds of acres of other parks, open space and right of ways. These areas are full of hiking, biking and riding trails destined to create recreational opportunities for generations to come.

On the remaining 8,000 acres we have all of CSUMB, UC Santa Cruz, Monterey College of Law, MPC, York and Chartwell schools. Schools that produce educated workers in need of local jobs. We also have the Marina development areas that include The Dunes Shopping Center, Marina Heights, Preston and Abrahms Parks, the Marina Airport and the ill fated Cypress Knowles project. It also includes land in Del Rey Oaks and Monterey, the Bayonet and Blackhorse Golf Courses, Seaside Highlands and the 540 acres subject to these initiatives. Each and every one of these projects are designed and approved to bring jobs and housing (in balance) to replace those left behind when Ft. Ord closed.

Just as the National Monument is a work in progress, so are the development areas. These areas will take years and years to become fully developed as demand for them allows. What is clear is that if we are to provide the jobs needed in our communities to sustain our local economy we need to keep the promises made in the past. These are the reasons why voting Yes on K and No on M are important to all of us.

More later…

Measure K, Part Two

In my last column I presented the case for Measure K from the Veterans Cemetery prospective. In this column I will look at one of the issues raised by the Measure K opponents. I will conclude my series of articles next time with a look at the land use issues that are answered in Measure K.

I know this may come as a shock to many of you, just as it was to Captain Renault in the famous scene from Casablanca when he said “I'm shocked... shocked to find that gambling is going on in there” but gambling happens each and every day in our communities. It could be your latest wager over the 49er game, perhaps March Madness, a friendly poker game or playing the lottery. It could also be at one of several legal card rooms in Monterey County. It could also be at our local Monterey Fairgrounds in the form of satellite wagering. All are considered gambling so it’s quite disingenuous of the opponents of Measure K to think of this as a major reason to oppose it.

So let’s look at what is legal gambling specifically on the land of the former Ft. Ord. Many years ago it was feared that a large Indian Casino might be built on the former Ft. Ord property. As a result of this fear the FORA (Ft. Ord Reuse Authority) Board specifically outlawed all forms of gambling with the exception of pari-mutuel betting, this at the insistence of the City of Monterey.

The City of Monterey at one point thought they would move the fairgrounds to the former Ft. Ord so they wanted to keep the cash flow that pari-mutuel betting currently brings in to the fairgrounds in the form of satellite wagering. Yes, you did read correctly, I did say currently. Satellite wagering has been going on at the Monterey County fairgrounds for years and yet we don’t hear a huge hue and cry over it now do we? So why, if it were available (though yet to be seen) would it be a problem in the future?

Could it be that the opponents of Measure K are attempting to divert the attention away from what the real benefits are of Measure K? Of course they are. They do not want to talk about the 25,000+ potential jobs that would be permanently lost if the opposing Measure M passes. We know we have thousands of acres of land for recreation but little Ft. Ord land for economic development.

Yes, I understand that some oppose a potential racetrack and that’s a discussion for later since Measure K does not approve any single development project. That decision will be up to the City of Seaside after the EIR is complete. For the sake of argument though, let’s say that Google or Apple wanted to build a facility on these lands. They would not be allowed to do so under Measure M – only Measure K would keep this land available for job creation.

Since it is jobs and careers that are needed in our community to sustain our regional economy, why would anyone fight against them? They wouldn’t, unless you want the land for more open space, then you would create a straw argument like gambling to divert the attention away from the real issue at hand.

So for the Veterans Cemetery and for the job potential that Measure K ensures, I urge you to vote Yes on Measure K and No on Measure M.

More later…