It will ask Chicoans if they’d pass a 1-cent sales tax to fund public safety and roads. The panel provided direction to staff and consultant EMC Research for a voter survey. “I don’t think throwing more money at is going to be the panacea we keep claiming it’s going to be.”įollowing the budget discussion, the council took a step toward entertaining a sales tax. “This city, the infrastructure is falling apart. While everyone wants a safer city, continuing to direct more money to law enforcement staffing is “short-sighted,” he said. During public comment on the item, Chicoan Mat Bacior approached the council stupefied. The topic was one of the more popular that night, with eight speakers. About $26 million is proposed for CPD in 2019-20. By 2020, the city’s annual payment will be nearly $10 million, and by 2025, nearly $13 million-it was around $6 million in 2017.Įither the city has to generate more revenue (e.g., pursue a tax increase) to the tune of at least $1.2 million, Dowell said, or “will have to do some major reductions.”Ĭity Manager Mark Orme already noted in his opening comments to the council that all departments, aside from Chico Police, are at 2013 staffing levels-since then, PD has grown by approximately 14 positions (five are grant-funded) and received the lion’s share of the general fund. At the same time, its debt to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (aka CalPERS) will grow. He estimates that city revenues will stagnate by 2022-23. Though the city should remain solvent the next two years, Administrative Services Director Scott Dowell painted a bleak picture down the road. Tuesday marked the first of several budget discussions for the 2019-20 fiscal year, as well. Ultimately, the discussion fizzled-a vote for staff to provide input on the bill’s language failed 3-4, with Schwab, Mayor Randall Stone, Vice Mayor Alex Brown and Councilman Karl Ory against. Attorney Richard Harriman, who often represents environmental advocates, called it a “wide-open Trojan horse” exemption to the California Environmental Quality Act. In contrast, those against it said they felt it was tailored in the interest of developers. “Either you want to help people in emergency housing situations and are willing to overlook environmental regulations to get it done, or you’re not,” Kami Denlay told the panel. Public speakers in favor of the bill echoed Reynolds’ points. Reynolds replied by noting that some Chico-based employers have lost an estimated 7 percent to 15 percent of their workforce due to the Camp Fire, and the city has a responsibility to help displaced employees get housed. Councilwoman Ann Schwab called the proposed legislation an “overreach,” and added that rebuilding homes in Paradise should be the priority. Some noted that the final version of the bill has yet to be drafted. Her liberal colleagues were apprehensive. Also known as the Camp Fire Housing Assistance Act, the bill would streamline development throughout Butte County up to 2030.Ĭouncilwoman Kasey Reynolds asked her colleagues to send to the state Legislature a letter of support for the bill, which she said would “allow building in Chico to happen as quickly as possible, so we can keep prices down and get people housed.” Most public speakers showed up to voice support of Assembly Bill 430, introduced by Assemblyman James Gallagher, a Republican from Yuba City. The meeting ended before closed session, just past midnight. It appeared to all come to a head with an early shutdown of Tuesday’s meeting, which featured discussions on the budget, housing and public safety. Tuesday (April 16) was the panel’s fifth consecutive weekly meeting, and the last two clocked in at more than five hours due to packed agendas and polarizing topics with lengthy discussion. There has been a palpable sense of fatigue in the Chico City Council chambers lately.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |