Wheels Within Wheels
Tazer Tuesday greetings to all!
Another city council meeting, another laundry list of the interesting. See the agenda HERE.
* In closed session, it looks like there's going to be a conference with firefighter union reps, followed by a public employee performance evaluation of City Manager Bill Lindsay.
The Tazer is curious to know if there will be any restructuring of benefits to financially help out the city. Public safety officers deserve excellent compensation, but politicians did the job for the short-term gains in offering up over-generous packages. Fatcat pols and union leadership curry no quarter from the Tazer when it comes at the expense of rank-and-file firefighters getting laid off and citizens going without the service when stations have to be shut down.
Lots of luck to CM Lindsay, by the way. He strikes the Tazer as a decent fellow, taking a paycut and the helm of a semi-submerged Richmond. Get those bilges pumped and we'll talk some more...
* Two resolutions of note: FY 2006-2007 budget, and adoption of the 2006/2007 Title XIIIB Appropriation Limit. Historically, Gary Bell pointed out the city's propensity for spending money NOT in hand, so in light of tax increases (and "expected" tax increases) the Tazer wonders about handicapping the amount by which Richmond plans to indulge this bad habit. Around $16 million-ish smells like a good each-way bet...
* Two items from the Richmond Community Redevelopment Agency: its FY 2006-2007 budget, and authorization for the Executive Director to contract with Community Housing Development Corporation (CHDC) and Eden Housing for the toxic cleanup at Miraflores Housing Development (in the Florida/Wall & 47th area).
The Tazer has found financial questions with Miraflores dating back to 2004, but then the California Dept. of Toxic Substances Control only issued a plan for review regarding toxic cleanup in May of this year...
Keep in mind that these were both preceded in early 2003 by charges from Tom Butt that the city was engaging in real estate speculation with a borrowed $35 million plus $1.4 million in Richmond Housing Authority reserve money...
* Two items from the aforementioned Richmond Housing Authority: its FY 2006-2007 budget, and authorization of the Housing Authority Executive Director to execute the amended Affordable Housing Agency Joint Powers Agreement.
The Tazer wonders: Is anyone "living" in Miraflores?
* The schedule then takes us to 7 PM and the actual city council meeting...whew!
Some scholarships to hand out. Pedestrian safety. Spinnakergate at Marina Bay subdivision. Library budget adjustments. Hilltop landscaping levy assessment. City council compensation for cell and fax allowances. Homeless camping citation. Franchise Tax Board agreement for city business tax data. Knox Freeway/Cutting Blvd. buffer zoning. Endorsement of State Senate bill regarding local government authority in liquor stores and zoning updates. And a directive for the city fire chief to talk to local and county fire chiefs about efficient services.
Still conspicuous by its absence: violence prevention. The only item that might come close has to be the possible endorsement of that Senate bill, which could give Richmond a tool to target liquor stores that are a nuisance or otherwise conduicive to criminal activity. Anything that makes things easier for RPD and the people is fine by us!
But the Tazer wants to know: Not talking about it makes it go away, eh?
Another city council meeting, another laundry list of the interesting. See the agenda HERE.
* In closed session, it looks like there's going to be a conference with firefighter union reps, followed by a public employee performance evaluation of City Manager Bill Lindsay.
The Tazer is curious to know if there will be any restructuring of benefits to financially help out the city. Public safety officers deserve excellent compensation, but politicians did the job for the short-term gains in offering up over-generous packages. Fatcat pols and union leadership curry no quarter from the Tazer when it comes at the expense of rank-and-file firefighters getting laid off and citizens going without the service when stations have to be shut down.
Lots of luck to CM Lindsay, by the way. He strikes the Tazer as a decent fellow, taking a paycut and the helm of a semi-submerged Richmond. Get those bilges pumped and we'll talk some more...
* Two resolutions of note: FY 2006-2007 budget, and adoption of the 2006/2007 Title XIIIB Appropriation Limit. Historically, Gary Bell pointed out the city's propensity for spending money NOT in hand, so in light of tax increases (and "expected" tax increases) the Tazer wonders about handicapping the amount by which Richmond plans to indulge this bad habit. Around $16 million-ish smells like a good each-way bet...
* Two items from the Richmond Community Redevelopment Agency: its FY 2006-2007 budget, and authorization for the Executive Director to contract with Community Housing Development Corporation (CHDC) and Eden Housing for the toxic cleanup at Miraflores Housing Development (in the Florida/Wall & 47th area).
The Tazer has found financial questions with Miraflores dating back to 2004, but then the California Dept. of Toxic Substances Control only issued a plan for review regarding toxic cleanup in May of this year...
Keep in mind that these were both preceded in early 2003 by charges from Tom Butt that the city was engaging in real estate speculation with a borrowed $35 million plus $1.4 million in Richmond Housing Authority reserve money...
* Two items from the aforementioned Richmond Housing Authority: its FY 2006-2007 budget, and authorization of the Housing Authority Executive Director to execute the amended Affordable Housing Agency Joint Powers Agreement.
The Tazer wonders: Is anyone "living" in Miraflores?
* The schedule then takes us to 7 PM and the actual city council meeting...whew!
Some scholarships to hand out. Pedestrian safety. Spinnakergate at Marina Bay subdivision. Library budget adjustments. Hilltop landscaping levy assessment. City council compensation for cell and fax allowances. Homeless camping citation. Franchise Tax Board agreement for city business tax data. Knox Freeway/Cutting Blvd. buffer zoning. Endorsement of State Senate bill regarding local government authority in liquor stores and zoning updates. And a directive for the city fire chief to talk to local and county fire chiefs about efficient services.
Still conspicuous by its absence: violence prevention. The only item that might come close has to be the possible endorsement of that Senate bill, which could give Richmond a tool to target liquor stores that are a nuisance or otherwise conduicive to criminal activity. Anything that makes things easier for RPD and the people is fine by us!
But the Tazer wants to know: Not talking about it makes it go away, eh?
posted by Plunda Claus @ 10:56 AM
6 Comments:
At June 27, 2006 3:37 PM,
Anonymous said…
We have three spineless jellyfish running for mayor- a communist, some old woman whose eyes are red and pretty Boy Floyd! What bunch of crappy mayor wannabes.
The trio of losers! Nobody wants these slobs for our city's mayor! These folks all know they are not wanted.
But they are just not listening to us! Old woman, commie girl and pretty Boy Floyd, you ain't the peoples choice
Why in the hell don't all three of you, just pack it up and realize how much all the three of you are disliked and not wanted here in Richmond ! Get real nobody likes any of you polticial pimps for Mayor.
At June 27, 2006 4:05 PM,
Anonymous said…
Liqour stores and violence what a winning hand! 70% of all violence and killing that occur in Richmond are exactly one block from a liquor store.
At June 27, 2006 8:10 PM,
Anonymous said…
While I'm sure there's some correlation between stores that sell alcoholic beverages and incidents of crime, I'm less certain that 70% is a number that can be attached. If "anonymous" has some evidence to back up that claim, I'd love to see it.
Meanwhile, this is still America, where Prohibition is no longer in effect, and people of legal age may purchase liquor (where applicable). This isn't to say that liquor stores bear no responsibility, but mere correlation flies in the face of logic. If RPD can make concrete cases on troublesome liquor stores, where underage sales and other real crimes are committed by proprietors or their agents, I'd like to see those "zoning updates" or license suspensions done.
As for that city council meeting without the subject of violence prevention, I'll ask the same question as the Tazer: "Not talking about it makes it go away, eh?" Good grief, I'd laugh if it weren't so sad.
At June 28, 2006 1:10 AM,
Anonymous said…
You have described it vey nicely!
At June 28, 2006 10:57 AM,
Anonymous said…
WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THE COUNCIL? They're up in city hall discussing nonsense and other ways to lose money and lives! There's no need for Irma to even announce she's running! SHE WON'T WIN!
At June 28, 2006 12:57 PM,
Anonymous said…
Screw Irma and her bull*%it election! She is finished!
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