The Contra Costa County Superior Court has proposed a change in the manner of selecting prospective jurors.  The court invites the public to comment on this proposal.  Comments should be submitted in writing to mediainfo@contracosta.courts.ca.gov no later than March 8, 2013. For more information visit www.cc-courts.org.

On Feb. 14, BART directors will begin discussing ways to raise revenues quickly because, according to BART‘s Chief Financial Officer Carter Mau, with ridership expected to double over the next 15 years and a 40 year old infrastructure, BART will need to spend about $750 million a year to address capacity and repairs.

Options to be discussed are: continuing its inflation based fare index which increases fares every two years and is set to expire this year and boosting daily parking fees by 50 cents. These measures, however, are only expect to raise about $700 million over 12 years.

As a result, BART is considering going to the polls to ask voters to approve a $1 billion general obligation bond. Other initiatives under discussion are a $50 parcel tax that would raise $45 million a year and a quarter cent sales tax increase that would generate $125 million annually.

The initiatives would require a two-thirds approval from voters in San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties. BART, however, serves 5 Bay Area counties which means that BART intends to exclude San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties who are currently benefiting from BART extensions (BART found a way to San Jose! The transit line is expected to open in 4 years, ahead of schedule and come in $77 million under budget).

In the interim, BART will be conducting a public meetings to discuss a new law allowing BART to prohibit individuals who have committed violent acts, certain misdemeanors or felonies on the system from entering all BART property through a “Notice of Prohibition”. (Good luck with that one BART). The meetings (Feb. 11 in Alameda County, Feb. 13 in San Francisco County and Feb. 28 at the El Cerrito City Hall in Contra Costa County) are intended to allow interested communities to comment, particularly those advocating for individuals with mental health issues or the homeless.

Speaking of transit systems and misbehaving patrons, I was floored to read that alcohol consumption is permitted on Caltrain, although spokeswoman Christine Dunn said “We do not tolerate disruptive behavior.” (NOTE to Caltrain – drunk people frequently exhibit disruptive behavior and should not be permitted to board, especially if they’re carrying an alcoholic beverage). Common sense.

Incidentally, BART Directors receive a monthly stipend if they attend all regular Board meeting in that month ($1386.19 per month for 2011). Directors are also eligible for medical, dental and vision coverage.

I predict one small savings this year, however, That saving is in the number of BART directors and BART employees attending the annual American Public Transportation Association (APTA) convention. In 2011 four BART Directors and nine BART employees attended the annual APTA conference in New Orleans. I’m predicting attendance will be less this year because it’s being held in Chicago which just doesn’t have the allure that the “Big Easy” does.

As promised, one in my hat collection still stands ready to be eaten should this current Antioch City Council buck it’s Union label. So far, the fedora hasn’t come close to the carving knife as Big Labor, Big Government and Big Spending rule the local roost.

Let me first applaud this Council for working hard and getting out into the public, especially the tireless, impassioned Wade Harper.  Kudos, too, for,  the Council’s 3-2 vote rejecting pot dispensaries from sporting their shingle in Antioch. The food union workers were disappointed, but, in the end, two of the usual four member voting bloc showed that they are not, in fact, monolithic. Hats off for the independent thinking.

Timing is everything in life and Antioch ‘s current plate is simply better off without the attendant issues of pot dispensaries. Common sense considerations of city reputation, setting  teen example, and police manpower shortage prevailed. After all, Pittsburg, with half Antioch’s rate of crime, voted 5-0 against allowing dispensaries and didn’t even consider the topic deserved discussion.

I wish, though, that I could be as cheerful about the holiday time emergency vote on retirement packages circumventing the new state reform by four days. The new Council voted 4-1 (businessman Gary Agopian objecting) to scrap the deal made earlier in the year to bring new police pensions back from 3% at 50 to 3% at 55. On top of that, in a Christmas-giving frenzy, they threw in a bonus to twenty-one incidental city employees, increasing pension accruals from 2.0 to 2.7% yearly at age 55.

Let’s count the reasons why all this hurt so bad.

#1) Let’s, for argument’s sake, assume it a sensible proposition that we will, in fact. have trouble recruiting experienced officers without such a package (which many of our neighbors, tellingly, don’t have). Why, though the incidental, non-police personnel give-away?

This was not Chief Cantando’s thrust or intention when he initially proposed the police sweetener. The package simply got hijacked by city staff wanting to be ‘fair”.

#2) The earlier assumption is just that, assumption. We are speculating and rolling dice that this deal will attract seasoned officers, Agreed, early on still, but note, not one officer has yet been hired from this.

#3) What kind of an example doe this set to reverse a deal painstakingly negotiated earlier in the year? What does it say to the four or five other city bargaining units? They must be salivating.

#4). Consider the shaken trust level of Antioch voters, who invariably will someday be asked to pay a sales or parcel tax for additional police services? Kiss that proposition goodbye.

#5) Where’s the sobriety? City staff claims that this will only cost Antioch $23,670 a year, which if inflation, shortfalls and unfavorable actuarials don’t bite us, amounts to us paying some $700,000 over, say, thirty years.That’s no pittance but, worse yet, a citizens committee that went to City Hall raised no hackles when they showed staff calculations of three million in real actuarial benefit.

Who, then, pays the rest? The Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)  gets stuck. Is that fair? Isn’t that the very reform we all want, where one city can’t sock it to others by passing on their largesse? Is three million dollars, even if not all comes from the Antioch pot, not an inordinate sum to bet on a gamble that might attract only a handful of officers? How much is that per recruit? Brotherly love aside, won’t we all eventually get dinged with increases for a system shortfall, just like insurance payoffs aren’t free?

I, for one, begrudge no one generous retirement. If only we could wave a magic wand and let every citizen in the country eat of the fatted calf. Fact is, though, we just can’t keep printing and spending money without becoming Greece. Sound budgets and sound pension plans are not made by wands but by sharpened pencils, not made by politicians who rise and shine wanting to give things away, but by bean counters who are paid to object.

Antioch is facing a two million dollar plus deficit next year. We have tens of millions already in unfunded retirement liability. We also owe it to the State not to take advantage. This Council, which has charitable, good-intentioned people who like to please, simply has to learn the operative fiscal word of this age, no.

Walter Ruehlig, Antioch

By Sergeant Dimitri Barakos, Antioch Police Patrol Supervisor

On Saturday, February 2nd at approximately 1:41 a.m., the Antioch Police Department received a report of a traffic collision in the 3900 block of Delta Fair Boulevard just west of Fairview Drive. Upon arrival officers discovered only one vehicle to be involved. It appeared that the driver of the involved vehicle lost control, struck a tree in the center median, and came to rest on the south sidewalk of Delta Fair Boulevard. The driver was trapped in the car and a pedestrian was found trapped under the car.

The driver, 28 year-old Antioch resident Gerald Massey, was transported to a local hospital for treatment and the pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.

Massey was arrested.

You may text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Diablo Sail and Power Squadron – America’s Boating Course. Experienced people helping YOU be a safe boater.

March 16^th and 23^rd – A Two-Day Course.  Classes are open to the public and designed for ALL BOATERS.

BOAT HANDLING AND ELEMENTARY SEAMANSHIP; REGULATIONS, EQUIPMENT, AND SAFE OPERATION; NAVIGATION RULES and AIDS TO NAVIGATION; ADVERSE CONDITIONS, MARINE RADIO OPERATION AND COMMUNICATIONS.

For more information on America’s Boating Course and the Diablo Sail and Power Squadron, call (925) 377-BOAT (2628).

Online registration is available at www.diablosquadron.org

Location: Bridge Marina Yacht Club

20 Fleming Lane, Antioch, CA.

COST: $68 includes text and educational materials as well as lunch