Antioch’s Measure O will levy annual business license fees on residential rental units of $250 for single detached houses and $150 for apartments. It was unanimously approved and placed on the ballot for November’s election by the Antioch City Council. In addition, Measure O will raise the minimum license fee for all other businesses to $100 annually with the exception of some home-based small businesses, which will remain at $25. It is anticipated Measure O will generate additional revenue of approximately $2.4 million annually, helping to close a structural gap in the City’s budget in 2015 and beyond. Revenue collected under Measure O will go to the Antioch “General Fund” to support police, code enforcement and other City services.

Comparing Antioch’s revenue to revenue of nearby cities illustrates that Antioch suffers from a severe revenue shortfall and not from overspending. Antioch’s total projected revenues for the 2014-2015 budget are only $404.36 per resident compared to $555.84 for Pittsburg, $681.68 for Concord, $817.35 for Brentwood, and $1255.75 for Richmond. Brentwood’s per capita revenues are double and Richmond’s are triple those of Antioch! Even Pittsburg has a 37 percent advantage over Antioch and Concord a 69 percent advantage.

Business license fees on rentals are not “new” taxes as claimed by Measure O opponents. The measure will amend the City’s existing ordinance established in the 1960’s, which requires landlords pay business license fees based on a percentage of gross receipts. However, the existing ordinance was not diligently enforced over the years and many residential landlords did not pay any licenses fees as required. Many current owners and property managers are not aware of the existing law. The amendment will simplify the computation and collection of the fees to be similar to methods used by a number of other cities in California.

Measure O evolved from a proposal in 2013 by the Friday Morning Breakfast Club (FMBC) in response to the Council’s request for ideas to resolve the City’s revenue shortfall. To be fairer to owners of large apartment complexes, the Council modified the FMBC’s initial proposal of $240 fees for houses and apartments alike. The FMBC agrees with the City’s modifications and has formed the committee “Antioch Residents for Fairness – Yes Measure O” to campaign for passage of the measure.
Approval of Measure ‘O’ will:

1. Benefit renters, homeowners, and businesses (including residential landlords) alike with reduced crime and blight and improved City services.

2. Restore “fairness” to business license fees by ensuring that residential landlords pay reasonable license fees as do all other for profit businesses operating in Antioch

3. Provide funds to help defray the higher cost of policing and other city services associated with rentals compared to owner occupied residences.

4. Help balance the City budget to save Antioch from bankruptcy.

5. Help provide the level of services citizens should expect from local government including more police and code enforcement officers that are currently underfunded and understaffed.

6. Help clean-up Antioch to attract additional businesses and development to the economic benefit of all.
As a member of the campaign committee and a 46 year resident of Antioch, I strongly urge all residents of Antioch to vote yes for Measure O. I will rebut the arguments of the opponents to Measure O in a future letter.

Larry L. Harrison, Antioch Residents for Fairness – Yes Measure O Committee

By Lieutenant Morefield, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On Thursday, August 28, 2014 at approximately 7:24 PM, Antioch Police Officers responded to a report of a shooting at the intersection of 17th Street and C Street. The officers arrived to find an adult male victim incapacitated from an apparent gunshot wound. The 28-year-old victim was transported to a local area hospital where he remains in grave condition. This case is currently being investigated by the Antioch Police Department Investigations Bureau. We are in the preliminary stages of this case, and no further information will be released at this time.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective James Stenger with the Antioch Police Department at (925)779-6894. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.

Program Description:

Meals on Wheels provides nutritious meals and daily contact from a dedicated staff and volunteers. The program supports independence while promoting the social, physical, and emotional well-being of seniors.

Position Description

The East County Outreach Worker (ECOW) is primarily responsible for ensuring that meals are delivered to clients. The ECOW directly interacts with clients both in-person and over the phone.

This person will report directly to the Meals on Wheels Program Manager. This is a part-time position, with work time spent in the Walnut Creek office and in the field (Bay Point, Pittsburg and Antioch). 20 hours per week, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 1 pm.

To view the entire job posting click here

All interested persons please send via email only a current resume in Word  document or a pdf
of resume and a cover letter to Sharon Fitzgerald, Meals on Wheels Program Manager. Email: sfitzgerald@mowsos.org. Resumes without cover letters will not be accepted. Please no phone calls.

A measure by Senator Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord) to encourage the formation of Social Purpose Corporations is headed to Governor Brown. This bill strengthens previous efforts by Senator DeSaulnier to encourage companies to incorporate with a special purpose.

“It is important that California provide options to socially conscious entrepreneurs,” Senator DeSaulnier said. “This bill will help encourage the formation of businesses driven to do more than just maximize profits for their shareholders. SB 1301 ensures that California remains on the forefront of promoting socially conscious business practices.”

Senator DeSaulnier carried legislation (SB 201) in 2011 to establish a new corporate form—a Flexible Purpose Corporation. This new corporate form integrated the for-profit philosophy of the traditional corporation along with a “special purpose” mission to encourage and expressly permit companies to pursue one or more charitable or public purpose activities in addition to creating economic value for shareholders. Washington and Delaware followed California’s lead in creating similar corporate forms.

SB 1301 renames Flexible Purpose Corporations as Social Purpose Corporations, to more accurately reflect the spirit of the law. SB 1301 seeks to strengthen and clean up the corporate code created under SB 201, by clarifying that directors of Social Purpose Corporations are required—and not just encouraged—to consider a special purpose. This bill also cleans up California code to better conform to other states’ guidelines and new corporate laws that have proven successful in encouraging companies to incorporate with a special mission.

According to the Secretary of State, a total of 62 Flexible Purpose Corporations have been formed since January 1, 2012.

To learn more or contact Senator Mark DeSaulnier visit http://sd07.senate.ca.gov/.

DeSaulnier (D-Concord) represents the Seventh Senate District, which includes most of Contra Costa County and parts of Alameda County.

By Barbara Zivica

Voters in Antioch will soon be asked to fill two Antioch Unified School District board seats in addition to two city council seats. Vote by mail ballots will be sent out beginning October 6th for the November 4th election.

Candidates for the school board are Walter Ruehlig, former board member, Debra Vinson, who previously ran for the board and lost, incumbents Joy Motts and Gary A. Hack, former president of the Antioch teacher’s union. Since I’ve been opposed to a number of board actions, incumbents won’t get my vote.

First is the board’s continuing opposition to the highly rated Dozier-Libby Medical High School becoming an independent charter school although a state appellate court panel upheld a Contra Costa Superior Court judge’s decision stopping the district from making Dozier Libbey a district run charter school. The board has now appealing the decision at the state level.

Second is that in December, Joy Motts, Board President, put discussion of the anti-Prop. 13 resolution by Evolve-ca, an activist group attempting to persuade local boards and councils to support removing Prop. 13 protections for business property on the agenda. Fortunately no action was taken after a presentation of correct information from the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association informing the board that the percentage paid by homeowners has declined not increased since the passage of Prop. 13.

Last, but not least, are the two bond measures the board previously saddled non-Mello Roos homeowners with and their more recent resolution to levy a special tax for the district for fiscal year 2014-15. That’s because, as Superintendent Gill recently commented “since residents recently voted to renovate Antioch High we’re looking at renovating other schools.” What schools?

The $61.6 million ballot measure that passed in 2008 was to make facilities improvements at Belshaw, Fremont, Kimball, Marsh, Mission, Muir, Sutter and Turner elementary schools, Antioch and Park middle schools, Antioch Live Oak and Prospect High schools. The 2012 ballot measure was to renovate Antioch High School.

It’s my guess the board’s ultimate decision not to put a parcel tax on this year’s November ballot was due to the City’s Business License Tax Measure O. 　

In July the district, who will receive nearly $9.4 million this year in supplemental funds because more than 55% of students are low income, English learners or foster youth, approved a $157.2 million spending plan. The school board also ratified salary and health benefit adjustments which increased compensation for members of all three labor groups by about $3.5 million.

This month, during two recent closed meetings, the board discussed asking Superintendent Donald Gill, who negotiates for himself and was being wooed by the Newark School District, to stay, offering him a salary increase and asking him to finish important district projects. (Topic was to come before the public during a regular board meeting on August 27th.)

Projects include turning Dozier Libbey into a district-wide charter and making progress on its African-American Male Achievement Initiative. Ironically the district did have a RAAMP (Raising Academic Achievement Multicultural Program) academy which opened in 2009 but the California Charter Schools Association called for its closure in April 2014 due to low standardized test scores.

NOTE: From 2004 to 2012 AUSD enrollment fell from about 21,000 to 18,500 According to the district, enrollment as of last October was 17,900.

By Lieutenant Morefield, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On Sunday morning, August 24, 2014 at approximately 12:23 AM, Antioch Police Officers responded to a report of a shooting at a home in the 200 block of Lawton Street. The officers arrived to find a 30-year-old adult male victim incapacitated from multiple, apparent gunshot wounds. Life saving measures were taken by the arriving officers and medical personnel, and the victim was transported to a local area hospital. The victim, a San Francisco resident, was ultimately pronounced deceased at the hospital.

This case is currently being investigated as a homicide by the Antioch Police Department Investigations Bureau. We are in the preliminary stages of this investigation, and no further information will be released at this time.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective Vanderpool with the Antioch Police Department at (925)779-6988. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.