Accused of hiding contributions, PAC’s attorney says it’s baseless

By Allen Payton

Contra Costa Democratic Central Committee Chairman Jeff Koertzen, on Monday, filed a complaint with the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) alleging two political action committees are playing a shell game to hide donations of more than $300,000 to their campaign to elect Steve Glazer to the State Senate.

“This elaborate shell game tried to obscure extraordinary sums of pro-Glazer money from voters,” Koertzen stated in a news release about the issue. “JobsPAC is no stranger to intentionally withholding crucial information from voters to achieve an election advantage. We are hoping the FPPC will move quickly to enforce the law that we contend has been violated.”

JobsPAC is the political arm of the California Chamber of Commerce, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary, this year. 

According to Koertzen, JobsPAC, whose donors include insurance, oil, tobacco and pharmaceutical companies, has spent more than $530,000 to date in an independent expenditure campaign to elect Glazer to the State Senate. Their efforts have included dozens of negative direct mail pieces attacking his rival, Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla (D-Concord).

Koertzen further stated that Glazer was JobsPAC’s political consultant in 2012, when the political action committee was involved in an attempt to hide an in-kind contribution worth $100,000 that resulted in JobsPAC making changes in its filings after media reports exposed its failure to properly disclose the contribution.

Also according to Koertzen, the complaint shows that JobsPAC has reported receiving $300,000 in political contributions from another PAC named “Govern for California” since January, 2015 and that Govern for California is largely funded by former Gov. Schwarzenegger’s economic adviser David Crane and hedge fund manager John Scully.

The complaint alleges that to avoid disclosing their contributions to the JobsPAC effort to elect Glazer, the donors contributed to Govern for California instead of directly to JobsPAC. This appears to be an attempt to hide the Crane and Scully contributions, says the complaint. It notes Govern for California had less than $15,000 in funds at the end of 2014, and raised more than $285,000 to support the JobsPAC campaign to elect Glazer. That, says the complaint, is a violation of state law.

When reached for comment, Martin Wilson, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs for the California Chamber of Commerce, provided a response from the attorney for the two political action committees.

“The complaint is baseless,” said Steven S. Lucas, Partner in the San Rafael law firm of Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni LLC. “This is a desperate and futile attempt to derail JobsPAC’s strong support for the leading candidate in the race, Steve Glazer.  Both JobsPAC and Govern for California are in full compliance with all applicable campaign disclosure requirements.”

The complaint can be viewed online.

Thompson, Curry combine for 48 points

By F. Purcell, Antioch Herald

The Golden State Warriors have had many record-breaking milestones this season and Monday night was no different, as they rolled to a 97-87 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, with their 125th consecutive sellout crowd of 15,596.

Klay Thompson was the leading scorer for the Warriors, with 26 points, while Stephen Curry had 22. Anthony Davis led the Pelicans with 26 points followed by Eric Gordon with 23.

Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr was pleased with the way his team played offensively and defensively but said his team needed to get better at decision making.

It would be the first time in 26 years that the Warriors are 2-0 in a playoff series. They are now 40-2 at home, but scoring under 100-points for only the second time this season. Draymond Green tallied his second straight double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. With his one blocked shot Monday night he has 25 blocks for his playoff career, tying former Warriors player Joe Barry Carrol for seventh on the franchise’s all-time playoff blocks list.

Both teams will have some time to rest before Game 3, Thursday and Game 4, Saturday in New Orleans.

NOTE: The Santa Cruz Warriors of the D-League won Game 3 of their Western Conference Finals match-up against the Austin Spurs 97-83.

By John Crowder

Antioch residents shared their concerns about a lease between the Antioch Unified School District (AUSD) and Kids’ Club Preschool at the Wednesday, April 15, 2015, regular meeting of the Antioch School Board.

Ariana Sanchez was the first member of the public to address the board about Kids’ Club. In a moving statement, she credited the preschool with allowing her the opportunity to graduate from high school, since she was able to have her daughter in the program. “Kids’ Club holds a very special place for me,” she said. “Thanks to them, I am where I am today, and my daughter is, too.”

Other Antioch residents also came forward to speak about the preschool, with one parent presenting a stack of, “over 700 letters” in support of Kids’ Club. Calling the program, “one of the most successful preschools,” he asked the board, “Please, renew Kids’ Club’s lease.”

Mark Mokski, Executive Director of Kids’ Club Preschool, and the last member of the public to speak on the matter, first told the board about Kids’ Club being founded by an AUSD administrator and board members. He then stated he was not asking for a renewal of the lease, but help in raising “$100,000 to $200,000” to renovate one of a number of buildings he said he had, with the assistance of a real estate broker, which Mokski claims able to house the program, going forward.

The fate of the preschool has been the subject of some debate recently, both at public meetings, in a letter to the editor, and in an AUSD statement posted on their website. Kids’ Club is currently located at the former Bidwell Elementary School site, 800 Gary Avenue in Antioch.

In a letter written by Mokski and Sara Octaviano, Chairperson, Parent Advisory Committee for Kids’ Club Preschool, and posted on another news website on March 31, 2015, several statements are made which appear to make AUSD staff seem capricious and unconcerned about the preschool.

In the first paragraph, they state, “Kids’ Club Preschool…will be closing permanently in June 2015.” In the second paragraph they state, “The closure is due to the loss of the lease with Antioch Unified School District.” Later, they state, “AUSD is currently unwilling to renegotiate or continue with the lease.” Then, the letter states, “Why does a district with reduced enrollment need the space occupied by the preschool?” and “AUSD administration has not negotiated on the current space, nor have they presented viable options for alternative locations on district property.”

AUSD has a response posted on their website. The response states that, Kids’ Club, “has no relationship with the District other than leasing facilities from the District,” and “Kids’ Club is not a School District program and is not associated with the District.” It goes on to explain that, “As a result of the District’s growing need for special education, the District found it necessary to expand its current special education programs at Bidwell.” The statement then says that District personnel informed Kids’ Club that it did not intend to renew the lease in May, 2014, that they have attempted to assist Kids’ Club to identify alternative space, and that, although, “the District’s primary obligation is to provide an education to its students and plans to do so by utilizing the Bidwell property,” it has, and “is prepared to continue to assist Kids’ Club to find alternate space.”

Through a public records request, Antioch Herald staff obtained a copy of the lease agreement between AUSD and Kids’ Club, and a letter acknowledging the Bidwell facility would no longer be available for Kids’ Club at the end of this school year.

The Lease Agreement, dated August 1, 2012, allows Kids’ Club the use of the Bidwell facility for two years, the original lease expiring on July 31, 2014, but with a one-year option to renew. Further in the agreement, it states, “AUSD may terminate this Lease upon sixty (60) days’ written notice in the event that AUSD determines…the Premises are needed by AUSD for carrying out its primary mission of educating school children.”

The accompanying letter, sent from Kids’ Club to AUSD, signed by Mokski and dated May 22, 2014, states in part, “Kids’ Club Preschool acknowledges, based upon a verbal conversation on May 20, 2014 that the leased space will no longer be available after next year.”

The next Antioch School Board meeting will be held on May 13, 2015. Meetings are held at the AUSD School Services Building, located at 510 G Street, and begin at 7:00 p.m.

By Barbara Zivica

Seen any unfamiliar police cars driving around recently? Although the city was recently able to purchase a number of Crown Victoria vehicles, unfortunately that particular vehicle has been discontinued The police department is currently testing three makes of vehicles in order to see which one they favor. The vehicles are a Chevy Caprice, a Chevy Tahoe and a Ford Explorer. The vehicles will be evaluated for officer safety, functional operation, maintenance and repair issues. Other vehicles will be considered if necessary.

Speaking of the police department, the April monthly report from the City Manager stated the department is currently staffed with 88 full-time sworn employees, five of which are in various stages of the field training program. Eight sworn officers have medical conditions preventing them from reporting for full duty, three police trainees are currently attending the 177th Police Academy at the CCC Training Center in Pittsburg and will graduate in July, leaving the department with 11 remaining police officer vacancies. One lateral police officer who successfully completed the background process is being sworn in this month bringing the sworn staff to 89. Another lateral police office is in the initial stages of the background process and one entry level applicant has passed his background and will enter the Police Academy in May. (APD is currently authorized for 102 full-time, sworn positions.) Dispatch is fully staffed.

The city is projecting that in fiscal year 2014-15 projected expenditures, based upon staffing for 102 sworn, are under the total allocated spending threshold for the police department, excluding the $1.8 million to buy and install equipment allowing the city to join the East Bay Regional Communications System Authority. That will allow Antioch police to communicate directly. with other jurisdictions. The city, however, is projecting deficits in FY16 and FY17.

Note that while the city was touting the need for Measure C and Measure O the current $1,608,041 over budget savings comes from vacancies. Earlier this month the state Department of Finance released an audit showing agencies padded their budgets by keeping vacant jobs on their books while holding on to the money allocated for those positions, concluding that the result was a lack of budget transparency and accountability.

By John Crowder

Katia Williams, a 17-year-old senior at Deer Valley High School, who is an Advanced Placement (AP) scholar and ranks in the top 1% of her class, was recently named as a recipient of a National Achievement Scholarship.

The National Achievement Scholarship Program, part of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, was established as an academic competition in 1964. It provides recognition for outstanding Black American high school students. Students qualify for the program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). More than 160,000 competed for the award last year, and Katia was one of only 700 students across the nation to receive one of the $2500 scholarships awarded.

The prestigious award is only one of several that Katia has garnered for her academic endeavors as far back as her fourth grade year, when she won the school spelling bee at Jack London Elementary School and went on to reach the semifinals in the Contra Costa County Spelling Bee.

Since then, her awards have extended beyond academics. Through the years she has received numerous awards at the Contra Costa County Fair for her creative writing. Katia also sings with the Deer Valley High Show Choir and dances with the high school’s Dance Crew.

More recently, Katia and her science partner, who are both taking AP Calculus AB and AP Physics this year, placed third in the Contra Costa County Science and Engineering Fair, for their project, “Simple Calculus: The Transformation of an Oxymoron into a Reality.” The project, entered in the Math and Computer Science Category, was selected to advance to the California State Science Fair. Established in 1952, the fair will be hosted this year at the California Science Center in Los Angeles on May 18 and 19. Katia will be one of over 1,000 students competing for over $50,000 in prize money at the event.

Katia does not spend all her time on academic pursuits and art competitions, however. Last August, she traveled to Honduras on a mission trip and helped build seven homes, distributed food to the poor, and assisted in a medical clinic. She is also a camp counselor for underprivileged children and children from foster care. This last Easter, she could be found at Shepherd’s Gate, a shelter for battered women and children, serving a traditional Easter meal.

Katia has applied to, and been accepted at, all four of the University of California schools to which she sent an application; no surprise given her list of accomplishments and her 2060 SAT score (which places her in approximately the 97^th percentile of all students taking the test). Her plan is to attend either UC Berkeley of UCLA in the fall, and to major in Statistics. She would like to pursue a career in Data Science.

While she may not have settled on a choice of school, one thing is certain: Katia will continue to achieve success wherever she goes, and DVHS can take pride in this soon-to-be alumna.

·Police to get another pay raise, 102 sworn officers budgeted

·General Fund subsidies to water park and golf course continue, Duran suggests privatization

·Harper declines assistant, at this time

·Ogorchock suggests selling marina, city owned land

By John Crowder

On Tuesday, April 14, 2015, the Antioch City Council held their first of three planned study sessions in preparation for the adoption of a two-year budget, covering fiscal years 2015-2016 and 2016-2017.

Dawn Merchant, Antioch’s Finance Director, presented the council with a review of the General Fund, Recreation and Animal Services Special Revenue Funds, and Prewett and Marina Enterprise funds. According to Merchant’s report, these other funds were included with a review of the General Fund because, “subsidies to these programs are integral to the General Fund budget.”

Merchant stated that the General Fund pays for police services, public works and community services, but also contributes to the subsidies.

In her slide presentation, Merchant outlined that the current fiscal year (2014-2015) is expected to end with a slight surplus of approximately $76,000, adding to the General Fund balance to bring the total amount of reserves to approximately $10.9 million. Then, going forward, the budgets show deficit spending of about $450,000 in fiscal year 2015-2016, and $1.5 million in 2016-2017, leaving the General Fund with a balance of $8.9 million at the end of the second year.

Merchant then compared the projected General Fund revenues and expenses with those in the pre-recession year of 2006-2007. She noted that actual revenues were $47 million and actual expenses $44 million, with just over $3 million added to reserves in the 2006-2007 fiscal year. For fiscal year 2015-2016, projected revenues are $48.6 million (more than the city received pre-recession, but, according to Merchant, only because of the addition of Measure C and Measure O revenue). Expenditures, however, are projected to be $49 million next year, $5 million more than the pre-recession number.

With respect to city staffing, Merchant said there were about 90 more positions with the city in 2006-2007.

Some of the revenue assumptions in the 2015-2016 budget are a 4% increase in property tax, a 3.5% increase in sales tax, and $2.3 million in Measure O revenue. One reduction in revenue that is being planned for in 2016-2017 is a loss of six months of Dispatch Reimbursement from the City of Brentwood, about $400,000. The Northeast Annexation is expected to generate an additional $450,000 revenue.

Expenditure assumptions in the 2015-2016 budget include several increases, including a 3% salary increase for the Antioch Police Officers Association (APOA) and Antioch Police Management Association (APSMA) members ($670,000), full-year furlough/salary restoration ($663,000), PERS contribution increases ($144,000), increased workers compensation premiums of 20% ($384,000), increased general liability premiums of 58% ($462,000), reinstatement of annual funding for vehicle replacement ($214,000), purchase of body cameras and tasers for police ($225,000), and the purchase of police vehicles ($450,000).

Subsidies from General Fund

Merchant then listed subsidies provided through the General Fund, including the golf course water subsidy of $118,000, the recreation and water park subsidies of $981,000, the animal services subsidy of $509,000, and the marina fund subsidy of $360,000. The latter subsidy would result if the city fails to prevail in an ongoing dispute with the state Department of Finance.

Police staffing at 102 sworn officers

Staffing assumptions included in the budget for both years include 102 police sworn staffing, the funding of one facility maintenance worker, reclassification of an incumbent employee to operations supervisor, eliminating one funded landscape maintenance lead worker, bringing funding to two operations supervisor positions, and then “all other staffing levels remain the same as in the current fiscal year.”

Staffing requests not included in the proposed budget included three community service officers ($275,000), one police records technician ($87,000), one additional code enforcement officer ($122,000, bringing the total number of code enforcement officers to four), two general laborers assigned to code enforcement ($174,000), one assistant development services-engineering technician in code enforcement ($80,000), one administrative assistant for HR/City Manager/Clerk ($85,000), one deputy city attorney ($193,000), one public works inspector ($140,000), one associate planner ($143,000), one irrigation technician (a split position of which approximately $50,000 would come from the general fund), and one part-time, temporary office assistant in the mayor’s office ($16,000).

Mayor’s assistant

Mayor Wade Harper, who had been asking for clarification of issues throughout the presentation, at this point addressed the mayor’s office assistant position.

“I brought that up,” he said, “and I’m not asking for it to be funded at this time.”

He then said he was “in contact with Workforce Development to see if something like that could be funded through their Earn and Learn program.” He also said that volunteer interns might also be a way to fill the position.

“I think it’s needed, I think we can do it on an intern basis. But that was my request,” Harper added.

Merchant then provided slides showing where, by department, money from the General Fund was going. She said that police (including the Animal Services subsidy) are projected in fiscal year 2015 to account for 74% of expenditures, public works for 14%, community development 7% and other departments combined to make up the remaining 5%.

Merchant discussed separately the impact to the General Fund of the Police Budget. In her report, she stated that, “the projected Police Department budgets for fiscal year 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 will significantly exceed the General Fund base plus Measure C projected revenues, thus pulling from other General Fund revenues, and reducing General fund reserves each fiscal year. Increases in the Police Department expenses are the major contributing factor to continual deficit spending in the General Fund projected budget, beginning next fiscal year.” The slide she provided at the meeting showed a difference in spending over budget of $1.6 million in fiscal year 2015-2016, and $5.1 million in fiscal year 2016-2017.

Merchant then provided slides showing General Fund projections further into the future, illustrating the impact of the projected deficit spending beginning next year, and culminating in a negative ending fund balance of $3.3 million in fiscal year 2019-2020, “in which case we’d be bankrupt at that point,” she said. This happens even though Measure C revenue would still be coming in at the time the city becomes bankrupt.

Unfunded liabilities

Finally, Merchant addressed the unfunded liabilities, saying in her report, “the City has a total unfunded pension liability of [approximately $78 million] for the safety and miscellaneous plans combined.”

Merchant’s report concludes the discussion of the General Fund budget with the statement, “The City cannot depend on savings to balance the budget and needs to carefully chart our course going forward to determine funding priorities. The City should only be spending within the level of revenues generated each year. We need to look for ways to achieve long term financial stability; otherwise the City will have to make dramatic cuts to services (including layoffs) in the future in order to remain solvent.”

The remainder of Merchant’s presentation was a reference to the various subsides provided out of General Fund revenues.

Following her presentation, Harper thanked Merchant for her presentation, then opened the meeting to public comments.

Three Antioch residents spoke at during the study session.

Janet Costa, Chair of the East County Regional Group, said that her group had conducted an assessment of all Antioch parks, and asked that funds be redirected to introducing more programs toward parks, especially those targeting the 0-5-year-old age group.

Antioch resident and real estate broker Mark Jordan said, “I have taken a look at the budget, and I guess that the best way that I can describe it is incredibly disappointing.”

“We are on a path to financial ruin,” he continued, “and this game is just about over.”

Referencing the “unfunded retirement accounts,” Jordan asked, “The question at hand, is, where are you gonna get the money?”

Pointing toward City Hall, he said, “Because within a very few number of years, the building behind me will be empty. All the money will be going to pay for people who no longer work for the City.”

“The solution is this. Convert the city to a charter city, and begin charging transfer fees on real property,” Jordan added.

He said charging such fees, at a rate of $13 per $1,000, would have raised about $81 million over approximately ten years, had the City been doing so.

Following public comments, Harper questioned City Manager Steve Duran after noting that Measure C “only lasts ten years.” He queried, “Are we looking at plans to increase revenues and decrease expenditures?”

“Of course that’s what we want to do,” Duran responded.

He said staff would be recommending increases to the Master Fee Schedule. Duran then spoke about the importance of Measure O, and said that this summer he wanted to bring back a “menu of some strategic decisions…including what Mr. Jordan said.”

Duran then discussed the drain on General Fund revenue related to the water park and the golf course, and said one thing to consider was privatization. He said that, perhaps, animal services should be handed back to the county.

“We have to look at our parks and [recreation] programs,” Duran added.

Council Member Monica Wilson said she was happy to hear some of the solutions that the City Manager referenced.

“I’m glad that we’re looking at the animal shelter,” she said, and added that she was looking forward to seeing the fee schedule.

Mayor Pro Tem Lori Ogorchock said the city needed to look at selling the marina, along with some of the City’s vacant land.

Council Member Mary Rocha offered her thoughts.

“These are heavy-duty issues, and the pressure from the community is going to be very large,” she stated. “Are we willing to take that hit? Because we have to stand together if we’re going to choose any one of these items to be put on for the chopping block.”

Council Member Tony Tiscareno asked Duran about real estate transfer taxes. Duran noted that the amount of money generated could be significantly higher than was currently received, but that, with respect to increasing the amount charged, “only charter cities can do that.”

Harper then asked Duran to bring more information about charter cities to the council.

As the meeting drew to a conclusion, Merchant related the schedule for future budget meetings, saying that the next budget session is scheduled for April 25^th, another is on May 12, and May 26 is a “placeholder” for other items that might need to be brought back before the presentation of the entire budget on June 23.

By Acting Sergeant Wisecarver, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

On Saturday, April 18, 2015 at 2:51 p.m., Antioch Police Dispatch received multiple reports of a group of people fighting in the street in the 500 block of West 18th Street, next to Antioch Middle School. Witnesses advised police that a car containing males and at least one female stopped in the road and got into a physical altercation with a group of pedestrians.

During the altercation a 16-year-old female was stabbed multiple times. The suspects in this case returned to their vehicle, described as a light colored four door Honda Civic, and left the area.

In a possibly related incident, one witness reported seeing a group of people get out of a white, four-door vehicle stopped in the east bound lane of West 18th Street, near D Street, at the same location, just minutes later, and across the street toward a male and female on the sidewalk. One of the males was brandishing what appeared to be a butterfly stiletto knife. However, a driver, stopped in the westbound lane, honked his horn and the people ran back to the car, got in and drove off, without any physical contact occurring with the intended victims.

The stabbing victim was transported to an area hospital by ambulance. She was treated for her injuries, which were determined to be non-life threatening.

This incident is still under investigation. Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to contact the Antioch Police Dept. at (925) 778-2441. If you have information regarding this case you may text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Publisher Allen Payton contributed to this report.

By Corporal James McMurry #2384, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

On Saturday, April 18, 2015 at 11:16 a.m., Antioch Police Officers responded to numerous 911 calls reporting a motorcycle collision at Contra Loma Blvd. And St. Francis Drive. When Officers arrived on scene they located the victim suffering from major head trauma. The 22-year-old male victim was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Based on witness statements, it appears speed may have played a role in the collision. There were other motorcycle riders with the victim but they were not involved in the collision. No other vehicles or pedestrians were involved. It is not known at this time if alcohol played a role in the collision.

If anyone has information that is related to this case, they can call the Antioch Police Department’s non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. The Lead Investigator is Officer E. Johnsen #4265.