In spite of the additional $6 million from Measure C, each year

By Dave Roberts

Antioch’s budget, which teetered on the brink of bankruptcy during the Great Recession resulting in massive employee layoffs, reduction in city services and closure of City Hall one day a week, is once again headed toward bankruptcy unless significant cost-cutting measures are taken. That was the bad news from Finance Director Dawn Merchant at a City Council budget study session on Tuesday, April 11th.

Antioch’s $52.7 million General Fund budget is projected to begin deficit spending by $2.6 million in July of next year due largely to increased police staffing, pay and benefit hikes for all city employees and increased payments to the California Public Employees Retirement System. The deficit spending will occur despite the city receiving more than $6 million annually from the city’s Measure C half-cent sales tax hike that was passed in 2013.

That tax is due to expire in four years. The loss of that revenue would result in the city running a $12.5 million deficit in the fiscal year beginning July 2021, according to budget projections. And the city could be bankrupt and $10 million in debt the following year, increasing to $25 million in debt the year after that.

“It’s really important for council when making any decisions going forward, based on projections going forward, to consider the fact that Measure C needs to be looked at to either be renewed or some other revenue measure in its place,” Merchant told the council. “Otherwise once that ends, the city is going to be in a significant financial bind that we could find ourselves in. We could have to lay off police officers. The Police Department is over 70% of the General Fund budget.”

But employee costs are increasing so fast that even if Antioch voters approve an extension of Measure C, the city could still be facing bankruptcy in the budget year starting July 2023, according to a budget chart. Essentially, extending Measure C would only stave off bankruptcy for about a year and a half. As a result, the council may have to make tough cost-cutting decisions in the coming months before the 2017-18 budget is adopted on June 27.

It’s unclear, however, where those cuts would occur. Employee salary and benefit costs comprise the vast majority of the budget. But instead of holding the line on employee costs, in November the council approved more than $9.2 million in salary and benefit hikes over five years.

The other potential area for cost savings involves quality of life services. The city currently provides:

• $1.1 million in subsidies for recreation programs and the Antioch Water Park, which is projected to increase $107,151 in the next fiscal year.
• $501,222 for Animal Services, which is projected to increase to $873,735 in two years.
• $455,000 for the Lone Tree Golf Course. The course also is years behind on $951,756 in debt service payments to the city, and is unable to repay two other loans totaling $1.1 million.

In addition, the Antioch Marina will need a $120,000 subsidy starting in 2019. And council members have expressed interest in increased funding for the Lynn House Gallery and to begin funding the July 4th and Holiday DeLites events.

Council Member Monica Wilson suggested cutting the city subsidies for the water park, golf course, marina and animal services.

“We are at that point where we really need to make that tough decision on can we carry the weight of the cost in those four areas,” she said. “We have looked at different organizations or companies that would come and maybe finance those things. I go to the golf course from time to time. I think it’s a great thing. But, unfortunately, I don’t think we can keep carrying that load. We’ve definitely come to the point where we need to make that decision on that area.

“On special event funding, we need to look at a definite finite amount of money that we can work with different groups. We need to look at how much longer we can support events. We want to support events but we really have to look at how much we can support the different events. How much are we able to afford to these different events.”

But Mayor Sean Wright advised the council to be cautious in cutting amenities that improve the city’s quality of life.

“When we look at the four subsidies that we do, it’s only $2.7 million, which is about 5% of our total General Fund money,” he said. “If Measure C does not get extended, we run out of reserves in 2022-23. If we do extend it, we’re only extending ourselves an extra two years to really be in that same boat. So really what we’re looking at is an increase in [employee compensation] contracts and an increase in PERS. For us to be able to save $2.7 million still doesn’t get us out of the hole.

“What’s coming as an avalanche is much bigger than $100,000 for events or $2.7 million. So looking at our budget I think we need to be fiscally prudent. But when you’re looking at a police officer or a code enforcement officer or doing things that increase the viability of economic development and community, for us to save $150,000 it’s like taking a large business and deciding that ‘You know what, in three years I’m really going to be suffering so I’m no longer going to market, I’m going to stop marketing now to save the money for three years that we’re going to need.’

“And ultimately what you do is you cause your demise because you stop doing things that would attract future development and future monies. So I think we need to be very careful in our conservative approach to look at what do we need to do to make our community something that economic development wants, that people want to come to, people want to live in, our home values go up so we increase that, we increase property taxes, we increase businesses.

“We need to be very careful. If we limit and cut ourselves, we’re still going to be in the same place. If we save $3 million a year we might postpone it one year, but we’re going to be in the same place with this oncoming avalanche of PERS and increased [employee] costs. We need to be very conservative and prudent, but smart in our decision-making so that we don’t lower the viability of our community. Sometimes spending an extra $100,000 on something that makes our community better, people want to live here, is money well spent in the long run – even though it looks like in three years that may be something we have to be careful of.”

Several residents agreed with Wright that the city should not cut recreation and animal services. Others urged the council to cut costs by renegotiating the contracts with city employees.

“We cannot tax ourselves out of this problem,” said former Council Member Ralph Hernandez. “This has existed for many years. It’s a train wreck that has been heading for a couple of decades. It’s time this council addresses it and takes honest-to-goodness action. Reopen negotiations on [employee] contracts and … be honest with them and tell them the truth: ‘We have X dollars….’ The [employee] organizations meet or they don’t. If they don’t, you impose what is needed to keep this city viable and avoid bankruptcy.”

William Leroy was also concerned about employee costs, which include $142 million in the city’s unfunded liability for retirement benefits.

“There’s over half a million dollars sitting up there in campaign contributions that got you into the seats you’re in,” he said. “And we pretend that that’s the taxpayers donating money to your campaign, when in fact we know it’s so that you can get up there and do the unpalatable like passing taxes. The way the system works is the police endorse you because you turn around and endorse their pensions and wages. And I can’t blame them for wanting more money. I do blame you….

“It continues on this game of pretending you are not bought and paid for, when in fact you are. You don’t represent us. You take our money. I think the police ought to be arresting you because that’s called theft. I’m really sad that you do this. I wish somebody would break out of the ranks and do something honest and good for the people of Antioch.”

The council’s next budget study session is scheduled for April 25 in which they will discuss the five-year capital improvement program and any outstanding issues from Tuesday’s session.

By Corporal Matthew Koch, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

On Saturday, April 15, 2017 at 1:31 pm, Antioch Police officers contacted 28-year-old Christopher Wilson in the 2900 block of Cashew Street. Wilson has been identified as the responsible for the shooting that occurred at Cruisers Saloon on April 2, 2017. Officers located the suspected firearm used in the shooting.

Wilson was arrested without incident and was booked into County Jail in Martinez on charges for assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a stolen firearm. This case is still under investigation and no further information will be released at this time. This case will be presented to the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office for review.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925)778-2441. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.

Moves Sand Creek new home area forward; approves cameras for high-crime area of E. 18th Street and Cavallo Road

By Dave Roberts

The Antioch City Council on Tuesday joined the city councils in Oakley and Brentwood in endorsing an innovative rail transit system that could extend the East County eBART line through far East County at significantly less cost.

The ultra-light rail transit (ULRT) system by a private company, CyberTran International (whose investors include a company partially owned by Antioch Herald publisher Allen Payton), is seeking funding to demonstrate the viability of the system on a track in Richmond, and then to roll out the above ground line possibly in East County connecting the Hillcrest eBART Station to stations in Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay and the Byron Airport.

The eBART line now under construction from the Bay Point BART Station with stations at Railroad Avenue in Pittsburg and Hillcrest in Antioch costs $56 million per mile, CyberTran President Dexter Vizinau told the council. His ULRT system would cost about $30 million per mile and have the advantages of providing more stations, perhaps at shopping centers, and provide cars that would go nonstop from any station along the line.

“The problem is that [traditional] transit is too costly to build, operate and maintain,” Vizinau said. “There is a $78 billion backlog in transit maintenance in the country. The only way to pay is to raise taxes. Something has to change and it has to be innovative. We believe we solve that problem.”

Vizinau cited the support of U.C. Berkeley, and the three national labs, in the development of the CyberTran system. He also held up a letter from the U.S. Department of Transportation stating the system was further along technologically than any other innovative transit system in the country.

Mayor Sean Wright noted that few Antioch residents are likely to use the system. “It doesn’t affect Antioch – we’re done and through,” he said. But it does have the potential of reducing traffic from far East County residents on Highway 4 through Antioch, which pleased Council Member Lori Ogorchock. “Anything to reduce traffic and congestion,” she said.

Vizinau said his company has been working on the project for 23 years and is ready to break ground. The main challenge is finding the funding. A 10-mile ULRT line from Hillcrest Station to Brentwood would cost about $300 million.

The company was set to receive $42.9 million from the county’s Measure X half-cent sales tax hike that fell three percentage points short of passing in November, he said. Another tax-hike attempt could be made in two years, he said.

The council unanimously voted to support the project and the company’s efforts to obtain funding, which was a bit of déjà vu as the Antioch Council passed a similar resolution of support seven years ago for the project. That effort was successful in obtaining $15 million in federal funds for innovative transit in the U.S. But, President Obama failed to release the funds before he left office in January, Vizinau said.

Sand Creek Focus Area

In other action, the council listened to concerns from residents opposed to the proposed Sand Creek Focus Area, which updates the city’s General Plan to accommodate as many as 4,000 homes on 2,781 acres surrounding Sand Creek in south Antioch. The area is bordered by homes on the north, Black Diamond Mines park on the west, the city limits on the south and Brentwood on the east.

Residents and environmental groups told the council that the proposal contains too many homes, not enough open space, that it will further burden local schools, roads and police services, and that there hasn’t been enough community input into the proposal.

Council members noted that the plan focuses on land use zoning, and that its approval is not equivalent to approval of actual residential development, which would have to be done separately. Over 1,200 homes have already been approved in the area.

The next step in the proposal is conducting environmental impact studies in the coming months, which would then be reviewed during a public hearing by the Planning Commission.

18th Street at Cavallo Road Cameras

The council also approved $156,412 to place police surveillance cameras at the intersection of East 18th Street and Cavallo Road, which has been the scene of a recent shooting.

Interim Police Chief Tammany Brooks said that installation of cameras in another high-crime area, the Sycamore corridor, in November have been effective. Council Member Tony Tiscareno, who lives near Sycamore, agreed that police sirens have become less frequent in recent months.

A resident who lives near Cavallo and 18^th teared up as she thanked the council for putting in the cameras, saying she’s seen drug activity on that corner and that her husband witnessed a drive-by shooting.

Water Upgrade

The council members voted to spend nearly $3.3 million to eliminate use of ammonia and chlorine in the city’s water treatment plant. Those chemicals have been deemed hazardous and highly corrosive, according to Project Manager Scott Buenting.

Affordable  Housing Progress Report

The council also approved the filing of a state-mandated housing progress report. The state has mandated that it provide over the next six years an additional 1,448 housing units with 349 of them for very low-income households, 205 low-income units, 214 moderate-income units and 680 units for above moderate-income households.

Last year 42 building permits were issued – 41 of them for above moderate-income single-family homes and one for multifamily apartments providing 84 extremely low-income units. Ogorchock noted, “We’re not reaching the goals we’re supposed to be reaching.” The developer of a proposed 126-unit affordable housing project on Wilbur Avenue complained that city fees have made it too expensive for the project to go forward.

Los Medanos College (LMC) will host the annual “Celebrating the Life of César Chávez” recognition program on Friday, April 14, at its Pittsburg Campus; the reception will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the College Complex Indoor Quad, followed by the award presentations at 7:00 p.m. in the Recital Hall. The campus is located at 2700 East Leland Road in Pittsburg. The celebration is free and the public is encouraged to attend. Complimentary, easy-access parking is available in Lot C for this event.

Los Medanos College hosts this event each year to honor the life of labor leader and human rights activist, César Chávez. The celebration also recognizes members of the East Contra Costa County community who embody his great tradition of voluntary service, civic activism, and non-violent social change. 

The event includes the presentation of three recognition awards. The César Chávez Award for Exemplary Community Service, established in 1995, is presented to local citizens who represent the following core values modeled by César Chávez: Service to Others, Sacrifice, Help the Most Needy, Determination, Non-Violence, Acceptance of All People, Respect for Life and the Environment, Celebrating Community, Knowledge, and Innovation. The East County Educator Award recognizes members of the educational community who demonstrate a commitment to student success and equity, particularly for students of color and those from low-income families. The Chávez Spirit Award is given to emerging leaders who have made a significant impact on the local community in the areas of advocacy and social justice.        

This year’s recipient of the César Chávez Award is Peter Garcia. A resident of Pittsburg with a long history of involvement in local service organizations, Mr. Garcia has a deep commitment to engaging and supporting his hometown community and East Contra Costa County. As a long-time educator – and president emeritus of both Los Medanos College and Diablo Valley College – he has demonstrated his dedication to providing access, opportunities, equitable outcomes, and success for all students. The East County Educator Award will be presented to two outstanding educators: Sara Madrigal, counselor at Byron Union School District; and Eugenia Rodriguez, who teaches World Languages at Pittsburg High School. The Spirit Award will recognize three up-and-coming community leaders and advocates: Israel Castro, a graduate of Pittsburg High School currently serving as President of the Los Medanos College Associated Students (LMCAS); Glenda Hernandez, an Independence High School (Brentwood) graduate attending Sacramento State University; and Simon Mendez, a student at Freedom High School (Oakley) and chair of the Oakley Youth Advisory Council.

Please join us to celebrate the spirit of service and activism in our community.

For more information, visit www.losmedanos.edu/chavez/events. Questions? Contact Jennifer Adams jadams@losmedanos.edu (925) 473-7302.

Do you have a talent, and want to show it off? Enter your arts and crafts, best apple pie, photography, painting, cut flower, or largest home grown tomato. Imagine the thrill of winning a blue ribbon at the Fair for your special talent.

Be sure to enter the Contra Costa County Fair’s competitive exhibits – and join the thousands of Contra Costa County residents who enter exhibits each year in the Fair. There are hundreds of categories and specialty contests for adults and children.

The Contra Costa County Fair’s Exhibit Handbook, which includes all the information you need to enter exhibits, is now available on the Fair’s website at www.ContraCostaFair.com. Online entries are currently being accepted until April 14^th.

Simply log-on to the Fair’s website at www.ContraCostaFair.com to complete the entry process.

Contra Costa County Fair

“Honoring the Past…Celebrating the Future”

May 18^th – May 21^st

If you’re interested in receiving a copy of the Fair’s free electronic newsletter, visit the Fair’s website to sign up.

Audience controlled by having questions submitted in writing, screened before asking

By John Crowder

Just over one hundred people turned out last Saturday, April 8, for a joint Town Hall meeting held at the Nick Rodriguez Community Center in downtown Antioch by Congressmen Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) and Jerry McNerney (CA-09).  Braving the rain to hear their Congressional representatives were residents, community activists, and even children from a Pittsburg church who were brought by their choir director to learn something of representative government.  Attendees included residents from Antioch, Brentwood, Pittsburg, and as far as Berkeley.

The meeting opened just after 10:00 a.m. with the singing of the National Anthem by Antioch resident Velma Wilson.  Following her stirring rendition, District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis introduced the Congressmen.

Each Congressman provided a brief update on current issues before they took turns answering questions from the audience.  Congressman McNerney began his remarks with a discussion of health care.  He said that, while the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was not perfect, and needed improvement, it provided needed health coverage to many Americans and should not be repealed and replaced with nothing, or something that would make it worse.  He went on to say that he likes the idea of a single-payer system.

McNerney then addressed the water situation, saying we need a long-term, rational, water policy to help get through times of drought.  He said he would be introducing legislation for water recycling, and stressed the importance of capturing and saving storm water and eliminating leaks in the system.  He advocated for what he called a more progressive water policy for regional self-sufficiency.

With respect to Syria, McNerney said that the use of chemical weapons is unacceptable.  He added, however, that the President should comply with the War Powers Act when taking military action.

Finally, McNerney said, “We can’t allow the President to do whatever he wants,” such as scale back the EPA and other important programs.  “We have three branches of government,” he noted.

DeSaulnier began his remarks by saying that, “Sometimes we don’t want to mention names, including the current President of the United States.”  This statement brought a round of laughter from a large segment of those who had turned out, and DeSaulnier for the remainder of the meeting never referred to President Trump by name.

DeSaulnier then addressed health care.  He decried the health care bill, “that Paul Ryan came up with.”  He said that the Republicans had seven years to come up with something, and the result would have eliminated health coverage for millions of Americans, caused many to lose behavioral health care, would have caused the loss of millions of jobs, and would have shifted the cost of health care back to the states.  He said he would prefer to see single payer, universal health care, and said that health care should be a right.

“The President’s budget is equally disgusting,” he continued.  He decried the elimination of programs such as Meals on Wheels while increasing military spending.

DeSaulnier also said that, with billions of dollars spent on the last election, the system is rigged against the average American.  He said it was important that the President reveal his past tax returns, and that it was time to elect the president by popular vote.

Following their opening remarks, one of Congressman McNerney’s staff members read questions from cards that had been submitted by audience members.  The first question came from Antioch resident Harry Thurston, who asked whether President Trump’s bombing of Syria without seeking Congressional approval was an impeachable act, and what they were going to do about it.

McNerney responded that he would demand that the President follow the War Powers Act.

DeSaulnier stated that, “Impeachment comes up a lot.”  He discussed the history of impeachment, and talked about building a case for it, both legally and politically.  He said this was one of the reasons that it was important to obtain the President’s tax returns.

McNerney noted that his caucus brings up Russian involvement in the election and the President’s tax returns regularly, and in part to “get the American people used to the idea that this [impeachment] is going to happen.”

The next question, submitted by another Antioch resident, asked about the likelihood of a Russia probe.  Both Congressmen expressed concern about the House of Representatives, with McNerney stating that he didn’t believe that leaders in the House understood the concept of Separation of Powers.

“I think it needs to go to a Special Prosecutor,” McNerney said.

A representative of the People Power Group asked about keeping local police from working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Both Congressmen noted the move toward sanctuary status of many jurisdictions in California. DeSaulnier added, “We need to fix immigration, we don’t need to build a wall.”  He expressed that it was important that police departments build relationships with immigrants, and stated that the idea that the United States was going to deport 11 million people was not possible.

A Pittsburg resident asked about infrastructure.  DeSaulnier said there was some good news in that California had just passed legislation addressing this issue.  He also noted that passing legislation on infrastructure was usually bipartisan. McNerney emphasized the need to immediately begin, “investing in our country.”

A questioner stating she was, “disgusted but not surprised” about “the Republicans invoking the nuclear option” [a procedural rule change in the Senate that allowed for the confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court on a simple majority] led to a discussion by the Congressmen about the need for election reform.

A question from a professor at U.C. Berkeley, expressing horror at cuts being proposed to the National Institute of Health (NIH) and other agencies, led McNerney, himself a scientist, to discuss the importance of scientists speaking up on public matters, and to become more active in the political process.

The final question came from a young girl in the audience, Zenzi Osekua Asiedu, who was attending the meeting with a group from Pittsburg United Methodist Church to learn more about citizenship.  She asked the Congressmen if their job was hard.  Both men emphasized the rewards inherent in serving their fellow citizens by working to pass legislation that helps people.

The town hall ended with the two Congressmen noting the important challenges facing our nation, and a request by them that those attending stay engaged.  “We have it within our power to take our country back,” said DeSaulnier.