“A moratorium on the spring 2011 bonds has been issued,” said H.D. Palmer, Deputy Director for External Affairs at the California Department of Finance. “It should not delay projects by the 2012 deadline.”

However, that only covers the widening to Somersville Road. The bond sale cancellation affects almost $23 million scheduled for the widening beyond Somersville Road, to Hillcrest Avenue and Highway 160.

Of the $4.5 billion in the Corridor Mobility Improvement Account, in a total of $19.925 billion in bonds authorized by Proposition 1B and passed by voters in 2006, $2.4 billion has already been sold, according to Palmer. The cancellation affects the remaining $2.1 billion in bonds for projects statewide.

A staff report on the issue was made to the Administration & Projects Committee of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA), at their monthly meeting, on Thursday, March 3, according to Ellen Wilson, Administrative Assistant for Projects.

“The state’s current economic condition has placed these programs at risk due to the difficulty in selling general obligation bonds and the lack of bond funds,” the report stated.

CCTA staff is recommending approval of “the substitution of up to $22.984 million in Measure J funds for Proposition 1B funds.”

The issue will be on the next Authority Board meeting agenda for discussion, she said. (Neither CTA Executive Director Randy Iwasaki nor Ross Chittenden, Deputy Executive Director for Projects, were available for comment at press time).

 “I’m not surprised, given all the budget issues,” said Councilman Brian Kalinowski, Antioch’s representative on Transplan, East County’s division of the CCTA. “I am hopeful there will be a work around. In the meantime, this gives us time to address the substandard station proposal for the [Hillcrest] eBART station.

 “I’m disappointed, but bad news is the norm in all areas of government, right now,” he added.

While Governor Jerry Brown is deciding if he should put a tax extension measure on a special election ballot, legislators, who should be working on ways to solve the state’s budget woes, are busy composing and introducing new bills. Yup, folks, 2,023 new bills were introduced in Sacramento in February alone!

Legislators know that most of the bills have no chance of passage but are merely grandstanding to appease political or special interest groups. Ironically, according to the Legislative Analyst, each bill introduced by a legislator costs about $30,000. Multiplying 2,023 by $30,000 equals nearly $60.7M which makes it apparent to me that our legislators are hypocrites who are not only avoiding their fiduciary responsibility but are adding to the deficit. 

One bill that caught my attention and approval, however, was AB333 which would stop the State Air Resources Board from imposing emission reduction requirements mandated by AB32 in counties with unemployment of 7% or higher. (SB375 was the bill compelling local government to make planning choices that reduced vehicle miles traveled to achieve greenhouse gas reduction targets and AB32 was the implementation bill by which the state set land use emissions targets for each region.) In my opinion, what the state really needs to do is to ditch all prior “smart growth” legislation and stop telling us where to live, how we should commute, what light bulbs we should use and what we should eat.

I was amused when I recently ran across a 2008 article about the backlash in Washington D.C. when former Speaker (now House Minority Leader) Nancy Pelosi made the House campus more “socially progressive” by changing the menus in the House of Representatives deli counter, grills and salad bars e.g. processed cheese was replaced with brie, meatloaf with mahi mahi. French (freedom) fries were banished and baguettes replaced buns. The new more expensive menu choices included cumin-scented leg of lamb with almond couscous, Chesapeake rockfish with sweet potato fennel has and yellow pepper relish, bok choy, arugula, jicama and baked goods like biscotti, focaccia and frittati.

She also replaced regular trash bins with recycling stations and nearly everything became biodegradable which didn’t work out as intended since the biodegradable utensils and straws allegedly disintegrated when placed in hot liquids!

For the 8^th year Give Always to Others & Company is hosting the annual free Cesar E. Chavez State Holiday Concert in the Marion Beede Auditorium at Antioch Senior High School on Sunday, March 27^th from 2-5 PM. This free community event will celebrate Cesar Chavez’s message of service and learning through cultural performances, guest speakers, displays chronicling his quest for civil rights.

There will also be information and resources information tables. In his quest for non violence and civil rights, he brought his cause to the communities of East Contra Costa County where many residents joined him in his journey. Mr. Chavez authored many quotes such as “We can choose to use our lives for others to bring about a better and more just world for our children” and this celebration serves as our reminder of his legacy.

The scheduled performers are U.C. Davis Ballet Folkorico, Mariachi Cali and Ballet Foklorico Raices Mexicanas de Maria Valdovinos.  In addition, the Guillermo “Bill” Muniz educational opportunity award will be presented to a high school senior. The scholarship program recognizes the Mr. Muniz’s years of community involvement and generosity to our communities in East Contra Costa County.

 The event is sponsored by Give Always to Others & Company (GATO), City of Antioch, Antioch Unified School District, Keller Canyon Landfill Mitigation Funds, Allied Waste Services, GWF Power Systems, Inc., Mechanics Bank, Los Medanos College Foundation, Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch, Gloria Martin & Family, Antioch City Council Member Mary Rocha, Brenden Theatres, Staples (Pittsburg).

Beede Auditorium is located at 700 E. 18th Street. For more information visit www.art4antioch.org or call (925) 325-9897.

The EDGE Expo (The Academy for Engineering and Designing a Green Environment) held March 1, 2011 at the Antioch High School excites the imagination.  In groups of 4, the first batch of 80 Academy freshmen exhibited bridge models designed to span either the Dow wetlands or Kirker Creek.  The makers of the two most viable bridge creations were awarded a safety vest and a hard hat by two Caltrans engineers who served as judges.

 The event roused fond memories of my late father whose life dramatically depicts the importance of pursuing a dream.  After serving during WWII, he was determined to become a civil engineer.  Despite poverty, my father became the first and only college graduate out of eight siblings.  In his career, he designed roads, bridges, buildings, airport runways and planned the electrification of towns and cities in the Philippines. 

I commend the Antioch Unified School District for assisting our children to pursue their dream, become job ready and gain a winning edge at going to a top-notch engineering college.  I especially applaud AUSD Superintendent Don Gill, AHS Principal Louis Rocha, Academy Administrator David Johnstone, Lead Teacher Kevin Jones and all EDGE Academy teachers. 

Cynthia Ruehlig
Trustee – Area 5
Contra Costa County
Board of Education

California, Contra Costa County and Antioch have large budget deficits, and are  dealing with them in different ways. Governor Jerry Brown is trying to schmooze legislators into backing another ballot  measure to raise taxes. Brown had strong union support in his run for office, as  opposed to Meg Whitman who, after pledging to slash the ranks of public employees, was targeted by the California Nurses Association (allegedly responsible for the “Little Nicky” charade) .

Contra Costa County Administrator David Twa has been trying to woo concessions from 19 different bargaining units who are apparently unwilling to talk about pay freezes, pension benefits for current employees or even acceptance of an automated time card system which would save $8 million.

Antioch too has been seeking concessions. And while the majority of Antioch’s seven employee groups have agreed, we won’t know the result of final negotiations until the City Council meeting on March 8th.

Regrettably, the problem in all these negotations are public employee collective bargaining rights, which enable entire groups of public employees to retire early and receive enhanced retirement and health benefits. That’s why you’ve been hearing a lot about Wisconsin Governor Walker’s desire to eliminate bargaining rights and the strong opposition from union groups such as the Milwaukee Teachers Education Association, despite Walker’s contention that doing so would save at least 1,500 jobs.

It’s a courageous stand to take, since a portion of every public employee’s union dues go toward backing liberal politicians and union bosses who make sure workers turn out to vote for the chosen candidate. (Kudos to Governor Daniels of Indiana of Indiana who did it six years ago via executive order.)

Some union bosses, however, are downright embarrassing to their membership like AFL-CIO leader Richard Trumpa who charged that those who didn’t vote for Obama
were racists, and New York’s United Federation of Teachers union boss Michael Mulgrew who authorized spending more than a million dollars last year for 130 people to party at the Hilton New York in celebration of the 50th year anniversary of the union.

Speaking of teacher unions, teacher Al Shanker who later became head of the New York teachers union in the 70s was once my husband’s boy scout leader. He took the troop, based in Queens, N.Y. to the cliffs of New Jersey for a climbing expedition where he managed to get them into a tough situation he couldn’t resolve and had to call for help.  This time it’s the taxpayers who are calling for help.

Lone Tree Golf and Event Center invites you to join us Friday February 25 from 6-10pm at a Wine Tasting Fundraiser for The First Tee.  Appetizers will be prepared by our chef Jonathan Hork. Wine will be provided by Hanna Nicole Vineyards, Watts Winery and Brentwood Spices and Olive Oil. Silent Auction Items include hotel stays, rounds of golf, 49ers memorabilia, dinners at restaurants. There will be special pricing on cases of wine bought at the event

Tickets are available in the pro shop for $45 per person. A large portion of all proceeds will benefit the First Tee foundation.

A proposed wind turbine as seen from the Pittsburg-Antioch Highway.

 By Dave Roberts

City Council members were less than enthusiastic Tuesday night when presented with the possibility of construction of a windmill on the Pittsburg-Antioch Highway that would be taller than the length of a football field, visible from much of the city and likely the most prominent landmark in Antioch.

The Delta Diablo Sanitation District wants to place the wind turbine on its property at Arcy Lane in order to save $1.5 million-$4 million over the next 20 years in energy costs through renewable energy. The cost savings would be passed on to its 200,000 customers in Antioch, Pittsburg and Bay Point, according to district officials. The district has not yet signed an agreement with Foundation Windpower to construct the turbine, and is seeking comments from city officials and the public.

None of the council members praised the proposal and several were wary.

“I would want more community feedback on this,” said Councilman Wade Harper. “It’s hard to argue aesthetics when you have a smoke stack next to (the proposed windmill).”

Councilwoman Mary Rocha said, “Because it is visual and something that we are going to see, the community would want to know how important it is to us. Because it’s green-on-green and there would be a (cost) reduction somewhere along the way that we could see in the future, it might be more acceptable. But it is an object that seems very obtrusive.”

The proposed wind turbine as it would appear from Contra Loma and James Donlon boulevards.

Councilman Gary Agopian noted that it’s one thing to have windmills along a freeway such as the Altamont Pass and quite another thing to have them in an urban area.

“I’m not real fond of looking at them, but I can see the value in using wind,” he said. “But putting it in the city where we all going to be looking at it all the time, I’m very much aware. It doesn’t look that large from (western Pittsburg), but here in Antioch, I’m looking at a wind turbine right out in the middle of all of our views. I’m a little bit concerned about the location – not the technology, not the savings and not the greenness of what you’re trying to do – but the location. Looking at a windmill right there in Antioch, uhhh, I’m not real hot about it, I’ve got to be honest with you.

“Solar has a much lower profile. And even though you may need to use a little bit more real estate to do that and maybe it will cost a little bit more, you certainly are not going to have the aesthetic issues that we’re having with wind.”

Solar energy panels would take up more real estate on the district’s property, would save $400,000 less in energy costs over 20 years and would be more unreliable, according to Delta Diablo Associate Engineer Irene O’Sullivan. General Manager Gary Darling added that the district is already planning a solar project to power its office buildings.

A Foundation Windpower representative said that residents could consider the turbine to be a “nice big piece of artwork, a sculpture.” He added that it creates very little noise and only kills two birds per year on average.

Councilman Brian Kalinowski said he wants more information. “I would be interested in what the agreements look like and call for,” he said. “I don’t think, based on industrial use, I’m overly concerned. But I want to make sure we are at the industry standard.”

Mayor Jim Davis did not comment.

Delta Diablo plans to make a similar presentation to the Pittsburg City Council next month. The district board could decide in April whether to sign an agreement with the wind company and then seek the necessary environmental permits.

In other action at the council meeting:

• Kalinowski said that Transplan, the East County transportation planning agency, plans to sue the City of Pittsburg if Pittsburg doesn’t rejoin the East Contra Costa Regional Fee and Financing Authority by March 4. That authority collects funds from new development in East County to help pay for transportation improvements.
• Brittney Gougeon, founder of the grassroots group Take Back Antioch, announced that they will be working to improve Dallas Ranch Park, including painting over graffiti, replacing vandalized benches and planting trees, flowers and shrubs.
• The city’s first Quality of Life Forum in nearly two years will be held this Saturday, February 26 from 9 a.m. to noon in the Deer Valley High School auditorium. It will include an update on the city’s budget crisis, a presentation from the Antioch Unified School District, opportunities to volunteer for civic projects and provide time for public comment.
• Bill Gegg, who is retiring after having held more than a half-dozen administrative positions in his 23 years working for Antioch, was thanked for his service and given a standing ovation. Gegg told the council members that they need to scale back city functions to focus on a few priorities and find ways to provide services cost effectively by investing more in technology.

Recently the Mirant Gateway Center for Learning Library opened in the new Antioch Community Center on Lone Tree Way. As long-time residents know, Mello-Roos funds enabled the construction of a high school, 2 middle schools, 5 elementary schools, and the Prewett Family Water Park. The remaining $26 million in funds went towards the construction of the combined library, community center and police substation project. Frankly, I don’t know if the project came in on budget or not but here’s hoping.

However, the problem today, which we knew going into the project, is the operating cost of the facility and Antioch’s two libraries. Unfortunately, Governor Jerry Brown has a plan to alter how libraries are funded and utilized. His proposal is to cut $30.4 million in state funding for local libraries ($12.9 million for books and materials, $12.9 million to reimburse libraries that lend books outside their service area, and $4.6 million from literary programs). The budget cut would also cut off support that helps hire staff, purchase books and maintain hours of operation.

The result, according to State Librarian Stacey Aldrich, is that some facilities would have to charge for library cards, which they have avoided doing, partly because otherwise they wouldn’t qualify for a share of state funding.

The Governor’s office, specifically his Finance Director Ana Matosantos, suggested cities could use money freed up by the Governor’s proposal to eliminate redevelopment agencies to replace the reduced funding. State money, however, makes up just a fraction of public libraries’ budgets, which rely primarily on local taxes which have declined in an adverse economy.