By Barbara Zivica

A newspaper arrived at my home this week with a Yes on Measure C sticker on the front page as did two mailers urging me to vote Yes on the half cent sales tax increase on the November 5^th ballot. One mailer was sent by the Antioch Police Officers Association (APOA) and one by Citizens for a Safe Antioch who also paid for the newspaper sticker.

The mailer sent by APOA states that passage of Measure C will result in the hiring of 22 additional police officer positions in Antioch and double code enforcement efforts to inspect and clean up 1,000 blighted properties in Antioch neighborhoods. What audacity! Read Measure C carefully. The City Attorney’s impartial analysis states “The revenue would be deposited into the city’s general fund. It could be used for any legal municipal purpose including: police and emergency response; code enforcement; local economic development and job creation; street repair; and any other city program and service.”

The ambiguity of how the revenues will be spent should prompt you to vote NO on Measure C. The reason the city didn’t put a dedicated police tax measure on the ballot is because it would require 2/3 voter approval to pass rather than a 50% approval plus one vote needed to pass Measure C, a general tax measure, similar one of which was shot down by voters in 2010.

What are the facts? Is Antioch a little short of revenue at the current time? Is the city predicting a problem in the future? Is so, what measures can the city take rather than continually asking voters to absorb another tax increase. Here’s updated city budget facts and some ways in which Council can increase revenues:

In a September 17, 2013 report to the City Manager and Council, City Finance Director Dawn Merchant recommended approval of amendments to the 2014 fiscal year budget, stating that “Fiscal Year 2013 is actually closing with approximately $1.1M higher fund balance than projected, representing approximately $550,000 more in revenues and $556,000 less in expenditures than anticipated.”

She goes on to state that “earlier projections for fiscal 2015 indicated a projected ending fund balance of $511,184 and current projections now are at $2,021,005. While this is just over $1.5M more, this ending fund balance is still alarmingly low and deficit spending is projected to increase to $4.78M.”

Let’s look at some ways the city can maximize existing powers and recover costs to fight crime:

Drug Activity: The CA Drug Abatement Act allows cities, through their city attorney to remove occupants from any building or place where illegal drug activity takes place. Violations are punishable by fines up to $10,00 and 6 months in jail. Additionally, a fine up to $25,000 may be imposed against each defendant, half of which is payable to the prosecuting city., which is also entitled to recover all its attorneys’ fees and investigation costs, including from the property itself with a lien.

Prostitution and Sexual Crimes: The Red Light Abatement Act allows any city, though its city attorney to vacate and board up for one year any building or place used for these crimes. The same penalties and cost recovery rules apply as with the Drug Abatement Act. Cities may use either act without passing an ordinance.

Gang Activity: The city can file a lawsuit against gang members though its city attorney under the California Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act. Every building or place in which gang members commit certain offenses e.g. robbery, murder, unlawful drug sales, rep, intimidation, theft or burglary, any offense involving dangerous or deadly weapons can be declared a public nuisance. A fine may be imposed against individual gang members and the property owner. Attorney fees are recoverable if the city has a properly worded ordinance. Gang injunction programs developed in cooperation with the local district attorney can be a very effective tool in combating gang crime.

Numerous other ordinances allowing the city to impose administrative fines for various violations of the municipal code can be enacted. If the aforementioned violations and other municipal code violations were vigorously enforced and the applicable fines and cost recovery rules followed, the city would be a safer place to live and its coffers benefit from an increase in revenue.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Opinions expressed by columnists and/or letter writers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Antioch Herald, it’s owner, editorial staff or management.

Editor:

In April of 2011, there were serious negative implications towards citizens of Syria who challenged and protested against the authoritarian like government they lived in. Protesters were killed for their activism by troops, which caused many Syrian citizens to rebel and fight for their basic social rights. Ultimately, the controversy resulted in a civil war between these two parties who feuded over a style of government. Recently, there have been claims that Syrian officials have been using chemical weapons against their own citizens. The Obama administration felt that these acts by al-Assad were inhumane and that the United States needed to set a degree of limitation in the current civil war in the Middle East. Al-Assad’s regime has tested the supposed consequences of the Obama administration and will not back down to United States authority. Now, the United States is faced in a dilemma on whether a war on Syria should be declared.

According to the article titled “Syria Death Toll: More than 110,000 Dead In Conflict” by the Huffington Post in September 2013, “The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the toll since the beginning of the 29-month uprising now stands at 110,371 people, with at least 40,146 civilians killed including nearly 4,000 women and more than 5,800 children.” The United States is trying to promote global peace and enforce their power as world police, but wouldn’t a war just add more violence to both Syrian citizens and American troops? According to October 2013 statistic on AntiWar.com, there have been 32,021 American soldiers that have been wounded from the Iraq War. The United States needs to learn from its mistakes.

The national interests of the United States are to not invade Syria. Avoiding intervention will help save the lives of Syrians, as well as American troops. While the United States has made a red line that should not be crossed, it is not worth the unfortunate effects of war. Policy makers and government officials of the United States need to make nonintervention in Syria as a way to promote global peace, not to start another war.

Karan Arora

Antioch

Dear Editor,

As a member of the Antioch Unified School District Board of Education, I recognize that our primary goal as a board is to ensure the safety of all Antioch students. Our capacity to do that relies heavily on the partnerships within and outside the school system. PG&E has continuously provided support to our school by safely operating the Gateway Generating Station, rebuilding the Antioch City Park after a senseless act of arson, and supporting the development of the Antioch Community Center so that we can provide educational opportunities for our city’s youth through specialty programs focusing on the environment and sustainability.

Because of our successful partnership, the 2010 San Bruno pipeline explosion deeply saddened our board and the entire Antioch community. We were concerned about what this type of explosion may signal about the safety of our local infrastructure. It also left many parents wondering if an outdated pipeline existed near or around their child’s school.

Since then, I am happy to see the significant progress PG&E has made in rebuilding the trust of our parents and community members. After the disaster, PG&E has made critical leadership changes, paid over $70 million in restitution to victims, and, most important, has invested over $2.2 billion in pipeline and infrastructure safety upgrades.

Now that three years have passed since the tragedy, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) staff has recommended a fine so severe it ranks as one of the largest penalties on record, estimated at more than $4 billion including the $2.2 billion PG&E had previously made in pipeline safety upgrades. A large portion of the additional $2.5 billion fine, $300 million, will be directed to the state’s general fund; instead of the safety and infrastructure upgrades that so many of our communities desperately need.

I urge CPUC to focus its attention on safety and infrastructure upgrades and not the political needs of Sacramento. This is one opportunity where we can stand up and demonstrate to parents and families that their children’s safety matter to all of us.

Respectfully,

Joy Motts

President, Antioch Unified School Board of Education

Editor:

Vote “NO” on Antioch’s proposed Measure “C” General Fund Sales Tax.  It’s not a dedicated Police Tax. This General Fund Tax can be used for whatever any Council majority (3) wants!  Measure “C” increases your Sales Tax to 9 cents on the $1 for the taxable items purchased.  Don’t be fooled by their misrepresentations, questionable claims on their misleading signs and mailers!

The claimed police manpower shortage situation has been greatly created and contributed to by the Antioch Police themselves!  It’s also been a result of the weak City Council majorities, City Manager, City staff, unknowing volunteer groups purposely misled, and even the news media who don’t investigate or expose their pretentious charades.  They’ve allowed this to happen, not you!

The APOA always vigorously insisted on pay and benefit increase for themselves, not more manpower when given the choice!  Once the highly paid Police got what they wanted for themselves they then cried out about the lack of manpower and pushed for the need for more taxes (e.g., – the APOA’s President Tom Fuhrman signed the Argument In Favor)!  Do you really know what they’re paid and compensated in Antioch?  Well, we do!  Police recently received 9% in wage increases and an additional 4% more effective on 9/1/13, with more guaranteed yearly increases, costly multiyear contracts, and are keeping their generous “3% at 50” retirement package (where they can retire with 100% of their highest pay)!

Some outrageous Antioch Police and City estimated salaries’ and benefits’ costs are; City Manager $350,000; Chief $330,000; Lts. $285,000; Sgts. $240,000; Corporals $200,000; Officers $180,000.  The public gets far less, and some with no retirement pay at all. It’s disgraceful!

They’re again using scare tactics to just tax you more!  This tax increase is unnecessary!  Increasing existing taxes isn’t the solution!  More taxes benefits those favoring its passage and those receiving future increased raises, benefits, and extremely generous pensions!  You shouldn’t pay for their uncontrolled overspending and mismanagement!

Property values are continuing to increase and as adjustments are made the City will receive more tax revenue!  The State has recently raised gasoline taxes by 3.5 cents more per gallon!  We have continuing increases in costs for our foods, utilities, sewer, groceries, medical, and unemployment! Antioch’s already raised water, garbage rates, business fees, etc.  Enough already!

City officials must do more to cut costs, or get out and let others do the right things!  Stop overspending, and definitely cut back excessive salaries and benefits for those overcompensated employees.

Vote “NO” on Antioch’s Measure “C”.

CITIZENS FOR DEMOCRACY

Ralph A. Hernandez, Chairperson and former Antioch City Council Member

Frazier, DeSaulnier support another anti-family bill by a San Francisco legislator

Commentary by Allen Payton

Once again, California’s Governor Jerry Brown has signed a bill into law that undermines the family and morality in our state.

This time he signed into law a bill, SB 274, by Democrat Senator Mark Leno from San Francisco, allowing children to legally have more than two parents. Brown vetoed a similar bill, last year.

According to a press release from Leno’s office, “Senate Bill 274 allows courts to recognize the rights and responsibilities of each parent if recognizing only two parents would be detrimental to the child.”

It was sponsored by the Children’s Advocacy Institute and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

SB 274 becomes state law on January 1, 2014.

Also, once again, Antioch’s representatives in Sacramento, State Assemblyman Jim Frazier and State Senator Mark DeSaulnier have both voted for this type of legislation, allowing San Francisco morals to permeate our state. (See vote info here)

Earlier this year they voted for what I call the gender-bender bathroom bill for school children (AB 1266 by San Francisco Democrat Assemblyman Tom Ammiano), allowing kids to determine what sex they and then use the bathrooms and locker rooms of the opposite sex, as well as the bill (AB 154) making it easier to get an abortion, by allowing non-doctors to perform the medical procedure. (See vote info here and here)

Why do the Democrats in Sacramento do this? Because they coalesce with the LGBT community, which is one of their bases of support during elections.

Fortunately, a referendum effort is in process on

I’m pretty sure that voters of Contra Costa, Eastern Alameda and Solano Counties didn’t elect either Frazier, a self-proclaimed Catholic nor the Jesuit-educated DeSaulnier, to approve of such legislation. We sent them to Sacramento to solve our economic and budget problems. And that’s what they should be focusing on and resisting this type of legislation. It’s time they both grew backbones and stood up to the extreme elements in their party and legislators in our capital and voted against them and their anti-family bills.

If you’d like to help gather signatures to put the referendum on the ballot to repeal AB 1266, visit http://privacyforallstudents.com/.

By Barbara Zivica

Last year the Antioch City Council decided against placing a parcel tax for additional Police Dept. funding on the November ballot. One wonders if the council would have made the same decision if there weren’t three open seats up for election, including the mayor’s seat. This year it’s a different story. The City (council) is spending more than $200,000 to get voters to approve the deceptive sales tax increase ballot Measure C.

Although it’s being heavily promoted by the council and the police chief as the solution to an understaffed police department, scrutiny of the measure reveals that any funds received from increasing the tax on all our purchases for the next 7 years, will go into the city’s General Fund and can be used for any legal governmental purpose. The measure was purposely written in this manner to enable an easier passage, requiring only 50% plus one yes votes to be approved. A specific tax measure requiring all additional sales tax revenues be directed to police services and public safety would require 2/3 voter approval whichm apparently the council doesn’t think would pass.

Measure C is similar to Measure P, Antioch’s 2010 sales tax measure which, council should note, failed. Failure was attributed to opponents being worried about the impact on local businesses and wary of the fact that the money was not guaranteed to go to the police department:

A few facts for you to consider before you vote:

Prop 30 (Governor Jerry Brown) passed in November, 2012, raising the sales tax from 7.25% to 7.5% and increasing upper income brackets, increases which applied retroactively to all income earned or received since the first of January, 2012. Another voter approved state law which also passed amended specific pension formulas for public employees (2.7% at age 55 for police officers and 2% at age 62 for other employee categories, effective January 1, 2013.

On December 27, 2012, in order to avoid the new law which would freeze the benefit level for lateral (experienced) officers, the newly sworn in Mayor and council members, urged on by the Police Chief, adopted an “urgency ordinance” amending recent negotiations which extended the existing contract with police until 2016 and specified that police hired after September 1 would have to wait until age 55 to collect the 3% retirement benefit, saving the city up to $2.5 million.

The council ignored a recent comparison showing that Antioch pension benefit levels matched or exceeded 10 of 15 nearby cities and restored the 3% retirement benefit at age 50 for newly hired lateral officers, stating the move was necessary to attract more experienced officers.

Being that the police department continues to be understaffed, it’s clear to me that, in order to assure the public’s safety, we need to adopt more proactive policing policies like those under Chief James Hyde, rather than continue the reactive policing policies practiced now, practices similar to former Chief Dave Lewis.

NOTE: Property tax values are moving upward again. In July, County Assessor Gus Kramer told the Board of Supervisors “The increase to the local tax base for 2013-14 is over $4.87 billion. This represents a 3.45% increase in assessed value and brings the total local assessment roll to over $146 billion, just 6.92% away from the county’s record assessed value, which was set in 2008. Cities with the largest increases in assessed value are: Antioch, (7.38%), Brentwood, Clayton, Oakley and Walnut Creek.

Editor:

Knowing City Councilman Gary Agopian as I do, I expected nothing less from the man than his spirited resolve to fight brain cancer with every ounce of his faith and his pledge to continue public service.

In four years serving with him on the Antioch School Board, through thick and thin, I never saw him flinch from challenge. I never saw him bitch, moan or whine, He’s a trooper and a certified positivist and if anybody can beat cancer, this warrior is the one to do so.

Knowing Mary Rocha, I again expected nothing less from this big-hearted woman than her glowing praise for Gary’s character. She, like so many of us, have grown to love Gary and to see him not as a towering 6’4” giant but as a teddy bear at heart.

You hit the bulls eye, Mary, when you characterized Gary as enormously dedicated to public service and a policy wonk who is always prepared. I found the same in him. There’s never any mistaking his unflappable commitment to homework, to the public goodwill, to speaking his mind and  to sticking to his conviction.

His charm is that beneath the passion is a gentleman’s soft streak. if Gary disagrees with you it is never personal and always respectful.

Certainly, all voters will, and should not, always agree on every policy decision but life is bigger than politics. I would daresay that all Antioch citizens of good faith are rooting for your recovery, Gary. You’re, after all, a good man, Charlie Brown. Antioch’s proud to have you.

Spit in the eye of this nemesis. Trust, a legion of prayers are with you.

Godspeed your recovery, my dear friend.

Walter Ruehlig

Antioch

By Jeff Belle

Air quality, optimal health and community growth are major concerns for residents of Contra Costa County. Equally important is the fact that business and industry are vital to economic development and sustainability. However, from time to time, communities are adversely affected by industrialized companies. For example, in East County, asthma prevalence has risen above the state average. In fact, in the State of California, this upward trend of asthma prevalence has risen steadily since 2004. About 1 in 8 Californians report they have been diagnosed with asthma.

Air pollution has been linked to an increase in the exacerbation of asthmatics conditions which vary often require additional medical care including emergency room visits and hospitalizations. In addition, asthma complications incur medical and economic cost. Severe asthma conditions can be life-threatening.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), long term exposure to particular matter in the air increased the risk of lung cancer even at levels lower than the government agency recommended limit values. Consequently, residents living near polluting industrial facilities have the greatest risk exposure; thereby resulting in a localized pattern of disease such as lung cancer. But the question remains: What’s the connection between air toxins from industrialized facilities in East County and asthma and lung cancer among residents of East County?

In order to answer the preceding question, a group of interns from Los Medanos Community Healthcare District and I undertook a descriptive epidemiology and methodological process. Our hopes were to identify the link between air pollutants from industrial facilities located near Pittsburg and Antioch, California and the increase in asthma exacerbations and lung cancer mortality among residents in East County. An extensive online search of journals, government reports, community health publications, public health data, empirical evidence from peer-reviewed studies and an onsite random sample survey and interviews were all researched, analyzed and evaluated to meet our litmus test.

A large amount of evidence clearly showed the link between an increased in the number of asthma hospitalization and medical emergency visits in Contra Costa County and the quantity and types of air pollutants emitted from industrial facilities located in or near Antioch or Pittsburg. In addition to the four known air toxins which trigger asthma exacerbations, we identified four known carcinogenic air toxins which have been known to cause lung cancer. In fact, five industrial chemical facilities located near Pittsburg, California have a long history (since 2002) of releasing large quantities of these toxins.

During our random sampling and on-site interviews, we found that 82 percent of respondents reported that they have someone in their household who has a breathing problem. Moreover, 57 percent believe that industrial facilities are the greatest contributor to air pollution. An overwhelming 86 percent were very concerned about the health consequences of poor air quality.

In regards to health disparity that exist among people of ethnic diversity and lower socioeconomic communities, it’s a matter of geographical locations. And, unfortunately, incidence, prevalence and mortality are all affected by geographic. Consequently, residents who reside in San Pablo, Pittsburg, Antioch and Oakley have a greater exposure rate and therefore are more susceptible to asthma exacerbations and incidence of lung cancer than any other cities in Contra Costa County. Of course, physical, pre-existing health, socio-economic and environmental determinants are important factors as well.

As the interns coined the theme of our research, “The Battle to Breathe”; I’m perplexed with the thought of residents in East County having to battle to breathe, meanwhile industrialized facilities battle for business. All in all, I hear the sound of a bitter sweet symphony.

Partial Sources:

Asthma and Air Pollution: Natural Resources Defense Council Report

California Air Resources Board, July 2013

California Department of Health Services, Environment Health Investigation, March 2004.

California Cancer Registry, October 2009.

Center for Disease Control (CDC), 2012

Occupational Hazard Report January 2000.

Scorecard Report on Environmental Releases

Belle is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Public Policy and Leadership Development. He researches, writes and lectures on health policy and leadership development issues. He is a resident of Antioch.