Second time around the charm?

That’s what Governor Jerry Brown would like to think as he prepares to force a vote in the Legislature on four tax measures he wants to put on a special June ballot. He’s upped the ante by having cohorts such as State Superintendent of Schools Tom Torlakson warning county school superintendents that, without the tax extension, the state’s school children would suffer dire consequences.

The Governor, who has stated his favorite strategic guidebook is the 2,500 year old volume entitled “The Art of War” by Chinese philosopher and general Sun Tzu, has apparently taken to heart two of the general’s most famous tenets: “He whose ranks are united in purpose will win,” and “All warfare is based on deception.”

The truth is the governor is trying to bamboozle us. The Governor is touting his proposal as an extension of four tax measures currently “on the books” but the truth is two of the four former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s tax measures he’s referring to expired on December 31, 2010 e.g. the Personal Income Tax increase of 0.25% and a reduction in the tax credit for dependents, from $300 to $99.

To maintain credibility in his attempt to win this battle, the Governor needs to stop referring to his proposed ballot measure as a “tax extension” and call it what it really is – a tax increase!

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!

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.

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.

We’ve seen the news. Pittsburg is seeing fifty-year lows in crime. Brentwood reported zero homicides last year. Then there is the Antioch story, but no need recounting the grim tale. From both ends, housing boom and bust, Antioch suffered a tailspin that will take years of correction. Perhaps it’s the New Yorker in me that reveled in Rudy Giulianii turning the city around after decades of free fall. To think, it all started with graffiti and jaywalking.

Antioch City Manager Jim Jakel, with input from the City Council and residents, will be deciding whether to hire a new police chief from inside the department or whether to hire a search firm to look outside for the best candidates.

My answer is – search for a new police chief. By doing so we’d be assured of having a chief who has no alliances with current personnel and who brings a completely objective outlook to the job. Our recent Chief, Jim Hyde, brought to the table many new ideas, including the highly successful CAT team.

Back in 1991 Antioch was looking for a police chief. A city brochure asked for the following qualifications. (Regrettably, the city didn’t end up hiring from outside, choosing not only to promote from within but selecting for chief someone with no college degree and someone APOA was opposed to.)

Qualifications: Any combination of experience and education equivalent to 5 years of professional police experience with at least 3 years at command level and a Bachelor’s degree in police science, public administration or related field; Advanced Post Certificate, Post Management and/or Executive Certificate. Master’s degree desirable.

Ideal characteristics: A people-oriented leader who can establish sound working relationships with the City Council, Manager, staff and community and impart a sense of responsiveness and sensitivity, an effective manager who delegates both authority and responsibility appropriately and holds the organization accountable, a strategic rather than tactical thinker, one who is visionary, progressive and has exceptional long-range planning skills.

Competencies and Personal Characteristics: an effective listener, communicator/negotiator and team builder, accessible to the community, Council and employees, decisive once input has been received and viewpoints known and understood, a creative thinker, able to bring NEW solutions to traditional law enforcement problems, calm under pressure, good sense of humor, fair, unbiased, compassionate, utilizes non sworn personnel to provide support services to department, possesses a strong sense of professional and personal ethics and is adaptable to changes in community needs and issues.

Palo Alto was also seeking a Police Chief at the same time, using the search team Hughes, Heiss & Associations, Management Consultants. In addition to listing the qualifications and characteristics desired, they listed the following issues as needs to be addressed: How to increase department. morale (lower than desired due to various conditions), how to deal with the community’s changing demographics, how to approach the different crime and service needs which exist within the limited resources available.

Seems appropriate to note that Antioch has similar issues at this time, issues which are pertinent in the selection of a new Antioch Police Chief.  Select one from the outside please.