By Allen Payton

   After taking out Nomination Papers last week to file to run for the Antioch City Council in District 1, former Antioch Mayor Pro Tem, Councilman and current Planning Commissioner, Manny Soliz, Jr. posted a video on his campaign Facebook page,  Sunday afternoon, officially announcing his campaign to challenge incumbent Mayor Pro Tem Joy Motts in the November election.

   He offers four reasons for running for council, again. “Number one, I want a safe and attractive Antioch. Number two, I want a strong and vibrant, local economy. Number three, I want a realistic and real-world approach to dealing with the unhoused.  And number four, I want realistic and well-thought out policies by our Antioch City Council…that will help Antioch and will benefit Antioch for generations to come.”

   Soliz was first appointed to the Antioch City Council in January 1996 to replace Ralph Hernandez who resigned from the council. Soliz was then elected to his seat in 1996 and as the top vote-getter earned the title of Mayor Pro Tem for the following two years. He served until 2000 but chose to not run for re-election.

   The former chairman of the Antioch Parks and Recreation Commission, Soliz ran again for city council in 2004, but was unsuccessful, placing fourth out of six candidates, behind incumbents Brian Kalinowski and Arne Simonsen who both won, and the late Reggie Moore.

   Soliz ran for city council, once more in 2006, placing a close third for two seats, just 126 votes behind Moore, and first place finisher Jim Davis.

   He has a degree in Economics from Stanford University, is a co-founder of the Delta Blues Festival, works as a financial advisor and insurance agent, and is married to Mary Soliz.

Sawyer-White to run for re-election to the Antioch School Board; Tiscareno posts announcement video.

By Allen Payton

Two more candidates have taken out Nomination Papers to run in City Council District 3 to challenge incumbents Lori Ogorchock and Lamar Thorpe. The candidates are current Antioch Board of Administrative Appeals Member Antwon Webster and former Antioch Parks & Recreation Commission Member Wayne Steffen, who was also 2008 Antioch Citizen of the Year.

In addition, City Treasurer Jim Davis pulled papers on Thursday and on Friday, City Clerk Arne Simonsen took out papers to run for re-election, as well.

According to Simonsen, the following Antioch residents have taken out Nomination Papers as of 5 p.m. July 17th for the following City offices:

Council District 3

Lori Ogorchock – Antioch Council Member

Lamar Thorpe – Antioch Council Member

Wayne Steffen – former Antioch Parks & Recreation Commission Member

Antwon Webster – Antioch Board of Administrative Appeals Member

City Clerk

Arne Simonsen (I)

This list will be updated when additional registered Antioch voters take out Nomination Papers. There were no additional candidates for any of the other city races as of Friday afternoon.

Former Antioch Councilman Tony Tiscareno who pulled nomination papers on Monday to run in District 2 posted an announcement video that same day.

Candidates have until August 7 to submit their completed nomination papers, the $25 filing fee and if they want to include a candidate’s statement in the Voter Pamphlet the cost is as follows: $1,092.40 for the offices of Mayor, Treasurer or Clerk, $339.00 for candidates in District 1, $377.60 for District 2, $426.60 for District 3 and $399.60 for District 4. Filing must be done at the Antioch City Clerk’s office.

Antioch School Board

In the race for the Antioch School Board of Trustees, in which Areas 1, 3 and 4 are up for election in November, so far, only incumbent Crystal Sawyer-White has taken out nomination papers, as of Friday afternoon. She will be running for re-election in District 4.

Candidates have until August 7 to file to run for Antioch School Board, as well. Filing must be done at the County Elections Office in Martinez. For more information, click here.

By Allen Payton

In a surprise move on Thursday, July 16, instead of running for reelection for a third term, Antioch City Councilwoman Monica Wilson pulled nomination papers to run for Mayor of Antioch against incumbent Dr. Sean Wright who is seeking his second term at the city’s helm. Assuming he and the other three candidates complete the filing process, Wilson will also face former Planning Commission Chair Ken Turnage II, Antioch’s 2015 Citizen of the Year for Most Impact. She led the effort to remove him from the commission in April over controversial comments Turnage made on Facebook about COVID-19 and the shelter in place order. (See related articles here and here).

This is Wilson’s second run for higher office, since she was first elected to the city council in 2012. She ran for District 3 County Supervisor in 2016 placing a distance fifth out of six candidates in the June Primary.

Wilson won reelection to her city council seat in November 2016 placing second behind Councilman Lamar Thorpe. Turnage placed fourth in that race behind current Antioch School Board Trustee and former Antioch Mayor Mary Rocha who placed third.

Had she run for reelection, Wilson would have faced Antioch Police Crime Prevention Commission Chairman Sandra White, who announced her candidacy last month and has been an outspoken critic of the councilwoman, as well as another candidate named Alex Astorga.

According to a report by City Clerk Arne Simonsen, “The following Antioch residents have taken out Nomination Papers as of 5 p.m. July 16th for the following City offices: (I) – Incumbent:

Mayor

Sean Wright (I) – Mayor of Antioch

Julio Mendez

Rakesh Kumar Christian – 2014 candidate for Governor of California

Kenneth Turnage II – former Antioch Planning Commission Chair

Monica Wilson – Antioch City Councilwoman

City Treasurer

James Davis (I)

City Clerk

This list will be updated when additional registered Antioch voters take out Nomination Papers.”

There were no changes to the four races for city council. Filing is open until August 7 when Nomination Papers and are due at the Antioch City Clerk’s Office.

 

Andersen only one to vote against tax increase measure; support Martizians for Black Lives and mural; approve Grand Jury report on wildfire preparedness; finalize recruitment process for new County Administrator

By Daniel Borsuk

Just as Contra Costa County’s top public health official Anna Roth informed the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors  on Tuesday the number of COVID-19 positive cases has risen to 2,586 cases, an increase from 92 cases three weeks earlier, and with 79  COVID -19 stricken patients in county hospitals, up from 35 patients in county hospital six weeks previously, Supervisors reacted swiftly by extending a county-wide ordinance prohibiting rental evictions and rental increases until September 30.

Supervisors received overwhelming telephone citizen support to extend the ordinance’s benefits to renters and small businessowners two and half months during Tuesday’s teleconference meeting.  The ordinance that had protected tenants from evictions and rent increases would have expired on Wednesday, July 15.

The new ordinance won unanimous support from supervisors.

“The emergency is not over with the COVID 19 pandemic.  The economic impact our residents face has not subsided, said Board Chair Candace Andersen in a statement.  “We sincerely hope passage of this new ordinance to extend the eviction protection of rent freeze will continue to protect renters and small businesses even as landlords and renters work together to have tenants pay what they can over a longer period of time.

The ordinance contains a no-fault provision that landlords cannot increase the rent on a residential property until Sept. 30, Andersen said in her statement. It applies to all 19 cities in the county as well as all unincorporated areas.

Support Placing Half-Cent Sales Tax Increase on Ballot on Split Vote

The Supervisors, on a 4-1 vote, also flashed the green light to allow county officials to proceed in drafting a county-wide ballot measure possibly for the November election for a half-cent sales tax increase to support county services.

Supervisors reviewed findings from a poll that cost $10,000 and conducted by FM3 Research that found  among 666 persons who were polled, “To keep Contra Costa’s regional hospital open and staff; fund community health centers; provide timely fire and emergency response; support crucial safety-net services; invest in early childhood services; protect vulnerable populations; and for other essential county services, shall the Contra Costa County measure levying a half-cent sales tax, exempting food sales, providing an estimated $81,000,000 annually that the State cannot take, requiring fiscal accountability, with funds benefitting County residents, be adopted?”

The FM3 Research poll found that 62 percent of the respondents would possibly support a tax measure, 31 percent oppose, and 7 percent had no response.

Board Chair Candace Andersen, who represents District 2, cast the lone no vote against the sales tax proposal saying she had “serious concerns” about the measure.  The supervisor from Danville said “it would add further tax burdens to families now stressed by the economic impacts of the  COVID 19 pandemic restrictions.”

“A sales tax is the most regressive form of taxation for those who can least afford it. I think the timing is really, really off,” she added.

But District 1 Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond, who has constantly defended the need for a countywide sales tax to support county services, said, “The need is more apparent now that county services are underfunded and need additional tax support.”

 

The tax increase would require support of a 50% plus one simple majority of voters to pass. The Supervisors have until August 7 to place the measure on the November ballot. According to the Contra Costa County Elections website, supporters and opponents would have until August 19 to file Arguments in Favor or Against and until August 24 to file rebuttals.

Support Martizians for Black Lives & Mural

Supervisors approved, without opposition, a resolution “supporting Martizians for Black Lives in their legal public commentary through their ‘Blacks Lives Matter’ mural, and strongly condemns those who illegally deface this mural as a racist and illegal act.”  The resolution is in reference to the Black Lives Matter mural that was painted and temporarily defaced in front of the Martinez court house with black paint by a woman and assisted by a man, who said they were defacing the mural with comments such as “Racism is a lie,” “There is no racism,” “This is not happening in my town, “ “No one wants Black Lives Matter,” and “All lives matter.”

Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton stated, “The mural completed last weekend was a peaceful and powerful way to communicate the importance of Black lives in Contra Costa County and the country.  We must continue to elevate discussions and actually listen to one another in an effort to heal our community and country.”

Grand Jury Report on Wildfire Preparedness

A Grand Jury Report, “Wildfire Preparedness in Contra Costa County,” was approved as a consent item, but among the panel’s recommendations were:

“The Board of Directors of Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, East Contra Costa Fire Protection District, Rodeo-Hercules Fire Protection District, and San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District should consider directing their Fire Chief to update wildfire evacuation plans and incorporate pre-determined polygons and advanced routing technology, by June 30, 2021.”

The Grand Jury Report also states directors of the five county fire districts “should consider identifying funds to adopt or expand the use of new technologies, such as ground sensors, drones, satellites, and fire spotting cameras, to help detect fires in high-risk areas by June 30, 2021.”

Additionally, the report recommends that directors of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, East Contra Costa Fire Protection District, Moraga-Orinda Fire Protection District and Rodeo-Hercules Fire Protection District should review and consider an ordinance similar to the one the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District passed that would enable their fire district to recover labor and equipment costs from PG&E for overseeing electrical utility work that presents a high fire risk by June 30, 2021. “

In other action, supervisors approved the sale of two parcels of county owned land at 1750 Oak Park Blvd. and 75 Santa Barbara Road, that is the site of the former Pleasant Hill Library, for $13.8 million to developer Davidon Homes. The site is part of a proposed development calling for the construction of a new City-owned library, 34 single-family homes, and open space.  No one spoke either in opposition or in favor of the sale.

Finalize Recruitment Process for New County Administrator

Supervisors also authorized recruitment consultant Peckham & McKenney, a Sacramento firm that supervisors had hired to recruit a new County Administrator to replace David Twa, who will retire at the end of this year to begin the recruitment process.  The supervisors had approved a $30,500 contract last month with Peckham & McKenney.

The successful candidate could earn an annual salary of as much as $381,000.

The recruiter has proposed a schedule that includes resume deadline of Sept. 22, preliminary interview running from Sept. 23 through Oct. 9, Recommendations of Candidates on Oct. 13, Interview – First Round the week of Oct. 26 and Second Round the week of Nov. 2.

The recruiters work is slated to be completed with the successful replacement of a new county administrator before Jan. 31, 2021, the end of the contract with Peckham & McKenney.

By Allen Payton

Ending rumors that he might run for mayor, Antioch Councilman Lamar Thorpe pulled his nomination papers on Wednesday to run for reelection to the City Council, according to a report issued by City Clerk Arne Simonsen. It had been speculated for months by Antioch residents that Thorpe might choose to take on Mayor Sean Wright.

Instead he will be facing Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock, who already pulled papers, in the city’s new district-based election in November, as they both live in District 3.

The only council incumbent who has yet to pull nomination papers is Councilwoman Monica Wilson, who if she decides to run again, will face two potential challengers, including Police Crime Prevention Commission Chairman Sandra White.

As of Wednesday, no candidates for the three seats on Antioch Unified School District Board of Trustees in Areas 1, 3 and 4, have pulled their nomination papers, yet. Filing for city council, clerk and treasurer, as well as the three seats on the Antioch School Board are open until August 7.

Two possible challengers to face Mayor Pro Tem Joy Motts for council, including  former Mayor Pro Tem, Councilman and current Planning Commission Member Manny Soliz, Jr.

By Antioch City Clerk Arne Simonsen

The following Antioch residents have taken out Nomination Papers as of 5 p.m. July 14th for the following City offices:

Mayor

Sean Wright – Mayor of Antioch

Julio Mendez

Rakesh Kumar Christian – 2014 candidate for Governor of California

Kenneth Turnage II – former Antioch Planning Commission Chairman

Council District 1

Joyann Motts – Antioch Mayor Pro Tem

Manuel Soliz – former Antioch Mayor Pro Tem, Councilman and current Planning Commission Member.

Fernando Navarrete

Council District 2

Tony Tiscareno – former Antioch City Council Member

Michael Barbanica

Council District 3

Lori Ogorchock – Antioch City Council Member, former Mayor Pro Tem

Council District 4

Alex Astorga

Sandra White – Antioch Police Crime Prevention Commission Chairman

City Treasurer

None

City Clerk

None

This list will be updated when additional registered Antioch voters take out Nomination Papers. Filing closes August 7th and candidates have until then to turn in their completed paperwork.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

OPINION

By Jon Coupal, President, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association

The assaults on California property owners and taxpayers never stop. And once again the California Legislature has advanced a massive tax increase at the last possible moment when they thought no one was paying attention.

Assembly Constitutional Amendment No. 11 (ACA11), approved by the California Legislature, takes away Proposition 13 protections that California families have under current law and replaces them with a billion-dollar tax increase. Voters will have an opportunity to reject this scheme come November, as ACA11 will appear on the ballot as Proposition 19.

After the historic passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, Californians finally had certainty about their future property tax liability because increases in the “taxable value” of property were limited to 2 percent per year. Property would be reassessed to market value only when it changed hands. To prevent families from getting hit with huge tax increases, voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 58 in 1986, changing the state constitution to ensure that transfers of certain property between parents and children could occur without triggering the sticker shock of reassessment.

Under Prop. 58, a home of any value and up to a million dollars of assessed value of other property may be transferred between parents and children without reassessment. Proposition 19 (2020) would repeal Proposition 58 (1986) and force the reassessment of inherited or transferred property within families. The only exception is if the property is used as the principal residence of the person to whom it was transferred, and even that exclusion is capped.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates that the repeal of the “intergenerational transfer protections” guaranteed by Props. 58 and 193 will result in 40,000 to 60,000 families getting hit with higher property taxes every year. Prop. 19’s massive tax increase has been included in this initiative to offset another proposed constitutional change: the expansion of the ability for older homeowners to move to a replacement home and transfer their base-year property tax assessment from their previous home to the new property. While this “portability” expansion has some merit, voters rejected this idea in 2018. Oddly, the backers of the proposal think they can sell it again by adding a tax increase.

As ill-advised as Proposition 19 is as matter of policy, the contortions executed by the California Legislature to place it on the ballot were nothing short of bizarre. The primary sponsor of ACA11 was the California Association of Realtors (CAR) which first wrote a similar proposal as an initiative and gathered signatures to put it on the ballot. It appears CAR is motivated by the desire to churn more home sales, even at the expense of a multi-billion-dollar tax increase.

For reasons related to placating progressive Democrats in the Legislature as well as labor unions, CAR wanted to withdraw its previously qualified initiative and have the Legislature replace it with a similar tax increase proposal.

But something funny happened on the way to the ballot. CAR missed the constitutional deadline for withdrawing its initiative, so as a matter of law, it appeared that there would be two nearly identical measures on the ballot, causing confusion, not to mention additional costs. So, Secretary of State Padilla dutifully took the CAR measure off the ballot even though he had already certified it under the procedures set forth in the California Constitution.

Our current political establishment ignores all rules and laws when it comes to achieving a desired political end. And, as usual, the desired end here is billions of dollars in higher property taxes.

SACRAMENTO – Sen. Steve Glazer’s legislative agenda – including a three-bill package to help residents survive power outages – cleared the Senate this spring and moved to the Assembly despite challenging conditions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to the power outage bills, Glazer carried measures to deter unsafe house parties in short-term rentals – prompted by an Orinda tragedy in which five people were killed – and another to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products, which have been used to lure kids into the nicotine habit.

Behind the scenes, the senator also played a key role in passing a constitutional amendment (ACA 11) that could make it easier for seniors to sell their house and buy another without incurring huge increases in their property tax bills. That measure would increase taxes in the state by $1 billion per  year, raising money for fire protection by closing a loophole that has allowed out of state investors and absentee landlords to take advantage of a law meant to help people pass on their family home to their children.

The power outage package was intended to address issues with cell phone service, medical devices and hospitals during shutdowns triggered by utilities trying to avoid sparking a fire during high-wind events.

The bills were:

SB 431– (co-authored with Sen. Mike McGuire) to require a 72-hour backup power for cell towers to ensure people have access to cellphone communications during a wildfire power shutdown;

SB 801 – to require utilities to provide backup power sources to protect residents who rely on electricity to power life-saving medical devices;

SB 1099 (co-authored with Sen. Bill Dodd) – to allow hospitals to use backup power without facing local penalties.

“Senator Glazer has truly been a champion of persons with disabilities, older adults and wildfire victims and we commend his work in carrying legislation to ensure that power companies are required to provide backup power to many of them during Public Safety Power Shutoff events,” said Curtis Child, legislative director for Disability Rights California, referring to SB 1099. “This legislation will save lives.”

The Senate also approved Senator Glazer’s bill, SB 1049, increasing penalties for short-term rentals that allow disruptive and dangerous events. Last Halloween in Orinda a mass shooting left five people dead at a party hosted at an AirBnB property.

“In a few short months amidst a deadly crisis, lawmakers were asked to scale back their legislative agendas,” Senator Glazer said. “So, I am thrilled with how much important work we were able to get done, and am especially glad I could address some critical issues for residents in my district.”

The Senate also approved SB 793, which Glazer co-authored with Sen. Jerry Hill, to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products. This bill is similar to previous legislation Glazer has co-authored with Hill banning tobacco and e-cigarette companies from marketing flavored products to children.

The Senate also approved Senator Glazer’s bill, SB 1232, to help student parents pay for books and college supplies with a Cal-WORKS grant. It would also exempt these students from having to meet work requirements.

Assembly Constitutional Amendment 11, which Glazer helped push through the Senate, allow seniors and disabled people to sell their home and buy another one without having to pay the substantially higher property taxes that would typically be assessed on the new purchase. This will allow more empty-nesters to move out of larger homes that have more space than they need while freeing up homes for young families who have been squeezed out by the housing shortage. It appears on the November ballot as Proposition 19.

The constitutional amendment, if approved by voters in November, would also close a loophole that gives people a property tax break when they inherit a home from their parents. People who live in the home they inherit would still get the benefit but it would no longer be available to landlords.

According to the California Board of Equalization, “Proposition 58, effective November 6, 1986, is a constitutional amendment approved by the voters of California which excludes from reassessment transfers of real property between parents and children.

Proposition 193, effective March 27, 1996, is a constitutional amendment approved by the voters of California which excludes from reassessment transfers of real property from grandparents to grandchildren, providing that all the parents of the grandchildren who qualify as children of the grandparents are deceased as of the date of transfer.”

According to Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association in his latest California Commentary, “the Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates that the repeal of the ‘intergenerational transfer protections’ guaranteed by Props. 58 and 193 will result in 40,000 to 60,000 families getting hit with higher property taxes every year.”

The two changes could eventually raise $1 billion a year in new revenue that would be dedicated to fire protection.

“Senator Glazer’s efforts to create a dedicated fund to support underfunded fire districts in California show how effective a resourceful and persistent lawmaker can be in delivering much needed funds to his fire districts,” said Brian K. Rice President, California Professional Firefighters. “We are grateful for the support Senator Glazer has provided us and should ACA 11 (Proposition 19) be passed by the voters, we look forward to working with him to secure funds for his district.”

Glazer worked with the authors of the measure to ensure that a portion of the revenue would be available to the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District, which has been forced to reduce services and close a number of stations because state funding formulas gave it far less property tax revenue than a typical fire district.

“This fire district has never had the revenue it needs to serve the fast-growing East County,” Glazer said. “ACA 11 is a smart, fair tax reform that will help seniors while generating more resources for fighting fires. If it passes, I will work with my fellow legislators to make sure that the East County district gets its fair share.”

Allen Payton contributed to this report.