S.R. City Council Agenda, Aug 2nd

Greetings!

Thanks again to our friend, Anne Seeley, of Concerned Citizens For Santa Rosa, for her analysis of this week's City Council agenda:

Friends:   This is an important meeting, when a crucial decision on Just Cause Eviction will be finalized and a decision made on how to place ballot measures for City taxes on the November ballot.

There is no study session before the 4 PM meeting

Consent: 

12.6 Ordinance Adoption - An Ordinance of the City of Santa Rosa Requiring Just Cause for Evictions (JCE) in the City of Santa Rosa.  The initial vote on July 19 of this year was 4-2-0-1, with Vice Mayor Schwedhelm and Council member Olivares voting 'No' and Mayor Sawyer absent/recused.   This vote will be significant in the reelection campaigns later this year of Julie Combs, Gary Wysocky and Ernesto Olivares.  

https://santa-rosa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=4578048&GUID=6FF9B7B9-23AB-4D45-A52E-8D01FF1F205F Just Cause

Report

14.1 Ordinance Introduction Approving Ordinances to 1) Amend Measure O (adopted by City voters in 2204) to change the level of funding required to be dedicated to certain Public Safety purposes and 2) Amend Measure P (adopted by City voters in 2010) to extend for 8 years a quarter-cent General Transaction and Use Tax.

At the July 19, 2016 Council meeting, the Council agreed to study possibly combining the measures on the ballot.   The City Manager and the Finance Department recommend that the Council 1) receive the polling results done recently (see the link below) ; and 2) Approve one or more measures to a) amend Measure O to modify the the baseline spending on certain public safety purposes; and b) amend Measure P to extend the quarter cent 8 more years beyond its 2018 sunset date.

From my point of view, the problem is this:  a public safety union is thought to already have plans to try to kill the amendment of Measure O and support the extension of Measure P.  If they appear on the ballot together, that effort would backfire.  This opposition to amending the baseline formula for public safety funding has been constant; the change proposed is from the now-unrealistic, pre-recession 2004 budget funding level  (Plus addition of the equivalent of the CPI) to, instead, a constant percentage based on the Fiscal Year 2015/16 budget ( a very generous 57%).  If the extension of Measure P passes without an amendment of Measure O, the public will continue to see further erosion of funding for City Services other than public safety in each budget year.

   

***Please send emails to the Council  (citycouncil@srcity.org)   asking them to combine the measures on the ballot, or come to the Council meeting to say the same. 

https://santa-rosa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=4604071&GUID=60B68C42-AC58-41C4-BFF7-53F78C1648F3 Amending Measures O and P

https://santa-rosa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=4606475&GUID=3500B9C7-5E3A-4C43-BF75-6E5344678254 Polling Results

14.4 Zoning Code Interpretation To Allow Cannibis Support Uses- (non-volatile) Manufacturing, Distribution and Processing.  The Council wants to assert their right to make decisions on these matters. More below:

https://santa-rosa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=4583201&GUID=C1D9DA91-AADC-426F-99D4-507DC2A7154D Medical cannibis

20.1 Upcoming meetings

https://santa-rosa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=4602539&GUID=902BA38A-7F52-44F9-A384-07009404F1C3 Upcoming Meetings

I'll see you there!

Anne