I'm looking forward to seeing like-minded people at the library this weekend - that's Sunday Feb. 5th at 11:30 am, Chico public library at the corner of First and Sherman Avenues. I'll have a sheet of contact information and hopefully we can come up with some ideas that will wither this tax increase proposal on the vine.
But don't wait to make those contacts, write early and write often.
Ex-city manager and tax increase proponent Tom Lando said to me in a recent e-mail, "I believe that the funds could truly help our community."
According to Enterprise Record reporter Katy Sweeny, "Lando and (Jim) Stevens of Northstar Engineering have met with dozens of people in the community. They have talked about using the money for 15 additional police officers, a police station, a fire station, filling potholes, aiding the Chico library, Bidwell Mansion, the Veterans Hall, high school sports, theater arts and industrial arts, an aquatic center, a baseball or football stadium with meeting facilities, local non-profits, Bidwell Park maintenance, and maintenance for some of the facilities."
I'm sorry, but this wish list does not seem to have the slightest foundation in reality. It's just a bunch of promises to get what they want.
Read more at http://chicotaxpayers.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/tell-them-you-wont-pay-for-their-greed-and-incompetence/
About Me: I am an old dog trying to rout some foxes from the public hen house.
Juanita,
I've been working on some calculations but there is one figure I don't know. Maybe you can help. The current sales tax in Chico is 7.25%. What part of that goes to the city?
I'm, sorry to say, I don't know. You might find this information on the State Franchise Tax Board website. I'll warn you - I was just looking at that website the other day, and I bet you'll find stuff that will creep you out!
If you check the city website, you'll find the budget information, or, if you look through my posts, you'll find the figure for the 2010-11 sales tax revenues, and it's just millions of dollars. That's what matters to me - they get millions in sales tax, millions more off our property taxes, millions more off Utility Tax and the more we give them, the more they spend.
Here's a good post by Mark Sorensen that tells how they've just about bottomed out our reserves on stuff like mandatory diversity training for $taff, and $taff time to research and write up a plastic bag ban ordinance.
Do you know where I can read the text of the proposed tax increase ordinance? I have a question I'm trying to get answered.
The Chico High Sports Boosters ran into an unexpected twist when they started raising money for Chico High sports programs. When they provided money to enhance the programs the school district took that into account and decided they could reduce their funding. Over the years the burden has shifted heavily towards the boosters and less and less from the district.
We may see the same thing happen with this tax increase. The promoters are selling the tax by telling everyone that the money will be directed to police and fire and can't be used any other way. Is there anything to prevent the City from decreasing the current funding for police and fire by the same amount collect by this new tax? In a sense, by doing this the City can do anyting they want with the funds!
Tom Lando has not released the text of the proposed tax increase and he's being very mysterious about it. He keeps making insinuations about setting up a citizen's board to oversee it, and of course he's released his "wish list", but he's not letting go any hard details.
But, here's a link to that other question you asked, about who gets what with the sales tax -
http://www.chico.ca.us/finance/documents/Q111SalesTaxNewsletter.pdf