Mayor Ron Leone painted a very realistic picture in his State of the City address today at a luncheon hosted by the Chamber of Commerce at the Concord Hilton.   He explained the hard truths – that state raids on local funding and the elimination of redevelopment will make balancing the city’s budget and closing the structural deficit just that much harder.  He also pointed out how the now fewer, remaining city employees are being asked to do the same amount of work for less money and benefits.

The loss of redevelopment means funding for many events that draw shoppers to Concord – like the Farmer’s Market and Music in Todos Santos Plaza will no longer be available.  Will the private sector step in to save these efforts?  Will other funding be found?  Will the City use General Fund dollars in the interim until a permanent funding source is identified?

On the positive side, Mayor Leone pointed out that the city is in a far better place, budget-wise, today than it was last year, or the year before, thanks to the revenue from Measure Q.  In fact, if I read one of his PowerPoint slides correctly, Measure Q transaction taxes represent about 11% of Concord’s General Fund revenues.  And the recent audit shows the city’s budget reserves have grown substantially in the past year after being nearly depleted as the city coped with the fall-out from the Great Recession.

The question will be should the city change the Measure Q strategy given the loss of redevelopment?  Measure Q was sold to the voters as a way to maintain current city services and rebuild reserves over the measure’s five year life so that the structural budget deficit could be erased within the next ten years.  Can losing the programs previously funded by redevelopment be seen as anything but cutting – not maintaining city services?

Mayor Leone even raised the question of whether we should be thinking about possibly extending Measure Q when it expires in four years.  He didn’t take a position on that idea – just brought it up for discussion purposes.

The city continues to face tough decisions this year and probably will for several years to come.  How to maintain essential city services, treat city employees fairly, keep faith with the taxpayers and rebuild budget reserves for the next downturn are on the City Council’s agenda this Spring as they consider the next budget.  They need to know what Concord residents and business owners think – about the use of Measure Q dollars, about city service priorities and, perhaps most importantly, how soon the local economy will begin to resemble the Concord we all knew only five short years ago.

Measure Q on the November 2 ballot gives Concord residents a choice between a temporary increase in our local sales tax (1/2 cent) or further, substantial cuts in city services and programs.

I don't think more cuts in city services is in our communities' best interest.  I support Measure Q.

I do, however, understand that there is a small, vocal minority who oppose any and all tax increases – no matter how well justified – and who think cutting government spending will solve all our problems.  I don't agree, but I respect their right to their opinion and their right to express it.

What I do not respect is fringe, conspiracy theorists who see anyone or anything that does not agree with their point of view as criminal, illegal or worse.  These folks, let's call them wackadoodles, think a community education effort is brainwashing or think a public hearing is "fixed" if their side loses.  They cannot imagine that it might actually be in the "public interest" to tell residents – not how to vote – but what the consequences of the upcoming vote on Measure Q will mean for their city and lives.

That appears to be why Bill Gram-Reefer of the Halfway to Concord blog filed a complaint about the City's mailings with the Fair Political Practices Commission a couple of weeks ago.  He is upset that the City is informing residents about the importance of the upcoming vote on Measure Q and what is at stake.  The mailings never tell people how to vote; only how important the decision will be and encourages them to vote.

Well, the Fair Political Practices Commission has looked in to the complaint and summarily dismissed it.  Click on this to read the letter in pdf format.

"…it was determined that the mailers included with your complaint do not contain sufficient evidence to allege a violation of the Political Reform Act's prohibition against campaign related mailings being sent at public expense."

The City was copied on this letter yesterday.  Elections can be emotional times.  I don't seriously expect an apology.  But I do want Concord residents to know that the information the City has provided to you is both accurate and legal.    Please mail your ballot this weekend or show up at the polls on November 2.

The Contra Costa Times, which earlier this month lumped their no on Measure Q opinion in a "no on everything" editorial assessing all the city sponsored measures, has endorsed three candidates for Concord City Council that support Measure Q.

The editorial supporting Laura Hoffmeister, Bob Hoag and Carlyn Obringer can be found here.

To be fair to the Times they had little ability to be consistent because most, if not all of the candidates support Measure Q.  The candidates understand the need for a temporary sales tax increase and the consequences to the City's budget and service levels should it fail.

Too bad the Contra Costa Times didn't bother to even consult with sitting Council members about the Measure prior to their misguided recommendation.  The editorial board would have seen that lumping all city revenue proposal together and making a blanket recommendation against them was unfair and short sighted.

A Concord resident recently emailed me questioning what City employees have done to help fix the current budget deficit.  This is my response:

Thank you for your e-mail regarding Measure Q.  I would like to provide you with some important, additional background information about agreements recently reached with our employees.  

The City has, in fact, implemented a salary freeze and salary reductions, beginning in July 2009.  The City successfully negotiated significant employee pay and benefit reductions achieving a $3.4 million in reductions.  This savings is the result of a combination of the reduction of employee benefits, increased employee contributions towards health and retirement benefits, multi-year salary freezes, and loss of pay through furlough days.  These changes in total add up to between 10% and 15% cut in pay for our employees, depending upon their position.  (An initial 5% salary reduction began in 2009 for most employees.)  The City is pleased that our employees are participating in solving our budget problem.

This year, to balance the budget, the City was forced to make $7.7 million in cuts to every department. Current budget cuts include a Police Captain, a Lieutenant, holding open 3 vacant sworn police officer positions, eliminating one police canine, and closing the Police Department Field Offices.  Additionally reductions were made to Senior Center hours, after-school programs, youth scholarships, street sweeping and storm drain maintenance.

Measure Q was placed on the ballot for Concord voters to choose between additional severe cuts and program reductions or additional revenue to maintain essential services.  Unfortunately the cuts that have already been made would remain in place, and the City will still need to make additional cuts, but new revenue would prevent the need to eliminate as many as 35 positions across all departments.  
 
In Fiscal Year 2010-11, there are no salary increases for any non-safety employees — in fact, due to the negotiated changes discussed above, these employees will be experiencing a reduction in take-home pay in excess of 7-12% from what they were earning in 2008.  Public safety employees, while receiving two contractually-obligated raises in 2010, will be effectively giving up these raises in the form of increased contributions to their retirement and health benefits which will exceed the value of the raises.  Finally, there are no bonuses to be paid to any City employees in 2010.

Thank you for your questions and interest in our current fiscal situation in Concord.

Joe Field of Flying Colors Comics has an excellent commentary  in today's Contra Costa Times about the benefits of shopping at local merchants.  When you purchase something in Concord a portion of the Sales Tax you pay helps fund city services.  Buying locally also keeps our city's economy growing, providing jobs for our friends, neighbors and children.  It's a timely reminder during this holiday gift giving season and I urge you to read it.

  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.