Fresno County is irresponsible in delaying payments to the County's pension plan.
According to The Fresno Bee, The Fresno County Retirement Board will delay some retirement costs for County employees from last year's stock market losses, but will pay an additional $20 million as a result. The decision allows the County to avoid paying an estimated $158 million for the pension plan next year, about 25% more than this year's $127 million contribution.
County officials claim that the delay in payments will enable the County to possibly recoup losses in the stock market, not place additional strains on the County's general fund, save additional employee layoffs, and not reduce services. This misguided short-term thinking is kicking the proverbial deficit can further down the road.
The flaw in this financial decision as well as other County budget decisions is the outmoded County governance system. The county administrator, as well as the Retirement Board, are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Board of Supervisors. It's the five supervisors, without any real checks and balances, that make the important decisions. And their decisions are often influenced by the employee groups that heavily contribute to their elections.
The County governance system is quite different from the City of Fresno's where the mayor develops the budget, the council modifies or changes the budget, and the mayor can then veto those changes. Ultimately, the council can override the mayor with a super majority vote.
Citizens should be very sceptical of decisions made by the County's Retirement Board and the Board of Supervisors. Political concerns too often are uppermost in the decision-making process. What is needed is substantial change to the County's governance process, particularly the need for a citizen commission to consider recommending the county-wide election of a county executive to serve as a check on the Board of Supervisors.
Coming Soon. . .
1. The serious implications of being a high school drop out.
2. Medical marijuana?
3. The James J. Craycroft home: A story of neglect.
Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail me at abriancalhoun@gmail.com.
In a May 2nd posting commending the wonderful service I receive from my favorite City of Fresno FAX bus driver, Pete, I made the following comment:
And speaking of FAX, I would like to know what the City is doing with the $8 billion dollars that is being showered on communities for improved transportation from the federal Stimulus Fund. In particular, what is the City doing to upgrade the present slo-mo bus system to the more advanced Bus Transportation System (BTS) that was promised by City management when I served on the Council? The BTS system would provide larger and more comfortable buses and, most importantly, faster and more convenient service. There should be no reason why taxpayer-supported Measure C dollars and federal Stimulus dollars can't move (bad pun) our FAX system into the 21st Century.
Well, dear reader, I am pleased to report that the City of Fresno is making progress on the Bus Rapid Transit System. Some funding has been received by the City to move forward on planning improvements for two heavily traveled routes--north/south Blackstone route and the equally heavily traveled east/west Kings Canyon route.
As noted in my May blog, the BTS system will include larger and more passenger-friendly buses that will travel faster and, therefore, be much more convenient. There should be no reason for them not to attract a larger slice of Fresno's commuting public.
I am, however, concerned about the glacial pace of the BTS implementation schedule. This is the time for FAX to take advantage of federal stimulus dollars to move the process forward faster. While I have used FAX for years to get to and from my work, I don't plan to work forever. Well before I retire, I want to ride my #30 (with Pete as my favorite FAX chauffeur) up and down Fresno's Blackstone as part of the initial BTS system.
Coming Soon. . .
1. Fresno County's pension system is a disaster.
2. The serious implications of being a high school drop out.
3. Medical marijuana?
Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail me at abriancalhoun@gmail.com.
Five years ago Mayor Autry and City of Fresno council members (I was one of those council members)agreed to guarantee the $15 million dollar loan on the Fresno Met's building project. Now, as we all know, City Hall (that means us, City of Fresno taxpayers) unfortunately has to pay millions of dollars over the next few years to make up for the failure by the Fresno Met staff and board members who embarked on a building project they couldn't afford.
The Fresno City Council is trying its best to make lemonade out of lemons by encouraging developers to invest in the surrounding blocks to increase the value of the Met and the property on which it sits. This will be an all but impossible task, particularly in the midst of the current recession. What I am particularly interested in, however, is whether the Met's business plan will enable it to operate without additional subsidy by the City of Fresno.
I would encourage readers to go to the Met's web site (http://www.fresno.met.org/) and review its proposed business plan and budget. It appears that these plans hinge on raising $1.5 million dollars in gifts and $1.5 million dollars in loans by October 1st of this year. This objective will be a challenge in today's financial climate. The Met's budget also contemplates increased attendance, a worthy goal but difficult to achieve.
After handing over $17.5 million dollars to pay for the building additions, city taxpayers should not be asked to support the Met in perpetuity. The question remains whether the Met's plans will enable it to meet the 2012 deadline for beginning a payment plan to the City of Fresno for occupancy of the Museum property.
I would strongly suggest that the City demand that the Met's board of directors include Mr. Randall Cooper, the City of Fresno Director of Parks and Recreation. Mr. Cooper has proved a visionary yet pragmatic individual who would be helpful to their board as well as serving as a direct link to Fresno City Hall--the Met's owner. I would also suggest that the Fresno City Council require a formal report from the Met every six months on its progress toward the 2012 deadline. If adequate progress is not made, the City should consider severing its relationship with the Met.
Coming Soon. . .
1) Fresno County's pension system is a disaster.
2) Chugging along with Fresno's proposed Bus Rapid Transit System.
Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail me at abriancalhoun@gmail.com.
People love parks...and they expect to be able to dine in them as well.
You will need to make your reservation days in advance if you want to eat at the Inn on the Green in New York City's Central Park. Want to have something to eat and drink at the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco's Golden Gate State Park on a weekend? Stand in line. Ditto for the world-class Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia. Think of your favorite park.
In addition to a picnic and/or bar-b-que, most great parks--public and private-provide an opportunity to dine. It's a shame that Fresno's beautiful Woodward Park doesn't have a restaurant.
Imagine a Japanese-themed restaurant adjacent to (or better yet, overlooking) the Shenzin Japanese Gardens in Woodward Park. Open at 11:00 for lunch; sushi, tea, and drinks in the afternoon; dinners until 10:00 under Japanese lanterns. Secluded, quiet, and oh so romantic!
Woodward Park, your favorite eating destination to wow out-of-town friends. A must-stop for national and international tour groups.
Be visionary. Fresno! Be exciting! Do the unexpected. Bring a Japanese-themed restaurant to Woodward Park.
Coming Soon. . .
1) Who's on first...The Met or City Hall? (Where's the Met's plan?).
2) Chugging along with Fresno's proposed Bus Rapid Transit System.
Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail me at abriancalhoun@gmail.com.
More than 60 trains each day result from having two major rail lines, the Union Pacific (UPRR) and the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe (BNSF), bisect Fresno from north to south. Traffic congestion is one consequence of the long freight trains; noise from the moving trains added to their constant horns penetrates neighborhoods near the tracks twenty four hours a day. Of more concern, however, is the danger of a train derailment spilling its contents into nearby homes and businesses.
A BNSF train derailment in 1999 (fortunately no one was killed or injured as wine sloshed out of broken tanker cars) led to the formation of a citizens group, Fresno Citizens for Rail Consolidation (FARC), to press for the two rail lines to consolidate into one (the BNSF to join the Union Pacific on the less densely populated west side) as they passed through Fresno. North of the San Joaquin River south of Calwa the single rail line would again split into two separate tracks.
As a new City of Fresno council member in 2001, I strongly supported FARC's rail consolidation position. The City Council and Mayor Autry signed on the consolidation concept, studies were made, the railroads were in agreement (as long as they didn't have to pay for it), and the plan became part of the City's master transportation plan.
Other events soon added to the railroad consolidation issue. California had been seriously considering for some time to develop a high speed rail (HSR) bullet train from San Francisco, through the San Joaquin Valley, to Los Angeles and eventually to San Diego. Fresno supported HSR and formally designated downtown Fresno along the Union Pacific tracks as the proposed passenger depot. Fresno also applied to the State of California to be designated as home to the large maintenance facility that would be required for the state-wide HSR operation.
The successful approval by Fresno County voters in 2004 of Transportation Measure C included 15 million dollars for rail consolidation. Spending approval, however, was tempered by a deadline a few years hence that would require rail consolidation to begin. If not, the funds would be used for grade separation (roadways under the tracks such as at Shaw/Marks) or elevated roadways over the tracks such as near Herndon and Brawley.
An exciting new development that will further accelerate the development of HSR is the billions of dollars set aside in the $780 billion dollar stimulus funds for just that purpose. California will certainly get a proportionate share of those funds for HSR.
But like most things in life, Fresno's embrace of rail consolidation and HSR rail is far from making it actually happen. Significant concerns, for example, have been raised about the physical possibility of aligning three sets of tracks along the Union Pacific corridor to accommodate the UPRR, BNSF and HSR bullet trains. Also, would the tracks need to be placed below grade level to reduce noise and allow automobiles and other traffic to pass overhead? And if so, what would be the cost?
Many questions regarding rail consolidation and HSR still require answers. The opportunity exists, however, for a major restructuring of Fresno's transportation system and for Fresno to assume a prominent place on California's map of strategic cities. Downtown's future will certainly be shaped by what does or does not happen.
I strongly encourage you to be become informed and participate in the rail consolidation and HSR planning process. Contact Mayor Swearengin's office, your city council member, your county supervisor and/or and the Fresno Council of Governments to be notified of public hearings.
On a personal note, I routinely ride Amtrak, and I love the recently remodeled Santa Fe Depot on the BNSF tracks. I would, however, switch my rail travel in a heartbeat to the new HSR train station downtown, particularly one that also accommodates rail consolidation.
Coming Soon. . .
1) A restaurant in Woodward Park.
2) Chugging along with Fresno's proposed Bus Rapid Transit System.
Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail me at abriancalhoun@gmail.com.
Herndon Town, about 50 very low income homes tucked away between Herndon Avenue, Golden State and Riverside Golf Course, was incorporated into the City of Fresno in the early 1980's...then promptly forgotten. Development took place around Herndon City (a significant misnomer if there ever was one!) while this small slice of Fresno somehow got by with gravel streets, septic tanks and a Tinker Toy privately owned water system. I can remember walking the area when I ran for City Council in 2000, scratching my head wondering how these taxpaying city residents were living in something close to what might be found in a impoverished third-world community. Residents, as you might surmise, were not very impressed with my promises at their door to do something about their community if elected (I was elected and took office in 2001).
I remember dragging newly elected Mayor Alan Autry to Herndon Town. He was shocked with the conditions he saw and, to his credit, supported my efforts to convince the residents that Fresno did care and would improve the area.
The first breakthrough was working with Public Works staff to locate revenue to pave their streets and put in curbs and gutters. It took two challenging years but was finally accomplished. Ditto for street lights three years later.
The big challenge, however, was the failing private water system. The system was very old, dating back to the period when Herndon Town was an unincorporated part of Fresno County. The water system came from a well that was not working well, powered by a weak pumping system that could barely maintain pressure in the small delivery pipes. It was not an uncommon experience for residents to be without potable water for hours (and sometimes a day or so) at a time. No only was this a health issue, but the lack of water pressure and periodic outages meant that suppression of fires would necessitate having a City of Fresno water pumper truck available.
The private water system then ran into serious financial problems as the original owner died, and the surviving relatives were not interested in operating the system. What to do? My council staff contacted the City of Fresno's Public Utilities Department to ask if they would help submit a grant application to the State of California to address the serious health and safety concerns now facing Herndon City residents. A grant application was submitted and...(yay!) the City of Fresno was recently notified that a $850,000 state grant for upgrading and connecting Herndon City's water system to the City was approved.
Local government, while often criticized, works when people work together for the common good. Herndon City is now almost on a service level with with rest of the City of Fresno. Residents of the area no longer feel neglected.
Future candidates for office should not have to experience from Herndon Town residents the legitimate criticism I received campaigning in 2000.
Coming Soon. . .
1) A restaurant in Woodward Park.
2) Fresno's choices on high speed rail and rail consolidation.
3) Chugging along with Fresno's proposed Bus Rapid Transit System.
Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail me at abriancalhoun@gmail.com.
If you want to disagree with most Americans, simply argue against the need for the recent Cash for Clunkers program. Well, here's your chance to disagree with me since I was not a big fan of the Clunkers program.
It's not that I am against reasonable federal stimulus spending. I supported the need for the $780 billion dollar stimulus program because I believed (and I still do) that the United States (and most of the world) was on a financial precipice and was about to fall into an abyss of possible depression-era proportions. As unpalatable as it was, significant economic pump-priming was absolutely necessary.
The financial bail out of General Motors and Chrysler is a more difficult call. America could have survived without the billions of dollars in public funds that were poured into their coffers. On the other hand, the monies probably saved a lot of jobs and helped stabilize the overall economic picture.
Other public financial subsidies, such as those given to first-time home buyers, have have been moderately successful because they are closely targeted to new home buyers, helping to decrease the glut of homes (many foreclosed upon) that heavily contributed to the financial melt-down.
I do have, however, a fundamental philosophical problem with providing public funds to the tune of $3,500 - $4,500 to help my neighbor and your friend buy a new car that they would eventually buy anyway. Even with the stipulation that the new car had to provide better gas mileage than the car being turned in to be scrapped, spending $3 billion on such a program sets an unwise precedent that will be difficult to hide under tomorrow's rug when the next "great stimulus idea" is proposed.
One might argue that a measly $3 billion public subsidy is chump change compared to the billions (do I hear trillions or am I unable to count that high because my teachers never taught me?) already spent to dig our country out of the financial hole that is completely of our own greedy making. I disagree. Principles matter, and I don't believe that the Biblical scripture to help your fellow man/woman applies to buying him/her a new car.
I'll understand if you yell at me for appearing to be selfish or self-centered.
Coming Soon. . .
1) A neglected slice of Fresno finally gets city water.
2) Fresno's choices on high speed rail and rail consolidation.
3) Chugging along with Fresno's proposed Bus Rapid Transit System.
Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail me at abriancalhoun@gmail.com.
Many of my posts have dealt with the financially inefficient and operationally ineffective practice of overlapping City of Fresno/County of Fresno police and fire services. A number of efforts have been made over the years to eliminate this duplication of services and provide better public safety services for all the taxpayers, regardless of where they live. Sheriff Margaret Mims seems to be continuing the County's practice of saying 'no' to change.
Four years ago the Greater Fresno Chamber of Commerce commissioned an outside consultant to study City/County police and sheriff services. That study found that consolidation of selected police and sheriff services would be very beneficial. The Chamber encouraged the Fresno City Council and Fresno Board of Supervisors to convene a joint study committee to consider the study recommendations. A joint commission was formed and meetings held. Police Chief Jerry Dyer and the City Council (full disclosure: I was then a council member) were anxious to consolidate services in selected areas. Sheriff Mims and the County Board sat on their hands. Nothing, to the disappointment of the City and the Chamber of Commerce, was accomplished.
More recently, Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer and Mayor Ashley Swearengin indicated to Sheriff Mims that the Fresno Police Department would be willing to cover the county islands, including Sunnyside, Fig Garden, Bullard, Mayfair and Calwa, thereby releasing deputies to better cover unincorporated areas of Fresno County and provide jail services. Weak excuses by Sheriff Mims quickly sank this excellent proposal.
What to make of this lack of cooperation? It's simply turf, turf, and more turf. The County, whether the Board of Supervisors or the Sheriff, won't even consider letting the City of Fresno take over responsibility for selected public protection functions. And does the County have the finances to adequately handle their protective services? The answer is an obvious 'no' (and it is only going to get worse).
I am amazed that the taxpayers don't demand that a county-wide commission of respected citizens be formed to consider the inefficiencies and ineffectiveness associated with duplicated public services, particularly protective services such as police and fire, and then elect officials that will do something about it.
Coming Soon. . .
1) A neglected slice of Fresno finally gets city water.
2) Fresno's choices on high speed rail and rail consolidation.
3) What's with this "Clunker" deal?
Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail me at abriancalhoun@gmail.com.
As a youngster growing up in the Bay Area during the 1940's and 1950's, bicycles were an integral part of my life. My friends and I rode our bikes to and from school, after school, on weekends, and always over the long lazy summer vacation. For much of this period, my friends and I had "Longhorn" handle bars that permitted us to "ride" a friend (particularly when it involved a girl!) on the bike as we tooled around our community. All we needed for riding our bikes was a t-shirt (boring white or with stripes...believe it or not there were no messages or advertising on the shirts in those days), jeans, sneakers and, if necessary, a jacket. I am, of course, speaking here for the "guys." Girls also rode bikes but not nearly as much.
So, where am I going on this? Who cares about my bike riding a generation or two ago?
My point is that bikes are still very much in use but primarily by adults. I seldom see children riding their bikes, and if they do ride them, it is primarily on the block where they live or if they are lucky, at a designed competitive bicycle facility. Few children ride bikes to school: either the bus takes them or it's the family car driven by a somewhat harried mom or dad prior to heading off to work. After school, weekends and holidays find children in their homes (or the homes of their friends) playing video games, watching television, on the computer or on the telephone.
Parents worried about the safety of their children may also contribute to the lesser amount of recreational bike riding. Parents worry about both the potential danger from automobiles and also about child abduction. I don't think any of us worried about child abduction when I was riding my bike as a youngster.
The opposite seems true for adults. Many more adults are on bicycles than when I was young. Many ride my Fresno street since it is a great getaway from Fresno to Woodward Park and/or the foothills. Some, particularly couples, ride shorter distances for fun and exercise. Others, like me, use them to get to work (I ride to the nearest FAX stop, place the bike on the front of the bus, take off the bike at bus stop near Fresno City College where I teach, and then ride to my office). Some adults ride bicycles because it is their only form of transportation.
To its credit, the City of Fresno has significantly expanded the number of bike lanes. This is, unfortunately, not always easy to do or welcomed by homeowners and businesses along streets where added bike lanes mean less on-street parking. The reality is, however, that Fresno will continue to press for more bike lanes (Full disclosure: I certainly did when I was a member of the Council.)
I am saddened at the decrease in bicycle riding by youngsters, but cheered by the increased bicycle riding by adults. In a perfect world, I would encourage everyone to ride a bike, receive wonderful exercise and in the process spare some of the air. And parents, please pry the remote from the hand of your children and send them outside.
Be an activist by contacting your council member and ask for more bike lanes. Contact the City Clerk to volunteer to serve on the City of Fresno Bicycle Commission.
You don't have to be Lance Armstrong to go biking!
Coming Soon. . .
1) A neglected slice of Fresno finally gets city water.
2) Fresno's choices on high speed rail and rail consolidation.
3) What's with this "Clunker" deal? Comments are welcome.
Click on "Comments" below or e-mail me at abriancalhoun@gmail.com.
