|
|
Published May 7th, 2014
|
Letters to the Editor
|
| |
| |
Editor:
My youngest child recently graduated from Miramonte High School. I have had two children go through the Acalanes Union High School District, and I can say that each child received an exceptional education.
Although my children are now in college and at work, I will still vote Yes on A because I know that the District is struggling to preserve core academic programs, music and arts, computers, technology, and science labs. I want to make sure that each student receives the education my children did. I'm voting Yes on A and I hope you will join me.
Janet Riley
Orinda
Editor:
I am a long time resident of Lafayette and our children all attended school in town. I am also acutely aware of how important good schools are to our town. That being said, I am troubled by the structure of Meaures A and B, and for the first time I may vote against school taxes based on what I believe to be structures that are not good for the long term health of Lafayette. First, both measures are permanent, taking any real oversight or review away from taxpayers. The monies will be collected forever, regardless of need. Second, and even more troubling is that measure B includes a COLA adjustment. This is badly undisciplined policy as it bakes automatic increases into the taxes collected each and every year. What I find disingenuous is the advertising and description of the measures. If you look around Lafayette there are hundreds of signs up claiming that tax rates will not increase, when as a point of fact in measure B the COLA will absolutely lead to annual automatic and permanent increases in taxes. I would happily vote for 'clean' tax measures that have a sunset date and no COLA, but voters should think carefully about the long term implications before voting on measures A and B. Note that the Contra Costa Times has come out against both measures. I do not always agree with their take on things, but in this case I have to agree with them.
Richard Cohen
Lafayette
Editor:
The "nattering nabobs of negativitism" are wrong about Orinda Measure J, a $20 million bond that will fix Orinda's worst roads. They want you to turn down a plan that polled with 70 per cent support. They have no plan to fix our awful roads. They prefer our inexorable march to gravel.
No one is going to pay to fix our roads except us. With a combination of existing funding including the Measure L sales tax; the Measure J bond; and a future additional ballot measure to be determined based on the community's preference and future cost, Orinda will finally enjoy all roads at an acceptable level.
Measure J requires the funds to be spent on Orinda roads and drains. It will be Orinda's money, coming directly to us and completely controlled by us, the very epitome of local control.
How much will all of this cost? If someone can perfectly predict the weather; utility work on our roads; interest rates; mudslides and drain failures; and the growth of property and sales taxes in Orinda, then ask that person to give you a precise figure.
Our City is in sound financial shape, except for the roads. Orinda is the rare entity that does not have a defined benefit retirement program for its employees. It has a defined contribution program. The City does not provide a retirement medical plan. This prudent approach has spared Orinda the rapidly rising pension costs that have caused service cuts in most other cities and agencies.
But even with no pension overhang, the seven cents that Orinda receives from each property tax dollar is not enough to fix a problem that exceeds $50 million.
Vote "Yes" on Measure J. The time for us to repair our roads is now!
Carol Penskar
Orinda
Editor:
There is No Road Fairy.
Orinda's roads need fixing. I don't think a single resident of Orinda would disagree with that statement. The question is: Who will fix them? Orinda has tapped every available resource and still come up short on funding. These are our roads, they need repairs and no one else is going to do it. We have put this off far too long. The longer we put off repairing the roads, the bigger the job and the bigger the price tag. We all need to step up and vote for Measure J to provide much needed funds for repairs.
It is our town. They are our roads. They are our responsibility. They need to be fixed now.
There is no road fairy, but together we can do this. Vote YES ON MEASURE J.
Best regards,
Nancy Booth
Orinda
Editor:
On June 3 Orinda voters will vote for a $20 million road bond measure (Measure J). There appears to be two camps on the issue: (A) Our roads are bad and not getting any better and we really need to start fixing them now; and (B) Our roads are bad and not getting any better but we need a plan which will insure that they will all get fixed, and define what "fix" means, before we possibly throw $20 million down the rabbit hole. Interestingly, virtually no one says we should not fix the roads and very few say we cannot afford to fix our roads (that would be somewhat of a specious argument for people sitting on $8 billion of residential realty). The whole problem is process and trust.
The City has had 8 years since the Infrastructure Committee released its report on the status of our roads to come up with a plan. It released the first version of its "10-Year-Plan" in 2012. Now, the City is ready to move into Phase 2 of its revised Plan: $20 million to fix the worst of the worst residential streets over the next four years. The Plan is very specific that the Measure J money will be used only for roads and underlying drainage and that it will be focused on Orinda's worst residential streets.
The question "dissenters" have is "what comes next"? The Plan says that the City "anticipates" that all roads will then be brought up to Good condition with another $25 million over four more years. Alternative analyses (www.FixOrindaRoads.info) say it will cost another $70 million and ten more years to fix everything properly.
It all comes down to trust. Some trust the City, and their fellow voters, to move forward bit-by-bit until all roads are fixed. Others, after eight years and little movement, want to see the plan more "fleshed out" with more of a "guarantee" it will end in completion before they commit $20 million even though they accept that the $20 million is desperately needed. Who's right? How do we bring them together?
Steve Cohn
Orinda
Editor:
Please fix Orinda's roads.
Orinda's roads are in terrible disrepair. I believe these poor roads are hurting property values in Orinda. We need to fix our roads. Delaying the repair process will only costs us more in the future as the roads deteriorate more rapidly over time. The citizens of Orinda have been discussing solutions for a number of years. Measure J funding will support a terrific next step in repairing our roads. We cannot delay taking action any longer.
Measure J provides funding to fix our worst residential roads. It will improve safety for drivers, passengers, bike riders, and pedestrians. It will also improve the overall quality of life in Orinda for everyone.
I urge you to vote yes on Measure J!
Sincerely,
Craig Jorgens
Orinda
Editor:
Home cookin' is always best.
Home cookin'... and City of Orinda Measure J? (June 2014 $20 million bond ballot measure, to help fix Orinda's Roads)
Yes. All of the money raised will stay right in Orinda. Home cookin'.
Measure J is a unique revenue source. Few taxes will be so consistent in "staying home."
Consider our income/gift taxes: 12% of the amount paid by Californians leaves the state, to be spent in other states.
Consider our state income tax: Taxes paid by cities generally subsidize rural areas. (Average Contra Costa County tax return generates twice the amount of a Nevada County return, 5x the amount of an Imperial County return.)
Our "local" property taxes? Of $1.00, less than 20 cents stays in Orinda, most of that spent for MOFD (fire) and not for the City of Orinda.
Local sales taxes? About 80% leaves Orinda for the County or the State.
Though part of our property tax, all of the Measure J money will stay home. Measure J fixes our roads, not the other guy's roads. (And, spending is controlled by volunteer Orinda citizens, the Orinda Infrastructure Oversight Commission).
Orinda's Measure J. Home cookin'.
Our vote is yes for both.
Dave and Sandy Anderson
Orinda
Editor:
The opponents to the recent bond measure to improve Orinda's roads recognize that Orinda's roads are in desperate shape and need upgrading. Yet they offer nothing by way of a fix. The current bond measure, while perhaps not the complete answer, is a reasonable start toward bringing most of Orinda's roads to drivable conditions. The longer we wait to address this issue in a meaningful way, the more it will cost the citizens of Orinda in the long term.
When my family moved to Orinda in 1972, the roads were bad. Continued neglect over the years have made them worse to the point that citizen safety has become an issue. We must address these issues now.
Please vote to improve our roads. No one will be coming to our rescue in the future. It is up to us now to take the first step.
Sincerely,
Jim Roethe
Orinda
|
|
|
|
|
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA