By Fletcher Phelan
JOHN TUSTING’S COMMENTARY SUNDAY (“Sipping lightly”) regarding last week’s Benicia City Council meeting was wonderful. I am grateful for his insight, as I was amazed at the speed with which the Council “resolved” the issue of the increases of our water and sewer rates for the coming years.
My first thought, when I read the literature on the subject of water and sewer rates, was that the projected rates might be too costly for my wife and me unless we could qualify for senior discounts. In view of the proposal that discounts would follow PG&E’s discount plan for seniors, I concluded that we might have to look for a less expensive place to live.
Earlier that day, I called City Hall to ask about the meeting, as I was thinking of attending. The matter at hand seemed important enough for me to be there, even though my previous experiences with such meetings, here and elsewhere, always was disappointing, especially when the subject matter was of considerable consequence to the city in question. I was told that the meeting would start at 7 p.m. and that it would be broadcast on TV.
I tuned in shortly after starting time and found that the mayor was asking people in the audience to come forth with questions and issues not on the agenda. That gave me the impression that I had misunderstood the start time of the meeting when I had called; I assumed that I might have tuned in an hour late, and that the only agenda matter had been covered and resolved. Just in case I was wrong, however, I watched and listened as time went by, and one speaker after another brought up matters that I was certain were, indeed, not on the agenda.
Here is where Mr. Tusting’s oped in Sunday’s Herald brought me up to date with a start. I share his concern on the whole matter: The meeting was a masterly job!
Indeed, the citizens of Benicia were snookered by a clever Council, and unless something unexpected happens in the near future, it may be best for those of us who expect the new rates to stick to leave town within a year, before costs become too severe. Our grandchildren left California long ago, and my great-grandfather, an 1849 pioneer, passed on very long ago!
Now, old folks generally find it difficult to move. However, having done so many times in a long lifetime, changing not only cities but countries as well, I expect it may be “Hasta la vista, Benicia, I’ll see you in my past,” as I have done with countless cities and countries. This would be a disappointment, as I came here to die one day, hoping never to have to move again. I am too old to lead a charge against City Hall, so unless someone of Mr. Tusting’s caliber — or a “flash mob” — does so, we shall have little choice but to go.
Fletcher Phelan is a retired vice president of the Fireman’s Fund and president of a former multinational affiliated company of the Fund. He lives in Benicia.
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I have similar feelings.. As someone who has contributed to this city in many areas, I am irritated at myself for not kicking up a fuss. When I read the comment from the city engineer (in the Herald) that over 5000 people had to protest to make an impact I was stymied. I sat back and did nothing feeling it was hopeless. John’s column gave me pause. I just don’t know what we could have done.
Californians will only learn the consequences of their poor fiscal choices with total economic collapse. We can’t move our family out of here soon enough.
Benicia Mom,
Looking further at the options for relocation; I just saw the list of 100 best cities to live in the USA (Money Magazine) and noted how many were in the states listed in my post below:
California:
NorCal – 1
SoCal – 4
Texas – 5
Oregon – 2
Arizona – 2
Nevada – 1
Left off:
Washington – 2
Fletcher,
Well stated and so true.
Benicia is but a microcosm of the state and many others feel as you do (from NBCLosangeles.com):
”So, where are these former Californians going?
The Census Bureau calculates that the most popular destination is Texas (58,992), a state that is luring California companies. That’s followed by Arizona (49,635), Nevada (40,114), Washington (38,421) and Oregon (34,214).”
Add it up that’s over 200,000 who have fled the state and more are lining up. Yes, others have come in to offset that number, but the net result is a diminishing tax base.
Someday the people here will figure it out, but not anytime soon, I fear.
Moving from California to Texas because of taxes is the best way imaginable to learn that money isn’t everything in life.
Count us in on the exodus out of a corrupt Benicia. The higher water rates will equate to lower real estate values and that will result in lower taxes for the City of Benicia. Good. Shame on the Mayor and those who run this corrupt little dump.
We moved to Benicia over 20 years ago because it was an affordable place to raise children, had good schools and was safe. Not so much anymore. In recent years we’ve become disillusioned with this city and recognize that our “leaders” will do what they want without care or consideration of the residents. We’ve experienced it first hand and get the feeling that the mayor and city staff will look you in the eye, smile and nod empathizing with you with the promise to help and all the while have their fingers crossed behind their backs.
With high taxation and over-regulation, the State of California is destroying small business and the jobs that it provides. It’s absolutely shameful. ALL of the many issues surrounding California’s public university system contribute to the out-pricing of the average family’s ability to help their children follow a path to completion of higher education and a sound financial future.
We’ve already secured a realtor in another state and will look for a different place to call home. My family’s been in the San Francisco Bay Area for five generations, and I’m sorry to leave it, but we just can’t afford to call it home in the long run.
I do not know if the up in sewer rates to homeowners is necessary. I do believe had they done something starting 7/8 years ago with very small amounts each year we would not be saying a word. Where are all the folks complaining about the bridge tolls. Are they Enviro Greenies and that is Ok. Bridge tolls up 25%. No complaining. If this city is so big on grants where is the grant money or President Obama on this. You know stimulus money. It is a very strange and not well thought out issue. Believe me know one will be checking out if is not a job issue . They will stay and pay. Remember many of these same folks want to stop economic development to get more revenue. Think Seeno.
Yup, Bob, many people really did “Think Seeno,” and saw better, realizing what I record the family companies have with development. Short term spikes, such as come with developments, such as proposed by Seeno’s company can become long term problems as a result of significantly increased infrastructure maintenance after those homes have been built and occupied.
I don’t know how you link stimulus money and President Obama to this, but it must be a twisted logic.
Bridge tolls, and more!!! What a rambling reaction!
However, you do make a good point that if past administrations of this town had not deferred maintenance, then we more likely would be seeing such a significant rates spike. Let those who are complaining about the new rates understand that they reaped benefits over these past years for the deferred maintenance in rates that were lower than they should have been. The new rates will cover necessary replacement and upgrading costs. Think also about how much the sanitary plant costs would have escalated if the development (Seeno’s proposal) had been approved without placing the developers on the hook for those increased infrastructure needs.
Development will come when the development proposals make sense in a way that benefits Benicia. We haven’t seen that in the latest big proposals.
Nope, this is not a “jobs issue,” although it should be obvious that infrastructure repairs and improvements involve labor and materials, some of which we hope will be sourced locally.
When I moved here I thought it marvelous that we’d have a Seniors’ discount on utilities, but I wondered how this city could afford the discounts. Now we know that it cannot. Many have benefited for some years, but I think that it may be time to stop the largess unless means tests are involved, although means tests are anathema to many.
So, do you want to have things fixed free, or to have things continue to deteriorate? Do you want regional government to come down on us for operating a failing waste water plant? Those appear to be likely alternatives to the rate hikes.
Hard to say what the alternatives might have been, if only we’d been given a chance to review a few. It’s always easy to poke holes in someone else’s solutions, but it’s even easier when we aren’t even given the opportunity or time to present options of our own. I for one don’t have a tremendous amount of trust in our current city council and how they do business. In absence of a thorough review of the facts, I will always question those facts that are parceled out and which on their face appear to be contrived or downright false. No one expects something for nothing, but if we live in a community that doesn’t question gross changes in the charges the city passes on to us, we can only expect them to keep grabbing in our pockets for loose change. We should question this and any similar action taken by our representatives.
Paul I do believe the Seeno project met every thing the city wanted. The city was in control. Not so forward thinking minds stopped it. It was about an inch away from being approved and moving forward. Just what info do you and others have that it would not have been a good project. Remember Paul the City was in total control of that project. Not at at all a rampling reaction. This city is in love with grant money and or stimulus money. Paul look arouind and see what is being done. It was all done with grant and other government money. Just where have you been. Paul did not bridge toll money pay for the Military Drive and First Street project. Yes it did to the tune of about 3 mil. Just what are you thinking. Paul bad political thinking on elected officals. All they had to do was attack and fix as I said 7/8 years ago. If that had happened you would not be talking about rambling. You would be saying thank you Benicia officals.
“Think Seeno,” and saw better…
The ongoing investigation, (since Feb. 2010) by the FBI;Secret Service and Internal Revenue agents (not old news!) of the Seeno’s continues with this article from the CC Times for the community to consider.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_22243113/feds-seeno-company-paid-30k-per-loan-get?source=most_viewed
Will just what should the City of Benicia do with the Seeno property. Seeno owns it. Just let it sit there and rot. Please there are ways to insure a project that will meet all expectations of the residents. Lets get going on it.
” …the Seeno project met everything the city wanted…” “Not so forward thinking minds stopped it.” “It was about an inch away from being approved and moving forward.”
The ongoing criminal investigation, (since Feb. 2010) by the FBI; Secret Service and Internal Revenue agents (not old news!) of the Seeno’s continues with this article from the CC Times for the community to consider.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_22235603/seeno-company-linked-suspected-socal-mortgage-fraud-ring?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com
Stop it Will. President Clinton lied under oath. Lost his law license in some states and still remained President because of his loyal Liberal friends. The Seeno project must go forward with very strong restrictions on the Seeno company. They will have no choice but to obey. Put a bond of completetion and compliance. Will lay off all this backward thinking about this very important project. The city needs it and it must be done. Will you still have not answered my question. Just what should the City of Benicia do with this project? Give us your answer instead of old news.
Hasta la vista? I hope you’re not planning on going to Mexico. You won’t find cheap water down there and that’s if you find it at all. Most of what they have is served up to the tourists and rich folks to fill their ‘infinity’ pools,