At its regular meeting Tuesday, the City Council heard a report from the Solano Economic Development Corp., decided to re-hear the issue of Amports’ land lease and Benicia Oak Road Investors, and continued the issue of the 1/4-cent, 10-year Solano County sales tax for “Funding the Next Generation” which will appear on the November ballot, […]
City closer to sales tax increase
Council seeks one-cent hike measure for Nov. 4 ballot Benicia City Council took steps Tuesday that moves the city closer to a one-cent sales tax increase as well as a drought surcharge that would begin at $10 a year for those who have cut back on water use, but could be significantly more for those […]
Will city join area CCA?
■ Council mulls $18K to learn feasibility of joining Community Choice Aggregation Benicia City Council may decide Tuesday to take the first step toward membership in the Marin Clean Energy community choice aggregation. Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) is an alternative to Pacific Gas and Electric for electricity supply. Local organizations may form such organizations to acquire […]
Services in mind, city adjusts its budget
Fiscal sustainability quest begins as Council hires consultants, plans 3-phase community outreach effort Benicia City Hall soon could be unable to afford providing all the services it does to residents, the City Council learned Tuesday night. What should be done? Cut back on those services? Increase revenue sources? Strive — or hope — for more […]
Fiscal roadmap to be unveiled Tuesday
City Council to get first look at long-term path to economic stability Since Benicia first began feeling the effects of economic downturn, city staff and the City Council have sought an approach to fiscal matters that would lead to stability. At its next meeting Tuesday night, City Manager Brad Kilger and Assistant City Manager Anne […]
Council votes, 4-1, to oppose ‘opt in’ bill, AB 2145
❒ Critics in Benicia, across state say measure would hurt Community Choice Aggregation If Assembly Bill 2145 passes, electricity customers living where a community choice aggregation program is forming would have to apply for membership. Under current California law, they’re included automatically unless they ask to be excluded — to “opt out.” That change is […]
Opinion: Is Benicia’s Finance Committee still relevant?
By Lawrence Grossman, Dennis Lowry and Lee Wines THE PRESENTATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL BY THE NEW CHAIR of the Finance Committee on April 8 may have unofficially marked the return of the committee to its previous and practically irrelevant status characterized by city staff’s dominance of its activities. The new chair, Michael Clark, is […]
Finance to fill in Council on plans
Committee’s yearly review of CAFR, announcement of work plan slated Each year, the Benicia Finance Committee reviews the city’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, a document that covers more than a simple audit. The committee makes quarterly reviews of Benicia’s investments and approves a work plan that lists special projects it plans to study. At tonight’s […]
City Council to decide on $150K climate grant
Benicia City Council will decide Tuesday whether to accept a $150,000 grant that would pay for an assessment of the effects of climate change on Benicia’s coastal areas, as well as the development of a plan to address vulnerabilities. City Manager Brad Kilger has recommended the Council take the California State Coastal Conservancy up on […]
In latest economic report, ups top downs
Council to be told of hidden strengths in 3rd quarter ’13, outlook for this year Benicia City Council will learn Tuesday how well the city’s business sector is doing when Manager Mario Giuliani presents the quarterly Office of Economic Development report. In a summary sent to City Manager Brad Kilger, Giuliani said the report will […]