Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore, on May 8, 2009 at 7:54 pm

Me think Sandy is a teacher.

Posted by fact checker, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on May 10, 2009 at 5:22 pm

Anyone see the channel 5 CBS broadcast this weekend on home prices in Pleasanton. It stated that homes are being overbid because so many people from surrounding areas want to move to Pleasanton. It specifically stated the quality of schools as the most cited reason for moving here. It went on to say that, while other communities have seen their home values fall, Pleasanton has not.

Posted by fact checker is deparate, a resident of the Del Prado neighborhood, on May 11, 2009 at 2:48 pm

"fact checker"; since you are posting this under every topic you must be getting nervous. stick to the topic please...and actual facts.

Posted by Concerned, a member of the Foothill High School community, on May 11, 2009 at 10:40 pm

The problem is that the few are paying the taxes of all. There are many people in Pleasanton that are paying next to nothing for taxes due to Prop 13. Many are grandfathered into the system, some have the tax rate of their parents and some are exempt. These are the same homes that will be exempt from the parcel tax. So the few are paying for everybody. They are the ones that are paying taxes on recent home sale values and will pay the parcel tax as well. California is going to have to get real and adjust property taxes like every other state does....on value not on when you bought your home and whether you're living on a fixed income. EVERYBODY needs to share the brunt of this economic problem.

Posted by Stacey, a resident of the Amberwood/Wood Meadows neighborhood, on May 11, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Stacey is a member (registered user) of PleasantonWeekly.com

Web Link

-California's State/Local Tax Burden Above National Average

-California's 2009 Business Tax Climate Ranks 48th

-California's Top Individual Income Tax Rate Is the Highest in the Nation

-California's Corporate Income Tax Rate is the Highest in the West

-California's Sales Tax Rate Exceeds National Median

-Property Tax Collections Slightly Below Average

California ranks in the middle of the pack when the states are ranked on combined state/local property tax collections.

-Federal Tax Burdens and Expenditures: California is a Donor State

California taxpayers receive less federal funding per dollar of federal taxes paid than the average state.

Posted by Stacey, a resident of the Amberwood/Wood Meadows neighborhood, on May 11, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Stacey is a member (registered user) of PleasantonWeekly.com

I wouldn't mind paying more in property tax if the income and sales taxes were much much lower.

Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore, on May 11, 2009 at 11:27 pm

The first post is not mine. Just another wannabeeeeeee.....tee hee hee, tee hee hee...

Posted by Greg, a resident of the Country Fair neighborhood, on May 12, 2009 at 9:03 am

Sandy posted that she is a teacher but then had the post removed.

She wants to maintain an illusion of being unbiased.

Posted by Pete, a resident of the Downtown neighborhood, on May 12, 2009 at 9:16 am

How is this for some waste and what we are supporting with our tax money.

There is a good editorial in the Sacramento Bee today on the public employees who are making more than $100,000 per year in pensions. You can find it at: Web Link . They reference a website www.californiapensionreform.com where you can do a search by agency to see those making more than $100,000 in pensions. For Pleasanton, there are currently 22 retired Pleasanton personal making over $100,000 per year in pensions.

They are:

Search by First, Last or Full Name Search by Employer

CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO TOP 10 LIST

Name Monthly Annual Employer Name

TIMOTHY NEAL $14,035.34 $168,424.08 PLEASANTON

STEWART GARY $13,168.05 $158,016.60 PLEASANTON

SUSAN ROSSI $12,499.04 $149,988.48 PLEASANTON

GARY TOLLEFSON $11,854.06 $142,248.72 PLEASANTON

JOHN GOODWIN $11,482.71 $137,792.52 PLEASANTON

BRIAN SWIFT $10,523.83 $126,285.96 PLEASANTON

DAVID RADFORD $10,451.79 $125,421.48 PLEASANTON

THOMAS BRAMELL $10,361.76 $124,341.12 PLEASANTON

ERIC CARLSON $10,271.48 $123,257.76 PLEASANTON

WILLIAM EASTMAN $9,770.95 $117,251.40 PLEASANTON

JOSEPH BUCKOVIC $9,407.05 $112,884.60 PLEASANTON

MICHAEL STJOHN $9,275.80 $111,309.60 PLEASANTON

CHRISTOPHE DICKINSON $9,092.33 $109,107.96 PLEASANTON

SEAN CHAPMAN $8,856.90 $106,282.80 PLEASANTON

CARL COUSINEAU $8,821.74 $105,860.88 PLEASANTON

MAUREEN LAURENCE $8,780.15 $105,361.80 PLEASANTON

PAUL HELMS $8,691.66 $104,299.92 PLEASANTON

GREGORY WIXOM $8,593.63 $103,123.56 PLEASANTON

STEVEN ROSS $8,583.76 $103,005.12 PLEASANTON

PAUL MOLKENBUHR $8,555.76 $102,669.12 PLEASANTON

DONALD SAULSBURY $8,408.28 $100,899.36 PLEASANTON

WILLIAM HALVORSEN $8,382.22 $100,586.64 PLEASANTON

My guess is Roush will be near the top of this list once he retires, especially since the Council is voting to give him a raise JUST BEFORE RETIREMENT and MAKING IT RETROACTIVE so he can get an even higher pension. I think this would be a great article for the weekly. Hope they pick this up and be trule informative to our residents on our pensions. On top of this we also have a mostly unfunded liability on retiree medical to the tune of over $100 million! That is just Pleasanton. The Pleasanton School District has a completely unfunded liability of over $11 million in retiree medical. Now with the losses in the pension fund, the taxpayers are on the hook since these retirees have guaranteed income (defined benefit). The retiree medical will also eat us alive since insurance rates keep going up. While the city has a little control at the high end for payout in the end of the next contract, the school district has no cap, and we as taxpayers are on the hook for the medical insurance, no matter what the cost is.