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By Ted Fong and Sharon Gallacher
Fiscal mismanagement
The Pleasanton City Council and city staff’s handling of the proposed sales tax increase reveals a troubling lack of leadership, fiscal responsibility and transparency. Presenting the tax as the only option to maintain services, without exploring cuts or alternative measures, raises serious questions about fiscal prudence.
The alarming notification to residents of an impending $13 million annual deficit for the next eight years is irresponsible, especially since this projection was known before last year’s budget approval. This suggests deeper budget management issues that a simple tax hike cannot fix.
Unanswered concerns
On June 3, 2023, Ted wrote to the City Council and city manager about the budget and impending deficits but received no response. He highlighted the risks of aggressive budget assumptions and a potential $97 million cumulative deficit over eight years.
The council and staff are now warning of a $13 million/year deficit, assuming a recession scenario, which is not certain. Even in a recession, the 2024-25 projection is a $2.4 million deficit and the 2025-26 projection is a $6.7 million deficit, averaging $4.6 million over two years — far from a $13 million average. In a non-recession scenario, the two-year average deficit is only $676,000.
We requested public records on July 29 for the past two years’ actual budget results, a 10-year general fund forecast justifying the sales tax increase, other related projections, the availability of reserves and the PARs Section 115 Trust Fund Report with about $50 million available to pay pension liabilities. To date, we have been denied this information. What is the city hiding from citizens?
The need for better budgeting
Based on the two-year scenarios, there is ample time to implement a tighter budgeting process that addresses operational spending shortfalls and considers actual revenue and reserve inflows to the general fund.
This should be done well before enacting a $10 million annual sales tax increase.
Implementing a tighter budgeting process would show Pleasanton residents that the City Council and staff consider a tax increase only as a last resort.
Editor’s note: Ted Fong and Sharon Gallacher, longtime residents of The Village at Ironwood in Pleasanton, have reservations about the city’s budget management. They say they are concerned the City Council and City Manager’s Office lack fiscal prudence and transparency in providing detailed information for citizens’ analysis and support of decision-making.
Here is the status quo:
The Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD) did not respond to my questions. My emails are blocked, for every email I send to a PUSD board member, and the PR guy bounced back ‘Mailer Daemon’. I filed a Freedom of Information Act (FIA). I then received the information I requested.
I have emailed and made phone calls to Alameda County Supervisors, and one chief of staff responded, I am “not a voter in that district” and she will not answer my question.
Recently in Pleasanton, a candidate for city council, had this to say, if “you are in this district I will answer your question”.
What these people in office and running as candidates for local office do not get/understand, is that the county board of supervisors as a whole represents all of Alameda County, the Pleasanton city council as a whole represents all of Pleasanton
Ted Fong and Sharon Gallacher, I suggest you file a Freedom of Information Act.
Ted and Sharon right on guest opinion! So very tired of the threats of what they will take away. Our City has an obligation to provide public safety, it’s the law. But our majority of 4 are threatening to take public safety away and essential break the law. Demand transparency and truthfulness from our elected officials -they work for you and me!
Gina Wilcox and Jeremy Walsh, you would be doing all residents of Pleasanton a tremendous service by making record requests and reporting when they are denied. I love when your editorials and articles veer into the territory of investigative journalism. More please !