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Submitted by Cheryl Cook-Kallio
Leadership matters. This current shortfall was predictable. What steps did the Pleasanton City Council take to plan for this?
In the last few years, we have heard bickering over issues that cater to a small number of residents and arguing over whether we can overturn state law, (didn’t we learn this lesson?), which has caused this council to take their eyes off essential services.
We have seen our water rates explode, in part by mismanagement and the council, except Councilmember Balch, argue over a small raise in their stipend because, as the mayor put it, she is “worth” it. The proposal for a third skate park was absolutely tone deaf. The optics are horrible. It seemingly was almost a surprise that we had this deficit.
Remember during the recession and the steps that were taken to preserve jobs and services? The senior staff led by example and spread out the cuts to make sure everyone kept their jobs with minimal cuts to essential services. The City Council was informed with plenty of lead time to shift priorities and nonessential projects were delayed.
When I left the council after the recession, we had a $178 million unrestricted reserve, no capital debt and progress on pension reform. We can do better and should do better.
The mantra the council majority has put forth that the residents are the ones who will decide by vote puts the responsibility on the citizens. We elected council members to be stewards of our city. They work with this budget daily. Yet, the council majority refuses to take responsibility.
I served on the audit committee for my full eight years. Pleasanton was a model for other cities, receiving the highest accolades for fiscal management. Now we are 47th from the bottom. I served on the council when we looked further than the end of our collective noses.
The vote will conveniently focus the blame on the voters. If we say no to the Measure PP half-cent sales tax increase, we are then responsible for the loss of jobs. And if we say yes, then we have taxed ourselves because of what seems to be mismanagement.
The City Council has not done their job in a transparent way. It’s a disservice to you all who work on our behalf daily and for those who put their lives on the line for all of us. City staff, especially the rank and file, are worth every penny they earn. This pains me, but the only way to change course is to call out those who are responsible.
Leadership matters! Short-term political decisions are what got us into this mess. Pleasanton deserves better!
Editor’s note: Cheryl Cook-Kallio served on the Pleasanton City Council between 2006 and 2014. She currently represents Pleasanton and other parts of the Tri-Valley on the Alameda County Board of Education.
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Right on the mark! The majority of this City Council all of a sudden threw this on our lap. They should off known this shortage was coming, and if they didn’t, they are not fit to be making financial decisions for our City. How you vote for the proposition will be understandable, but what wouldn’t be understandable, is to reelect these leaders to another term.
I agree that we need new leaders in our mayoral and city council roles, and especially leaders with strong financial backgrounds and who do not support Measure PP.
Municipalities often place tax increases on the ballot with a sunset clause. They state that they will end after a certain period, such as ten years. However, it is quite common for these municipalities to ask voters to extend these taxes before the end.
Taxes are a factor of failed leadership. Pleasanton City Council majority is extending their failed leadership failures to blame the voters for the tax increase, claiming the voters “require, demand, and want amenities.”
Mayor Brown has been on the council for 12 or more years, Testa has been on the council for 6 or more years, and Arkin has been on the council for 4 or
more years. I remember prior council leadership that paid down the pension debt, saving Pleasanton taxpayers millions of dollars.
It is never necessary to cut police and fire services. Council supporters of Measure PP claiming police and fire services will be cut is an age-old scare tactic. The real cuts to render Measure PP unnecessary begin with a reduction in white-collar staff positions.
Shutting the city down one business day every week. The city functions quite well on two and three-day weekends. Why not shut down one day during the week? Or place staff on four ten-hour days. As indicated, the city has demonstrated it functions well without limiting police and fire.