Dear Grandpa Terrace, July 09, 2010
If you have read our local Grand Terrace City Newspaper, you know I have decided to run for the un-expired term of former Councilman Jim Miller. I struggled with the decision to run, due to some residual effects from major lumbar back surgery last December. I have come to the conclusion that I am at an age where something is going to ache and I am up to the job.
Health is improved when a person occupies oneself with something they have a passion for. I have a passion for honest government.
I understand that change is incremental. Many of us are thoroughly disgusted by politics. I promise, with your support, to increase transparency at city hall. I will also push hard for more public input. Citizens have had their input limited to a rigid three minutes without regard to the agenda item nor its importance to this city.
The entire city is within a redevelopment agency (RDA) boundary. This designation means the entire city is deemed blighted. RDA’s work in city council closed sessions to negotiate commercial/retail projects assisted by redevelopment funds. This creates substantial debt. This means less property tax revenues for schools and the general fund for municipal governments.
Teachers are facing layoffs and many public libraries are being permanently closed. Yet, this City Council has voted to increase its’ debt ceiling to $225 Million.
The federal government is being pushed to pay for local police and teachers. This is honorable, but hides the true picture of local government mismanagement of tax funds.
I will work to make sure RDA funds are spent to benefit the entire city with more services, not a government give away to wealthy developers.
Over time the City of Grand Terrace must work with our state leaders to negotiate the retention of more tax dollars within our city without having to use an RDA Agency. I hope to take the lead in this regard.
Some will extort the few RDA projects spent on parks and little league fields. These are valuable expenditures, but come at the high costs of helping private business with capital costs they should pay for, not the taxpayer.
The process to qualify for the ballot is that I collect the signatures of 22 registered city voters. I will begin collecting signatures July 19th. The filing deadline is August 6th. I would like to call on local citizens for your support, input and advice.
All my best regards,
Sylvia A. Robles,
Email: sylrobles@sbcglobal.net
If you have read our local Grand Terrace City Newspaper, you know I have decided to run for the un-expired term of former Councilman Jim Miller. I struggled with the decision to run, due to some residual effects from major lumbar back surgery last December. I have come to the conclusion that I am at an age where something is going to ache and I am up to the job.
Health is improved when a person occupies oneself with something they have a passion for. I have a passion for honest government.
I understand that change is incremental. Many of us are thoroughly disgusted by politics. I promise, with your support, to increase transparency at city hall. I will also push hard for more public input. Citizens have had their input limited to a rigid three minutes without regard to the agenda item nor its importance to this city.
The entire city is within a redevelopment agency (RDA) boundary. This designation means the entire city is deemed blighted. RDA’s work in city council closed sessions to negotiate commercial/retail projects assisted by redevelopment funds. This creates substantial debt. This means less property tax revenues for schools and the general fund for municipal governments.
a What is the difference between property taxes collected by the city versus the RDA? Property taxes must be spent on general government, police, fire parks, recreation and libraries.
a Our municipal budget for 2009-2010 only received $301,068 of the property taxes collected, while the RDA collected $2,525,878.
a RDA’s are an independent entity with the council acting as it’s board of directors, under the guise of increasing sales taxes/property tax base they can give your tax money to a developer to build a shopping center-without your vote!
a Without an RDA in place any new taxes or the issuance of bonds must be approved by the voters and placed on a ballot.
a Case law has deemed assisting developers with tax money not a gift of public funds, although there is no re-payment agreement and sometimes the municipality can waive the collection of sales taxes for a number of years.
Teachers are facing layoffs and many public libraries are being permanently closed. Yet, this City Council has voted to increase its’ debt ceiling to $225 Million.
The federal government is being pushed to pay for local police and teachers. This is honorable, but hides the true picture of local government mismanagement of tax funds.
I will work to make sure RDA funds are spent to benefit the entire city with more services, not a government give away to wealthy developers.
Over time the City of Grand Terrace must work with our state leaders to negotiate the retention of more tax dollars within our city without having to use an RDA Agency. I hope to take the lead in this regard.
Some will extort the few RDA projects spent on parks and little league fields. These are valuable expenditures, but come at the high costs of helping private business with capital costs they should pay for, not the taxpayer.
The process to qualify for the ballot is that I collect the signatures of 22 registered city voters. I will begin collecting signatures July 19th. The filing deadline is August 6th. I would like to call on local citizens for your support, input and advice.
All my best regards,
Sylvia A. Robles,
Email: sylrobles@sbcglobal.net
