Over the last few years, the police department under Kirk Trostle has proposed various ordinances that would result in fees being paid directly to the police department. He’s succeeded in getting a “social host” ordinance that includes a “service” fee for police being called to unruly parties, with provisions for charging a landlord if they can prove landlord knew about the party(ies). Trostle also tried to foist a local “alcohol tax” but was told by the city attorney that this was illegal under California law. But he has succeeded in putting police department fees in the new alcohol licensing process, staffer Mark Wolfe saying this might add $5-6,000 to the average license application.
Trostle said he’d used his “alcohol tax” to do compliance checks or “stings” on local liquor vendors and also to train liquor business employees to deal with underage and drunken customers. I responded that this is the ABC’s job, and Trostle made some ridiculous remarks, saying the ABC doesn’t do anything. Even Mark Sorensen agreed with me, they were asking to duplicate the ABC’s duties. But, I notice, the whole conversation continued and now Trostle has convinced the city to make him a direct part of the alcohol licensing process and let him skim a new fee off the top. This fee will go toward the bloated salaries and benefits in the police department, so Orme and Constantin have decided to throw it out like a piece of meat at advancing wolves. Those guys would throw the bride out of the sleigh in a New York minute.
And then last week I saw this piece in the ER – The ABC is doing stings in town, “along with the Chico Police Department.” A program funded by the ABC, in full, after Trostle told me the ABC doesn’t do anything. In fact, I had e-mailed the ABC after Trostle made the remark, got an immediate response, saying the exact opposite. I also thought the officer who responded seemed a little taken back by the remark. And now we see the truth – Chico PD just conducted a successful sting operation, busting three of five businesses checked, with money from the ABC. According to Mike O’Brien, “This will be the first of many as part of this grant”
According to the Enterprise Record, “It’s been at least a couple of years since a similar operation was conducted in Chico, O’Brien said. The Chico police Target Team use to do them when it was staffed.”
Chico PD is only three members short of being “fully staffed.” As you know, these people take salaries of $65,000 to $120,000 a year, now with mandatory overtime, but they don’t have time to do compliance checks on liquor stores? Give me a break. These guys are money hungry pigs who won’t do their fucking job unless they get extra pay for it. “When a majority of businesses are selling to minors, especially because Chico has a high student population, it’s worrying, [O’Brien] said.” Even though they are fully aware we have an alcohol problem in this town, they hold out for more money before they’ll do their sworn duty.
The contracts are up right now, please write letters to your council members and to the paper – we need to dump the provision that the city collects their union dues that get turned right back into city elections. Here’s Fillmer’s latest flier – how did she pay for this?
The cops endorse her because she’s going to sign that proposal they just put up, including 5 percent raises. But you’ll notice she wouldn’t let the CPOA put their name on it because Michael Jones has been giving her a bad time about taking money specifically from CPOA.
But she’ll take the fire department union’s endorsement (and money?) because Michael Jones only asked her about the cops?
I don’t know who’s paying for all this because Debbie Presson refuses to put the campaign reports on the website. She says we need to come down to her office and look at them. Wow, you know what Debbie, you should be careful what you ask for.
CHICO >> Three businesses are facing potential consequences after clerks at each location reportedly sold alcohol to minors during a decoy operation by agents of the California Alcoholic Beverage Control along with the Chico Police Department.
Three clerks, who work at the Shell Gas Station, 952 Nord Ave., Chevron Gas Station, 1025 Nord Ave., and Anthony’s Liquor, 2101 The Esplanade, were cited for selling alcohol to minors, Chico police Lt. Mike O’Brien said.
Authorities made compliance checks at five Chico locations, but only three sold to the minor decoys, he said. It was a short operation, but to have that many indicates that there’s a problem.
People who sold alcohol to minors face a minimum fine of $250 and or 24 to 36 hours of community service for the first violation.
ABC will also look into taking further action against the three businesses where alcohol was sold, O’Brien said.
The penalties may include a fine, a suspension or the permanent revocation of their alcohol license.
Authorities also conducted a decoy shoulder tap operation, which requires a minor to stand outside a liquor or convenience store and ask people to buy them alcohol, according to police. The minor must indicate he or she is under 21 years old and cannot buy alcohol. If the adult buys alcohol for the minor, the buyer is arrested and cited.
O’Brien said only one person was cited, but he did no immediately know how many people had been approached.
It’s been at least a couple of years since a similar operation was conducted in Chico, O’Brien said. The Chico police Target Team use to do them when it was staffed.
Chico police currently has an ABC grant that allows for the operations and Tuesday’s event was just a test run to see what the compliance check would yield, O’Brien said.
When a majority of businesses are selling to minors, especially because Chico has a high student population, it’s worrying, he said.
“This will be the first of many as part of this grant,” O’Brien said.
We asked some questions of candidate Reanette Filmer; here are her answers: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B35QfhLnL886XzR4OVBYYXFTQjg/view?usp=sharing
thanks Michael.
I don’t think there’s any difference between directly taking their money and letting them use it to run a campaign for you. I don’t think it’s a “free speech” issue – you’re the one who brought it up in the first place Michael. They take money from every cops’ check, and we’re never told how many of those cops don’t want to be in the union, by the way. The city administers their union fund, essentially, and then they turn around and spend it on the counselor(s) that support them at contract time.
From Fillmer’s latest flier: “Support the police department and their role enforcing our laws. Priortize budget funding to hire more police officers…” The same day I received a second flier: “Reanette will prioritize budget funding to hire more police…” That’s pretty specific – she’s going to put more money in the police budget – oh great, they already get over $20 million of about a $43 million budget, and then there’s the fire department.
Here’s what she says about our economic situation: “Reanette believes a more streamlined city permitting process will make it easier for employers to create jobs and bring their business to Chico” Wow, I’d like to hear more specifics about how she’s going to lower the bar even further for developers, but she’s not handing out those details.
Further, she’s going to “use her expertise in Human Resources to redirect revenues to essential services…” Again, the cops, she wants more money for the cops.
Michael, next time you should look in the bag before you pay for the pig.
Well, geez, I sure know one candidate who is not going to contract out police and fire. Look for Renault…er…Reanette to give them what they want. (A friend of mine had a Reanualt. He bought a sales pitch from a slick used car dealer and wound up with a lemon. The car spent half it’s time at the mechanic’s.)
It looks to me like the pd and fire have nothing to worry about. All these candidates would give them everything they want and probably more. At least Willis is honest and says he will raise taxes to pay for it.
None of these candidates have supported anything that will solve the budget and unfunded liabilites problems. Hard to see how it all gets paid for without increasing taxes and fees. Everyhting is already going up: water, sewer, garbage, PG&E, you name it.
They are really sticking it to the little people. All these city council candidates are really creeps. I hope the voters see through them but I guess it doesn’t matter as they are all puppets for the public employees unions and other special interests. No matter who wins, we lose.
Heard that the Redding news paper endorsed the sales tax increase. The chamber of commerce has too, so I bet the sheeple up their will pass it. I bet Lando is licking his chops!
When I hear the name “Reanette” I always think of this woman my uncle dated out in Butte City – they called her The Smokey Oakie! She had a lot more style and groove than Ms. Fillmer – but also turned out to be a scammer.
I’m with you, but I don’t think any of them care. We should stop being so gloomy and have some fun with this Bob – want to have an Election Pool? We can use virtual money – how about QUATLOOS!
My husband and I have been mulling it over – in the beginning we thought Gruendl was a shoo-in – now we’re not so sure. It looks like Coolidge is coming right up on him.
I say Fillmer is a sure thing, cause she’s attractive to old pervs like Jack Lee (Jack IS the Butte County Taxpayers Alliance, with Tina on back up). My husband says he thinks Molina will give Reanette a run for her money.
So, where should we start the bets – how about a $500 quatloo minimum, I want to be a high roller! I’ve got quatloos to burn!
I will see your 500 and raise 100 quatloos (about as much as $600 will be worth the way prices and the criminals at the Federal Reserve are going.)
Since the incumbents win 99% of the time in our political system (a higher rate than the old Soviet Union by the way) I bet the two incumbents easily win. So the Grundler will greundl on and even though I’m sore at him, Sorensen will easily win. My guess is that either Renault or one of the mullolland/dolan puppets win. mullolland/dolan blew it, they should have only run one puppet instead of two who will split the vote. mullolland/dolan are just too arrogant and greedy. If I had to guess I would say Renault since she has the cops in the bag (or more accurately they have her in the bag). Arim-Law is my wildcard candidate because I just like that name. You’d think with a name like that the cops would be supporting her 🙂 If she gets on the council and passes bad laws we can always call her Error-InLaw.
I knew this would be fun, thanks Bob!
Well, I’ll see your Q100 on Reanette (how the hell does this work?) and then I’ll lay another Q600 a piece on Molina and Sorensen. I’m going with Molina cause all she has to do is get the teachers and the bike riders to vote for her, and she’s in there!
I thought Gruendl was a shoo-in too, but lately I notice he hasn’t been getting the usual backup from two headed trash talker Janey-Bob MulDolan. There’s some kind of weird schism in the local Democrats, they fight alot, a bunch of bitches. You’re right, they are going to split the vote and somebody’s going to end up walking home.
Alright people we need some fresh money on this chicken fight, throw down your Quatloos!
Well, this quatloo business may be fun but face it, the only good thing to come out of this election is that adorable picture of the Grundler. (I’ve got it framed and hanging on my wall.)
Like Mencken said elections are an advance auction of stolen goods.
We little people don’t have the amount of money the city will need. They’ve chosen the bankruptcy route, have they not?
I think that’s where their actions are taking us. Sometimes I think they know, but they don’t care – they think their benefits are guaranteed, but a couple of weeks ago, I heard a judge has “invalidated” the pensions in the Stockton bankruptcy case:
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/10/01/judge-rules-that-bankruptcy-invalidates-calpers-lien-against-stockton-calif/?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSum&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news