Here’s a letter I just sent off to the ER:
CARD Aquatic Facility committee meets October 28, 4 pm, at the CARD Center on Vallombrosa to hear from the Aquatics Design company currently conducting a $60,000 feasibility study for the proposed multi-million dollar aquatic center.
CARD has discussed putting a bond before the voters to pay for a $10 million-plus facility that will be largely devoted to the use of the Chico Swim Association. They are also discussing the futures of Shapiro and Pleasant Valley Pools. Now that both have been badly neglected for years and a consultant is recommending roughly $500,000 in repairs just for Shapiro, CARD wants to dump responsibility for these pools back on Chico Unified. Meanwhile, they’ve spent nearly $100,000 on studies for this multi-million dollar aquatic center.
Senior CARD management, with salaries over $100,000 a year, pay nothing toward their own retirement. The most recent figure available on their pension liability – that’s the difference between what retired CARD employees will collect in pension and what they’ve paid into the system – was for June, 2014 – $1,700,721.
Do you want a bond on your home to pay the outrageous expenses of an agency that doesn’t maintain it’s facilities? For employees who don’t pay anything toward their 70% pension out of their six figure salaries? What is the future for Shapiro and Pleasant Valley Pools? If you care, try to put aside an hour or two for Wednesday, October 28, 4pm, and tell this taxing entity what you think.
Chico Taxpayers Association 
What good does going to the meeting do? They will still do whatever they please.
I think we can still influence this agency.
Besides, winners never quit, and quitters never win.
I’m depending on you to remind me of that when I’m on the down.