Just last month Chico City council listened to a consultant’s pitch about placing a revenue measure on the 2020 ballot. They voted to hire the woman, from the same firm that has passed two school bonds, EMC, of Oakland. They also approved a $60,000 budget to run a voter survey and then make a strategy for Staff to use the information gathered to twist sentiment in favor of higher taxes.
I attended an earlier presentation before the Finance Committee and taped it. I was shocked at the statements made – they talk pretty frank at these morning meetings because they know nobody will show up. I was particularly interested in the presentation made by Chico assistant city manager Chris Constantin. Constantin has hatched the same plot described by Sacramento City mayor Darrell Steinberg – a shells and peas scheme called “securitization.” People need to know about this scam scheme, so I wrote a letter to the Enterprise Record.
In 2018 57% of Sacramento voters passed Measure U, a half-cent sales tax increase. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg had promised voters new revenues would not go to employee pensions, instead toward economic development. However, immediately after the election, Sacramento City Council voted unanimously to place the revenues into the general fund, which pays for salaries and pensions.
Lesson learned – with a simple majority measure, the voters lose control over how the money is spent.
Promising again to keep the money from going to the pension deficit, Steinberg proposes to “securitize” $25,000,000 of annual Measure U revenue to create a capital equity fund. That fund would finance the sale of bonds, to be repaid by Measure U receipts over a 25-year period. So, half the sales tax revenue would go toward creating more debt. And the bond money could be spent at council’s indiscretion.
City of Chico staffers have proposed the same “securitization” plan to our council, who plan to put a revenue measure on the 2020 ballot. Assistant City Manager Chris Constantin has proposed using a sales tax measure to fund bonds. Constantin told the Finance Committee the fund could be used to “shoot money into the economy at the time the economy is tanking…” He would not further explain this scheme to a skeptical committee, but assured Sean Morgan “we’ll contract the type of folks who can do it.”
Subsequently, Council approved up to $60,000 from the general fund to pay a consultant to talk us into this scam. Don’t fall for it.
Chico Taxpayers Association 
Juanita: Another great article. This strategy is also known as “bait and switch.” The real goal appears to fund pension and increase payroll/jobs, not fix infrastructure and improve services and departments, like the police department, where I will direct criticism until changes are made. *Scott Rushing*
On Tue, May 14, 2019 at 1:53 PM Chico Taxpayers Association wrote:
> Juanita Sumner posted: “Just last month Chico City council listened to a > consultant’s pitch about placing a revenue measure on the 2020 ballot. They > voted to hire the woman, from the same firm that has passed two school > bonds, EMC, of Oakland. They also approved a $60,000 budget” >
Thanks Scott, that is exactly right, bait and switch.
And here are a couple sobering articles about the pension situation.
Voters need to understand this before they vote on tax increases. The only solution is radical reform to government employee compensation, especially pensions.
Alarming data shows public employee pension crisis worsening
https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2019/05/04/editorial-alarming-data-shows-public-employee-pension-crisis-worsening/
Sacramento politicians play Santa Claus while pension problem gets worse
https://www.dailynews.com/2019/04/23/sacramento-politicians-play-santa-claus-while-pension-problem-gets-worse/
Make no mistake about it. The politicians are captured by the special interests and they will tax the life out of you in a futile effort to fund these unsustainable pensions. And that includes Chico’s politicians.
Thanks Dave. I hope everyone reading this will forward these articles to people they know, share them on your social media, get the word out.
Dear Juanita: The deposition of my K9 expert, Ernie Burwell, is typical of the hidden expenses incurred by the COB taxpayer due to, I believe, the misuse use of a BCSO K9, under the direction of CPD, to attack and bite my wounded son, Tyler. I realize you focus on pension reform and transparency and I agree that is important, however, there is a story to be told to the taxpayers that trigger happy cops are costing the loss of lives and taxpayer dollars. The costs are then hidden by the COB and Chico budget analysts and administrators. Proper leadership from the DA down to the cop on the beat would save lives and money. Scott Rushing 415 Lakewood Avenue Ventura, CA 93004 805.901.0900
I agree Scott, the waste and fraud in the cop shop is outrageous.
I can’t believe they sent a dog in on a wounded man, that’s like something out of a horror movie.
Yes, it’s a leadership issue, lack if accountability at the top. We need a person who is not afraid of Ramsey.
“and Constantin admitted recently we spend more on cops than other California cities our size.”
Dear Juanita:
Your recent article was chock full of good points. Your experience with the home inspector reminded me of the killing of Mark Jensen just a few hours after he was confronted by a female code enforcement officer about having too many marijuana plants in his backyard. I believe code enforcement inspectors get an inflated opinion of their police power. In Butte County, that mind-set is emboldened by DA Michael Ramsey. He is the oldest and likely most imperious DA in the state (just my point of view). If the DA were competent and worried about the public, that would be acceptable, but it is my belief he is the puppet master of Butte county at the expense of the taxpayer.
Just a reminder to look at the expenses Chico pays, directly and indirectly, related to law enforcement: cops, pensions, legal fees and expenses such as meals and travel, court costs,arrests and releases, hiring and firing, settlement costs,staff time, salaries, guns, training, uniforms, vehicles, increased premiums to the risk management agency for the city the “Joint Powers Authority”, and other expenses of which you would be more aware of than me.
Scott Rushing, Ventura, CA
DA: Deputy killed armed man in self-defense
Sniper Calkins was almost 130 yards away from Jensen
by Dave Waddell
A Butte County sheriff’s sniper was nearly 130 yards away from a drunken, pistol-waving Mark Jensen when the officer shot him dead with a rifle Aug. 17 in the roadway in front of his Durham residence.
Butte County District Attorney’s slide
The distance between the two men was about the same as from the back of one end zone to the back of the other end zone on a football field.
Yes, I believe Mike Ramsey is a huge problem, and I don’t know how we’ll get rid of him short of a recall. Unfortunately, you have to have a candidate or two to offer up in a recall, and we can’t find one. Nobody in Butte County law enforcement is going to run against a vindictive bastard like Ramsey, and when a Sacramento attorney tried to run he was labeled an outsider and shown the door.
Another problem is, he’s what I would call a Reagan Democrat – friends on both sides, probably knows dirt on everybody, so nobody will touch him.
Our best hope is that his bitch daughter will finally shoot him.
Thx for the reply Juanita.
I agree with your comments on Ramsey. I have learned …first hand …he enjoys inflicting pain on others.
My strategy to bring him down would be to find a whistleblower. Either a current staff member who is unafraid or a former staff member who will expose his illegal actions or an issue like sexual harassment or a disgruntled former staff member. Ramsey won’t resign. He told me he’s going to keep running for DA.
Any ideas? I would be willing to add cash or an attorney to help a whistleblower that could force a resignation. Scott Rushing
On Mon, Dec 2, 2019 at 6:04 AM Chico Taxpayers Association wrote:
> Juanita Sumner commented: “Yes, I believe Mike Ramsey is a huge problem, > and I don’t know how we’ll get rid of him short of a recall. Unfortunately, > you have to have a candidate or two to offer up in a recall, and we can’t > find one. Nobody in Butte County law enforcement is going ” >
Scott, have you ever heard of a man named George Scott? He owns Chico Scrap Metal, and he’s got a lot of money and a big beef with Ramsey. He funded the last guy that ran against Ramsey, and he knows more than both of us. You can contact his daughter Kim at Chico Scrap.
Juanita: I have said this before and will say it time and time again: Police brutality costs….it does not pay. Taxpayers pay the cost with no benefit or end in sight when your pro-cop leaders start hiring expensive new cops increasing pension deficits, insurance premiums and claim losses will expand. Finally, taxpayers s are examining the real cost of rogue cops. You have your share in Butte County and Chico. Scott Rushing
but the main problem is the pensions, that’s the bottom line. The lawsuits are a drop in the bucket compared to the pension payouts. I wish the rights advocates would get involved in the pension conversation.