I saw a story on KRCR News about the Coolidge recall that answered my suspicions about the motives behind this action – a “Chico resident” who admits “the best way to break the cabal that is anti-progressive is to get rid of Coolidge.”
I resent the recall proponents, because they’re not out to protect the fiscal security of our town, they’re just making a power grab. Worst of all, they’re distracting people from real issues at hand. Read an agenda, this council is on a bender of irresponsible spending, and all the recall people have to say is the ice rink is bad for the environment.
I feel a streak of Craig’s momma coming over me, but I’ll stifle it. Instead of posting that old bit again I wrote a letter to the editor.
Proponents of the recall of Andrew Coolidge claim “fiscal irresponsibility,” but I don’t know if that’s genuine. One supporter admitted to KRCR News, “the best way to break the cabal that is anti-progressive is to get rid of Coolidge.”
This recall looks completely political. Concerned about fiscal matters? Why not take on the onerous and regressive general sales tax measure that Staff proposed and Council greedily approved for the 2022 ballot?
Let’s talk about fiscal irresponsibility. Council just approved raises for the police department, in exchange for those employees paying more toward their pension share. Unfortunately, the raise was bigger than the increased share. This is how the Unfunded Actuarial Liability, aka pension deficit, grows. Every raise increases the base. The tiny extra contribution from the employee goes like spit on a griddle as the UAL increases by millions a year, with Staff allocating money from our infrastructure and services to make increasing “extra” payments toward THEIR pensions.
The UAL was created and is perpetually increased by this type of mismanagement. As long as Council is led by Staff, who stand to gain with every contract, we will be stuck in this downward debt spiral. Coolidge’s irresponsible suggestion to use sales tax revenues to secure bonds will increase our debt by millions.
Adding insult to injury, the city is using The People’s money to run their tax campaign, since the FPPC has relinquished responsibility to enforce election laws.
Let your district representative know how you feel about this grab.
I would advise you to do same – write to both the paper AND your district rep!
Chico Taxpayers Association 
In what way has the FPPC relinquished responsibility to enforce election laws? Can you provide any additional information on that so I can search it? Is it just for Butte or statewide?
I agree with recalling the people selected, whether or not those politicians’s misspending was brought up. How does Sean Morgan have $20k in pension debt in his Council position alone? When he only earns a third of that per year from Council?
Here you go – I just googled “FPPC” and got this opinion piece from HJTA president Jon Coupal. For years now the FPPC has complained they don’t have “the teeth” to go after these public agencies. Statewide. Now they have found a “loophole” for those agencies that complained about their $1.5 million fine against Los Angeles.
https://www.dailybreeze.com/2021/06/27/fppc-opens-door-to-taxpayer-funded-elections/
“Unfortunately, the FPPC commissioners decided that whether TV, radio and electronic media advertising is reportable to the public will depend on the content of the communication. To be reportable, it must ‘unambiguously urge a particular election result.'”
Of course, the District Attorney has long-ago relinquished his responsibility in these matters, refusing to prosecute.
You ask a good question, but remember, all the council members get benefits packages, so they would all probably have some deficit. Including Brown. When Schwab was on council, she had the biggest package.
Here’s a question – is there some reason why we should not recall the entire council? They have voted unanimously on many poor decisions, including the sales tax measure. Why spare Brown?