Now that Valley’s Edge is off the table for a while, we should start talking about November. It’s easy to get caught up in the presidential race but there are local and state issues to which we should pay careful attention.
As of now, according to Ballotpedia, the Taxpayer Protection Act, also known as the The California Two-Thirds Legislative Vote and Voter Approval for Fee and Charge Increases Initiative (#21-0042), is scheduled to be on the ballot.
Governor Newsom and members of the California legislature are so worried this measure will stop them from raising taxes they’ve sued to stop it, claiming the TPA is an, “‘unlawful effort to revise our state constitution’ which ‘seeks to eliminate the state’s ability to swiftly respond to emergencies and provide resources for critical services that Californians and communities rely upon.'”
https://marinpost.org/blog/2024/2/6/governor-newsom-sues-1-3-million-californians
I was trying to read old finance reports, trying to keep track of discussions regarding the TPA and Measure H, when I found some stuff that really blew my mind. I wanted to share it here immediately, but I found links that wouldn’t work and text that would not cut-and-paste. So I contacted the clerk’s office and asked them if they could load it correctly. I received a mailbox full of reports that I will try to share, but it’s going to take a lot of reading. It doesn’t make sense at this point.
In 2020 the city was already crying about lost revenues, when they had over $20 million in settlement money from the Camp Fire. Then came millions more in American Rescue money for COVID. They just recently received another $24 million in PG&E settlement money.
In one report staff says revenues were so low, they talked about deferrig the Cal PERS annual catch-up payment – that would cost them over $500,000 in interest! There were a lot of alarming little details. What I came away with, is that city council is not qualified to handle a budget of that size, and staff is suggesting projects not based on need or the community’s best interests.
Right now, I’m going to get ready to go grocery shopping, I find it’s best to get out and get it over with before the traffic shuts down the south side of town.
Chico Taxpayers Association 
I have said it before, and I will say it again: When it comes to municipal finance in California, There’s the cost of pensions, and there’s everything else.
What is the size of chico’s unfunded liability today? A couple of years ago it was more than 100 million dollars. Do I have that right, I’m not trying to be inflammatory?
Well I’m sorry – I can’t find the information for tomorrow’s scheduled Finance Committee meeting – there’s no agenda or cancellation in my mailbox, nor is it listed on the website, so I had to email the clerk. And I don’t have time to look up the answer to your question right this minute, but here’s what I do – I google it! Just search the most recent Finance Committee meeting (Feb 27), or look at the latest council agenda, and you’ll find the finance staff report attached. Once you get the report, you can just f-search “pension”, “liability”, other key words. Hold on to your bippee, it’s very shocking.
Sorry again, been busy, but I asked the clerk about the Finance Comm meeting and she apologized – she’d forgotten to post the cancellation notice. But she said there will be a “special” meeting, April 17 8:30 am. These meetings are usually scheduled for the last Wednesday of the month, so we’ll have to wait and see what’s so “special” about this upcoming meeting. I’m going to guess, it will be about Measure H and the TPA.