Monthly Archives: December 2007

Squeezing Rent From Aquarium Not An Option?

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No matter what the tidepool nazis say..

12/19
http://www.montereyherald.com/ci_7760224

City Attorney David Laredo said the aquarium contends that the city’s ability to set rental rates for the property it occupies is restricted and that it will contest any rental fee increase. The aquarium has proposed an extension of the lease for another 25 years, until Dec. 2, 2030.

All of the property is submerged land to which the city holds title, Laredo said.

12/20
http://www.montereyherald.com/ci_7769449

The tidelands were deeded to the city by the state in the public trust, said Councilman Daniel Davis, not to be used for commercial purposes, and any revenues from piers, docks or similar leases would have to go to trust purposes and possibly to the state, not into the city general fund.

“The city,” said resident Lee Willoughby, “has some responsibility to charge a reasonable and equitable rent.” He said the aquarium “has also used our tidelands for collecting specimens.”

Squeezing Rent From Aquarium Not An Option

Time To Start Charging For Events?

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Some events are mostly for-profit operations, like the Good Old Days on Lighthouse Avenue. Charge them but anything involving kids and family should  be exempt.

The council is expected to review the 24 special events proposed for the period March 2008 through February 2009 with an eye to seeking reimbursement for city costs from some of them.

Traditional events that have been exempt from paying city service fees have included Good Old Days, the Fourth of July Celebration, Feast of Lanterns, the Concours Auto Rally, the Butterfly Parade, Pacific Grove High School Homecoming Parade, the Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony, Downtown Holiday Parade of Lights, and Stilwell’s Snow in the Park. The council could consider seeking reimbursement during the coming year from some or all of these events.

Time To Start Charging For Events?

P.G. Motels To Pony Up For Chamber Promotions

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The Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce has announced the formation of the Pacific Grove Hospitality Improvement District which was authorized by the City Council at its Dec. 5 meeting.

The district funds promotions, marketing activities and physical improvements related to the city’s hospitality industry, and is funded by the assessment of $1.50 per occupied room night for full-service accommodation establishments and $1 for limited service establishments. Funds will be governed by a five-member advisory board.

Maybe get them some bigger trash cans in the quest to beautify.

P.G. Motels To Pony Up For Chamber Promotions

Jim Willoughby Offers Sage Advice

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Professor Farnsworth

Following the defeat of these three tax measures, a citizens’ petition supporting other potential revenue sources was submitted to the council Nov. 7.

For example, a 5 percent admissions tax on events including entrance tickets sold at the aquarium would bring in considerable revenue.

Why hasn’t the city renegotiated the $1-a-year aquarium lease? Considering a third of the aquarium is in P.G., a reasonable increase is fair. Will there be litigation about this? Possibly, but when the city’s future is at stake, let’s get on with it.

It seems reasonable to raise the hotel tax by 1 percent. Do you believe there would be an empty hotel room during the International Italiano Concorso? Although the council rejected the concorso, it will likely be resurrected for consideration later.

Other suggestions included installing parking meters from the aquarium to Lovers Point, with residents purchasing a $5 exemption sticker. An entrance fee to our Museum of Natural History could avoid its premature closing.

As far the library, I would gladly pay a $5 or $10 annual fee for a library card, which would possibly save trips to the Monterey library.

Finally, why should residents face draconian threats of service cuts when they had no responsibility in creating this financial mess? Clearly, there are other legitimate and creative ways to enhance city revenues.

Jim Willoughby Offers Sage Advice

At Least It Will Sustain P.G. Raccoons

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plus rats, mice, gulls and other vermin. P.G.’s businesses try and keep costs down by not paying for trash bins large enough for all the garbage they create. Some even cram the sidewalk cans with their business garbage.

This is particularly bad
Dumpster Sea Breeze Motel 080622

Must belong to Sea Breeze Motel.
Seabreeze Motel

Lots of garbage on the ground –
Dumpster Sea Breeze Motel 071216a

Juice N Java still sustains a fire hazard
Dumpster Juice Java Acumulation

And Lighthouse Cafe offers a little waste wheely loaded with 50% more than it’s made for, fire hazard bin and barrel of grease.
Dumpster Hollys cafe 071216

At Least It Will Sustain P.G. Raccoons

Stamm Sells Batting Cages

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Cara, 38, and her husband, Dan Hopkins, 41, bought the indoor batting cage and sports equipment business on Adams Street on in late November and have thrown themselves into reinventing the place.
. . .

Its previous owner, David Stamm of Pacific Grove, stands accused of molesting a former employee seven years ago. He pleaded not guilty in October to 13 counts of child molestation and possession of child pornography in Monterey County Superior Court.

But Stamm’s legal problems have no relation to the batting cages themselves, said Cara Hopkins, who is certain the tight-knit sports community will support the venture.

Stamm Sells Batting Cages

Lighthouse Cinema Screens May Brighten Once Again

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Lighthouse Cinema

Negotiations are in the works to reopen the old Lighthouse Cinemas, according to city officials and the property’s owner. “There have been some preliminary discussions with
potential theater operators to reopen the Lighthouse Cinemas,” said Robert Enea, the Danville-based developer who owns the building. If the deal goes through, Enea said the building at 525 Lighthouse Avenue would be remodeled and upgraded with things like new seating and sound systems.

Hopefully some good movies. Don’t need to be first run overproduced shows – good movies. Did someone mention John Wayne???

Lighthouse Cinema Screens May Brighten Once Again

So THAT’S What P.G. Is Famous For!

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Read it and gag.

Some puff piece reports that Pacific Grove is famous for golf and B&Bs. I always thought it was butterfly migrations and schoolkids in parades.

Guess the transformation into a Carmel stepchild is complete. Calling all newlyweds and nearlydeads!

Article mentions “affordable” $30 bottles of wine and the $140 purses made from junk car parts.

As for the markups, Walter said the philosophy is simple.

“We want people to try new wine,” she said. “They can come here and get something for $30 that they’d only look at another restaurant.

In addition to woman’s clothing, Johnson sells old California license plates that have been fashioned into purses, CD holders and address book covers. Her store occupies an old pharmacy with a lovely tin ceiling that dates to 1888.

Back in Pacific Grove, you can hire bikes or take a sea kayak tour. Or try your luck with a skim board at Lovers Point Park, which has a protected, small swimming beach of silky, pale blond sand.

(don’t mention the high fecal content of that sand )

Speaking of Passionfish
So THAT’S What P.G. Is Famous For!

Oh, Where Does The Axe Fall?

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Closing the city’s library and museum, trimming office hours and cutting police, fire and public works positions are among the hard financial choices before the Pacific Grove City Council.

The council will meet Wednesday to begin discussing how to balance its budget in the coming year.

“Now we’re at crunch time,” said Mayor Dan Cort.

· Eliminating general fund support for the city library and Museum of Natural History, which would save $250,000 for the remainder of this fiscal year and $1.2 million in fiscal 2008-09. Museum donations have fallen to an estimated $5,000, down from a projected $60,000. Library programs brought in about $39,000 in fees, purchases, fines and other revenue.

· Closing City Hall on alternate Fridays, with a 10 percent employee pay cut, saving $85,000 this fiscal year and $350,000 next fiscal year.

· Reducing fire service, with three options ranging from annual cutbacks of $95,000 to $245,000.

· Reducing police service, with three options ranging from annual cutbacks of $97,000 to $353,000.

· Reducing the public works staff, with three options ranging from annual cutbacks of $122,000 to $410,000.

· Continuing to defer maintenance of city streets and facilities, responding only to immediately needed repairs; and reducing the frequency of parks mowing, trimming and similar work.

· Eliminating salaries for City Council members, saving $10,000 this fiscal year and $39,000 next year.

· Cutting managerial and staff positions in other departments.

Making all the cuts would reduce the city’s costs by $3.1 million.

Here’s a few ideas:
The city can sell bumper stickers “Don’t Blame Me, I Voted Yes”.
Axe funding for the Chamber’Ocommerce. Make them earn their funding and see if they work harder. Last TV pitch I heard from them was for a travel agency and a web advertising firm. Like that REALLY draws commerce to PG.
That tourist center $100K? Forget it.
Go back and re-visit the property transfer tax – hit the very turkeys that have helped ruin the family setting of the town.
Charge for ‘sign permits’ – $100 a month for open houses and other sidewalk graffiti.
Charge businesses that use the sidewalks as extensions of the store. That’s public property they are serving meals on . . .
Farm out parking enforcement to Monterey. They take no prisoners (or abandoned VWs).
Trim the brass at the PD and FD. Put more in uniform and on the street. Or think about joining forces with the peninsula.
Sewers? Charge the businesses that burden in the system more than the residents.

Oh, Where Does The Axe Fall?