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Two Possible Revenue Enhancements For P.G.

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Op Ed article by David R. Henderson.

Do you really think that P.G.’s library, street repair, tree trimming, and landscaping are run as efficiently as they could be? What are the odds of that given that they have not had to face competition for decades? According to the Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank in southern California, contracting tree trimming and landscaping creates savings of 16 to 35 percent. So, let’s put it to a test, a market test, in Pacific Grove and see what kind of savings the city government can reap. And if it works for those services, let’s extend it to other government services.

“not had to face competition” is right – but also have not had to face discipline for poor work habits.

There’s another option to consider: expand the tax base. I’m not advocating a tax increase. Rather, the city government should liberalize its rules to allow peaceful activities that are not now allowed. The city does not allow bars, even though bars generate substantial tax revenues. How about allowing one or two and see what happens?

And how about allowing fast-food restaurants so we don’t have to go elsewhere? The only fast-food restaurants the city government has allowed in Pacific Grove are McDonald’s and Subway. Those who don’t like such food don’t have to buy it.

Now that’s what I’ve been waiting for. Common sense hospitality that can bring back the families that don’t have the need for snooty bistros or $30 bottles of wine.

Two Possible Revenue Enhancements For P.G.

Seals Taking Over The P.G. Shorelines

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The city’s Beautification and Natural Resources Committee submitted a report to the Pacific Grove City Council on Wednesday noting that Pacific harbor seals are crowding the west beach of Hopkins Marine Station and, in 2006, some mother seals used the beach west of Fifth Street to bear pups.

All recommended that the city establish a plan to keep the seals off the beach. Once ashore and pupping, the experts said, the seals own it.

The policy, they said, should discourage “haul-outs” by seals by chasing them back to sea if they come out of the water, by banging on pots and pans, using other noisemakers, scarecrows and human presence.

Be careful when you ask for radical conservation and nature preservation, you just might find yourself banned from your own public beaches.

Here’s a suggestion:
Seals And Bag Pipes

Seals Taking Over The P.G. Shorelines

P.G. Man Spits At Carmel Cops In DUI Arrest

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The altercation occurred after police took Soney Bae into custody for suspected drunken driving and drove him to Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula for a blood test because he refused to submit to a breath test, according to Cpl. Steve Rana. “He kept on getting more and more aggressive and refused to walk with the officers back to the car,” Rana said of Soney Bae, who had also refused to identify where he lived and began yelling and swearing loudly in Japanese and English. “He broke away from them a couple of times. He got away but was stumbling drunk and fell down.” Bae then reportedly spat at one of the cops. The officers finally succeeded in getting him back in their car and took him to Monterey County Jail.

P.G. Man Spits At Carmel Cops In DUI Arrest

Aquarium Employees To Help Staff Mvsevm

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What could go wrong?

The Mvsevm

 

Workers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium will help staff the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History until the city can develop a long-term plan to hire employees and become profitable.
The staffing is necessary because the city, as part of a reorganization to save money, laid off the museum’s assistant curator and eliminated the museum director job, effective with the retirement of Paul Finnegan, who is leaving his post in January. “Some of the aquarium’s guest services people will be working the main floor of the museum,” city manager Jim Colangelo told The Pine Cone.

Aquarium Employees To Help Staff Mvsevm

Thank Apollo, Solar Permit Fee Hike Rejected

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The Pacific Grove City Council Wednesday rejected a bid to increase development permit fees by 15 percent and voted unanimously to cut drastically the fees homeowners pay for going solar. City manager Jim Colangelo recommended tacking on a 15 percent long-range planning fee on all development permits, something the council said needed more public input.

Only a “handful” of P.G. residents each year apply for a solar permits, Colangelo said.

Solar in P.G? That makes about as much sense as drawing heat from the bay or milking raccoons for sustainable protein sources.

Over in Santa Clara, there is a war between two neighbors. Get this, the Earth loving ones with the solar panels are suing to get the next door neighbor to CUT DOWN their redwood trees because they block the panels . .

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_7865116

A judge ordered Carolynn Bissett Treanor and her husband Richard Treanor, who live on the 1500 block of Benton Street in Sunnyvale, to trim or move two redwood trees on the north side of their property because they shade Mark Vargas’ solar panel installation, which is over the fence on the 3700 block of Benton Street in Santa Clara.

Thank Apollo, Solar Permit Fee Hike Rejected

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