One of the measures, titled the Sustainable Retirement Benefit Reform Initiative, which drew objections last Wednesday from City Manager Thomas Frutchey and City Attorney David Laredo, would ultimately cap city retirement pension benefit contributions at 10percent of the employee’s salary, though employees could contribute more to their own plans if desired.

Frutchey said he would have difficulty recruiting quality employees under those terms and Laredo said the initiative would likely bring lawsuits against the city by public employees and their unions.

Another measure that would levy a $90 annual parcel tax — $45 for rental units — to support the city’s public library was approved last Wednesday by the council. Details of the ballot measure’s wording should be hammered out today, including language specifying that revenue from it would be used for library operations only and that the fund could not be diverted to other city uses.

A third measure, calling for amendment of Measure C, a ballot measure passed by voters in 1986 that limits the number of rooms hotels and motels can add, was endorsed by the City Council last month but has been withdrawn by proponents.

The retirement/Union situation – you can pay people $700 and hour to work in a room where the heat goes up a degree every day – soon they will quit no matter what the pay. To work in P.G. is a benefit that is not touted much. I don’t want to attract burnouts from Watsonville or Salinas that will retire at 55 and leave town.

The new liberry tax will not be diverted. Who said that? Same people that divert sewer funds? I’ll never trust a politician on anything to do with taxes.

Lastly the cheesy motels in P.G. don’t need more rooms, they need to tear down and rebuild on the space they have.

Election Dysfunction

14.8 million and another tax vote in the works. When will they go away?

Some of these savings are expected to come from shared fire administration and police services with the city of Carmel; a 40 percent reduction in the consulting budget for Frutchey’s office and a 50 percent cut for a retirement plan analysis in the finance department; funding reductions for the stormwater program; and elimination of a half-time code enforcement officer.

Not included in the coming year’s budget, Frutchey said, are costs expected to be incurred by placing three or more measures on the ballot: a library parcel tax; an amendment to a 1997 ballot measure, Measure C, that loosens limits on new hotel room development in the city; and a measure amending city employee retirement funding.

Hide Your Wallet, P.G. Budget Approved