Dan King
CNS Staff Writer
Every centennial celebration needs someone like Roseville historian Leonard “Duke” Davis.
Davis, who has collected local lore for much of his 82 years, wrote an update version of his history of Roseville, Milestones & Memories: The Story of Roseville, California 1850-2009, especially for this month’s 100th birthday bash.
“More has happened in the last ten years than the fifty years proceeding that,” Davis said. “So this was a good time to update it and rewrite some of the stuff and put in another chapter we call ‘the rest of the story.’”
Davis looks much younger than he is. He tends to talk and walk quickly, and stand tall and straight. He hasn’t lost the bearing of an English instructor, his profession for 44 years.
He lives in a little house near the footbridge that crosses Dry Creek. His residence is tidy, but contains his large collection of memorabilia from Placer County’s past. He built his collection by noting obituaries of old-time residents and asking their families if he could look through their photographs and papers.
Davis is one of those old-time residents. He was born and raised not far from where he now lives. He went to Roseville High School, graduating in 1944 just in time to be drafted in World War II and see action at the final battle of Okinawa.
“I started college on the GI Bill, and thank God for that,” Davis said. He went to Placer College when it was in Auburn and then to Sacramento State, majoring in education and history.
His master’s thesis was on the history of Auburn; that sparked his interest in his own city’s history.
Davis spent 44 years teaching at junior and senior highs and community colleges in and around Roseville.
“As a teacher, in the summer I would always travel all around the world. I always come back here,” he said.
Rather than retiring to the golf course, he kept writing local histories.
“Everyone calls me the town historian. I guess it’s because I am the only one. I just take it grudgingly,” he said.
Roseville has changed from a small town where everyone knows everyone else to a city of more than 110,000 people. But Davis is one of many longtime residents who have chosen to stay in Roseville, helping retain some of that village feel.
Originally published for Roseville’s 90th birthday celebration, Milestones & Memories, was out of print until the new version was released last Saturday as part of the city’s birthday celebration. The release was at the new Turn the Page Bookstore, which had a line out the door before the 2 p.m. release.
“The book signing was just phenomenal,” said Andrew Bos, manager of the Vernon Street bookstore.
He said Davis sold and signed 61 copies of his book during the one-hour event.
Most of the people in line at the book signing were older residents, bringing previous books and pamphlets written by Davis to be signed.
“I think the average age of the people in line for the signing was easily past 60,” Bos said.
Davis added new appendixes, including the history of city budgets and a list of Roseville parks and bike trails.
“It is going to be a great resource for us in the city government,” said Julia Burrows, deputy city manager. “If we need to know what our budget was in 1964, we have it all right there.”
Roseville Councilman Jim Gray said he thinks the final chapter added a tremendous amount to the book.
“We just can’t give enough accolades to Duke for his hard work on the book,” Gray said. “He has been so involved in the centennial and he is a great fixture of our town.”
Burrows said during the first weekend, about 100 books of the initial publishing of 1,000 books were sold. They were also given out to the dignitaries who spoke out at the birthday party.
“We are so lucky to have Duke as part of our city,” Burrows said. “As a native of Roseville, he has been busy collecting our history most of his life.”
The book is now available for $25 from the City Clerk’s Office at 311 Vernon St. Profits benefit the Roseville Arts Center.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Folsom steps up DUI enforcement
By Steffi Broski
CNS Staff Writer
The statistics are grim.
Two years ago, the Office of Traffic Safety ranked Folsom 28 out of 106 California towns with populations of 50,001 to 100,000 for the most alcohol-related collisions.
In 2007, 55 people died in alcohol-related collisions in Sacramento County and 887 people were injured.
In February, an intoxicated driver hit a Folsom police officer, and a few weeks ago, a suspected drunk driver in Southern California killed Los Angeles Angels’ pitcher Nick Adenhart and two others.
“As a society, we have become complacent about drinking and driving,” said Folsom Police Chief Sam Spiegel. “People don’t think of it as this is a person that may be killing one of their family members.”
With more than 80 more Folsom DUI arrests in 2008 than 2007, and already 82 arrests in January and February of this year, it remains unclear whether the arrest numbers indicate success in the fight against driving under the influence or just showcase the dimensions of the problem.
Spiegel said it is possible arrests are up because of increased DUI enforcement. Fifteen more officers have been hired since 2007. In October, Folsom assigned an officer to DUI enforcement. Traffic Officer Robert Challoner now cruises the streets looking for traffic offenders, and in particular, those who are impaired due to intoxication.
“Last summer we saw an increase in drunk driving. We had regular patrolmen that saw the problem, but knew they were missing out because they had to take care of other calls,” Challoner said.
Upon arresting the drivers, the excuse is almost always the same. “They downplay it,” Challoner said. He said one of the biggest problems is the notion that “everybody drives drunk once in a while.”
But penalties are harsh. Spiegel said a first-time offender will have to pay thousands of dollars, deal with lost days at work, attorney fees, rehabilitation and meetings.
Sacramento County Deputy District Attorney Kelly Clark said a third-time offender who causes an accident that injured someone will automatically be charged with a felony. Second and third time DUI offenses are common, she said.
While most DUIs in Folsom are related to drinking, drug and prescription medication use impair driving as well, Spiegel said.
People of all ages are being charged with DUIs. In Folsom, 200 people between 21 and 30 years old were the majority of DUI arrests in 2008, but there were almost a 100 offenders in their thirties and 73 offenders between ages 41 and 50.
“Last week I had a gentleman in court that was 81 years old,” Clark said. “DUI is one of those crimes that crosses all financial, ethnic and cultural boundaries and barriers.”
Clark, along with two district attorney criminal investigators and their supervisor Lieutenant Jason Gray, has formed the Recidivist Driving Under the Influence Program. The RED Team, which is financed with grant money from the state Office of Traffic Safety, is targeting repeat DUI offenders who have failed to appear in court. They will meet regularly with law enforcement.
“We just had our first meeting,” Clark said. “We talk about DUI prosecution and get all on the same page to see what really works.”
Clark said between arrest and court date, the offenders tend to “change their story.” At the meetings, officers receive helpful advice in how to gather enough evidence, such as feeling the hood of the car to see if it is warm from driving, measuring the distance between wheel and seat or asking the person if he or she was driving.
A few times a year, Folsom police set up checkpoints to catch intoxicated drivers. At a City Council meeting a few weeks ago, Spiegel asked the council for permission to apply for grant funding for, among other items, more frequent DUI checkpoints. The Folsom Police Department will be notified in five to six weeks if they received the grant.
City Councilman Ernie Sheldon said checkpoints are good, but DUIs are an “on-going, everyday affair.”
His interest in the topic is personal. Sheldon was hit by a drunk driver one late afternoon in 2005. He had a sore neck for a while, but said he was lucky – his injuries could’ve been much worse.
Although most alcohol-involved fatal collisions in California take place in the evening hours and shortly after midnight, the OTS numbers indicate that they continuously occur throughout the day.
Spiegel said the department works with several organizations in its fight against driving under the influence, such as Citizens Assisting Public Safety. A number of Folsom bars are giving out buttons to designated drivers, who will then be served only non-alcoholic drinks, oftentimes free of charge. If there is no designated driver, cabs are always waiting to take intoxicated passengers to wherever they’d like to go.
“I will never forget what the cab driver told us that one New Years Eve night,” Clark said.
She was in her twenties and out with girlfriends. At the end of the night, they ordered a cab. As they were sitting in it, the cab driver explained that it is cheaper to take a cab from Napa Valley to Los Angeles and back than to get a DUI.
“That always stuck with me,” she said.
CNS Staff Writer
The statistics are grim.
Two years ago, the Office of Traffic Safety ranked Folsom 28 out of 106 California towns with populations of 50,001 to 100,000 for the most alcohol-related collisions.
In 2007, 55 people died in alcohol-related collisions in Sacramento County and 887 people were injured.
In February, an intoxicated driver hit a Folsom police officer, and a few weeks ago, a suspected drunk driver in Southern California killed Los Angeles Angels’ pitcher Nick Adenhart and two others.
“As a society, we have become complacent about drinking and driving,” said Folsom Police Chief Sam Spiegel. “People don’t think of it as this is a person that may be killing one of their family members.”
With more than 80 more Folsom DUI arrests in 2008 than 2007, and already 82 arrests in January and February of this year, it remains unclear whether the arrest numbers indicate success in the fight against driving under the influence or just showcase the dimensions of the problem.
Spiegel said it is possible arrests are up because of increased DUI enforcement. Fifteen more officers have been hired since 2007. In October, Folsom assigned an officer to DUI enforcement. Traffic Officer Robert Challoner now cruises the streets looking for traffic offenders, and in particular, those who are impaired due to intoxication.
“Last summer we saw an increase in drunk driving. We had regular patrolmen that saw the problem, but knew they were missing out because they had to take care of other calls,” Challoner said.
Upon arresting the drivers, the excuse is almost always the same. “They downplay it,” Challoner said. He said one of the biggest problems is the notion that “everybody drives drunk once in a while.”
But penalties are harsh. Spiegel said a first-time offender will have to pay thousands of dollars, deal with lost days at work, attorney fees, rehabilitation and meetings.
Sacramento County Deputy District Attorney Kelly Clark said a third-time offender who causes an accident that injured someone will automatically be charged with a felony. Second and third time DUI offenses are common, she said.
While most DUIs in Folsom are related to drinking, drug and prescription medication use impair driving as well, Spiegel said.
People of all ages are being charged with DUIs. In Folsom, 200 people between 21 and 30 years old were the majority of DUI arrests in 2008, but there were almost a 100 offenders in their thirties and 73 offenders between ages 41 and 50.
“Last week I had a gentleman in court that was 81 years old,” Clark said. “DUI is one of those crimes that crosses all financial, ethnic and cultural boundaries and barriers.”
Clark, along with two district attorney criminal investigators and their supervisor Lieutenant Jason Gray, has formed the Recidivist Driving Under the Influence Program. The RED Team, which is financed with grant money from the state Office of Traffic Safety, is targeting repeat DUI offenders who have failed to appear in court. They will meet regularly with law enforcement.
“We just had our first meeting,” Clark said. “We talk about DUI prosecution and get all on the same page to see what really works.”
Clark said between arrest and court date, the offenders tend to “change their story.” At the meetings, officers receive helpful advice in how to gather enough evidence, such as feeling the hood of the car to see if it is warm from driving, measuring the distance between wheel and seat or asking the person if he or she was driving.
A few times a year, Folsom police set up checkpoints to catch intoxicated drivers. At a City Council meeting a few weeks ago, Spiegel asked the council for permission to apply for grant funding for, among other items, more frequent DUI checkpoints. The Folsom Police Department will be notified in five to six weeks if they received the grant.
City Councilman Ernie Sheldon said checkpoints are good, but DUIs are an “on-going, everyday affair.”
His interest in the topic is personal. Sheldon was hit by a drunk driver one late afternoon in 2005. He had a sore neck for a while, but said he was lucky – his injuries could’ve been much worse.
Although most alcohol-involved fatal collisions in California take place in the evening hours and shortly after midnight, the OTS numbers indicate that they continuously occur throughout the day.
Spiegel said the department works with several organizations in its fight against driving under the influence, such as Citizens Assisting Public Safety. A number of Folsom bars are giving out buttons to designated drivers, who will then be served only non-alcoholic drinks, oftentimes free of charge. If there is no designated driver, cabs are always waiting to take intoxicated passengers to wherever they’d like to go.
“I will never forget what the cab driver told us that one New Years Eve night,” Clark said.
She was in her twenties and out with girlfriends. At the end of the night, they ordered a cab. As they were sitting in it, the cab driver explained that it is cheaper to take a cab from Napa Valley to Los Angeles and back than to get a DUI.
“That always stuck with me,” she said.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Rancho tackles Folsom Blvd. zoning
By Megan Hansen
CNS Staff Writer
More than 20 business and property owners along Folsom Boulevard met with Rancho Cordova city officials on April 2 to discuss ways to improve this beleaguered stretch of road.
Some property owners say recent changes to the city’s zoning codes, rather than encouraging businesses, have created more vacancies along Folsom Boulevard.
The city approved zoning changes in November 2006, after passing the Folsom Boulevard Specific Plan in July 2006. The zoning changes limit the uses of some properties on Folsom Boulevard in hopes of encouraging less large-scale commercial development and more retail, residential and office space.
City Planning Director Paul Junker said the zoning changes are part of an effort to turn Folsom Boulevard into a thriving urban district. City officials want to create pedestrian-friendly gathering places for the community where there are now deserted parking lots and drive-thru restaurants.
“There is just too much ground and square footage in Rancho for it to all be commercial, so there’s a lot of mixed-use properties,” Junker said. “This plan is setting the vision to make the boulevard a center of activity with vibrant, people-friendly places.”
Property owner Gary Sostchen said the businesses on his property do not meet the new zoning code. The businesses can continue to operate, but if they vacant, Sostchen must fill the space within six months or find tenants that adhere to the new zoning code.
Sostchen said he has a 50 percent vacancy in his buildings, located behind Jiffy Lube on Folsom Boulevard. He said he can’t find tenants to fit the new zoning standards – a problem he didn’t have under the old code.
“I am three to four months away from abandoning the property because I can’t find tenants to fit the code,” Sostchen said. “I can’t get a business loan to refinance and may have to close businesses because lenders see nonconforming properties as an obstacle and won’t loan.”
Business owner Al Gonzalez has owned an auto repair shop at 10655 Coloma Rd. near Folsom Boulevard for 30 years. Gonzalez said he has been trying to expand for two years but encountered problems with the zoning code.
“The city has a vision and wants us to foot the bill,” Gonzalez said. “This is all about developers and investors. The city is setting up these properties to sell it to them and they want to divide us.”
Beth Walter, Folsom Boulevard property owner and past president of the Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce, said zoning is an issue, but the city’s vision takes precedence.
“This is a very, very hot-potato issue,” Walter said.
Junker said the Folsom Boulevard Specific Plan will help attract people to Folsom Boulevard over time. The goal is to make Folsom Boulevard more than just a route to get to other places, he said.
“We think Folsom Boulevard should be a lot more successful and we need to create a path to build for the future,” Junker said. “There is a cost, there is pain right now but ultimately there will be an increase in all property values.”
Current law states that if property owners cannot find a tenant within six months, they forfeit their past property use and must abide by the new zoning code. Junker said it might be possible to extend the current six month vacancy period to 12 months.
Curt Haven, Rancho Cordova’s economic development director, said the purpose of the meeting is to look at the issues of Folsom Boulevard and develop a plan to help business and property owners.
The next meeting of the Folsom Boulevard Business Group will take place on May 7 at the Mills Station Building, and will cover the issue of financing for nonconforming use property owners.
CNS Staff Writer
More than 20 business and property owners along Folsom Boulevard met with Rancho Cordova city officials on April 2 to discuss ways to improve this beleaguered stretch of road.
Some property owners say recent changes to the city’s zoning codes, rather than encouraging businesses, have created more vacancies along Folsom Boulevard.
The city approved zoning changes in November 2006, after passing the Folsom Boulevard Specific Plan in July 2006. The zoning changes limit the uses of some properties on Folsom Boulevard in hopes of encouraging less large-scale commercial development and more retail, residential and office space.
City Planning Director Paul Junker said the zoning changes are part of an effort to turn Folsom Boulevard into a thriving urban district. City officials want to create pedestrian-friendly gathering places for the community where there are now deserted parking lots and drive-thru restaurants.
“There is just too much ground and square footage in Rancho for it to all be commercial, so there’s a lot of mixed-use properties,” Junker said. “This plan is setting the vision to make the boulevard a center of activity with vibrant, people-friendly places.”
Property owner Gary Sostchen said the businesses on his property do not meet the new zoning code. The businesses can continue to operate, but if they vacant, Sostchen must fill the space within six months or find tenants that adhere to the new zoning code.
Sostchen said he has a 50 percent vacancy in his buildings, located behind Jiffy Lube on Folsom Boulevard. He said he can’t find tenants to fit the new zoning standards – a problem he didn’t have under the old code.
“I am three to four months away from abandoning the property because I can’t find tenants to fit the code,” Sostchen said. “I can’t get a business loan to refinance and may have to close businesses because lenders see nonconforming properties as an obstacle and won’t loan.”
Business owner Al Gonzalez has owned an auto repair shop at 10655 Coloma Rd. near Folsom Boulevard for 30 years. Gonzalez said he has been trying to expand for two years but encountered problems with the zoning code.
“The city has a vision and wants us to foot the bill,” Gonzalez said. “This is all about developers and investors. The city is setting up these properties to sell it to them and they want to divide us.”
Beth Walter, Folsom Boulevard property owner and past president of the Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce, said zoning is an issue, but the city’s vision takes precedence.
“This is a very, very hot-potato issue,” Walter said.
Junker said the Folsom Boulevard Specific Plan will help attract people to Folsom Boulevard over time. The goal is to make Folsom Boulevard more than just a route to get to other places, he said.
“We think Folsom Boulevard should be a lot more successful and we need to create a path to build for the future,” Junker said. “There is a cost, there is pain right now but ultimately there will be an increase in all property values.”
Current law states that if property owners cannot find a tenant within six months, they forfeit their past property use and must abide by the new zoning code. Junker said it might be possible to extend the current six month vacancy period to 12 months.
Curt Haven, Rancho Cordova’s economic development director, said the purpose of the meeting is to look at the issues of Folsom Boulevard and develop a plan to help business and property owners.
The next meeting of the Folsom Boulevard Business Group will take place on May 7 at the Mills Station Building, and will cover the issue of financing for nonconforming use property owners.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Roseville opens accessible parks
By Dan King
CNS Staff Writer
While in many public venues, access for people with disabilities has improved over the last few decades, all too often, access has meant nothing more than meeting the minimum requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
But the City of Roseville is going beyond the legal mandates and welcoming disabled residents to its outdoor facilities. Roseville’s Project Play has committed to building three universally accessible parks in three different regions of the city.
The idea is to make the parks enjoyable for all children, regardless of abilities.
Some of the features include ramps, hard-backed swings and “sensory fun” areas where children can make noise and feel textures. Cushioned rubber surfaces replace the usual sand and bark, allowing wheelchair access to the entire play structure.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that of the 2,122 disabled children aged 5-15 in Placer County in 2006, almost 60 percent live in Roseville.
Roseville resident Jackie DeMuth was a driving force in convincing the city to back universal access to playgrounds.
Her granddaughter, Zoie Digne, was born eight years ago with cerebral palsy and only weighed 1 pound 10 ounces.
“We saw her watching other kids doing things that she couldn’t do,” DeMuth said. “It was a process coming to grips with her disability, and the process included doing something for Zoie.”
They considered a swing set in the backyard, but it wouldn’t give Zoie a chance to interact with other children.
DeMuth discovered a non-profit called Shane’s Inspiration, whose mission is to eliminate bias against children with disabilities. They do so by helping to create universally accessible playgrounds and organize programs for children with disabilities to interact with children without special needs.
She brought the idea to create an accessible playground to the Roseville City Council in May 2007. Less than two years later, the first of the three planned playgrounds was opened to the public.
“My husband and I are thrilled to live in a community so willing to help others,” DeMuth said. “They have been so generous and so anxious to help.”
Councilman John Allard has served on the universal playground steering committee during the parks’ development. He says the speed with which the committee raised the funds and opened the first structure speaks volumes about the Roseville community.
“I’ve gotten tremendous comments and support from everyone,” he said. “I have not received any negative comments.”
Councilwoman Carol Garcia also serves on the playground steering committee.
“In these tough economic times, it is important for our residents to know the funds did not come out of the general fund,” she said. “The public funds that have gone into these parks came from various public grants, and the rest was raised from private donations.”
Jeff Dubchansky, assistant parks & recreation director, is the project manager for Roseville’s Project Play. He said public funds have contributed $1 million to designing, building and maintaining these parks. The projected cost for all three parks is $2.2 million. So far $790,000 of the needed $1.2 million has been privately raised.
Wesley Lujan, director of public affairs for Union Pacific was responsible for donating $30,000 from the Union Pacific Grant.
“It’s important for all children to get to play like other kids,” he said. “Secondly, our employees live in the area and we wanted to be part of such a strong public and private partnership.”
The three playgrounds are spread across the city, with one in Maidu Park at the southern end, one in Mahany Park in the north end and one in Royer Park in the downtown area. The Maidu playground opened to the public in late March and will have its grand opening celebration on May 2. The first part of Mahany Park’s playground is scheduled to open June 25.
“It’s great the parks are in three different sections of the city, serving not only Roseville but other areas,” DeMuth said. “Maidu also serves children with special needs in Orangevale and Granite Bay. Mahany can serve Antelope, Rocklin and Lincoln.”
CNS Staff Writer
While in many public venues, access for people with disabilities has improved over the last few decades, all too often, access has meant nothing more than meeting the minimum requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
But the City of Roseville is going beyond the legal mandates and welcoming disabled residents to its outdoor facilities. Roseville’s Project Play has committed to building three universally accessible parks in three different regions of the city.
The idea is to make the parks enjoyable for all children, regardless of abilities.
Some of the features include ramps, hard-backed swings and “sensory fun” areas where children can make noise and feel textures. Cushioned rubber surfaces replace the usual sand and bark, allowing wheelchair access to the entire play structure.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that of the 2,122 disabled children aged 5-15 in Placer County in 2006, almost 60 percent live in Roseville.
Roseville resident Jackie DeMuth was a driving force in convincing the city to back universal access to playgrounds.
Her granddaughter, Zoie Digne, was born eight years ago with cerebral palsy and only weighed 1 pound 10 ounces.
“We saw her watching other kids doing things that she couldn’t do,” DeMuth said. “It was a process coming to grips with her disability, and the process included doing something for Zoie.”
They considered a swing set in the backyard, but it wouldn’t give Zoie a chance to interact with other children.
DeMuth discovered a non-profit called Shane’s Inspiration, whose mission is to eliminate bias against children with disabilities. They do so by helping to create universally accessible playgrounds and organize programs for children with disabilities to interact with children without special needs.
She brought the idea to create an accessible playground to the Roseville City Council in May 2007. Less than two years later, the first of the three planned playgrounds was opened to the public.
“My husband and I are thrilled to live in a community so willing to help others,” DeMuth said. “They have been so generous and so anxious to help.”
Councilman John Allard has served on the universal playground steering committee during the parks’ development. He says the speed with which the committee raised the funds and opened the first structure speaks volumes about the Roseville community.
“I’ve gotten tremendous comments and support from everyone,” he said. “I have not received any negative comments.”
Councilwoman Carol Garcia also serves on the playground steering committee.
“In these tough economic times, it is important for our residents to know the funds did not come out of the general fund,” she said. “The public funds that have gone into these parks came from various public grants, and the rest was raised from private donations.”
Jeff Dubchansky, assistant parks & recreation director, is the project manager for Roseville’s Project Play. He said public funds have contributed $1 million to designing, building and maintaining these parks. The projected cost for all three parks is $2.2 million. So far $790,000 of the needed $1.2 million has been privately raised.
Wesley Lujan, director of public affairs for Union Pacific was responsible for donating $30,000 from the Union Pacific Grant.
“It’s important for all children to get to play like other kids,” he said. “Secondly, our employees live in the area and we wanted to be part of such a strong public and private partnership.”
The three playgrounds are spread across the city, with one in Maidu Park at the southern end, one in Mahany Park in the north end and one in Royer Park in the downtown area. The Maidu playground opened to the public in late March and will have its grand opening celebration on May 2. The first part of Mahany Park’s playground is scheduled to open June 25.
“It’s great the parks are in three different sections of the city, serving not only Roseville but other areas,” DeMuth said. “Maidu also serves children with special needs in Orangevale and Granite Bay. Mahany can serve Antelope, Rocklin and Lincoln.”
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Rancho Cordova to vote on new tax
By Megan Hansen
CNS Staff Writer
Rancho Cordova residents will pay more for using their cellular phones if a proposed utility tax to fund police services and city improvements is approved in the upcoming special election.
The City Council voted 4-1 on March 5 to place the tax on the May 19 ballot. If approved, the tax will be used for police services, maintenance and improvement of city streets, graffiti removal and code enforcement. The measure requires a two-thirds vote to pass.
The proposed tax expands upon an existing utility users’ tax that goes into the city’s general fund. The tax is a 2.5 percent charge on electricity, natural gas, landline telephones, cable television and sewer service. Adoption of the proposed tax would extend the 2.5 percent charge to newer communication technologies, such as cellular phones.
Councilman Robert McGarvey said the utility users’ tax needs an update as more people eliminate their landlines, resulting in a loss of utility tax revenue.
“We have a utility tax in existence and it needs to be rewritten so it can handle today’s electrical uses on phones, cable and other modern utilities,” McGarvey said. “We’re seeing a loss in landlines and right now we’re looking for some way to upgrade the current language of the tax.”
City Manager Ted Gaebler said the tax would help preserve city operations.
“We’re trying to preserve income and maintain the existing taxes,” Gaebler said. “We have a tax we want citizens to have an opportunity to sustain.”
However, not everyone wants the tax on the ballot. Councilman David Sander expressed opposition to the measure.
“If this passes, I’ll pay tax on my cell phone that I currently don’t,” Sander said. “I’m worried because we haven’t prepared a public campaign or citizen outreach program to explain this tax.”
Councilwoman Linda Budge said the proposed tax is an attempt to keep up with changing technology and would help alleviate current revenue shortages.
“This is a response to changing times and changing technology,” Budge said. “This is a prudent part of an overall budget strategy to try to make sure that the forecast for the two and three years out is not as grim as it certainly seems.”
Donna Silva, city finance director, said extending the utility tax to more users and designating funds for a specific purpose would ease financial strain on the city.
“We are in the throws of a recession,” Silva said. “We have experienced million dollar year after year declines in our sales tax revenues over the past two years and our property tax revenues are declining due to foreclosures.”
If passed, Silva said the new taxes would be implemented after notifying utility companies.
“We would notify companies like Verizon, AT&T, Comcast and DirectTV to update their billing procedures,” Silva said. “They already have the mechanisms in place to tax residents and make sure the money gets back to the city because they already do it with landlines- it would just need to be updated.”
Voters will receive their voting materials in the first or second week of April.
CNS Staff Writer
Rancho Cordova residents will pay more for using their cellular phones if a proposed utility tax to fund police services and city improvements is approved in the upcoming special election.
The City Council voted 4-1 on March 5 to place the tax on the May 19 ballot. If approved, the tax will be used for police services, maintenance and improvement of city streets, graffiti removal and code enforcement. The measure requires a two-thirds vote to pass.
The proposed tax expands upon an existing utility users’ tax that goes into the city’s general fund. The tax is a 2.5 percent charge on electricity, natural gas, landline telephones, cable television and sewer service. Adoption of the proposed tax would extend the 2.5 percent charge to newer communication technologies, such as cellular phones.
Councilman Robert McGarvey said the utility users’ tax needs an update as more people eliminate their landlines, resulting in a loss of utility tax revenue.
“We have a utility tax in existence and it needs to be rewritten so it can handle today’s electrical uses on phones, cable and other modern utilities,” McGarvey said. “We’re seeing a loss in landlines and right now we’re looking for some way to upgrade the current language of the tax.”
City Manager Ted Gaebler said the tax would help preserve city operations.
“We’re trying to preserve income and maintain the existing taxes,” Gaebler said. “We have a tax we want citizens to have an opportunity to sustain.”
However, not everyone wants the tax on the ballot. Councilman David Sander expressed opposition to the measure.
“If this passes, I’ll pay tax on my cell phone that I currently don’t,” Sander said. “I’m worried because we haven’t prepared a public campaign or citizen outreach program to explain this tax.”
Councilwoman Linda Budge said the proposed tax is an attempt to keep up with changing technology and would help alleviate current revenue shortages.
“This is a response to changing times and changing technology,” Budge said. “This is a prudent part of an overall budget strategy to try to make sure that the forecast for the two and three years out is not as grim as it certainly seems.”
Donna Silva, city finance director, said extending the utility tax to more users and designating funds for a specific purpose would ease financial strain on the city.
“We are in the throws of a recession,” Silva said. “We have experienced million dollar year after year declines in our sales tax revenues over the past two years and our property tax revenues are declining due to foreclosures.”
If passed, Silva said the new taxes would be implemented after notifying utility companies.
“We would notify companies like Verizon, AT&T, Comcast and DirectTV to update their billing procedures,” Silva said. “They already have the mechanisms in place to tax residents and make sure the money gets back to the city because they already do it with landlines- it would just need to be updated.”
Voters will receive their voting materials in the first or second week of April.
Elk Grove transit fees rise
By Todd Wilson
CNS Staff Writer
In these tough economic times, many Elk Grove residents use the city’s e-tran bus service to commute to work as a cost-saving measure, but starting this month, they are saving a little less.
On Feb. 11, the Elk Grove City Council voted to raise transit fares for the first time since fixed route service began in 2005. The increase went into effect on April 1.
One-way cash fares for adults have increased from $1.50 to $2.25, a 50 percent jump in price. Monthly commuter passes rose from $60 to $100, a nearly 67 percent increase.
City of Elk Grove Transit Manager Tiffany Fink said there are two reasons fare increases could not be put off any longer.
The first is to meet a state mandate requiring transit agencies to recover a certain percentage of their operating costs from fares. The second is an attempt to reach fare parity with Sacramento Regional Transit with which e-trans has transfer agreements.
Fink said in order for e-trans to receive funding from the state’s Transportation Development Act, state law requires the agency to recover 20 percent of its costs from transit box fares. If the agency does not meet this requirement, it will lose both state and federal funding.
Fink said this had not been a problem – until now – because the law allows for exemptions to give new transit agencies a few years to build their services.
“Recovering 20 percent from fare boxes right out of the gate is difficult to do,” Fink said.
Also, RT requested that E-trans renegotiate the transfer agreements between the two agencies to avoid fare disparity, Fink said.
“Being out of parity could create a gap and one agency could end up owing the other money,” Fink said.
One solution is to charge the same fare. Elk Grove decided to match RT’s fare, rather than risk owing money, Fink said.
When e-trans began offering fixed- route bus service, its rates were benchmarked to RT’s. Since then, RT’s fees have increased while e-tran’s have remained the same.
RT Chief Financial Officer Dee Brookshire said RT began talking about renegotiating transfer agreements with other agencies last summer. She said a February 2008 transit fare study showed the transfer agreements from lower fare agencies decreased revenue for RT.
Brookshire said RT offers more routes and services, such as light rail, than its partner agencies, and therefore, has to charge more for services. She said RT decided to renegotiate the transfer agreements in light of $22 million in budget cuts from the state.
Brookshire said fare parity is not required by RT as a part of the transfer agreements, but the lower fare agency would likely end up owing RT the difference.
Brookshire said the transfer agreements do not benefit RT, but the agency is committed to them based on a mutual desire by all regional transportation agencies to make using mass transit easy for customers.
Fink said RT and e-tran are working to finalize their transfer agreements, and a new deal should be coming shortly.
Elk Grove residents who use the e-tran bus service to commute to work say they plan to continue using the service despite the fee increases.
Ellie Hough rides the bus to work in downtown Sacramento five days a week. She said even with the fare increase, using the bus is still the most economical way to get to work.
“The fare increases are the pattern of everything right now,” Hough said. “I can’t think of one of my bills that hasn’t gone up recently.”
State worker John Martinez also uses e-tran to commute to work. He said when he factors in the cost of gas and parking, the mileage on his car and the amount of time he would spend stuck in traffic, mass transit is the best option for him.
Martinez said the biggest problem he has with e-tran is that return service to Elk Grove stops in the early evening. Martinez said if he works late he has to find another way to get home.
“If they could take care of that with this increase that would be nice,” Martinez said.
CNS Staff Writer
In these tough economic times, many Elk Grove residents use the city’s e-tran bus service to commute to work as a cost-saving measure, but starting this month, they are saving a little less.
On Feb. 11, the Elk Grove City Council voted to raise transit fares for the first time since fixed route service began in 2005. The increase went into effect on April 1.
One-way cash fares for adults have increased from $1.50 to $2.25, a 50 percent jump in price. Monthly commuter passes rose from $60 to $100, a nearly 67 percent increase.
City of Elk Grove Transit Manager Tiffany Fink said there are two reasons fare increases could not be put off any longer.
The first is to meet a state mandate requiring transit agencies to recover a certain percentage of their operating costs from fares. The second is an attempt to reach fare parity with Sacramento Regional Transit with which e-trans has transfer agreements.
Fink said in order for e-trans to receive funding from the state’s Transportation Development Act, state law requires the agency to recover 20 percent of its costs from transit box fares. If the agency does not meet this requirement, it will lose both state and federal funding.
Fink said this had not been a problem – until now – because the law allows for exemptions to give new transit agencies a few years to build their services.
“Recovering 20 percent from fare boxes right out of the gate is difficult to do,” Fink said.
Also, RT requested that E-trans renegotiate the transfer agreements between the two agencies to avoid fare disparity, Fink said.
“Being out of parity could create a gap and one agency could end up owing the other money,” Fink said.
One solution is to charge the same fare. Elk Grove decided to match RT’s fare, rather than risk owing money, Fink said.
When e-trans began offering fixed- route bus service, its rates were benchmarked to RT’s. Since then, RT’s fees have increased while e-tran’s have remained the same.
RT Chief Financial Officer Dee Brookshire said RT began talking about renegotiating transfer agreements with other agencies last summer. She said a February 2008 transit fare study showed the transfer agreements from lower fare agencies decreased revenue for RT.
Brookshire said RT offers more routes and services, such as light rail, than its partner agencies, and therefore, has to charge more for services. She said RT decided to renegotiate the transfer agreements in light of $22 million in budget cuts from the state.
Brookshire said fare parity is not required by RT as a part of the transfer agreements, but the lower fare agency would likely end up owing RT the difference.
Brookshire said the transfer agreements do not benefit RT, but the agency is committed to them based on a mutual desire by all regional transportation agencies to make using mass transit easy for customers.
Fink said RT and e-tran are working to finalize their transfer agreements, and a new deal should be coming shortly.
Elk Grove residents who use the e-tran bus service to commute to work say they plan to continue using the service despite the fee increases.
Ellie Hough rides the bus to work in downtown Sacramento five days a week. She said even with the fare increase, using the bus is still the most economical way to get to work.
“The fare increases are the pattern of everything right now,” Hough said. “I can’t think of one of my bills that hasn’t gone up recently.”
State worker John Martinez also uses e-tran to commute to work. He said when he factors in the cost of gas and parking, the mileage on his car and the amount of time he would spend stuck in traffic, mass transit is the best option for him.
Martinez said the biggest problem he has with e-tran is that return service to Elk Grove stops in the early evening. Martinez said if he works late he has to find another way to get home.
“If they could take care of that with this increase that would be nice,” Martinez said.
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