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LEMME JUST SAY BEFORE WE BEGIN, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT.
IS THERE SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW,
[ CALL TO ORDER: Council Chamber INVOCATION: City Attorney/Legal Counsel Jones PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Councilmember/Director Gomez ROLL CALL: Mayor/Chair Nigsarian Mayor Pro Tem/Vice Chair Espinoza Councilmember/Director Gomez Councilmember/Director Medrano Councilmember/Director Surich]
I'LL NOW CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF LAHABRA, AND THE REGULAR JOINT MEETING OF THE LAHABRA UTILITY AUTHORITY OF AUGUST 5TH, 2024.LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT IT IS NOW 6:30 PM AND THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DIRECTORS ARE PRESENT.
THE INVOCATION TONIGHT WILL BE GIVEN BY CITY ATTORNEY LEGAL COUNSEL DICK JONES, FOLLOWED BY THE FLAG SALUTE, LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DIRECTOR GOMEZ.
ASK YOU TO PLEASE STAND BY YOUR HEADS.
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING AS WE PREPARE TO DO THE IMPORTANT BUSINESS FOR THE CITY OF LAHABRA.
OUR HEARTS ARE FULL WITH GRATITUDE FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY AND TO RESIDE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THOSE WHO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE US SAFER AND HEALTHIER THROUGH THEIR MANY TALENTS AND EFFORTS AS EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE MANY PEOPLE THAT SERVE IN SERVICE CLUBS AND CHURCHES SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ASK YOU TO BLESS THE CITY COUNCIL THIS EVENING AS THEY DISCUSS THE IMPORTANT BUSINESS BEFORE THE COUNCIL OF THIS EVENING.
THEY DO SO WITH WISDOM AND INSIGHT AND A CONSIDERATION FOR ALL THE COMMUNITY.
WE SAY THESE THINGS IN THY NAME.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE FACE THE FLAG, PUT YOUR HAND OVER YOUR HEART AND REPEAT AFTER ME.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UH, THANK YOU, CITY ATTORNEY JONES AND THANK YOU.
WILL THE CITY CLERK PLEASE CALL ROLE? THANK YOU MAYOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER DIRECTOR SAGE HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DIRECTOR MADANO HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER DIRECTOR GOMEZ HERE.
MAYOR PRO TEM, VICE CHAIR ESPINOZA.
UH, MAY I ASK IF THERE'S ANY CLOSED
[ CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT: PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS: None at this time.]
SESSION ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES.UM, BOTH MR. GOMEZ AND I DECLARED A CONFLICTS, SO WE DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN THE CLOSED SESSION.
WE'RE NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING TO REPORT THIS EVENING.
MOVING FORWARD WITH PUBLIC COMMENT.
[ PUBLIC COMMENTS: When addressing the La Habra City Council, please complete a Speaker’s Card before leaving the Council Chamber. General Public Comments shall be received at the beginning of the governing body meeting and limited to three (3) minutes per individual, with a total time limit of 30 minutes for all public comments, unless otherwise modified by the Mayor or Chair. Speaking time may not be granted and/or loaned to another individual for purposes of extending available speaking time, and comments must be kept brief, non-repetitive, and professional in nature. The general Public Comment portion of the meeting allows the public to address any item of City business not appearing on the scheduled agenda. Per Government Code Section 54954.3(a), such comments shall not be responded to by the governing body during the meeting.]
YES.PUBLIC COMMENTS, WHEN ADDRESSING THE LAHABRA CITY COUNCIL, PLEASE COMPLETE A SPEAKER'S CARD BEFORE LEAVING THE COUNCIL CHAMBER.
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS SHALL BE RECEIVED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GOVERNING BODY MEETING AND LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER INDIVIDUAL WITH A TOTAL TIME LIMIT OF 30 MINUTES FOR ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UNLESS OTHERWISE, MODIFIED BY THE MAYOR OR CHAIR.
SPEAKING TIME MAY NOT BE GRANTED AND OR LOANED TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL FOR PURPOSES OF EXTENDING AVAILABLE SPEAKING TIME AND COMMENTS MUST BE KEPT BRIEF, NON-REPETITIVE AND PROFESSIONAL IN NATURE.
THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE MEETING ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS ANY ITEM OF CITY BUSINESS NOT APPEARING ON THE SCHEDULED AGENDA.
PER GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 4 0.3 A SUCH COMMENTS SHALL NOT BE RESPONDED TO BY THE GOVERNING BODY DURING THE MEETING.
AND I UNDERSTAND THERE MAY BE OVERFLOW PUBLIC IN THE CITY HALL ATRIUM.
THEY CAN COME OVER AND SPEAK AS WELL.
AGAIN, THIS IS ABOUT, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS ON SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
SO I WILL WELCOME SPEAKERS TO COME UP ON ANYTHING, NOT ON THE AGENDA.
AND ALSO, PLEASE DO GIVE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
AND I GUESS, UH, RHONDA, THEY CAN HEAR ME OUT IN THE ATRIUM.
IF THEY CAN, I WANNA ENCOURAGE ANYBODY WHO'S IN THE ATRIUM WANTING TO SPEAK FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS TO PLEASE STEP INTO THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS NOW.
AND WITH THAT, UH, FIRST SPEAKER PLEASE.
AT THE PODIUM, WE HAVE A GENTLEMAN RIGHT HERE.
WE'RE BUSY HITTING ALL THE PORTS.
CALIFORNIA TRYING TO ALL THE TRADE PORTS TO SUGGESTING A GEIGER COUNTER AND INSTALLATION COUNTER TO ALL CONTAINERS COMING INTO OUR COUNTRY.
IT'S 28 MILLION A MONTH, UH, AND MAKING THE ROUNDS.
I STARTED IN GALVESTON IN NOVEMBER.
UH, I ALSO DID THE REFINERIES IN CARSON, TORRANCE, AND EL SEGUNDO POSSIBLE, UH, NUCLEAR CONTAINER SITTING RIGHT THERE ON THAT SITE.
BUT LET'S GET TO, UH, BACK TO CHILDREN IN DANGER FROM NARCOTICS.
UH, THE GROWING RATE OF DEATH IS, IS JUST GETTING OUTLANDISH WITH THIS NEW STUFF.
FENTANYL, UH, AND WITH THE FBI THAT I'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH ON A WEEKLY BASIS FOR LAST 25 YEARS, THAT'S IN UTAH, EL UH, SANTA ANA TREATED ME LIKE DIRT.
SO I'VE BEEN, UH, SPEAKING WITH UTAH
[00:05:01]
FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS.AND I GOT A QUESTION WHY THEM SCHOOL BUSES ARE KIND OF PAINTED THE RADIOACTIVE WARNING CHART COLORS AS WELL.
I WOULD IMAGINE IF IN THEORY, IF IN THEORY THESE LITTLE DEMON CHILDREN ARE WORKING TOGETHER, THEY GOTTA BE PREYING ON THE NORMAL KIDS, UH, LEAD THEM INTO CRIME, SELLING 'EM DRUGS, GETTING 'EM HOOKED, YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS THERE? BECOME A LIFER IN JAIL.
AND SPEAKING OF JAIL, WORKING WITH THE FBI RIGHT NOW, I'VE GOT AN ARRANGEMENT.
I DUNNO IF YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT LITMUS PAPER IS, BUT I'VE GOT ONE INMATE THAT'S WILLING TO DONATE URINE AND IS AGREEING WITH MY THEORY ON PREDATOR.
UH, THE WHOLE THING IS A TAX MESS.
IT'S NOT REFORM, IT'S A BUSINESS.
AND IF I GET THAT BEFORE I, UH, NOVEMBER ROLLS AROUND, THAT'S GONNA BECOME PRIORITY, UM, ON THE IMMUNITY TO SANCTION INMATES, WHICH, UH, I'M WORKING ON HARD WITH THE FBI.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT ABDUCTION ON THE FIRST PAGE.
MALE SLAVES, UH, KIND OF HAVE AN ADAMS APPLE.
I DON'T HAVE ONE, SO IT KIND OF MAKES ME WONDER WITH THAT ADAMS APPLE, UH, MAYBE BEING A SHOCKING CALL.
WE'VE BROUGHT THIS UP IN THE PAST.
SO INMATE URINE IS, UH, WHERE I'VE GOT ONE ALREADY AND I NEED FOUR MORE.
'CAUSE, UH, IT'S JUST NOT REFORM.
IT'S, IT'S SOMEBODY'S GETTING RICH.
NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE NAME AND ADDRESS.
MY NAME IS LINDA MORTIMER AND I LIVE IN, UM, GECO CANYON.
UM, MY COLLEAGUES AND I, UM, ARE HERE FROM ORANGE COUNTY AND OUR VOLUNTEERS WITH UNITED SOVEREIGN AMERICANS, NOT SPOKESPERSONS, UNITED SOVEREIGN AMERICANS IS A NATIONWIDE ORGANIZATION WITH THOUSANDS OF ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS IN OVER 20 STATES.
TODAY WE COME TO YOU AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN, SHARING ALARMING INFORMATION ABOUT OUR STATE'S VOTER ROLL DATABASE.
RESEARCH OF THE STATE'S VOTER DATABASE WAS DONE THROUGH HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND CREDENTIALED DATA TEAMS. AN ANALYSIS OF THE 2022 ELECTION, RESEARCHED BY THE HIGHLY QUALIFIED DATA TEAMS USING ONLY OFFICIAL DATA PROVIDED BY CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS OFFICIALS INDICATES SERIOUS ISSUES WITH COMPLIANCE OF FEDERAL LAW.
WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU AND THE PUBLIC THE RESULTS OF THE AFOREMENTIONED ANALYSIS SHOWING THE VOTES, CAST, COUNTED, AND CERTIFIED MAY NOT ALL BE VALID AND ACCURATE UNDER THE CONSTITUTION AND UNDER THE LAW.
WE ARE NOT HERE TO CAST ANY BLAME OR ASPERSIONS ON ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL.
WE DO NOT SUGGEST ANY CANDIDATES IN ANY RACE HAVE WRONGLY WON OR LOST THE RACES, NOR DO WE ADVOCATE FOR THE OVERTURNING OR RERUNNING OF ANY PAST ELECTION.
TONIGHT, WE WILL PRESENT YOU WITH A RESOLUTION DEMANDING AN END TO THE INACCURACY AND UNCERTAINTY PLAGUING OUR ELECTIONS, ALONG WITH A SUMMARY OF OUR FINDINGS AND THE LAWS THAT APPLY.
THOUGH YOU, UH, BEAR NO DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANYTHING IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS, WE COME TO YOU OUR CLOSEST ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES FOR SUPPORT AND ACTION.
WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU LISTEN TO THE RESOLUTION AND TAKE THE NECE, THE NECESSITY FOR VALID ELECTION SERIOUSLY, BY ADDING THE RESOLUTION TO YOUR NEXT MEETING AGENDA.
OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL READ THE RESOLUTION IN THREE PARTS, AND OUR FINAL SPEAKER WILL CONCLUDE OUR PRESENTATION.
MY NAME IS MICHELLE MORGAN AND I'M HERE TO READ INTO THE RECORD THE FIRST PORTION OF THE USA RESOLUTION.
RESOLUTION FOR A ILLEGALLY VALID 2024 GENERAL ELECTION.
WHEREAS IT IS A RECOGNIZED CIVIL RIGHT IN THE UNITED STATES FOR EVERY CITIZEN TO HAVE FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS.
WHEREAS IT IS THE DUTY OF OUR ELECTION OFFICIALS TO GUARANTEE OUR ELECTIONS ARE ACCURATE AND FREE FROM DISTORTION OR MANIPULATION.
WHEREAS OUR CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT ONLY WORKS WHEN THE FOLLOWING FOUR TENANTS OF AN ELECTION ARE UPHELD.
NUMBER ONE, THE ROT VOTER RULES MUST BE ACCURATE.
NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION ACT 1993.
NUMBER TWO VOTES COUNTED MUST BE FROM ELIGIBLE VOTERS, THE US CONSTITUTION 14TH AMENDMENT SECTION TWO.
THE NUMBER OF VOTES COUNTED MUST EQUAL THE NUMBER OF VOTERS WHO VOTED.
NUMBER FOUR, THERE CAN BE NO MORE THAN ONE IN 125,000 BALLOTS IN ERROR BY THE VOTING SYSTEM.
THE HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT 2002.
WHEREAS THE ANALYSIS OF THE CALIFORNIA 2022 GENERAL ELECTION
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HAS UNCOVERED EVIDENCE OF MASSIVE INACCURACIES THAT APPEAR TO VIOLATE BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS, INCLUDING 5,886,198 INELIGIBLE OR UNCERTAIN REGISTRATION VIOLATIONS FOUND WITHIN THE CALIFORNIA STATE VOTER ROLL DATABASE, 2,776,939 VOTES CAST BY INELIGIBLE OR UNCERTAIN REGISTRATIONS 123,000 785 785 MORE VOTES COUNTED THAN VOTERS WHO VOTED, NO ONE KNOWS WHO CAST THEM.2,776,849 APPARENT VOTING VIOLATIONS IN EXCESS OF THE LEGAL STANDARD OF SYSTEM ACCURACY FOR A VALID FEDERAL ELECTION.
MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE SYSTEM ERRORS FOR THE 2022 GENERAL ELECTION WAS 90.
MY NAME IS KATHLEEN AND I AM HERE TO READ INTO THE RECORD THE NEXT SECTION OF THE USA RESOLUTION CERTIFICATION AS DEFINED BY LAW, IS AN ATTESTATION OF ACCURACY AND COMPLIANCE.
THE CERTIFICATION OF THE 2022 ELECTION APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN FRAUDULENT AND ILLEGAL, WHEREAS THESE FINDINGS TRAMPLE LEGAL ACCURACY REQUIREMENTS OF THE VOTING SYSTEM DURING A FEDERAL ELECTION, WHEREAS INTENT OF THE VOTERS MUST BE KNOWN FACTUALLY BEFORE CERTIFICATION CAN BE LAWFULLY CONDUCTED.
WHEREAS THE 22, UH, THE TWO, 2022 GENERAL ELECTION APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN INVALID, DEPRIVING US OF GUARANTEED PROTECTION OF OUR NATURAL RIGHTS UNDER GOVERNMENT DUALLY AND, UH, PROVABLY CHOSEN BY US, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, RESULTING IN INCALCULABLE DAMAGE TO OUR FAMILIES, OUR WAY OF LIFE, AND THE FABRIC OF THESE UNITED STATES.
THEREFORE, WE CALL UPON OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO THE PEOPLE AND ASSURANCE OF DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY BY JOINING US IN DEMANDING A VALID 2024 GENERAL ELECTION THAT UPHOLDS THESE EXISTING LAWS AND EQUITABLE PRINCIPLES OF LAW.
THEREFORE, OH, NUMBER ONE, PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP IDENTITY ELIGIBILITY REQUIRED TO REGISTER AND VOTE NOT ANONYMOUS ATTESTATION TWO VOTER ROLL CERTIFIED ACCURATE AND AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND CHALLENGE 30 DAYS BEFORE THE START OF EARLY VOTING VOTERS ADDED AFTER THAT DATE.
MUST BRING PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP IDENTITY AND ADDRESS IN PERSON TO A QUALIFIED OFFICIAL AT EACH POLLING PLACE.
THREE, HAND MARK SECURE BALLOTS SIMILAR TO CURRENCY WHERE IMAGING TECHNOLOGY IS USED FOR TABULATION, THE SECURITY FEATURES MUST BE VERIFIABLE IN A BALLOT IMAGE.
AND FOUR SYSTEMS MACHINES, SECURITY MEASURES, INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONDUCT ARE REQUIRED TO BE COMPLIANT WITH FEDERAL LAW FOR FRAUD PREVENTION, REQUIRING RISK ASSESSMENT, CERTIFICATION, TESTING, AND IMPLEMENTATION.
GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME'S ERSIN RUSSELL AND I'M HERE TO READ IN THE RECORD THE LAST SECTION OF THIS RESOLUTION.
NUMBER FIVE, ADJUDICATION MUST BE SIGNED OFF BY PARTY CANDIDATE AND TRAINED CITIZEN WITNESS AFTER BEING GIVEN FULL AND EFFECTIVE OBSERVATION LIGHTS.
REAL QUICK, SIR, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
CAN WE HAVE THE TIMER PLEASE? UM, YES SIR.
IS THAT YOUR QUESTION? NO, UH, THAT MY TIMER'S GONE.
UM, SO WE NEED TO HAVE EFFECTIVE OBSERVATION RIGHTS AS, AS CITIZENS, AS AS POLITICAL CANDIDATES, CANDIDATES AND TRAINED CITIZENS MUST BE ALLOWED TO IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO THE BALLOTS, BALLOT IMAGES AND THE CAST VOTE RECORDS, THERE ARE ELECTIONS.
REGARDLESS OF ENTRY SOURCE ELECTION, OPERATIONS AND SYSTEMS MUST MAINTAIN END TO END CHAIN OF CUSTODY FROM VOTER TO VOTE COUNT TO FINAL CANVAS, INCLUDING AUDITABILITY AND WITNESS TRANSFER WITH PAPER RECORDS.
NUMBER SEVEN, THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
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COMPLIANT RANDOMIZE, RANDOMIZED, STATISTICALLY VALID END-TO-END AUDIT.ALL OF OUR ELECTIONS PURSUANT TO THE 14TH AMENDMENT SECTION TWO MUST BE PERFORMED.
THESE AUDITS ARE NOT TO BE CONDUCT OR TO BE CONDUCTED BY QUALIFIED INSURED AND BONDED SECURITY FORENSIC OR FINANCIAL AUDITORS, NOT PERSONNEL FROM WITHIN THE ACTUAL ELECTION SYSTEM.
RECONCILIATION WILL INCLUDE THE VOTE COUNT, REAL PHYSICAL BALLOTS, ADJUDICATION CAST, VOTE RECORDS, BALLOT COUNT, QUALIFIED VOTER COUNT, CUSTODY TRANSFER, AND ALL OTHER PAPER AND ELECTRONIC ELECTION SYSTEMS, INCLUDING THE LOGS.
IF THE TOTAL OF UNIQUE VARIANCES ABOVE IS MORE THAN 10% OF THE MARGIN OF VICTORY, A NEW ELECTION MUST BE HELD IN THE STATE FOR THOSE CANDIDATES AFFECTED UNLESS THE ISSUES CAN BE PROVABLY CORRECTED BY A MANUAL HAND RECOUNT AND OR FULL REVIEW OF THE RECORDS.
NUMBER NINE, WAIVER OF REQUIREMENTS IS NOT ALLOWED.
COMPLIANCE FROM REGISTRATION THROUGH CERTIFICATION CAN GUARANTEE THE INTENT OF THE PEOPLE IS ACCURATELY RECORDED, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE LAHABRA CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS STAND IN SUPPORT WITH THE CONCERNS AND REMEDIES PRESENTED HERE TONIGHT, WE IMPLORE THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THE CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATURE, FEDERAL LEGISLATURES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FEDERAL AND STATE PROSECUTORS, JUDGES, AND BOTH SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE COUNTY REGISTER OF VOTERS FOR ORANGE COUNTY HERE TO COOPERATE AND FULFILL THESE FIRM REQUESTS OF THE PEOPLE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM HERE TO CONCLUDE OUR PRESENTATION.
WHAT YOU HEARD TONIGHT IS A POWERFULLY WRITTEN RESOLUTION OUTLINING MASSIVE INACCURACIES IN OUR 2022 ELECTION.
FROM REGISTRATION THROUGH CERTIFICATION, THE RESOLUTION DELINEATES MEANINGFUL REMEDIES THAT WILL PROACTIVELY PROTECT THE VALIDITY OF THE 2024 GENERAL ELECTION FOR ALL AMERICANS.
YOUR WRITTEN COPY CITES MANY USE US SUPREME COURT PRECEDENTS AND FEDERAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATES THAT SUPPORT THE NEED FOR SUCH ACTIONS.
LARGE MEMBERS OF CALIFORNIANS HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TRUSTWORTHINESS OF OUR ELECTIONS.
OFFICIAL DATA SHOW THAT THESE CONCERNS ARE VALID AND THE LAW SAYS RESOLVING THEM IS ESSENTIAL FOR SECURING OUR LIBERTY.
THE COST FOR NOT FIXING THEIR ENUMERATED PROBLEMS IS IMMEASURABLE.
SO WE URGE YOU TO PUT THIS RESOLUTION ON THE AGENDA FOR YOUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING WHERE YOU CAN VOTE TO JOIN US IN SUPPORT OF FAIR AND HONEST AND VALID ELECTIONS.
THE UNITED SOVEREIGN AMERICANS WEBSITE SHOWCASES OUR INITIATIVES NATIONWIDE AND FEATURES SOME EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE ELECTION VIDEOS.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT UNITED FOR FREEDOM.COM AND LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION AND OUR GOAL TO RESTORE VALID ELECTIONS THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY.
COUNT COUNTRY, THAT'S UNITED, THE NUMBER FOUR FREEDOM.COM.
ONE MORE TIME, UNITE THE NUMBER FOUR FREEDOM.COM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT, AND THANK YOU GOODNIGHT TO YOU AS WELL.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE TONIGHT WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS? STUFF NOT ON THE AGENDA.
WE'LL CLOSE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS AND MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR PLEASE.
PRIOR TO THAT CITY ATTORNEY JONES HAS A STATEMENT TO READ.
WITH REGARD, REGARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL CONSENT CALENDAR.
ITEM NUMBER 11, WARRANTS A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MADANO, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SEARCH AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE CITY COUNCIL AT A CLOSED SESSION HELD ON JUNE 3RD, 2024 TO APPROVE A SETTLEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $60,000.
REGARDING JEFFREY MENDEZ, THIS SETTLEMENT IS REFLECTED IN THE WARRANTS PENDING CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU, CITY ATTORNEY JONES.
[ CONSENT CALENDAR: Senate Bill 1439 (“SB 1439”) amended Government Code Section 84308 to expand the regulation of campaign contributions in excess of $250 from donors involved in certain matters before the legislative body. If the donor has a matter pending before the agency, and the official received a campaign contribution from the donor in excess of $250 in the prior 12 months, the official must publicly disclose the contribution and cannot in any way participate in the decision of the matter. The donor also has a duty to disclose the contribution on the record. In the 12 months following the decision, a local official cannot receive campaign contributions in excess of $250 from a donor with an economic interest in the governmental decision. Public officials are encouraged to closely track all campaign contributions which collectively exceed $250 in any 12-month period from any single source. All matters on Consent Calendar are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion unless a Councilmember, City staff member, or member of the audience requests separate action or removal of an item. Removed items will be considered following the Consent Calendar portion of this agenda. Public comment shall be limited to three (3) minutes per individual, with a total time limit of 30 minutes per item that has been removed for separate discussion, unless otherwise modified by the Mayor. Speaking time may not be granted and/or loaned to another individual for purposes of extending available speaking time, and comments must be kept brief, non-repetitive, and professional in nature. CITY COUNCIL:]
IS CONSENT CALENDAR.[00:20:01]
CALENDAR ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION UNLESS A COUNCIL MEMBER, CITY STAFF MEMBER OR MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE REQUEST SEPARATE ACTION OR REMOVAL OF AN ITEM REMOVED.ITEMS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOLLOWING THE CONSENT CALENDAR PORTION OF THIS AGENDA.
PUBLIC COMMENT SHALL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER INDIVIDUAL WITH A TOTAL TIME LIMIT OF 30 MINUTES PER ITEM THAT HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION UNLESS OTHERWISE MODIFIED BY THE MAYOR.
SPEAKING TIME MAY NOT BE GRANTED AND OR LOAN TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL FOR PURPOSES OF EXTENDING AVAILABLE SPEAKING TIME AND COMMENTS MUST BE KEPT BRIEF, NON-REPETITIVE AND PROFESSIONAL IN NATURE.
THE CONSENT CALENDAR INCLUDES CITY COUNCIL ITEMS ONE THROUGH 11, CITY COUNCIL AND UTILITY AUTHORITY ITEM ONE AND UTILITY AUTHORITY ITEM ONE.
WOULD STAFF LIKE ANY ITEM REMOVED? NONE.
MR. MAYOR, WOULD ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES LIKE AN ITEM REMOVED? NO.
MR. MAYOR, SEEING NONE, ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE, UH, REQUESTING AN ON, UH, CONSENT ITEM BE REMOVED? SEEING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CON CONSENT CALENDAR AS LISTED.
AND WE MOVE FORWARD TO CONSIDERATION ITEMS
[1. CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF ADDITIONAL BUDGET BALANCING MEASURES That the City Council: A. Direct staff to continue evaluating potential operational efficiencies, alternate service models, and insourcing or outsourcing opportunities in City departments. B. Approve a targeted hiring freeze for certain full-time positions across all City Departments, including sworn Police Officer positions, not to exceed ten percent of the current authorized sworn staffing in the Police Department. C. Direct staff to initiate a comprehensive fee study and develop an updated cost allocation plan so that City fees for services recover 100 percent of the City’s cost to provide those services. D. Approve the placement of a local ballot measure for the November 2024 election that would reauthorize the City’s current Transaction and Use (sales) tax at an updated rate of one (1) cent for voter consideration. 1. Approve and adopt RESOLUTION NO. CC 2024-__ ENTITLED: “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA, CALIFORNIA, SUBMITTING THE LA HABRA EMERGENCY SERVICES/NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY/COMMUNITY PROTECTION MEASURE TO THE VOTERS AT THE NOVEMBER 5, 2024 GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION, REITERATING THE CITY’S REQUEST THAT THE ELECTION BE CONSOLIDATED WITH OTHER ELECTIONS HELD ON THAT DATE AND TAKING CERTAIN RELATED ACTIONS”; and, 2. Introduce ORDINANCE NO. CC-2024-__ ENTITLED: “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA AMENDING CHAPTER 4.10 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE TO IMPOSE A TRANSACTIONS AND USE TAX TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TAX AND FEE ADMINISTRATION”.]
OF WHICH WE HAVE ONE TONIGHT.CONSIDERATION ITEMS. ANY MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE MAY REQUEST TO ADDRESS THE LAHABRA CITY COUNCIL ON ANY CONSIDERATION ITEM PRIOR TO THE LAHABRA CITY COUNCIL TAKING A FINAL VOTE ON THE ITEM.
PUBLIC COMMENT SHALL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER INDIVIDUAL WITH A TOTAL TIME LIMIT OF 30 MINUTES PER CONSIDERATION ITEM, UNLESS OTHERWISE MODIFIED BY THE MAYOR OR CHAIR.
SPEAKING TIME MAY NOT BE GRANTED AND OR LOANED TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL FOR PURPOSES OF EXTENDING AVAILABLE SPEAKING TIME AND COMMENTS MUST BE KEPT BRIEF, NON-REPETITIVE AND PROFESSIONAL IN NATURE.
AND THE CONSIDERATION ITEM IS ENTITLED CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF, OF ADDITIONAL BUDGET BALANCING MEASURES.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO STATE FOR THE RECORD, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER HAS BEEN PROVIDED WITH CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED BY THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE TODAY WITH REGARD TO THIS ITEM.
STAFF REPORT PLEASE? YES, MR. MAYOR.
UH, BRIANNA, IF YOU COULD BRING THE POWERPOINT UP PLEASE.
SO, UM, ON JUNE 17TH OF THIS YEAR, CITY COUNCIL TOOK ACTION TO APPROVE, UH, AND ADOPT THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR 24 25 BUDGET.
UH, AS COUNCIL KNOWS, IT WAS A CHALLENGING BUDGET THIS YEAR, UH, DUE TO A NUMBER OF COST INCREASES THAT THE CITY, UH, HAD TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.
UM, COST INCREASES ARE GOING UP ACROSS MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, BUT PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE AREA WHERE WE'RE STARTING TO TAKE THE, UH, LARGEST AIR, UM, IMPACTS FROM, FROM COST INCREASES.
THE BIGGEST DRIVER OF THAT THIS LAST YEAR WAS, AS COUNCIL KNOWS, THE LA COUNTY FIRE CONTRACT.
UM, THE CITY HAS HAD A 20 YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH LA COUNTY FIRE, AND I WANNA START BY SAYING THEY DO A PHENOMENAL JOB FOR THE CITY.
THEY, UH, OUR TOP TIER FIRE RESPONSE AGENCY, PROBABLY THE BEST, ARGUABLY IN THE NATION, UM, AND EXTRAORDINARILY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO.
AND THEY'VE DONE SOME PHENOMENAL WORK FOR US OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.
UM, THIS PARTNERSHIP STARTED IN 2005.
IT WAS AN ARRANGEMENT THAT, UH, BENEFITED BOTH THE CITY AND LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE.
UM, AT THE TIME, THE CITY HAD THREE FIRE STATIONS AS PART OF THE NEGOTIATIONS, AS COUNCIL RECALLS, UM, THIS, THE LA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT REQUIRED THE CITY TO BUILD A FOURTH FIRE STATION THAT'S REALLY NOT IN THE CITY OF LAHABRA, IT'S JUST OUTSIDE THE CITY BOUNDARIES IN LAMADA.
THEY, UH, HELP PAY FOR HALF THE LAND ACQUISITION COSTS AND HALF THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
BUT THE CITY OWNS THE BUILDING AND THAT, UM, WAS TO HELP AUGMENT THEIR SERVICE, UH, PROVISION INTO LA COUNTY.
AS A RESULT OF THAT, UH, PARTNERSHIP THOUGH, LA COUNTY 20 YEARS AGO AGREED TO A 50 50 COST SHARE ARRANGEMENT WITH THE CITY.
SO HALF THE COST OF THOSE FOUR FIRE STATIONS, INCLUDING THE NEW ONE THAT WAS BUILT, LA COUNTY AGREED TO PAY, AND THEN THE CITY WAS OBLIGATED TO PAY THE OTHER HALF.
AFTER THE FIRST 10 YEAR TERM ENDED, UH, ROUGHLY 10 YEARS AGO, UM, THE CITY APPROACHED LA COUNTY FIRE AND SAID, WOULD YOU LIKE TO RENEW? WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU STAY AS OUR FIRE PROVIDER.
WERE YOU INTERESTED IN RENEWING FOR ANOTHER 10 YEARS? AND THEY SAID, ABSOLUTELY, WE'RE GOOD WITH THE SAME TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
WE'LL CONTINUE A 50 50 COST SHARE ARRANGEMENT, AND WE'LL KEEP, UH, INTACT WHAT WE'VE BEEN, UH, HAVING IN PLACE SINCE 2005 AND WHICH WAS WORKED OUT BE BEST FOR BOTH AGENCIES.
ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF OR SO AGO, JUST UNDER TWO YEARS AGO, WE APPROACHED LA COUNTY FIRE AGAIN WITH THE NEXT 'CAUSE THE 10 YEAR TERM WAS EXPIRING AND SAID, HEY, AGAIN, WE'RE INTERESTED IN DOING ANOTHER 10 YEAR EXTENSION.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK.
AND GOING INTO THAT DISCUSSION, WE KNEW THAT LA COUNTY FIRE WAS LIKELY TO
[00:25:01]
BE ASKING FOR SOME COST INCREASES, RIGHT? WE'RE COMING OUT OF COVID, COSTS ARE GOING UP EVERYWHERE.LABOR SHORTAGES ARE IMPACTING A LOT OF AGENCIES.
SO WE HAD ACTUALLY SET ASIDE, EVEN THOUGH THE ANNUAL COST INCREASE WITH LA COUNTY FIRE ON AVERAGE EVERY YEAR WAS AROUND ANYWHERE FROM TWO TO 4%, DEPENDING ON THE YEAR, WE ACTUALLY SET ASIDE 15% IN THE BUDGET, ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS TO BE AVAILABLE TO PAY A HIGHER CONTRACT COST AND TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL.
BUT IT, IT TOOK ONE MEETING TO FIND OUT THAT THIS, THAT DISCUSSION WAS GONNA BE FAR DIFFERENT.
UM, STAFF FROM LA COUNTY SAT WITH US AND SAID, LISTEN, WE LOVE LAHABRA.
WE WANNA KEEP SERVICING LAHABRA.
WE CAN NO LONGER PROVIDE A 50 50 COST SHARE.
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, THEY SAID, IT'S NOT JUST YOU, IT'S ALL OF OUR CONTRACT CITIES WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THIS HARD CONVERSATION WITH.
SO WE LOOKED AT THEM AND SAID, OKAY, WELL WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? THEY SAID IT WAS GONNA BE A HUNDRED PERCENT COST OR WE'RE GONNA TERMINATE YOUR CONTRACT.
SO THAT WOULD'VE TAKEN US FROM A $10 MILLION A YEAR AT THE TIME, CONTRACT COST TO 20 MILLION FOR THE SAME FOUR FIRE STATIONS.
SO NO ENHANCED SERVICE, BUT TWICE THE COST.
SO OBVIOUSLY, UM, THAT WAS A CHALLENGE THAT THE CITY'S BUDGET COULD NOT EASILY ACCOMMODATE.
WE SAT DOWN, UH, WITH COUNCIL IN, IN THIS COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON A COUPLE OCCASION, UPDATING THE PUBLIC AND, AND COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL WITH THE STATUS AND NEGOTIATIONS.
COUNCIL DIRECTED US TO KEEP TRYING TO NEGOTIATE AN EXTENSION WITH LA COUNTY AND COME BACK WITH OPTIONS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE OPTIONS ENDED UP BEING, UM, THAT WE WOULD NEGOTIATE ANOTHER 10 YEAR EXTENSION WITH LA COUNTY FIRE.
THEY AGREED TO A COST SHARE FOR ONE OF THE THREE FIRE STATIONS THAT WE KEPT.
THE FIRE STATION THAT WE WERE OKAY AT CLOSING WAS THE NEW ONE THAT WAS BUILT ON BEACH BOULEVARD.
AND THEY FLAT OUT SAID, IF YOU TRY TO CLOSE THAT FIRE STATION, WE'RE GONNA TERMINATE THE CONTRACT.
SO THE FIRE STATION THAT ENDED UP BEING CLOSED WAS FIRE STATION 1 93 ON IDAHO, CLOSING THAT FIRE STATION SAVED ABOUT $5 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL COSTS.
SO JUST UNDER TWO YEARS AGO, WE WERE PAYING $10 MILLION A YEAR FOR FOUR FIRE STATIONS.
THIS FISCAL YEAR WE'RE PAYING ALMOST 14 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR THREE FIRE STATIONS WASN'T WHAT NECESSARILY COUNCIL WANTED TO DO, BUT WE UNDERSTOOD THAT TO KEEP LA COUNTY FIRE AND MAKE SURE WE STILL HAD HIGH QUALITY FIRE SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY, IT WAS GONNA TAKE SOME SACRIFICE.
FORTUNATELY, WE PIVOTED, UH, AT FIRE STATION 1 93.
WE NOW HAVE OUR, UH, THAT USE, WE USE THAT BUILDING FOR OUR AMBULANCE OPERATIONS FACILITY.
WE DISPATCH AN AMBULANCE OUTTA THAT FACILITY.
AND MOST RECENTLY, THE POLICE CHIEF HAS RELOCATED OUR TRAFFIC DIVISION TO OPERATE OUT OF THAT FACILITY.
SO IT GIVES US A, ESSENTIALLY A POLICE SUBSTATION NOW IN THE CITY.
'CAUSE WE WANTED TO CONTINUE USING THAT BUILDING.
BUT BECAUSE OF THESE HIGHER COSTS FOR LA COUNTY FIRE, AND BY THE WAY, BECAUSE OF THE CONTRACT PROVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR 20 YEARS, THERE'S A 4% ANNUAL, UH, CAP ON FEE ESCALATIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS AGO, UH, THE MAXIMUM THE CONTRACT COULD HAVE GONE UP WAS ABOUT 400,000.
NOW AT THE VALUE THE CONTRACTS IS THAT CONTRACT COST CAN GO UP BY $600,000 A YEAR.
UM, SO BECAUSE OF THESE HIGHER COSTS AND ON TOP OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE APPROACHING QUICKLY THE EXPIRATION OF MEASURE T MEASURE T WAS ENACTED BY VOTERS IN LAHABRA IN 2008.
IT'S A HALF CENT LOCAL TAX SALES TAX, UH, ADD-ON, UH, FOR LAHABRA ONLY.
SO, UM, IN THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS WITH COUNCIL, WE SAID WE NEED TO START ADJUSTING FOR THE LOSS OF THAT TAX.
SO OUT OF THAT DISCUSSION, DURING THE BUDGET COUNCIL DIRECTED STAFF STUDY, ADDITIONAL POTENTIAL BUDGET SAVINGS MEASURES, STUDY, ADDITIONAL POTENTIAL REVENUE ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE COULD LOOK AT, COME BACK WITH A REPORT.
SO IN PREPARATION, UM, AND IF I COULD SEE, UH, SLIDE TWO PLEASE.
UM, YEAH, SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE LA COUNTY.
UM, AND THEN, UM, CAN I GET THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? SO, IN PREPARATION FOR THIS REPORT, STAFF REVIEWED, UM, WORK THAT WAS DONE BY PRIOR FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEES.
SO CITY COUNCILS IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE FACED PRETTY SEVERE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS, UM, CALLED TOGETHER AN AD HOC GROUP OF RESIDENTS, UH, UM, LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS, UH, LEADERS IN THE NONPROFIT, UH, UM, GROUPS THAT WORK IN TOWN, UH, SERVICE CLUBS TO SIT DOWN AS A, AS A VOLUNTEER GROUP AND, UH, BE PRESENTED WITH THE CITY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, AUDITED FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS, MUNICIPAL BUDGETS, AND, UH, PRESENTED ALL THIS FISCAL INFORMATION TO THESE, UH, FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEES.
AND THEIR TASK WAS TO REVIEW, TO TAKE IN ALL THIS INFORMATION, LOOK AT THE CITY'S FINANCES, LOOK AT THE CITY'S BUDGETS, AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL IN THE STAFF REPORT TONIGHT.
UM, WE HIGHLIGHTED, UM, A NUMBER OF THE MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THESE FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEES, BOTH IN 2005 AND MORE
[00:30:01]
RECENTLY IN 2019, PROVIDED TO THE CITY COUNCILS AT THE TIME.OVER THE YEARS, THE CITY COUNCILS PRIOR TO THE CITY COUNCIL, INCLUDING THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2005, ENACTED A NUMBER, A LARGE NUMBER OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
IN FACT, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE HELPED GUIDE US ON SOME OF THE THINGS YOU SEE TODAY THAT WE DO AS A CITY, EITHER AS, UH, COST CONTAINMENT OR LOOKING TO CONTRACT OUT CERTAIN SERVICES OR IN THE WAY WE TRY TO RECOUP, UM, UH, FEES TO THE CITY.
ALL THOSE CAME OUT OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEES BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES THAT LOOKED AT EVERYTHING AND CAME UP WITH SOME PRETTY UNIQUE IDEAS, MANY OF WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, ENACT.
SO BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY BOTH OF THE FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEES BACK IN 2005 AND MOST RECENTLY 2019 STAFF, TONIGHT'S RECOMMENDING FOUR OPTIONS FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION AND DIRECTION.
THE FIRST ONE IS, IS A FAIRLY OBVIOUS ONE.
THIS IS ONE THAT WE'VE DONE ROUTINELY OVER THE YEARS, UM, WHEN WE'VE HAD SERVICE, UH, UM, PROVISION ISSUES OR LOOKING AT WAYS OF COST CUTTING.
THE FIRST ONE IS TO DIRECT STAFF TO CONTINUE.
AND IF YOU COULD GO TO THE SLIDE, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, BRIANNA, AFTER THIS ONE.
THE NEXT ONE IS, IS, UH, IS THE FIRST ONE IS TO DIRECT STAFF TO CONTINUE EVALUATING, UH, POTENTIAL, UH, OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES.
YOU KNOW, LOOK FOR WAYS THAT, UM, WE CAN, UH, EITHER OUTSOURCE, UH, OUR, SOME OF OUR EXPENSES OR OPERATIONS OR INSOURCE, THOSE BRING, UH, WAYS TO, UM, WHERE WE PROVIDE SERVICE TO OTHER AGENCIES AND, AND ARE ABLE TO MAKE MONEY DOING THAT OR LOOK FOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES.
SO OUR FIRST RECOMMENDATION TO DIRECT STAFF TO CONTINUE EVALUATING THOSE OPTIONS AND BRING THOSE OPTIONS BACK TO CITY COUNCIL AS INDIVIDUAL RECOMMENDATIONS ARE CRAFTED ONCE WE'VE STUDIED THOSE.
THE SECOND ONE, AND THIS IS FAR MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE I KNOW THE IMPACT IT'S HAVING, HAVING ON THE ORGANIZATION ALREADY.
YOU KNOW, DESPITE THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVING NINE, UH, FROZEN POSITIONS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET THAT WE FROZE ACROSS MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, OUR RECOMMENDATION RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE CONSIDER ADDITIONAL TARGETED VACANCIES BEING FROZEN, UM, DESPITE THEM BEING BUDGETED THIS YEAR.
JIM, IS THERE A SLIDE THAT REPRESENTS THIS? NO, FOR THE AUDIENCE? NO, THIS IS JUST, THIS IS JUST, UH, UH, INFORMATION ON SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE'VE GOTTEN.
AND I'LL, AND I'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN A SECOND.
SO, UM, CONSIDERING, UH, FREEZING THOSE TAR, UH, TARGETED, UH, POSITIONS, INCLUDING, UH, ANY POTENTIAL VACANT, UH, PUBLIC SWORN PUBLIC SAFETY POSITIONS, THE REASON FOR THAT IS IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE HAD, WHEN WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT, UM, FISCAL CHALLENGES COMING UP, HAVING THOSE VACANT POSITIONS PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY TO THE CITY AND BUDGETING.
AND WE CAN USE THOSE VACANCIES IF WE HAVE TO, TO FURTHER CUT NEXT YEAR TO BE ABLE TO ELIMINATE SOME OF THOSE FROZEN POSITIONS INSTEAD OF DISPLACING ANY BODIES, YOU KNOW, AND INSTEAD OF HAVING TO LOOK AT POTENTIAL STAFFING, UH, REDUCTIONS WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE EMPLOYED IN THOSE POSITIONS.
UM, THE THIRD, UM, RECOMMENDATION IS A DIRECT STAFF TO INITIATE A COMPREHENSIVE FEE STUDY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, PROVIDE A NUMBER OF SERVICES IN THE CITY THAT ARE FEE-BASED, UH, FOR FOLKS THAT ARE LOOKING TO, UM, HAVE CERTAIN SERVICES PROVIDED TO THEM.
AND, AND THE CITIES ARE ALLOWED TO RECOUP, UH, ANYWHERE UP TO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE COST OF THOSE SERVICES SO THAT THEY'RE NOT BORN OR SUBSIDIZED BY THE, UH, GENERAL FUND.
AND THE CITY COUNCILS OVER THE PAST DECADE HAVE BEEN FAIRLY ADAMANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE RECOUPING A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THAT COST.
THIS ENTAILS HIRING A CONSULTANT TO COME DO A FULL, UH, FEE STUDY AND, AND, UH, A COST, UM, ALLOCATION STUDY.
AND THEN THAT REPORT WOULD THEN COME BACK TO COUNCIL AT A LATER DATE, UH, FOR APPROVAL.
UM, AND THAT WILL TAKE A WHILE.
THAT'S A EXTENSIVE PROCESS TO DO.
WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT, UH, FEE-BASED, UH, PROGRAMS AND STUDY EACH ONE.
THE LAST ONE, UM, IS TO PLACE A MEASURE ON THE NOVEMBER, 2024 BALLOT TO RENEW THE CITY'S EXPIRING, UH, LOCAL SALES TAX, UH, THE LOCAL TRANSACTION AND USE TAX IN LA HARE'S.
HALF A CENT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO PLACE A MEASURE ON THE BALLOT FOR THE VOTERS TO CONSIDER THAT WOULD RENEW THAT AT 1 CENT INSTEAD OF HALF CENT.
SO IT'D GO FROM HALF CENT TO 1 CENT.
IT GOES TOWARDS FUNDING, UH, SERVICES ACROSS ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UM, RIGHT NOW, UM, 70% OF THE GENERAL FUND IS, UH, BUDGETED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO ARGUABLY 70% OF THE EXISTING TAX, UH, HALF CENTS GOING TOWARDS PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND IF APPROVED AT 1 CENT, UH, A VERY LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THAT WOULD, BY DEF DEFINITION BE ALLOCATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO, TALKING ABOUT MEASURE T, UH, A BIT.
SO, UM, THE REASON MEASURE T EVEN EXISTS TODAY IS IN 2007, THE CITY PRIOR TO 2007, AND I LIVED HERE AT THE TIME, I WASN'T WORKING FOR THE CITY, BUT THERE, UH, I'M SORRY I WAS AT THE TIME, BUT BEFORE 20 2007, THERE WAS A FAIRLY, I'LL SAY, UNPOPULAR LOCAL TAX.
AND IT WAS A UTILITY USER TAX.
IT APPLIED TO PEOPLE'S, UH, ELECTRIC BILLS, UH, NATURAL GAS BILLS.
TELEPHONE, UM, ACCOUNTS WAS NOT A POPULAR TAX.
AND THAT TAX HAD AN EXPIRATION
[00:35:01]
DATE IN 2007, AND THE VOTERS DECIDED NOT TO RENEW THAT TAX.UM, A YEAR LATER THOUGH, REALIZING THAT THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF LOCAL REVENUE FOR CITY OPERATIONS, A MEASURE WAS PLACED IN FRONT OF THE VOTERS, UH, WHICH WAS MEASURE T IN 2008, WHICH BASICALLY ACTED AS A REPLACEMENT FOR THE UTILITY USER TAX.
AND IN THIS CASE, IT WAS A LOCAL HALF CENT SALES TAX MEASURE.
UM, THAT MEASURE WAS PLACED ON THE BALLOT, AND IT WAS APPROVED BY VOTERS, AND IT WAS ENACTED.
AND THAT REVENUE THEN, UM, GENERATED ABOUT 80% OF WHAT WE, UH, THE CITY LOST IN UTILITY TAX.
SO IT WASN'T A ONE FOR ONE REPLACEMENT, IT WAS A LITTLE LESS.
SO IT REQUIRED, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY BUDGET REDUCTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD STILL BE BALANCED WITH THE LOWER LEVEL OF REVENUE.
BUT IT WAS A VERY EFFECTIVE REPLACEMENT FOR THE UTILITY USER TAX BECAUSE IT CONTINUED A LOCALLY, UH, CONTROLLED SOURCE OF REVENUE.
SO, UM, MANY CITIES IN ORANGE COUNTY HAVE A DIVERSE RANGE OF LOCAL, UH, SOURCES OF TAX REVENUES TO SUPPORT MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS.
THEY INCLUDE, LIKE WHAT CITY OF LAHABRA HAS, WHICH IS A LOCAL HALF CENT TRANSACTION AND USE TAX OR A SALES TAX.
UM, MANY CITIES STILL HAVE UTILITY USER TAXES, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
THERE'S STILL, UH, IN A NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONS, MOST CITIES, I THINK IN ORANGE COUNTY HAVE HOTEL TAXES.
THEY'RE CALLED TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAXES, AND THEY'RE APPLIED AGAINST THE HOTELS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.
IT COULD RANGE FROM ANYWHERE FROM 6% OF THE ROOM RATE ALL THE WAY UP TO 12 OR 14%.
UM, AND DEPENDING ON THE JURISDICTIONS, AND A NUMBER OF CITIES HAVE PROPERTY BASED PARCEL TAXES THAT GO TO PAY FOR VERY SPECIFIC TYPES OF SERVICES.
IT COULD BE THAT YOU'RE IN A, A CITY THAT, UM, YOUR FIRE SERVICES ARE NOT PAID FOR BY THE CITY.
IT'S PAID FOR FROM WHAT'S CALLED A STRUCTURAL FIRE FUND OR A PARCEL TAX, UH, THAT'S COLLECTED BY ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY.
AND THAT GETS USED TO PAY FOR FIRE SERVICES IN THAT JURISDICTION.
AND A NUMBER OF CITIES HAVE MULTIPLE TYPES OF LOCAL TAXES.
THEY COULD HAVE A UTILITY TAX AND A TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX.
SO IT DEPENDS ON THE JURISDICTION.
IN, IN, UM, IN THIS, IN THIS, IN THE COUNTY, LAHABRA RIGHT NOW IS ONE OF 10 CITIES IN ORANGE COUNTY THAT CURRENTLY HAS A LOCAL SALES TAX MEASURE.
UM, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, BACK IN 2000 AND UH, EIGHT, THERE WERE ONLY A COUPLE, MAYBE A HANDFUL OF CITIES, UH, THAT HAD A, A LOCAL TRANSACTION IN USE TAX LIKE LA HARBOR DID.
TODAY, THERE ARE 10 CITIES IN ORANGE COUNTY THAT CURRENTLY HAVE A LOCAL TAX MEASURE, AND THERE'S TWO CITIES THAT ARE, UH, HAVE BALLOT MEASURES ON IN THE NOVEMBER, UH, ELECTION THAT, UM, DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE A LOCAL TRANSACTION AND USE TAX THAT IF THOSE ARE APPROVED, THAT WOULD EXPAND THE LIST FROM 10 TO 12 CITIES.
CURRENTLY, THOUGH, THE CITY OF LA HARE'S LOCAL, UH, TRANSACTION TAXES IS THE LOWEST OF THOSE 10 CITIES, THAT HALF A CENT, SIX OF THE CITIES HAVE A 1 CENT, UH, TAX ON THEIR BOOKS, AND THREE HAVE A ONE AND A HALF CENT, UH, TAX ON THEIR BOOKS.
UM, LAHABRA, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY GOING ON 20 YEARS.
I STARTED OFF AS A FINANCE DIRECTOR, UH, BECAME THE CITY MANAGER, UM, ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO.
AND I'LL SAY THAT THE CITY OF LA HABRA HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CITY OF WHAT I WOULD CALL MODEST FINANCIAL MEANS.
YOU KNOW, UM, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE BEACH BOULEVARD IN OUR CITY, IT'S NOT THE OCEAN FRONT BEACH THAT GENERATES, YOU KNOW, $60 MILLION, UH, BLUFF SIDE, UH, RESIDENCES FOR, UH, FOR VALUATION.
UM, BUT DESPITE ITS, ITS MODEST, UH, MEANS THE CITY HAS ALWAYS DONE A GOOD JOB STRETCHING ITS RESOURCES AS FAR AS POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE A FULL RANGE OF SERVICES.
WE ARE A MATURE, UH, MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
WE PROVIDE FULL SERVICE IN THE FORM OF FULL SERVICE POLICING, UH, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A CONTRACT FIRE, IT'S FULL SERVICE CONTRACT FIRE BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING FOR THAT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, COMMUNITY SERVICES.
WE'RE ONE OF THE ONLY CITIES, I THINK WE'RE ONE OF TWO CITIES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY THAT STILL RUNS A CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO.
UM, THAT'S NOT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY PROVIDES AS A, AS A, AS A GRANT FUNDED PROGRAM.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE STRETCH EVERY DOLLAR WE CAN GET.
WE CHASE AFTER GRANTS, UM, AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
THE TWO SPLASH PADS THAT WE'RE VERY CON FORTUNATE TO HAVE IN THIS CITY CAME FROM A GRANT THAT SENATOR NEWMAN WAS ABLE TO, TO PROVIDE TO THE CITY, AND WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD SPLASH PADS.
SO WE TRY TO GO AFTER GRANTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AND WE TRY TO LEVERAGE THE GENERAL FUND AGAINST GRANTS TO MAXIMIZE OUR, OUR FUNDING.
THE MAJOR ADVANTAGE THAT WE'VE HAD.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, DESPITE MAYBE NOT BEING ON THE COAST OR NOT HAVING A BIG AMUSEMENT PARK IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR CITY THAT BRINGS IN TOURISM OR, OR, OR SPORTS STADIUMS, OR EVEN HAVING A FREEWAY THROUGH OUR CITY THAT I DON'T THINK YOU WANT A FREEWAY IN YOUR CITY.
BUT THAT DOES GENERATE A LOT OF BUSINESS AND A LOT OF, UH, POTENTIAL COMMERCE.
DESPITE ALL THOSE, WE ARE EXTRAORDINARILY WELL SITUATED IN THE COUNTY.
WE, WE SIT IN THE NORTHWEST, UM, MOST CORNER OF THE ORANGE COUNTY, AND WE'RE BORDERED BY LOS ANGELES COUNTY ON TWO SIDES.
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THAT EFFECTIVELY HAS DONE OVER THE YEARS, ESPECIALLY SINCE MEASURE T WAS PUT IN PLACE, IS THAT IT GIVES US ACCESS AS A, AS A COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, GIVES US ACCESS TO A HUGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT COME TO LA HARRA EVERY SINGLE DAY.THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, AND THAT PEOPLE THAT COME FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY TO SHOP IN LA HARRA TO EAT IN LA HARRA, TO GO TO THE BOWLING ALLEY, TO GO TO THE THEATER, TO RECREATE IN LA HABRA AND SPEND, UH, MONEY IN LAHABRA TO HELP SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
AND THEN BY DEF DEFINITION, BECAUSE OF THE LOCAL TAX, THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE SPENT IN LA HABRA GET TO GO RIGHT BACK INTO LA HABRA SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, STREETS, PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC WORKS, AND WE'RE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THAT ADVANTAGE OF WHERE WE ARE, UH, PHYSICALLY, UH, LOCATED IN THIS CORNER OF THE COUNTY.
YEARS AGO, UH, THE COUNTY, I THINK THE CITY COUNCILS EVEN BACK IN THE LATE NINETIES, SAW THAT ADVANTAGE.
I REMEMBER THE OLD BUFFS AND BULLOCKS SHOPPING CENTERS AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO DO RE REDEVELOPMENT.
UH, AND YOU SAW, UH, SHOPPING CENTERS LIKE THE MARKETPLACE GET BUILT.
YOU SAW, UH, THE SHOPPING, UH, CENTER LIKE, UM, UH, THE WESTWARD SHOPPING CENTER GET BUILT.
UM, AND THEN I REMEMBER, AND THIS WAS BEFORE MY TIME WITH THE CITY, BUT THE CITY PUT IN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO ATTRACT COSTCO TO COME TO LAHABRA AND SECURED COSTCO.
AND COSTCO HAS BEEN BY FAR ONE OF OUR HIGHEST, YOU KNOW, HUGE EMPLOYER IN TOWN, AND ALSO ONE OF OUR BEST SALES TAX PRODUCERS.
IT BRINGS PEOPLE IN FROM ALL OVER TO SHOP IN LA HABRA.
AND BY INVESTING IN THOSE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS, IT CREATED A SUSTAINABLE SOURCE OF LOCAL FUNDING THAT THE CITY COUNCILS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PUT BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.
SO THIS COMBINATION OF A STRONG RETAIL PRESENCE IN THE CITY, ALONG WITH THE LOCAL VOTER APPROVED TAX MEASURES BACK IN 2008, HAS GIVEN US THE FUNDING THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT LOCAL SERVICES WITH.
AND IN THIS LAST YEAR, 70% OF THE GENERAL FUNDS GOING TOWARDS PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, THIS FISCAL YEAR MEASURE T IS EXPECTED TO GENERATE ABOUT $7.8 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 13% OF THE GENERAL FUND'S REVENUE BASE.
AND I, AS I MENTIONED, IS, IS SCHEDULED TO EXPIRE IN 2028 IF THE CITY COUNCIL CHOOSES TO PLACE A MEASURE, UH, AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF ON THE BALLOT FROM NOVEMBER.
AND IF THAT, UH, MEASURE IS APPROVED BY VOTERS, THE NEW TAX, WHICH WOULD GO FROM HALF CENT TO 1 CENT, UM, WILL GENERATE APPROXIMATELY 15.6 MILLION OR 7.8 TIMES TWO.
IT WOULD DOUBLE THE 7.8 TO 15.6 MILLION.
THAT ADDITIONAL 7.8 MILLION IN FUNDING COULD BE DEPENDING ON COUNCIL'S DIRECTION, GO, UM, LARGELY TO, TO, UH, REVERSE MANY OF THE BUDGET CUTS WE HAD TO MAKE THIS LAST YEAR, ESPECIALLY THE FROZEN POSITIONS THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR OPERATIONS OR, OR CAN GO INTO CAPITAL PROJECTS, IT CAN GO INTO OTHER SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO IN, IN LOOKING AT THIS, AND WHAT WE TRY TO DO EVERY FEW YEARS IS WE TRY TO GO OUT WITH A, UM, COMMUNITY SATISFACTION SURVEYS, AND ALSO TO PULL THE COMMUNITY TO SEE WHAT PRIORITIES ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE WE THINK AS STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL GIVES US DIRECTION AND, AND GOALS OF WHAT WE THINK ARE THE PRIORITIES, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THOSE LINE UP WITH WHAT THE COMMUNITY THINKS.
SO WE'VE BEEN DOING OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY.
MANY OF YOU, IF YOUR RESIDENTS IN TOWN, PROBABLY RECEIVED A JOIN THE CONVERSATION CARD FROM US ASKING YOU TO, TO FILL IT OUT AND PROVIDE US WITH SOME SORT OF FEEDBACK ON WHAT YOU THOUGHT YOUR PRIORITIES WERE FOR THE COMMUNITY, WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO YOU AS RESIDENTS AND, UH, OF THE CITY, WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO YOU AS BUSINESSES.
I PERSONALLY MADE A NUMBER OF PRE PRESENTATIONS TO COMMUNITY GROUPS.
UH, UM, THE CHAMBER WAS, UH, KIND ENOUGH TO INVITE ME TO PRESENT TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, AND, AND PRESENT TO SOME OF THEIR MEMBERS ABOUT THE CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING, AND, UH, REALLY TRY TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET THIS FEEDBACK BACK TO US AS STAFF SO WE CAN FORMULATE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION.
SO, IN APRIL OF 23, WE WENT OUT WITH, UM, A SURVEY TO THE PUBLIC AND ASKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY FELT, DID, THEY FELT, DID THEY FEEL THAT THERE WAS, UH, ANY, A GREATER SUM NEED FOR THE CITY TO HAVE, UH, SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES, UH, TO, UH, UH, SIGN, SIGN SIGNIFICANT NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO PROVIDE LOCAL SERVICES.
AND AT THE TIME, THE GRADE AND, AND SOME NEED, UH, POLLED AT 65% OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR, AS THE PUBLIC HAS HEARD ABOUT THE, THE, UM, CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING WITH OUR BUDGET, ESPECIALLY ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE.
WHEN RE POLLED, UH, HERE ABOUT A MONTH AGO, THAT WENT FROM 65 UP TO 74%.
'CAUSE I THINK WE WERE STARTING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, GOOD INFORMATION AND GOOD DATA TO THE PUBLIC SO THAT THEY HAD AN INFORMED, UH, UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY'S FINANCES.
SO WITH THAT, UM, WE CRAFTED A SAMPLE BALLOT, UH, MESS, UH, UH, UH, I'M SORRY, UH, SI, UH, SAMPLE BALLOT, UH, SUMMARY THAT WAS PROVIDED TO VOTERS, UH, TO, UM, IN THAT TOOK THE SURVEY TO CONSIDER, UH, IN THEIR RESPONSES.
[00:45:01]
IT BASICALLY INDICATED A RENEWAL OF THE RE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE CITY'S LOCAL TRANSACTION AND USE TAX OR SALES TAX AT THE 1 CENT RATE.AND WE ALSO DISCLOSED HOW MUCH THAT WOULD GENERATE.
SO BASED ON THAT INFORMATION AND KNOWING, UH, THE FISCAL CHALLENGES THE CITY FACED, UM, 65% OF THE RESPONDENTS, UM, EITHER LEANED YES, WERE PROBABLY YES, OR DEFINITELY YES IN THEIR SUPPORT, UM, BASED ON, UM, UNDERSTANDING THE, THE FISCAL CHALLENGES THE CITY WAS FACING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT CAME TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE.
SO WHAT, WHAT WE DO IN THESE SURVEYS IS WE ALSO ASK RESIDENTS, TELL US WHAT YOU FEEL ARE VERY, EXTREMELY OR VERY IMPORTANT TO YOU AS FAR AS THE TYPE OF SERVICES WE PROVIDE.
THESE ARE THE HIGHEST, UM, RATED OR THE HIGHEST, UH, POLLED RESULTS.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT I'M GUESSING THAT MOST OF THESE ARE CONSISTENT ACROSS ALMOST ANY CITY YOU GO TO, RIGHT? PUBLIC SAFETY TENDS TO RESONATE THE HIGHEST AMONGST RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES BECAUSE KNOWING THAT SOMEONE IS GONNA SHOW UP WHEN YOU CALL 9 1 1 IN A TIMELY FASHION TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS YOUR NEEDS IS ALWAYS A PRIMARY CONCERN, AND IS REALLY WHERE THIS GOVERNMENT ENTITY SPENDS MOST OF ITS MONEY TO, TO PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE.
UM, MAKING SURE THAT THE TAX IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH, UH, THE RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON WHAT IT CAN BE USED FOR AS FAR AS APPLIED TO AGAINST FOR GROCERIES AND, AND FOOD, UH, WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CITY'S LOCAL TAX IS GUIDED BY THE STATE'S RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT IT APPLIES TO.
SO WHATEVER THE STATE SAYS IS EXEMPT, THIS TAX IS EXEMPT FROM AS WELL.
UH, AS FAR AS BEING ASSESSED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE, THE WILDFIRES WE'RE SEEING RECENTLY AND ALWAYS WITH THIS THREAT OF AN EARTHQUAKE IN CALIFORNIA, OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THE CITIES WERE READY TO ADDRESS THOSE, UM, THOSE KIND OF, UH, DISASTERS.
AND THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT COME OUT OF THIS.
ONE, WHEN YOU RE REACT TO A DISASTER, YOU'VE GOT THE INITIAL RESPONSE AND THE COST RELATED TO THAT.
BUT THE REALITY IS, SOMETIMES EVEN IF THERE'S FEMA REIMBURSEMENTS OR STATE REIMBURSEMENTS, THEY DON'T COME SOMETIMES FOR YEARS.
AND I, I'LL GIVE YOU A GOOD EXAMPLE.
WHEN TUSTIN HAD THAT HANGAR BURN, THE CITY OF TUSTIN MOBILIZED A LOT OF RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THAT, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T THEIR PROPERTY, IT WAS ON, I THINK, NAVY PROPERTY.
AND THEY'RE STILL TO THIS DAY TRYING TO WORK OUT GETTING REIMBURSED FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THEY PUT OUT.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE SUFFICIENT RESERVES TO BE ABLE TO PUT UP AND, AND ADVANCE TO ADDRESS AN IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY NEED, EVEN THOUGH THOSE REIMBURSEMENTS MAY TAKE A WHILE, UH, RETAINING OR ATTRACTING POLICE OFFICERS.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, THAT IS A ALWAYS A CHALLENGE.
I MEAN, THE, THE LEVEL, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CAN MAKE IT THROUGH AN ACADEMY AND MAKE IT AS A POLICE OFFICER FROM THE HUNDREDS OF APPLICATIONS YOU MIGHT GET DOWN TO THE ACTUAL FOLKS THAT MAKE IT AFTER A YEAR ON THE JOB.
IT'S PROBABLY A SMALL FRACTION OF THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT DON'T MAKE IT IN THIS CAREER.
AND LET ME TELL YOU, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T LOOK AT POLICING AS A CAREER ANYMORE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN BRING THE BEST INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND HAVE THE BEST POLICE OFFICERS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A HIGH PRIORITY.
UH, PROTECTING GROUNDWATER SUPPLIES THIS LAST YEAR HAS BEEN TREMENDOUSLY DIFFICULT FOR US ON STORM DRAIN, UH, ISSUES.
WE HAD TWO BACK TO BACK YEARS OF HEAVY RAINFALL.
WE HAVE A HUNDRED YEAR OLD CITY, AND I'M GUESSING SOME OF OUR STORM CHANNELS ARE PROBABLY THREE QUARTERS OF THAT AGE, 60, 70-YEAR-OLD CORRUGATED METAL PIPES THAT ARE FAILING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT USED TO THIS AMOUNT OF WATER BACK TO BACK SO QUICKLY.
WE'VE HAD MIL, UH, LITERALLY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN EXPENSE IN REPAIRING, UH, STORM CHANNELS AND, AND STORM DRAINS AND STORM CHANNELS ARE NOT, UM, FUNDED BY USUALLY FROM ANY KIND OF GRANTS.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT GETTING A GRANT FOR THAT.
THAT'S A GENERAL FUND EXPENSE.
AND THEN MAINTAINING STAFFING LEVELS AND MAINTAINING ANTI, UH, GANG DRUG AND ANTI-DRUG PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE PROVIDED A LOT OF INFORMATION TO FOLKS SO THEY UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE IMPACTS THAT WE'VE DEALT WITH.
UH, STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS NOTORIOUS ON TRYING TO FIX THEIR OWN BUDGET PROBLEMS ON THE BACK OF CITIES.
UM, THEY HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, EITHER PASSED UNFUNDED MANDATES THAT THEY SAY CITIES HAVE TO DO NOW WITHOUT ANY KIND OF OFFSETTING COST, AND THAT BECOMES AN OBLIGATION OF CITIES TO NOW PAY FOR OUT OF POCKET, UM, OR THEY OUT AND OUT ELIMINATE CERTAIN PROGRAMS OR CERTAIN, UM, UM, UM, OPERATIONS THAT GENERATE FUND FOR CITIES.
UM, AND, AND SHIFT THOSE MONIES AROUND ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE'VE ALWAYS HAD ACCOUNTABILITY IN OUR MEASURE T OUR MEASURE T IS AUDITED EVERY YEAR.
WE HAVE INFORMATION WE PROVIDE IN OUR ANNUAL AUDITS OF HOW THAT MONEY IS COLLECTED AND SPENT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, UM, KEEPING PARAMEDIC SERVICES AND FIRE PROTECTION IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING A, A REVENUE BASE TO, TO PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF SER SERVICE, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE PAYING MORE AND TAKING A 27% CUT IN THE NUMBER OF FIREFIGHTERS, UM, THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY TODAY, UH, MAINTAINING THAT, AT LEAST AT THAT LEVEL IS IMPORTANT.
AND THEN GANGS AND DRUGS, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN AROUND THE CITY FOR A LONG TIME, I REMEMBER WHEN I WENT TO WHITTIER
[00:50:01]
CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL WHEN I WAS A KID, CITY IS DIFFERENT THEN THAN IT IS TODAY.I MEAN, THE TYPE OF GANGS THAT WE HAD IN THIS COMMUNITY BACK IN THE SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES, FAR DIFFERENT THAN WE HAVE TODAY.
AND THAT IS A TESTAMENT TO CITY COUNCILS OVER THE YEARS, UH, BEING VERY, UH, ASSERTIVE ABOUT WANTING PROGRAMS TO KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING.
BOTH, YOU KNOW, GETTING TO KIDS EARLY TO PREVENT THEM.
AND THEN DEALING WITH, UM, THE, THE, UM, ENFORCEMENT PART AND THEN THE PHENOMENAL JOB OUR CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE OVER THE YEARS, REALLY GETTING A HANDLE ON GANGS AND REALLY KEEPING IT TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY KNOWS WHO'S IN CHARGE AND, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S CONSEQUENCES.
AND AS A RESULT, WE HAVE A FAR DIFFERENT COMMUNITY TODAY THAN 20, 30 YEARS AGO.
AND THEN PREVENTING CUTS TO OTHER SERVICES, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WE SPEND 70 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR RIGHT NOW ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
THAT MEANS EVERYTHING ELSE, THE CITY DOES STREET IMPROVEMENTS, UM, UH, COMMUNITY EVENTS, UH, FIXING POTHOLES, MAINTAINING OUR PARKS COMES OUT OF THE 30 SE CENTS THAT'S LEFT.
AND THAT'S INCLUDES SUPPORT SERVICES LIKE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, HUMAN RESOURCES, OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS COME OUT OF THE 30 CENSUS LEFT A AFTER THE 70 CENTS GOES TOWARDS PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT STRETCHING EVERY DOLLAR, THAT'S WHERE THE STRETCH IS, RIGHT? AND DESPITE THAT, WE PROVIDE MOVIES IN THE PARK FOR FREE.
WE PROVIDE, UM, CONCERTS IN THE PARK.
WE HAVE SPLASH PADS THAT ARE OPEN, UH, TO THE PUBLIC.
AND WE HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK COUNCILS THROUGH THEIR, UH, GOALS OVER THE PAST WANT THE CITY TO PROVIDE BECAUSE THIS COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS WANTED AND DESERVES THOSE KIND OF PROGRAMS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE STRIVE TO PROVIDE.
AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AT THE END.
SO, UM, UH, IF YOU GET TO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, BRIANNA, THIS F FINAL SLIDE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY OUTREACH OVER THE LAST YEAR SHOWS THAT RESIDENTS DON'T WANT TO SEE SOME OF THE CRITICAL PROGRAMS THAT THEY FEEL ARE IMPORTANT.
AND IF LOCAL FUNDING IS NOT RENEWED, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE SOME PRETTY DIFFICULT BUDGET DECISIONS AS SOON AS THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UM, WE CAN LOOK AT OTHER COST SAVINGS MEASURES, UH, AND WE CAN TRY TO FIND OTHER COST SAVINGS, UH, UH, IN THE BUDGET AND EVEN OTHER REVENUE SOURCES.
I MEAN, THE CITY COUNCIL HAD APPROVED, UH, AFTER A VOTER INITIATIVE ON, UH, CANNABIS TAX.
WE HAVE CANNABIS LICENSING AND TAX HERE.
IT GENERATES ABOUT 40 OR $50,000 A YEAR.
IT'S NOT A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF REVENUE.
UM, SO, UH, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE ARE GONNA HELP ADDRESS THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF RISING LA COUNTY FIRE COSTS PLUS A SUNSET OF MEASURE T.
UM, SO OUR RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT, UH, IS THAT THE COUNCIL, IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I MENTIONED, UH, APPROVE THE PLACEMENT OF A NOVEMBER BALLOT TO THE LAW OF VOTERS, UH, UM, SO THAT THEY HAVE A, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON WHETHER OR NOT, UH, THEY FEEL THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS APPROPRIATE AND SHOULD GO TOWARDS THESE BASIC PUBLIC SERVICES.
AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, JIM, QUESTION FOR YOU THERE IS, UH, AND, AND YOU CAN BETTER EXPLAIN IT THAN I CAN, BUT, UH, THE STATE ALLOWS US, UH, ABOUT 2% FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, UH, OF A PERCENTAGE OF TO, FOR A SALES TAX FOR INSTANCE.
UM, HALF OF THAT, SO THERE'S 2%, HALF A CENT RIGHT NOW IS TAKEN BY OCTI THINK IT IS, AND THE OTHER HALF IS OUR MEASURE T.
SO THERE IS 1 CENT LEFT OR 1% LEFT.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT AS FAR AS HOW THAT, AND WE'RE ASKING FOR HALF OF THAT ONE RIGHT PERCENT.
SO IN ORANGE COUNTY, UM, THE, THE STATE LAW ALLOWS FOR A 2%, UH, LOCAL ADD-ON TAX, RIGHT? AND AS YOU MENTIONED, THE CITY OF LA HABRA HAS A HALF CENT OF THAT 2 CENTS, RIGHT? UM, WE'VE HAD THAT SINCE 2008.
THE OTHER HALF CENT, THEY PASSED MEASURE, UH, VOTERS IN ORANGE COUNTY PASSED MEASURE MA COUNTYWIDE MEASURE, PROBABLY LATE NINETIES.
I, I'D GUESS, UH, I, I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHEN, AND THAT, UH, HALF CENT IS APPLIED ACROSS ALL CITIES IN ORANGE COUNTY AND THAT HALF CENT'S COLLECTED BY OCTA AND THEN THEY TURN AROUND AND DOLE OUT GRANTS AND FUNDING TO CITIES FOR SPECIFICALLY ONLY FOR STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
IT'S GOTTA BE PUBLIC SAFETY, TRANS, I'M SORRY, TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS STRICTLY FOR, UH, ROAD SAFETY AND PAVING AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO IN LA HABER RIGHT NOW, THERE'S ADDITIONAL 1 CENT LEFT THAT'S NOT BEING UTILIZED, RIGHT? SO THE TOTAL, UH, TOTAL SALES TAX IN ORANGE COUNTY IS RIGHT NOW NINE AND A QUARTER PERCENT IS THE LIMIT.
UM, CITY OF LA HABO RIGHT NOW IS AT EIGHT AND A QUARTER PERCENT.
RIGHT? UM, AND IF THIS MEASURE WERE TO BE PUT ON THE BALLOT AND PASSED OUR CITY, UH, LOCAL TOTAL SALES TAX WOULD GO FROM EIGHT AND A QUARTER TO EIGHT AND THREE QUARTERS, BUT THAT WOULD LEAVE ANOTHER HALF CENT, THAT ADDITIONAL HALF CENT.
[00:55:01]
THE CITY HAS ACCESS TO THAT 'CAUSE WE'RE ONE OF THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, BUT ANY COUNTYWIDE JURISDICTION, OH, I DON'T WANNA SAY ANY, BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COUNTYWIDE JURISDICTIONS THAT COULD GO AFTER THAT ADDITIONAL HALF CENT.FOR INSTANCE, THE COUNTY OF ORANGE, UH, LA COUNTY'S A GOOD EXAMPLE.
LA COUNTY DID A, I THINK A COUNTYWIDE, UH, HOMELESS TAX, WHICH WAS BASICALLY AN A SALES TAX ADD-ON, UM, UH, UH, OCTA COULD DO ANOTHER, UM, TAX IF THEY WANTED TO IN THE FUTURE.
NOW THAT WOULD REQUIRE COUNTYWIDE APPROVAL OF VOTERS, 50% OF THE COUNTYWIDE APPROVAL.
UM, SO THERE ARE SOME JURISDICTIONS THAT COULD ACCESS THAT.
AND LET ME FOLLOW UP ON THAT REAL QUICK AND I APOLOGIZE, JIM, GO AHEAD.
SO ON THAT, UH, ON THAT HALF CENT, WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS BALLOTED, LET'S JUST FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT, SAY THAT IT'S NOT BALLOTED AND THAT HA AND WE DO NOT ASK FOR THAT, UH, THAT HALF SENT AND ONE OF THESE COUNTY ENTITIES, A COUNTY ENTITY OR VARIOUS COUNTY ENTITIES USED THAT LAST 1 CENT.
IN THE FUTURE, IF OUR RESIDENTS WANTED A REBA SUCH AN INITIATIVE, WOULD THERE BE, WOULD, WOULD THERE BE A PERCENTAGE LEFT FOR US OR NO, WITHOUT A CHANGE OF STATE LAW THAT WOULD CHANGE WHAT THAT LOCAL ALLOCATION IS THEN? I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
AND WOULD WE HAVE A SAY IN WHAT THESE COUNTY ENTITIES COULD DO WITH THAT 1% THE VOTERS WOULD, SO ON A COUNTYWIDE BALLOT MEASURE, IT WOULD HAVE TO, AND IT WOULD HAVE TO GET 50% PLUS ONE OF THE COUNTYWIDE APPROVAL.
RIGHT? SO THAT MEANS EVEN IF EVERY VOTER IN LAHABRA VOTED NO, BUT THERE WAS ENOUGH SUPPORT IN ALL THE OTHER CITIES IN IN ORANGE COUNTY TO PASS IT, IT WOULD BE ENACTED, RIGHT? AND THEN IT WOULD BE AFFECTED ACROSS ALL THE COUNTY.
UH, AS FAR AS THE SAY, IT DEPENDS ON HOW THE BALLOT MEASURE WOULD BE WRITTEN, UH, HOW THAT MONEY WOULD GET USED.
UM, HOW ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME INCREASING STAFF.
HOW HAS THE LEVEL OF INCREASING OUR SERVICES IN THE STAFFING LEVELS, DO YOU THINK THOSE CRITICS WOULD SAY THAT CITY HALLS LIKE FAT CATS OUT THERE? YEAH.
HOW WOULD YOU SAY OUR STAFFING LEVELS ARE AND HOW MUCH HAVE THE STAFFING LEVELS INCREASED OR DECREASED OR STAYED THE SAME OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS? I'D SAY, YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, THE STAFFING, THE, THE NUMBER OF, UM, POSITIONS BUDGETED TO BE FILLED THIS FISCAL YEAR IN THE GENERAL FUND ARE ACTUALLY LESS THAN BACK IN FISCAL YEAR 2007, 2008, WHEN MEASURE T WAS PUT IN PLACE.
THE ONE THING COUNCIL I THINK UNDERSTOOD BACK IN 2008 WAS MEASURE T WAS GETTING PASSED, BUT IT WAS GONNA GENERATE LESS REVENUE THAN THE UTILITY TAX WAS.
SO IMMEDIATELY WE STARTED LOOKING AT COST SAVINGS MEASURES.
OVER THE YEARS, THE COUNCIL HAS, YOU KNOW, PROVIDED SOME DISCRETION TO BE ABLE TO HIRE, LIKE FOR INSTANCE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING ON SOME NEW POLICE OFFICERS, BUT GENERALLY THROUGH, UH, FEDERAL GRANTS.
SO A FEDERAL GRANT WOULD COME AVAILABLE TO HIRE AN OFFICER FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME, AND THEN WE WOULD TRY TO CARVE IN MONEY TO THE BUDGET AFTER THAT GRANT EXPIRED AFTER TWO OR THREE YEARS TO TRY TO KEEP THAT POSITION ON.
BUT THE STAFFING LEVELS TODAY ARE HARDLY CHANGE, IF NOT LOWER THAN THEY WERE 20 YEARS AGO, 15 YEARS AGO NOW, AS I RECALL, UM, OVER 20 YEARS AGO, AND IT WAS PRIOR, UH, TO, UM, JUAN GAR, JUAN GARCIA HAPPENS TO BE THE ODDS FOR FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, WELL, STEVE SIMONIAN, UH, BACK THEN THEY REALIZED THAT WE NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING WITH OUR FIRE SERVICE TO PROVIDE, WE HAD AN AGING COMMUNITY AND TO PROVIDE THE VERY BEST SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WOULD IT NOT BE ACCURATE THAT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS TO US, UH, THE FIRST 20 YEARS? OH, ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN THAT, THAT 50 50 COST SHARING ARRANGEMENT WAS HIGHLY ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE CITY.
NOW, THERE MIGHT PEOPLE BE PEOPLE OUT THERE SAYING, WELL, THAT WAS TOO SWEET OF A DEAL FOR LAHABRA.
THE THING I WOULD SAY IS, AND I WASN'T HERE WHEN THAT DEAL WAS CRAFTED, BUT MY, I IMAGINE THAT LA COUNTY DIDN'T DO THAT OUT OF THEIR OWN GOODWILL.
I THINK THEY SAW LAHABRA AS A IDEAL LOCATION TO ALL OF A SUDDEN HAVE THREE EXISTING FIRE STATIONS AND A FOURTH ONE CUSTOM BUILT FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO CREATE SERVICE PROVISION INTO LA COUNTY OUTTA LA HABRA STATIONS.
RIGHT? SO NOW YOU CAN PROVIDE FIRE SERVICE INTO LA MORTA, UNINCORPORATED WHITTIER, THE CITY OF WHITTIER, EVEN INTO LA HABRA HEIGHTS OUT OF LA HARBOR STATIONS.
SO THERE WAS A HUGE ADVANTAGE AS WELL FOR THEM TO HAVE THAT, UH, PUT IN PLACE AND THEY WERE WILLING TO DO A 50 50 COST SHARE.
NOW, I'M NOT, I UNDERSTAND THAT LA COUNTY HAS THEIR OWN MAJOR FINANCIAL PROBLEMS, AND I'M PRETTY SURE THAT THAT'S WHAT'S DRIVING THEIR IMPETUS TO TELL ALL THE CONTRACT CITIES THAT THEY HAVE, UH, WITH THEM THAT YOU PAY YOUR FULL SHARE OR WE'RE, WE HAVE TO LEAVE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE OUR SITUATION ANY EASIER TO NOW WITHOUT ANY REAL ADVANCED NOTICE.
I MEAN, HAD THEY TOLD US WHEN WE RENEWED THE FIRST 10 YEARS, HEY, AFTER 10 YEARS, WE'RE REALLY GONNA PROBABLY HAVE TO DOWN, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THIS COST SHARE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU FIVE OR SIX YEARS TO START FIGURING THAT OUT.
WE COULD HAVE TRIED TO AT LEAST WORK THAT INTO OUR BUDGETS, OR AT LEAST FIGURE IT OUT A WAY TO HOW TO ACCOMMODATE THAT.
IT WAS, HEY, THIS IS THE NEW DEAL YOU'VE GOT TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT.
[01:00:01]
FIRST, FIRST 10 YEARS WE WENT AND IT WAS VERY SIMPLE.IT WAS VERY SIMPLE TO RENEW IT.
THEN THEY CAME THIS MOST RECENT ONE.
SO WHAT WOULD YOU SAY THOSE, TO THOSE, UH, CRITICS OUT THERE THAT SAID, HEY, WE'RE THE CITY COUNCIL'S INCOMPETENT, INCOMPETENT STAFF IS INCOMPETENT.
YOU GUYS SHOULD HAVE KNOWN AND SEEN THIS HAPPEN.
WERE WE NOT ALL BLINDSIDED IN YOUR OPINION? YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S SAYING THAT.
I WILL SAY THAT, UM, WE HAD NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE CONTRACT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN EXTENDED, UM, SAME AS WE HAD EXTENDED IT 10 YEARS PRIOR.
BUT WE DID KNOW THAT THERE WAS LIKELY COST INCREASES COMING.
THAT'S WHY WE SET ASIDE A 15% BUFFER IN OUR BUDGET TO ACCOMMODATE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE COUNTY.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY, ANY REASONABLE PERSON WOULD'VE EXPECTED LA COUNTY TO COME IN AND SAY, YOUR COSTS ARE GOING UP 100% EFFECTIVELY, IMMEDIATELY.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T SEE THAT IN REAL WORLD.
AND IN THIS CASE, AND, AND FOR THE RECORD, ALL OF US WERE HANDS ON DECK TRYING TO REACH OUT TO LA COUNTY FIRE, TRYING TO CRAFT THE BEST DEAL POSSIBLE, TRYING TO HAVE 'EM COME BACK TO THE TABLE AND PRETTY MUCH IT WAS A TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT SITUATION.
WAS THAT ACCURATE? YEAH, I, I, I'D SAY THAT OUTREACH HELPED.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, A A 50 50 SPLIT ON THE COST OF STATION 1 94, THE STATION THAT LA COUNTY WANTED TO KEEP.
UH, I THINK THE ARGUMENTS THAT WE MADE MADE THEM, UH, CAPITULATE A LITTLE BIT AND GIVE US A COST SHARE ON THAT STATION.
BUT OUR COST WENT UP AT ALL THE OTHER THREE STATIONS OR THE OTHER TWO STATIONS.
MAYOR PROAM, JUST, JUST CLARIFICATION.
UM, WHEN WE HAD THE, WHEN WE, WE HAVE THE HALF-CENT, UH, SALES TAX RIGHT NOW, THE INCREASE OF THE HALF-CENT THAT STAYS 100% IN LA HARA.
IT DOESN'T GO OUTSIDE TO THE BRIT OF THE COUNTY.
WHEREAS IF OCTA WANTED TO PUT ANOTHER HALF CENT, UH, TO THE VOTERS, IT WOULD GO TO THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
UM, IF WE WERE TO INCREASE OUR, UH, OUR SALES TAX TO ANOTHER HALF CENT, IT WOULD STATE COMPLETELY IN LA HARBOR FOR OUR USE.
A LOCAL TAX MEASURE APPROVED BY THE LA HARBOR VOTERS THAT'S BROUGHT BY COUNCIL.
THOSE FUNDS STAY IN LAHABRA, A COUNTY-WIDE TAX MEASURE.
DEPENDING ON THE MEASURE, IT COULD HAVE A DIFFERENT FORMULA ABOUT HOW THOSE FUNDS GET ALLOCATED.
AND, AND I WILL SAY, I MEAN THE CITY OF LAHABRA HAS BENEFITED FROM MEASURE M IMMENSELY.
I MEAN, WE'VE USED THOSE FUNDS TO HELP CONSTRUCT STREETS, REPAVE LAMBERT, UH, WE PUT THOSE FUNDS TO WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT, I I WOULD NEVER SAY THAT THAT TRANSACTION, UH, WAS A BAD DEAL FOR THE COUNTY.
I MEAN, IT'S HELPED RAISE OUR STREET.
I THINK OUR STREET INDEX 15, 18 YEARS AGO WAS PROBABLY IN THE MID SIXTIES, WHICH IS NOT GOOD
AND I THINK OUR STREET INDEX TODAY IS IN THE MID EIGHTIES OR LOW EIGHTIES, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTY.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE'VE INVESTED A LOT OF MONEY INTO STREETS AND WE CONTINUE, WE HAVE STREET PROJECTS GOING ON ALL OVER THE PLACE RIGHT NOW.
WELL, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, PIGGYBACK ON WHAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, ESPINOZA SAID, AND THAT IS KEEPING THAT LOCAL CONTROL ON HOW WE ARE ABLE TO KEEP THE MONEY IN THE HARA AND GOING BACK OUT TO, TO OUR RESIDENTS AND TO THE EVENTS AND TO IT, ALL THE SERVICES THAT LA HABRA HAS TO OFFER.
I, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF THE STATE CAN COME BY AND SAY, OKAY, NOW YOU DIDN'T, YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WITH THAT ADDITIONAL MONEY, NOW WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING THAT.
WE NEED TO HAVE A, A LITTLE CONTROL ON HOW WE USE THE MONEY.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS A QUESTION THAT WILL HAVE SOME INTEREST TO SMALL BUSINESS I THINK TOO.
AND THIS A QUESTION JUST THAT YOU CAN VERIFY AND CONFIRM MY UNDERSTANDING, WE'RE AT 8.25% NOW, BUT UNLIKE THIS IDEA THAT FOLKS ARE GONNA GO SOMEPLACE ELSE TO SAVE A FEW CENTS ON THEIR PURCHASES, THE FACT IS WE'VE GOT SIX OTHER CITIES RIGHT NOW AT 8.75 AND WE'VE GOT THREE THAT ARE AT 9.25 RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT? IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THEN OUR SURROUNDING LA COUNTY FRIENDS, WE'VE GOT THE HEIGHTS IN LA ROD AT 9.5 AND WHITTIER AT A BREATHTAKING 10.25.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THEORETICALLY PEOPLE MIGHT BE COMING TO LA HABER FROM WHITTIER REGARDLESS OF ANY INCREASE TO SAVE A FEW BUCKS, RIGHT? I GUESS THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
AND IF WE DO, SHOULD WE VOTE TO PLACE THIS ON THE BALLOT? IS IT TRUE THAT THE CITY WILL NEVER TAKE A POSITION ON THE MERITS OF THE MEASURE? I'M NOT SURE IN OTHERS.
WELL, WHAT I'M SAYING, IS THE CITY GONNA COME OUT AND SAY, IS THE CITY GONNA SAY WE SUPPORT THIS OR WE OPPOSE THIS OR WHAT HAVE YOU? OR ARE THEY GONNA LEAVE IT IN THE HANDS OF THE VOTERS? EXCLUSIVELY THE CITY, THE CITY CANNOT TAKE A POSITION ON A BALLOT MEASURE.
I MEAN, THE CITY COUNCIL'S DECISION TONIGHT IS NOT TO APPROVE OR DENY RAISING ATTACKS.
THE CITY COUNCIL'S DECISION TONIGHT AND WHAT STAFF'S RECOMMENDING IS PLACE A MEASURE ON THE BALLOT TO ALLOW THE VOTERS TO HAVE A SAY.
RIGHT? AND THEN THE VOTERS CAN VOTE TO APPROVE IT AND THE VOTERS CAN VOTE TO DENY IT.
[01:05:01]
IS QUITE POSSIBLE, THEN AT LEAST WE KNOW WHAT WE THEN NEED TO DO FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT, RIGHT? TO CUT OUR BUDGETS ACCORDINGLY.RIGHT? I MEAN, AND THAT'S THE THING THAT RIGHT NOW WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH IS BECAUSE THE NEXT SET OF DECISIONS THAT COUNCIL HAS TO MAKE FOR THE BUDGET NEXT YEAR ARE GONNA START BECOMING DEBILITATING.
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO NOT ONLY NEXT YEAR WOULD WE NORMALLY CUT THE BUDGET IF WE DIDN'T, IF WE HAD EXPENSES EXCEED REVENUES, WE WOULD CUT THE BUDGET TO BALANCE BECAUSE WE PASS BALANCED BUDGETS IN THE CITY.
ON TOP OF THAT, ONCE WE GOT TO THAT BALANCED BUDGET, IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL NEXT YEAR, NOW WE NEED TO CUT TWO MORE MILLION.
AND THE QUESTION MIGHT BE, WELL, WHY WE JUST BALANCED THE BUDGET? WELL, IF WE'RE LOSING MEASURE T IN 2028, THAT'S $8 MILLION REVENUE BY THEN.
AND IF WE DON'T START CUTTING NOW, YOU CAN'T WAIT TO 2028 TO START CUTTING $8 MILLION.
YOU DECIMATE THE ORGANIZATION ALL AT ONCE.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS START FIGURING OUT HOW TO UNWIND OUR OPERATIONS, HOW TO UNWIND OUR STAFFING, WHAT YOU WANT TO SACRIFICE IN LEVEL SERVICES AND PROGRAMS TO START FOCUSING ON THE CORE.
I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE YOU THAT THE CITY WILL LOOK DIFFERENT ONCE THAT'S HAPPENS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T TAKE 13% OUT OF A BUDGET AND NOT HAVE MAJOR IMPACTS TO ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS AT THAT POINT.
JUST TO VERIFY, JUST TO CLARIFY THE VOTE THIS EVENING, IF THE COUNCIL CONSIDERS THE SALES TAX MEASURE IS NOT EITHER TO APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE THAT TAX THAT'S RIGHT.
IT IS CLEARLY LIMITED TO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITIZENS TO VOTE YAY OR NAY WITH RESPECT TO THAT PARTICULAR TAX.
AND SECONDLY, THE CITY MAY NOT LEGALLY IN ANY WAY EXPEND DOLLARS EITHER IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION TO THE MEASURE.
AND SO IF THE COUNCIL, SHOULD IT DECIDE TO BALANCE THIS MEASURE AND SHOULD THE MEASURE HAPPEN TO PASS, DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH TO REVERSE THE 6.3% CUTS WE'VE ALREADY MADE AND PERHAPS FORESTALL SIGNIFICANT CUTS IN THE FUTURE? THAT'S A CITY COUNCIL BUDGET DETERMINATION AT THAT POINT.
NOW, BEFORE WE BEGIN TAKING PUBLIC COMMENTS, I JUST, I WANNA BRING THIS UP ONLY BECAUSE IT'S IN LIGHT OF A COUPLE RECENT TEXT MESSAGES THAT WENT OUT TO LA HABRA VOTERS, WHICH, UH, UNFORTUNATELY IT KIND OF HERALDS THE BEGINNING OF WHAT I CALL SILLY SEASON.
'CAUSE THESE ARE THESE CAMPAIGN STYLE TEXT MESSAGES THAT ARE ACTUALLY INTENTIONALLY DECEITFUL BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT WE'RE GONNA INCREASE TAXES TONIGHT.
WE'RE GONNA STEAL EVERYONE'S MONEY.
YOUR FAMILY'S FUTURE IS AT STAKE BY WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TONIGHT.
SO I WANNA REITERATE WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY JUST SAID IS THAT WE'RE DOING NO SUCH THING HERE TONIGHT.
WE, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS THE AUDACITY TO ASK THE VOTERS WHAT KIND OF CITY THEY WANNA LIVE IN.
SO ALL WE'RE GOING TO DO IS VOTE WHETHER TO BALLOT THIS THING OR NOT.
OBVIOUSLY, IF WE BALLOT IT, THE VOTERS DECIDE IF WE DON'T BALLOT IT, THE TAX DIES.
THAT'S THE DECISION WE'RE MAKING TONIGHT.
SO IF THAT MIGHT SAVE SOME TIME, FOLKS ARE WELCOME TO COME UP TO SAY, I JUST HATE TAXES GENERALLY, OR I I THINK TAXES ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE COMMUNITY.
BUT UNDERSTAND, IF YOU'RE LOBBYING US TO NOT INCREASE TAXES, YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.
'CAUSE AGAIN, THE QUESTION IS DO WE ASK VOTERS OR DO WE NOT? AND WITH THAT SAID, I'LL TAKE THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT, REMEMBER, NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE.
IT DOES REQUIRE A FOUR FIFTH VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL IN ORDER TO PLACE THE MEASURE ON THE BALLOT.
AND UM, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
AND MARY, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT CLARIFICATION.
HOWEVER, HEARING THE CITY MANAGER'S PRESENTATION, IT ACTUALLY, MY, MY WILL STARTED SPINNING AND I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
HOWEVER, I WOULD'VE LACKED, I THINK IT STILL LACKS TRANSPARENCY WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
I APPRECIATE THAT YOU BROKE DOWN THE SURVEY INFORMATION, VERY INFORMATIVE.
BUT PRIOR TO THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I DON'T THINK IT WAS CONSIDERED.
EVEN THE MAYOR ASKED, IS THERE A SLIDE? AND YOU SAID NO.
SO I WOULD'VE APPRECIATED 'CAUSE THEY WOULD'VE ALLOWED THE RESIDENTS TO SEE THOSE FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
'CAUSE IN MY OPINION, THE DECISION MADE, AND BY ALL MEANS, YOU HAVE THAT.
HE HAS FOUR, THREE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND ONLY MAYOR SERIAN ASKED FOR CLARITY AND ASKED FOR A PRESENT.
IF THERE WAS A SLIDE, NO ONE ELSE DID.
AND IF I WILL REMIND COUNCIL MEMBER GOMEZ AND MADANO, WHEN YOU RAN YOUR CAMPAIGN, YOU SAID THAT YOU WOULD NOT INCREASE TAXES.
[01:10:01]
IS PRECIOUS, IMMEASURABLE, WITHOUT YOUR WORD.HOW CAN WE TRUST YOU? WELL, MA'AM, WE, IF I MAY FINISH.
SO WHAT I, ALL I'M SAYING IS I I I WISH YOU WOULD'VE CONSIDERED THE THREE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS.
I WISH A PRESENTATION WOULD'VE INCLUDED THOSE THREE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND ONE THING, I AM IN AGREEMENT WITH THE SURVEY AND I'M SURE A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS HERE ARE IN AGREEMENT.
WE DON'T WANT LAW ENFORCEMENT BUDGET TO BE CUT.
SO KUDOS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT ARE HERE BECAUSE THEY EXACTLY, THEY DESERVE YOUR APPLAUSE.
THE FACT THAT THEY'RE STILL IN THIS FIELD AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT RESPECTED AND WE SHOULD BE RESPECTING THEM.
BUT ALL I'M ASKING, WHEN YOU MAKE DECISIONS, BE FULLY INFORMED, GET DATA THAT REFLECTS TRULY WHAT'S ACCURATE.
DON'T MAKE, DON'T MAKE A DECISION BECAUSE IT'S THE EASIEST SOLUTION.
BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, DO YOU KNOW THAT 52% OF THE PARENTS ARE SOCIALLY ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE? AND YOU'RE ASKING THESE PARENTS THAT CAN BARELY BY GROCERIES, BY BASICALLY CUTE LITTLE BACKPACKS TO PAY A HALF PERCENT.
JUST, UH, REAL QUICK, IF I, I CAN RESPOND TO YOU.
I DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO RAISE YOUR TAXES, MA'AM.
THOSE OTHER THREE ITEMS THAT, UH, THE LADY WAS SPEAKING TO, WE ARE GONNA VOTE ON ALL FOUR JUST FOR CLARITY.
WE'RE NOT EXCLUDING ANY OF THEM.
THEY'RE ALL GONNA BE VOTED ON.
AND, AND MR. MAYOR, IF I COULD JUST INTERCEDE.
SO THE FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ACTUALLY IN THE STAFF REPORT THAT WAS PROVIDED TONIGHT.
AND THEY'RE ALSO, IF YOU HAD A GREEN FACE SHEET THAT WAS AT THE FRONT, THEY'RE LISTED TO WRITE ON THE, ON THE PAPER FOR ALL FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO WE TRIED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE FULLY TRANSPARENT ON THAT.
YEAH, IT WAS LISTED ON THURSDAY.
GOOD EVENING, ESTEEMED COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY ATTORNEY, CITY STAFF IN LA HABER RESIDENTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT SERVING ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND VARIOUS SERVICE COMMITTEES HERE IN THE HABER IS I GET TO WORK WITH SOME OF THE MOST HARDWORKING AND CARING PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THIS CITY.
I'M TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE SAL ORTEGA, MARTHA MONTOYA, SONYA LOUIE, VERONICA LOPEZ, SUSAN KIM, KELLY FUJ, KIM ALBANIAN, AND MANY OTHERS AT THE COMMUNITY EVENTS I ATTEND, I SEE THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF THESE EMPLOYEES MANIFEST INTO THESE WONDERFUL COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES THAT I HAVE COME TO LOVE.
AND THESE SAME EMPLOYEES, MANY OF THEM PART-TIME HAVE HAD TO BEAR THE BRUNT OF RECENT BUDGET CUTS.
6.5% CUTS ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS.
IF I'VE GOT THE NUMBERS CORRECT, WHAT THIS MEANS IN PRACTICE IS THAT WELL-DESERVED PAY RAISES ARE FROZEN.
HIRING IS FROZEN, AND POSITIONS THAT PROBABLY SHOULD BE FULL-TIME REMAIN PART-TIME.
THIS DIRECTLY IMPACTS THEIR DAILY LIVES.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU REALIZE THAT A LOT OF THESE EMPLOYEES ARE ALSO LA HABA RESIDENTS WITH FAMILIES THAT LIVE IN THIS CITY AND OTHERS HAVE LIVED HERE IN THE PAST.
SO WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THE CITY COUNCIL WANTING TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT TO INCREASE OUR REVENUE AND MAKE UP FOR SHORTFALLS IN THE BUDGET, THE GEN XER IN ME JUST HAS TO ASK, DO YOU GUYS THINK THAT MONEY GROWS ON TREES? WHERE DO YOU THINK THE FUNDING COMES FROM FOR OUR CITY SERVICES? THE ANSWER IS TAX REVENUE.
SURE, WE GET GRANTS TOO, BUT STAFF HAS TO APPLY FOR THOSE.
AND UNLIKE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, CITIES DO NOT RUN ON DONATIONS.
IN FACT, SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS COME TO THE CITY ASKING FOR MONEY.
THE COMMUNITY SERVICE DEPARTMENT, ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY BUDGET CUTS, HAS A NONPROFIT GRANT PROGRAM THAT DIRECTLY BENEFITS THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL.
WHY SHOULD WE ASK OUR CITY EMPLOYEES TO CONTINUE TO BEAR THE BRUNT OF THE SHORTFALLS WHEN A PERFECTLY GOOD SOLUTION IS TO VOTE FOR A BALLOT MEASURE THAT WILL INCREASE REVENUE IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT PLACE THE BURDEN ON ANY ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE.
A SALES TAX INCREASE IS BORN BY ALL CONSUMERS THAT SHOP IN OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY.
WHAT'S MORE IS THAT EVEN WITH AN INCREASE, THE SALES TAX WILL STILL BE LOWER THAN THAT OF SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED FOR VOTER CONSIDERATION IS A TINY INCREASE THAT WOULD RESULT IN
[01:15:01]
A HUGE AMOUNT OF REVENUE FOR THE CITY.AND I HEAR SOME PEOPLE CALLING FOR INCREASED CUTS WHILE ALSO HOLDING THEIR HANDS OUT FOR MONEY FROM THE CITY.
THE CITY MANAGER HAS BEEN PERFECTLY TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE BUDGET.
IT IS ALL THERE IN BLACK INK ON WHITE PAPER FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.
HOW DO I KNOW? BECAUSE I PAY ATTENTION.
I WAS HERE AT THE MEETING ON JUNE 15, JUNE 17TH.
I'M SORRY COMMISSIONER, BUT WE'RE 10 SECONDS OVER.
ALRIGHT, WELL I'LL FINISH IT UP.
WE CALL OURSELVES A CARING COMMUNITY.
I'M JUST HERE TO READ HER COMMENTS IN ENGLISH.
MY NAME IS NORMA PEREZ AND I LIVE IN BURWOOD MONTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO ASK THAT YOU APPROVE THE LAHABRA EMERGENCY SERVICES NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY, COMMUNITY PROTECTION MEASURE ITEM D AND LET THE VOTERS OF LAHABRA DECIDE IN NOVEMBER.
THE CITY COUNCIL RECENTLY APPROVED THE CITY BUDGET, BUT WITH 6.3 MILLION IN CUTS TO THE BUDGET BECAUSE OF PRICES SERVICES, LIKE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SERVICES HAVE GONE UP.
MY FEAR IS THAT OTHER SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES WILL BE CUT.
THE CITY HAS HELPED OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH EXERCISE EQUIPMENT, ZUMBA CLASSES, LIGHTING FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PLAYGROUND SO OUR CHILDREN CAN PLAY AS THE SUN SETS.
MANY OF US PARTICIPATE IN POL POLICE CITIZENS ACADEMY, THE C-C-E-R-T PROGRAM TO HELP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN AN EMERGENCY SERVICES SUCH AS THESE COST STAFF TIME AND MONEY.
WE WANT A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE, SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND WE APPRECIATE THESE SERVICES.
THESE SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES THE CITY PROVIDES IS THE REASON I LIVE HERE.
I'M NOT ABLE TO VOTE, BUT MY CHILDREN CAN AND THEY WANT THE OPTION TO VOTE ON THE PROPOSED MEASURE.
HELLO, UH, COUNSEL, DISTINGUISHED MAYOR.
UH, MY NAME IS, UH, NOAH DANIELS AND I REPRESENT THE LAHABRA POLICE ASSOCIATION.
SO I AM ACTING ON BEHALF OF THEM AND I'M THEIR VOICE.
THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WERE CLAPPING FOR, I'M HERE TO SEND HOME THEIR MESSAGE AND WHAT THEY BELIEVE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN, UH, SERVING THIS COMMUNITY ION A HUNDRED YEARS.
UM, AND WE DO PRIDE OURSELVES ON PROVIDING TOP TIER SERVICE NO MATTER WHAT.
UM, REALLY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN DEVELOPING CONNECTION WITH YOU, THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT CAN BE VIOLENT AND IT CAN BE DANGEROUS.
ONE OF US HAS TAKING A BULLET FOR THE CITY.
AND SO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO GIVE BACK AND CARE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY BEYOND THE MAINTENANCE OF LAW AND ORDER IN OUR COMMUNITY.
MY MEMBERSHIP, THE DEPARTMENT THAT I SERVE, UM, WE CAN PROVIDE SERVICES THAT ARE BEYOND JUST CALLS FOR SERVICE, GANG ENFORCEMENT, TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, COMBATING THE HOMELESS CRISIS, UM, TRYING TO ADAPT TO THE CHANGING NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT LIKE YOU SAID, WE'VE, UH,
[01:20:01]
LIVED IN CHALLENGING FINANCIAL TIMES AND WITH THE LOSS OF REVENUE, THOSE SERVICES, THAT'S THE REALITY IS WE KNOW THAT THEY WILL GO AWAY AND WE WON'T BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE SO GREATLY PRIDE OURSELVES ON.UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE COME OUT AND SAID, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY REPRESENT US, BUT I'M, I'M REPRESENTING US.
I'M TELLING YOU HOW WE FEEL AS YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, SO IF SOMEONE SAYS THAT THIS TAX MEASURE IS NOT WHAT THE POLICE WANT, I'M TELLING YOU THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
I'M THE, I'M, I'M REPRESENTING YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE WANT TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
UM, AND TO THAT I SAY DON'T DEFUND US.
THIS IS A METHOD TO FUND US, FUND THE POLICE.
LET US KEEP DOING OUR JOBS FOR YOU.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE GUILD FOR THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM AT LAHABRA.
UM, I'M HOPING THAT YOU WILL PUT THE MEASURE ON THE BALLOT TO INCREASE THE TAX.
MOSTLY I'M ADDRESSING THE 30 CENTS LEFTOVER.
UM, PART OF WHAT MAKES LAHABRA LAHABRA IS ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE FUNDED BY THE CITY, THE TAMAL FESTIVAL, THE CORN FESTIVAL, THE CONCERTS IN THE PARK, THE MOVIES IN THE PARK, AND THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM.
I WOULD HATE TO SEE THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM HOURS CUT OR THE STAFF BE CUT.
THEY SERVICE MANY, MANY CHILDREN AND FAMILIES HERE IN LA HABRA.
THEY SERVICE CHILDREN AND THE FAMILIES FROM ALL OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
THE PEOPLE WHO COME FROM LA COUNTY, RIVERSIDE COUNTY, SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
TO VISIT, TO VISIT THE MUSEUM, SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AS WELL BY BUYING LUNCH AT MCDONALD'S OR STOPPING AT WALMART TO PICK UP DIAPERS.
UM, I WOULD HATE TO SEE THAT AFFECTED.
PART OF WHAT MAKES LA HABRA THE COMMUNITY THAT IT IS, IS THE SUPPORT IT GETS FROM THE CITY.
I SPEND A LOT OF MY TIME AND A LOT OF MY MONEY HERE AND I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT ALL THE CITY HAS TO OFFER.
SO I HOPE THAT YOU WILL PUT THE BALLOT, PUT THE MEASURE ON THE BALLOT SO THE PEOPLE CAN VOTE.
AND I HOPE THE PEOPLE REALIZE THEY NEED TO VOTE FOR THIS.
HI, MY NAME IS VERONICA ER AND I LIVE ON LAS LOMA IN LAHABRA.
UM, MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER MOVED HERE IN 1918.
SO INCLUDING MY GRANDDAUGHTER.
WE HAVE SIX GENERATIONS GROWING UP IN LAHABRA.
WE'RE VERY PROUD TO LIVE IN LAHABRA.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL CITY AND WE JUST ENJOY IT.
I LIVED HERE IN THE NINETIES WHEN THE CRIME WAS REALLY BAD, A LOT OF GANGS.
AND I LOOK AT OUR CITY NOW, ME AND MY HUSBAND REGULARLY TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH WE LOVE OUR CITY, HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS.
MY HUSBAND CONSTANTLY IS CALLING TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE LIKE, OH, THERE'S GRAFFITI HERE, THERE'S THINGS HERE.
AND, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY DO A GREAT JOB.
AND IN THE LAST WEEK,
AND WITHIN TWO MINUTES I SEEN THE POLICE ALREADY OUT THERE ON A NON-EMERGENCY CALL.
THAT WAS JUST A CONCERN OF MINE.
'CAUSE SOMEONE SEEMED LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD HAVE BEEN ENDANGERED AND THEY WERE OUT THERE IMMEDIATELY.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO I WAS, ANYTHING.
THEY JUST, I JUST WAS HAD A CONCERN.
AND BY THE TIME I WALKED TO MY CAR, I LOOKED AND THEY WERE ALREADY ADDRESSING THE SITUATION.
AND ALSO MY DAUGHTER HAS GROWN UP IN THE SPORTS IN LA HARRA.
WE ENJOY ALL THE FESTIVITIES IN LA AND OF COURSE WE ALL SHOP IN LA HABRA AND WE HAVE NO PROBLEM PAYING THE TAX IT DOES.
WE WE'RE ALL BENEFITING FROM THIS TAX AND WE ASK THAT YOU PLACE IT ON THE BALLOT.
HI, MY NAME IS JUAN AVILA AND I'M A RESIDENCE HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
SO I'VE BEEN AROUND AND I HAVE COME TO YOU PLENTY OF TIMES.
AND MY BIGGEST GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
'CAUSE I THINK THEY'RE AN AWESOME GROUP.
AND THAT'S THE HEART OF ANY CITY.
I BOUGHT MY HOME WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG.
SO I WAS WATCHING MY BUDGET AND YOU BROUGHT IT UP THE UTILITY TAX AT THE TIME.
I WAS TOLD THOUGH I WAS INSULTED.
WELL, YOU DON'T, HOW DO YOU, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? YOU'RE NOT IN POLITICAL STATUS.
I SAID, I KNOW, BUT I HAVE TO PAY THE TAX AND I HAVE TO WATCH MY PENNIES.
SO I HAVE SAID, ALWAYS HAVE SAID, WE ALL NEED TO BUDGET AND WE HAVE TO LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS.
AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THE CITY HAS DONE A LOT OF, NOT YOU IN GENERALLY, BUT BEFORE THEY HAVE
[01:25:01]
NOT THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.I MEAN, YOU'RE ASKING US NOW, AND I KNOW AND YOU GUYS DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
BUT YOU NEED TO REALIZE IN THIS TIME NOWADAYS, IN ANY TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, WE ALL ALWAYS GOING TO BE SACRIFICING THINGS TO MAKE SURE WE PAY OUR BILLS.
AND I KNOW THAT I DO A LITTLE BIT OF AN ACCOUNTING AND LIKE BUSINESS AND BUDGETING THIS AND THAT.
YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO FORESEE THE FUTURE.
AND I HAVE ALWAYS SAID, YOU NEED TO HAVE RESERVE FOR AN EMERGENCY LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
MY MOTHER WAS ALSO GREAT AT BUDGETING AND YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS AND SAVE FOR THAT RAINY DAY.
AND THIS CITY HAS SPLURGE IN SOME AREAS AND STUFF LIKE THIS.
AND ESPECIALLY THE UTILITY TAX.
WHERE WAS MY FIRST INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CITY IS THAT IT'S, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE HIGHEST AND THE ONLY THING THAT IS MORE IMPORTANT IN THE CITY THAN EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND IT'S, I I I'M A BIG SCHOOL ADVOCATE, BUT SOMETIMES SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE DO IS NOT NECESSARY.
I MEAN, I JUST WENT BY CITY HILLCREST, THAT THING THAT THEY PUT UP THERE FOR EXERCISING.
HOW MANY TIMES WOULD THAT BE USED? HOW MANY KIDS ARE ACTUALLY OUT THERE IN THE PLAYGROUNDS? I MEAN, COME ON, LET'S GO BACK TO THE OLD WAYS WHERE THEY HAVE CERTAIN THINGS BUT NOT SO MUCH THAT THEY NEVER GET USED, UTILIZED.
AND I HAVE A BIG THING THAT I, I HATE TO GO INTO THIS, BUT I COULD NOT BELIEVE WHEN WE TURNED AROUND AND WENT FOR THE, TO BE CONNECTED TO LA FOR OUR SERVICES FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE I HAD AN INCIDENT IN MY BACKYARD WHERE THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT.
AND THE FIRE, I CALLED 9 1 1, THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW OUR CITY.
AND THE FACT IS, WE NEED TO KEEP THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN OUR OWN YARD.
WE CANNOT TURN AROUND AND EXPOSE TO EVERYBODY ELSE'S.
IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE GONE TO LA COUNTY OF ALL PLACES.
SO I'M AGAINST, UM, PUTTING IN THE BALLOT AND I THINK WE NEED TO BUDGET AND CUT DOWN.
I KNOW I HAVE TO BUDGET AND WE ALL NOT GONNA GET A RAISE TO KEEP UP WITH INFLATION.
YOU NEED TO START CUTTING THINGS THAT ARE LUXURY AND THERE'S THE LUXURY AND NECESSITIES AND WE NEED TO CUT BACK.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE, WE JUST WENT RED.
I'M SORRY, THE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ONE THING TO CLARIFY TO MRS. AVILA, AND WE WE'RE ALWAYS IN COMMUNICATION, YOU ALWAYS CALL ME AND STUFF, BUT JUST TO, TO TO, UH, REGARDING THE EXERCISE EQUIPMENT, UH, THAT WAS NOT, UH, MONEY THAT WAS SPLURGED.
IT WAS ACTUALLY GRANT FUNDING THROUGH ST.
JUDE AND THE PART OF THE MOVE MORE EAT HEALTHY PROGRAM.
SO WE DIDN'T PAY, UH, FOR THAT EQUIPMENT.
I LIVE IN MONTWOOD AVENUE IN LAHABRA.
AND WE THINK ABOUT BUDGETING, AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE MEAN INCOME IS IN LAHABRA, BUT IF IT WAS $60,000 OF DISPOSABLE INCOME, ONE HALF PERCENT WOULD BE $300.
AND IF I DIVIDE THAT BY 365, I END UP ABOUT 83 CENTS.
NOW, I HAVEN'T HAD A WHOLE LOT OF, I'VE NEVER BEEN TO A CITY COUNCIL MEETING BEFORE AND I'VE HAD TO CALL 9 1 1 ONCE IN MY LIFE AND IT WAS IN LAHABRA AND MY WIFE SUDDENLY HAD WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A STROKE AND I MADE THE NINE ONE ONE CALL AND WITHIN 90 SECONDS THEY WERE THERE ADMINISTERING THE EMERGENCY SERVICES TO KEEP MY WIFE HEALTHY AND ALIVE.
SO FOR 83 CENTS A DAY, PLEASE PUT THAT ON THE BALLOT AND LET THE CITIZENS DECIDE.
UH, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME THERE'S A, THERE'S THERE'S A PROBLEM IN THE BUDGET.
THE FIRST THING THE POLITICIANS WANNA DO IS RAISE MY TAXES.
YOU KNOW, I I I CAN'T BELIEVE SOME OF THE STUFF I'VE HEARD UP HERE.
YOU GUYS SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF.
THE SOFTBALLS YOU THREW BACK AND FORTH TO EACH OTHER LEFT.
NO, NO, NO WONDER THAT YOU'RE ALL FOR WRITING THIS TAX.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU CAN'T RAISE MY TAXES.
BUT YOU CAN SURELY WORD IT TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE IF I DON'T PAY, WE'RE GONNA BE IN TROUBLE.
YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS KNEW THIS GOING IN AND IF YOU DID IT, SHAME ON YOU GOING IN WITH THE, THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
'CAUSE I GOT TIRED OF FRONTING THEIR TAX BURDEN.
AND THAT'S WHY I CAME TO LA HABRA.
WHY HAVEN'T YOU DONE YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AND, AND SEEN THIS TELLING ME NOW THAT OH, IT'S GONNA COST YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT MORE IS AKIN TO A MOB TACTIC OF SAYING, YEAH, I CAN PROTECT YOUR PEOPLE, BUT IF YOU DON'T PAY ME, EH, SOME OF 'EM ARE GONNA DIE.
[01:30:01]
THEY'RE SAYING.WHY HAVEN'T YOU DONE LIKE OTHER CITIES WHERE THEY HAVE JOINT FIRE DEPARTMENTS WITH OTHER CITIES? HAVE YOU EVEN DONE ANY RESEARCH ON THAT? WHY HAVEN'T YOU LOOKED AT LA OH, ORANGE COUNTY.
WHERE'S THAT IN THE REPORT? WHEN THE LAST TIME WE HAD AN AUDIT DONE AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT.
YOU'RE SPENDING IT ON STUFF WE DON'T NEED.
YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF.
THOSE SOFTBALLS GOING BACK AND FORTH.
I FELT LIKE I WAS A LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL PITCHING GAME.
YOU GUYS KNOW YOU WANNA PASS THIS AND YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF.
I TOOK AN OATH WHEN I SERVED FOR THIS COUNTRY THAT SAID, I WILL DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES WITH MY LIFE.
AND THAT OATH HAS NO EXPIRATION DATE.
WHEN YOU GUYS TOOK THIS JOB, YOU SAID YOU WOULD TAKE AN OATH TO, TO DEFEND THE CITIZENS AND TO PROTECT OUR WELLBEINGS.
GUESS WHAT? WHEN THE PRICE OF MILK AND THE PRICE OF BREAD GOES UP, I DON'T GET TO GO TO MY EMPLOYER AND SAY, HEY, EVERYTHING'S MORE EXPENSIVE.
YET THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS ALWAYS DO.
WHEN EVERYTHING GETS MORE EXPENSIVE IN MY HOUSE, I CUT THINGS OUT OF THE BUDGET.
I DON'T BUY THINGS I DON'T NEED.
YOU GUYS DON'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
THAT'S WHY THESE CHAMBERS ARE FULL.
MAYBE THEY'RE AFRAID TO SAY IT, BUT I'LL TELL YOU, NO MORE TAXES.
STOP RAISING TAXES ON OUR BACK.
NOBODY CAME KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR AND RECRUITED YOU.
EVERY PARENT IN THIS PLACE HAS TO DO IT.
WE HAVE TO BUY SCHOOL SUPPLIES, SCHOOL CLOTHES.
HOW DO WE DO IT? AND I'M GETTING PAID LESS MONEY AND EVERYTHING COSTS MORE.
HOW CAN I DO IT? YOU GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE SMART ONES.
WHY CAN'T YOU DO IT? THANK YOU.
UH, SIR, UH, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST ON WHEN WE EXPLORED ALL THE CONTRACT OPTIONS.
UH, WE DID GO TO ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY.
WE DID TALK TO, UH, OTHER CITIES TO TRY TO, UH, LOOK AT A TRI-CITY CONCEPT.
WE DID EXPLORE MAYBE DOING SOMETHING WITH THE LAHABRA HEIGHTS.
WE TURNED OVER EVERY SINGLE ROCK.
AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THE, AT THE, UH, DO A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST ON THAT.
UM, AND BY FAR THE COST SAVINGS AND, UH, THE MONEY WE SAVED WITH LA COUNTY FIRE WAS IN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
AND THAT, THAT'S, YOU CAN DO A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST TO TELL YOU THAT I'M, I'M BEING TRANSPARENT IN THAT.
BEFORE WE BEGIN WITH THE NEXT SPEAKER, RHONDA, COULD YOU TELL ME HOW MUCH TIME I GOT LEFT FOR FOLKS AT THIS POINT? THE 30 MINUTE LIMIT? THANK YOU.
UH, ACCORDING TO MY TRACKING, SIX MINUTES REMAINING AND 30 MINUTES, SIX MINUTES REMAINING.
EVERYBODY HAS THE ABILITY TO WAIVE THAT 30.
HOW YOU DOING? MY NAME IS ROBERT JE VERONICA'S HUSBAND.
I'VE LIVED IN LA HARBOR GOING ON 23 YEARS.
I KNOW A LOT OF THE POLICE OFFICERS.
I SEE YOU GUYS TO ALL OF YOU GUYS UP THERE AND ALL TO YOU OFFICERS.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
BECAUSE I LOVE MY CITY AND I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO.
YOU GUYS KEEP DOING YOUR THING.
WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE FROM OTHER STATES COMING OUT HERE TO PLAY SOFTBALL GAMES.
WE GOT SOCCER, WE GOT ALL THESE HIGH SCHOOL THINGS.
WE'VE GOT STUFF GOING ON IN THEATER.
THESE PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE TO SPEND MONEY.
THEY'RE COMING HERE TO WATCH THEIR KIDS PLAY SPORTS.
YOU GUYS, JUST KEEP DOING YOUR THING.
BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY THAT, WE GOT YOUR BACK.
YOU GUYS KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
ALL THE PEOPLE OUT THERE IN THE NAYSAYERS, YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT THAT'S ABOUT.
WE APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING FOR US.
YOU GUYS DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
I'VE BEEN LAB PROBABLY 23 YEARS TOO, SO VERY GOOD.
UM, I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS COMING TONIGHT.
DIDN'T KNOW I WAS TALKING TILL ABOUT SIX O'CLOCK, BUT, UH, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT WAS ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING.
UH, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THIS IS, UH, KOSHER OR NOT, BUT I'D LIKE TO JUST ASK A QUESTION.
IF THE TAX WAS PASSED, UM, IS THERE ANY GA GUARANTEE TO THE CITY RESIDENTS THAT THAT MONEY WOULD GO TOWARDS POLICE AND FIRE?
[01:35:01]
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO RATHER THAN ANSWER THAT RIGHT NOW? BECAUSE WHEN WE CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS, I'M GONNA ASK THE CITY MANAGER THAT AND SO HE'LL ADDRESS IT.BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, JUST FINISH YOUR OKAY.
COMMENTARY AND THEN WE'LL GIVE YOU, WE'LL, I'LL DEFINITELY MAKE SURE YOU GET THE ANSWER.
YEAH, BECAUSE, UM, THIS WHOLE CAMPAIGN, I THINK WAS BASED UPON, UM, THE, THE QUESTIONNAIRE THAT I RECEIVED, IT WAS VERY, UM, I DIDN'T LIKE HOW, HOW IT WAS WORDED HONESTLY.
IT, IT WAS VERY MUCH ALMOST THREATENING IN THE SENSE THAT WE, YOU NEED TO PASS THIS OR BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN.
IN THE SENSE THAT'S KIND OF HOW THE QUESTIONS WERE WORDED, I FELT.
UM, SO HAVING THAT GUARANTEE, I THINK WOULD GO A LONG WAYS WITHOUT THE GUARANTEE.
UH, THE OTHER THING I'LL SAY IS, AS SOME OF THE OTHER RESIDENTS POINTED OUT IS, UH, BUDGET CUTS ARE KIND OF LOOKED AT AS A, A VOODOO TYPE THING.
UM, FAMILIES ALL FOR ALL TIME HAVE HAD TO BUDGET.
AND SOMETIMES BUDGETS GO DOWN.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S HOW IT IS.
IT, WHEN WE HAVE TO CUT IT, IT MAKES US SHARPER, IT MAKES US MORE CREATIVE.
IT MAKES US CLEANER IN OUR, IN OUR EFFORTS TO, TO DO GOOD IT.
WHEN MONEY'S ABUNDANT, IT, EVERYONE CAN ALWAYS FIND WAYS TO SPEND MONEY.
AND, AND SOMETIMES THOSE THINGS END UP GETTING USELESS AND, AND ABSORBENT.
UM, BUT WHEN THOSE CHALLENGING TIMES COME IS WHEN THE CITY, I THINK, AND INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES REALLY BECOME STRONG AND STRENGTHENED.
THAT'S WHEN WE'RE AT OUR BEST.
SO, EITHER WAY, IF IT GOES, I, I, I LOVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY'VE BEEN AT MY CONDOS WHEN MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE CAUGHT ON DOWN WAY.
SO I LOVE THE, THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND DEFINITELY WE NEED GOOD FIREMEN, WE NEED GOOD POLICE OFFICERS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S ALSO A FLIP SIDE TO EXORBITANT SPENDING AND BUDGET CUTS ARE NOT A BAD THING.
SO LET ME CONFIRM, WE'RE AT THE 30 MINUTE MARK.
IS THAT CORRECT, RHONDA? OR NO? I, I'M, PARDON? PARDON ME.
ARE WE AT THE 30 MINUTE MARK AT THIS POINT? UH, WITHIN ONE MINUTE I DO HAVE TWO SPEAKER CARDS REMAINING.
ONE FOR OPHELIA HANSON AND THE OTHER FOR JUAN GARCIA.
SO TWO SPEAKER CARDS, ONLY SPEAKER CARDS LEFT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE STILL ALL ALRIGHT.
THEY SUBMITTED THEIR QUESTIONS AND THEIR INTENTION TO SPEAK IN ADVANCE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO JUAN GARCIA AND OPHELIA HANSON.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL JUST DO THE YEAH, I'M, I'M SORRY.
WELL, I MEAN, ALL RIGHT, BUT WHY DON'T WE HEAR A FILL IN MR. ROJAS.
BUT LOOK, WE DON'T WANNA GO DOWN THE SLIPPERY SLOPE.
WE HAVE A GOOD SAMPLING OF EVERYONE'S OPINION ON THIS.
SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA STOP AT THAT POINT, OKAY? OKAY.
YOU'VE HEARD MY NAME RICHARD ROJAS.
I WAS IN, UH, AN OLD SEGMENT OF HUEL HOUSER'S, CALIFORNIA GOLD WHEN I WAS A YOUNG MAN
YOU WANT ME AUTOGRAPH
A COUPLE YEARS AGO I WORKED WITH THE OUTSTANDING STAFF HERE AT COMMUNITY SERVICES AND WE WERE FORTUNATE TO SECURE A GRANT FROM PARKS, CALIFORNIA.
AND I'M HERE TO CHALLENGE ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT COMRADES AND SUPPORTERS, MAYBE A COUPLE OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE'RE GONNA GO FOR ANOTHER GRANT.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE SOME MORE KIDS CAMPING.
WE'RE GONNA FIND THE ANSWERS TO THIS FINANCIAL CHALLENGE WE'RE IN FRONT OF.
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA PUT INITIATIVE ON THE BALLOT.
AND I'M HERE TO STAY IF YOU WANT TO HELP ME GET THE MESSAGE OUT.
RICHARD ROJAS, 10 40 ERNE AVENUE.
I JUST, UM, MY HUSBAND AND I FEL HANSEN, MY HUSBAND, AND MY DANNY HANSEN AND I ARE LONG TIME RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF LA HARBOR, AS WELL AS BUSINESS OWNERS.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH, WITH THE COUNCIL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, WITNESSED FIRSTHAND, UM, THE POSITIVE CHANGES AND THE ENHANCEMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, RESOURCES SINCE THE LAST MEASURE PASSED.
AND ALL I'M HERE IS JUST TO HAD A BIG SPEECH, BUT EVERYBODY SAID A LOT OF STUFF ABOUT THE GRAFFITI, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS OTHER STUFF.
BUT I JUST, AND YOU KNOW, I DO REALLY HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE I DO PICK PRIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO OUTSIDE OF LA HARBOR
I MEAN, YOU DEFINITELY NOTICE HOW WELL OUR COMMUNITY IS UR.
UM, BUT I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO GO AHEAD, MOVE FORWARD, PUT THIS ON OUR BALLOT AND LET THE VOTERS VOTE.
[01:40:02]
WHERE'S MR. GARCIA? HERE WE GO.MADAM MAYOR, PRO TEM ESPOSA COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, JUAN GARCIA.
I'VE, UH, BEEN AROUND LA HABRA SINCE 1959, SO IT'S A FEW YEARS.
I HAVE A PRETTY GOOD HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON OUR COMMUNITY.
I'VE SEEN WHERE IT'S BEEN, UH, I'VE SEEN WHERE IT'S GOING, AND I DON'T LIKE THE PROSPECTS OF US HAVING TO GO AND MAKE SOME SIGNIFICANT CUTS TO OUR CITY BUDGET BECAUSE OF THIS EXPIRING MEASURE.
TI THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE ALLOW THE VOTERS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THE SERVICES.
THE GREAT, UH, STAFFING THAT WE GET FROM THE, UH, LA HABER POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, THEY ARE THE BEST THAT I'VE EVER RUN ACROSS.
UH, OUR CITY IS RUN BETTER THAN ANY OTHER COMMUNITY THAT I AM AWARE OF IN MY ROLE, UH, WHEN I WORKED IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY, I HAD TO VISIT HUNDREDS OF OTHER CITIES, AND I COULD SEE WHERE THEY LACKED, UH, THE QUALITIES THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE CITY OF LAHABRA.
AND I AM PROUD OF HAVING YOU ON OUR CITY COUNCIL.
I, UH, CERTAINLY, UH, WANT TO WISH YOU THE VERY BEST IN TERMS OF PUTTING THE FACTS OUT THERE FOR OUR CITIZENS TO MAKE THEIR OWN INFORMED DECISION.
AND I THINK WE OUGHT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE ARE RESPECTFUL OF ONE ANOTHER'S OPINIONS, BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT YES, ABSOLUTELY, THEY ARE ON TIGHT BUDGETS.
AND, AND SO WE ALL HAVE TO WATCH WHERE WE, WE SPEND OUR RESOURCES AND WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS.
IT'S ALL ABOUT PRIORITIES, I THINK, UH, IN LIFE.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE DONE THE VERY BEST IN TERMS OF MANAGING THOSE PRIORITIES.
AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH PLACING THAT BALLOT MEASURE UP BEFORE THE VOTERS FOR NOVEMBER.
AND WE'LL SEE WHERE IT ENDS UP.
I'M PRAYING THAT WE WILL END UP PASSING IT.
AGAIN, I THINK WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF GOOD, UH, VIEWPOINTS AND OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS.
SO WE'VE, UH, HEARD THE STAFF REPORT, WE'VE TAKEN PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR COUNCIL DELIBERATION, WHICH I'M GONNA KICK OFF.
BUT BEFORE I BEGIN, I WANT TO HAVE THE CITY MANAGER SAY SOMETHING REALLY QUICK ABOUT WHAT ASSURANCE DOES THAT GENTLEMAN HAVE THAT ROUGHLY 70% OF ANY ADDITIONAL REVENUE IS GONNA BE DEDICATED TO, TO PUBLIC SAFETY, IF YOU CAN.
SO, UH, THE CURRENT MEASURE T HALF SENT TAXES WAS CONSIDERED A GENERAL TAX.
IT IS A TAX RAISE THAT CAN BE USED BY THE LOCAL MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT ON ANY GENERAL FUND, UH, SERVICES, DEPARTMENTS, ET CETERA.
UM, THE MEASURE, IF THE COUNCIL APPROVES TO PLACE A MEASURE ON THE BALLOT FOR VOTER CONSIDERATION IN NOVEMBER, WILL ALSO BE A GENERAL TAX.
SO IT CAN BE USED FOR ANYTHING THAT ALL SAID.
70% OF WHERE WE SPEND OUR MONEY IS ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO BY DEFINITION, 70% OF ALL OF OUR GENERAL FUND RESOURCES, INCLUDING MEASURE T, INCLUDING A POTENTIAL, UH, NEW TAX MEASURE, WOULD GO TOWARDS PUBLIC SAFETY.
THAT'S WHERE WE SPEND THE BULK OF OUR MONEY IN THE GENERAL FUND.
SO ALL FIVE OF US UP HERE HAVE HEARD, OBVIOUSLY THE STAFF REPORT LISTEN TO ALL OF YOU.
SO WE'RE GONNA DO THIS IN KIND OF AN ORDERLY FASHION AS WE WORK OUR WAY DOWN.
AND I'M GUESSING THERE'LL BE MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.
UH, AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FOUR POINTS OF RECOMMENDATION MADE BY STAFF.
THE FIRST ONE IS CITY DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES.
AND THIS IS SIMPLY DIRECTING STAFF TO CONTINUE EVALUATING POTENTIAL OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES, MANY OF WHICH WERE RECOMMENDED BY THE PREVIOUS FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEES.
AND THEN WE DECIDE LATER, WHICH TO ADOPT, WHAT NOT TO ADOPT.
BUT TO ME, IT WOULD SEEM SILLY NOT TO CONTINUE EVALUATING ALL POSSIBLE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES.
SO FROM MY VOTE, I SUPPORT THAT WHEN IT COMES TO IMPLEMENTING HIRING FREEZES, UH, WE'VE ALREADY DONE SOME FREEZING IN MY VIEW.
I FEEL THAT'S PREMATURE, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS, FREEZING VACANT POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS, BECAUSE IF WE HAVE ONE PRINCIPLE MISSION, ONE GOAL, IT IS TO PRESERVE PUBLIC SAFETY.
THAT IS JOB NUMBER ONE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I AM OPPOSED ADAMANTLY TO FREEZING THOSE VACANT POLICE POSITIONS.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO FREEZE ANY STAFF POSITION POSITIONS BEYOND WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE.
SO IF WE DECIDE TO VOTE, UH, TO BALLOT THIS MEASURE AND THE MEASURE PASSES, UH, THE ONES THAT WE'VE ALREADY FROZEN CAN BE UNFROZEN.
AND I DON'T WANNA GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF NOW HAVING TO UNFREEZE THESE, THESE POLICE POSITIONS DOWN THE ROAD.
NUMBER THREE, THE FEE STUDY IS A GOOD IDEA.
OBVIOUSLY COST RECOVERY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF ANY MUNICIPAL OPERATION.
IF SOMETHING COSTS YOU A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY, YOU SHOULD SEE TO IT THAT YOU BASICALLY RECOVER THAT COST AS A PUBLIC ENTITY.
YOU DON'T MAKE MONEY ON IT, BUT YOU ALSO DON'T TAKE A LOSS.
SO I WOULD OBVIOUSLY SUPPORT THAT THE CITY CONTINUE TO STUDY FEES AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE TO SEE WHERE WE ARE AND IF, UH,
[01:45:01]
ANY CHANGES SHOULD BE MADE.FINALLY, NUMBER FOUR, AND THIS IS THE BIG ONE THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE HERE TO DECIDE WHETHER WE ASK THE VOTERS OR WHETHER WE DON'T ASK THE VOTERS.
OBVIOUSLY, IF WE DON'T ASK, 13% OF THE BUDGET DISAPPEARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND HERE'S THE THING FOR ME TOO, IT'S INTERESTING.
LET'S JUST SAY WE DECIDE NOT TO BALLOT THIS SO WE DON'T ASK.
AND, AND SO THAT MONEY GOES AWAY.
I CAN SEE A LOT OF VOTERS DOWN THE ROAD BEING EXTREMELY ANGRY WITH US SAYING, HEY, I NOTICED MY SLOWER RESPON, UH, POLICE RESPONSE TIMES.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? WHY DID YOU NOT ASK US? WHY DID YOU NOT TELL US? WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE, THE LEVEL OF QUALITY OF LIFE THAT THIS CITY HAS ALWAYS ENJOYED, AND GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
THE VOTERS ARE TELLING US WHAT TO DO.
YOU WANT US TO CUT? WE'LL CUT.
YOU WANT US THINGS TO STAY THE WAY THEY ARE.
BUT TO MY WAY OF THINKING, IT'S A PROACTIVE AND TRANSPARENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT ALWAYS ASK THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND WHO HOLD STAKES HERE IN THE FORM OF SMALL BUSINESSES, WHAT KIND OF CITY THEY WANT.
AND I THINK THAT'S ALL THAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE THEIR CHOICE.
FOR THAT REASON, I'M IN FULLY, UH, I AM IN FULL SUPPORT OF BALLOTING THIS MEASURE.
UM, I THINK THAT, UH, THE MOTTO, A CARING COMMUNITY ALSO MEANS THAT WE CARE WHAT FOLKS THINK AND WE CARE ABOUT WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY THEY WANT.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S MY TAKE ON THOSE FOUR POINTS AND I WILL BEGIN NOW NEXT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MADANO.
AND, UH, JUST FOR SOME, UH, FOR SOME CLARIFICATION, UH, WELL, LET ME, LET ME FIRST START OFF BY THANKING THE, UH, THE PEOPLE HERE THAT HAVE COME TO CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE, UH, WE DON'T SEE, UH, CROWDS, UH, RESIDENTS COME IN LIKE THIS, UH, ON A REGULAR BASIS, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS ON THE AGENDA.
SO I, AND, AND I'M, I'M GONNA TAKE THE TIME HERE TO ACKNOWLEDGE EACH ONE OF YOU WHAT, WHATEVER OPINION YOU HAD.
I AM GLAD YOU VOICED YOUR OPINION, WHETHER IT WAS FOR OR AGAINST.
AND I'LL TELL YOU BERTA, THANK YOU, MARIA MECHA, NORM PEREZ, NOAH DANIELS, GLEN HOLS, VERONICA DJ, IF I PRONOUNCE THAT RIGHT, UH, JUAN AVILA, UH, RANDY DICKINSON, I THINK IT WAS MOISES ALONSO, ROBERT, DJ T PARDON ME, I I DIDN'T CATCH THAT.
UH, UH, RICHARD ROJAS, UH, ELIA HANSON, AND, UH, JUAN GARCIA AS WELL.
UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT OUR FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE THIS FULL.
AND I WILL ADDRESS ANOTHER THING AS WELL.
I, I WAS NOT A PART OF THE CITY, UH, ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO WHEN, UH, WHEN THEY DECIDED TO, UH, UH, TO, TO GO TO LA COUNTY FOR THEIR FIRE SERVICES.
UH, IN MY EYES, LOOKING BACK AT IT, IT WAS A GENIUS MOVE BECAUSE THEY SAVED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND YOU, AND YOU WERE, YOU WERE, AND YOU ARE GETTING FIRE SERVICES FROM THE PREMIER FIREFIGHTING SERVICE, IF NOT THE COUNTRY, THE WORLD.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THEM IS ANOTHER ISSUE.
OKAY? BECAUSE LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, OKAY, THAT'S, I MEAN, PUBLIC SAFETY COSTS YOU WHAT IT COSTS.
WE HAVE ONE OF THE FINEST POLICE DEPARTMENTS, NOT ONLY IN THE STATE, BUT IN THE COUNTRY AS WELL.
HAVING SAID THAT, UM, I WILL, UH, I, I WILL SAY THIS AS WELL.
I, I AM IN FAVOR OF PUTTING THIS ON THE BALLOT FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO DETERMINE.
AND, UH, AND IF I'VE SAID IN THE PAST, UH, I DON'T WANNA RAISE TAXES, I PERSONALLY, I DON'T WANNA RAISE TAXES.
I WANT YOU TO MAKE THE DECISION.
I CAN'T MAKE THAT DECISION BY LAW.
I CAN'T, I DON'T WANNA MAKE THAT DECISION, BUT I WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE EXAMPLE, OKAY? AS A POLICE OFFICER OF OVER 28 YEARS, STILL SERVING, GETTING CLOSER TO RETIREMENT, ALRIGHT? A FEW YEARS AGO, IT CAME UPON US AS CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE ON CANNABIS, ALRIGHT? I WAS VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED TO IT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, CANNABIS COMING INTO THE CITY.
BUT I WAS APPROACHED AND SAID, HEY, WOULD YOU MIND IT GOING OUT FOR A VOTE TO THE PEOPLE? AND SOMEBODY HAD SAID, HEY, YOU, UH, YOU MAY BE AN EXPERT IN WHAT CANNABIS DOES, OR YOU'VE SEEN AND SEEN THE HORRIFIC RESULT OF WHAT CANNABIS MADE YOU IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE, SAY, YEAH, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU'RE RIGHT.
WHO AM I TO SAY, OR TO HOLD PEOPLE BACK FROM DECIDING THAT FOR THEMSELVES, OVERWHELMINGLY THE CITY APPROVED IT.
MEASURE X THE SAME THING AND OTHER THINGS AS WE GO FORWARD.
OKAY? SO THAT'S ONE, THAT'S ONE OF THE MANY REASONS.
SO THAT BEING SAID, I WANT TO LEAVE THE
[01:50:01]
OPPORTUNITY OUT THERE FOR RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO SEE IF THEY WANT TO CONTINUE TO STAY COMPETITIVE AGAINST NEIGHBORING CITIES.ALRIGHT? NEIGHBORING CITIES THAT HAVE POLICE AND FIRE.
THAT IF THERE'S ONE INSTANCE THAT IF YES, IF THIS IS PASSED, WE CONTINUE ON AS WE ALWAYS HAVE.
IF NOT, THEN THERE MAY BE THE POSSIBILITY THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS GO ELSEWHERE AND PUBLIC SAFETY SUFFERS.
I'VE BEEN IN PUBLIC SAFETY, I'VE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS FOR OVER 28 YEARS.
I KNOW A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT IT, BUT THAT'S THAT.
I WILL TELL YOU THIS, BY THE TIME THIS IS VOTED ON LA HABRA, RESIDENTS ARE GONNA KNOW WHAT'S GONNA BE SACRIFICED AND WHAT THEY MAY BE GIVEN UP, IF ANYTHING AT ALL.
ONLY THE RESIDENTS CAN, UH, CAN DO THAT.
SO I WOULD LEAVE IT UP TO THEM.
UM, AS FAR AS THE OTHER, UH, THE OTHER ITEMS ON THE, UH, ON THE AGENDA, UM, I THINK, UH, AFTER HEARING, UH, OUR MAYOR SPEAK, I'M, I AM NOW, UH, ACTUALLY I ON APPROVING, UH, A TARGETED HIRING FREEZE.
I THINK I, I WAS OF THE MINDSET THAT, THAT I WOULD, BUT, UH, NO, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'LL HOLD OFF AS WELL.
I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S VERY PRUDENT TO HOLD OFF ON THAT, BECAUSE LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN NOVEMBER.
AGAIN, LET THE RESIDENTS DECIDE.
AND OF COURSE, AS WHAT WE'VE DONE, UH, THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF FOR THE STAFF REPORT, UH, TO HAVE THE FORESIGHT AND TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK INTO HISTORY AND PUT IT ON HERE.
UH, THEY PROVIDED US NOT ONLY ELECTRONICALLY, UH, BUT IT WAS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, JUST SO YOU KNOW, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, AS IN PAPER TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO SEE, BACK IN 2005 WHAT THE AD HOC FISCAL COMMITTEE REMEN, UH, RECOMMENDED.
I LIVED IN THE CITY, BUT I WAS ONE OF THE COUNTY ISLANDS THAT PERTAIN TO THE COUNTY OF ORANGE.
I WAS NOT AN ACTUAL, UH, MY SERVICES DID NOT COME FROM THE CITY.
I GOT COUNTY, I GOT SERVICES FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF AND OTHER COUNTY ENTITIES AT THE TIME, SEVEN YEARS AGO, THE COUNTY ABSORBED MY REP, MY, UH, MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WANTED TO HAVE A VOICE AND I HAVE THE VOICE, AND I'M GIVING OUR RESIDENTS THE SAME OPPORTUNITY.
I CAN'T, UH, I CAN'T MAKE THOSE, UH, THOSE DECISIONS FOR YOU, JUST THE SAME.
BUT THE STAFF REPORT WAS VERY CLEAR AND CONCISE ON WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.
AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY, IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT, IT'S OKAY.
NO SHAME IN THAT, I'LL TELL YOU THAT.
BUT READ IT, READ THE STAFF REPORT REGARDLESS FOR OR AGAINST, OKAY? JUST SO YOU KNOW, WHAT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED, HOW MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT.
WE JUST HAD OUR, OUR, UH, OUR BUDGET MEETING THIS PAST, WHAT, A MONTH AGO TO APPROVE THE BUDGET FOR THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
AND I, AND I PLEASE, I DO NOT MEAN TO SOUND CONDESCENDING.
THAT IS NOT WHAT I'M GETTING AT, WHAT I'M, WHAT I WANTED, THE MESSAGE I WANT TO CONVEY TO YOU HERE AND TO OUR RESIDENTS THAT ARE WATCHING AND ANYBODY OUT THERE, IS TO PAY ATTENTION TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
YOU NEED TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE, BERTHA, YOU'RE RIGHT.
YOU NEED TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE.
YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO COME UP HERE AND SAY, HEY, YOU SAID THIS, YOU SAID THAT.
YOU SHOULD, YOU SHOULD HOLD EACH AND EVERY ONE US ACCOUNTABLE, WHETHER YOU WANNA SIN OR OUT.
AS FAR AS INSTANCES, SOMEBODY HAD MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY DOES NOT CONTROL WHAT HAPPENS AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR ANY ONE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHETHER IT BE LA HABER, CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, THAT'S NOT US, FULLERTON JOINT HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT'S NOT US AND LOWELL JOINT, THAT'S NOT US EITHER.
SO, I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT CLEAR DISTINCTION, THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU ASK THOSE BOARD MEMBERS HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AS WELL.
SO, WITH THAT, I THINK THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PROAM ESPOSA, I, UM, I, I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND MS. MACHEKA WAS RIGHT WHEN SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T SELL ANY PRODUCT.
THE CITY DOESN'T SELL PRODUCTS THAT WE HAVE REVENUES.
WE DON'T BUILD WIDGETS THAT WE CAN SELL TO, TO, UM, PROVIDE THE SERVICES WE DO.
WE RELY ON THE PROPERTY TAXES AND THE SALES TAXES.
SO, FOR ME, WHEN I THOUGHT, WHEN I READ THIS REPORT AND, AND SAW THE CUTS THAT WERE GONNA TAKE PLACE, UH, IT CONCERNED ME, ESPECIALLY FOR A VARIETY GROUP OF PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, THE SENIOR CITIZENS.
I MEAN, UM, THEY LOOK FORWARD TO THESE DANCES THAT THEY HAVE, UH, EVERY, UH, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE, AND THEY THEY PROVIDE 'EM A, A NICE LUNCH, AND IT'S NOT LIKE, OR DINNER.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE, UM, LIKE WE HAVE A CATERER, ANYONE.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A STAFF MEMBER THAT DOES ALL THE COOKING IN THE KITCHEN IN THE BACK OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER TO PREPARE FOR ALL THE ONES THAT COME THAT LIVE IN LA HARBOR.
AND THEY TRAVEL AROUND TO FIND OUT WHERE THE COMMUNITY DANCES ARE GONNA BE FOR THE SENIOR CITIZENS.
[01:55:01]
I GET TO KNOW THEM.AND SOME OF THEM DO NOT LIVE IN LA HARBA, BUT YET THEY ENJOY THE ATMOSPHERE THAT THEY HAVE WITH THE COMMUNITY HERE AND THE SENIOR CITIZENS.
SO I SEE THAT, THAT REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND WOULD THAT BE CUT? THAT CONCERNS ME.
I SEE HOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, WHAT THEY DO, THEY GO BEYOND A COFFEE WITH A COP AND COOLS COPS AND THE EVENT THAT THEY HAVE, THAT THEY INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITY AS THE CITIZENS ACADEMY, WHERE THEY'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW THE, ESPECIALLY THE MIGRANT COMMUNITY, WHICH ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE A DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIP IN MOST CITIES.
THEY HAVE A SOLID RELATIONSHIP WITH A COMMUNITY THAT THEY, THEY, THE, THE RESIDENT MEMBERS KNOW THE POLICE OFFICERS ON A FIRST NAME BASIS.
THEY ALWAYS SEE THEM AND THEY'RE SCARED OF THEM.
I SEE THAT NO LONGER HAPPENING IN THESE COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVE WHERE MIGRANT PEOPLE LIVE, AND THAT'S WHAT THE P THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES.
THEY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
AND IT MAKES ME VERY PROUD OF THEM HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY TO HAVE THEM.
AND KUDOS TO ALL OF YOU, THE 70% OF THE BUDGET YOU DESERVE TO HAVE BECAUSE OF THE SERVICES YOU PROVIDE.
UM, SO I, I JUST SAY, AND I'M ONE THAT ABOUT DEPARTMENT CITY OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES.
THE WARRANTS ARE THE EXPENSES AND THE PURCHASES THAT THEY'VE MADE.
AND I CHECKED ALL THE WARRANTS EVERY TIME BEFORE A COUNCIL MEETING WHEN THEIR PACKAGE IS GIVEN TO US.
AND I CHECK THAT INFORMATION AND I SEE NOTHING BUT THE THINGS THAT WE NEED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE, PROVIDE FOR ALL THE RESIDENT MEMBERS AND THE, AND THE, AND THE, THE, THE, THE, THE PARKS, I MEAN, THE PARKS THAT WE MAINTAIN.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BUILD A BIGGER PARK NOW.
I MEAN, THOSE ALL COST THE MAINTENANCE AND SERVICES OF THOSE COSTS.
I MEAN, WHEN I COME FROM CALVARY, UH, WHEN I COME FROM THE CALVARY CEMETERY, I COME DOWN WHITTIER BOULEVARD AND I, AS I DRIVE ALONG, I CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE OF THE, THE QUALITY OF THE COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEN I START GETTING TO LA HARBA, I START SEEING WHEN WHITTIER IS STARTING TO BE GROOMED AND ALL THAT.
AND THEN I COME TO LA HARBA AND IT'S A WHOLE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT COMMUNITY FROM WHAT I SEE OVER THERE ON, UH, THE CALVARY CHAPEL OVER THERE, THE CALVARY CEMETERY ON WHITTIER BOULEVARD IN EAST LA.
THAT IS WHAT THE, THESE SERVICES GO TO, TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN THE PRIDE THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I, FOR ME, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, FOR YOU TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY YES OR NO AND PUT IT ON THE BALLOT FOR YOU TO DECIDE.
THAT WOULD BE WHAT I WOULD PREFER AS WELL.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY BEING HERE TONIGHT.
I WAS JUST REMINDED OR JUST THOUGHT OF WHEN WE DID THE FIRE CONTRACT 20 YEARS AGO.
AND I REMEMBER A LETTER STEVE SIMONIAN THEN MAYOR STEVE SIMONIAN, HAD RECEIVED 20 YEARS AGO FROM OUR GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARTZENEGGER.
AND THAT LETTER STAYED MANY YEARS IN OUR OLD CITY HALL, AND HE COMMEND THE CITY OF LAHABRA FOR OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX IN CONTRACTING OUT WITH LA COUNTY FIRE.
NEVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY, UH, OR ACTUALLY, I'M SORRY, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, HAD ANY CITY DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND WE GOT KUDOS FROM THE STATE GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER BACK THEN.
AND THAT LETTER STAYED THERE MANY, MANY YEARS ON THE WALL OF CITY HALL FOR OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND OUR HARD WORK TO INCREASE FIRE SERVICES AND SAVE OURSELVES A TON OF MONEY.
HAVING SOMEONE WHO'S LIVED IN LAHABRA OUR ENTIRE LIFE.
AND, UH, REMEMBER WHEN I MOVED INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE GRAY SPECIFIC AREA EVERY NIGHT, RIGHT NEAR LAS LOMAS, THE SPEAKERS WHO SPOKE UP THERE.
I REMEMBER THOSE NIGHTS WHEN EVERY NIGHT THERE WERE GUNSHOTS GOING ON THERE.
I REMEMBER THE NIGHTS WHEN DOROTHY RUSH'S HOME, OUR FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS HOW GOT SHOT UP, SHOT UP.
I REMEMBER THE GRAFFITI BACK THERE.
I REMEMBER HAVING TO DODGE BULLETS WHEN I WAS A STORE MANAGER AT THRIFTY COMING HOME AND SEEING ALL THE GANG MEMBERS ON EVERY STREET THERE ON PACIFIC AND IN GRACE.
AND THANKS TO THE HARDWORKING EFFORTS OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY STOOD STRONG AND THEY TURNED THIS CITY AROUND.
SO I BELIEVE WHOLEHEARTEDLY THAT, UH, I AM GONNA START, UH, STAND WITH OUR POLICE ASSOCIATION IN GIVING OUR VOTERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE WHAT KIND OF CITY THEY WANT.
WHEN I LOOK ACROSS THE ROOM HERE, AND I SEE OFFICER MILLER HERE WHO TOOK A BILLET FOR THIS COMMUNITY, HE WAS AMBUSHED IN FRONT OF, IN FRONT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND WHAT IF WE HAVE TO CUT IN, IF 70% OF OUR BUDGET GOES THERE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, BUT I'LL TELL YOU, YOU CANNOT CUT A BUDGET WITHOUT CUTTING PUBLIC SERVICE AT THAT POINT.
GOD FORBID, BACKUP WOULD NOT BE THERE TO SAVE OFFICER MILLER AND HE WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
SO I'M GONNA VOTE TONIGHT TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AND LET THE VOTERS DECIDE
[02:00:01]
WHAT WE OUGHT TO DO.I STAND WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IN PUTTING THIS ON THE BALLOT.
COUNCIL MEMBER S THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.
UM, AND ALL MY COLLEAGUES, UH, VERY GOOD POINTS.
UM, BUT WHAT I WANTED TO SAY IS, UM, I LIVED HERE FOR 34 YEARS.
UH, PERSONALLY, MY FAMILY HAS NOT HAD TO CALL ON PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, 9 1 1.
UM, BUT MY NEIGHBORS HAVE, I LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE STILL ORIGINAL OWNERS.
UM, MY NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR, SHE'S GONNA BE 100
SHE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON, AND IT'S DUE TO OUR QUALITY WATER
ANYWAY, UM, SO I'VE HAD, I'VE SEEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DRIVE UP NUMEROUS TIMES FOR SOME OF OUR ORIGINAL RESIDENTS THERE ON OUR BLOCK.
AND I FEEL SO GOOD KNOWING THAT THEY ARE SAFE, THEY ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
IF THINGS COME TO BE WHERE THOSE SERVICES GET CUT, GOD FORBID I'M IN MY SEVENTIES.
YOU WENT TO YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR
BUT I HAVE FOUR GENERATIONS LIVING WITH ME RIGHT NOW.
I HAVE A DAUGHTER, A GRANDDAUGHTER, A GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER, MYSELF.
SO WE HAVE MANY GENERATIONS AND THEY'RE GONNA BE, THEY'RE LIVING HERE WITH ME IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH THEY TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF EVERY ACTIVITY THAT'S OUT THERE, EVERY EVENT.
MY GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER, SHE LOVES THE FAIRS.
GRANDMA, CAN I GO WITH YOU? SHE KNOWS WHERE WE'RE GOING.
SHE GOES TO THE CONCERTS IN THE PARK.
SHE LOVES GOING TO THE MUSEUM FREE FOR ONE HOUR.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION, AND I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY THAT SHOWED UP TONIGHT, GOOD, BAD OR INDIFFERENT, YOU GET THE VOICE, YOU TAKE THAT, YOU TAKE THAT TO THE, THE BALLOT ON NOVEMBER 5TH, AND YOU SAY WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT OR NOT, BUT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR SOCIAL SERVICES, EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER HERE IN LA HARA, WE WANNA CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THAT TO YOU.
SO I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, WHETHER YOU KNOW YOU WERE FOR OR AGAINST.
UM, SO ON ALL THE ITEMS THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING, UM, NUMBER ONE, YES.
UM, I WOULD LIKE STAFF TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCIES AS THEY HAVE ALWAYS DONE IN THE PAST.
UM, AS FAR AS A HIRING FREEZE WITH RESPECT TO FREEZING OF ANY ADDITIONAL POSITIONS, I AM NOT COMFORTABLE MAKING THAT DECISION AT THIS TIME.
HOWEVER, WE WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO REVISIT THIS DURING OUR NEXT BUDGET ANALYSIS, BEFORE MAKING THE DETERMINATION ON DOING ANY ADDITIONAL FREEZING, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE JUST FROZE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS AND POSITIONS JUST A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO.
UM, OUR COMMUNITY IS LUCKY TO HAVE SUCH A ROBUST AND VIBRANT POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO I AM IN A, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS GO ON THE BALLOT AND HAVE LA HABER RESIDENTS VOICE THEIR OPINION.
SO UNLESS WE HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION IF COUNCIL IS READY.
IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO, UH, MAKE A MOTION.
UH, CAN I, UH, READ THEM ALL AND WE WILL MAKE, UH, ONE, ONE VOTE.
IS THAT CORRECT? IF, UM, CITY ATTORNEY, YEAH.
SHOULD THEY DO 'EM ALL AT ONCE OR DO INDIVIDUAL? UH, IT MAKES STILL TEND TO
[02:05:01]
FEEL DIFFERENCE.WHATEVER YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH.
I, I'D SUGGEST INDIVIDUAL THAT MAKES THAT WAY YOU CAN VOTE ON EACH ONE OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WELL, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL DO 'EM INDIVIDUALLY.
MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, UH, THAT WE DIRECT STAFF, UH, A DIRECT STAFF TO CONTINUE EVALUATING POTENTIAL OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES, ALTERNATE SERVICE MODELS, AND INSOURCING OR OUTSOURCING OPPORTUNITIES IN CITY DEPARTMENTS.
WE NEED TO INVEST IN A NEW SYSTEM.
UH, MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE ANOTHER MOTION, UH, B TO APPROVE TAR, NO, EXCUSE ME, TO NOT, UH, APPROVE, UH, PORTION B, UH, TO FORGO, UH, APPROVING THE TARGETED HIRING FREEZE FOR CERTAIN FULL-TIME POSITIONS ACROSS ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING SWORN POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS, NOT TO EXCEED 10% OF THE CURRENT AUTHORIZED SWORN STAFFING IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'D LIKE TO SECOND, SO THERE'S, SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, NOT TO APPROVE THAT TO ANY CORRECT.
ESPECIALLY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT CARRIED FIVE ZERO UNANIMOUSLY TO VOTE IN OPPOSITION OF ITEM B, CORRECT.
MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, UH, FOR ITEM C DIRECT STAFF TO INITIATE A COMPREHENSIVE FEE STUDY AND DEVELOP AN UPDATED COST ALLOCATION PLAN.
SO THE CITY FEES FOR SERVICES RECOVER 100% OF THE CITY'S COST TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
ALL RIGHT, MR. MAYOR, FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PLACEMENT OF A LOCAL BALLOT MEASURE FOR THE NOVEMBER 24TH ELECTION THAT WOULD REAUTHORIZE THE CITY'S CURRENT TRANSACTION AND USE SALES TAX AT AN UPDATED RATE OF 1 CENT FOR VOTER CONSIDERATION.
ONE, APPROVE AN ADOPT RESOLUTION ENTITLED THE RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HARA, CALIFORNIA IS SUBMITTING THE LA HABRA EMERGENCY SERVICES NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY COMMUNITY PROTECTION MEASURE TO THE VOTERS AT THE NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024 GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION, REITERATING THAT THE CITY'S REQUEST THAT THE ELECTION BE CONSOLIDATED WITH OTHER ELECTIONS HELD ON THAT DATE AND TAKING CERTAIN RELATED ACTIONS.
AND TWO, INTRODUCE ORDINANCE NUMBER CC 2 0 2 4 ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA AMENDING CHAPTER 4.10 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE TO IMPOSE A TRANSACTIONS AND USE TAX TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TAX AND FEE ADMINISTRATION.
SO ESSENTIALLY THAT MEANS LET THE VOTERS DECIDE, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? YES.
OKAY, I'LL SUPPORT THAT WITH A SECOND.
GRATITUDE AGAIN TO ALL WHO MADE THEIR VOICES HEARD HERE.
NOW THE NEXT STEP IS FOR ALL OF LA HABER TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD ON BO ON VOTING DAY.
[ MAYOR'S COMMUNITY CALENDAR:]
WE PROCEED TO THE, UH, MAYOR'S COMMUNITY CALENDAR.THIS, THIS IS THE BEST PART OF THE NIGHT,
ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'M GONNA HOLD OFF ON MY CALENDAR WHILE TO YOU FOLKS.
WE, THE MEETING'S STILL ACTUALLY, UH, WE'RE STILL DOING OUR MEETING.
I JUST WANNA SAY YOU DIDN'T REALLY ANSWER MY QUESTION AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE ALRIGHT, WAIT.
IN THE AUDIENCE AFTER THE MEETING, YOU STICK AROUND.
I IT'S TOO BAD NORMALLY CAN HEAR THE ANSWER THOUGH, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T REALLY ANSWER THE QUESTION.
WHAT'S TE SAYING? HE DIDN'T ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
HEY, LET'S, UH, JOIN THE LA HABER POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT TOMORROW NIGHT FROM 5:00 PM UNTIL 8:00 PM AT PORTOLA PARK.
MEET THE HARBOR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND EXPERIENCE LHPD, PUBLIC SAFETY DEMONSTRATIONS, FAMILY FRIENDLY, FUN FOOD, AND FREE ADMISSION TO THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT AT 5 6 2 3 8 3 4200 BACK TO SCHOOL BLOCK PARTY.
PREPARE FOR THE 20 24 20 25 SCHOOL YEAR AT THE BACK TO SCHOOL BLOCK PARTY ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 10TH FROM 10:00 AM UNTIL 12:00 PM AT PORTOLA PARK.
BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES ARE AVAILABLE FOR K THROUGH EIGHT STUDENTS.
STUDENTS MUST BE PRESENT AT THE EVENT TO RECEIVE SUPPLIES.
[02:10:01]
GREAT RESOURCES FROM DOZENS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT BETTER LIFE LAHABRA AT 5 6 2 2 0 4 6 7 4 4.
I'LL REMIND FOLKS IN THE BACK THE MEETING IS STILL, UH, UH, IN SESSION, SO PLEASE THANK YOU.
LAHABRA LIONS WILL HOST ITS ANNUAL FEST FUNDRAISER THIS SATURDAY, AUGUST 10TH AT 5:00 PM AT THE LARA COMMUNITY CENTER.
COST TO ATTEND IS $25 PER PERSON, INCLUDES PASTA, SALAD, BREAD, DRINK, AND DESSERT.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT LYON LESLIE GROSS AT 7 1 4 2 8 7 8 0 5 7, OR A LION, VANESSA PERKINS AT 5 6 2 7 5 6 8 1 7 5, OR LION, KATHY FELIX AT 5 6 2 8 8 9 2 8 0 5.
PLEASE JOIN US FOR MOVIES IN THE PARK.
GRAB YOUR BLANKET AND LAWN CHAIRS AND COME WATCH A MOVIE IN OUR GIANT MOVIE SCREEN MIGRATION.
WE'LL BE SHOWN ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 16TH, BEGINNING AT 6:00 PM AT A PORTOLA PARK, 3 0 1 SOUTH EUCLID STREET.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT AT 5 6 2 3 8 3 4 2 0 0.
JOIN US ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 18TH FROM 2:00 PM UNTIL 4:00 PM AT THE HABER COMMUNITY CENTER FOR A SUNDAY AFTERNOON OF LIVE MUSIC, DANCING, AND DINNER.
COST IS $8 PER PERSON AND PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
RESERVE YOUR SPACE IN PERSON AT THE LAHABRA COMMUNITY CENTER OR BY PHONE BY CALLING (562) 383-4200.
NEXT, PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE CITY OF LAHABRA ISS 2024.
STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28TH AT 9:30 AM AT THE LAHABRA COMMUNITY CENTER, 1 0 1 WEST BOULEVARD.
I WILL PRESENT THE KEYNOTE ADDRESS, SO YOU'LL HAVE A GOOD SPEAKER THERE.
ADMISSION IS FREE, HOWEVER, SEATING IS LIMITED.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT ADMINISTRATION AT 5 6 2 3 8 3 4 0 1 0.
AND PLEASE REMEMBER, THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETS ON THE SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 6:30 PM AND THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION MEETS ON THE SECOND WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 6:30 PM IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER.
WATER CONSERVATION IS STILL A FACTOR IN CALIFORNIA.
IRRIGATION IS LIMITED TO THREE TIMES PER WEEK WITH NO MORE THAN 15 MINUTES WATERING PER STATION, AND NO RUNOFF.
PLEASE TURN OFF IRRIGATION PRIOR TO AND FOLLOWING RAIN.
PLEASE NOTE THE LAWN IRRIGATION IS PROHIBITED BETWEEN 10:00 AM TO 4:00 PM AS IS THE WASHING OF HARD SERVICES SUCH AS SIDEWALKS AND DRIVEWAYS.
PLEASE DO YOUR PART TO CONTINUE TO HELP US CONSERVE THIS MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE.
UH, FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE HARBOR PUBLIC WORKS AT 5 6 2 3 8 3 4 1 7 0.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE MAYOR'S CALENDAR, THANK GOODNESS.
AND I WILL ASK IF WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM STAFF TONIGHT.
[ COMMENTS FROM COUNCILMEMBERS/DIRECTORS:]
MEMBER S WHAT DO YOU THINK? I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO, UM, TO STAFF.THEY WENT ALL OUT TRYING TO GET ALL US, UM, MEMBERS THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS AND, UM, IT TOOK A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF THEIR RESOURCES, UM, HOURS AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.
I WENT TO, UM, THE LAST CONCERT IN THE PARK.
ARE WE DOING THAT NOW? RIGHT? OUR LAST CONCERT'S COMING UP THURSDAY.
THE THE LAST ONE THAT WE JUST HAD, BUT THE, THE, THE LAST ONE THAT'S COMING UP WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, THE DIVAS STANDING ROOM ONLY.
I MEAN, YOU BETTER GET THERE EARLY.
GET YOUR LAWN CHAIRS IF YOU REALLY WANNA HAVE A SEAT.
UM, THEY HAVE A HUGE FOLLOWING.
AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, NEXT WELL THIS THURSDAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER GOMEZ, REAL, REAL QUICK.
UH, AGAIN, I WANNA THANK STAFF.
I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
IT WAS A TOUGH MEETING, ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK A GENTLEMAN HERE IN THE FRONT ROW WHO WE ALL DEARLY LOVE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER STEVE SIMONIAN.
NO, I DON'T THINK HE'S GONNA STAND UP.
CAN YOU HELP HIM? NO, I'M KIDDING.
ANYWAY, HE IS TRULY A LEGEND AND ICON AND, UH, YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF CONTRIBUTION TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO BE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND WE LOVE YOU.
UM, REAL QUICK, WANT TO THANK THE PHANTOM PROJECTS FOR A WONDERFUL GALA THE OTHER NIGHT, AND ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE MADANO, UM, WHO WAS PART OF A, A COMMITTEE FOR THE HOT PROGRAM, THE HISPANIC OUTREACH EVENT.
WE WEREN'T UNABLE TO ATTEND THE CONCERT THE OTHER NIGHT BECAUSE HE AND I WERE OUT THERE RAISING FUNDS FOR THE HISPANIC OUTREACH, UH, FOUNDATION TASK FORCE.
I HAVE VERY LITTLE TOO, I WANNA SAY THAT I WAS ALSO AT THE, UH, THE PHANTOM GROUP AT DEPOT THEATER GALA ON SATURDAY NIGHT.
AND I SAID THERE HOW OVERJOYED I AM TO HAVE A TRULY SUCCESSFUL THEATER GROUP OPERATING AT, AT OUR DEPOT THEATER.
[02:15:01]
A GREAT LIVE THEATER, AND IT'S A SITUATION TOO, WHERE THEY'RE PACKING THE HOUSE.WHEN THEY FIRST CAME TO LA HABRA, TYPICALLY THEY'D SELL 22% OF THEIR, OF THEIR SEATS, BUT NOW THROUGH THE QUALITY OF THEIR PRODUCTIONS AND TREMENDOUS PROMOTION, LIKE I SAID, IT'S, UH, IT, IT IS FULL HOUSES EVERY NIGHT AND THE PERFORMANCES ARE MAGNIFICENT.
AND I, I THINK ABOUT THAT AND I THINK ABOUT THE GENERAL BENEFIT.
I'M THINKING ABOUT THE NICER THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY, IS WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT.
AND WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT EARLIER DURING THIS MEETING.
THINGS LIKE ART AND MUSIC AND THEATER.
AND THESE TYPES OF THINGS REALLY FEED THE SOUL AND THE SPIRIT OF A COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT PAVING A ROAD DOES NOT.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE THAT.
UH, THE CITY MANAGER HAS AN IDEA OF AN ARTS DISTRICT SLOWLY COALESCING IN, IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA OF THE CITY.
WE'VE GOT DEPOT THEATER, WE'VE GOT THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, WE'VE GOT A GREAT PARK FOR LIVE MUSIC.
CONSCIOUS IN THE PARK IS AN EXAMPLE TOO, OF OUR, OF OUR FOCUS ON MUSIC, WHICH IS SOMETHING NOT A LOT OF CITIES HAVE.
I JUST WANT TO TELL THE COMMUNITY HOW PROUD I AM OF THAT, AND ALSO ASSURE THEM OF MY CONTINUED RELENTLESS SUPPORT OF THAT KIND OF QUALITY OF LIFE BUILDING STUFF.
QUICKLY, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I ATTENDED, ATTENDED THE CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE.
UM, IT'S A COMMITTEE THAT HAS BEEN ORGANIZED BY THE CITY, UH, TO CELEBRATE, UH, NEXT YEAR, WHICH WILL BE A HUNDRED YEARS THAT THE CITY HAS INCORPORATED.
AND, UH, THEY HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT IS FORMED AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO QUITE A NUMBER OF CELEBRATIONS TO CELEBRATE THE INCORPORATION OF THE CITY TO NOW AND SEE JUST WHAT KIND OF ACTIVITIES CAN BE INCLUDED INTO THE EXISTING, UM, EVENTS THAT WE HAVE AS WELL.
I I'LL, BUT ALSO ATTENDING THE CONCERTS IN THE PARK.
THIS WOULD BE LIKE THE LAST ONE THEY'D SAID, THE LAST CONCERT.
AND, UM, I WOULD ASK YOU TO ATTEND, AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE LIONS CLUB IS THERE AND THEY HAVE THE BEST HAMBURGERS THAT YOU HAVE EVER TASTED.
THEY NO LONGER, LAST YEAR THEY DID NOT SERVE ANY HAMBURGERS AT THE CORN FESTIVAL, WHICH SURPRISED ME BECAUSE THAT'S THE REASON I WOULD GO WAS FOR THE HAMBURGERS,
AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY HAMBURGERS.
SO NOW I'M TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY AT THE CONCERTS TO EAT, UH, A DINNER THERE EVERY CONCERT BECAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY THE LAST TIME I WILL HAVE A, A HAMBURGER FROM THEM.
AND I ALSO HAD, ON JULY THE 25TH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE I AM WORKERS APPRENTICE TOUR.
THAT ASSEMBLY MEMBER PHILIP CHAN, UM, OFFERED TO, UM, THE COMMUNITY, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THERE WAS ONE SO CLOSE BY TO US IN LA PALMA.
AND, UM, THOSE WHO WANT TO BECOME WELDERS, THEY SHOWED HIM THE, THE WHAT THEY DO AND WHAT THEY GO THROUGH AND THE, UH, THE GOOD PAY THAT THEY GET AS WELL.
AND IT'S CLOSE BY AND THERE'S NO STUDENT LOAN INVOLVED IN IT.
SO THEY CAN GO AND LEARN THE TRADE AND THEY COME OUT WITH NO STUDENT LOAN AND THEY WILL BE HELPED AND GIVEN A JOB AS WELL.
SO I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO, UH, TAKE A TOUR OF THAT AND I AM, I'M GRATEFUL THAT HE WAS ABLE TO GIVE US THAT OPPORTUNITY.
OTHER THAN THAT, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE HERE THAT CAME AND SHOWED UP.
UH, GRACIA, SHE THE ONLY ONE THAT I HEARD SPOKEN SPANISH.
THANK YOU, UH, MS. MACHEKA FOR HELPING HER OUT WITH A TRANSLATION.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE RELATIONSHIP THEY HAVE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UH, WE KEEP THAT RELATIONSHIP GOING AS STRONG BECAUSE IT IMPROVES ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND, AND THEN WE HAVE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERYONE AROUND HERE.
WELL, I'LL REITERATE AGAIN, MY THANKS FOR THOSE THAT, UH, THAT, THAT SHOWED UP THIS EVENING.
I KNOW SOME PEOPLE HAVE, UH, HAVE LEFT ALREADY, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEN, UH, IN ANTICIPATION OF SOME PEOPLE POSSIBLY LEAVING A LITTLE EARLY THAT, UH, THAT THEY KNEW.
AND I, AND I HOPE, UH, THAT, UH, THAT EVERYONE, UH, UNDERSTANDS THAT, UH, YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME BACK.
AND IF IT'S ALWAYS A PACKED HOUSE, AND IF YOU'RE ASKING QUESTIONS, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT THING.
UH, AND I'LL, I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE, TRANSPARENCY, HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE AND YOU CAN HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE HOWEVER YOU SEE FIT.
ASK US A QUESTION AT THE BALLOT BOX.
WHATEVER IT IS, HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE JOB WE'RE DOING, FIRE ME.
BY ALL MEANS, FIND SOMEBODY THAT CAN DO THE JOB THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS, PERIOD.
THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT AT THE END, THE END OF THE DAY.
BUT, UH, WANTED TO THANK OUR, UH, OUR STAFF.
THANK YOU FOR THE STAFF REPORT.
VERY, VERY GREAT INFORMATION THAT WE WERE ABLE TO USE.
UH, IT WAS, UH, IT WAS TIMELY FOR ONE AND, UH, VERY, VERY USEFUL.
AND, UH, THE REST OF OUR, UH, OUR CITY STAFF AS WELL FOR ALL THE HARD WORK, UH, THAT YOU DO, INCLUDING OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
UH, I'M ALWAYS A BIT BIASED WHEN IT COMES TO THE COPS, BUT, UH, LOVE OUR COPS HERE IN LAHABRA, UH, AS WELL AS OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR CITY STAFF.
SO, UH, AND, UH, I THINK, UH, WE HAVE THE, UH,
[02:20:01]
OWNER TO MR. ALBERTS HERE.IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SHE'S HERE SUPPORT AND I TELL PEOPLE, SUPPORT YOUR LA HABER BUSINESSES, PLEASE.
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE, UH, THAT'S THE, UH, THAT'S PART OF THE, UH, THE, THE BACKBONE OF OUR, UH, OF OUR CITY, OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND UH, AND OUR BIG BUSINESSES AS WELL.
AND IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO ACKNOWLEDGE ONE WHEN, UH, WHEN THEY'RE IN HERE, ONE OR TWO.
ALRIGHT, WELL I WILL SAY TWO THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME BACK KELLY.
AND AFTER THAT I'LL SAY THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED TO MONDAY, AUGUST 19TH, 2024 AT FIVE.
GIMME THAT