CA fiscal health ranks 44th in country
. In fiscal year 2013-14, California saw a slight uptick in the condition of its fiscal health, based on fiscal solvency metrics as reported by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. California placed 44th among U.S. states for fiscal health, which is two places higher than the year before. During FY 2012-13, California placed […]
Santa Paula Fiscal Year 2015-2016 Budget Analysis
By Sheryl Hamlin This analysis will look first at the budget for the last five years and where there are red flags for future sustainability Salary and Benefits Growth Disproportionate to Revenue Growth The data below taken from the Adopted FY15/16 Budget summarizes citywide ‘Salaries’ and ‘Benefits’ for the last four fiscal years along with […]
CA GOP flexes Sacramento muscle on road repairs
By James Poulos . In a move that handed Sacramento Republicans a sudden share of power, state legislators finally turned their attention to California’s deteriorating infrastructure. In recent years, California’s roadways have fallen into what analysts often agree is terrible shape. “Our streets and highways are in horrible condition and need at least $296 billion during the next five years […]
Camarillo City Council moves forward with hotel/conference center off 101 Freeway
By Logan McFadden St. John’s Healthcare Foundation submitted a letter to the City requesting a grant for the purchase of equipment for the new Catheterization Lab. On June 10th, the Council discussed the grant and requested further information from Brian Pierik, City Attorney, regarding the grant. Mr. Pierik reported back to the Council. He opined […]
Oxnard Councilman Perello interviewed after electrifying policy initiative
By George Miller Longtime civic activist Bert Perello’s recently proposed budget oversight plan (see video at 3:38:50) caused quite a bit of a stir. This was not only for its content, which his peers seemed to be in accord with, but in the way it was delivered, last minute, without notice, without consultation, right before […]
Santa Paula City Council: Fire, Water and Money
By Sheryl Hamlin After an invocation by Al Guilin, Deacon of San Sebastian Church, Mayor Procter called the June 22, 2015 Special Council Meeting to order. Seeing no public comments, Mayor Procter asked Fire Chief Araiza to provide an update on the fire in the riverbed that started earlier in the day and reported in […]
Oxnard Council will try to pass budget Tuesday
By George Miller After months of wrangling over budget priorities and agonizing on what staff and consultants say would be a $12.8 million deficit at current spending rates, Oxnard is now at the crossroads. By state law, budgets must be passed by the end of June or the proposed budget is enacted by default. The […]
Assemblyman Scott Wilk just ‘phones’ it in
Apparently men really can’t multitask, at least, when voting on a 117.5 billion dollar budget. Local Assemblyman Scott Wilk, whose 38th District covers part of Simi Valley, was on Facebook while placing his vote for the current California budget. He voted, yes, the only Republican to do so, all because he was distracted on Facebook. […]
Santa Paula Council Meeting: Lawsuits, Water and Challenging Budget
By Sheryl Hamlin After the invocation by Michelle McGhee and the Pledge of Allegiance, Mayor Procter welcomed Mike Morgan, Vice Mayor of Camarillo and Mark Lawler from Ventura Regional Sanitation District. Mr. Lawler explained that the VRSD is unique in that it is completely fee-based, so it competes for customers in the areas of water, […]
