CaliforniaCityNews.org

What's Happening in "the Cloud"?

Did you know that more than 400 organizations in 48 states from large agencies to small municipalities are in the Microsoft cloud?  Over 3 million users are plugged in to cloud-based utilities... could yours be next?

What is "the cloud"? A webcast being offered by CItyNews friend MISAC (Muinicipal Information Systems Association of California) and Microsoft to discuss the latest in Microsoft Online Services and its platform in the cloud, Windows Azure, will answer that for you. Find out why many believe this is the future of computing for you and your organization. Learn about "what the cloud is, why it makes sense to choose cloud and more about other local government organizations already in the cloud."

The one hour webinar is free and is a week from Thrusday on, Dec 2. Register here.

Top Cities in the U.S. for Live Music

Well, we've talked about the dirtiest and most dangerous cities in the country this week, and California was "well represented" on those dubious lists.  So it would figure that we'd be a hotbed for good rock music -- no?  Turns out, not so much.  

"Inspired" by an economics study done at Harvard, the music site SongKick has tabulated the best U.S. cities for live rock music, and not one California city made the cut.  The site''s editors have been "working our assess off" to become the best music site on the internet, so we're guessing the results are accurate.  Take a look at the list below, and read more about methodology here.

Three CA Cities Rank Among Nation's "Most Dangerous"

Well, Camden, New Jersey can rest easy.  No longer the "most dangerous" city in the U.S. (as it was in 2009), it also has plenty of company in the Top 10.  

Camden is still #2, with St. Louis clocking in at #1.  Here in California, Oakland, Richmond and Compton all made the Top 10.  San Bernardino and Inglewood also figured in highly, at #34 and #44, respectively.  See complete rankings here.  

The annual study is conducted by CQ Press, and tabulates and dices FBI crime data and figures in population and other factors.  An AP story noted that "Some criminologists question the findings, saying the methodology is unfair."  Everyone's a critic!

Vacant San Francisco Mayor's Spot: "The Holy Grail" for Progressives

Folks who never worked in or closely watched San Francisco politics may be unaware that Gavin Newsom is and has hardly been the darling of the City's powerful left flank.  Gavin won a hard and closely fought election battle against then Supervisor Matt Gonzalez in 2003, who would later run for Vice President on the Green Party ticket.

Now, with Gavin getting kicked upstairs to the Lt. Guv's spot, progressive activists and candidates are looking to fill his spot with one of their own.  It's being called a "golden opportunity" and an opening not seen in some years.

Read more in the Chron.

Seven CA Metro Areas Ranked in the Top 10 for Dirtiest Cities Due to Poor Air Quality

The American Lung Association has released its report “State of the Air 2010” and out of the top 10, there are seven California metropolitan areas that make the list for being the dirtiest based on air quality; specifically, short-term particle pollution, year-round particle pollution and ozone pollution rankings. Due to the poor air quality in these areas, residents are at a higher risk of asthma and chronic bronchitis. Forbes reports:

“The biggest problem spot in the country is California's San Joaquin Valley, where farming, industry, car culture and topography collide to trap smog. Wildfires contribute to the problem. Severe particle pollution in valley burgs like Bakersfield (the center of California's oil industry and the metropolitan area with the worst air in the nation), Fresno (third place), Visalia (fourth) and Modesto (eighth) can damage the lungs in the same way cigarettes do. Sacramento (ninth) incentivizes residents to trade in gasoline lawn mowers for electric ones, diesel-powered trucks for hybrid ones and old wood stoves for new ones. The only non-California cities in the top 10: Pittsburgh, Pa; Birmingham, Ala.; and metropolitan Phoenix, Ariz.”

The top ten dirtiest cities are as follows:

1. Bakersfield, Calif.
2. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, Calif.
3. Fresno-Madera, Calif.
4. Visalia-Porterville, Calif.
5. Hanford-Corcoran, Calif.
6. Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz
7. Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, Ala.
8. Modesto, Calif.
9. Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Yuba City, Calif./Nev.
10. Pittsburgh-New Castle, Penn.

Vallejo City Council Weighs Five-Year Bankruptcy Plan; Vote Set for November 30th

At Vallejo’s City Council meeting on Tuesday, the city manager presented a five-year fiscal plan to help bring the city out of bankruptcy. Phil Batchelor, the interim city manager, said at the meeting that “The situation we find ourselves in is very bleak.” The plan proposes to create a rainy day fund, curb pension benefits for new workers, reduce health-care premiums to $300 a month for retirees, and work on trimming the city’s $195 million in unfunded pension obligations. We recently relayed that the five-year budget details would make Vallejo’s bankruptcy exit the biggest in the state since Orange County in 1994. On November 30th officials will vote on whether to adopt the proposal, which means that the plan would be presented to a bankruptcy judge so that the exit plan is successful. A judge had already ordered the city to devise a plan by January 18th. Bloomberg reports the following on the plan’s details and the fiscal position of the city:

“About $50 million of debt is supported by the city’s general fund, its main account. In May 2009, the city stopped paying bondholders. Under the five-year plan, Vallejo would defer principal payments until 2013, then resume paying bond debt at the reduced level of about $1 million a year. Terms remain under discussion with creditors. A September 2034 bond the city issued in 2003 was trading at 90 cents on the dollar Nov. 15 to yield an average 6.99 percent, acccording to Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board data compiled by Bloomberg. The city expects revenue of $65.5 million next fiscal year, increasing to $68.2 million by 2015. Spending is projected to be $66.4 million next year, rising to $67.6 million in the same period.”

Is the plan likely to receive unanimous support? Not according to Marc Levinson of Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, who’s leading the city’s effort to draft the plan. Orrick stated that “The harsh reality is that this is a tough plan and we will have significant opposition.” The city is currently negotiating with unionized workers to tackle pension costs. Vice Mayor Stephanie Gomes also expressed hesitance about approving the plan. For more, see here.

Contractors Will Have to Disclose Business Connections Under New CalPERS Requirements

Under new guidelines established by CalPERS, contractors will now have to disclose whether or not they’re using an agent to seek business with the pension fund. Not only will contractors be required to disclose the use of an agent but they’ll also have to reveal how much they paid the agent in fees and whether they have financial or familial relationships with current or former CalPERS Board Members. Also, payments, gifts, loans and other items of value will also have to be disclosed if they have been offered to staff member of CalPERS or a board member. These new changes were agreed to by the pension fund’s board at its monthly meeting. Rob Feckner, CalPERS Board President, stated the following of the change:

“This is another step toward ensuring that our business decisions are open and transparent. We want all information put on the table so that we can be certain all of our decisions are based solely on their merits.”

Anne Stausboll, CalPERS Chief Executive Officer, also noted that “We’re moving forward with renewed confidence throughout CalPERS. The changes we’ve made have enhanced our accountability and strengthened our commitment to our members and employers.”  The new requirements will be in effect on December 1 and applies to contracts valued at $10,000 or more. For more, see here.

Security Detail: Protection for Mayor Johnson Costs More than $260,000 Since 2008

According to personnel documents obtained by the Sacramento Bee, protecting Mayor Kevin Johnson in Sacramento is an expensive task...a task that has only increased in costs under Johnson’s term. Security for the mayor has been estimated to cost $263,290 in less than two years. Since he took office, reserve police officers have spent 6,512 hours with Johnson dating back to December 2008. Reportedly for this year alone, 11 officers have rotated to cover security for the mayor, while seven were used last year. Critics of such spending may point to the fact that Johnson’s weekly bill is more than four times the police escort costs of former Mayor Heather Fargo. The Bee reports:

“The security bill does not include $50,706 the city spent earlier this year, at the request of the mayor's office, on a new hybrid sport-utility vehicle to chauffeur Johnson around. Another $6,000 was spent on police equipment for the vehicle. The 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid was purchased in April through a state contract that uses Coalinga Motors as a vendor. That meant $4,122 in sales tax on the purchase went to a city 200 miles south of Sacramento. Johnson has said buying the vehicle was part of the city's efforts to become more environmentally friendly.”

According to the mayor's chief of staff, Kunal Merchant, the increased security costs stem from the mayor’s more demanding schedule because he has worked more hours that the previous mayor. His escorts average around 68 hours a week, while his predecessor had escorts for around 18 hours a week. Reserve police officers are used for the security detail, as they are reportedly less costly. The Bee notes that “Mayoral security is a hot-button issue in many cities. From New York to Detroit to San Francisco, critics have gone after mayors for spending thousands of dollars on police protection. Mayors in most large California cities – including Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose – are granted security officers.” A police spokesman noted that Sacramento was considering contracting out the security services. The officers will earn $152,000 this year. For more, see here.

L.A. Supervisor Proposes that the City of Commerce Should Annex Vernon

We relayed recently that support for the disincorporation of the City of Vernon was increasing, as the scandal-plagued city is continuing to be investigated for high salaries, lavish travel bills and pension costs for six former and current officials. In addition, Donal O'Callaghan, the former city administrator, was indicted recently on three felony counts of conflict of interest and misappropriation of public funds. DA Steve Cooley has been a chief proponent in arguing that the city should be disbanded. In an update on the small city’s future, Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich has reportedly contacted the City of Commerce over annexing Vernon. Some Los Angeles officials have proposed that Vernon should be annexed to L.A., but Antonovich is against that move because he feels L.A. would only view the annexation as a way “of pumping money into their treasury,” and that ultimately Commerce is far more compatible for such a move. The LA Times reports:

“There are about 1,800 businesses in Vernon -- including Farmer John, Gavina Gourmet Coffee and True Religion Jeans -- many of which praise the city for its low utility and tax rates. Antonovich said he fears that Vernon businesses might leave L.A. County. He wrote to Commerce Mayor Tina Baca Del Rio on Thursday to urge the city to consider annexing or increasing its sphere of influence in Vernon. He said he expects to discuss the matter with Commerce officials next week. Vernon and Commerce share a border along the 710 Freeway. Antonovich said the Vernon Chamber of Commerce already has a "working relationship" with the City of Commerce.”

Disincorporation and annexation appear to both be options on the table as officials weigh how to deal with the city’s multiple issues, including control over its city-owned housing. Antonovich noted that the City of Commerce shouldn’t be left out of the picture when it comes to discussing annexation. Commerce’s City Council is slated to address annexation at its next meeting. For more, see here.

Fresno’s Annexation of Unincorporated Region Leads to Dispute w/ County Officials

The city of Fresno is looking to annex 93 acres of unincorporated land, but the move is creating a dispute between county and city officials over residents’ rights in the region. The city was told that it did not have to meet the terms stipulated by Fresno County's Local Agency Formation Commission, according to a judge who approved the annexation moving forward without binding conditions. One such term is allowing residents a vote on new fees. The city is looking to use a state law to override residents' objections. The annexation was first approved in 2009. Commissioners have decided not to appeal the judge’s ruling when it comes to enforcing binding conditions. County Supervisor Debbie Poochigian stated, “To me, this annexation has three strikes against it. The judge apparently thinks a law passed by the Legislature in Sacramento trumps a law passed by the people with Proposition 218.” The Fresno Bee reports:

“Proposition 218, approved in 1996, says protesting new taxes is a constitutional right. The Fresno annexation was approved in 2009 under a state law that said residents don't have a right to protest when annexations are 150 acres or smaller. The state Legislature's intent was to encourage annexation of small areas mostly surrounded by cities to create more efficient city and county services. Members of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, two of whom sit on the LAFCO board, have told their lawyers to seek grounds for getting the annexation reheard.”

Residents who are subject to the annexation could face a “city pension debt obligation of about $32.44 for every $100,000 in property value and street sweeping, median maintenance and annual community cleanup fees of about $75 a year,” according to the Bee. But many such residents believe that state law is ultimately in their favor. For more, see here.