In reviewing the Antioch City Council Agenda, only two items really stick out which is the city manager employment buried in Consent and a discussion on a potential ballot measure to fund police. The potential tax measure will help ensure Antiochs Police Department can become staffed at 144 officers.
Here are a quick look at both items:
Consent Calendar Item F: City Manager Employment
The Antioch City Council will consider adopting a motion approving the Seventh Amendment to the Employment agreement with City Manager Jim Jakel and authorize the mayor to sign it. Jakel has served as City Manager since 2003 and has agreed to continue employment through Dec. 30, 2013.
According to the staff report, the most recent amendment came in 2009 when the City Manager agreed to forego cost of living salary adjustments without triggering severance provisions in the Employment Agreement; accepting the 10% salary reduction implemented with the furlough policy; waiving annual deferred compensation contributions; and reimbursing the City for a percentage of the PERS retirement costs.
The proposed Seventh Amendment to the Employment Agreement provides that Mr. Jakel’s contract shall continue through Dec. 30, 2013 under the current terms, but for the period of July 1 through Dec. 30, his compensation shall also include a monthly retention payment of $2,750 and monthly deferred compensation payment of $3,533. These additional amounts are excluded from calculation of final compensation for purposes of his PERS retirement formula.
Currently, Jakel makes $16,719 per month which is $200,628 per year.
From what I’ve been told, the council took precautions to ensure the period July 1 through Dec. 30 does not help Jakel potentially pension spike. They also realize that he could walk away at any moment if a deal is not reached and would lose a lot of knowledge.
Item 3: Revenue Ballot Measures
No decision will be made tonight; it’s simply a formality to allow staff to head in a direction the council feels is best to begin researching potential ideas to increase revenue by some sort of voter approved measure. The council is looking at three options
- Sales Tax
- Parcel Tax
- Business License Tax
There is a very nice document within the agenda you may be interested in which shows the various types of revenue measures and the approval requirements for each. Meanwhile, there is also a nice educational piece on Antioch’s taxes.
The council will also discuss the potential amount of the tax and what each amount could generate length of the tax, and timing and mode of election.
The timing is not really favorable to Antioch as Sacramento is working on a potential bill that would reduce public safety from the 66.6 percent threshold down to 55 percent—but that likely won’t occur until 2014 at the earliest, so a parcel tax is likely out because a parcel tax would not work in this situation.
You also don’t want to hurt business with another tax, so that is likely out.
That leaves a sales tax of some sort as the only logical choice which would be a majority vote. That would be the easiest to pass, however, the caveat is it would go into some sort of city fund that would not technically be dedicated to go only to police services, it could legally be spread around—the council would have to take action of some sort to ensure it would stay with police to ensure they get staffed to 144 officers.
In what I will call a “Continuation” of this item will occur on Thursday as a Crime Prevention Forum will occur on Thursday at Antioch High School in Beede Auditorium which will help brainstorm with city leaders on ideas to help stop city crime.
According to Staff Report, if the council is to consider a Special Election, there are two costs that could incur:
- Estimate – Special Stand All Mail Ballot Election: $4.75 per registered voter
- Estimate – Special Stand Alone Polling Place Election: $5.75 registered voter
The very first option an election could occur would be Polling Place ballot on June 4, 2013 which has a deadline of March 8, but the council would have to speed this up as the deadline is quickly approaching. This would be really rushing it and little community support or input would be included.
The next option is a Mail ballot on August 27, 2013 which has a deadline to file of May 31, 2013. This still would be pushing it in terms of getting community support while trying to get enough people to support it.
A November 5, 2013 seems the most logical choice in terms of the earliest this should be put to a vote. The deadline is August 9 to file.
Of course, the council could roll the dice and see what Sacramento does and wait until March 2014. This would really ensure the “get out the vote” occurs and increases odds of a ballot measure passing—its also a mail ballot. That deadline is December 6, 2013. I don’t think the council or the police chief want to wait that long.
Full Agenda:
http://www.ci.antioch.ca.us/CityGov/agendas/CityCouncil/2013/agendas/022613/022613.pdf
4 comments
With the retirement spike they just gave officers to entice them to come to Antioch, no new taxes! I get that the city is hurting, but you are bending over backwards for your police at the expense of other departments.
Let Jakel walk and refuse to pay the retainer fee. He already makes $200k a year. He can feed his family just fine.
I’d pay whatever they ask me to pay if its reasonable. We need more cops and the proof is in the chiefs numbers. The rhetoric against this is silly. I think a sales tax is best. Once crime is improved, the rest of the city improves and business can make more money because people will actually want to come to antioch
Burk, I like your article, thank you. This is a dog and pony show. They have started “educating” which is jamming it down our throats. Last council meeting was one hit. Tonight will be another and Thursday at the community meeting it will be jammed down our throats. They are alienating not educating. Truly this is about Mr Harper and his quest for higher office in 2 years. Why do you think Fraiser has been to 3 council meetings out of 5. He has been grooming Harper and his boy Miller. This is for all the wrong reasons folks. Don’t be fooled.
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