On Wednesday, Oakley City Councilman and candidate for District 3 County Supervisor Doug Hardcastle called for State Route 239, the route between Brentwood and Tracy, and connectors to the Byron Airport to be included in the Transportation Plan for Our Future, being developed by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA).
State Route 239 has been on the state’s plans for over 50 years and is finally in the planning stages. As Chair of Transplan, the Eastern Contra Costa transportation planning committee, and Vice Chair of Tri Delta Transit, Hardcastle supports the construction of the road as part of the proposed Tri-Link project, which includes a four-lane highway and two lines of transit.
“In order to secure the future of job creation and economic development for East County, we need Route 239 between Brentwood and Tracy to connect our region to Interstate-5,” Hardcastle said.
At last week’s county transportation Authority meeting, a presentation was made by a coalition of “Environmental, Labor, Transportation, Housing, Social Justice, Faith, Civic and other Public Interest Groups” asking the authority board to prohibit Route 239, labeling it “sprawl-inducing.”
“Route 239 will help us have jobs in East County, so people who already live here can work here,” Hardcastle responded. “That will mean people can get out of the commute and no longer be forced to go to jobs out of the area.”
Plans for the Byron Airport include extension of the runway and locating a Fixed Base Operation (FBO), serving commercial pilots who bring their clients into the area for business appointments and pleasure trips. Two connectors are needed, one to the proposed Route 239 and another to Vasco Road, to provide better access to the airport.
“In addition to Route 239, the Byron Airport offers great potential for job creation in East County,” Hardcastle stated. “We need to make sure expansion plans for the airport and better access to it are included in the proposed county transportation plan. That will make the airport more economically viable and no longer require a taxpayer subsidy of $500,000 per year. It needs to be self-funding.”
“But, we need to give it the tools to do so,” he added
Ron Reagan, Chair of the county’s Aviation Advisory Committee and a member of the Contra Costa Land Use Commission, agrees with Hardcastle on the need for better access to the Byron Airport.
“We need better access to the Byron Airport from both sides,” Reagan said. “We need Doug Hardcastle’s leadership in transportation issues, to ensure the Tri-Link project and expansion of the airport are accomplished.”
“I encourage all residents in District 3 to speak out in favor of both Route 239 and improvements to the Byron Airport at the next CCTA Board meeting on January 20th,” Hardcastle added. “If you can’t attend you can contact the them by email at [email protected] or phone call at (925) 256-4700.
For more information on Route 239 and the proposed Tri-Link Project, visit www.trilink239.org. For more information on the Byron Airport visit www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/3802/Byron-Airport-C83. To learn more about the CCTA’s Transportation for Our Future planning process visit www.ccta.net/funding/our_future.
Doug Hardcastle was elected to the Oakley City Council in 2012 and just completed a year as Mayor. From 2000 to 2012 he served as a Director on the Ironhouse Sanitary District Board, for which he served as President in 2010-2011. He currently serves on both the Transplan Committee and the Tri Delta Transit Board of Directors. He and his wife Lyn own Hardcastle’s RV in Oakley. He’s a life-long resident of Contra Costa County. For more information visit www.doughardcastle.com.
Supervisor District 3 includes Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, Blackhawk, Diablo, Tassajara Valley, Bethel Island, Byron, Knightsen and part of Antioch. The election is on June 7, 2016.
28 comments
Now this makes sense. Jobs,jobs,jobs. A self funding working airport would be awesome. BUT!!!!!
With these new influx of people ( growing population) and a working airport we must be thinking about emergency services. People we need to fix the ECCFPD before we build library’s, airports, add roads and housing! Let’s keep this simple, when and while we are doing all this great stuff bad stuff happens! When bad things happen(I could list a half dozen or more examples) we need a descent response with fairly competent personal trained to help!!!!
What I’m asking is for people to demand a fix to our local fire dept. I would believe it is the most important common sense item going forward. It makes me nervous that our local population and elected officials can’t figure this one out. Makes you wonder about the level of education of all involved.?
This press release makes me think of the movie Die Hard when Bruce Willis says “welcome to the party pal”. This is such old news. Funny, if he was not running for supervisor would he even have an opinion? What a joke.
Maybe his focus should be on solutions for immediately fixing the fire departments, not something that is fools gold and 20 years away.
I have to agree with FrankS and Worried. “Hardcastle’s idea won’t FLY”. It may sound nice but, REALLY? Hardcasle, go sell your travel trailers. Better yet, move back up to Oregon. Your brother would love it.
This issue is already being addressed by the transportation authority. People see right through Hardcastle’s attempts to try to make himself look concerned. He is such a small thinker that it calls into question his abilities to even serve on the Oakley city council. This is a person that is willing to fund a library tax with no consideration of how it would affect monies towards a needed fire tax. SMH
All one has to do is a google search on the SR239 and you will see Hardcastle is 7 years late to the party
here is one.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_11808836
here is another one.
Sorry ECT, but this is before your time.
http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/the_monthly_grapevine/february_2010_delta/2010020301/54.html#54
Looks like Mary Piepho was on top of it before Hardcastle even realized it was an issue. Doug Hardcastle is a day late and a few million dollars short. He is out of his league. His pandering is pathetic!
Worried, the powers to be for development ( Brentwood , Oakley , and our Board of Supervisors have long had power to fix the fire issue through development mitigation requirements. They ignore taking action because it drives a wedge between their greed to grow, political donations, and ignorance. The last big development approved by the county ignored pleas by the fire district to mitigate for them. Instead, for example we will be forced a fire med fee, will be asked also vote in a new tax while at the same time the county BOS reduced advanced life saving personnel in east county already paid for by us thus placing even more burden on our fire district. The 239 project was pushed by Piepho and continues to drag on. It is not a bad thing but Keep in mind that funding will come to the project via another ballot measure to double the sales tax for transportation. So when we all see a barrage of ballot measures from increased sales taxes to Bay Protection taxes asking voters for new taxes, bonds, and fees think hard about what the powers to be could actually do without putting their hands in our pockets regularly.
Unome the fire district isn’t part of the cities or the County. It is a stand alone agency and as such makes its own policies and requirements. It’s been that way for almost ten years now. New development fees are the SOLE responsibility of the fire DISTRICT. Quit blaming others that have no authority or responsibility in the affairs of the ECCFPD. It’s one thing to confuse yourself, it’s another to blatantly attempt to confuse everyone else. SMH
SMH. You are wrong. Developments are made and approved by the cities and county. Since ECCFD is separate ( I already am aware ), the fire district cannot stop a development nor can it negotiate conditions of development without the cities or county approval and agreement. It appears you are the confused one here. Educate yourself and call Chief Henderson and ask what the county did on the last approval when he begged the supervisor for relief by making an assessment for fire. When you truly know all the catch 22’s of the fire district when trying to get funding mitigation on development you will then understand the fix has been available for many years without taxing existing residents more than others in this county for fire. Also call Brentwood and Oakley and ask what they for fire over and above a small one time fee when approving development.
Unome, sorry Buddy but YOU are wrong, dead wrong.
Developments are made by developers and only approved by the County or City, WHEN ALL “CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL ARE MET”. That’s the way it works, NO ifs, ands or buts.
If you have any doubts…
1. Ask the school districts if the County or Cities negotiate their developer fees. They don’t. Developer fees and negotiations are the SOLE responsibility of the “District” be it a school district or a fire district.
2. Ask the fire chief (Henderson) why the district’s developer fees were started but never completed by him or the district. HINT: It has nothing to do with the cities or the county- By law, it can’t, they don’t negotiate or speak for independent special districts. Henderson should know this and if he doesnt, then he dropped the ball.
3. Attend a meeting of the ECCFPD and ask the chief or the district directly. Further if they try to place any blame anywhere besides on themselves, request that they write a letter and have their “concerns” or “misgivings” addressed with either the City of Oakley, the City of Brentwood or the County of Contra Costa. They won’t because they can’t.
4. Individual county Supervisors do not have the authority to make assessments, nor does the entire Board of Supervisors. Suggesting such makes you look stupid. The fact that you claim Henderson told you this is comical. One or both of you are confused. If you question this, you can be educared by one of the following; call the district Supervisors office (Honorable MaryPiepho), call the County Resources Conservation and Development (building) department, contact the Executive Officer (EO) of Lafco [email protected] or ask your local land use attorney. Just pick one or two, they will ALL TELL YOU THE SAME THING. But please, stop driving yourself crazy by making crap up. It gets you nowhere.
Unfortunately for you, most readers here know you won’t do any of the above…because you are not seeking the truth, you are too focused on peddling propaganda. Isn’t that right? Prove me wrong and pick up the phone, send an email and get back to us here. You won’t.
If a devolopment cannot meet all the conditions of approval, the city or the county will not approve it. Every special district or enterprise district within the planned development gets their conditions met or the development proceeds to litigation. Educate yourself, drop a dime and contact the planning (building) department for Oakley, Brentwood or the County. It’s not rocket science and is an open and transparent process used through the the County and State of California.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to school you.
SMH,
The subject to increase revenue is not a mere fee that can only be used for material items to the district. We are talking the formation of an assessment annually to be used for operations and payroll. The county supervisor did NOT support this on the last 600 home development. You are more than dead wrong or you are claiming the fire district had the power but refused to use it or you think the directors and the chief are real dumb. NOT, the Cities and BOS again have assisted in the failure of Fire District. Get smart there buddy and stop defending the guilty.
What’s wrong Unome, fingers broken? Admit it, YOU can’t pick up the phone or email the County Supervisor, Lafco, or insist the fire district get to the bottom because you know YOU are wrong. Such a paradox you are in!
You are seriously stuck on stupid. Still trying to peddle that crap about 600 homes being approved, when in fact everyone in the county knows the fire district dropped the ball. Believe me you continue to look uneducated by repeating the same old lie every chance you get. Keep it up because your are a known commodity and they are laughing at your ignorance all across the County.
Members of the public and officials at the county have advised the disrrict and Chief on numerous occasions and in public. Their reaction is always the same: blank stare. They have no idea of what they are doing since there is no follow up and it’s beyond their education. Why do you think board members are being replaced? It isn’t by accident.
I’ll wager most people find it comical that you are desperatly trying to defend a free board which is universally considered inept. It’s a battle you won’t win.
The FACT that you can’t and won’t call the agencies that you claim are responsible undermined your credibility from the start. If you were correct a call or two would prove it. But you aren’t right so those calls will never take place.
Poor little man, you aren’t even amusing anymore. Just a troll that lives under a bridge and hides behind a keyboard full of lies.
SMH
*I’ll wager most people find it comical that you are desperately trying to defend a FIRE board which is universally considered inept. It’s a battle you won’t win.
@SMH,
Your response is typical of diverting from the truth via attack when you are cluelessly wrong.
Whatever.
What a loser….
Both Unome and SMH,
The Fire District has not completed conditions of independence, Therefore, both of you are wrong. The Fire District remains a dependent district of Contra Costa County. SMH call that Lou Ann. Also both of you the Dishonorable Piepho is the responsible and then the Board of Supervisors who allowed Supervisor Piepho to destroy this district. I hope the district finishes its conditions of independence so they can control development.
How many screen names are you going to post under? The jig is up Johnny.
Fyi, I have spoken to Lou Ann Texera regarding this issue . She confirms you are wrong. What’s funny is none of the back and forth banter matters. I’m in touch with all of them and you are so f’in disgraced, the leaders of this county won’t even talk to you. That’s the real issue isn’t it John boy?
One phone call but you.can make it because you can handle the truth. It always comes down to the same thing, you have NO CREDIBILITY. Dude, that sucks!
You see, there were no condition of independence. I have that right from the source. The Truth Always sucks for you.
I’d almost feel sorry for you if you wern’t such a POS. THAT REALLY HAS TO SUCK! Haha hahaa
Loser. End of story. Have a good one.
SMH
…And hey dumbazz, there are “no conditions of independence” Call Lafco for yourself. You will be greatly disappointed. Hahahahaaa!
What a tool.
SMH
There is certainly no reason to communicate in the aggressive, rude and hateful manner we see here. It’s surprising to see someone using this tone (to put it mildly) jumping to Supervisor Piepho’s defense and implying a relationship of mutual respect with Piepho and Lou Anne Texeira.
Knowing both ladies as I do, I am certain they don’t appreciate any sort of claimed link with anyone acting like this.
I know neither of them have any respect for people who debate local issues with this level of hateful rhetoric and bullying. If we would take a moment to reflect I think we would agree.
What’s the suggestion for appropriateness of tone here? Post things in such a way that that you would be willing to say them to your grandmother. It’s pretty well established that would increase the persuasiveness of the argument. It just may help make everyone’s lives a little better as well
Debate Skills,
Your message would normally be justified except you apparently have no idea about the history of the person posting currently as Unome and now 1BI95. He has quite a colorful history of knowingly (key word: knowingly) posting unfounded attacks on local people and local officials; Specifically our county supervisor, Mary Piepho.
Being kind to someone who doesn’t deserve it doesn’t work. Comparing him or suggesting the tone should be like addressing someones grandma doesnt fly either. Unfortunately for him he is his own worst enemy and facts further complicate his existence and commentary. Just like you, I know the two ladies in question and I know they don’t appreciate individuals attacking their character or making false statements against them. Especially this certain individual. I know for a fact they appreciate clarification and they know that comes in many forms which are not a reflection on them. They are both grown-ups and work in a politically charged environment. Making an assertion that they are somehow bothered is poor speculation on your part. I appreciate your comments and wish they applied here. Unfortunately they don’t.
If you had or have been following BI95/Unome postings you would see a distinct pattern and would not be so quick to defend. In fact calling my replies into question in the manner that you did causes me to strongly believe you are either B195/Unome, a relative or a shill. No reasonable person is going to support him, overlook his repetitive attacks and try to shame someone else for sticking to the facts.
Nice try.
SMH
To SMH
You are a confused paranoid person. Do not confuse me with others. My comments hold their own and are my opinion. I stand by them. Getting all weird and psychotic does not help you. Calm down and think about how crazy you appear on here.
As I said before, nice try. You remain a classic case of hypocrisy. You, yourself brought up diversion just a few posts above, “Your response is typical if diverting…” which is the exact behavior you have demonstrated here. That’s hypocrisy.
Simply put, you made some asinine claims which I called you out on because I have personally spoken with the experts, policy and decision makers. Their reports are in stark contrast to your claims and are well documented.
You further run into problems when I point out that you won’t contact them and likely have a poor relationship with them because of your past (behavior). You don’t deny either.
You never make the call or seek the truth. That’s is why you don’t get anywhere-ever. Not here, not in your head and not in public.
I’m sure the readership here sees who is deflecting. I’ve made the calls and contacts to get to the truth. You wont. You simply chang the subject again. It’s classic deflection. Make no mistake, it is you that is crazy and confused. You aren’t fooling anyone except yourself.
Man up. Call Supervisor & Lafco chair, Mary Piepho and Lou Ann Texiera the executive officer of Lafco. Get the facts from the people that know the history and make the decisions. After all its all documented and would remove any doubt.
SMH
“My comments hold their own and are my opinion. I stand by them.”
Those are hollow words from someone that posts under an anonymous screen name.
I think it’s actually several screen names for SMH…Looks a lot like Buy a Clue, and several others.
The Piepho Apologists have to drown every negative (or even potentially negative) comment about Mary in a sea of nasty.
@Debate skills aka Unome, 1BI95, BI95, Anon Too, The Don and John show or any other creative name you come up with.
Let’s focus on the message, not the messenger shall we? After all, where one is permitted to post anonmously, the message is what counts.
How nice of you to chime in and play on the people who read here. Defending your pal, who habitually slings mud at Mary Piepho and ignoring the root of his posts gave you away. I mean by now anyone reading this thread knows that one individual unome-1bi95 took it completely off topic in an effort to repetitively place blame. It’s no accident you ignored the obvious.
‘Knowing both ladies’ as you do leaves me wondering, why is it you don’t know Lou Ann’s first name is not spelled Lou Anne?
You seem to have a problem calling the Supervisor by her full name while concurrently overlooking your cohort calling her dishonorable. But none of that fits your agenda so why would you bother?
In case you haven’t noticed, Blogs are not the place to address everyone like grandma, especially when they make a habit of disparaging others by pushing bad information.
The questions still remain. Why won’t you call the responsible individuals? Why won’t you do this if you were really seeking the truth. It is after all what a REASONABLE PERSON would do. Why do you continue to change the subject?
We know the answer and so do you.
Guess I missed the part where I or anyone was apologizing for someone else. Is there no bounds for your contrived comments? You obviously make things up as you stumble along.
Your bias is showing, you might want to tuck it back in.
Read the first post!!! (Comment)! Your play ground banter does not address the real issues!!!! It just waist valuable time?Please keep your eye on the prize!!! A fire dept. that will support and serve our growing community with pride. This can be done relatively easy and without pain to all involved. Please contact your local representative!!!! i.e. County board of supervisors, city council of Brentwood and Oakley, mayors, Discovery bay CSD and manager. Let them know re-allocation is the correct answer. They need to to do there job and lead us to a fix!!!!
Worried, this thread is about highway 239 not the fire department… you need some remedial courses on a few things including grammar.
LB, your so right, grammar is not my strong point!!! Lol. I should have paid attention in school better. BUT HERE THIS. God blessed me with common sense!!!! Which seems to be lacking and in short supply around here. This (HWY 239, airports and roads are great stuff, new developments etc.,) But ,if you have inadequate response to fires,floods,haz-mat calls,car accidents, tanker fires, trench rescue,confined space rescues, bus accidents, natural gas explosions, Warter rescues, active shooter situations. I will stop here. All this neat warm fuzzy stuff means nothing!!!!!! In other words think things through, prioritize. PRESERVATION OF LIFE OVER QUALITY OF LIFE. We as a community need to fix our fire dept. first!!!!
Let’s Save the Fire District,
Let’s Spend Tax Money Wisely
By Bryan Scott
At their December 7, 2015 meeting the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) Board voted 9-0 to accept a self-appointed task force’s recommendation of short term funding from the cities of Brentwood and Oakley, as well as the County. This one-time money will allow the ECCFPD to open a fourth fire station for less than two years.
The money is needed because the ECCFPD is unable to provide adequate fire and emergency medical services to the residents of the district, according to Fire Chief Hugh Henderson and Gus Vina, Brentwood’s City Manager who leads the task force. The ECCFPD receives the lowest property tax funding rate of any fire district in the county. This inadequate funding has forced the closure of five of its eight fire stations in recent years.
The County’s Auditor-Controller, Bob Campbell, has estimated that within the fire district a total of $154,000,000 is raised for government purposes through the 1% property tax. All real estate, except that property owned by government agencies, schools and religious organizations, is assessed the property tax. That translates to roughly $1,400 of property tax money allocated for government services for each of the 110,000 residents of the 249 square mile fire district.
The ECCFPD budget states that the district will receive $11,654,565 in property tax funding this fiscal year. This translates to about $106 for each of the 110,000 residents of the district. Of the total property tax district residents pay ($1,400), just a small portion ($106) is allocated to the life-preserving services the ECCFPD provides, only 7.57%.
Other county fire districts receive much more of this property tax funding. The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District receives $349 per person for each of their 169,000 residents, and the Moraga-Orinda Fire Protection District receives $366 for each resident they serve.
The most recent Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) examination of fire districts puts the county average of property tax funding at 12%. The ECCFPD would need to have their property tax funding increased by 63%, just to reach the county’s “average” funding level. LAFCO is the county agency responsible for overseeing most forms of local government boundary change, including incorporation, annexations, and special district formations.
Elected government officials work for the people of the community, the residents and tax payers and voters of the fire district. We, the people, need to allocate more of the property tax dollars collected within the fire district to the life-saving services provided by the ECCFPD.
The city councils of Brentwood and Oakley along with the County Board of Supervisors need to change the allocation of the property tax. Each of these elected bodies recognizes the need, as evidenced by their recent contributions of one-time money to the ECCFPD.
In order to make a solution permanent the leaders and members of the East County community need to agree to re-allocate property tax funding allocation percentages so that ECCFPD has a level of funding comparable to other parts of the county.
It is time we stop asking the ECCFPD to provide adequate fire and emergency medical services with inadequate funding. Each body needs to hear from the residents they serve. They need to hear from the community that it is time to correct this under-funding situation.
# # #
“East County Voters for Equal Protection” is a grass roots citizens action committee formed to address the unequal funding of fire and emergency medical services existing in 249 square miles of Eastern Contra Costa County. About 110,000 residents, as well as those who work and play in Eastern Contra Costa, have services funded at a level one-fourth to one-third of those levels in other parts of Contra Costa County. For more information contact committee Co-Chairs Hal Bray at [email protected] or Bryan Scott [email protected]. The group’s Facebook page is located at https://www.facebook.com/EastCountyVoters/ on the Internet.
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