Bus Pass, Please

From the LA Times today - "State lawmakers are taking aim at what some of them see as a menace to California's environment: free parking.There is too much of it, the legislators say, and it encourages people to drive instead of taking the bus, walking or riding a bike. All that motoring is contributing to traffic jams and pollution, according to state Sen. Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), and on Thursday he won Senate approval of a proposal he hopes will prompt cities and businesses to reduce the availability of free parking."Free parking has significant social, economic and environmental costs," Lowenthal said. "It increases congestion and greenhouse gas emissions."

So, this CRAZY bill is supported by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Sierra Club. Big shock there. Essentially they want to bribe cities into participating by offering "incentives" (money) to get rid of free parking, and basically force all of us to ride the bus.

They want to eliminate all free parking, and I'm not just talking about in the downtown areas of a city. I mean, your grocery stores, doctor's office, malls, movie theatres, etc. All to save the planet. Apparently our state legislators, or I should say those who are voting in favor of this nonsense, think that we A) need to save the planet (from what I don't know) and B) California should be single-handedly responsible for doing so.

I wonder if Senator Lowenthall rides the bus to work?

He will be termed out in 2012 so no one will get the chance to boot him out, sadly.

However, he is running for Lieutenant Governor this year. Send him an email to tell him what you think about this.

Here's his website:
http://dist27.casen.govoffice.com/

Let him know what you think about his bright idea to take away your free parking. When you do, maybe you should also tell him you're planning on donating to his opponent's campaign.
Just a thought.

You can read the full bill by clicking here.

Council Happenings Jan 26th

Here's a rundown of what's on the agenda for Tuesday night's council meeting.

1) Extention of Interim Urgency Ordinance of temporary prohibition against establishment and operation of all marijuana manufacturing activities.

This will extend the moratorium by 10 months and 15 days, expiring December 20, 2010, So all things marijuana would have to wait until all discrepencies pertaining to federal and state law are resolved.

2) Police Department purchase of camera system

Our Police Chief has requested the use of funds from the Asset Forfeiture Fund to purchase a vehicle-mounted camera. The camera can read up to 4 license plates at a time and recognize if it's a stolen vehicle and immediately alert the officer.


3) Climate Action Plan (CAP) consultant selection

Sadly, our state legislature and governor signed into law AB 32 and SB 375, which relate to the hysteria about CO2 emmissions and so-called Green House Gases that will apparently kill us all, some day, about 2,000 years from now. The bills are bad for California businesses and residents and will surely further cripple the state financially. Nevermind the fact that other huge CO2 emitting countries have said "Fat chance we'll ever follow those rules! " Apparently it's up to Californian's to save the planet, one job loss at a time.

Since that's the law, we now have to comply with the ridiculous and onerous regulation of having a Climate Action Plan. This is a vote on the selection of a firm to prepare the plan.

4) Appointment of Ad Hoc Sub-Committee to review Draft General Plan

I want this committee formed so we have as many eyes as possible picking through the General Plan to make sure we get it right. Brown Act rules dictate that no more than two council members may be on this committee.

State Budget Woes

I thought it would be good for everyone to see what the current situation is relating to our state budget. It's long, I know, but worth the time to read. It affects us tremendously as taxpayers and business owners. Below is a letter to the Governor and state legislators. It's a pretty clear message. Please take the time to contact your state legislators to let them know you don't want to go into the red any more, and they need to dig in and fix the problem. A real leader isn't afraid to do the right thing, even if it means scorn and backlash from select interest groups.

Dear Governor and Legislative Leaders:
As State Controller, it is my responsibility to keep you informed of California’s cash condition and the threats that can prevent the State from meeting its payment obligations in a timely manner. While our current cash condition is marginally better than it was one year ago, it is still precarious. I respectfully urge you to swiftly address the State’s projected budget and cash shortfalls for the remainder of the current fiscal year and the next in order to protect California’s economic recovery, continue the financing of public works projects, and prevent Californians hurt by the recession from experiencing even greater financial hardship.

My analysis of the Governor’s recently released revenue and expenditure estimates shows that the State’s cash position for the remainder of the current fiscal year will be weak from approximately March 30 through April 21. This upcoming shortfall is shallower in depth and shorter in duration than the State’s cash problems in the spring of 2009, when the problem started earlier in the year and grew progressively worse with each passing month. According to my projections, California will drop below its $2.5 billion prudent minimum cash balance on March 30 by $1.3 billion. On April 1, the State will be in the red by $197 million, and our resources to pay bills are not expected to return to safe levels until April 21.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, such as a spike in expenditures or precipitous decline in revenues, $2.7 billion in cash solutions are necessary to avoid a cash shortage in the current fiscal year.


The Governor’s spending plan proposes a variety of budget solutions to be enacted during the current Proposition 58 special session. If fully adopted, these solutions have a cash value of $1.3 billion that will be realized during the remaining months of the current fiscal year. The blue line in the attached chart demonstrates that even with the adoption of the Governor’s proposed solutions, the State’s cash position drops below the $2.5 billion prudent minimum by nearly $700 million on March 31. The next day, it drops to $541 million and remains below safe levels until April 16.

Even with the passage of the Governor’s proposed budget solutions during the current special session, at least another $2 billion in cash solutions are required to protect our cash balance in the current fiscal year alone.

Should you fail to make any progress on the combined $19.9 billion two-year budget problem during the current special session and allow a stalemate to continue into the new fiscal year, you will once again face the difficult task of averting a cash crisis beginning in July. The State’s cash position will drop below the $2.5 billion prudent cushion during the middle of July, and starting July 29, our cash deficit will reach a negative $1.1 billion. As the red line in the attached chart shows, from that date forward, the State’s inability to meet all of its payment obligations in a timely fashion and the severity of its cash problems will amplify with each passing week and month.

There is limited time for you to act. Some may suggest that you wait because California’s economy is turning around and the May Revision will contain more reliable revenue and expenditure forecasts for these two fiscal years. While I agree California’s economy does show very modest signs of recovery, I strongly disagree that the General Fund’s cash problem can wait another four months or more before action is required.
While reasonable minds may disagree about the solutions, there is no room for debate about the folly of doing nothing. Inaction ignores the projected cash shortfall which we face in less than 70 days, squanders valuable time needed to align State spending with its revenues, and fails to take into account the following:

Cash solutions need time in order to be realized. For example, reductions in payments that are scheduled for later in the year cannot help the cash shortage we face in the near term;
Inaction compromises the ability to implement the necessary programmatic changes in time to achieve the full year benefit of your 2010-11 solutions;

The monthly cash balances displayed on the accompanying chart already include the approximately $20 billion in special funds that are available for internal borrowing. These are the special funds established to address issues that include preventing oil spills, stopping lead poisoning in children, and controlling air pollution. These loans cannot interfere with the operations of the special funds and must be repaid upon demand. In addition, the cash balances of these special funds can drop precipitously and without notice; and

If I am forced to implement emergency cash management measures, I must act before the State’s treasury is depleted. Depending on numerous factors, including how much cash needs to be conserved or the market conditions for borrowing, I may have to act weeks in advance of the projected depletion date.


Late last week, I mailed notices to 89,000 individuals and businesses that unfortunately still have not cashed their registered warrants, or IOUs, from last summer’s cash crisis. I remain hopeful that once the outstanding IOUs are redeemed, we can close this shameful chapter in our State’s history. Only you can prevent history from repeating this year. If solutions are slow to emerge and if they are neither credible nor sustainable, California will once again be unable to timely meet all of its payment obligations and my office will be forced to seek costly emergency financing, or conserve cash by delaying payments or issuing IOUs. With the window narrowing to address the State’s budget and cash challenges, I respectfully request your prompt action. My office is at your service for any help we can provide.

Sincerely,
Original signed by
JOHN CHIANG
California State Controller

Storm Related Update

The City’s EOC is currently at a Management Watch level with regards to the response to the storm activities.

There are several issues that we are currently dealing with:

- Power outages affecting approximately 950 SCE customers including the City Yard, the Home Depot and Target shopping centers, and various traffic signals. SCE initially indicated that power could be off for up to 16 hours in some areas.

- Small rock slide on Railroad Canyon Road in the area of the previous rock slide. The safety fencing and barricades installed after the last rock slide held and contained the rocks.

- Road flooding and debris and mud in the roads throughout the City. Signs have been posted in the worst areas.

- Temescal Canyon Road is closed at Lake Street.

- Spring Street is closed at Limited for EVMWD work relating to flooding of sewer system.

- The City of Canyon Lake has notified the City that they closed Railroad Canyon Road at Sorrel Street due to flooding from Salt Creek. Lake Elsinore staff has assist by locating a message board on Railroad Canyon at Grape Street notifying drivers of the closure.

- Staff is monitoring the flow of the San Jacinto River between the Canyon Lake dam and Lake Elsinore due to the heavy flow over the dam.

City crews from Public Works, the Lake Department and the Recreation Department have been working to respond to the various issues and problems caused by the storm. Crews will be working through the weekend as needed to respond to storm related issues. Numerous streets have developed pot holes due to the rain. The pot holes will be repaired once the rain stops and the streets have a chance to drain and dry out. The winds could cause trees to uproot due to rain saturated soils.


Sandbags are available at the Lake Elsinore City Yard and local Fire Stations - City residents who need sandbags may come to the City Yard anytime to obtain empty bags that can be filled with gravel or sand. The City Yard is located at 521 North Langstaff Street, Lake Elsinore, CA 92530.

Trevi Update

Tuesday evening, January 19th, the Planning Commission voted 3-1 to revoke Trevi Entertainment Center's Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to hold nightly entertainment.

Commissioners Zanelli, Mendoza and Flores voted for revocation. Commissioner Gonzalez recused himself from the vote due to having a family member employed by Trevi, and Commissioner O'Neal voted against revocation.

The bowling alley, rooms for rent for parties such as birthdays, showers, wedding reception, etc. are not effected by the revocation.

Recall Election Forum

A forum will be held Thursday, January 21st at the Tuscany Hills Clubhouse. This will give residents a chance to ask questions of councilman Buckley, who is being recalled in a special election on February 23, 2010.

The forum will also have as guests the three candidates seeking to replace councilman Buckley, who are Jimmy Flores, Steve Manos and Phil Mendoza.

The forum is from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Tuscany Hills Recreation Center, located on the corner of Summerhill and Via Scenica.

Go all the way up Summerhill until the road flattens out, you'll start to go downhill a bit, Via Scenica is on the left at a crosswalk.


The event is sponsored by the Lake Elsinore Citizens Committee.

Committee leader Donna Franson is accepting e-mailed questions from the public, which can be sent to donnatom7@verizon.net

Run Like The Wind Sparky!

The issue is settled, the lower baseball field will continue to be used as a dog park M-F between the hours of 6:30 - 10:30. No complaints by the athletic teams, nor by any residents at the meeting. The council reserves the right to discontinue use should it become a nuisance or problem. The dog park at Rosetta Canyon will open hopefully by the end of February.

Jan 12 Council Meeting Update

Hello everyone! There is really only one item of interest on the council agenda this Tuesday, and that is the Dog Park.

You may recall that a temporary dog park was established at McVicker Park in October. It was decided that during that time frame, staff would find an alternate location for a permanent dog park so Spot and Fido could go burn off some energy instead of chewing up their owner's favorite pair of Espadrilles. (for the men out there, those are shoes)

The reason for this is the temporary location at McVicker is a baseball field, which is used by athletic leagues. Since there was great concern about having a mixed use facility, staff was directed to find an alternate facility. The baseball players didn't want to chance having to slide into "land mines" left behind, nor did the parents who take their kids there to play.

So staff identified an area in Rosetta Canyon for the dog park, which will be ready around the end of February.

The options before us are:

A) Comply with the original agreement of a 3 month trial period, which expires Januay 14, and end use of the ball field as a dog park.

B) Allow continued use until the permanent facility at Rosetta Canyon officially opens, and at that time use of the ball field as dog park.

C) Allow the ball field to remain a dog park, in addition to opening the one at Rosetta Canyon.

As an FYI, the city is responsible for the cost of maintaining any and all parks, including those for dogs.

I've already received several comments about this issue, but there's certainly room for more!

Promises, Promises

I'm making good on a promise that I made during the campaign...I am starting an intern program for high school juniors and seniors.

It's an opportunity for our kids to actually BE INVOLVED in their community, how about that?

If you click on the Title "Promises, Promises" above, it will take you to an article with all the information.

Interested students can email me for an application at mmelendez@lake-elsinore.org

Good luck to the students, and remember, no parents aloud!

Let me know what you think.

Free For All Sunday

Happy New Year Everyone!

Okay, now is your chance to tell me what's on your mind, the good, the bad and the ugly.

If you have something you like, let me know.

If there is something you have a question about, I'm happy to answer.

If you have a suggestion or complaint, call city hall. Just kidding! I want to hear that too, just please, please be constructive when offering criticism.

Some things may take longer for me to answer than others, so be patient.