MEASURE UUT: YOUR CITY, NO LOCAL DAMAGE REPORTED AFTER 5.1 EARTHQUAKE YOUR CHOICE, PART III by John Capoccia, Member of Sierra Madre City Council
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SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2014 VOLUME 8 NO. 13 MEASURE UUT: YOUR CITY, NO LOCAL DAMAGE REPORTED AFTER 5.1 EARTHQUAKE YOUR CHOICE, PART III By John Capoccia, Member of Sierra Madre City Council This is the third and last of a three-part series. Yes on Measure UUT will keep your Utility User Tax at 10%, the same rate you are paying today. If Measure UUT fails, the tax will sunset to 6% in 2016, resulting in a $1,000,000 per year loss to Sierra Madre’s General Fund. Continuing to qualify for post-retirement medical discussion on benefits. For non-public safety where it may employees hired after 1995, individuals be possible to must work for Sierra Madre for 30 cut expenses, years (service for other cities does not it’s been suggested that we’re too count), and must not retire until age generous to our employees. Nothing 62. For public safety employees hired could be further from the truth. While after 2012, the situation is similar. it is true that for active employees, health benefits are generally a higher The bottom line: It is not practical, nor percentage of total compensation is it reasonable to cut back further on compared to other cities, but what is employee compensation. Our policy important for Sierra Madre taxpayers should continue to be such that we is this: The total compensation we provide a total compensation package offer our employees is far less than our that is sufficient to retain and recruit neighbors (don’t take my word for it, I competent employees. Our current invite you to peruse the “Transparent strategy of weighting health care more California” website to do your own heavily than salary is a good one that comparisons – call me and tell me benefits Sierra Madre’s taxpayers. what you find!). Sierra Madre offers its employees a total compensation Some have suggested that Sierra package that is merely sufficient Madre will soon be awash with cash to retain and recruit competent from rising utility prices and real employees. Sierra Madre’s strategy of estate prices. This is untrue. Since keeping wages low in relation to health Sierra Madre’s City Council voted to "Caltech Seismologist Robert Graves discusses Friday's 5.1 earthquake with local media, care benefits is good for taxpayers in suspend the automatic UUT increase D. Lee/MVNews" another way – it lowers future pension in 2010, keeping it at 10% instead of by Dean Lee 30 aftershocks, Caltech seismologist obligations. Pension calculations the 12% authorized by voters in 2008 Robert Graves said “Three of those Graves said the earthquake had not yet are based on salary, not on health with Measure U, utility tax revenue A 5.1 earthquake centered in La aftershocks have been grater that 3.0 been assigned to any fault. benefits. This strategy also does not has been relatively flat. Increases in Habra struck at approximately 9:09 magnitude.” City offcals also said to be prepared negatively contribute to future Other water rates have been offset somewhat p.m. Friday evening according to Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB), by the council-voted reduction to 9% He said there have been only minor for future aftershocks. For more the US Geological Survey. Pasadena reports of damage such as items falling information on preparing for because after an employee retires, for water and sewer. Furthermore, Fire, Police, and Water & Power Sierra Madre only offers the lowest- the current council voted to reduce off shelves, “there are no reports of earthquakes and disasters, visit the Departments began surveying the City structural damage.” following websites or call the City’s cost health package, and only for the the UUT to 8% for water and sewer following the earthquake and, at press retiree, not their dependents. We effective March 1, coincident with the emergency management coordinator time, the survey was completed and all Graves also said there was a slight at (626) 744-7276: don’t offer insurance or other OPEB latest water rate increase. If measure city operations returned to normal. chance of a larger magnitude benefits either – only health insurance, UUT passes, the water and sewer tax earthquake in the next couple of days. and only until the retiree is eligible for rate will then automatically reduce to About a dozen local TV news crews http://www.cityofpasadena.net/Fire/ Medicare. 6% by June 30, 2015. waited at Caltech late Friday night as Lucile Jones, seismologist for the Earthquake_Preparedness/ seismologists trickled information to US Geological Survey said Friday’s http://cityofpasadena.net/disaster Our OPEB benefits are minimized in Revenue from telecommunications is them. earthquake could be related to the another way – There’s a high threshold down considerably (cont. on page 3) March 17 magnitude-4.4 quake near “Up to this time we have had up to Encino. Inside this week: ROSE FLOAT ASSOCIATION 2015 FLOAT DESIGN SIERRA MADRE Calendar Page 2 APPROVED Sierra Madre News Page 3 PASADENA/ALTADENA ??? Pg. 4 AROUND SGV Pg. 5 ARCADIA NEWS Pg. 6 MONROVIA/DUARTE Pg.7 EDUCATION & YOUTH Pg. 8 FOOD & DRINK Pg. 9 BEST FRIENDS Pg. 10 HEALTHY LIFESTYLES Pg. 11 THE GOOD LIFE Pg. 12 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Pg. 13 SECTION B The SIERRA MADRE ROSE FLOAT ASSOCIATION (SMRFA) is excited to announce that its selected conceptual design for the 2015 Pasadena Tournament of MORE NEWS Pg. B1 Roses Parade as submitted at Theme Draft has been formally accepted. HOMES & PROPERTY On our 2015 float we will create is a combination of concepts submitted by three different design submissions, Nancie Filkins, Justin and Kim Brandstater and WORLD AROUND US Joanne Garcia. The final design and float name is still to be decided. Pg. B2 The theme of the 2015 Rose Parade is “Inspiring Stories”. The Association has already started the process of further refining the design, working out construction methods, and choosing colors and materials. The float BUSINESS NEWS Pg. B3 barn is located at 587 East Sierra Madre Blvd. Every Sunday we are developing our float from 10:00 AM until ?, come by and help build our creation. Being in- OPINION Pg. B4 volved in the development of our float is exciting as well as final decorating. Contact the association at 626-355-7005. SAVE THE DATE! ELECTION NOTICES Pg. B6 It’s time for the SMRFA Legendary Spring Bingo on Saturday, April 19th! The event will be held in the Sierra Madre Room at the Recreation Center. FYI Pg. 24 Read The Paper Online At: www.mtnviewsnews.com 2 Mountain View News Saturday, March 29, 2014 CALENDAR Weather5-Day Forecast Wise Sierra Madre, Ca. Mon: Ptly Cldy Hi 60s Lows 50s Tues: Showers Hi 60s Lows 50s Wed: Ptly Cldy Hi 60s Lows 50s Thur: Ptly Cldy Hi 60s Lows 50s Fri: Ptly Cldy Hi 60s Lows 50s Forecasts courtesy of the National Weather Service CITY OF SIERRA MADRE CALENDAR OF EVENTS Unless otherwise noted, all meetings listed below are held at City Hall 232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Sierra Madre, Ca. 626-355-7135 NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Tuesday, April 8, 2014 6:30 pm 1630 AM EMERGENCY RADIO & Free on-air publicity for local events Sierra Madre’s EMERGENCY radio station is now accepting scripts for Public Service Announcements (PSAs) about community events. PSAs will be broadcast on the air at no charge. The station operates 24/7 and can be heard at 1630 on the AM dial. Any local non-profit or non-commercial organization can have their event information broadcast to the public on Sierra Madre Community Information Radio. The station covers the city of Sierra Madre, plus surrounding areas of Pasadena, Arcadia, and Monrovia. Your event must: • Benefit a non-commercial or non-profit entity • Be open to the public • Be of general interest to local citizens Just write a Public Service Announcement that describes your event and e-mail it to [email protected]. THIS WEEK MONDAY - 10 - 11 am Barry, Rich & Lisa Show Trivia and Humor at it’s finest. Just try to keep up with their wit! JOIN THE FUN!!! See our Calendar for airing times or listen to the podcast at our Village Intersections page. SIERRA MADRE THURSDAYS - Noon Catherine Adde’s OUR TRAVEL AFFAIR FARMERS MARKET TINA TIME WITH COUSIN MATTHEW SATURDAY MORNINGS The Sierra Madre Farmer’s Market hours have changed to 3:00pm through 7:00pm every Wednes- D. J. Boddington day. Vendors include Dry Dock which has fresh and AKA James Faulkner returns Saturday morning at 7:00 until 10:00 with his Saturday Morning Mix show. Lovers wild caught fish, Rustic Loaf with artisan breads, of music - tune in! Cutie Pie with fresh pies and much more! For those interested in being a vendor contact Set your smart phone and or computer browsers to Melissa Farwell with Raw Inspirations at 818-591- www.villagevine.org 8161 ext. 806. Rotary of Sierra Madre is proud to present our newest member Juliann Gibson. Juliann was raised in Arcadia and currently lives in Sierra Madre. After Graduating from Arcadia High, she attended PCC and Watterson College. She holds an AA degree in Business Admin. and is a Certified Executive Assistant. Married in 1990 to Calvin Gibson (English Teacher), they have son, Ian, now attending PCC, a dog, Rosie, cat, Misty. Juliann became a Realtor in 2002 and is currently working at Sotheby's International Realty in Pasadena. Juliann says, “I love my job!” She also runs the Sierra Madre Walk and Talk “meetup” group. For more information about Rotary please email: [email protected] We’d like to hear from you! What’s on YOUR Mind? Contact us at: [email protected] or www.facebook.com/mountainviewsnews AND Twitter: @mtnviewsnews Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd.