"Preserve Our Neighborhoods" Task Force Formed

DEALING WITH GROUP HOMES

Yesterday the City of Costa Mesa announced, via a press release, HERE, the appointments of seven individuals to the "newly formed Preserve Our Neighborhoods Task Force".  Keen observers will recall that Mayor Jim Righeimer announced the names of the individuals he appointed to this group at the last council meeting Tuesday.  I wrote about it HERE.

WHO ARE THESE FOLKS?
The names of the individuals appointed are Jeremy Broderick, Kerry McCarthy, Scott McClane, Joe McGreevy, Lisa Morlan, Tim Sesler and Larry Weichman.  A few of those are familiar names, while others are brand new.  Sesler and McCarthy are Riganista insiders, currently appointed to other committees.  Sesler - a lawyer, which I mention only because Righeimer made a big deal about it at the council meeting -  is a planning commissioner and also serves on the Pension Oversight Committee.  McCarthy, wife of Planning Commissioner Colin McCarthy, also serves on the Charter Committee.  Weichman is a highly-respected realtor and volunteer in the community  Morlan, a fellow Eastside resident, has been one of the most vocal residents on the issue of Group Homes recently.  Apparently Broderick runs sober living facilities locally and McGreevy lives in the belly of the beast on the Eastside.  I have no information on McClane at this point.

ACCOUNTABLE TO WHOM?
The press release says this task force "will explore ways to lessen the negative impacts of group homes on Costa Mesa residential communities."  It will be very interesting to see how this evolves.  As I understand it, because it is a "task force" - clarified for me by Communications Director Bill Lobdell this morning, in which he said this is like a "mayor's committee".  He compared it to Wendy Leece's Town Halls, in which she ran the whole thing and the city supported it.  As I understand it, as a "task force" this group is not subject to the Brown Act, which means they can meet whenever, wherever they wish and have no responsibility for any kind of public reporting of their activities.  I'm just a teensy bit uneasy about that...

DOESN'T SQUARE, MR. MAYOR
Righeimer is quoted in the press release as saying, "The city is committed to spending the resources needed to maintain the character of our Costa Mesa neighborhoods and their safety."  I'm trying to square that comment with his behavior over the past three years, in which he has almost single-handedly destroyed one of the best law enforcement organizations in the state.

SO FAR NO EVIDENCE ON THE "NUISANCE ORDINANCE"
He goes on to say, "The City Council recently passed a nuisance ordinance that will help curb bad behavior in our neighborhoods, and we are looking to the task force come up with other solutions that keeps the integrity of our neighborhoods without discriminating against any group."  OK, I get that, and recall that he told us at the last council meeting that dealing with the Group Home industry - which he described as a "billion dollar industry" and likened it to the pornography industry when comparing the impact on communities - was going to be expensive.  He said, "This is gonna cost a lot of money - litigation does."  He said "It's going to be a long, hard, painful road."

YES, IT'S A BIG PROBLEM
Let there be no doubt - the Group Home issue is a HUGE problem for our neighborhoods and I'm happy the City is moving forward seeking solutions.  Righeimer told us last Tuesday night that Newport Beach made big mistakes in it's handling of their Group Home problem and are now paying millions in legal fees/settlements as a result.

WITH FINGERS CROSSED....
According to the press release, this new task force will convene for the first time "within the next few weeks and establish a regular meeting schedule."  I'm keeping a positive thought about this process and hope their combined concerns,  passion and backgrounds - whatever they are - can facilitate some solutions to the issue that other cities have not yet discovered.

Business License Fees - No Discussion?

LEECE WANTED A DISCUSSION
Earlier this week the Costa Mesa Finance Advisory Committee held their regular monthly meeting and the agenda for this one included a discussion - requested by Council Member Wendy Leece - of the Business License Fees.  Bradley Zint provided a summary of that meeting in the Daily Pilot, HERE.

COUNCIL BLEW IT OFF LAST YEAR
Some will recall that there was a short, un-productive discussion of this issue in July of last year before the council - fully immersed in Charter and other election-related issues - blew off any further consideration of the subject.

THE LIMBO GAME
Presently the City Of Costa Mesa has one of the lowest Business License Fees in the county - and maybe the state.  The highest fee any business pays in our city is $200.  Two Hundred Bucks!  The last time anything was done to the fee structure was 1985, and that was minimal.  We're basically working with a Business License Fee structure that's been in place since 1961.  The city receives just under $900,000 per year from Business License Fees - less than 1% of all revenues.

DISCUSSIONS SHOULD BE HELD
Nothing can be done about increasing the Business License Fee until the General Election in November of 2014, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be talking about it.  The City certainly needs more revenue, especially now, with the specter of having to give the State more than $2.5 million from the defunct Redevelopment Agency.

EXCELLENT STAFF WORK - IGNORED
Last July Finance and Information Director Bobby Young provided staff reports and excellent exhibits for the council to consider.   He provided a staff report dated July 10. 2012 HERE and  a discussion dated 7/12/12, that included an excellent report on Business Tax Classifications and Rate Structure Report, HERE.  There is also a Comparative of business licenses of other cities, HERE, and other Business License Tax Information, HERE.  I think the council slammed the door to their minds when they saw a $10,000 annual license fee for those businesses with revenues over $25,000,000 who presently pay $200.  That was a deal-breaker in the eyes of many, including outspoken critic of ANY fee increase - realtor Larry Weichman.  Recently, though, he's implied that he's willing to discuss some kind of change.

NO FREE RIDE
Personally, I think that $10,000 number is excessive, but some changes do need to be made to our policy.  For example, ANYONE who has an active business license should pay something to keep it open and active.  Currently 600 license holders pay nothing - ZERO - to keep the license active and another 2,000 pay only $25.00.  In fact, more than half the total license holders - 5,750 - pay less than $100 to keep their licenses open, including businesses with gross revenues of $200,000 per year.

IMPOSE A MINIMUM
In my view, the minimum charge for keeping a business license open should be $50.00, whether there is income or not.  The charges should be scaled up from there, perhaps quadrupling the fees charged to a maximum of $800 per year.  I suspect Weichman, Nordstrom, Macy's, Robins Ford nor any other business will not balk at that number and it could give us an additional couple million in revenue.

PLENTY OF NEED FOR DISCUSSION
Regardless, there's plenty of information available in those exhibits linked above to generate a healthy discussion.  If this council choses NOT to even discuss increasing the Business License Fee, then they are ignoring their fiduciary responsibility to this city.

YES, WE SHOULD COLLECT OVERDUE FEES
And, oh, yes, I do agree with those who say we should do a much better job of collecting the fees that are due under the current system.  Perhaps we should hire the biggest, meanest guy we can find - maybe one of those early-released ex-cons - to become our Business License Fee Enforcer.  He could go door-to-door with a list of deadbeat businesses and politely suggest some form of payment - or else.

Public Safety Appreciation Event

 TERRIFIC EVENT
I attended the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce Public Safety Appreciation BBQ at the Orange County Fair and Event Center today.  What a GREAT event!

PUBLIC SAFETY MEMBERS HONORED
Members of the Costa Mesa Police Department, Costa Mesa Fire Department and other public safety support groups were honored by community members and leaders.  Rather than blather on and on, I'll just let the photos I took give you an idea of the event.  You can read Daily Pilot reporter Bradley Zint's coverage HERE.

 Artwork on the Kraft paper table coverings with messages from local school children thanking the public safety staff.

Legendary CMPD School Resource Officer Jess Gilman was an early arrival.  He's a big fella!

 CMPD Lieutenants Bob Ciszek and Rob Sharpnack enjoying fresh-squeezed lemonade

Brad Long and Dane Bora preparing to cover the event

Council candidate Harold Weitzberg yucks it up with CMPD Sergeant Tim Starn - former A.B.L.E Commander

Costa Mesa Sanitary District President Bob Ooten, OC MarketPlace honcho Jeff Teller, Council Candidate John Stephens and Newport Mesa Unified School District Trustee Katrina Foley

Former Police Chief Roger Neth chats with current chief Tom Gazsi

More artwork.  Look closely at these images.

Honorees chowing down

CMTV interviewing Chief Tom Gazsi

Police Aides

John Stephens holds forth with Chamber President Larry Weichman and former council members Arlene Shafer and Mary Hornbuckle

CMPD's Kelly Vucinic, activists Cindy Brenneman and Sue Lester with Harold Weitzberg

More honorees

Sanitary District Director Jim Ferryman with Dane Bora

More chow

Brad Long on the job

City CEO Tom Hatch

United Neighbors Paul and Diane Hill with Ooten

Council candidates John Stephens and Sandy Genis

Assemblyman Allan Mansoor lost in thought

More honorees

Sergeant Vic Bakkila with Diane Hill

Sanitary District Director Jim Fitzpatrick and Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer

 Councilmember Wendy Leece

Fitzpatrick enjoying dessert

Katrina Foley and fellow NMUSD Trustee Dave Brooks

Yes, indeed.  Thank you to all the members of the Costa Mesa Public Safety organizations for their tireless efforts to keep our city safe.  And thanks to the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce for hosting this wonderful event.