Month: February 2013

My View: The City Needs to Get This Right Very Fast

My View: The City Needs to Get This Right Very Fast

By David GreenwaldFebruary 23, 201370 comments
city-hall

It has been no secret that the City is badly in need of a communications director.  I have been saying this for well over a year now.  The city leaders and even the city manager acknowledge this need.

However, given their focus on water, the impending election, and the city’s labor situation, adding a communications director is a thorny issue.  After all, how do you justify spending $100,000 to $150,000 on what will be called a PR person when you are asking existing employees to take concessions at the labor table?

Clarifying the Rancho Yolo Water Rate Situation

Clarifying the Rancho Yolo Water Rate Situation

By David GreenwaldFebruary 23, 201349 comments
rancho-yoloAs Jerry Hallee, President of the Rancho Yolo Community Association, explains it, two weeks ago when they got the city’s Prop 218 notification they realized that the Rancho Yolo senior community is being assessed at the multi-family residence rate.

Mr. Hallee writes, “We were shocked, then angry, because the consequence of applying the MFR to Rancho Yolo makes the average Rancho Yolo household – senior, fixed-income, single-resident home – pay hugely more than the SFR household.”

New Legislation Aims to Reduce Wrongful Convictions

New Legislation Aims to Reduce Wrongful Convictions

By David GreenwaldFebruary 22, 201312 comments

witness-idCalifornia leads the nation in wrongful convictions, according to a 2012 study, but it trails many states, particularly New Jersey, in safeguards and best practices aimed at reducing critical areas where wrongful convictions are likely to occur.

For instance, in 2011 the New Jersey Supreme Court made a ruling that was aimed at resolving what they called the “troubling lack of reliability in eyewitness identifications.”  A year later, for the first time, the New Jersey courts are having judges instruct jurors in order to improve their evaluation of eyewitness identification.

New Rates Would Be Unfair to Rancho Yolo

New Rates Would Be Unfair to Rancho Yolo

By uptownstudiosFebruary 22, 201361 comments

rancho-yoloBy Jerry Hallee

Two weeks ago, we received the city’s mailer that explains the proposed water rate increases. The mailer gives a sample single-family resident rate applied to a typical household.

Davis’ Rancho Yolo senior community is assessed at the multi-family residence rate, which rates are not mentioned in the city’s mailer.

CPUC Denies City’s Application for an At-Grade Crossing

CPUC Denies City’s Application for an At-Grade Crossing

By David GreenwaldFebruary 22, 201316 comments

Train-Slide.jpg

After several years of meetings and discussions with Southern Pacific, Olive Drive residents and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the CPUC denied the City of Davis’ request for an at-grade railroad crossing at a meeting held on February 13, 2013, according to a release from the city of Davis.

The Commission’s determination stated “It is not possible to construct the proposed at-grade crossing in a manner that will ensure safe use.”

Water May Be Unequally Distributed Throughout the City

Water May Be Unequally Distributed Throughout the City

By David GreenwaldFebruary 21, 201362 comments
water-rate-iconBob Dunning recently wrote, “We have been told over and over again that Measure I is about ‘clean water’ for all residents of Davis.”

He added, “Unfortunately for the Clean Water advocates, though, when you delve into the details of the plan, it appears not everyone in town will be eligible for the same access to all this clear, sparkling, cures-what-ails-you Sacramento River water. In fact, when I asked this ‘equal access’ question of city staff, the answer that came back was startling.”

Commentary: Making an Example of Clinton Parish

Commentary: Making an Example of Clinton Parish

By David GreenwaldFebruary 21, 201312 comments

Parish-3

Clinton Parish showed appallingly poor judgment last year in authorizing attacks against incumbent Judge Dan Maguire.  Even if those attacks had been accurate, it is questionable for one to play that sort of politics in a judicial race that is supposed to be about experience and neutrality, not politics.

How easily the charges were systematically dismantled under the least amount of inquiry, however, casts the situation in a very different light.  It calls into question Mr. Parish’s ability not only to be a judge, but also to be a prosecuting attorney.  After all, if you cast baseless charges against your political opponent, why would you not cast the same charges against a poor, defenseless defendant?

Setting the Record Straight – Free Speech and Campaigns

Setting the Record Straight – Free Speech and Campaigns

By David GreenwaldFebruary 21, 201316 comments
SorryGiven the nature of this site and organization, it is actually somewhat remarkable that we do not make more errors, more often.  Unfortunately, on Sunday, a couple were made that should not have been.

I hate making excuses, but there were some extenuating circumstances here that led to some miscommunications – I have been under the weather with some vicious form of the flu since Saturday, plus some other complications.  That being said, these mistakes should not have been made, they are my fault, and I will do my best not to allow them to happen again.

Commentary: Addressing Misconceptions About CBFR

Commentary: Addressing Misconceptions About CBFR

By David GreenwaldFebruary 20, 2013129 comments
water-rate-iconI was told yesterday that I should be “the prototype HELL NO family.”  But whether I am or am not, I should be the prototype family to support the CBFR rate structure, whether we end up going with the Woodland-Davis project or not.

Interestingly enough, despite latching himself and his campaign to the work of Davis Enterprise columnist Bob Dunning, Michael Harrington is punting on the issue of the rate structure: “The Court will help us sort out the rate system. I’m not taking any detailed positions on the rates, yet, other than the three structures are a mess. The CBFR seems to have the most promise, but we shall see what happens with the Court and experts.”

Conflicts Between Laws and Ethics

Conflicts Between Laws and Ethics

By Matt WilliamsFebruary 20, 201311 comments

law-ethicsBy Matt Williams

Twice in the past month I have been faced with a “laws vs. ethics” conundrum. The first came as part of a development application review process conducted by Yolo County’s South Davis General Plan Citizens Advisory Committee (the “committee”)  regarding a proposal for eleven homes on the south side of Montgomery Boulevard (just south of Willowbank) under the provisions of the Yolo County Ag Cluster Housing Ordinance.

The second came yesterday as part of an ongoing discussion of how to assess the fairness of the Supply Charge in the CBFR rate structure.

Build Only What We Need

Build Only What We Need

By uptownstudiosFebruary 20, 201336 comments

Sacramento-River-stockBy Michael Bartolic

I’ve had opportunity to see the grassroots outreach of the folks at the No on Measure I booth at the Farmers Market – their bake-sale alternative to the proponents’ pricey paid ads – and it’s raised my spirit immensely to experience first-hand how a groundswell of informed public opinion is rising against Measure I, a bad project pumped up by big money.

It’s clear many that Davis residents really get what the central issue of this campaign is: Do we needlessly and precipitately surrender our water system to a cabal of privatization advocates and real-estate speculators, gifting them guaranteed profits at no risk while saddling ourselves under crushing debt for a system larger than needed and beyond what most can afford; or do we plan wisely, acting with fiscal restraint to build modestly and incrementally for only what we truly need, and thereby keep Davis affordable for all?

Reaching Mode Share Goals Through Speed Reductions

Reaching Mode Share Goals Through Speed Reductions

By uptownstudiosFebruary 19, 201313 comments

bikesBy Robb Davis

Allow Local Jurisdictions in California Some Latitude in Setting Local Speed Limits – I recently had the opportunity to take a course offered by the League of American Bicyclists entitled “Traffic Safety 101”.  I am an experienced cyclists but I took this introductory course to better equip me to work with children in Davis on bicycling safety. Part of the course involved practicing various skills on an active roadway in Roseville, CA.

I do not know Roseville well and had never cycled there.  Parts of Roseville are “poster children” for the concept of sprawl.

VANGUARD COURT WATCH: Co-Defendants Face Gang Charges in Drug Case

VANGUARD COURT WATCH: Co-Defendants Face Gang Charges in Drug Case

By Vanguard Court Watch InternsFebruary 19, 20139 comments

gang-stock-picby Stephanie Yang

On Friday, February 15, 2013, John Lemus and German Quezada were scheduled for a hearing for substance offense and a gang-related enhancement. They are represented by Mr. Cobb and Mrs. Sequeira.

Opening statements from DDA Robin Johnson said that there is enough qualifying evidence to stipulate that the incident that occurred on December 2012 is a gang-related offense. She called the first witness, Ramón Cuellar, to the stand.

Commentary: Lost in all of the Fuss, CBFR Remains the Most Fair Rate Structure

Commentary: Lost in all of the Fuss, CBFR Remains the Most Fair Rate Structure

By David GreenwaldFebruary 18, 201378 comments

water-rate-iconThe Consumption Based Fixed Rate system has been attacked mercilessly in the last few weeks, by voters who are uncertain as to what it means and how it is derived, and by columnists who have concocted, at times, wild scenarios to show how on the margins it might be unfair.

Last week Bob Dunning used it to show how much more people will be paying for summer water than they will for winter water.

Commentary: Artz Becomes Poster Case of Overreaching by DA and Judge

Commentary: Artz Becomes Poster Case of Overreaching by DA and Judge

By David GreenwaldFebruary 18, 201322 comments

Yolo-Count-Court-Room-600

The Vanguard Court Watch has been in Judge Stephen Mock’s courtroom many times since 2010.  Our view of him is that he is a relatively fair judge, though he tends to lean towards the prosecution, and he has a firm grasp of the law.

We firmly believe that most people who go before Judge Mock get a reasonably fair trial.  There are exceptions, of course, but by far the most egregious was the Michael Artz trial.

Why is John Simmons Trying to Convince Tenants to Vote Against Measure I?

Why is John Simmons Trying to Convince Tenants to Vote Against Measure I?

By David GreenwaldFebruary 18, 201357 comments
apartmentsRenters who have no rights under Prop 218 and who are not direct water customers figure to get caught in the middle of the water debate.  But it appears at least one landlord is putting them in the middle himself – John Simmons of Simmons Real Estate.

A February 12, 2013 letter to tenants that the Vanguard has acquired appears to be attempting to convince their tenants to vote no on Measure I.

Sunday Commentary II: Dunning’s Campaign

Sunday Commentary II: Dunning’s Campaign

By David GreenwaldFebruary 17, 201363 comments
Dunning-personalBob Dunning is full of irony himself this morning when he leads his column, without a great sense of irony it seems, with the words: “Now they’re getting personal.”

This is a columnist who has made a career of getting personal, of lampooning and skewering political figureheads in this community – sometimes with humor, but just as often with humor masking true venom.

Sunday Commentary: Why “I” May Lose

Sunday Commentary: Why “I” May Lose

By David GreenwaldFebruary 17, 201358 comments

measure-i-bannersThe most commonly asked question I get these days is whether Measure I will win or lose.  My answer is always the same, but I seem to frame my answer slightly differently for those outside of Davis, compared to those inside Davis.

The gist of my answer is that I think it go could either way, and voters will end up weighing the costs of the project against the security of having a safe and relatively clean water supply.