Mayor Wolk Calls State of the City “Very Strong”
Mayor Dan Wolk on Tuesday afternoon delivered his first State of the City address as Mayor of…
Analysis: Which Way Does the Council Go with Compensation, Budget Issues?
One of the more interesting questions for 2015 is what direction we should go on employee compensation…
My View: City Not Out of Woods Yet on Pension Risk
Back in late October and early November, State Controller John Chiang dropped a bit of a bombshell…
Sunday Commentary: Davis Tech Industry Demonstrates Need for Space to Grow
City of Davis Chief Innovation Officer Rob White notes the good news – Davis’ tech community is…
My View: Why Do We Need Innovation Parks?
Right now we are looking at a spring 2016 vote date for a Measure R vote on…
Commentary: Follow Up Discussion on Employee Morale
On Wednesday, the Vanguard piece on employee morale generated some good discussion. The Vanguard is concerned that…
City Makes Payroll Correction to Pay Back Overtime Owed to Firefighters
On Wednesday, the city of Davis announced that city staff had recently identified and corrected a payroll…
Commentary: What Exactly is the Davis City Council Doing?
So on Tuesday night, the Davis City Council adjourned their meeting at 7:10 pm. Don’t get me…
Monday Morning Thoughts: Where is the Budget Process Headed?
First, the need to clarify something. Last week in my column I noted, “There is talk potentially…
Monday Morning Thoughts: Excitement Over Emerging Startup Culture; Dose of Reality on the Budget
The Rise of the Startup Culture – We have focused a lot of our time and energy…
Monday Morning Thoughts: Disagree That City’s Structural Deficit is Solved
Dan Carson submitted the guest piece yesterday and opened it with the bold assertion, “New data suggest…
The City’s Structural Deficit Is Solved
By Dan Carson Dirk Brazil must have a great sense of timing. He is waltzing into his…
Commentary: Stockton Shows That Bankruptcy Is Not the Answer
There have been days where readers in frustration about Davis’ fiscal situation have suggested that Davis simply…
Monday Morning Thoughts: To New Beginnings
It is Election Day on Tuesday, which means an end to the torment of the never ending…
Sunday Commentary II: Fiscal Crisis Yes, But Some Light Perhaps
On the statewide front, Judge Christopher Klein approved the plan that Stockton put together to repay its…
Setting the Record Straight on Road Funding
Two weeks ago, in the Vanguard’s weekly “My View” segment, I wrote that “Civil Pool repairs May…
Analysis: City Manager Salary Increase and Its Impact on Employee Morale, Labor Negotiations
In 2009, as the city was starting to take on water fiscally, City Manager Bill Emlen decided…
Monday Morning Thoughts: What Does Success Look Like In A New Era in Davis?
(This may be a new regular column. My weekend commentaries “My View” and “Sunday Commentary” often wrap…
Sunday Commentary: New City Manager Salary Puts Davis in Tough Spot
Back in July, the Vanguard argued that the “Council Did Right Thing on Compensation.” As we wrote…
My View: Civic Pool Repairs May Not Justify Inclusion In Parcel Tax
It made for spectacular headlines in August when the Vanguard first reported that Civic Pool had a…
