The Piedmont City Council will hold a hearing on the uses and charges for the Piedmont Community Pool on Monday, March 5, starting at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers in City Hall.

> Click to read more…

Celebrating 80 Years in Architecturally-Designed Building – 

The Piedmont Avenue branch of the Oakland Public Library has been the only tenant in the architect-designed  library building since 1932.  The Library’s 80 years of service will be celebrated from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, with music, cupcakes, face painting and more.   > Click to read more…

Residents Rallied — Asked to Serve  Piedmont – 

The City is seeking volunteers to fill vacancies on five City committees and commissions and two potential new committees.   Interested residents may download the Applications for Appointive Vacancy and the Commission Descriptions of Duties from the City’s website  (see links below). > Click to read more…

New Board Members Will be Sworn in – 

Three new members of the Piedmont Board of Education will be sworn in at a special School Board meeting on Wednesday, February 29, at 4 p.m.   The meeting will be held in the School District office, 760 Magnolia Avenue. > Click to read more…

New Mayor, New Vice-Mayor, and New Citizens Advisory Committee –

On February 22, the City Council voted to elect John Chiang as Mayor and Margaret Fujioka as Vice-Mayor, both serving 2-year terms.  > Click to read more…

Piedmont, Oakland and PRFO Agree to Continue to Negotiate –

A consent item on  the agenda of the February 21st Piedmont City Council meeting authorizes the City Attorney to extend the “tolling agreement” with the City of Oakland regarding the Moraga Canyon Sports Fields Project until March 26, 2012.   Oakland has unresolved concerns about the “final” plans proposed by Piedmont Recreation Facilities Organization (PRFO.)  The purpose of the extension is to allow more time for PRFO, Piedmont, and Oakland to meet and discuss issues.

The Cities of Piedmont and Oakland and the P.R.F.O. have entered into a Tolling Agreement which allows the parties to negotiate issues in connection with the Moraga Canyon Sport Field Project without the necessity of the City of Oakland filing a lawsuit. The current Tolling Agreement expires on February 24, 2012. Given scheduling complications, the parties need additional time to conduct discussion. The extension of the Tolling Agreement would be for one (1) month. Both Oakland and P.R.F.O. are in agreement.

Tom Curry, Piedmont City Attorney

Municipal Tax Review Committee Chair Proposes Review of Substantive Issues Raised During Election –

Council Members:

On behalf of the Municipal Tax Review Committee, I am writing to recommend that you call the MTRC back into session to address the issue of sewer fund financing in the wake of the Measure A failure.  The defeat of Measure A still leaves the city to face increased sewer management requirements with accompanying long term financial obligations.  Although MTRC undertook a review of these issues as part of its overall work plan last year, a significant number of substantive questions arose during the community debate over Measure A between December and the election last Tuesday.  The run-up to an election is a poor time to be answering these types of detailed challenges dealing with finance, legal mandates and multi-jurisdictional decision-making.  If the city is to have any chance at fully funding its sewer program in the next few years, it is essential that these questions get answered in a thoughtful, comprehensive way.

I am therefore proposing that you call MTRC back into session beginning around the middle of next month.  As before we would meet biweekly or twice monthly, depending on availability of the Council chamber.  Given the controversies around Measure A, I believe we should continue the practice of meeting in the chamber, with KCOM coverage, so that our analyses, discussions, deliberations and decisions are open to the whole city.  In between the meetings, a research sub-committee could work with city staff to compile all the relevant questions that have arisen or that are brought to our meetings by interested citizens, and help assemble required background materials, including planning reports, financial data and legal documents.  I think it is possible that we might also invite representatives from the regional EPA office, East Bay MUD and possibly even some of the other satellite cities so that they can share with everyone at the same time their answers to key questions about which they might have particular knowledge.

The anticipated outcome would be a comprehensive report covering the major facets of the city’s sewer management and financing needs, addressing as well the questions that have arisen in the last couple of months.  MTRC would also produce a fresh assessment of the anticipated shortfall in the current revenue stream, and make one or more recommendations as to how to cover any shortfall that is verified.  The final recommendations might include proposals concerning the existing sewer fund budget, a new proposal for a temporary surcharge (surely much less than the one the voters just turned down), or a combination of the two.  I am hopeful we could complete our work within 90 days, giving the Council a chance to consider our recommendations at the time you act on the 2012-13 budget, and also giving you sufficient lead time before the November election, if we were to recommend another ballot measure.

Before posting this message to you, I have advised the MTRC members of my intention to send in this recommendation.  No one on the committee has indicated an unwillingness to resume work on this critical subject.  On the assumption that Mr. McBain will be joining the Council next month, I assume he would not continue as a member of MTRC; the Council could decide either to continue with the remaining eight members, or to add a ninth member.  I have no preference on that matter.

The MTRC looks forward to hearing from the Council in the near future, and to developing a workable resolution to the multiple challenges of sewer system management, EPA compliance, and mains replacement.

Sincerely,

Michael Rancer
2011 Municipal Tax Review Committee Chair

No Change in Final Results from Unofficial Count – 

The required recount of a single Piedmont precinct from the February 7 election has been completed, and the results are identical to the February 8 unofficial results of Measure A, School Board and City Council.  The  26-vote difference between Bob McBain and Tim Rood did not change. McBain will be sworn in as Piedmont’s new council member along with incumbent Margaret Fujioka. > Click to read more…

Legislator puts forward a proposal to ensure some parcel taxes will be tax deductible on State returns

Update:  On April 13, 2012 the FTB has reversed its position.  Its guidance for taxpayers webpage limiting the real property tax deduction, generally, to ad velorem taxes has been taken down and new guidance will be coming.  The FTB’s back-tracking on its position may permit the deduction of Piedmont school parcel taxes, which average $3,000 per parcel, for the tax year 2011.  Check with your tax advisor.  PCA Article coming soon. 

State Assemblyman Jim Silva, R-Huntington Beach (Orange County) recently introduced a bill that would designate Mello-Roos fees as tax deductible on California State tax returns.  If passed, AB1552 would be effective for tax years starting Jan. 1, 2012.  (It would not change tax deductibility for prior tax years.) > Click to read more…

The City of Piedmont has invited public comment on the recommendations of the Municipal Tax Review Committee, the League of Women Voters Task Force, and the City Council Audit Subcommittee.  The full reports, along with a matrix of the recommendations prepared by Vice Mayor John Chiang, are linked below.

The City Administrator’s response to the recommendations is provided in his Discussion of Reports and Recommendations . . . ,  The City Council has allowed time to implement the recommendations prior to a vote on the renewal of the City’s General Parcel Tax by delaying the measure until the June, 2012 ballot.

Did you miss the LWV forum on these issues?   Watch the video here.

Written comments should be directed to the City Council, c/o Piedmont City Clerk, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, CA 94611 or by email to:jtulloch@ci.piedmont.ca.us.  Correspondence received by the City Clerk is considered part of the public record. > Click to read more…