City Invites Public Comment on Piedmont Fiscal and Undergrounding Recommendations
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.
Full Reports
Municipal Tax Review Committee (MTRC) Final Unanimous Report dated September 1, 2011
League of Women Voters Task Force to Investigate and Report on Piedmont Hills Undergrounding District (LWV)
- Cover Letter for Report dated March 2, 2011
- Preliminary Report updated to March 15, 2011
- Supplementary Report dated November 14, 2011 regarding Crest Road Collapse
City Council Audit Subcommittee (CCASC) Preliminary Report dated September 22, 2011
Additional Links
- The use of public funding to facilitate the creation of private undergrounding districts
- The loss of 20A public funds
- The City’s financial stake in approving Districts
- The potential or perceived impact of a financial stake on the decision-making process
- The magnitude of 20B projects in comparison to City revenues and reserves
- Other undergrounding options: 20C Districts and city-wide undergrounding
- Chiang analysis: Does the City become the “ultimate insurer” of every 20B undergrounding project?
- Will immediate knowledge and reporting of cost overruns improve the City’s options?
- Shifting cost risk from the City to private districts
- Preventing misunderstandings by Staff and/or Council of the nature of City contracts
- The extent and appropriate use of informal meetings, without formal public notice, between homeowners and city staff
- Review of additional aspects of past experience
- Optimum threshold level of support – review, comparison and a specific recommendation
- Grounding the report upon the Piedmont City Charter
