First PBAC meeting Agenda and Participation > PBAC Agenda 2020-10-13

During the COVID – 19 requirements, Piedmonters have flocked to sidewalks and streets on foot and bicycles to get exercise. The need for improvements for walkers, joggers, and bikers has been noted by all.

On September 30, 2020, the Piedmont City Council appointed nine residents of the City to serve on the new Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee (PBAC). 

Chosen from among 36 applicants, the appointees are: Sofia Barandiaran, Siddharth Bhatia,  Eugene Brown, Jr., Katie DeWitt, Audrey Edel, Brett Hondorp, Hugh Louch, Thomas Reicher and Kristin Robrock. 

The PBAC will help guide the development and implementation of the Piedmont Safer Streets project. That project will update the City’s original Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan (completed in 2014), with an additional focus on broader traffic safety.

The initial meeting of the PBAC will take place Tuesday, October 13, starting at 5:30 pm. For more information about the PBAC and about the meeting, click here and here.

For questions about the Piedmont Safer Streets project, contact Gopika Nair (City of Piedmont), at SaferStreets@Piedmont.ca.gov or at (510) 420-3054.

>PBAC Agenda 2020-10-13

You can view the documents to be discussed on the agenda in the drop box link below:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/11807apq78jiau8/AAD-OA4y41IOfwOnFd-OIj3ta?dl=0

When I think about Piedmont, the iconic image that comes to mind is the center of town – the 4 schools, the tennis courts, Piedmont Park and City Hall.  And, in the middle – the pool. We live in a really beautiful place and the pool is a vital part.

This picture fades when you foresee the pool drained and the site pad-locked. Further, it is difficult to imagine it replaced by anything else. I can’t see, and don’t want, it “developed” for alternative (commercial) purposes. That’s not Piedmont. What belongs there is a pool. This is where our kids learn to swim. This is where my parents took me to learn to swim. Why would we take that away from our community and future residents? A cost/benefit analysis falls woefully short of responding to that question. Nobody applies that logic to the other amenities.

We rightfully take pride in our city. We should be a community that does not require a “fiscal” conclusion to support inherently valuable projects. We have parks, fields and courts for our citizens and students to pursue their athletic interests. Swimmers and water polo players deserve the same. Make no mistake, the pool augments the quintessential Piedmont “selling point” – the Schools.

Should UU fail, Piedmont High School and it’s swimming and water polo teams will be without a pool. Would some families opt for private schools that have pools? Seems likely. Replacing the pool is a great opportunity. The proposed plan ties the pool and the tennis courts together and creates a modern and attractive recreational facility. This is more than a replacement – it’s an improvement.

Think about recent projects. Does anyone regret remodeling Hampton Field? Do we wish we hadn’t spent the money to replace Havens? Of course not. All things have a lifespan whether we are talking about civic amenities or personal property. Well, the pool’s life has ended and it is our responsibility to get it replaced.

Those that oppose Measure UU because they ‘don’t use the pool’ or ‘don’t like how it will be funded’ should consider the risks of shuttering the pool. How does creating a blight improve our city? Whatever the objection, in the long-run this project enhances Piedmont, which benefits us all. Because Piedmont’s a community and not just an address, we owe it to the past and future to get this done.

Please vote ‘YES’ on UU.

Chris Hart, Current President Piedmont High School Boosters, Prior President Piedmont Baseball Softball Foundation

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.

We all know that public services will be under tremendous pressure during this pandemic and its aftermath, and we need professionals with judgment, deep understanding of the hard trade-offs local governments face, and compassion to meet this moment.  We’ve closely watched the work of the Piedmont City Council during our over two decades as residents, and this is a time when we need our very best.

Jen Cavanaugh has earned our trust and deserves re-election, and there’s no public servant better-qualified to join her on the Council than Conna McCarthy.  Conna understands how government works, and especially how Piedmont works, and has proved her commitment through her service on everything from the Municipal Tax Review Committee, the Recreation Commission, parcel tax campaigns, and her deep roots in this community.  She will be an extraordinary Council member at a critical time.

We are voting for Conna McCarthy and Jen Cavanaugh, and we urge others to join us. 

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the authors.

Every voter in Piedmont should have received their ballot and Alameda County Voter Information Guide in the mail.

Although many voters are marking their ballots, the Alameda County Voter Information Guide has not been delivered.  The Guide contains Piedmont candidate statements and Piedmont ballot measure arguments.  

A  Piedmont press release stated: Sample Ballot / Voter Information Pamphlet

“The Alameda County Registrar of Voters began mailing Sample Ballot / Voter Information Pamphlets to registered voters on Thursday, September 24th. You can also view your personalized Voter Information Guide on the  Registrar of Voters My Voter Profilepage. If you have not received your sample ballot by October 16th, please contact the Alameda County Registrar of Voters Office at (510) 272-6933.”

Voted ballots may be returned in a U.S. Postal Box or deposited in the Alameda County BALLOT BOX located in central Piedmont at the corner of HIGHLAND WAY and HIGHLAND AVENUES next to the Wells Fargo Bank.  POSTAGE IS NOT REQUIRED ON BALLOT ENVELOPES.

Because of issues related to mailed ballots, voters are encouraged to vote their ballots early to assure timely delivery to the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.

For your ballot to be counted, you must sign your ballot envelope. Every voters signature is carefully checked by the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.

++++++ VOTER GUIDE INFORMATION ++++++

Piedmont’s Ballot Measures TT (Transfer Tax Increase)  and UU (Pool Bonds) are found on the very last page of the ballot. Links to official information on Measures UU and TT are below.

Measure TT – Transfer Tax Increase on Real Property Sales

• Full Text of Measure TT
• City Attorney’s Impartial Analysis of Measure TT
• Direct Argument In Favor of Measure TT
• Direct Argument Opposed to Measure TT
• Rebuttal to Argument In Favor of Measure TT
• Rebuttal to Argument Opposed to Measure TT

Measure UU – Pool Construction Bonds 

• Full Text of Measure UU
• City Attorney’s Impartial Analysis of Measure UU
• Tax Rate Statement for Measure UU
• Direct Argument In Favor of Measure UU
• Direct Argument Opposed to Measure UU
• Rebuttal to Argument In Favor of Measure UU
• Rebuttal to Argument Opposed to Measure UU

Official information on candidates for City Council and School Board are linked below.  Click on the candidate name to read their statement.

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https://piedmont.ca.gov/services___departments/city_clerk/elections/november_3_2020_general_municipal_election/2020_candidate_list

If you have questions or concerns regarding voting, contact Piedmont City Clerk John Tulloch at 510/420-3040. 

We are fortunate to have Jennifer Cavenaugh as a Member of our City Council, and we will continue to be well represented by electing Jen for four more years.

Throughout the years, Jen has been doing the important work of bringing our community together through her support of PADC, the “Let’s Talk” series, the city’s annual MLK celebration, and lending elected leadership to a city-wide anti-racist brainstorm this past summer to name just a few. These activities are just the tip of the iceberg — Jen works tirelessly for what we all want, a community that is engaged in productive civil discourse, one that can overcome polarization in the name of fairness, real progress, and human kindness.

Jen’s fair, critical, thorough, probing, and measured approach to solving Piedmont’s toughest challenges serves her (and us all) well. Her dedication and commitment is clearly demonstrated by the sheer number of meetings she attends, always with her sleeves rolled up, ready to get “the work” done.

Jill Lindenbaum, Piedmont Resident

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.

We are writing in enthusiastic support of Conna McCarthy for Piedmont City Council.

Conna’s life has been steeped in public service in every aspect of her life and, for years, she has volunteered her talents to Piedmont’s education and civic communities. She is intelligent, capable, direct, and deeply principled.

Conna knows Piedmont and our city has benefitted time and again from her expertise, interest, energy, and time. The breadth of her knowledge and experience, her on-going commitment, and her candid approach will continue to serve us.

Please join us in voting for Conna for City Council.

Respectfully, Amal & Rick Smith

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the authors.

        It is long past time for Piedmont to rebuild our one and only community pool.

Current residents of Piedmont have benefitted from the generosity of prior residents who built, paid for, and in many cases donated our buildings, parks, playfields and of course, the pool.  Their generosity toward future generations has allowed us, as taxpayers, to focus our collective resources on our excellent public schools.

It is now our turn to step up to rebuild our failing infrastructure. The two measures on the ballot in November are about repairing and replacing what is broken. Measure UU will allow Piedmont to issue, for the first time ever, municipal bonds to rebuild the failing 56-year-old Piedmont Pool.  Municipal bonds are like a 30-year fixed-rate community mortgage, repaid through property tax assessments.  Measure TT will align the real property transfer tax – only paid when a home is bought or sold – to match those of Berkeley and Oakland, and use the funds to repair and maintain our city facilities and failing roads and sidewalks.

To us, six former Piedmont Mayors, the focus on long-term planning is a sign of pragmatic and strategic thinking.  The current City Council unanimously placed Measures UU and TT on the ballot because our failing infrastructure can’t wait.  Spending more to repair a crumbling pool facility makes no fiscal sense. Borrowing money at low interest rates to rebuild a necessary civic asset is the prudent decision.

Soon the City Council will be forced to make the decision that no one wants to make: to permanently close the Piedmont Pool. If Measure UU does not pass, Piedmont will then fail to provide a basic public amenity that every other city in Alameda County provides to its residents. Whether you swim or not, the lack of a municipal pool would be a profound loss for our community and our schools.

Please join us in supporting the future of Piedmont and voting yes on Measures UU and TT.

Dean Barbieri

Michael Bruck

John Chiang

Abe Friedman

Susan Hill

Valerie Matzger

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the authors.

Editors Note:  Opinions expressed are those of the author.

No Consumer Ever Got a “Prop. 13 Discount”

Since Prop. 13 was passed in 1978, the taxable value of California business property has increased no more than 2% per year regardless of its market value, unless there is a change in ownership.  Owners of such properties have used various legal mechanisms to avoid a change in ownership.  These owners, whether operating a business or renting property to others, pay far less property tax than competing businesses that acquired property more recently.

Prices and rents, however, are set by markets.  Consumers and renters don’t get a “Prop. 13 discount” that reflects the property owner’s low property tax; the property owner just pockets those savings while the rest of us pay not only the market price, but also more in all kinds of taxes to make up for the lost business property tax revenue.

Prop. 15, on the November ballot, will fix this situation by allowing the taxable value of business properties worth more than $3 million to gradually rise to market value.  Opponents claim that Prop. 15 will cause prices and rents to rise as property owners try to pass along the increased property tax.  That’s extremely unlikely—if those property owners could charge more, they already would be.

Please vote in favor of Prop. 15 to require all businesses to pay their fair share and fund our schools.

Richard W. Raushenbush, Former School Board Member