Jeff Mitchell: C'mon, council, wrap up the chat on sales tax measure

Jeff Mitchell

As most of you may have received in your mail boxes recently (your snail-mail boxes, that is), Salinas city officials have sent out a spiffy if not downright slick tri-fold color mailer and combined questionnaire on the issue of whether or not you'll say yes to an increase in the local sales tax next November.

Unlike Councilman Steve McShane, self-annointed master of endless community meetings, I feel we've reached a point in this town where most of know what we're going to do with this thing.

Understandably gun shy, Salinas City Council needs to accept a "Yes" from the electorate when they hear it the first time.

The polling the city did last year proves conclusively that most Salinans "get it" - that they understand how badly our public safety departments need help and that they understand how badly our city infrastructure has been allowed to deteriorate.

That same polling - despite what the Salinas Taxpayers Association people might say - shows conclusively that not only are folks around here ready to say yes to a sales tax rate increase, they're also willing to trust their City Council with a general tax at that.

Moreover, a majority of the council already knows not to recklessly tempt fate by fiddling with a specialized tax measure that will require a backbreaking 66.6 percent super-majority in order to pass.

But despite all of this, we're going to have another round of meetings and you are most decidedly invited to join and participate.

Not only will the issue of the tax be talked about, city staff wants to play a game with you - either in person or online.

The staff will give you a very imaginary $500 and ask you to use the phony cash to address the city's multiple issues. From this exercise, staff should be able to glean what your priorities are. For instance we know you want public safety fixed, but what about those seriously annoying broken sidewalks? How about those miserable potholes on south Riker Street that no one seems to care about?

You can also play this so-called "Salinas Budget Challenge" game online at bit.ly/SalinasTownHall.

"We're expanding our commitment to open government and to efficiency," said Mayor Joe Gunter. "We use priority-based budgeting in order to make sure we invest our limited funds in what matters most. Now we're inviting residents to help directly in setting those priorities."

Fair enough.

For those who like their budgetary politics up close and personal, you can make plans to attend one of the three aforementioned meetings.

Here's the details (with corresponding council member hosts) on those events:

But here's the deal, let's go do these feel-good meetings and then go slap that sales tax ballot measure on the November election ballot for cryin' out loud.

We've done the polling. We've done the talking. We all know the great needs before us. Now it's time to learn how to take "yes" for an answer.

Flippo, Miller looking tall in saddle

Timing, like most things in life, is everything. So it was with interest to watch both District Attorney Dean Flippo and Sheriff Scott Miller holding forth Tuesday with the announcement that the DA with big help from the Sheriff's Office (and the FBI and the Salinas PD) took six King City Police Department officers into custody on allegations of various corruption and conspiracy charges.

With both gentlemen appearing on the June 3 ballot, the publicity and media coverage around the big bust was absolutely incalculable in terms of political capital gained.

While we're sure the timing of the bust was purely coincidental with the start of the June primary, nothing says "good government" and/or good governmental "steward" like good cops taking potentially corrupt ones to jail. It makes folks believe the system actually works.

Jeff Mitchell covers Salinas Valley politics and government. Under the Dome, an opinion column, appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in print and online. Email him at jemitchell@thecalifornian.com. For quick political hits, check out Under the Dome - The Blog, available most every day at: www.theCalifornian.com.

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Jeff Mitchell: C'mon, council, wrap up the chat on sales tax measure

As most of you may have received in your mail boxes recently (your snail-mail boxes, that is), Salinas city officials have sent out a spiffy if not downright slick tri-fold color mailer and combined