Morning News Round-Up -- 2.23.09: One Positive Economic Story (seriously)...

We'll start this damp day with a bright 'bucking the trend' story. A new Michael's is opening up in Colma's Serra Shopping Center. A new store opening up in this economy deserves everyone's praise. So, when they open on March 8th, please stop by and pick up your scrap-booking supplies and silk flowers...

If Michael's is the good economic news, here comes the bad...

"Mid-year budget adjustments" is government agency-speak for cutting some services and/or implementing some financial slight-of-hand. San Carlos will be considering these 'adjustments' tonight. They have a bit more wiggle room than other cities, apparently, thanks to a capital fund that is supposed to go to infrastructure. This year, it may go to operating expenses. Don't forget, San Carlos is also one of the cities with big sewer and garbage bills hanging over their heads...

and...

The Cabrillo Unified School District will hold a budget (cutting) session this week.

and...

Half Moon Bay's Ritz-Carlton makes it into the Chronicle's Matier & Ross column today -- and not in a good way. Folks have been canceling their trips to the HMB Ritz, which means the Ritz needs fewer employees and HMB is receiving less taxes. Farmer John even pulls a big-paper quote, referencing Willie Brown...

and...

San Mateo is looking at new revenue (taxes) and service cuts to close a budget gap.

Now, onto some things that aren't as depressing...

There are (hopefully) a few budget bright spots on the horizon, especially for local school districts and local roads...Ladys and Gentlemen, in introduce you to the Federal stimulus package...

If fees and taxes are going to be raised, one downtown Burlingame business owner would at least like to have the money spent on improving business by way of a Downtown Business Improvement District...

Cell phone towers and Belmont go to together like peanut butter and Salmonella...a recent decision by the Belmont City Council to site a cell tower in the Belmont hills has (surprise!) neighbors very concerned...

Peninsula folks who don't like the plans for high speed rail up and down the County (and Palo Alto) are getting together, hoping they can shout against the wind louder together than separately...

In a stunning show of newspaper journalism, the Almanac started a story about new folks joining the Peninsula Open Space Trust with this:

"Below is a Feb. 13 press release from the Peninsula Open Space Trust regarding Donna Dubinsky of Portola Valley and Mark Wan of Woodside."

Thank you Almanac reporters and editors for at least admitting it...

Finally, a (rare) must read for all (political) Watch Dogs...

You must read Sue Lempert's column in the Daily Journal today. She breaks down the upcoming political battles for County Supervisor when Mark Church and Rich Gordon head on to (potentially) greener pastures. Here is the short version:

• Mark Church's Seat -- The Contenders (so far): Millbrae's Marc Hershman, Millbrae's Gina Papan, San Mateo Union's Dave Pine, Burlingame's Terry Nagel.
• Rich Gordon's Seat - The Contenders (so far): former Sheriff Don Horsley, coastside activist/organizer April Vargas
  

What is interesting about Lempert's piece is that she talks about how deep the San Mateo County political bench is and how competitive these races may be...perhaps if she threw her weight behind a special election to replace Jerry Hill we would have had a competitive race for that seat too...

Morning News Round-Up -- 1.27.09: The Repercussions Continue...

Yesterday, Watch Dog started numbering stories that were Recession Repercussions...today, we'll pick up where we left off:

Recession Repercussion 6: The County will stop paying for transportation for hospital patients except for those that they are mandated to cover. Instead, they will direct folks to other options...which must make SamTrans pleased...another example of one government agency downloading responsibilities to another.

Recession Repercussion 7: Yesterday, we learned that the unemployment rate in the State was way up, but that San Mateo County wasn't hit hard by unemployment numbers. Today, we learn that food stamp usage in the County is up. This may either be a factor that folks are more in need and hence getting food stamps or that folks who were previously unenrolled are not enrolled. Either way, we are calling this a Recession Repercussion...

Recession Repercussion 8: Millbrae NOW! will begin Thursday to discuss how the town can cover an $800,000 budget shortfall! It will be the first of three workshops held to talk about the issue! Watch Dog felt the need to use exclamation points when discussing Millbrae NOW!! Hopefully the discussion at these workshops will not include exclamation points!

Recession Repercussion 9: The Jefferson Elementary School District (Daly City/Pacifica) is looking to cover budget shortfalls with a parcel tax in May. In April, when you get your ballot in, it may be very, very crowded with government agencies looking for money...

Recession Repercussion 10: Menlo Park's revenue is a bit down from where they normally are midway through their fiscal year -- which they were expecting -- about $3.1 million. On a (un)related note, tonight the City Council will vote to move forward with a $4.5 million plan to renovate Kelly Field in Belle Haven...

Recession Repercussion 11: Kepler's is reducing its hours from 90 a week to 80. Expect 10 hours less of work from Watch Dog because I'll have nowhere to write...

This story isn't a Recession story, but it does involve money, or lack their of, for one San Mateo County city. Half Moon Bay is in deep financial trouble, this according to an audit performed and delivered to the City Council this week. Mayor/Farmer John (and the City) owe $18 million to developer Chop Keenan. While Chop Keenan may well have $18 million to spend -- the City of Half Moon Bay most certainly does not. This hefty settlement over the Beachwood development could crush Half Moon Bay. The audit uses the strongest language possible, raising doubts about whether Half Moon Bay could stay solvent...Like all good Mayors, Farmer John blamed the auditor for the bad news...

Last Friday, Watch Dog wrote about the stories of the lane closure near Carlmont High in Belmont saying:

Nothing gets people more angry than forced changes to their routine. Changes to traffic patterns and kid drop-off routines at schools are especially sensitive. So when Belmont eliminated a lane of traffic around Carlmont High, Tierra Linda Middle School, and Immaculate Heart of Mary schools, people went ballistic. Belmont is standing firm that they did the right thing -- but this may cause a full-scale riot...

Well, the rioters are headed to the Belmont City Council meeting tonight to follow-up on the dozens of angry emails they have already sent. Belmont City Manager is proving to be a local Profile in Courage for standing up to (uber aggressive) Carlmont parents saying, "...It’s a school zone — for those who think they have a right to get to work faster during that time, they don’t..."

There was going to be a hearing last night at the Millbrae Elementary School District Board meeting to fill the vacancy of John Lynch, who passed away last year. Then Bob Miller decided last week to step down effective immediately. The odds of getting appointed considerably improved for the five folks who applied for the initial opening because the Board is going to appoint two folks (of the five) on February 2nd. These five include Andre Guiulfo, Don Revelo, Jay Price, Charles Watson, and Jeff Steinberg. There is an interesting biographical detail that the story leaves out about one of these folks...does anyone know what it is?

Morning News Round-Up -- 1.12.09: "Swell of Interest" Hoodie Edition...

Even though Watch Dog wrote about it here and the San Mateo Civil Grand Jury reported on it here, the San Mateo Daily Journal today points out that the cost of collecting garbage may go up because the profits from recycling are plummeting. (Oh yeah, and a new, more expensive contract is being considered and a new facility is being planned to sort our stuff.)

And if skyrocketing garbage rates weren't enough...

The good folks of Belmont are facing huge rate increases/taxes to pay for Belmont's portion of a new sewer treatment facility. Homeowners may see a $250 fee increase, renters $175, and condo-dwellers $200. But the real pain will come to businesses, whose fees may be based on square footage: restaurants $1,435, stores $137, and offices $89 (all per 1,000 square feet)...hold on to your hats folks, Belmont is just the first City to look at how to pay their share -- Redwood City, San Carlos, and cities in the West Bay Sanitary District all need to pay up soon...

Speaking of City finances -- Menlo Park is about to get a boost from the Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel, due to be complete in February. Expect to shell out big bucks for a room -- of which, a 10% tax will be levied and go directly to the Menlo Park General Fund...how lucky for them! Perhaps they can pay for the increased cost of garbage...or sewer...

The City of San Carlos has been talking about swapping out real grass with synthetic grass at Highlands Park. After study, public hearings, and more study, the idea may be close to being implemented. Before they go any further, though, they should check out this bit from Watch Dog Silicon Valley. Apparently, State Senator Abel Maldonado has taken up the anti-synthetic field cause for a group of parents in San Jose saying:

Blood, sweat, skin cells, and other materials can remain on the turf because the fields are not washed or cleaned. It's like playing on a giant used Band-Aid. I'm not against turf, but I want to make sure that it's totally safe for kids...

Burlingame City Manager Jim Nantell gets a nice bio-piece written about him in today's Daily Journal. The piece is good -- what isn't answered about it is...why? Watch Dog likes Nantell, and so does everyone else seemingly, but a biographical sketch of a City Manager is a bit weird...no?

As always, Sue Lempert's piece in the Daily Journal provides great background as to the political goings on around the County. She focused on San Mateo's vacant Council seat today and names names as possibles: Robert Ross, Tish Busselle, Randy Torrijos (see Watch Dog's piece on Torrijos), Bertha Sanchez, Fred Hansson, Richard Hedges, and Karen Herrel. Herrel's name comes with the caveat that she would be a place-holder until the next election when (shock!) folks would be able to elected their City Councilmember. If San Mateo did that -- it would make the Board of Supervisors look silly for their undemocratic action. Lempert also gets into the (possible) power struggle between State Senator Leland Yee and Assemblymember Jerry Hill about the San Mateo County Democratic delegates elected to the State Convention -- bottom line: Hill outmaneuvered Lee...(just like Hill outmaneuvered the SBWMA...)

A "swell of interest" is not something Dr. House should see...rather, it is the (possible) precursor to Mavericks this weekend. 40-foot (!) waves are possible this weekend -- get your binoculars ready...

Congrats Half Moon Bay -- you have a new Interim City Manager. Retired Huntington Beach Fire Chief Michael Dolder got the nod for the next 6 months as Farmer John and Half Moon Bay try to figure out who to hire long-term.

Morning News Round-Up -- 12.17.08: Watch Dog seeking appointment to San Mateo City Council...pretty please?

As reported here yesterday evening, the sitting Board of Supervisors exercised their undemocratic/ Blagojevichoian right and appointed Unelected Supervisor Carol Groom. Like Watch Dog, the Daily Journal is not happy. Their Editorial today is titled: A good appointment, but failed leadership...In (un)related news, Caroline Kennedy would like an appointment too...perhaps the new Board of Supervisors (minus Supervisor Gordon) could hook her up?

Which brings us all to this (soon to be undemocratic) process in the City of San Mateo -- where the City Council will make an appointment until the City's next election in November 2009. Two names are already in the fold -- long-time resident and labor leader Rich Hedges and San Mateo Community Relations Commissioner and deputy DA in Alameda County David Lim.

6 years ago San Bruno Mayor Larry Franzella voted on a BART plan that he shouldn't have because it affected a home he owned near the tracks. Now, he will pay a $9,000 fine for participating in a vote when he had a conflict of interest, according to the ethics watch dogs the FPPC. Oops.

A biodeisel fuel company is still pursuing Pacifica as a place to set up shop -- but they need a bit more time to figure things out. The Pacifica City Council is voting on giving Whole Energy Fuels 6 more months to "come through with the required documents." Like documents that will show the place won't blow up?

Half Moon Bay's City Manager resigned (abruptly) yesterday. Farmer John (Mayor Muller) said that there would be no interruption in city services. Unless, of course, you work for the City Manager -- then expect some interruption...