On Tuesday, the Antioch City Council agreed to bring back a discussion for a possible ballot measure to fund infrastructure and/or programs.
Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe said this idea came up do to their work around the Antioch Water Park and if they could look at an bond measures for infrastructure—including city hall, the police department or parks and recreation.
He was looking for consensus to see if they wanted to pursue more information and more specific idea regarding the areas a measure could assist in funding.
With council consensus Tuesday, the item will return at a future date with more details, potential options a ballot measure would fund and costs.
During Public Comments, Andrew Becker argued the community is continually asked for dollars only to have the city spend them haphazard while acknowledging this item was vague to include city hall or the water park, but also not being shared publicly is a request to fund homeless services.
“We all know we are also talking about things like the Executive Inn and continue to ignore opportunities at a State Level. Why would we ask our residents to pay more out of pocket when the State of California just released $650 million for communities. Why are we sitting here talking about what community members should continue to pay and instead talk about how we access those dollars at the state and federal level,” stated Becker noting the City of Pittsburg is struggling to administer the grants they are receiving from the state. “It’s sad Pittsburg is struggling to administer the dollars funneling into them, yet in Antioch, our residents are asked to continue to pay more.”
Becker also argued you have residents who are struggling now the city wanted them to be double taxed to get into a water park that they cant even afford to get into in the first place.
Hernandez-Thorpe disputed Beckers comments.
“Just so we are clear, this is a discussion item to see if we want it to come back for further explanation. Just like this one,” stated Thorpe who stated they cannot yet discuss the item in detail but added the Executive Inn would not be included in the category but the Nick Rodriquez Center is one that needed updates. “If there is opportunities to revitalize these types of facilities, why wouldn’t we consider having a conversation with the public.”
Editors Note – , back in June, Mayor Lamar Thorpe stated they needed to look at a potential tax measure to fund crisis response and the homeless hotel. At the council meeting, during future agenda items, without details being provided, Thorpe said the discussion will revolved around infrastructure and on items that are not fully funded, such as the crisis response team and homeless hotel are only funded for 2-years
Councilmemebr Tamisha Tores-Walker said she wasn’t against this item coming back for discussion, but you had parts of the city that was falling apart around them which is infrastructure as well.
“What part of this conversation will include not just buildings, but also streets that are owned by the city and different kinds of programs that are needed,” stated Torres-Walker.
Thorpe interjected stating that is something they would look into—such as A Street and other public infrastructure, not just building.
Acting City Manager Kwame Reed added they would also be looking at redevelopment funding which was taken away and other things that could influence and improve communities.
Torres-Walker said Antioch has poor working class citizens and ballot measures could overwhelm people so she didn’t want to do something that would cause any intended consequences by increasing taxes.
“I just want to make sure we don’t do something that has unintended consequences,” stated Torres-Walker.
Councilmember Mike Barbanica said he didn’t like new taxes but would be willing to listen to proposals.
“I would listen to them when this comes back, but I believe our residents are taxed to death as it is so I am not excited about any new tax but I think that cities need to police themselves better and control their own spending as opposed to going back to the citizens and saying pay us more money so we can do something with this,” explained Barbanica.
He also stated in the past, the “ball was dropped” where councils did not plan ahead to things needing maintenance—such as the water park where it needed $1.7 million.
“We should have had a fund in place when we opened up that facility on Lone Tree Way that every year money went into this fund so we know we have deferred or future maintenance type fund. That is what we need to focus on, I am willing to listen but I would hope we could bring this back couple of ideas,” shared Barbanica.
He also shared the believe with Torres-Walker on getting a grant writer so that if they get other programs funded through grants, they wouldn’t have to go back to the voters for funding.
“I am willing to listen, but me voting for a new tax is pretty slim,” said Barbanica.
Hernandez-Thorpe again sought to clarify the topic stating the measures and echoed Barbanica’s comments that past councils did not plan ahead and they would not have these types of discussions.
The council provided consensus to bring the item back for more discussion on what a possible ballot measure for infrastructure and/or programs would look like.
Councilmembers Monica Wilson and Lori Ogorchock offered no thoughts or comments on a possible ballot measure.
Editors Note:
A look at the Antioch’s last three ballot measures:
- Antioch Measure W – passed with 66.11% support in 2018. This was a 1.0 percent sales tax on retail sales to fund emergency programs and essential services.
- Antioch Measure 0 – passed with 51.62% support in 2014. This authorized the city to adopt a residential landlord business license tax based on the type and number of units and confirmed the existing gross receipts business license tax with an increased minimum tax level.
- Antioch Measure C – passed with 68.09% support in 2012. Increased the sales tax rate by 1/2 percent from 8.5% to 9%.
Prior to the Meeting, Antioch City Treasurer Lauren Posada issued the following statement:
Tonight, is a special meeting held at the Nick Rodriguez Center at 6:30 p.m. (Not a regular scheduled meeting, not at its typical location, not at its typical scheduled time) The Council will be receiving presentations on current programs and having discussions on various topics – as it’s being called a “workshop”.
I would like to highlight one of the topics up for discussion:
“Discussion on a Ballot Measure for Infrastructure and/or Programs” – this is a discussion item (no formal vote will be taken) and there is no additional information provided other than it was requested by Mayor Thorpe.
INFRASTRUCTURE:
In simplest terms: the fundamental facilities and systems serving a country, city, or area.
In May of 2021, Councilwoman Ogorchock requested information regarding a replacement fund for future building maintenance/replacement. Please see below information extracted from the corresponding Staff Report:
“Infrastructure/Asset Replacement Fund In 2018, the City had a Cost of Services Study (“Study”) conducted by Revenue & Cost Specialists, LLC. Part of this study determined an amount the City should consider setting aside annually for infrastructure replacement costs for future maintenance and replacement to avoid huge outlays in any given year to pay for these costs.
Any needs for the assets listed in Attachment A are budgeted in any given year from current resources. Other than those items specifically described as Water or Sewer, all remaining asset replacement set asides would be funded from the General Fund.
The excerpted page from the Study (reference image) shows the type of infrastructure and recommended annual replacement cost to include in the City budget. When this was presented to the City Council in 2018, the governing body declined at that time to establish any level of asset replacement for infrastructure.”
When this was presented in 2021, it was not agreed upon to move forward adding the annual replacement cost to the budget. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, the referenced costs are calculated based on 2018 data, one can only imagine what the replacement costs would be in 2024. Do you feel as a taxpayer in Antioch, that these costs are your responsibility?
PROGRAMS: There will be presentations on 3 programs being ran by the city currently that are operating on ARPA funds (American Rescue Plan Act, one time revenue received)
- Mayor’s Apprenticeship Program: Ended December of 2023 being amended to June 2024
- Opportunity Village Program (Bridge Housing): Contract period from April 2023 to April 2025
- Angelo Quinto Community Response Team (AQCRT)/(Care Team): Contract period from November 2022 to October 2024
It’s not about whether or not these programs are successful or needed, it’s the fact that they were created utilizing one-time revenue when it was recommended against. Now a decision must be made, the end date for these programs is nearing and funding is depleting. Would you like these programs being paid for utilizing your personal income? Would you like an additional expenditure added to your budget? I can’t answer that for you, but I believe it’s important for you to have a say in the matter.
I highly recommend you personally contact the City Council and if at all possible, attend the meeting tonight and let the Council hear from you directly.
When: Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Place: Nick Rodriguez Community Center
213 F St, Antioch 94509
6 comments
This mayor and his voting block is always looking to add another “program” but the issues concerning homeowners are never addressed. Our neighborhoods look like crap, with a high number of poorly maintained rentals, occupied by tenants who don’t seem to understand they have a responsibility to maintain where they live. There’s literally no code enforcement to ensure the blighted unsightly properties that now pepper the city aren’t allowed to flourish. Commercial trailers/vehicles are parked on city streets like cars, commercial trailers occupy drive ways and big gigantic motor homes that this council allowed provided they were parked in a side yard behind a fence are front and center. If it’s not a social experiment, this council is not interested in looking at it.
And let’s not forget the growing RV camp on Wilbur Ave. How can Antioch turn a blind eye to that? How are ll of those RV’s dealing with their human waste? RV holding tanks can only hold so much before needing to be emptied.
This is SO unlike the way that normal city councils conduct the people’s business that it truly boggles the mind. This mayor and council really have no clue what they are doing or how to do it. And apparently, they’ve driven away most of the competent city staff.
Solid photo of Lathorpe Garcia Sanchez Hernandez and his incompetent City Council.
Until city gets criminal activity under control and Police department back to full strength will vigorously encourage neighbors to vote NO.
Until I see some: Fiscal responsibility, Clear and visible improvements with existing funding and a major clean up effort on both public properties and private properties, I will not invest another cent in this tanking city. I need to see a return on my existing investment first. So it’s a NO GO for me. I’d rather invest my money in the Stock Market, than a city that’s been failing for decades.
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