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City of Davis is Compromised

F72D8D50-E1BA-4207-BBBE-69AA45F126AEBy Dunn Bobbing

After a short City Council Meeting lasting only 3 days, Davis City Council members managed to wrap 3 issues into one compromising solution.

The Davis City Council has been accused of being out of step with the public in its move to eliminate its street “claw” yard waste pick up, installation of parking meters in the downtown, and its failed attempt to levy a parcel tax for road repair. In all 3 cases the City has faced stiff opposition and name calling, which prompted Council Member Frerichs to chant “I am rubber you’re glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you!” at the recent parking meter Council meeting.

Day 1 was entirely taken up by public comment. The council took turns pretending to listen to citizens as a colorful cast of characters poured their hearts out, sometimes even about the topic at hand. A highlight of the evening was when instructors from the Pam Trokanski Dance studio attempted to teach the City Council the art of partner dancing in the hope they would be better in step with the citizenry, but the lesson was cut short when Mayor Lee enforced the 2 minute 59 second time limit.

Day 2 discussions focused on revenue generation. It was clear that the entire Council was on the same page in their hope to greatly increase revenues for the City so they could better fund pet projects like the Mace/Cowell intersection degradation project, the blank graffiti canvas being erected at the corner of F and Covell, and a new mega sports complex.  Council member Carson summed it up best when he exclaimed, “SHOW ME THE MONEY!”

But initial revenue generation proposals seemed unlikely to be accepted by the public. They included:

  • 500% tax on Sodas
  • A $20 entry toll at Richards Tunnel
  • A $1.00 per leaf claw pick up fee
  • Allowing the City name to be changed to Whitcombville
  • Banning all cars and taxing bicycles
  • Licensing naming rights to “that old toad tube” to an internet company
  • “getting in on that girl scout cookie thing”

Frerichs also brought to the Council’s attention that thousands of “out-o-towners and Sac-ro-menters” pass through Davis on the Amtrak Capital Corridor train daily without Davis getting a dime. But his train robbery proposal found no support amongst the Council. Brett Lee briefly suggested highway robbery was the greener choice since it did more to discourage driving, but Lee could not get a second on his motion.

Day 3 however proved unusually productive with the Council cobbling together a solution to end Davis’s problems. After much discussion Council Member Partida made a motion to install parking meters in front of all Davis homes. The parking spaces in front of these meters can be used for storing yard waste while it waits for the once monthly claw pick up. Any yard waste in front of an expired meter will result in a fine to the household.

Yard waste parking fines will escalate with each infraction and non-payment can result in a “Denver Boot” being placed on the adjacent home.

Partida’s initial motion included a 2-hour maximum on the meters requiring homeowners to feed the meter every 2 hours. Carson saw this as particularly unfair and offered a friendly amendment for the meters to interact with smart phones thus allowing the meters to be fed digitally from anywhere with cell or internet service.

Frerichs advocated, “internet connectivity will keep the buck-a-roos rolling into City Hall better than if Bernie Maddoff were mayor.”

Staff sought assurances that this new internet connected meter deal would be included in the WAVE/Astound monopoly giveaway.

With Carson’s amendment the Council unanimously passed the compromising proposal. Meter installation in front of Davis homes will begin next month. This will give just enough time for the Council to consider Mayor Lee’s proposal to buy a tank, MRAP, or other type of armored vehicle to protect the meter installers.

Will Arnold recused himself because he feels he has a personal interest in everything that happens in Davis.

City Council Member homes will be exempt for life.

 

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Comments

7 responses to “City of Davis is Compromised”

  1. Matt Williams

    Well played Mr. Bobbing

    Reply
  2. Alan Pryor

    Thanks for the well written article accurately describing the 3-day Council meeting. I was there for the whole duration and gave “Public Comments” 32 times disguised as different citizens. I was was completely ignored by Council each time until I spoke as Snidely Whiplash, Davis Developer. At this point they all ran down to the podium with Trick or Treat bags held out and excitedly chanting “Pay to Play, Pay to Play” while jostling each other to get first in line. I felt compelled to throw in lots of money into each bag but know I’ll get it all back later (and then some) as entitlements.
    To add a few other points, Mr Bobbing neglected to note the 43 times City Manager Mike Webb commented “Yup, Yup” while excitedly bouncing up and down in his chair in obvious attempts to curry Council favor. Brett Lee threw him a treat each time. City Clerk Zoe Mirabile had to suppress a giggle a total of 19 times but did roll her eyes 24 times. And Council asked 29 questions of City Attorney, Harriet Steiner, but found she was asleep each time.
    I suggest bringing Dunn Bobbing on as the Davisite’s new Downtown Beat Reporter. This sure beats the Developers Vanguard for accuracy.

    Reply
  3. Todd Edelman

    Curious that the leaf metering received the most space… as in general principle it makes sense.

    Reply
  4. Bill Wagman

    I have a plan to solve the parking, shopping cart, claw and homeless problem with one simple technique.
    First, restrict parking to be somewhere away from downtown. Then provide each homeless person with a shopping cart and they can perform an uber/lyft service by taking people from their parked cars, out of the downtown are to the shop or shops they wish to visit and return them to their cars when shopping is completed. The cart pushers can be subsidized by the city.
    At times when there are no shoppers to be ferried back and forth between their cars and the downtown area the cart pushers could go around the city and pick up yard waste and take it to a suitable dumping location.
    I don’t know why no one has thought of this yet.
    Then again, given that Davis prides itself on being the bicycle capitol of the world why are people driving Downtown in the first place?
    Thank you.

    Reply
  5. Nancy Price

    Just what I needed today, thank you and hope we can claw ourselves out of current problems and challenges. Let’s support South Davis residents on the “Mace Fix.” Neighborhoods need to support of each other to defend against the City Council’s compromised decisions on revenue generation AND spending.

    Reply
  6. Ron O

    This article is hilarious, starting with the “author’s name”! Thanks for this.
    In reference to Nancy’s comment above, it was noted by a commenter on the Vanguard that the city might not be able to make major changes to the “Mace Mess”, without first paying back SACOG/Federal government for the “improvements”.
    I’m still trying to figure out what traffic studies and projections were done (if any), prior to implementing those “improvements”. I recall that the same commenter noted that an EIR was probably not required.

    Reply
  7. Ron O

    I posted a comment on the (under a related Vanguard article), noting the existence of this Davisite article. (I did not refer to the Davisite specifically, as it is apparently against the Vanguard’s rules to do so).
    Despite adhering to the Vanguard’s apparent commenting rules, the reference was apparently deleted without explanation. I understand that another commenter experienced something similar.
    Make of that what you will. I’d suggest that the Vanguard is only hurting itself (and driving folks away), by taking this approach. (Not to mention the mean-spirited comments that are sometimes allowed on there, and the general lack of interest in discussing concerns which apparently do not fit their agenda.)

    Reply

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