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Davisite Banner. Left side the bicycle obelisk at 3rd and University. Right side the trellis at the entrance to the Arboretum.

Author: davisite2

  • Letter: Annual Budget Reduced to Repair roads, bike paths and sidewalks.

    The City wants to tax us another $11 million per year on the ballot as Measure Q. They claim the money will be used to provide new services, but they don’t tell us what new services. Well I have a problem with spending millions on new services when the City can’t even maintain what it already has.

    Everywhere you go in town you can see the awful state of our roads, bike paths and sidewalks. They are in terrible shape. We now have far worse roads than West Sacramento or Woodland. It was promised this would be taken care of by the city when we approved the renewal of the previous 1% sales tax hike, but since then things have only deteriorated even further.

    And the City Council approved reducing last year’s road maintenance budget by $1.5 million. Where did that money go? I’ll tell you where it went- it went to increase employee salaries and the development of new programs.

    Let’s face it, responsible budgeting means taking care of necessities first, but that is not what is happening. The city keeps asking for more money from citizens in the form of increased taxes to pay for all their “nice to have” pet projects, which are being put ahead of essential maintenance and services. It is time for citizens to say “enough is enough” and vote “NO on Q" for more tax increases until the City Council starts acting more responsibly and accountable to the tax-payers.

    Don Price

  • The City Council Used Misleading Comparisons of Compensation from Other Cities to Award Excessive Salary Increases to Davis City Employees

    Part 1 – Recent Salary Increases to the City Manager

    By the No on Measure Q Campaign

    Introduction

    On July 9, 2024 the Davis City Council approved a 2.0% increase in base salary for the City Manager, Mike Webb. This salary increase was made retroactive to January 9 of this year. He was also awarded a retroactive bonus of 3.0% for 2023 and another 3.0% bonus for 2024.

    The ostensible reason given for the 2.0% raise was that Mr. Webb’s 2023 salary was 2.8% LESS than the median salary earned by City Managers in nearby cities, and thus a raise was appropriate to keep Mr. Webb’s salary competitive. However, the Council based the City Manager’s salary increase on misleading data.

    Mr. Webb’s salary was compared with City Managers in twelve purportedly “comparable” local cities in the region.  However, half of those 12 cities are much larger than Davis, and include Sacramento (population of 525,000), Roseville (population 190,000), and Fairfield (population 119, 000).  Davis’ population is only about 67,000.

    An Alternative Fair Comparison with Comparable-Sized Cities

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  • Voting for Harris is Voting for These Power Women

    Wonderfulwomen
    Venessa Chang – Department of Energy, Lina Khan – Federal Trade Commission, Julie Su – Department of Labor

    By Scott Steward

    I am motivated to keep Venessa Chang, Lina Khan and Julie Su in power (see bios below). These women are in charge of our government’s renewable energy future, market, and wage equity.  That goes very much away if Trump wins. 

    Against Trump’s authoritarian challenge, good men and good women have come together in associations where differences are put aside to elect Harris/Walz.

    Indivisible Yolo (Indivisibleyolo.org) has built a platform of action here at home. For the next two weeks, the aim is to prevail in defending democracy.

    Get involved. IY has already paved the way – training at no cost.  indivisibleyolo.org.  Weekdays and weekends. Canvassing to win congressional districts in California. Calls to win abortion rights in Arizona. Volunteers virtually go where they are needed.   You need a computer and a cell phone to be fully able to help.   It's the most important 2 weeks ever.

    When we call, text, knock we win!  Come join in!    

    (this message is provided by the author alone and not any organization)

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  • Letter: Excited about Dillan Horton’s candidacy

    As a long-time member of the Davis community, I am excited about Dillan's candidacy for the Davis City Council. As both a renter and a Black man, Dillan is committed to fighting for all Davis residents, especially those who have been suffering from racial and economic injustices.

    Dillan’s involvement in the city government, contribution to the Nine Recommendations, and his role in establishing the Department of Social Services & Housing proves that he is the only candidate with successful experience in city governance. If elected to the City Council, Dillan will leverage his expertise to better represent racial minorities, renters, and the entire Davis community.

    Since the onset of the tragic Israel-Palestinian conflict, Dillan has consistently advocated for those suffering from warfare. He successfully encouraged the City Council to pass a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire. He has also engaged with Jewish leaders in Davis to address the issue of antisemitism. I fully trust Dillan to champion causes that matter to us and fight for our collective best interests.

    Tim Malone

  • Reminder – TODAY – renown experts give climate lecture on UCD campus

    Storer Lecturship in the Life Sciences: How Decades of Climate Denial, Disinformation and Doublespeak by Big Oil Fueled the Climate Crisis

    ClimateLectureTuesday October 22, 4:00 – 7 pm ARC Ballroom (and Zoom)

    Register here: https://bit.ly/102224StorerReg (or use QR code in flyer).   All are welcome.  Please register soon to help ensure an accurate headcount.

    Speakers:

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  • Letter: Former councilmember endorses Dillan Horton

    As one of the oldest former City Councilmen of Davis I am pleased to endorse my friend, Dillan Horton, for Davis City Council District 2. During the past few years we have benefited from work that Dillan has done to assist us here in Winters, where I now live. I know Dylan as a smart hard worker with great ideas that he will use to shape the future of Davis.

    Ever since 1972 I have unsuccessfully tried to get a Black person elected and or appointed to the Davis City Council. Hopefully, getting Dillan elected this year will be a delightful change, a tremendous benefit, and source of pride to Davis. This old barrier will finally be broken. This will be a great year to make this happen and Davis will benefit from his knowledge and sensitivity.

    Cheers

    Dick Holdstock

  • Letter: Linda Deos for Councilperson for Davis District 2

    I write to recommend Linda Deos for Councilperson for Davis District 2.

    Linda is an excellent listener and her work as a legal mediator has provided her great experience in working with people who may not immediately perceive their mutual interest, realize a positive solution to resolve their conflicts. This skill will be invaluable in leading the community as Davis develops its new general plan.

    Over the fifteen years I have known Linda, she and I have had long conversations about her approach to public service and her understanding of the work required to successfully execute each of the positions she has held in city and county government. As others have noted, Linda takes her work for the community very seriously, spending the time to learn exactly the responsibilities and processes involved in each position.  The breadth of her experience, from chairing the Yolo County Cannabis Business Tax Oversight Commission, chairing the Utilities Commission and serving on the Davis Planning Commission and the Davis Personnel Board, when combined with her role on the Yolo Basin Foundation Executive Committee means she will come to the City Council with a deep understand of how various parts of Davis work.  Moreover, Linda has developed a detailed knowledge about how the parts of local government—advisory boards, city and county agencies—complement each other. Understanding of how these levels of government interact is imperative to successfully craft and implement policy.

    Linda is also a fun-loving person who enjoys and values people, an excellent addition to the City Council.

    Helen Roland Cramer

  • Dillan Horton notes Biased Endorsement Process from Davis Firefighters Local 3494

    (From press release) Throughout the campaign cycle, Dillan’s team arranged four meetings with the leadership of Davis Firefighters Local 3494. During these meetings, union leaders expressed their operations were in disarray as a result of the sudden departure of their longtime past president. Notably, there was neither a formal interview with union members nor a questionnaire for candidates, standard practice for union endorsements. If the candidates were properly interviewed and assessed, it would have revealed that Linda Deos, the endorsed candidate, has no substantial record of standing up for the right to organize, and has not presented serious plans for addressing the persistent labor rights issues that exist in Davis.

    When 3494’s new leadership called the campaign to communicate their endorsement decision, they shared that union leadership already promised it to Linda in a “backroom deal” months prior. This undermined the endorsement process, which should be based on thorough evaluation. This diversion sidelined Dillan, the candidate who’s worked in solidarity with unions his entire adult life, for a candidate who’s most extensive labor experience is working as an attorney for the state correctional officers union to represent prison guards accused of wrongdoing.

    As someone whose entire adult life has involved solidarity with organized labor, Dillan finds the sloppy & blatantly biased engagement in this council election troubling. It undermines the interests of 3494 members, and betrays the interests of the broader labor movement.

  • Follow the Money – Part II

    No on Q Banner Artwork 2

    The Davis Employee Unions are Filling the Yes on Measure Q Campaign Coffers

    by the No on Measure Q Campaign Committee -  – FPPC No. 1470874

    Last week, we reported on the $22,482.20 that Davis firefighters and their union paid to or spent on behalf of 4 sitting Davis City Council member campaigns in the 2020 (Josh Chapman and Will Arnold) and 2022 (Gloria Partida and Bapu Vaitla) election cycles (see Follow the Money – Part I at https://newdavisite.wordpress.com/2024/10/04/follow-the-money/).

    These direct contributions preceded huge, retroactive salary increases given to the Davis firefighters pushing their compensation well in excess of what neighboring, similar-sized cities are paying their firefighters.

    As Davis Enterprise columnist Rich Rifken once wrote: "No segment of the Davis' labor force is gorging at the trough more voraciously than the Fire Department…"

    Well, not to be outdone, other Davis city employee unions are joining the firefighters' union in rapidly filling the coffers of the Yes on Measure Q campaign committee. Following are their campaign contributions to the Yes on Measure Q campaign committee reported thus far:

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  • Letter: Linda Deos for City Council

    I endorse Linda Deos for election to City Council based on the experience I have had serving with her on the City of Davis Planning Commission for the past two years.  During that time the commission has engaged in long and difficult deliberations that resulted in approval of important development projects and policies, often after significant modifications by the commission.  Linda has been a fully engaged and vital participant in reaching those decisions.

    Evaluating this type of complex subject matter requires familiarity with the principles of land use, planning, zoning, housing and the applicability of continually evolving State law.  These are precisely the same topics about which a councilmember must be intimately knowledgable, meaning Linda will be ready to "hit the ground running" on her first day in office.

    In working with Linda, I have found her to be consistently well informed, articulate, and prepared to ask penetrating questions of project applicants and City staff.  Linda is also sensitive to community values and concerns- – a vitally important trait for serving on City Council. 

    Based on my experience working with Linda on issues similar to those that lie ahead, I strongly urge voters to elect Linda to City Council. Although I am chair of the Planning Commission, the opinions expressed in this letter are strictly my own.

    Greg Rowe