Protesters gathered in community park and marched through downtown and then on to the Davis Police station. Chief of Police Pytel was the only officer present for much of the rally. There were no officers in riot gear in Davis, unlike last week when a group of mostly highschool students were met by heavily armed police in riot gear. Photos by Rik Keller
Posted by
on
in
|
Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.
By Emily Hill
White people of Davis, this is relevant here, too:
One of the fundamental things wrong with police culture is solidarity with violent colleagues.
You may have seen the video of police in riot gear pushing over a 75 year old man who started bleeding from the head while the other officers present walked by him, seemingly unconcerned.
Two officers have been suspended and ALL 57 of the city's emergency response team resigned from the team in solidarity with their dangerous coworkers. There have been no consequences for the officers who stood by and did nothing. None of those 57 should be in any position of community authority, let alone with a service weapon.
This is not a problem "over there". This extends to Davis.
Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.
Celebration of Abraham (COA), a Yolo County interfaith organization for over 17 years, is saddened and outraged at the killing of George Floyd and expresses our deepest condolences to his family. We are anguished at the continuous violence black Americans have suffered throughout the history of our county—slavery, Jim Crow, mass incarceration and the senseless killings at the hands of white vigilantes and law enforcement.
We understand that many in the law enforcement community, including the Davis Police Chief, are horrified and speaking out against the systemic racism and militarism in policing.
Celebration of Abraham encourages all to reflect and to take action so such acts of abuse of power are no longer the norm. "Othering," as discussed during one of COA's community conversations, is a divisive force that is among the roots of the problem. As humans, we are programmed to organize information we take from the world into categories. For much of recorded history, humans have used categorical differences to justify fear or power relations between groups. Our religions have within them the capacity to unite us, though there are those who use these traditions to divide us. Our Abrahamic faith traditions tell us to value the other.
Posted by
on
in
|
Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.
(From press release) This spring, Soroptimist International of Davis awarded $6,500 in funds to like-minded nonprofits through its annual Community Grants program.
The following organizations received awards:
Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.
Effects of Increases in City of Davis Employee Compensation from 2011 to 2018 on the City's Current Budget Crisis
by Alan Pryor
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The actual average increase in total annual compensation (Pay and Benefits) for City of Davis full-time, year-round (FT) employees has been 5.9% each year from 2011 through 2018. This is more than twice the average annual rate of inflation of 2.8% during the same period as determined by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics for Bay Area Urban Wage Earners & Clerical Workers. The actual average increase in salary without benefits (Pay) has been 4.5%.
The actual average annual total Pay and Benefits paid to City of Davis FT employees in 2018 was $144,115. Compare that to the average annual total Pay and Benefits of $118, 640 that would have alternatively been paid in 2018 if annual increases in total compensation had instead been held to the annual CPI increases since 2011.
Similarly, the actual average annual Pay (without Benefits) paid to City of Davis FT employees in 2018 was $97,834. Compare that to the actual average annual Pay of $88,324 that would have been paid to FT employees in 2018 if annual increases in payroll-only compensation had instead been held to the annual CPI increases since 2011
For comparison, median earnings for FT private sector workers in Davis was $63,125 in 2018. City employees thus received an average 55% greater Pay ($97,834/$63,125) and 128% more in Pay and Benefits ($144,115/$63,125) than FT private-sector workers in 2018.
The annual differences between the actual total Pay and Benefits paid by the City to all FT employees from 2012 through 2018 and that which would have been paid if annual increases had instead been held to the CPI is very substantial and ranges from $3.645 Million in 2015 to $7.668 Million in 2018. On a cumulative basis, the City has paid in excess of $34 Million more to FT employees in Pay and Benefits from 2012 through 2018 had annual payroll increases otherwise been held to increases based on CPI.
That additional money could have been very beneficially used in the intervening years to resurface many additional miles of the Davis streets and bike paths in most need of repair while still providing adequate annual increases in employee compensation to match inflationary pressures on their costs of living.
Posted by
on
in
|
Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.
Peaceful protest of the murder of George Floyd and countless others, Sunday May 31, Davis CA.
Photos by Rik Keler (https://www.rikkeller.com/)
Posted by
on
in
|
Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.
By Wendy Weitzel
The arts community is one of the hardest hit by the pandemic. With shows, concerts, galleries and all public work halted, local artists are looking for other ways to connect with the community. That was the focus at the May 21 Arts Alliance Davis meeting, where artists from all mediums gathered virtually to collaborate and brainstorm.
Arts Alliance Davis typically meets every other month. This one was via Zoom. The group unites artists, civic and arts organizations, businesses, patrons and other community arts supporters. Meetings are open to anyone.
Many artists and organizations rely on grants as an income source. Rachel Hartsough, the city’s arts and culture manager, said the city of Davis will be extending the terms of its Community Arts grants, and allowing flexibility for artists to postpone or reinvent their projects.
But budget-wise, Davis – like most government bodies – is eyeing cuts. “It’s looking really tough.” She said to expect a substantial reduction in the arts budget.
Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.
By Yvonne Hunter
Chair, Valley Clean Energy Community Advisory Committee
As Valley Clean Energy reaches its two-year anniversary, memories of my role in its formation keep popping into my head.
Way back in 2002, it was my job as a lobbyist representing a statewide association of cities to advocate on behalf of cities before the California Legislature. This included the legislation that became law and authorizes cities and counties to buy electricity on behalf of their residents and businesses. These are known as Community Choice Aggregation (or CCA) programs.
Little did I know that, 18 years later, this new law would blossom and flourish into 21 operating CCAs throughout California, successfully serving 10 million customers in more than 170 cities and counties.
More amazing to me is that the new law ultimately enabled my own city of Davis and my county, Yolo (along with Woodland), to form their own CCA — Valley Clean Energy. Frankly, this is a very humbling experience.
Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.
County's decision shifts the responsibility from government to individuals
By Robin Rainwater
I've been contemplating the rapidly shifting landscape in Yolo County heavily this week. Not just Yolo County, but in California as a whole. Over the last several months, the Covid-19 pandemic brings me to my data roots and plagues my change management heart. I've spent time using data to influence healthcare policy and over the last few months, I have immersed myself in the data on many levels. I have been helping people in my community understand the data and data trends so that they can make informed decisions for themselves, their families, and communities. I've felt an increasing need to inform more people as I've watched things beginning to unravel because of the balance between economy and preservation of life. A balance that is precariously tipping in a direction that frightens me.
Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.
“University Commons”, Still a Monolithic Mega-dorm Fraught with Problems
U-Mall Project proposal is still out-of-scale and the wrong design
By Eileen M. Samitz
Time is of the essence for anyone concerned about the inevitable negative effects that would come with almost 900 students living at University Mall. The proposed “University Commons” redevelopment project and Final Environmental Impact Report (or FEIR) will be on the Planning Commission agenda for a public hearing next Wednesday evening, May 27th. The commission is being asked to make a recommendation to the City Council on whether to proceed with the project. As outlined in my article on December 15th, the proposed massive 7-story building will put another big concentration of students close to already heavily-impacted neighborhoods, without improving retail opportunities for Davis residents.
It should not surprise anyone familiar with the University Mall area that the FEIR determines that the University Commons Project “…would result in significant and unavoidable impacts related to transportation and circulation.” The proposed project continues to pose many important but unanswered questions in terms of parking, neighborhood spillover outcomes and other concerns summarized below.
To make your opinion count, please send an email to the Planning Commission now, and leave a voice mail comment for the commission by following the directions in the agenda notice posted Friday on the City website. It is important to express your concerns by leaving your public comment voicemail, limited to three minutes any time before the meeting, or before the item during the Wednesday, May 27th Planning Commission meeting at (530) 757-5693. Because public meetings remain off limits due to COVID-19, the Commission meeting will occur on Zoom (see the Zoom link for the meeting via the agenda link below), and recorded project comments will be read aloud to the commissioners during the meeting. To leave a public comment that will be read during the meeting, follow the May 27th agenda link below, and follow the instructions under “public comments”. The meeting be viewed via ZOOM or on cable TV on channel 16. Please be sure to review the staff report.
Here is the Planning Commission Agenda:
Here is the U-Mall EIR Staff report:
The FEIR and updated documents about the project are on the City website, at this link:
Posted by
on
in
|
Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.
Davisite 