League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Butte County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
	Tami Ritter Answers Questions Candidate for Member City Council; City of Chico

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Butte County and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. In July 2012 the State Budget Act (SA 1464) suspended some sections of the 1953 Brown Act. To assure transparency in local city government, do you support a resolution reaffirming adherence to the "Brown Act" as it was prior to these suspensions?

I support complete adherence to the Brown Act. All governing bodies need to be accountable for all decisions made as well as the conversations that led up to those decisions. The Brown Act ensures accountability.

2. How can we maintain the essential safety employees (both police & fire), meet their negotiated retirement/health benefits, and protect our city from bankruptcy? What is your solution to this problem which faces so many California cities?

Contracts were negotiated during times when the city had the ability to fund generous benefit and pension packages. Now that the we owe far more than we are able to fund, we must look at future obligations to assure that they are negotiated in a manner that is sustainable.

I would encourage a business-friendly culture to keep revenue streaming into our city. We can rebuild the general fund by attracting clean technologies, fostering cottage industries, and promoting the tourism industry.

3. What is your position on maintaining the green belt around Chico?

I fully support maintaining the rich agricultural land to the west of Chico and the undeveloped land to the east (particularly the areas where our Tuscan Aquifer recharges and where endangered meadow foam and fairy shrimp are present). I recognize that there are some members of the greater Chico area that would like to be annexed into the city but are precluded from doing so because of the existence of the greenline. I would consider annexation of those properties with the provision that development regulations protecting the environment are spelled out prior to annexation.

4. What is your position on in-fill building within the city limits of Chico?

If the city of Chico does not utilize both in-fill and building up, then the result will be sprawl. In-fill must be congruent with the neighborhood in which it is proposed (i.e. no 6-story apartment building on a half-acre lot in the historic area of town). In-fill should blend with current design and density of the neighborhood. In-fill in the commercial districts, where mixed use is permitted, should be encouraged and prioritized to revitalize downtown, Park Avenue, and Mangrove.

5. Butte County has become a haven for the arts and music. How can, and should, the City Council help promote this asset?

Butte County, and Chico in particular, is not only a haven for arts and music, Chico is a destination city. We should be supporting our arts culture through promotion (i.e. free use of downtown plaza for free concerts) as well as through contracting with local artists for all City beautification projects. We should never go beyond Chico for design or implementation of any public art project. The arts draw tourism which puts money in the city coffers.

6. . With the demise of redevelopment funding, how can the City address future development needs, especially in blighted areas of the community?

The city should continue to focus on improving blighted areas despite the loss of RDA monies. This could be achieved by incentivizing projects with high numbers of affordable housing units, applying for grant funding, utilizing as many self-help housing projects as possible, and continuing to set aside and acquire property for future development.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. References to opponents are not permitted.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 12, 2012 23:01
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