Candiate Statement

By Debbie Long

Statement as read for Pinole Public Television

In 2008, the Interim City Manager took the position that if we adopted an expenditure controlled budget, we could keep a balanced budget over a 3 year period until such a time that the economy would be recovering. I didn't believe that then, and I still don't believe that is the answer today. Controlling expenditures is certainly a part of balancing any budget, but unless you have increased revenue, and change how business is handled within the organization, true budgetary reform cannot be accomplished.

So to that end, and over the course of the last 2 years, we have been aggressively cutting expenditures, freezing positions and cutting administrative support staff in order to balance the budget. Evidently, it must have appeared to the public that we were doing well, because when it was announced that we needed to make other aggressive cuts including the browning out of 10 shifts at Station 74, there were some that argued we could make reductions elsewhere.

Early on, this Council had made a commitment that Public Safety would be the last to be adversely impacted through budget cuts. We would do everything we could to keep "the boots on the ground". We kept that commitment through the last 2 fiscal years. We have already made budgetary reductions in other departments, but as General Fund revenues continue to decline we find ourselves having to make temporary adjustments to the public safety budget.

In accepting the Fire contract, including the 10 shift brown-out of Station 74, I must emphasize that Council perceives this as a temporary measure. In doing so, we took into account how this would affect the safety of the community. Because we have a partnership for auto aid with Con Fire and the Rodeo/Hercules Fire Districts, it was conveyed that we would continue to have adequate coverage to deliver service to the community during those 10 shifts. Additionally, given that over 75% of Station 74 calls are for medical calls for service our City Manager has been in contact with AMR to ensure that they have the ability to respond quickly.

There are those out there that want you to believe that medical and fire emergencies will not be met. That is not true. However, it is not to say that there is still much needed work in our future to be able to continue to meet and sustain the City's demands for all safety departments, including the delivery of adequate policing. In the long term, I am committed to restoring any cuts made to public safety and ensuring that we remain a full service City.

Another issue that is at the forefront of this election is the spending of RDA funds. For the most part, monies allocated to current projects are visions, contracts, and ventures that were entered into several years ago when the RDA fund was flush with money. Today, the funding for RDA projects is almost as bleak as the General Fund revenue stream. It has always been my position that we should treat our RDA resources the same as the GF; spend wisely and save as if the revenue spigot could be turned off. Well the spigot is at a trickle and where are our reserves?

Five years ago, and with the last FY of 07/08, the previous Council spent the last of the General Fund reserves. This was during the economic "good" times; when we should have been continuing to grow our reserves as an emergency funding source, not use them to balance the budget for unsustainable projects and salaries. The current Council now finds itself in the position of making cuts partly because of past decisions and partly because of our depressed economy.

But I don't want people to think that there is no hope for Pinole to recover and when we do, I would hope we will be better custodians of the taxpayers money. Even in these tough times, businesses continue to flow into Pinole and opportunity for growth is continuing to be explored. We are aggressively taking advantage of grants having recently acquired the funding for the Pinole Creek Demonstration project. While these gains are much smaller than those of yesteryear, none-the-less they are an indication that Pinole is still being pro-active.

Before closing Iwould like to talk about leadership and my record.

• Leadership requires that one be present to lead...Out of approximately 100 Council meetings since March of 2008, I have been to all except 1
• Leadership requires a presence in the community...I have attended opening days of youth sports; high school homecoming events; community events such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day. I attend Coastal Clean-up day and programs honoring our volunteers seniors and employees.
• Leadership requires accessibility...I receive and answer citizen concerns and calls for help. Those have included helping in removing a tree, answers to street repairs, helping in obtaining the return of a vehicle and most recently a gentleman that needed help in moving his family to a safe location.
• Leadership requires the ability to make tough choices...even in the face of adversity.
• And leadership is about ethics, honesty and accountability.

In closing, I know you have choices when casting your vote. I have given a voice to accountability, credibility and common sense. As a council and community, we will continue to be challenged in this depressed economy. I have the leadership and experience to meet those challenges.

I ask for your vote on November 2.