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Community Corner

UTILITY TAX: WASTE & FRAUD

This began as a response to Troll Mcgyver’s post, ‘UTILITY TAX UPDATE.’   However, due to its length I decided to create a new post.   

The utility tax was placed on the ballot during a year when there were no municipal elections in Newark.  In order to have it placed on the ballot during this non-election year, city council was required to declare a ‘Fiscal Emergency.’  Supposedly there would be “cuts” to basic services if Newark voters didn’t approve the utility tax.

Working under the direction of Newark City Manager John Becker, Newark City Council voted unanimously to declare a Fiscal Emergency and place the utility tax on the ballot. 

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The ballot language stated that,  “Seniors would be exempt from the tax”  and,  “The senior center will re-open if the tax is approved.”  What group is the largest voting block in America?  Senior citizens.  This strategy went beyond that of simply dirty politics--  extorting senior citizens.  Despite the ballot language, the fact is that only some senior citizens are exempt from the tax. The misleading ballot language defrauded Newark’s seniors as well all other voters.

Cuts to public safety were mentioned as an alternative to the utility tax.  However, the ballot didn’t mention that public safety cuts could have included salary reductions for Newark cops:  Police Chief James Leal is paid total compensation of about 250,000 per year.  Police Commanders are being paid total compensation of about $200,000 per year. 

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Canine cop Brittain Jackman is being paid about $200,000 per year.  We’re now sending police dogs into Newark schools at the request of the school board.  Think of some other times and places in history when police dogs have been employed to investigate civilian populations that were not suspected of committing crimes.

The rest of Newark’s cops are being paid an average of about $150,000 per year total compensation when you add overtime pay. Do we need to pay salaried workers overtime pay?  Do we need cops to work overtime in Newark?  Couldn’t we create a system of ‘hour banking’ to manage the workflow for the police.  Uh-oh, don’t make any recommendations for the police.  It’s a public safety thing and WE JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND!  It’s big, secret, cop-work.  Don’t ask any questions because we could ALL DIE IF WE DON’T GIVE THE COPS EVERYTHING THEY REQUEST!   THEY ARE HERE TO PROTECT US!   YOU DON’T WANT TO DIE, DO YOU GRANDMA?! 

According to the California State Controller’s Office, the City of Newark spends more than $13,000,000 per year on Newark’s Police Department.  Does Newark need to spend $13 million dollars per year on the police department?  These are local tax dollars.

‘Retired’ Newark Police Commander Donna Shearn is collecting a Calpers Pension based on her last salary of about $200,000 per year.  In addition to this state pension, Newark is also paying her $63 per hour to lead a group of community volunteers. Everybody is volunteering for the neighborhood watch project except for Ms. Shearn.

City Manager John Becker is being paid total compensation of nearly $300,000 per year. 

City Attorney David Benoun is being paid total compensation of about $225,000 per year, which includes a vehicle allowance of $12,000 per year.  We’re not convinced that Benoun works full time.  Also, Benoun’s specialty is family law.  There is speculation that Mr. Benoun’s only function is hiring outside council to manage litigation for the city.

Recreation department head David Zhender is being paid total compensation of about $200,000 per year. 

Personnel director Sandy Abe is being paid about $200,000 per year.  She doesn’t have to work as a benefits administrator because Newark is a ‘total compensation agency’, which means that all city employees must buy their own benefits from the private sector.  Also, Ms. Abe has at least one assistant.  So what does Ms. Abe do all day?  We’re speculating that she does very little.

All department heads are only accountable to Newark City Council. Members of City Council are not at city hall during the day because they have daytime jobs in the private sector.  Newark’s department heads are all drawing massive salaries and it’s likely that they’re doing little work--   they all have assistants.  Do department heads even show up to work every day?  They do make token appearances at council meeting to create the appearances for their supervisors (city council) that they’re actually doing some work.  There is no accountability for department heads.

There was an item on Newark patch about a year ago describing pay for city officials.  That item was inaccurate.  It only listed amounts for base pay.  The writer neglected to add the other line items and calculate, ‘total compensation.’

Contact the city clerk’s office and make your public information requests for the salary spreadsheets for all of Newark’s employees.   The employees will be listed alphabetically by last name.  The next line items will be department and job title for each employee.  The other line items include, overtime, others, etc.  None of Newark’s City employees are represented by a labor union.  They are all month-to-month employees or paid an hourly rate.

Purchases Newark’s City Council has made following approval of the utility tax during this ‘fiscal emergency’:

A $20,000 advertising sign for Fremont Ford.

A $160,000 armored assault vehicle for the Newark cops.  City leaders called it an ‘armored rescue vehicle.’  Put a little sugar on top to make swallowing the poison easier.

Newark City officials have been engaged in a pattern of fraud for decades.  Their criminal activity is becoming more brazen each year.  We have extra money in the city budget?  Time to give it away to city officials,  developers, cops, cop equipment makers, local businesses, etc.

City Council recently approved an estimated $30 million dollar subsidy for Rouse Properties to add capacity to Newpark Mall.  This happened while the City of Newark is operating in a city-declared,  ‘State of Fiscal Emergency.’  Please read my post on tomorrow’s patch:    ‘NEWPARK   SUBSIDY,  PART 2’  

 

 

 

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