Category Archives: City Hall

Observations on our budget

The City of Santa Clarita should be commended for its disciplined approach to fiscal management.  Despite continued pressure on tax revenues, the City has assembled a balanced budget that has no notable cuts to City services while aligning expenses accordingly. … Continue reading

Posted in City Hall, Opinion | Leave a comment

Rogue Auto Dealers were first, are food trucks next?

If you were to ask me what a “food truck” was a year ago, I’d probably tell you stories about my time working in the Valencia Industrial Center and hearing the call over the PA system that a “roach coach” … Continue reading

Posted in Business, City Hall, SCV Good Eats | 57 Comments

Making the “Politburo” Uncomfortable

Well, Comrades, it pains me to say that after all these years last night’s City Council meeting proved me wrong and everyone else right.  My continued diatribes on the power of incumbency (and its proof over and over again with … Continue reading

Posted in City Hall | 40 Comments

Déjà vu all over again

The issue appeared suddenly on the radar of Santa Claritans.  Soon after, a City Council meeting was held to discuss, and possibly move the issue forward.

Posted in City Hall, Opinion | 18 Comments

Library notes

So there was no let up over the weekend with library news and rumors. Let me update as we head toward Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Library privatization not so bad in Ventura County The Signal article today on the Calabassas … Continue reading

Posted in City Hall, Media, News, Opinion | 43 Comments

City Staff Details Library Takeover Plan for Council

Well, our long hot mildly-warm summer debating the City’s proposed library takeover is nearing its climax. The City Council agenda for Tuesday, August 24, has a new business agenda item with lots of interesting details about the City’s proposal. For … Continue reading

Posted in Business, City Hall, Economy, News, Opinion, Politics | 85 Comments

The City’s Credibility problem

The City Council’s summer recess has given me some time to ponder the interesting matter of the library takeover proposal. Though the City has promised it can deliver more hours and services if it takes over the library, the public … Continue reading

Posted in City Hall, Opinion | 58 Comments

David Gauny Campaign-The Loan Never Funded, the Money Never Spent

As a financial professional a big part of my job is analyzing trends and tracing monetary results, and the filing of David Gauny’s final financial report for the 2010 campaign was a big eye opener. The handful of political junkies … Continue reading

Posted in City Hall, Politics | 29 Comments

Three questions on the library issue

Dear City Council and Staff, As you ponder whether you want to take over our local libraries from LA County and instead hire a private contractor, I have just three questions: I would like to visit a few libraries that … Continue reading

Posted in City Hall, Opinion | 28 Comments

Day 10 Without a Recall? I Triple Dog Dare You!

I know a local elected official who confides that not a day goes by that he does not receive an email from an irate constituent demanding satisfaction on some issue on which they are about 25% informed (on a good … Continue reading

Posted in City Hall | 8 Comments