(Scott Herhold Mercury News coined, The Golden Spigot")
Vote NO on the SCVWD Parcel Tax
Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD), is sometimes called "aka, The Golden Spigot". SCVWD presently has a Parcel Tax that is levied annually, as part of your property tax. This Parcel Tax has provided SCVWD hundreds of millions of dollars since 2000. SCVWD has a new Parcel Tax proposition B 11/2016, $54/year with a 3% automatic increase annually. This effectively over the proposed 15 year term will increase to over $84 per month, effectively adding a 13th month of water charges for every Santa Clara County Consumers/Ratepayers. This will raise $548 million over the
The filing to place the new Parcel Tax on the November Ballot had two errors. The first was the text for the actual ballot is limited to a maximum of 75 words, SCVWD used 77 words. The following articles address the ensuing "comedy of errors":
- Two-word error could cost Santa Clara Valley Water District half a billion dollars, Mercury News 08/19/2012
- Taxpayer group takes on Santa Clara County Water District, Mercury News 08/19/2012
- Not again: Another error found in Silicon Valley agency's proposed $548 million parcel tax measure, Mercury News 08/28/2012
SCVWD also failed to notify the public of the Board meeting in a timely manner, as required by state law.
The proposed Parcel Tax was in error for the ending date, it was for 16 years
not 15, a ratepayer/resident noticed and called it to the attention of the
press.In addition to the errors the attempts, by SCVWD, to recover and correct
resulted in late filing attempts and publishing to the public the schedule for
meeting to review and approve the CORRECTIVE changes late.
DO YOU WANT TO GIVE A 1/2 BILLION DOLLARS MORE TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED THIS LEVEL OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE?
Quote from the
CIVIL GRAND JURY REPORT 2008-2009 SANTA CLARA COUNTY
"The campaign for the November 2000 Measure B, “Clean Safe Creeks and Natural Flood Protection,” (CSC) demonstrated a new sophistication in the District’s ability to influence the public. CSC brought in $25M a year in special tax revenues (adjusted annually for inflation), totaling more
than $463M over its 15-year life. Marketing techniques enabled the District to create optimal messaging, set a successful price point, target voters, and time the market (election)."
than $463M over its 15-year life. Marketing techniques enabled the District to create optimal messaging, set a successful price point, target voters, and time the market (election)."
From 2000 to 2029 the original and the
proposed parcel taxes will raise over
proposed parcel taxes will raise over
1 Billion Dollars
When
it comes to transparency and operational/finance information SCVWD
provides less information than SJWC or SJW Corporation. The water
district was till 2005 reporting to the Santa Clara County Supervisors,
they then relinquished control and reporting. The SCVWD has two groups
to oversee their operations, a board of directors (who don't seem to be
in control - the term "rubber stamp" seems to come to mind) and there is
a consumer group that is also supposed to monitor SCVWD operations.
(Note,I'm presently trying to determine their charter and composition.)
SCVWD
are not regulated by the state of California, except potentially under
environmental laws, or CPUC and publish only very high level overviews,
of operations and finances.
SCVWD
is also noted for using misleading names more appealing to
envirornmental groups and voters. For example "Clean Creeks" or "
or "Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection" a voter opposing
would be considered politically incorrect and probably has
other nefarious motivations!
It's about time for someone to call for an accounting from SCVWD. I'd like to see SCVWD CEO Beau Goldie interviewd and some direct questions posed to him. A good example of their attitude is found on their site. We seem to be getting our tax money's worth, at least on their legal support expense. What's Mr. Goldie's salary, expenses and other perks? as well as the other members of the executive staff. They say they're reducing costs let's see a published budget so we can see were they're spending our money. They recently tabled a motion to provided additional benefits to the board members, including retirement, retirement health insurance including dental and optical, etc. "pretty good for a PART TIME JOB". The emergency board meeting to remove the two words was about two minutes long, we may also have paid directors travel at $0.
Interested ratepayers/consumers may wish to see the "Overview Financials",
on page 43 it shows 12.8 million in salaries and benefits, services and supplies, the Board Appointed CEO and Officers, a more detailed breakdown would help the public.
Refer to: SCVWD 2012/2013 Operating and Capital Budget page 4-43, select the section "Financial Summaries [PDF 2.35 MB]".
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT OF SCVWD
- Beau Goldie, Chief Executive Officer
- Stan Yamamoto, District Counsel
- Michele King, Clerk of the Board
- Jim Fiedler, Chief Operating Officer: Water Utility Enterprise
- Norma Camacho, Chief Operating Officer: Watersheds
- Chief Administrative Officer, Vacant
We've already seen the response from W. Richard Roth CEO of the SJW Corporation and the San Jose Water Company, when asked for a disclosure of more financial details, when he was interviewed by Tony Kovaleski Chief Investigative Reporter of KNBC, see the entire interview:
Will SCVWD CEO Beau Goldie also respond in a similar "responsive and informative" fashion, as W. Richard Roth?
As a ratepayer, water consumer and resident I'd like to know his response.
