Public needs to know more about Watsonville’s budget

At the Watsonville City Council Meeting on Tuesday, June 12, there was much dialogue about the proposed expansion of fees for water, sewer and solid waste services.

In addition to this increase, there were eight other items that were also passed on this same motion. Although I asked for transparency and at least an explanation of each item so the public was informed as to what the other proposed fees entailed, I was quickly silenced by Mayor Montesino, saying that “You would just vote ‘no’ on everything.”

At this point, I wanted to be sure that I, as a council member, along with the public, understood the verbiage of each proposal. I have included the additional increases that were approved by the City Council, with the final vote reading “ 5-1 in favor, Bilicich dissenting, Martinez absent.”

I was hoping that with Article N (see below), the city could provide more customer service to the public by offering more flexibility with staff to work Monday through Thursday, or Tuesday through Friday, to once again provide Friday service. But I was told this was a negotiated item and we were not able to discuss this at this time.

The following items are the full list of approved items from the meeting, regarding fiscal year 2012-13.

(Editor’s note: The list was edited for space reasons. The city’s language was kept in tact, so readers can see how agenda items are written. See the full agenda at http://www.ci.watsonville.ca.us/agendas/agendas.html.)



(g) Resolution Increasing Fee from $50.00 to $100.00 per Enterprise Zone Hiring Tax Credit Voucher Application to Reimburse City for Processing Charges, Including those Levied on City by State Department of Housing & Community Development Department & Establishing & Setting an Enterprise Zone Voucher Retrieval Fee of $50.00 for Re-Issuance of Lost Vouchers or Copies.

(h) Resolution Establishing & Setting Affordable Unit Loan Processing, Servicing & Monitoring Fees Ranging from $50 to $500 (Based on Hourly Rate of $50 Times Number of Hours it Takes to Perform Each Process) Pursuant to Watsonville Municipal Code Section 14-46.160, & Changed as Needed Based on 50% of Annual Percentage Increase in House Price Index (HPI).

(i) Resolution Increasing “Abandoned Residential Property Registration Fee” from $50.00 to $125.00.

(j) Resolution Adopting Final Budget for City of Watsonville for Fiscal Year 2012-2013 & Providing for Certain Transfers of Funds.

(k) Ordinance Instructing County of Santa Cruz to Levy & Collect Property Tax on Taxable Property in City for Fiscal Year Beginning 7/1/12, Fixing Rate of 0.077% Thereof & Allocating it to Retirement Fund.

(l) Resolution Establishing Total Annual Appropriations Pursuant to California State Constitution Article XIII-B for Fiscal Year 2012-2013 (Proposition 4 Gann Spending Limit).

(m) Resolution Approving Award of Community & Social Service Grants in Amount of $250,024 to Designated Community & Social Service Agencies; & Authorizing & Directing Payment of Same for Fiscal Year 2012-2013.

(n) Resolution Continuing Voluntary Time-Off Through 2012-2013.

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Nancy A. Bilicich is a Watsonville Councilwoman, District 7.

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