Sutter County Taxpayers Association

Fall Newsletter 2008

Annual Meeting

The Sutter County Taxpayers Association annual meeting will be held Thursday, November 20, at Ruthy’s in Hillcrest Plaza.  Socializing will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:15 p.m. and program at 7 p.m.  Cost is $15 per person, including tax and gratuity.  Please mark your calendars and bring friends.  We need to grow our organization. 

Please email me (chucknpat@comcast.net) or call me (673-6562) for reservations.  We’ll need to let Ruthy’s know how many to plan for. 

SCTA – Who We Are

The Sutter County Taxpayers Association is a non-profit group of citizens allied in the interest of limited, cost-effective government at all levels, but particularly within the borders of Sutter County.  Recognizing that good government also requires openness, honesty, transparency and, most importantly, responsiveness to the citizens it serves, SCTA, for over forty years, has fulfilled a critical role as the ordinary citizen’s best friend in Sutter County.  For the first decade of those forty years, the goals of SCTA and local government were pretty much in sync.  Then came Proposition 13.  It has saved California homeowners hundreds of millions of dollars in property taxes – taxes that were escalating to the point of driving retired people from their homes – while at the same time requiring belt-tightening prudence on the part of local government. 

Passage of Proposition 13, unfortunately, laid the foundation for the current “them versus us” mentality on the part of local government towards its citizens.  That “them versus us” mentality came to full bloom this spring with the League of California Cities’ (LCC) and the County Supervisors Association of California’s (CSAC) backing of the fraudulent Proposition 99 Eminent Domain issue, defeating any real protection of the private citizen from the taking of his property, his business or his church.  Yes, Yuba City, Live Oak and Sutter County are all dues-paying members of LCC and CSAC.  SCTA will continue, along with other taxpayers groups throughout California, to question the legitimacy of LCC and CSAC using taxpayer money to influence voter decisions.

What has SCTA done in 2008?

·      One of the highest priorities for SCTA for 2008 has been to keep the focus on fixing our levees.  SCTA has encouraged the Sutter County Board of Supervisors to set aside a portion of the $35 to $40 million in estimated county reserves to help with the local match for Proposition 1E money.  We have told the Board that the citizens of Sutter County will be far more willing to tax themselves to make our levees safe if the county is willing to put up a portion of the reserves. 

·      Sutter County employee pensions continue to be a source of SCTA concern.  The latest figures from CalPERS indicate Sutter County has a pension debt of $44.6 million on which we are paying 7.75% interest.  That’s over $3 million in interest alone each year.  The $44.6 million does not take into account recent CalPERS stock market losses.

·      SCTA loudly voiced its opinion that the filling of vacant elected positions of Clerk Recorder and Sheriff should be temporary appointments with the citizens given a chance to vote at the next regularly scheduled election.  The Board, under the direction of CAO Larry Combs, once again, did not listen and both vacancies were filled with appointments to serve out the elected terms.

·      SCTA opposed the 5% “cost of living” salary increases which became effective Jan. 1, 2008.  The 5% raise, which was more than the cost of living, came on top of a 15% increase which took effect Jan. 1, 2007 for upper and middle management. 

·      When Calpine located in Sutter County, the company agreed to donate a specified amount of money each year to Sutter County to be used for levee improvements.  In March, Sutter County tried to “loan” $1.3 million contributed by Calpine to the Sutter Butte Flood Control agency for the Star Bend Levee Setback project.  SCTA was instrumental in getting the county to pass through the  $1.3 million from Calpine rather than the county loaning the money and expecting it to be paid back with interest.

·      SCTA opposed the spending of an additional $70,000 for an “agricultural element” for general plan update after the county awarded the consultant contract for the G.P. update to the high bidder for $1,297,000 -- $307,000 higher than the low bidder.  (The excuse for awarding to the high bidder was that the company had done work for the county before and was familiar with Sutter County.  If that is the case, the consultant’s bid should have been less.)  Sutter County knows full well the county is an agricultural county – the ag element should have been included in the original contract. 

·      SCTA opposed allocating $800,000 for site planning and architectural design for a new county administration building which is estimated to cost $8 to $12 million.  SCTA’s position is:  fix the levees first, then build the new administration building if funds are available.

·      The county’s employee travel expense policy, which is currently a piece-meal document, is undergoing revision.  Because County Administrative Officer Larry Combs and Auditor-Controller Robert Stark cannot agree on elements of the policy, SCTA has suggested that Sutter County adopt the state’s travel policies and procedures.  The work has already been done and the state’s policies are approved by the Internal Revenue Service.  This would save the county untold hours of effort in drafting and agreeing on its own plan.  Mr. Stark is willing to accept the state’s travel policies.

We appreciate your continued support through your membership and service in SCTA.  SCTA always needs and welcomes new members.  If you know someone who might be interested in joining SCTA, please invite them to attend the annual meeting at Ruthy’s and encourage them to join.  We look forward to seeing you on the 20^th.

                        Pat Miller

                        President