Coming Up
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January 12th
Attorney John Friedemann's talk with be "Anatomy of a Fraud". This is a case he tried in San Francisco involving 2 banks where he was able to obtain a $9 million dollar judgment for his client. An interesting point of his talk is "juries almost always get it right".
(Reporter: Ron S.)

January 19th
Denise Jones from Third Street Ale Works (who is supplying the beer for our Crab Feed) will talk about the brewery industry. And she will bring samples to share!!!
(Reporter: Tarina H.)

January 26th
Stuart Jones from Sonoma State University will discuss the Green Music Center which should be breaking ground soon.
(Reporter: ChuckB.)

February 2nd
Just qualified for the March ballot is Proposition 56, an initiative which would make it easier for Sacramento politicians to increase our taxes. We will have 2 speakers presenting pro and con on the issue.
(Reporter: Jack B.

February 9th
(TBD)
(Reporter: Tom L.)

February 16th
Dark

February 23rd
The Community Smart program will be presented by Rotarian Jim Wieschendorff and Don Condron (formerly of HP/Agilent). This program could pay big dividends to our club assisting us in fund raising.
(Reporter: Jack B.)

March 1st
SOS presentation
(Reporter: Gail J.)

March 8th
Judge Arnold Rosenfield will discuss the juvenile justice system in Sonoma County
(Reporter: Richard S.)

Santa Rosa City provides many services to our community:

• Fire and police
• Emergency Medical Services including Paramedics
• Street and road maintenance
• Park and Recreation services including the Senior Center, community centers, public swimming pools, tennis courts, ball fields and youth recreation programs
• Public improvements to reduce traffic
• Neighborhood and community revitalization
• Affordable housing for low-income families
• Protection of life and property including traffic services, criminal investigation and community policing.

Funding for these services has changed as has the level or need for services from 1991 to 2002. Parks services went up 12% Police services 26%, and Fire Protection 62%.

Funds come from three funding streams:

1. General Fund: police, fire, community dev. Public Works, Recreation and Parks, And City Administration.
2. Enterprise Fund (services that hare supported by use fees): water, wastewater, parking, transit, golf courses, storm water.
3. Other (earmarked for federal funding) housing, redevelopment, other grants.

In 2003-04 city revenues are estimated at $218 million: $42 mil. for General Fund, $40 mil. for Enterprise Fund, and $18 mil. for Other category.

General Fund moneies:

• Sales tax $30 mil.
• Property tax $15mil.
• Reimbursements $10 mil.
• Misc. $3mil.
• Other tax , $3mil.
• UUT 8 mil.
• VLF (Vehicle License Fees) 8 mil.

Services are funded partially from local sales taxes. Where does your sales tax go?

(5% goes to State, 75% to County, 1% to Santa Rosa and .75% to Other.

California residents pay an average of $1,600 per year in taxes for state-funded programs and services. Santa Rosa residents pay an average of less than $500 per year in taxes for city services, which include vital first response services.

Property taxes are split as follows: 49% Schools, 12% Santa Rosa, 30% County, and 9 % Other.

Last year there was a 2.5 million shortfall caused in part by flat revenues, increased costs, Workers Comp Insurance, leaving the several million gap. In response the City of Santa Rosa imposed a hiring freeze on city employees, reduced travel and training, a reduction in all department expenditures and project expenditures. Also, $4 million to street maintenance was deferred. Sixty-five positions were cut, fees were increased, developed fire fees, there were service reductions overall, and mid-block street lights were turned off.

Why were new vehicles ordered for the city? All vehicles are on a 15-year replacement cycle. Some replacements were deferred.

Future Challenges:

We need a new senior center and aquatic center, we need new roads, and a fire station.

All service needs are growing as our population increases having gone up 29%.

What can we do to balance revenues? They are looking at furloughs for employees, restructuring and combining departments or services, and closing or shortening hours at community centers.

The city is looking into ballot initiatives that would secure funding that could not be pirated by the State of California. Stabilized funding is needed to pay for public safety, road maintenance, and after-school programs for our youth.

We are spending $80,000 on a study to unite the square. These funds come from a restricted grant source and therefore are unavailable to fill other needs or gaps in the city budget.

The city wishes to have input from citizens on matters pertaining to city services. Attached to a brochure at the meeting was a postcard to send in your ideas or comments. They can be mailed to: