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"We've all heard the tale of that wise old owl,
Who lived on the limb of an oak.
He listened, and watched, and heard, and saw,
But seldom ever spoke.
When things got so bad, his wisdom he shared,
And to City Watch he invoked.
It's time, he said, for your group to be heard,
So people will know there is hope!"
-Anonymous

ABOUT CITY WATCH
A nonprofit, volunteer operated & membership based educational organization established in 1989.

Mission includes local government education with a focus on fiscal issues within the Salinas & Monterey Bay areas.

Anyone can volunteer and membership is open to persons 18 years of age or older. Dues are $20 a member or $35 for a couple this year.

Send dues, charitable donations & correspondence to:
City Watch, Inc.
PO Box 3954
Salinas, CA 93912

Email:
contact@joincitywatch.org

Chairman of the Board:
John Tresch
Phone: (831) 449-1565

Hear City Watch Updates...

Next LIVE City Watch Update scheduled for May 13 at 8:30 a.m. on
KION Radio - 1460 am
April 15, 2008:
City Watch Update


Watch KION TV 46 VIDEO
Hear archived updates and more below.


City Watch Tools & Downloads:

Tax Relief:
[PDF] Request form for the Monterey County Assessor to consider reducing the taxable value of real property.
Deliver completed form to:
Monterey County Assessor, 168 W. Alisal St., Salinas, CA 93901
[LINK] Search online for assessed property values in Monterey County.
 
Public Employee Pay Information:
  Note: Information based on government records unless stated otherwise.
  [LINK] CA State Government Salaries of Elected Officials
[LINK] Search online for CA State & University employee gross pay information.
  [LINK] Search online for San Francisco Bay Area municipal government employee gross pay information.
  [LINK] Search online for San Jose Area municipal government employee gross pay information.
  Note: The following 'gross' pay is what was reported on form W-2 and excludes most non-taxable benefits and other employee costs.
[PDF] City of Salinas gross pay of employees receiving $100,000 or more in any of the following years: 2007-2002
  [PDF] City of Salinas gross pay details of the City Manager, City Attorney & department heads for the following years: 2007-2000
[PDF] City of Seaside gross pay of employees receiving $100,000 or more in any of the following years: 2007-2003
UPDATED
[PDF] City of Pacific Grove gross pay of employees receiving $100,000 or more in any of the following years: 2007-2004
 

Archived Media & Reports . . .

1460 KION Radio Logo
Featured City Watch KION Radio updates & other reports of interest:
April 15, 2008: City Watch Update [MP3] Brett Landon on the greed, mismanagement and self-serving practices of Salinas City government.
April 1, 2008: City Watch Update [MP3] Mark Dierolf on local bonds measures and how millions of dollars in administrative costs are siphoned off and other matters of interest.
March 18, 2008: City Watch Update [MP3] Brett Landon on local city finances, including salaries and more items of interest.
March 5, 2008: City Watch Update [MP3] Update by Mark Dierolf on the difference between local and state bond measures and how to access public documents.
February 28, 2007:
Salinas United Business Association [MP3] Update by David Brown & Keven Pederson of SUBA on plans for a regional garbage transfer station in the center of Salinas and other city issues.

[MP3] May 3, 2007 report by David Brown of SUBA
February 26, 2008: Mail
eLetter:
[HTML] Hartnell College leaders... Don't KILL Western Stage...

[MP3] Letter in response to update by Mark Dierolf
February 25, 2008:

Contra Costa Times Government officials... "regularly conduct salary surveys comparing their base pay... and they have yet to compare their costs with those of other employers in a meaningful way. So, essentially, they're negotiating without critical data..."
[MP3] Listen to KION radio interview - Read Contra Costa Times editorial

February 19, 2008: City Watch Update Update by Mark Dierolf on Salinas City government pay increases since Measure V (2005), Hartnell College's Western Stage and more.

[PDF] 2007-2000 taxable income reports on top Salinas City managers
[PDF] Salinas City government reported annual earnings for employees who received $100,000 or more in 2007, 2006, or 2005 (released on February 13, 2008)
February 19, 2008: KION TV 46
[MP3] Brian Speciale's behind the scene report on a controversial appointment to a police advisory committee.

[WATCH KION TV VIDEO]
February 15, 2008: Salinas City Police
[MP3] John Criswell with the Salinas Police Officers Association gives his opinion on a controversial appointment to a police advisory committee.
February 11, 2008: City of Pacific Grove
[MP3] City Manager Jim Colangelo on City of Pacific Grove budget woes and why contracting for services outside of city government needs to be considered.
February 5, 2008: City Watch Update
[MP3] Brett Landon on City of Salinas' mid-year budget rewrite and deficit spending.
January 23, 2008: Alisal Union School District
[MP3] Alisal Union School District board member Jose Castaneda reports on attempt to reinstate lifetime health benefits for board members.
January 22, 2008: City Watch Update
[MP3] Mark Dierolf on various local government issues including City of Salinas management.
January 22, 2008: State of California
[MP3] Tom McClintock on the mismanagement of the State of California.
January 14, 2008: Institute for Justice [MP3] Dick Carpenter with the Institute for Justice explains why governments need not take by force private property to clean up neighborhoods or improve the economy.
December 20, 2007: City Watch Update
[MP3] Report by Mark Dierolf on expected service cuts by Salinas City government to pay for unbudgeted increases in employee compensation & an update on a tax-hike proposed by Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital (Health Care System)
December 20, 2007: Californians Aware [MP3] Attorney Terry Francke of Californians Aware explains the legal right of anyone to demand public disclosure of government activities.
December 13, 2007: City Watch Update
[MP3] Report by Mark Dierolf on Salinas City government spending, and the cost to taxpayers for the denial or withholding of public information by government agencies
December 11, 2007: City Watch Update [MP3] Report by Mark Dierolf on local municipal governments, Hartnell College & Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital with guest hosts Roger Pasquier & Tony Andrade
[PDF] Year 2005 taxable income report on Salinas City Manager, City Attorney and all other department chiefs obtained by Mark Dierolf
[PDF] Complaint filed against Hartnell College Trustees obtained by a City Watch member in a public records request
November 27, 2007: City Watch Update
[MP3] Report by Mark Dierolf on municipal government revenue, management & spending problems with guest hosts Roger Pasquier & Tony Andrade
November 13, 2007: City Watch Update
[MP3] Report by Mark Dierolf on Salinas City government compensation and municipal taxes
[PDF] Year 2006 taxable income report on Salinas City Manager, City Attorney and all other department chiefs obtained by Mark Dierolf
November 10, 2007: Monterey Peninsula CollegeFLASH BACK:
[MP3] October 17, 2007 report by Charles Page on why smaller boards & at-large elections work best for local government.
November 6, 2007: City Watch Update SPECIAL REPORT:
[MP3] Update by Donna Hollenstain on the Carr Lake Park project, a multi-million dollar 'white elephant' of Salinas City government
[PDF] November 6, 2007 Salinas City Report & Resolution
[PDF] 2007-2012 Salinas City Rec-Park CIP Budget with markup
[MP3] June 19, 2007 report by Donna Hollenstain on Carr Lake Park scheme
October 30, 2007: City Watch Update
[MP3] Brett Landon on the multi-million dollar tax swindle by Salinas City officials.
October 29, 2007:

Mackinac Center for Public Policy[MP3] Louis Schimmel and how he saved bankrupt cities by breaking public service monopolies.

October 16 & 17, 2007: City of Salinas Mark Dierolf & Jose Castaneda on the need for public safety accountability in Salinas City government:

[MP3] Part 1 - October 16, 2007.

[MP3] Part 2 - October 17, 2007.
October 16, 2007: Vote Count
[MP3] Valarie Lane with Save Elections Monterey County on electronic voting.
October 2, 2007: [MP3] Brett Landon on the multi-million dollar price tag for pay raises Salinas City government has given to itself at your expense.
September 20, 2007: Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
[MP3] The City of Pacific Grove and when a property tax is illegal are discussed with attorney Jon Coupal with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
September 11, 2007: [MP3] Mark Dierolf & Brett Landon on the Salinas City government spending binge and how to access public records to keep on eye on local government.
September 6, 2007: Marina Coast Water District
[MP3] Director David Brown with the Marina Coast Water District: CEO & Board raid on public agency's coffers could mean higher water rates.
September 6, 2007: Californians Aware [MP3] Terry Francke of Californians Aware on their efforts for public disclosure of government activities.
August 28, 2007: [MP3] Brett Landon on a victory for full disclosure of local government employee compensation.
August 16, 2007: City of Pacific Grove
[MP3] Francois Melese on why more taxes won't fix pension woes for Pacific Grove or other cities.
[PDF] Daniel Davis' Analysis of Pacific Grove City CalPERS Woes
August 14, 2007: [MP3] Mark Dierolf on Salinas City government's anti-business regulations.
August 8, 2007: Monterey County Elections Department [MP3] Monterey County Registrar of Voters Linda Tulettt speaks out on ballot counting integrity.
[PDF] CA Secretary of State conditionally decertifies Monterey County's electronic voting system.
August 7, 2007:

[MP3] Mark Dierolf & Brett Landon on Measure V and fiscally irresponsible city government.
Some say Measure V taxes pay for his raises and others say it paid for something else:
Salinas City ManagerOutdoor Advertising Sign

Since public property and right-of-ways have become public forums, should you place your opinion on one?

July 31, 2007 Monterey County residents can file to serve on seats of many non-partisan local government boards. The filling deadline is August 10 for incumbents and their challengers. The deadline is extended by 5 days if an incumbent doesn't run for re-election.
July 24, 2007: Nationally Recognized Municipal Securities Information Repositories have a wealth of info on city governments, but their reports may cost you money unless you request them from a broker-dealer as an investor.
July 10, 2007: City of Salinas Transportation Agency for Monterey County [MP3] Mark Dierolf on troubles with Hartnell College, TAMC and Salinas City governments.

Hartnell College [PDF] Minutes reveal Hartnell College trustee lost tempter at meeting.
July 3, 2007: [MP3] Brett Landon & Mark Dierolf on the adopted Salinas City government budget
July 2, 2007: Natividad Medical Center
[MP3] CEO William "Bill" Foley with the Natividad Medical Center on the hospital's recovery.
June 19, 2007:
[MP3] Donna Hollenstain on another scary Carr Lake Park proposal
May 31, 2007:

[MP3] Brett Landon & Richard Rider on local government employee compensation
[PDF] Salinas City government employee pay report with the top 25

May 3, 2007:
Salinas United Business Association
[MP3] David Brown of SUBA on Salinas City government lack of law enforcement & plans to move regional garbage transfer station to the center of Salinas
April 10, 2007:
[MP3] Brett Landon on Salinas City government spending Measure V tax money on higher salaries
March 27, 2007:
[MP3] Brett Landon on reckless employee contract negotiations by Salinas City officials
March 22, 2007: [MP3] Clint Bolick, a fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution discusses the need for groups like City Watch
February 27, 2007: [MP3] Brett Landon on Salinas City government mid-year budget review
[PDF] Report on unfunded pension liabilities of Salinas City government

Current Active Topics
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Editorials

Editorials

· Topic: Editorials
· Total News: 4
· Total Reads: 1374
  Editorial: 'How to get a city to do its job'
  Editorial: 'Major contributor to Salinas City downfall'
  Editorial: 'Voters confused? Give me a break!'
  Editorial: 'Salinas City government is wasteful, inefficient and self-serving'


Local Government

Local Government

· Topic: Local Government
· Total News: 5
· Total Reads: 1710
  League of CA Cities Report: New State Budget is Good News for Cities & Counties
  HJTA Report: The California Tax Revenue Windfall
  PLF Report: U.S. Supreme Court Rules that City Officials Can Seize Homes
  HJTA Report: Defeating Illegal Utility Taxes
  Carmel Valley City-Hood: Sewer Costs to Threaten Homeowners


Special Reports

Special Reports

· Topic: Special Reports
· Total News: 5
· Total Reads: 1718
  After the Defeat of Measure Q: What Went Right?
  June 2005 in Review: Salinas City Budget & More Taxes
  Special Report: Salinas Budget Luncheon Became Campaign for More Taxes
  Book Shows Nearly $13 Billion in Wasteful Government Spending
  Special Report, Oct. 2004: Salinas City Measures A, B & C



 
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