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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
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Hear City Watch Updates...
Next LIVE City Watch Update scheduled for May 13 at 8:30 a.m. on
KION Radio - 1460 am Hear archived updates and more below. |
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City Watch Tools & Downloads:
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Archived Media & Reports . . .
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Featured City Watch KION
Radio updates & other reports of interest: |
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| April 15, 2008: |
[MP3] Brett Landon on the greed, mismanagement and self-serving practices
of Salinas City government. |
| April 1, 2008: |
[MP3] Mark Dierolf on local bonds measures and how millions of dollars in
administrative costs are siphoned off and other matters of interest.
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| March 18, 2008: |
[MP3] Brett Landon on local city finances, including salaries and more items
of interest. |
| March 5, 2008: |
[MP3]
Update by Mark Dierolf on the difference between local and state bond measures
and how to access public documents. |
February 28, 2007: |
[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: |
eLetter:
[HTML]
Hartnell College leaders... Don't KILL Western Stage...
[MP3] Letter in response
to update by Mark Dierolf |
| February 25, 2008: |
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
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| February 19, 2008: |
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: |
[MP3]
Brian Speciale's behind the scene report on a controversial appointment
to a police advisory committee.
[WATCH
KION TV VIDEO] |
| February 15, 2008: |
[MP3] John
Criswell with the Salinas Police Officers Association gives his opinion
on a controversial appointment to a police advisory committee. |
| February 11, 2008: |
[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.
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| February 5, 2008: |
[MP3]
Brett Landon on City of Salinas' mid-year budget rewrite and deficit spending. |
| January 23, 2008: |
[MP3] Alisal Union School District board member Jose Castaneda reports on
attempt to reinstate lifetime health benefits for board members.
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| January 22, 2008: |
[MP3] Mark Dierolf on various local government issues including
City of Salinas management. |
| January 22, 2008: |
[MP3]
Tom McClintock on the mismanagement of the State of California. |
| January 14, 2008: |
[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: |
[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: |
[MP3] Attorney Terry Francke of Californians Aware explains the legal right
of anyone to demand public disclosure of government activities.
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| December 13, 2007: |
[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: |
[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: |
[MP3]
Report by Mark Dierolf on municipal government revenue, management &
spending problems with guest hosts Roger Pasquier & Tony Andrade |
| November 13, 2007: |
[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: |
 FLASH
BACK:
[MP3]
October 17, 2007 report by Charles Page on why smaller boards & at-large
elections work best for local government. |
| November 6, 2007: |
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: |
[MP3]
Brett Landon on the multi-million dollar tax swindle by Salinas City officials. |
| October 29, 2007: |
 [MP3]
Louis Schimmel and how he saved bankrupt cities by breaking public service
monopolies.
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| October 16 & 17, 2007: |
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: |
[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: |
[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.
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| 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: |
[MP3]
Director David Brown with the Marina Coast Water District: CEO & Board
raid on public agency's coffers could mean higher water rates.
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| September 6, 2007: |
[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: |
[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
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| August 14, 2007: |
[MP3]
Mark Dierolf on Salinas City government's anti-business regulations. |
| August 8, 2007: |
[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:
 
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: |
[MP3] Mark Dierolf on troubles with Hartnell College,
TAMC and Salinas City governments.
[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: |
[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: |
[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 |
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