• Measure AA – Wildomar Public Safety and City Services AKA Tax Increase

I really hate happy talk no matter where it's coming from. 

link to definition.

If you look at the recent mailing by the city, it's basically interwoven with happy talk. Happy Talk soothes the ear, but leaves a lot out of the mix.

"How so?" you may be asking?

First, tell me how you can "maintain" and "improve" something at the same time; sounds like it's from the same logic that brought us the classic "a little bit pregnant". 

Either you're maintaining something, or you're improving it. 

If you're simply "maintaining" it, by definition you are NOT "improving" it. Conversely, if you're improving something... you've done more than simply maintain it. 

Am I a stickler? 

Probably, but words mean things and shouldn't be trifled with when it comes to the phrasing in a ballot measure that looks to raise taxes.

Side 1 of the official mailer.
The issues mentioned are true enough, but $1,700,000 will barely scratch the surface.

Side 2 of the official mailer.

If I would have been tasked with writing the mailer that was recently sent out, I would have been very direct, and it would have gone more like this:

Wildomar Rap opinion time

When we voted on becoming a city a decade ago, there was never going to be enough revenue to have the things that other cities have. That includes very important things like Police and Fire services at levels our neighboring cities have always enjoyed.

You have two choices when it comes to Measure AA.

First, you can accept the truth that this city needs more revenue, so that proper levels of emergency services can be purchased. Which would necessitate a YES vote on Measure AA...

OR

Your second option is to vote down Measure AA and understand that means Wildomar will always have too few cops and fire personnel. 

The claims in the city mailer are a tad rosy for my liking. How far do you think that $1.7M will stretch? 

We already have learned that the return of the VLF funds (about $2M per year) nearly ALL went to first responders when we increased the number of patrols earlier this year... plus the RSO is looking for a rate increase as we speak.

That's because when the VLF funds were stripped away, the police service patrols went from two officers on duty during the day, three at swing shift and two at night down to one officer on the day shift, two during swing shift and one at night. 

Another way to quantify it is that we went from 70 service hours a day (in 2011), to 40 service hours a day (until earlier this year), and recently back up to the 70 hours we had in 2011.

If you've heard any city council member tell you that we are back up to the previous levels of police, that isn't quite accurate. 

Yes, we are back up to the same number of shifts that we had in 2011 (or 70 service hours per day) but since 2011 we've gained nearly 5,000 additional residents. Which means our cop per 1000 residents has gone down... not increased or stayed the same.

We're here now, and whatever promises you heard about no need to raise taxes by those urging a yes vote on cityhood, need to be forgotten once and for all. 

They were promises based on hopes, not based on facts... otherwise, we wouldn't be looking down the barrel of a 12.9% increase in local sales tax. 

One additional penny equals an increase of almost 13%.
A 1% increase wouldn't even have amounted to a tenth of a cent.

Either vote to increase the budget by way of Measure AA so that we can increase the policing levels, or vote against the tax increase and watch our officer to resident ratio continue to dwindle. It's your choice

This is how I would have written it. Blunt and to the point.

But, before you think I'm a big meanie, poking holes in the city's somewhat optimistic claims of what can be purchased for $1.7M, you should see my thoughts on the official opposition to Measure AA. 

The writers of it must have worked over time to sound so vacuous... unless (gulp) that's their actual A-Game.

PRO TIP: No one cares about the 2008 BS in 2018.

Link to Argument Against Measure AA

Why do these people remain stuck in the past? Why do they think that the Wildomar of 2018 wants to say, "Ah ha, see, I told you so!" to promises from of 2008? 

NO ONE CARES IF YOU CAN SAY, "See I told you so". Turn the page already.

This is about having enough money to buy additional hours of police patrol services, and maybe increase fire protection. Nothing more.

The reason this isn't offered as a "special tax" is because, for some inexplicable reason, special taxes take a 2/3 vote.

Link to Argument in Favor

Imagine how inane that is. The public is asked to vote for a "first responders" tax, something that would be earmarked for only those specific uses, and that takes 67%?

However, for a general tax, something that goes into the general fund... that only takes a simple majority. 

That is 180 degrees backward from what it should be, but there's no sense in barking at the moon over it. It's what it is.

Link to City Attorney's Analysis

The city council has pledged to spend the money the way they've advertised. With an oversight committee to ensure that the money goes where it has been promised. If they fail to live up to the bargain, then vote them out.

Link to ordinance

Though roads are mentioned, I wouldn't expect major renovations from such a small sum of money. 

Just to keep things in perspective, the substandard slurry job done in Windsong Valley several years ago cost in excess of half a million dollars, and wasn't actually ever even finished. (Check out parts of Prairie and Gierson if you're in doubt.) Roads cost a lot more money than what will be left over from the first responder's annual needs. 

Link to Measure AA – Wildomar Public Safety and City Services

What city council voting district are you in?

Link to interactive district map

If you want a city council member that is a straight talker, and will go against the grain when necessary, remember me when you're filling out your ballot.

Link to campaign website.

If you like the status quo, and want things to stay the way they've been for the last ten years... I'm probably not the candidate for you.

•                •                •

Passion has helped us; but can do so no more. It will in future be our enemy. Reason, cold, calculating, unimpassioned reason, must furnish all the materials for our future support and defence.
– Abe Lincoln

Wildomar Rap would interpret "materials for our future support and defense" as "more cops" and "better roads" if Honest Abe had been talking about The W.

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