Category Archives: Ethics

City Of Our Dreams, Democarcy, Ethics, Living Among Giants, Open Government, Public Policy, Social Capital

NBT Inspector General Ballot Rebuttal Denied

September 8, 2024 admin 2 Comments

The united voices of neighborhood groups across the city NBT, Neighbors Better Together wrote a rebuttal to the current ballot language.

The reason this is even on a ballot is because several Charter Review committees have advocated for this over the years. Council adopted the Review Committee’s recommendation, but not as they recommended.

The Charter Review Committee recommended the position be an elected one instead of appointed. The reasons for that are obvious.

Here is what you won’t see on the ballot:

Vote “No” on Measure L.

After years of discussing and researching the subject, and at the demands of longtime City watchdogs for greater accountability and transparency, in 2022 Riverside’s appointed Charter Review Committee recommended the creation of an elected (by the public) Inspector General position, with almost exactly the same powers to investigate fraud, waste and abuse as the appointed (by our City Council) position before you today.

Sadly the 2022 City Council, who had made the appointments to the Committee, instead chose to bring before the electorate an appointed position; not unlike Measure E in 2012, which was to create an appointed City Auditor position with once again, almost identical powers. Measure E was soundly defeated by voters then, like Measure L should be now.

Why? An appointed Inspector General is not as independent nor directly accountable to the people, rendering their function not just useless, but dangerous in our opinion. It would provide the illusion of legitimacy, scarcely more effective than the current, and often criticized, practice of having internal auditors that work for our City Manager. The temptation to whitewash embarrassing, and potentially politically damaging audit findings, would be overwhelming. Current personalities aside, the fox would be in essence guarding the henhouse. We deserve better.

Voting “No” on Measure L will allow time for the advocates of an elected Inspector General position to work with the new Council members, installed this year (Falcone, Robillard, Mill), who we think better understand the importance of independent investigation, to bring you a much better ballot measure in early 2026. We believe they are not afraid of oversight, see the benefits of the public’s ongoing faith in efficient and honest City government, and know that an elected position will ultimately provide a better return on investment for taxpayers.

Please vote “No”.

City Of Our Dreams, Economic Development, Environment, Ethics, Green Energy, Health, Public Policy, Safety, Social Capital

Add Your Name To Riverside Neighbors Demanding Underground RTRP Transmission Lines

June 13, 2024 admin 3 Comments

At June’s UNA meeting, we will take a vote to submit the following letter on behalf of our neighborhood group, and joining groups from across the city who are demanding a safer, transmission line project.

Thousands of Riverside residents will be affected by higher insurance rates, lower property values, viewshed destruction, enhanced wildfire risk, other public safety risks, plus the theft of generational equity from some of our most disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Dear City Council Members, I am writing to you on behalf of the University Neighborhood Association with a request to reconsider the vote to stop the working group from obtaining the information needed to proceed with a request to underground the power lines in our city.

As a concerned citizen, who has witnessed both past and present Councils echoing the Community’s voice, saying that we do not have enough information or cost data regarding this project, I remain dismayed at the refusal to get that information.

Yet we persist in a course of action we all know is fraught with peril and foreseeable public health and safety risks. The very risks you swore an oath to put foremost in your elected stewardship duties. This is a risk to current and future residents as well as a dire risk to our regional neighbors who expect more from a city always eager to take leadership for innovation.

It is especially dismaying that we are proceeding in spite of State requirements that all new transmission line projects shall be underground. Did we not get the memo?

This is information we do have. We also know the easement needed to proceed is not forthcoming unless this project is underground. We know the longer we delay the greater the fire danger and the costs.

I am wondering if any of you have considered the possibility of having a shovel-ready project in three years and built in five?

What is needed is the political will to request a new EIR or Supplemental EIR to include current conditions. I know that if there was political will, time frames can be shortened.

We also have a mayor who is an expert in this arena and I am urging you Mayor Dawson, to bring the best of your considerable talents, experience, and demonstrated love for Riverside to show up on this. Your legacy is at risk. Have you considered the optics of having an environmental expert as mayor and proceeding with this monstrosity of a project? Even Edison is telling us to underground everywhere except for the City of Riverside apparently.

Political will gives us all the information we need and the project ready to submit in less than a year – if we require it. And if this project is as critical to our future as Staff, Edison, SEIU, the Chamber and a host of paid performers, shilling during Council deliberations, have said it is, then it is equally critical to listen to your community.

One of you needs to step up and request a reconsideration to get this rolling. If we are serious about need and the speed, then the shortest time frame starts with a new EIR process. One or all of you newly elected has an opportunity to step up and demonstrate the kind of leadership we have seen from Councilmen Conder, Hemenway and Councilwoman Cervantes.

We expect you to do your jobs and due diligence on this or risk the likely result of being a one term councilman.

Gurumantra Khalsa
Co Chair, University Neighborhood Assn.
951-640-3868

Democarcy, Ethics, Open Government, Public Policy

Ballot Initiatives Nov 2016 From League Of Women Voters

September 20, 2016 admin Leave a comment

Democarcy, Ethics, Open Government, Public Policy

Is It Time For A Sunshine Ordinance For Riverside?

May 7, 2015 admin Leave a comment

Go For Public Comment How many times have we been shafted as citizens because our right to weigh in was abridged or eliminated?

Getting the City Council Agenda on a Friday and trying to get straight answers from council members or staff about an item is an unnecessarily frustrating exercise in democracy.

There is too little time to get answers, ask questions, make recommendations, offer suggestions or anything we the people may have to say.

During Summers the Council meets every other week. No reason we couldn’t adjust the posting time and not miss a beat with staff work flow. We could implement this in a few short months.

If a recent City Council meeting is any guide, maybe we’ve reached a tipping point for expanded public participation in our public affairs.

Could it be time for Riverside to draft a sunshine ordinance of it’s own?. It reminds me of the neighborhood slogan that says, ‘if it’s about us and it’s without us, it’s not for us’. That sums up the conducting of City business and our opportunity to engage in effective public dialog with our elected officials and City staff. I wonder what we’d come up with for our Riverside Manifesto Of Right To Public Participation or a Citizens Bill Of Rights .

I know we’d restore our right to pull an item off of the consent calendar for discussion. We’d probably have no limit on putting speaker cards in during the item being discussed.

Maybe with a new City Manager and City Attorney, we can explore how to quickly restore our rights to participation and full transparency at all city council and committee meetings. That means great video or complete, unedited, full face shots of all speakers .

One thing that makes sense is to allow any speaker to plug in a thumb drive to illustrate or compliment their time – all three precious minutes of it.

We risk better government and better results. Check out what San Jose’s Sunshine Ordinance looks like. let’s start add your ideas.Pass it on.

City Of Our Dreams, Ethics, Open Government, Public Policy

Clapping At Council Goes On Trial

April 23, 2015 admin Leave a comment

For those who remember our public calls for action regarding the conditions in our neighborhood, Letitia Pepper was arrested for clapping at one of those city council meetings.

Rusty Bailey and Greg Priamos are both saying in their depositions that Letitia was yelling and screaming from the back of the room and running from chair to chair.

If you remember it differently, please stop by Letitia’s house, 503 Highlander this Saturday between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and let her lawyer know what you saw. Thanks in advance for your support.

Democarcy, Ethics, Open Government, Public Policy

City Beat: Councilman Mike Soubirous Investigation, Bogus Or Blunder

July 6, 2014 admin Leave a comment

Thirty Miles Of Corruption had a well documented post regarding the way politics is being played at City Hall and why we should be storming the castle to get this sorted out.

One of the points brought up was a Charter amendment to put some transparency and process back in the public spotlight.

As taxpayers, we expect our elected council members have a right to speak to any department, any employee or any City employee about any matter of interest to their voting public.

That’s one reason we should be getting our meeting agendas and notices two weeks, or ten business days in advance.

Reed Reforms

While running for Mayor in 2006, then-Councilmember Chuck Reed introduced his signature Reed Reforms – a comprehensive strategy to build a more honest, open, accessible, and fiscally responsible government. These reforms include numerous measures designed to improve public access to city records and information, promote ethics and accountability, and maximize the participation of San José citizens in the city’s decision-making process.

Mayor Reed enacted two of his Reed Reforms during his inauguration, when he added the following pledge to his Oath of Office:

“I further pledge to uphold the San José Charter, to always place community benefit before personal interest, and to exercise the power of the Mayor’s office honestly and ethically. No Lying, No Cheating, No Stealing.”

Overall, 32 Reed Reforms have been adopted by the City Council, including new policies that:

Have led to the creation of a sunshine ordinance that increases transparency in our local government.
Require the Mayor and Councilmembers to make important disclosures before the Council takes action.
Publicly disclose the offers made to City unions for pay or benefit increases.
Plug loopholes in the campaign financing and lobbying ordinances that reduce the influence of paid interests.
Require the calendars of the Mayor and Councilmembers to be posted online.
Have implemented a more inclusive, community-based budget process that ensures proper public input when defining the city’s spending priorities.

The adoption of these reforms has been a critical step in changing the way City Hall operates and has helped build the foundation for a government that San José residents can be proud of.

A Neighborhood Of Our Dreams