(July 19, 2008) -- 7th district Councilwoman Tonia Reyes Uranga provides us with information below on a Saturday morning meeting (Sat. July 19) she held with roughly twenty neighborhood leaders (most from the 7th district but a few from the 1st, 5th and 6th districts) to get their questions answered about the recently revised proposed parcel tax. (For detailed LBReport.com coverage, click here.)

As recently revised, the tax proceeds would be used for certain general infrastructure categories:

The proceeds of this special tax may be used only for the following purposes: All costs incident to the acquisition, improvement, repair, replacement, rehabilitation, relocation, restoration, and preservation of streets, signals, sidewalks, alleys, storm water collection, transportation, detention and discharge systems, fire and police stations and other public safety facilities, parks and recreation and community facilities, open space, and wetlands, libraries and health facilities or for the payment of debt service on and the administration of any bonds issued for any such improvements.

Councilwoman Reyes Uranga was present at Saturday morning's meet, along with Public Works Director Michael Conway. She says the primary concerns from residents included:

• There needs to be a mechanism for community oversight.

• What method was used in prioritizing the projects?

• Streets, sidewalks and sewers are infrastructure and should be fixed but why is everything else in there?

• Oil tax was to be used for public safety; why is so much public safety in the bond?

• Why is wetlands in an infrastructure bonds?

• Do we have a master plan for the city's infrastructure?

• Does the plan include the I-710?

• The bond will only go up, 35 years with cpi increases every year

• Needs to become equity between million dollar homes and renters.

• Will this increase rents?

• Why was the community not consulted before now?

• There are no line items and no budget items only "buckets" of general categories.

• If there is a cost overrun in one area what gets sacrificed in the "bucket"?

• Lack of specificity on list

• No west, central and north libraries on the list

• What were the alternatives to a parcel tax, were any discussed?

• what are we dong to increase our general fund?

• What is the % contribution from residents vs commercial?

• Inadequate facilities not targeted

• Nothing in bond to prevent flooding in Arlington area

• Any coordination with I-710 livability plan?

• Need to remove vagueness of categories and get more specifics

• Why would PBIDs get taxed?

• Why aren't the worst areas addressed (i.e. beats 4 and 5)?

• How are projects prioritized?

• Which projects are utilizing other sources of dollars? And have PAC's signed off on the plan?

• Why not use tidelands for coastal work?

• How can we guarantee there is better contract oversight and monitoring by city?

• What outreach has been done to limited English population?

• List was created in a vacuum with no community input.

Councilwoman Reyes Uranga said, "Overall folks felt that infrastructure needs to be addressed but the proceess is undemocratic and not very transparent."

Those present included:

John Royce, Jerry Mineghino, Maurice Knowles, Annie Greenfeld, Joan Greenwood, John Cross, John Taeleifi, Patti Sramek Nick Sramek, Vince Watts, Jerlene Tatum, Steve Christ, John Newell, Miguel Moreno, Roberto Uranga "and a handful of others who didn't sign in."