Dear Editor:  As I read the January 11^th issue of the Piedmont Post, I was drawn to the Opinion piece by Cameron Wolfe, Jr.  I’m glad that it was called an “opinion” because it was long on opinion and virtually non-existent on fact on one of the candidates.  Daniel Patrick Moynihan is famous for having coined the expression:  “Everyone is entitled their own opinions, but not their own facts.”  He was contesting erroneous facts;  I am concerned with a lack of facts. > Click to read more…

Resident responds to opinion regarding youth soccer use of Blair Park – > Click to read more…

Upcoming Events with City Council Candidates –

• January 18 – City Council Candidate Tim Rood:  Meet the Candidate event, Wednesday, Jan. 18th,  7 p.m. to 8:30 pm at a Central Piedmont home. Email contact@timrood2012.com for an invitation.

Upcoming Events with School Board Candidates –

• January 13 – School Board Candidate Sarah Pearson:  Coffee at Mulberry’s at 8:15 a.m. for further discussion of issues raised at Candidate’s Forum

• January 13 – School Board Candidate Jon Elliott:    In front of City Hall at 120 Vista Avenue, between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. will be meeting with people to discuss Piedmont School Board issues.

• January 14 – School Board Candidate Rick Raushenbush:   At Beach Playfield (on Linda between Grand and Lake Aves) on Saturday, January 14  from 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.  meeting to talk with people interested in school issues. In the event of rain, the venue will be moved to 650 Blair Ave.

• January 14 – School Board Candidate Jon Elliott:   At Piedmont High School next to the Alan Harvey Theater will be answering questions on school issues. 

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LINK:  Candidates Discussion of Issues Facing Piedmont

Editors’ Note: Candidates running  for Piedmont elected offices may submit future events to editors@piedmontcivic.org.

Franchise Tax Board may begin challenging the tax deductibility of parcel taxes –

Update:  On April 13, 2012 the FTB reversed its position.  Its guidance for taxpayers webpage (limiting the real property tax deduction, generally, to ad velorem taxes) has been taken down and new guidance will be coming.  The FTB’s changed position may permit the deduction of Piedmont school parcel taxes, which average $3,000 per parcel.  Check with your tax advisor.  PCA Article coming soon.  See FTB Update.

Many California homeowners may not realize that many charges on their property tax bills are not tax deductible – – but the IRS and Franchise Tax Board have plans to educate them.  Starting in 2012, three lines may be added to California income tax returns asking homeowners for their parcel number, the amount of property taxes paid and the nondeductible amount. 

Many homeowners deduct their entire property tax payment as an itemized deduction on their federal tax return.  The deduction reduces state as well as federal taxes.  But many “extra” assessments and parcel taxes included on the property tax bill are not deductible.

While the IRS has not targeted this issue in the past because it mainly affects California taxpayers, the California Franchise Tax Board is on a mission to get homeowners to stop deducting the entire amount of their property tax payment and hopes to raise California tax revenues substantially as a result.

The City of Piedmont is considering the possibility of providing advisory information on which local parcel taxes are tax deductible and which are not. > Click to read more…

Consultant's Estimate of EPA Compliance Costs

EPA Compliance May Cost Less than Public Projections and Voter Information Pamphlet Suggest

The cost of new EPA monitoring requirements for sewer replacement work have been projected as worst case and used in Piedmont’s Municipal Tax Review Committee (MTRC) Exhibits, the Voter Information Pamphlet and other public documents.  But cost estimates from the City’s Consultant may be lower than projections due to phased main rehabilitation work and emergency repair work already planned for included in the projections.

The EPA 2011 Cost Impacts prepared by the City’s Consultant , together with conversations with staff, have confirmed that the City Consultant identifies the cost of new EPA requirements as $1.5 million in initial set-up costs (during the first 4 years) and $165,000 in ongoing costs thereafter, as shown in the blue chart.  In addition, a “set aside” account is required for main replacement.

In contrast, setup costs (first 4 years) for EPA compliance  were initially projected by the City at $3 million in various public documents, because they include an additional $460,000 per year “set aside” for mains replacement and emergency repairs.   More importantly, ongoing costs of EPA compliance were projected to range from $300,000 to $600,000 to $1 million annually after the first 4 years.  (See Various Public Documents.) > Click to read more…

On the February 2012 ballot is Measure A, the sewer tax surcharge.  If approved by voters the current sewer charge of $471- $849 will be increased to a total of $707 – $1,274 depending on lot size (see chart below).  The surcharge will remain in place for 10 years with CPI increases.  (The sewer tax and surcharge are in addition to the City parcel tax of $342 to $572 which has a term of 4 years.) > Click to read more…

A Resident Explains Benefits of Local Field

It is sad and disappointing to see Friends Of Moraga Canyon sue the City of Piedmont about Blair Park.  Let me explain some of the benefits and reasons to Piedmont and Oakland residents why they should not sue, and why so many in both cities are in support of building Blair Park:

• If FOMC successfully sues to stop Blair Park, it will deny both Piedmont and Oakland kids the ability to play soccer and other sports as there are no other local fields available.

• There are more than 200 Oakland kids playing on Piedmont Youth Soccer Club teams, in addition to Oakland kids who play on other Piedmont sports teams, such as baseball/softball and lacrosse.

• 300 players a week can practice soccer at Blair Park instead of in Alameda, including kids from Oakland.

• Since the fields in Alameda will NOT be available to PSC after 2012, having Blair Park field will fill that void.  Without Blair Park, Piedmont sports clubs will have to turn players away,

• Many Montclair, Rockridge and Oakland soccer teams will benefit from playing games locally at Blair Park, instead of having to drive to Alameda to do so.

• No other city will provide Piedmont youth sports clubs with field space as their own clubs are in dire need as well.

• Studies show that there will be a 1-2% increase in traffic on Moraga Avenue during the hours that sports groups use Blair Park; not enough to impact traffic, and an even smaller fraction of the time on an annual basis.  Of the traffic going to Blair Park, the vast majority will remain in Piedmont, not impacting traffic at the Harbord/Moraga intersection in Oakland or elsewhere.

• The benefits to our environment and sports families of building Blair Park are huge.  No longer needing to travel to Alameda will mean, on an annual basis for soccer alone, more than 100,000 miles NOT driven and more than 100,000 lbs of carbon NOT emitted into our community.  In addition, hundreds of hours of driving time will NOT be spent by players and their families during rush hour traffic, greatly reduced the risk of being involved in car accidents, as well as the considerable monetary savings to our Piedmont and Oakland families.

• There will be a net increase of 39 trees at Blair Park, with 74 existing oak trees remaining while removing many beetle-infested trees (at no cost to the City).  The new trees will actually reduce CO2 emissions, while the existing trees do not as they are fully grown.  There will also be a dog park, a grassy glade area to play and many other nice amenities for the entire community to enjoy throughout the entire year.

• Building Blair Park is privately funded and the maintenance will be paid for by the user groups.

• The traffic mitigating measures in the Blair Park plan will make travelling on Moraga road much safer and not cost the City anything, another win-win.

I hope FOMC would see the greater good of accepting the City Council’s decision.  Furthermore, the majority of letters and speakers to the council about Blair Park were in favor, the environmental and community benefits of building Blair Park are much greater than keeping it unused and inaccessible as it is today.  Most of the recent changes, such as a roundabout, moving the entrances to the park and lowering the retaining wall were due to feedback from FOMC.  After 5 years of review and analysis, it was time for the city to decide to move forward with this project.  Just because one may not like the outcome of a city’s decision, should not mean that one must sue.

Mark Landheer
President, Piedmont Youth Soccer Club

Editors Note:  The opinion expressed is that of the author and does not necessarily represent the opinion of PCA.

Discussion of use changes, fee changes, and finances –

Hearings/workshops concerning the Piedmont pool facility will be held by the Piedmont Recreation Commission on Wednesday, January 18 and Wednesday, February 15, 2012.  Both hearings will be held at the City Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont and will begin at 7:30pm. > Click to read more…

Piedmonters received absentee ballots this week and have been seen posting the big yellow envelopes in the Civic Center mailbox.

Failure to sign the declaration on the back of the ballot is the most frequent basis for rejected absentee ballots.  (Incidentally, the term “absentee ballot” is no longer used officially.  The preferred term is now “Vote by Mail Ballot” since it is being encouraged and no longer is dependent on the expectation that the citizen is unable to get to a polling place.) > Click to read more…

Task Force disappointed Council did not adopt  recommendations –

Dear City Council:

The League of Women Voters Task Force was pleased when the City Council, at its November 21, 2011 meeting, appeared poised to adopt recommendations from the Task Force and Audit Subcommittee that would assure improved risk management and project management for major City projects.  > Click to read more…