Piedmont General Fund no longer has annual surpluses –

A few short years ago, Piedmont enjoyed a $4.5 million annual operating budget surplus.  With expenses of $13.5 million and revenues of $18 million, the City’s expenses represented only 75% of revenues in FY 05-06.  It enjoyed a surplus that was 25% of its budget.  City monies, not just private funds, were allocated annually to capital improvement projects such as the purchase of 801 Magnolia Avenue, installing play fields, and more. > Click to read more…

City Council also to discuss litigation in closed session –

The City Council is scheduled to approve management employee contracts for the  City Clerk/Management Information Systems Manager, Director of Finance, Fire Chief, Chief of Police, Director of Public Works, and Director of Recreation on May 21.   As with other recent contracts, lower cost pension plans will be established for new (but not existing) employees in these positions.

The Council will also consider spending up to $24,000 for recruiting a new Police Chief to replace Chief John Hunt, who has announced his retirement on June 22, 2012. Of three recruitment proposals received, the City Administrator recommends enlisting the highest cost proposal by Bob Murray & Associates due to their expertise and experience in recruiting for similar positions.

In closed session, pending and potential litigation regarding Blair Park will be considered, as well as undergrounding litigation against Robert Gray Associates and Harris & Associates.

The open session will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 120 Vista Avenue on May 21, 2012.  Click here for full agenda and staff reports.

On May 7, the Piedmont City Council unanimously voted to rescind its approval of the Piedmont Recreational Facilities Organization (PRFO) project to develop Blair Park into a youth sports fields complex.  Residents speaking at the hearing from a variety of Piedmont neighborhoods raised questions regarding the previous approval process, need for play fields, the future of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR), and the delay in public disclosure of billing disputes with the PRFO. > Click to read more…

Does State Tax Change Mean Refunds for Piedmonters?

On Friday, April 13, 2012,  the State Franchise Tax Board retracted its position that advised California taxpayers to limit their property tax deductions to “ad-valorem” property taxes, with only limited exceptions.  For Piedmonters who followed this State guidance, this meant not deducting school parcel taxes, which average over $3,000 per parcel in Piedmont. 

Taxpayers who did not deduct school or other parcel taxes on their 2011 California state income tax forms are now being advised by tax professionals to consider amending their returns to claim the deduction. > Click to read more…

Voting ends on February 7, at 8 pm.  Read what the candidates have to say on the issues:

Undergrounding

Fire Department Staffing Study

3 biggest issues

If You Had to Cut $1 million 

Fiscal leadership

Managing Project Risk

Public Input on Public Facilities

$500,000 in Park Bond Funds

 Also review the January 12th Candidates Forum, now on the City website under “Other Public Forums”.

    Piedmont City Council Candidate Announcements/Supporter Comments:

Margaret Fujioka

Bob McBain

Tim Rood

City Council Candidates discuss Spending Priorities, Managing Risk, Fiscal/Budget, Undergrounding,

Public Forums on City Plans, Multi-year Budgets, Park Bond Funds, Fire Department

Piedmont School Board Candidates Announcements/Supporter Comments:

Sunny Bostrom

Jon Elliott

Sarah Pearson

Rick Raushenbush

Andrea Swenson

School Board candidates discuss:  School Parcel Tax, Fiscal/Budget, Working with the City, Open Enrollment, Employee Children, Future Issues .

There is additional information on seven of the candidates at the candidate created webpages at smart voter .  Read  Quotes from Candidates on Issues.

At its meeting on January 18, the City Council voted unanimously to reimburse the Sewer Fund for $275,000 used for Crest Road repairs.   Piedmont residents Rick Schiller and Rob Hendrickson thoroughly investigated the payment of $275,000 from the Piedmont Sewer Fund for road repair work on Crest Road.   > Click to read more…

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…

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…