If you registered to vote by Jan. 23, 2012, you can vote in the February 7 election for Piedmont City Council Members, Board of Education Members, and Measure A – Municipal Sewer Surtax.

If you have recently moved or have not registered to vote, applications must be received at Registrar’s office by 5 pm, Jan. 23 to be eligible to vote in Piedmont’s General Election on Tuesday, February 7.

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Piedmont voters interested in learning more about the candidates in the February 7th election can go to http://smartvoter.org/2012/02/07/ca/alm/ballot.html

Special note: the Council meeting is being held Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.  City Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, California. 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 »

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 »

Upcoming Events with City Council Candidates –

•  January 12 – All Candidates:  Candidates Forum at City Hall on Thursday, January 12 at 7:30

• 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 12 – All Candidates:  Candidates Forum at City Hall on Thursday, January 12 at 7:30 p.m.

• January 12 – School Board Candidate Andrea Swenson:  Ongoing Discussion at Fenton’s Ice Creamery, Piedmont Ave., following League of Women Voters Candidates Night, on Thursday, January 12.

• 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

Click to read more »