By Dave Roberts
One of the biggest problems facing East County residents is the lack of adequate fire protection and emergency services. Most of the candidates for county supervisor representing District 3, which includes East County, favor raising taxes to beef up staffing in the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District. Only one candidate, Doug Hardcastle, has publicly opposed a fire tax hike.
ECCFPD voters have twice rejected fire tax hike measures in recent years. In 2012 a 10-year parcel tax hike, which required two-thirds approval to pass, failed to gain even a majority. In 2015 a benefit assessment, which needed a majority to pass, also failed with 53 percent of voters rejecting it. The district may place another tax hike measure on the November ballot.
In 2008 the fire district was able to staff six fire stations with 48 employees on a $10.8 million budget. But the current $12.1 million budget – a 12 percent increase in funding – only provides for 36 employees and staffing for three fire stations. This has resulted in longer response times, particularly in outlying areas, putting East County residents’ lives and property at risk.
The reason that a 12 percent budget increase in the past eight years has resulted in layoffs and station closures is that employee salary and benefit costs have risen even faster, 15 percent. Most significantly, retirement expenses have increased 64 percent from $2.2 million in 2008 to $3.6 million today.
Four of the six candidates seeking to replace Mary Piepho on the county board of supervisors – Steve Barr, Diane Burgis, Hardcastle and Odessa Lefrancois – discussed the fire district problem at a recent forum in Discovery Bay. The other two candidates – Wade Harper and Monica Wilson – failed to show due to family emergencies, according to Greg Robinson, publisher of the Brentwood Press, which sponsored the forum.
The candidates responded to this question: “Fire protection in East County is an ongoing concern. Despite the fact that there are three stations open with a fourth scheduled to open in July, the voters still turned down a recent tax initiative to support and reopen stations. What do you see as the solution to the ongoing funding for the district, and how can the supervisors help?”
Brentwood City Councilman Barr is the only candidate who has sat on the ECCFPD board, where he’s now in his fourth year.
“I know firsthand what the issues are out here,” he said. “The simple fact is there is not enough funding to fund more than three fire stations. It’s about $2.8 million per station, and the current funding from your property taxes is somewhere around $10 or $11 million. So as you can see, you’re not going to get anything more than three stations.”
The fire board has conducted a study, which determined that the 250-square-mile district actually needs nine fire stations to provide adequate protection, said Barr. He did not do the math at the forum, but nine stations at $2.8 million per station would total $25 million, more than double the district’s current budget.
“So I think we’re on the right track,” he said, adding that he’s “hopeful” about the next tax measure.
Barr did not mention Piepho by name, but he criticized the lack of leadership provided by the county supervisor on the issue.
“The supervisor of this county needs to step up and be the one leading, not the city manager of the city of Brentwood [who is chairing a task force],” he said. “I’m happy he’s doing it because he’s actually looking for solutions, like we all have. And I think that’s exactly what I would expect out of the county supervisors. Not leave it all to one of the cities, but actually leading and showing leadership and finding solutions.”
Oakley City Councilman Hardcastle said the solution is not another tax hike attempt.
“We’ve had enough studies,” he said. “People do not want to raise their taxes again. They tried it twice already. It’s ridiculous that they would even try it twice. We pay too much money. We just need to learn how to spend our money properly where it needs to be spent. I’m there to make sure that that money gets spent like that.
“I’ve been in business for 40-something years,” Hardcastle continued. “You don’t stay in business for 40-something years by spending money needlessly on stuff that it doesn’t need to be spent on. So my number one priority is going to be conservancy of the money to make sure that our dollars are spent like we want them to spend it.”
Hardcastle did not provide specifics on how he would like to reallocate the fire district’s budget, but said something needs to be done, including increasing salaries.
“Our fire stations out here are in horrible shape,” he said. “These guys are overworked; a lot of them are underpaid. I talked to one guy, he’s [making] $20 an hour being a fireman. That is ridiculous.”
One possibility is continuing the temporary funding provided to the fire district by the county and the cities of Brentwood and Oakley that has allowed the Knightsen station to be reopened through June 2017.
“My number one priority in this whole thing is having our families be safe,” said Hardcastle. “We can get money from our budgets at the city.”
Lefrancois, who is a past president of the East County NAACP, also favors other government agencies pitching in to help the fire district.
“As a supervisor I’d like to bring all of the concerned parties to the table to try to figure this out,” she said. “This needs to be figured out not just by the county board of supervisor[s], but also by the county board of education and also special district[s] who also have funding on safety that goes into their budget[s].”
Lefrancois also agrees with Barr that another tax hike attempt should be studied. “Maybe we need to figure out from the voters what type of tax, if there is a parcel tax, what would they be willing to pay, what would they be willing to do,” she said. “I think this is a very complex issue, and it needs more than just one individual at the table making that decision.”
East Bay Regional Park District board member Burgis also wants to look at the possibility of another tax hike measure. “We need to find more revenue,” she said. “That can be different tools. That can be property tax, it can be reallocation, it can be consolidation. It can be a whole combination of things. But it has to be legal. And it has to be something that we make urgent.”
She did not mention Barr by name, but criticized the fire board’s efforts thus far.
“The problem has been the leadership on this fire board hasn’t done the job,” said Burgis. “So we need to figure out what hasn’t worked and stop that and move forward. We need to have a more accountable fire protection board. I think that having an elected board that is responsible for the district is a good step.”
Burgis agreed with Barr that there needs to be county leadership on the issue.
“As a supervisor we are one part of three parts: Oakley, Brentwood and the county,” she said. “And as supervisor I would be that leader. I would bring those people together. That’s the reputation I have is bringing people together that have different opinions, politics and agendas and making sure that we do what we need to do. … It’s a problem that we need to deal with.”
On other issues, the candidates mostly agreed that:
- The proposed Delta tunnels project should be opposed because it would degrade water quality.
- Development of the Byron Airport could be an economic boon to East County.
- There is a need to attract more businesses to East County to provide local jobs.
- Local farmland needs to be protected.
- Crime, including shootings on Highway 4, needs to be reduced.
The election is June 7th. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, then the top two will face off in the general election in November.
Read More
By Allen Payton
Candidates and campaigns were required to file financial reports on Thursday, May 26 for the period of April 24 through May 21, 2016. Oakley Councilman Doug Hardcastle continues to lead in the amount of funds raised and spent in the campaign. East Bay Regional Parks District Board Member Diane Burgis is second behind Hardcastle in expenditures, but has the most in monetary contributions, and in unaid bills. But, Brentwood Councilman Steve Barr, has raised more than Burgis in total contributions. Antioch Councilwoman Monica Wilson is in a close fourth in fundraising, in both monetary and total contributions.
Following is the financial information submitted by the candidates in the District 3 Supervisor race for the latest period (see the complete reports, posted in alphabetical order of last name, below):
Doug Hardcastle
Monetary Contributions Received during the period: $8,297
Non-Monetary Contributions Received: $1,675
Total Contributions Received for the period: $9,972 (3rd)
Monetary Contributions Received during the campaign: $25,308.16 (4th)
Total Contributions Received during the campaign: $47,483.16 (1st)
Expenditures Made during period: $11,176.07
Accrued Expenses (unpaid bills) for the period: $ -0-
Total Expenditures Made during the campaign: $45,818.87 (1st)
Ending Cash Balance: $1,664.29
Outstanding Debts: $15,500 (2nd) – all loans from himself
After his report was submitted, Hardcastle discovered a file of monetary contributions totaling approximately $700 and an in-kind contribution of $750 from a fundraiser in May that was not included in the latest report. He will be submitting an amended report, this next week.
Steve Barr
Monetary Contributions Received during the period: $9,100.00 – Most from within the district.
Non-Monetary Contributions Received: $1,200
Total Contributions Received for the period: $10,300 (2nd)
Monetary Contributions Received during the campaign: $27,785 (2nd)
Total Contributions Received during the campaign: $38,635 (2nd)
Expenditures Made during period: $28,594, paid down previous unpaid bills of $17,035
Total Expenditures Made during the campaign: $31,768 (3rd)
Ending Cash Balance: $1,417
Outstanding Debts: $6,550 (3rd) – $5,000 in loans from himself
Diane Burgis
Monetary Contributions Received during the period: $10,798
Non-Monetary Contributions Received: $ -0-
Total Contributions Received for the period: $10,798 (1st)
Monetary Contributions Received during the campaign: $29,655 (1st)
Total Contributions Received during the campaign: $29,755 (3rd)
Expenditures Made during period: $15,336.52
Accrued Expenses (unpaid bills) for the period: $8,098.85
Total Expenditures Made during the campaign: $41,905.38 (2nd)
Ending Cash Balance: $11,220.23
Outstanding Debts: $23,470.06 (1st) – $100 in loans from herself
Almost all of her contributions were received during the period from and most of her money was spent outside of the district.
Monica Wilson
Monetary Contributions Received during period: $6,665.16
Non-Monetary Contributions received: $1,927.88
Total Contributions Received for the period: $8,593.04 (4th)
Monetary Contributions Received during the campaign: $27,075.92 (3rd)
Total Contributions Received during the campaign: $29,121.86 (4th)
Expenditures Made during period: $12,704.75 paid down previous unpaid bills of $11,462.87
Accrued Expenses (unpaid bills) for the period: $ -0-
Total Expenditures Made during the campaign: $29,215.95 (4th)
Ending Cash Balance of $8,209.89
Outstanding Debts: $3,124.98 (4th)
All of her contributions were received during the period from and most of her money was spent outside of the district, with the majority of it spent out of state for yard signs and direct mail.
Odessa Lefrancois
Monetary Contributions Received during period: $1,140.00
Non-Monetary Contributions received: $ -0-
Total Contributions Received for the period: $1,140.00 (6th)
Monetary Contributions Received during the campaign: $13,025.00 (5th)
Total Contributions Received during the campaign: $13,025.00 (5th)
Expenditures Made during period: $2,312.22
Accrued Expenses (unpaid bills) for the period: $ -0-
Total Expenditures Made during the campaign: $11,590.02 (5th)
Ending Cash Balance of $1,434.98
Outstanding Debts: $ -0-
She will have to file an amended report, as hers does not show the Year to Date Totals on the Summary page.
Wade Harper
Monetary Contributions Received during period: $1,675.00
Non-Monetary Contributions received: $ -0-
Total Contributions Received for the period: $1,675.00 (5th)
Monetary Contributions Received during the campaign: $9,725.00 (6th)
Total Contributions Received during the campaign: $9,725.00 (6th)
Expenditures Made during period: $3,287.00
Accrued Expenses (unpaid bills) for the period: $ -0-
Total Expenditures Made during the campaign: $8,950.54 (6th)
Ending Cash Balance of $774.46
Outstanding Debts: $ -0-
Publisher’s Note: For full disclosure and as explained in the March issue of the Antioch Herald, I, the writer of this article, am the paid consultant for Doug Hardcastle’s campaign for County Supervisor.
Read MoreFirefighters, Deputy Sheriffs contribute $80,000 to help her beat Glover
By Allen Payton
The latest campaign finance reports were due on Thursday, May 26th and they show a $35,000 contribution from the International Association of Fire Fighters to the special committee formed to support Martinez Vice Mayor AnaMarie Avila Farias in her campaign for District 5 County Supervisor. She’s running to unseat four-term incumbent Federal Glover. The report covers the time period of May 4-21, 2016.
The firefighters’ contribution brings their total amount of support for Avila Farias’ campaign to $40,000. It is in addition to the $5,000 they previously contributed directly to her campaign committee. It also matches the $35,000 contribution to the Contra Costa County Families for Responsible Leadership Supporting AnaMarie Avila Farias for Supervisor 2016 committee from the Contra Costa DSA (Deputy Sheriff’s Association) Independent Expenditure PAC and their $5,000 contribution directly to her campaign.
As previously reported, the funds paid for $15,000 on research, as well as $12,908.60 for design, printing and postage for a mailer. An additional $25,674.44 reported was spent on two more mailers. All the costs for the mailers were paid to a company in Washington, D.C.
Please see a complete copy of the special committee’s report, below.
Committee supporting Avila Farias 460 0504-052116
Read MoreEditor:
Honesty-Community Dedication-Fiscal Responsibility
I have known Doug Hardcastle for over 25 years. I know him to be hard working, honest and dedicated to the improvement of the whole community. His community work has always been based on what is best for the citizens.
Bob Kratina
Former Oakley School Board Member, 21 years
Retired Teacher, 38 years
Read MoreThe East County Voters for Equal Protection (ECVEP), a group of residents who are working to find ways to fund the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District without a tax increase, have endorsed Oakley Councilman Doug Hardcastle in his race for Supervisor in District 3, for his support of their efforts.
The group supports reallocation of funds that other local agencies within the district boundaries, currently receive in property tax revenue. The fire protection district includes Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, Bethel Island, Byron and Knightsen, as well as the unincorporated areas of Clayton along Marsh Creek and Morgan Territory Roads.
“This can has been kicked down the road too many times,” said Rob Broocker, the group’s leader. “Doug recognizes that it’s time the local officials sat down and worked things out.”
At a recent meeting with Hardcastle at a closed fire station, in Discovery Bay, Broocker, a Santa Clara firefighter, painting contractor and Discovery Bay resident said, “Of two Discovery Bay Fire Stations one is closed. Even with a tax increase the second one can’t be guaranteed to be open, according to County Assessor Gus Kramer. At the same Discovery Bay Town Council meeting David Piepho said it will never be open due to the lack of funding.”
The group has met with board members and spoken before their meetings, as well communicated with other community leaders like Hardcastle, to get them to consider a reallocation plan instead of a third attempt at a tax increase.
“I appreciate the support of the East County Voters and look forward to continuing to work with them to find a solution to improving fire protection, without another tax increase,” Hardcastle said. “Our number one priority is safety of our families. You have to take this personal. You have to ask yourself, what if it was my house on fire or one of my family members in an accident? We deserve quicker response times for all of us.”
Speaking of the only current ECCFP board member who is also a candidate in the District 3 Supervisor’s race, Broocker stated “Steve Barr is not ready to step up and be a Supervisor if he can’t handle the job on the fire district board.”
At a candidates’ forum in Discovery Bay, Wednesday night, Barr said, “There is a task force that’s been formed. The first step the fire board has taken is do a study to find out what is the adequate number of fire stations in this district. That study, came in with a nine-station model. I think we’re on the right track. I’m hopeful this next measure or however it comes to you will be right.”
Hardcastle disagrees.
“We’ve had enough studies,” he responded. “People do not want to raise their taxes again. They tried it twice, already. It’s ridiculous they even tried it twice. We just need to learn how to spend our money properly.”
While the ECVEP is asking all the agencies within the bounds of the fire district to pitch in, Hardcastle only supports reallocating funds from the cities of Oakley and Brentwood, and the County, like was done with one-time money to re-open the fire station in Knightsen.
“I feel the only ones that have the ability to approve reallocation of money are our councils and the county,” he stated. “We just did it by funding the Knightsen fire station to get them open for 2017.”
That process was explained by another member of the group.
“When the self-appointed Task Force made their initial report to the fire board on October 21, 2015, they recommended emergency funding to open one fire station for a limited period of time,” stated Bryan Scott, a member of ECVEP. “They sought and obtained one-time funding from the cities of Brentwood and Oakley as well as the county.”
“The Task Force allocated the contributions from the cities and the county based on call volume to their respective areas,” he continued. “This came out to 49% for the city of Brentwood, 28% for the city of Oakley, and 23% for the county.”
“Using these same allocation percentages to increase fire district funding by $7.8 million would mean Brentwood would contribute $3,822,000, Oakley would contribute $2,184,000, and the county $1,794,000,” Scott explained.
Brentwood will pay a larger portion for two reasons. First, because they have a larger population than Oakley. Second, they receive a greater percentage of property tax, 16% than Oakley does at just 7%. Plus, they used part of funds set aside for fire protection on their police force, instead.
“We need the cities and county to pitch in to make this happen and in a fair way,” Hardcastle added. “It’s time to get this done.”
District 3 includes all of Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, Bethel Island, Byron, Knightsen and most of Antioch in East County, as well as Blackhawk, Diablo and Camino Tassajara in the San Ramon Valley. The election is June 7. For more information about Doug Hardcastle, visit www.doughardcastle.com or call the Campaign Headquarters at (925) 755-5053.
Read More“We support courageous candidates like Debora Allen who are willing to put party politics aside and work in the best interest of kids.”
The Children’s PAC joins the East Bay Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, Contra County Supervisor Candace Andersen, Solano County Sheriff Thomas Ferrara, and many other local and state leaders in endorsing businesswoman Debora Allen’s campaign for California’s 14th Assembly district.
“The Children’s PAC is a volunteer-led group of parents who are working to change the status quo of public education in California,” said the Children’s PAC in a press release. “We support courageous candidates like Debora Allen who are willing to put party politics aside and work in the best interest of kids. Kids are the most important special interest group.”
Allen is running on a platform of bringing more accountability, transparency and efficiency to California’s state government.
Learn more about Debora Allen at DeboraAllen.com
Read MoreEditor:
I also publicly endorse Mr. Doug Harcastle for District III Contra Costa County Supervisor.
I would like to echo the comments of Dr. Michael Painter regarding Mr. Hardcastle. As the former General Manager of the Ironhouse Sanitary District (ISD), I had the opportunity to work directly with Doug for 12 years, and came to know and understand him well.
Doug was certainly instrumental (in conjunction with his fellow Directors) in helping reshape ISD from an outdated rural operation, into a modern, suburban oriented collection, treatment and water reuse operation that protects our environment and our sensitive Western Delta water quality.
In late 2012, when Doug decided to step down from ISD and run for City office, I knew ISD was losing an excellent public servant. While I did not want to see him go, I believed he had accomplished what he initially set out to do. Doug helped improve ISD over the twelve years he served and was leaving ISD in much better shape than when he found it.
While Doug was only one of five Directors on the ISD Board, he was critical in helping reset the Board’s vision for the future, and setting a high standard for staff that drove us to excellence. Doug understands the importance of working with others and did a great job of building consensus on the ISD Board.
Doug also understands the importance of establishing good public policies, hiring competent staff, providing staff the tools and resources necessary to do their jobs, and letting staff do their work. From a General Manager’s perspective, this policy-based mindset from elected officials is critical to well functioning public entities. I believe this skill will be especially important (and useful) when functioning at the County Supervisor level.
Of course, with staff empowerment comes staff accountability, and Doug also understands this concept. While Doug is no tyrant, he is demanding and he expects results from staff; and holds his agency people accountable for the tasks they are given.
With the addition of four years experience on the Oakley City Council, Doug has gained additional insight into a more complex city government. I believe this experience, combined with his 12 years at ISD, has helped him gain the knowledge necessary to function and succeed at the county level.
So, based on my 16 years of knowing Mr. Hardcastle, (five as a District Engineer, seven as a General Manager, and four as an observer and friend), I strongly endorse Doug as a candidate for the position of Contra Costa County Supervisor, District III.
Sincerely,
Tom Williams
Civil Engineer and Retired General Manager
25 year Antioch resident
Read MoreThe Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office identified the victim of the shooting death in North Richmond, last Friday, as 19-year-old Adan Gomez of Richmond. The cause of death is multiple gunshot wounds.
On Friday, May 20, 2016 at about 7:46 PM, Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to area of 5th Street and Grove Avenue in North Richmond for a report of shots-fired.
Upon arrival Deputies located a shooting victim on the sidewalk. Deputies administered first aid until paramedics arrived. Gomez was taken to Kaiser Medical Center in Richmond and then airlifted to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Dispatch later received a call of a second shooting victim at Kaiser in Richmond. Deputies contacted the 23-year-old man, who was treated and released from the hospital.
The investigation into this homicide is ongoing.
Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to call the Office of the Sheriff Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
Read MoreThe victim in the homicide in North Richmond on Sunday, May 15th has been identified by the Contra Costa County Sheriff as 26-year-old Antoine Robinson of North Richmond. The cause of death is gunshot wound.
On Sunday, May 15, 2016 at about 1:45 AM, Sheriff’s Office dispatch received reports of shots fired in the area of Market Avenue and Fred Jackson Way in North Richmond.
The Sheriff’s Office was later advised that there was a shooting victim at Kaiser Medical Center in Richmond. Robinson was apparently shot at the location where the shooting was reported in North Richmond. He died at the hospital.
Deputies later found a shooting scene at the location. The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to call the Office of the Sheriff Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
Read MoreThe Contra Costa County Sheriff identified the victim in a shooting death in Rodeo as 29-year-old Willie Mulder, Jr. of Richmond. The cause of death is a gunshot wound.
At about 12:09 PM on Thursday, May 12, 2016, Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to numerous calls of “shots fired” in the area of Mariposa and Napa Avenues in the unincorporated area of Rodeo.
Upon arrival Deputies found the area clear of people, but numerous shell casings in the roadway. Local hospitals were notified to be on the lookout for possible gunshot victims.
The Sheriff’s Office was later notified by Kaiser Medical Center in Richmond that it had just received a gunshot victim, who was later pronounced deceased. The 29-year-old male victim is not being identified at this time.
Homicide Detectives and Crime Lab personnel responded to the scene. The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to call the Office of the Sheriff Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
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