Use all legal avenues to influence outside entities

By James Jens "Jim" Black

New enterprises such as "Air B and B" and "UBER" potentially offer either cost savings or income opportunities for our residents. But at what price to the greater community? Non regulated individuals without security background evaluation coming into the City invite crime potential that in my opinion is not worth the risk. Who is renting from Air B and B? Do we want a stream of short term lessees in the city? Who is driving the UBER car coming into the City? I would prefer to be conservative with these new enterprises and limit them until we have objective data from other cities ensuring they are safe.

Utilities, communications networks, and government agencies all have legal ability to install devices and infrastructure within our City. Specifically this often results in "poles" or antenna of various heights. Legally we cannot prohibit them, however we should do as much as possible to insist entities share poles, install as few as necessary, and if possible hide any required.

Lastly we have the California State Legislature. Many issues resulting in higher costs for Cities are because of them. Mandates regarding what we must pay for services referred to as "prevailing wage" result in very high cost for any undertaking. Employee retirement pools established by the legislature have not been adjusted upward despite the fact individuals are living longer. 63 years is the final retirement pool for CALPERS contrast with Social Security which is currently at 65y and is moving to 67y within a decade. The fiscal irresponsibility of the State Legislature ensures our City will have never ending underfunded pension liabilities.