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[AD] City Council members are seated at a curved dais.

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[AD] City Council members are seated at a curved dais. [CC] Mayor and council, we are live.

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[CC] Mayor and council, we are live.

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Okay, good evening, everyone.

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Welcome to the August 3rd, 2026 meeting

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of the Pasadena City Council.

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We'll start with the calling of the roll.

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Thank you, Mayor.

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Council member Cole is not in the room yet.

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Council member Hampton has not joined the meeting

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yet he's going to join for just cause

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reason to announce.

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Council member Jones.

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Council member Lyon.

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Here.

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Council member Madison.

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here counselor Masuda here vice mayor Rivas here mayor Gordo here there's a

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quorum the council present okay miss Rivas will you lead us in the pledge of

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allegiance please

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[AD] Council members and audience rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.

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[AD] Council members and audience sit down.

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in the interest of time we are going to take the agenda

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out of order and take item 3 up first given the level of public interest so

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we will jump right into item three.

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I'll turn it over to the city manager, Mr. Huxworth.

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Thank you, Mayor.

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Good evening, Mayor, council members.

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We are coming back this evening seeking council's actions

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to adopt the resolutions and other required documents

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to place a parcel tax on the ballot for November.

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We've shared this slide before that the only thing

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that we did add is it was asked

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what were our final deadlines relating

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to putting something on the ballot and if we had to make a change so we just

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wanted to share that this week August 7th is the last day to place a measure on

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the ballot and August 12th is the last day to amend or withdraw the measure.

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I'm not gonna read this. This is the ballot question. This is the same

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ballot question that we shared in the staff report. I will highlight that

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this provides for an annual levy of 19 cents per square foot of improved

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property that is a level 19% there a 19 cents sorry there is no escalator and

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then we took council's comments from the last meeting and the provision does

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include include incomes for low-income seniors and others that mirror the

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language in the code currently for the exemptions of the library parcel tax

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and and that's what this slide does it's these two sections and again

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and these are the same sections

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that are in the library parcel tax.

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[CC] So it would mirror those.

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[AD] Section D and E highlighted. "Senior Citizen or disability exemption" and "Very Low Income Limit" [CC] So it would mirror those.

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[AD] Section D and E highlighted. "Senior Citizen or disability exemption" and "Very Low Income Limit"

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We do wanna point out that in the proposed ordinance,

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that would be approved by voters.

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There is one correction.

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The draft that was in the staff report,

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it starts within the first fiscal year

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and it should have said for each fiscal year.

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So that's one change that we wanted to point out

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if the council moves forward

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with the staff recommendation.

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And then the financial model.

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So the proposed parcel tax structure,

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we reviewed a number of different scenarios

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across the board, lower amounts, higher amounts

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with inflationary growth without that.

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And here's what we have landed on.

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19 cents per square foot of improved property.

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We're proposing that it's assessed annually

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until ended by voters.

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By doing this methodology,

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it does meet the current strategic plan goals for the 10 year for both

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operations and capital.

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This financing mechanism would fund the capital on a pay

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as you go method. We could certainly issue debt and accelerate that but we

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wanted to make sure that this methodology worked for either and it

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does. And then we believe that this financing mechanism will provide viable

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operational revenue for approximately at least 15 years.

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And then we would certainly have to evaluate it

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in the future based on what the growth is,

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based on a developed property and whatnot over the years.

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So here's a couple of graphs to show the spend.

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And so this first graph, the first charts on the left,

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first five years, second five years,

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third five years, what it looks like.

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So you can see that a significant amount of capital

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gets done in the first 10 years and then as the capital ramps down the

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operational costs ramp up and take over what the revenue is covering covering

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each year and then on the right side this graph shows how a pay as you go

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model we would build up fund balance and then appropriate that money to do

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[CC] the various capital projects and I'll flip to the next slide which will

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[AD] Slide: "Implementation Timeline for Parcel Tax" with a Gantt chart. [CC] the various capital projects and I'll flip to the next slide which will

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[AD] Slide: "Implementation Timeline for Parcel Tax" with a Gantt chart.

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[AD] Slide: "Implementation Timeline for Parcel Tax" with a Gantt chart. [CC] show how that timing is so of course we debate men brush clearance that

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[CC] show how that timing is so of course we debate men brush clearance that

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kind of stuff would happen every year going forward.

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The lower ones in the red highlight the capital projects.

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And so under this proposal and working with the fire chief,

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we looked at facilitating the training center first

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with a hope of construction that that would be

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at the start of probably year two.

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Station 33 we built ideally would start at year three.

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Station 37 would the ideal part would be to start reconstruction of 37 as soon as

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33 was done because in talking to the chief it would probably be challenging

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to have two stations fully under renovation at the same time so we we do

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them consecutively and then in this model as a pay-as-you-go the ninth

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station the new ninth station would be would be done after 37 is rebuilt of

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Of course, if we explored issuing debt

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and doing it through a debt issuance,

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we could likely accelerate the night station

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earlier in the process,

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but this is what it would look like as a pay as you go.

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And then as I noted in the prior schedules,

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by using pay as you go and doing this methodology,

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we would need to ramp up the operational

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for the additional rescue ambulances,

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fire suppression company and ladder truck

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toward the later in starting from year six through year 10.

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And then the last one here is,

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So the proposed partial tax structure,

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it would be $304 on a 1,600 square foot.

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We were asked last week if there's

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any way to come up with an average of what somebody

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might pay in town.

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So we did look at some various things,

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and we were able to come up with the one

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at the bottom, which is a single-family residential

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home with a SES value of about $750,000.

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Their current property projected annual tax

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is around $9,600 if you included this $304 assessment

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into their property tax.

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I'm sorry, before you include this $304 assessment

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in their property tax.

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So with that, we will answer questions

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and proceed from there.

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And before we get in trouble with the fire marshal,

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if we could have some of you guys

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that are in front of the exits,

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there's plenty, there's a few seats,

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like I just would like to clear the doors

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just to make sure that we could get guys, anybody out.

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I just don't want the fire marshal to close us down.

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Okay,

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thank you, Mr. Clerk.

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Okay, we have 12 public comments.

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And if you, the clerk will call out names.

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If you hear your name,

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please form a line in the center aisle.

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Yeah, let's hear from the public first.

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[CC] Carlos Javeira followed by Lee Wallace,

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[AD] Public Speaker Carlos Javolera approaches the podium. [CC] Carlos Javeira followed by Lee Wallace,

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[CC] Carlos Javeira followed by Lee Wallace,

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then Jackie English, then Ida Demesian, Chen Vu,

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David Kissinger, Christian Miller, Rafi Bachachian,

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Jesus Rojas, Claire Bryan, Adam Breali,

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and Christina Terrazas.

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Those are the cards that I have.

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I'm sure we'll get a couple more.

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Two minutes, Mayor?

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Yes.

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Two minutes.

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And I'll ring a bell when you have 30 seconds left.

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So when you hear the bell, it's 30 seconds.

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Go ahead.

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Good evening.

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I'm Carlos Javellara, president of West Pasadena Residence

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Association and representing WPRA viewpoints

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on the Pasadena Fire Department's

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10-year operational and organizational plan.

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As we've seen with the Eaton conflagration,

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fire can obliterate a community.

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The Pasadena Fire Department has delivered a plan

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that mitigates fire danger while also improving fire

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suppression capabilities.

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and the WPRA supports it.

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This plan would improve emergency response times,

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address environmental change

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and growing wildfire risk locally,

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develop a long-term plan

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to address critical infrastructure needs

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for fire stations, improve operational efficiency

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and community safety,

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fund a comprehensive vegetation management program.

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The WPRA supports the fire department's continued research

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into thermal imaging technology as part of the city's early warning strategy for wildfires.

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As we saw with the Eden Fire and the Palisades Fire, wind-driven wildfires can move faster

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than traditional detection systems can keep pace with. No technology can guarantee prevention

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under those conditions, but earlier detection can shorten the gap between ignition and

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fire response. And in a fast-moving fire, minutes matter.

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We can't put a price on what we could lose

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if we don't act now.

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Fire doesn't wait for budgets to catch up.

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Thank you for your time.

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Thank you.

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And I would just ask for Council Member Hampton

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to, since you've joined the meeting,

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if you could announce your Just Cause

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accommodation request.

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Yes, I am participating in the meeting

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under just cause provisions for child care purposes and I guess is there

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anyone under the age of 18 over the age 18 sorry no one over the age 18 here

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with me in this room okay thank you and then the

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[CC] sorry the next speaker is Lee

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[AD] Public Speaker Lee Wallace approaches the podium. [CC] sorry the next speaker is Lee

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[AD] Public Speaker Lee Wallace approaches the podium.

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[AD] Public Speaker Lee Wallace approaches the podium. [CC] Lee Wallace.

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[CC] Lee Wallace.

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Mayor Guardo and members of the City Council,

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my name is Lee Wallace,

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representing West Pesting and Residence Association.

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I'm also here to support

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the fire department's expansion plan.

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And if you approve a vote on this with parcel tax,

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I will be voting for it,

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even though I will be paying a lot more

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than what you saw up there on the screen.

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If we do not modernize

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and make our fire department even more effective,

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home and business fire insurance costs

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are very likely to increase.

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And for some homes and businesses,

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they may face cancellation

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and having to obtain lower quality insurance coverage

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at higher rates.

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WPRA has devoted a lot of time and effort

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to research and educate our residents

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about what our high wildfire risk status means

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in terms of getting and keeping

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affordable home insurance.

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Insurance companies determine whether or not

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to insure a home based on two separate evaluations.

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Of course, the insurance companies evaluate an individual home for its risks.

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They include tree trimming, location of combustible materials, the nearest fire hydrant, the nearest

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fire station, et cetera.

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Insurance companies also weigh the fire risk in an entire community.

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The single most important factor in determining a community's fire risk is the effectiveness

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of the fire department.

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If Pasadena fails to provide the resources to modernize our fire infrastructure and

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up new, more effective methods and technologies that will send a clear signal to the insurance

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companies that we are not serious about reducing our high fire risk.

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Insurance companies can draw only one logical conclusion.

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Fire risk and passive need will remain high and only get higher.

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Higher risk means higher insurance costs and insurance cancellations.

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So the real question is not simply whether we pay more taxes.

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The question is whether we invest in our own fire department or risk paying more later through higher insurance

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Bills with no improvement in public safety to show for it. Thank you very much. Thank you

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[AD] Public Speaker Jacqueline English approaches the podium.

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[AD] Public Speaker Jacqueline English approaches the podium. [CC] and then Jackie English followed by

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[AD] Public Speaker Jacqueline English approaches the podium.

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Ada Demigian and then Shin Boo and if you heard your name, please come forward

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Go ahead. Hi y'all

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My name is Jacqueline English and I'm with the WPRA

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I'd like to begin with a simple question.

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How lucky do you feel today?

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How lucky do you feel?

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I'm asking that is because our community faces

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several significant risks that require immediate attention.

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According to a report cited by the Los Angeles Times,

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the U.S. Geological Survey has warned

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of a substantial likelihood of a major earthquake

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in the Los Angeles region by 2045.

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If a major rupture occurs, particularly near Cajon Pass, the consequences could be devastating

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for communities throughout the region.

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We're talking 6.7 or above.

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6.7 was the Northridge quake, okay?

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The geological survey is very worried right now about the San Andreas Fault.

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We cannot predict when that's going to happen.

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So we have to focus on preparedness.

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One of our most urgent needs is ensuring that our fire stations can withstand a major seismic

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event.

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Several stations, I think two, have not yet been retrofitted for earthquake safety.

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If a significant earthquake were to occur before these improvements are completed,

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we risk losing critical facilities, emergency vehicles, and potentially the firefighters

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who serve our community.

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The longer we delay, the greater the risk.

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Whether the solution is constructing new facilities or strengthening existing ones, we need to

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begin the process immediately.

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Design, planning, and construction take years, and every year of delay leaves us vulnerable.

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Earthquakes are not our only concern.

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Lucky us.

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Our community is also surrounded by a high fire hazard area.

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Experts have warned that the extreme wind conditions experienced in early 2025 are

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run a one-off. Powerful Santa Ana winds. Miss English, your time is expired? Pardon?

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Your time is expired? I thought there was going to be a bell. I rang it. I didn't

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hear it. Sorry. Can I finish my sentence?

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Okay, we need to reduce the fuel load in

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the Arroyo, retrofit or replace vulnerable fire stations as quickly as

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possible, strengthen our fire response capabilities, install sirens and

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folks evacuate and invest in infrastructure before a disaster

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[CC] occurs not after. Thank you. Thank you. Aida Demagian followed by Chen Vu, then David

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[AD] Public Speaker Aida Demagian approaches the podium. [CC] occurs not after. Thank you. Thank you. Aida Demagian followed by Chen Vu, then David

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[AD] Public Speaker Aida Demagian approaches the podium.

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[AD] Public Speaker Aida Demagian approaches the podium. [CC] Kissinger, then Christian Miller, then Rafi Bajachian. Good evening Mayor Gordo,

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[CC] Kissinger, then Christian Miller, then Rafi Bajachian. Good evening Mayor Gordo,

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council members. My name is Aida Demagian. I have been a resident of the

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city of Pasadena for over 50 years and I'm the current president-elect of

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Pasadena Association of Realtors. I urge you not to put this parcel tax on the

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ballot and the reason is public safety is one of the most fundamental

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responsibilities of local government. Fire protection and emergency medical

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services benefit everyone who lives, works, shops or visits our great city.

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They are not services used exclusively by property owners yet this proposal

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places the financial burden primarily on homeowners,

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including many who are least able to absorb

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another recurring expense.

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Many of our senior citizens

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purchased their homes decades ago.

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They are asset rich, but income limited,

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living on fixed retirement incomes

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that do not increase with inflation and rising taxes.

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They are already facing higher costs for insurance,

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utilities, health care, and everyday necessities.

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Another annual tax may seem modest on paper,

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but many seniors, it becomes one more bill

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that they must struggle to pay.

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Before asking homeowners to shoulder another tax,

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I encourage the city to explore

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many reasonable alternatives,

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including pursuing state and federal grants,

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improving operational efficiencies,

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strengthening economic development,

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and identifying new revenue resources that spread the cost more fairly among everyone who benefits from these essential services.

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We all agree that our firefighters and first responders deserve the resources they need.

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Believe me, I experienced that firsthand. My son's house burnt down in the Eaton fire.

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The question is whether homeowners, especially our seniors on fixed income,

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should bear a disproportionate share of that responsibility

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when these services protect the entire community.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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Thank you, Madam.

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Chen Wu, followed by David Kissinger,

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[CC] then Christian Miller.

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[AD] Public Speaker Chen Yu approaches the podium. [CC] then Christian Miller.

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[AD] Public Speaker Chen Yu approaches the podium.

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Good evening, Pasadena Council members.

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My name is Chen Yu.

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I'm a part of the Pasadena Fire Department.

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I'm here as a member and as a loser in the EEN fire.

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I want to advocate for this, for you guys to let the people decide if they should approve

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the attacks.

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And I hope you guys do, because I don't want anybody to go through what I'm going through

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and continue to go through and there's, I think we're kind of a little late behind

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on this game because me as a survivor, it feels like people have moved on and it's

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the next thing.

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So hopefully we can get this out there and have the people decide.

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Thank you.

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Thank you, sir.

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Thank you. David Kissinger, followed by Christian Miller, then Rafi Bachachian.

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[CC] Sure, welcome. Welcome. Go ahead. Good evening Mayor Gordo, members of the City Council,

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[AD] Public Speaker David Kissinger approaches the podium. [CC] Sure, welcome. Welcome. Go ahead. Good evening Mayor Gordo, members of the City Council,

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[CC] Sure, welcome. Welcome. Go ahead. Good evening Mayor Gordo, members of the City Council,

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David Kissinger with the Pestate Foothills Association of Realtors. Thank

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you for having this discussion tonight. Every first responder standing

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behind me in this room and in the department deserve to have the best

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resources available for protecting the community. This measure is not it and I

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to urge you to send it back. It needs more work. It needs more tension, more focus and a better

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financial plan so that the financial backing for the department can be made available. So what's

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wrong with what's wrong with the proposal right now on the table? The cost is actually so the

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the voters in Pasadena have been asked a number of times since 2020 to pay a little bit extra

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on their property taxes bringing the total cost according to our calculations of closer to $1,700

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over $1,700.

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For some families, that is as many as one to two months of groceries.

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The proposal as it stands now is unbalanced and it is unfair to property owners.

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The burden is almost entirely, we believe, on homeowners.

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While there is a provision for landlords and housing providers to pass it through

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to tenants, that is at best a Byzantine complicated and poorly documented process

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that a landlord would need to apply for again and again

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every single year forever,

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because this item does not have a sunset.

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We do not have faith respectfully in the rental housing board

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to process these requests in good faith,

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and so it is a deep concern for us.

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What I one again ask you to do is send it back,

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rework it, come up with a financial plan that works

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at a minimum, provide something like a sunset date,

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add for a more equitable and balanced pass-through,

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make it apply equally to all residents

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in all businesses of the city, come up with a better financial plan, something that doesn't

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necessarily need to go to the voters or to property taxes to make this plan work.

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Thank you all very much.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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[CC] Christian Miller, followed by Raffi Bajacian, then Jesus Rojas, Claire Bryan, Adam Bray

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[AD] Public Speaker Christian Miller approaches the podium. [CC] Christian Miller, followed by Raffi Bajacian, then Jesus Rojas, Claire Bryan, Adam Bray

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[CC] Christian Miller, followed by Raffi Bajacian, then Jesus Rojas, Claire Bryan, Adam Bray

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Ali, Christina Terazas.

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Hi, Mayor, Council, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak.

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I come here representing the city as a resident, I was born and raised here, born in Huntington

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hospital and as a Pasadena Fire Management President and a 21-year

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employee of the city. I wanted to address a couple of things. First of all, this

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this is something that we've been known about for a long time. It's been part

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of our strategic plan for over 20 years. I found some old documents from

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the 90s that are addressing these concerns that we have right now and

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I also recognize and appreciate that it's part of your top five priorities.

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So it's something that we need to address. Time is of the essence. If we

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addressed it 15 years ago, probably half the cost. So

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every year that goes by inflation and money just

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becomes more. I don't like paying a lot of taxes. Our

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citizens probably don't either, but they're willing

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to refurbish the library. I think they're going to

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be willing to refurbish and put money into public

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safety. The fire chief and the members behind us are

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responsible for evaluating risk. We evaluate risk for

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the lives and the citizens of Pasadena. We risk

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a life to save a life. We did that most recently at

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Eaton incident the members behind here as I was responding in as my family was

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evacuating were texting me saying where do I go well we all came in and that's

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what we want to do we want to continue to come in to serve this community and

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we can't do that if we don't have a sustainable future this provides us

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with a sustainable future it provides us with the ability to provide

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coverage to the city and it allows us to respond when we have emergencies

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like the Eaton incident thank you for your time thank you

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[AD] Public Speaker Raffy Bitchakdjian approaches the podium.

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Raffi good evening mayor council I want to thank you for your time and as

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always I want to thank the community for all the love and support they give us

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every day. I would be remiss if I never, if I didn't say that every meeting, uh,

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look around you in this room,

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every one of these firefighters that are here today represents one of your

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districts or works in one of your districts. Believe it or not.

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I know hopefully none of you have ever had to call nine one one,

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but this is our nine one one call. This is our call to the community.

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And what we want to do is give them the opportunity to vote and give them

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opportunity to help us be sustainable in the future. We want to leave this place

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better and we found it just like Christian said, been close coming up

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close to 20 years and all we have been doing is talking about it and we have

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not taken action and I think the longer we take the harder it is to be

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able to accomplish this. We've definitely kicked the can down the

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road far enough and before I retire and I leave this place I want to make

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sure that we leave it better and we found it for the future firefighters

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are in the back room. Their safety is my priority. I know it's the priority of the

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community too and we want to do the best we can and we need to be able to be

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sustainable and the chief has done an amazing plan putting this together the

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capital improvement plan to keep this place sustainable grow so that way we

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could lower our response times get there faster mitigate danger and help

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everyone that's out there in the community. So please again let's have a

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vote and let's get this measure on for November and keep this place

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sustainable and and and and take care of our firefighters and our safety and

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their families. Thank you very much. Thank you.

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[CC] Hey Zeus, Rojas, followed by Claire, Brian, then Adam Bray Ali, then

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[AD] Public Speaker Jesus Rojas approaches the podium. [CC] Hey Zeus, Rojas, followed by Claire, Brian, then Adam Bray Ali, then

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[AD] Public Speaker Jesus Rojas approaches the podium.

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[AD] Public Speaker Jesus Rojas approaches the podium. [CC] Christina, Torazas, then Pete Cutzer. Welcome. Hi, good evening. My name is

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[CC] Christina, Torazas, then Pete Cutzer. Welcome. Hi, good evening. My name is

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Jesus Rojas. I'm from the apartment association of Greater Los Angeles. I

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understands and believes that the fire services are vital for the entire

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community and should be a top priority as a core city service. However, Agla

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strongly opposes the parcel tax resolution as it is unfairly placed a

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financial burden solely onto property owners. Fire services are enjoyed by

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the entire community including renters, residential and commercial workers including

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non-residents, tourists, business, and social visitors.

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A sale tax, also known transactions and use tax,

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would be far more equitable and will face no opposition

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according to the city's finance committee report.

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If the need for additional funding is urgent,

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then the tax with the lease objectives

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should be utilized to secure passage,

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which is a sales tax and not a parcel tax.

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This is a rushed resolution that uses doing a proper mechanism as of a parcel tax instead

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of the proper mechanism of either a permanent or temporary sales tax so that everyone not

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just property owners who benefit from fire services will pay their fair share.

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Once again we urge the council to reject the parcel tax resolution and instead use

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a sales tax either permanent or temporary.

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Instead, if the council moves forward with the parcel tax, we request that all multifamily

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properties be excluded from it.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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[CC] Claire Bryan followed by Adam Bray-Ali, then Christina Terraza.

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[AD] Public Speaker Claire Bryan approaches the podium. [CC] Claire Bryan followed by Adam Bray-Ali, then Christina Terraza.

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Let me say I have the deepest respect for our city firefighters and for those across

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the state and country that risk their lives to keep us safe.

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But let's be honest, this parcel tax is being promoted as including a comprehensive

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wildfire prevention plan.

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It does not.

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Less than 5% of the money is directed

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to wildfire prevention throughout the entire city.

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And that paltry amount is stretched

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to include litter control and work program development.

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Not a single dime is earmarked

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for the dire fire hazard presented by the Arroyo Seco

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with its decades old buildup

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of dead trees and ladder fuel.

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This 227 million dollar plan misses the point.

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All fire experts agree that firefighters are basically

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helpless in putting down high wind driven wildfires

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unless until hundreds of thousands of people

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are dead and houses are burned.

483
00:28:16,450 --> 00:28:18,290
The best defense against a wildfire

484
00:28:18,290 --> 00:28:20,290
is vegetation management.

485
00:28:20,770 --> 00:28:24,690
Clearing away the dead fuel that feeds the flames.

486
00:28:24,690 --> 00:28:26,590
The Arroyo Seco with the steep slopes

487
00:28:26,590 --> 00:28:30,790
and North-South orientations, ready-made pile of kindling

488
00:28:31,450 --> 00:28:36,630
or even a spark from a campfire can set up a conflagration.

489
00:28:36,630 --> 00:28:38,650
I don't know whether the fire department needs

490
00:28:38,650 --> 00:28:41,100
all the new equipment they're asking for.

491
00:28:41,100 --> 00:28:45,230
I'm not sure that a comprehensive city-wide fire risk

492
00:28:45,230 --> 00:28:49,970
has been done and has analyzed how these news changes

493
00:28:49,970 --> 00:28:51,290
will affect things.

494
00:28:51,290 --> 00:28:54,610
But with respect to fire prevention in the Arroyo Seco,

495
00:28:54,610 --> 00:28:56,300
I do know this, it's urgent.

496
00:28:56,300 --> 00:29:00,670
I'm asking you to take immediate steps to address the dangerous accumulation of brush

497
00:29:00,670 --> 00:29:02,410
and vegetation.

498
00:29:02,410 --> 00:29:07,170
It's not a landscaping or maintenance issue, it's a wildfire safety issue.

499
00:29:07,170 --> 00:29:12,900
The city has recognized this in approving vegetation removal and goat grazing near

500
00:29:12,900 --> 00:29:13,370
Arroyo Seco.

501
00:29:13,370 --> 00:29:18,300
Pasadena cited the sequoia exemption for actions necessary to prevent or mitigate a

502
00:29:18,300 --> 00:29:24,630
wildfire emergency, yet significant areas of the Arroyo remain heavily overgrown.

503
00:29:24,690 --> 00:29:32,320
Miss Brian your time is expired. I didn't hear a bill one paragraph

504
00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:38,340
One paragraph the City Council is designated. You have the money. We want to be fair to everyone. So if you could

505
00:29:38,340 --> 00:29:40,000
[CC] If you'll

506
00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:40,980
[AD] Claire Bryan hands papers to the sergeant-at-arms. [CC] If you'll

507
00:29:40,980 --> 00:29:45,780
[AD] Claire Bryan hands papers to the sergeant-at-arms.

508
00:29:45,910 --> 00:29:51,910
hand it to the sergeant arms, thank you. Thank you

509
00:29:52,930 --> 00:30:01,916
Good evening mayor members of the City Council and more importantly the incredible men and women I see all around the room behind me

510
00:30:01,916 --> 00:30:03,976
Thank you for the opportunity to speak to this.

511
00:30:03,976 --> 00:30:06,596
I really wanna start by making one thing crystal clear.

512
00:30:06,596 --> 00:30:08,160
I strongly support our firefighters

513
00:30:08,160 --> 00:30:09,916
and the essential life-saving services

514
00:30:09,916 --> 00:30:13,876
they provide to our city every single day.

515
00:30:13,876 --> 00:30:17,796
However, I strongly oppose this parcel tax measure.

516
00:30:17,796 --> 00:30:20,256
The amount being discussed, the $22 million,

517
00:30:20,256 --> 00:30:23,836
represents less than 1.5% of the city's budget.

518
00:30:23,836 --> 00:30:25,576
Bringing this forward is a last minute,

519
00:30:25,576 --> 00:30:27,796
truly the last minute of this opportunity

520
00:30:27,796 --> 00:30:29,516
to put something on the tax measures,

521
00:30:29,516 --> 00:30:36,506
It feels like a Hail Mary designed and calculated to create division in our community, rather

522
00:30:36,506 --> 00:30:40,106
than fostering smart, disciplined budget decisions.

523
00:30:40,166 --> 00:30:44,526
It is deeply discouraging to see the General Fund priorities manipulated to create a false

524
00:30:44,526 --> 00:30:49,206
narrative, essentially making it appear as though the new tax is the only way to fund

525
00:30:49,206 --> 00:30:50,606
core services.

526
00:30:50,606 --> 00:30:54,206
Fire protection is a primary municipal responsibility.

527
00:30:54,206 --> 00:30:58,826
It should be prioritized directly within the General Fund, not held out as an excuse

528
00:30:58,826 --> 00:31:01,226
for an additional tax.

529
00:31:01,326 --> 00:31:07,746
Beyond the process, the structure of this tax is really fundamentally flawed. It never ends.

530
00:31:07,746 --> 00:31:12,376
There's no sunset to guarantee long-term oversight or accountability.

531
00:31:12,376 --> 00:31:18,776
It is unfairly distributed. It places a heavy burden on residential income properties and commercial properties

532
00:31:18,776 --> 00:31:25,856
without recognizing that all community members benefit from the fire protection and should share in funding it. For housing providers,

533
00:31:25,856 --> 00:31:30,876
this burden is especially compounding. Between the rising rent stabilization

534
00:31:30,876 --> 00:31:36,396
department fees and this proposed tax, owners will face at least $500 per year

535
00:31:36,396 --> 00:31:41,976
in additional fees in voted debt since 2022 per unit. These costs cannot be

536
00:31:41,976 --> 00:31:47,136
passed through or accounted with under CPI rent increases. In short, this

537
00:31:47,136 --> 00:31:51,376
last-minute Hail Mary should be adjusted and or rejected. Thank you.

538
00:31:51,376 --> 00:31:53,916
[CC] Thank you. Thank you. Christina Terrazas followed by Pete Kutzer. Welcome. Good evening Mayor,

539
00:31:53,916 --> 00:31:56,916
[AD] Public Speaker Christina Terrazas approaches the podium. [CC] Thank you. Thank you. Christina Terrazas followed by Pete Kutzer. Welcome. Good evening Mayor,

540
00:31:56,916 --> 00:31:59,560
[CC] Thank you. Thank you. Christina Terrazas followed by Pete Kutzer. Welcome. Good evening Mayor,

541
00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:04,196
good evening Council. My name is Christina Terrazas and I am a Pasadena firefighter. I've been with

542
00:32:04,196 --> 00:32:08,956
the city for 25 years and I'm currently assigned at station 37 which is one of the projects that

543
00:32:08,956 --> 00:32:14,616
would be put out on this measure to be enhanced and current to today's age. Ever since I've been

544
00:32:14,616 --> 00:32:19,976
here a lot of these conversations have been part of our discussion and we have not yet

545
00:32:19,976 --> 00:32:25,656
seen them fulfilled. I don't have much longer here and I would also like to advocate for

546
00:32:25,656 --> 00:32:29,516
the future of our fire department and better serving the community in which we do every

547
00:32:29,516 --> 00:32:35,196
single day. All of these members, our brothers and sisters answer the call phenomenally every

548
00:32:35,196 --> 00:32:38,936
single day regardless of the circumstances and the things that are up for this measure,

549
00:32:38,936 --> 00:32:45,136
but we are asking for a unanimous vote and your support so that we can have the

550
00:32:45,136 --> 00:32:50,336
of Pasadena go out and make this decision and just as we care for them

551
00:32:50,336 --> 00:32:54,596
we're asking that we give the opportunity to educate them and discuss

552
00:32:54,596 --> 00:32:59,656
this with them so that we can have a better city altogether that we serve.

553
00:32:59,656 --> 00:33:02,560
Thank you. Thank you.

554
00:33:05,916 --> 00:33:07,336
[AD] Public Speaker Pete Kutzer approaches the podium.

555
00:33:07,336 --> 00:33:08,916
[AD] Public Speaker Pete Kutzer approaches the podium. [CC] Mr. Kutzer. Good evening Mr. Mayor, honorable members of

556
00:33:08,916 --> 00:33:10,856
[CC] Mr. Kutzer. Good evening Mr. Mayor, honorable members of

557
00:33:10,856 --> 00:33:14,996
the City Council and city staff. My name is Pete Kutzer and our firm is an

558
00:33:14,996 --> 00:33:19,296
active investor and developer in Pasadena primarily of commercial property.

559
00:33:19,296 --> 00:33:23,856
Thank you to the City Council and the staff for doing this difficult work of

560
00:33:23,856 --> 00:33:26,916
assessing the city's deferred maintenance and capital needs. This

561
00:33:26,916 --> 00:33:32,376
responsibility is as crucial for our long-term resilience as it is unglamorous.

562
00:33:32,376 --> 00:33:36,696
From what I've seen, however, in the current ballot measure, this tax as

563
00:33:36,696 --> 00:33:41,276
designed will not be successful. I have the following concerns. This tax

564
00:33:41,276 --> 00:33:45,856
does not sunset. It's perpetual. It's good practice to come back before the

565
00:33:45,856 --> 00:33:50,976
voters every 10 years or so to update them and renew the tax.

566
00:33:50,976 --> 00:33:53,816
This parcel tax is not a flat amount per parcel

567
00:33:53,816 --> 00:33:56,336
as traditional parcel taxes are, but it's

568
00:33:56,336 --> 00:33:59,176
assessed at $0.19 per buildable square foot.

569
00:33:59,176 --> 00:34:01,176
Therefore, it's designed to more heavily tax

570
00:34:01,176 --> 00:34:04,176
commercial buildings and apartment buildings.

571
00:34:04,496 --> 00:34:06,316
This parcel tax has no requirement

572
00:34:06,316 --> 00:34:10,776
for actually spending on the crucial capital projects that

573
00:34:10,776 --> 00:34:15,746
are the main reason for it, only that they be prioritized.

574
00:34:15,746 --> 00:34:19,346
The annual amount raised, approximately $22 million,

575
00:34:19,426 --> 00:34:21,386
appears to be about 30%

576
00:34:21,386 --> 00:34:23,166
of the current fire department budget.

577
00:34:23,166 --> 00:34:24,306
That's a big percentage,

578
00:34:24,306 --> 00:34:27,726
and so being more specific would behoove us all.

579
00:34:27,726 --> 00:34:30,626
The fire department's about 8% of the city's overall budget,

580
00:34:30,626 --> 00:34:32,426
and so I would ask, what are the expectations

581
00:34:32,426 --> 00:34:34,886
for future new taxes to help fund the capital

582
00:34:34,886 --> 00:34:40,286
and operating needs of the other 92% of city operations?

583
00:34:40,576 --> 00:34:42,960
As an example of the impact on businesses,

584
00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:45,136
I would highlight that virtually every tall office building

585
00:34:45,136 --> 00:34:49,296
Lake Avenue has recently gone through foreclosure in the last year or will in

586
00:34:49,296 --> 00:34:54,656
the next couple of years. This represents about a 10% increase in property taxes

587
00:34:54,656 --> 00:34:58,456
for every business and apartment building in Pasadena and that's a big

588
00:34:58,456 --> 00:35:01,716
increased burden with everything that's going on with inflation and

589
00:35:01,716 --> 00:35:05,316
spiking costs of insurance and utilities.

590
00:35:05,326 --> 00:35:06,506
The fire department is at the

591
00:35:06,506 --> 00:35:09,986
heart of our resiliency as a community and our firefighters put their

592
00:35:09,986 --> 00:35:14,986
lives on the line for us. I would fully support a flat rate per

593
00:35:14,986 --> 00:35:22,186
parcel tax that sunsets thank you very much thank you thank you

594
00:35:22,486 --> 00:35:23,426
that completes

595
00:35:23,426 --> 00:35:30,396
public comment on this item okay we've had previous discussions related to this

596
00:35:30,396 --> 00:35:33,996
matter are there any questions or

597
00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:36,776
requests for more information or comments

598
00:35:36,776 --> 00:35:46,376
from my colleagues I'll start with mr. Hampton who is in the queue he had his

599
00:35:48,996 --> 00:35:55,446
do we need to vote for me to participate no no okay purpose you want to make sure

600
00:35:55,446 --> 00:36:01,846
all right um i appreciate all the public commenters um for and those that want us to clarify things

601
00:36:01,846 --> 00:36:07,660
um when this came out of uh finance originally mayor i had mentioned that you know there should

602
00:36:07,660 --> 00:36:13,460
be some sort of sunset um whether it be 10 years eight 10 years i don't know um what the

603
00:36:13,460 --> 00:36:18,726
that the deadline would be but having a parcel tax on the ballot i mean having a parcel tax on

604
00:36:18,726 --> 00:36:25,416
without any sunset doesn't give a the opportunity for residents to to re-vote it

605
00:36:25,416 --> 00:36:30,616
up so I would be in support of this going on the ballot ultimately it's

606
00:36:30,616 --> 00:36:35,876
really up to the voters so I don't want to take away their opportunity if they

607
00:36:35,876 --> 00:36:41,116
believe that we need more fire services I believe that we do but I do

608
00:36:41,116 --> 00:36:43,856
think that there should be a sense that so we could have a check-in you

609
00:36:43,856 --> 00:36:48,356
know for the next council I probably will not be on the council with this

610
00:36:48,356 --> 00:36:50,276
sunset comes back up.

611
00:36:50,276 --> 00:36:52,376
But I do think that it's an opportunity

612
00:36:52,376 --> 00:36:53,576
for checks and balances.

613
00:36:53,576 --> 00:36:58,896
So I would be in favor of this with a 10 year sunset.

614
00:36:58,896 --> 00:37:01,560
Thank you, Mr. Hampton.

615
00:37:01,560 --> 00:37:02,596
Mr. Masuda.

616
00:37:02,596 --> 00:37:03,356
Thank you, Mayor.

617
00:37:03,356 --> 00:37:06,496
And I appreciate all the speakers that spoke today

618
00:37:06,496 --> 00:37:09,336
and no matter what side you're on.

619
00:37:09,336 --> 00:37:11,616
But I wrote down the comments that,

620
00:37:11,616 --> 00:37:14,760
especially the people that supported the parcel tax

621
00:37:14,760 --> 00:37:16,636
and they said to modernize our fire department

622
00:37:16,636 --> 00:37:20,836
and to reduce risk, better fire preparedness.

623
00:37:24,186 --> 00:37:27,536
Don't have people divided on this.

624
00:37:27,536 --> 00:37:32,336
So we can respond to emergencies and respond better

625
00:37:32,336 --> 00:37:36,696
and firefighters to get to the fire quicker.

626
00:37:36,696 --> 00:37:40,716
And I believe that and I'm gonna support having this

627
00:37:40,716 --> 00:37:43,656
on the ballot this year.

628
00:37:43,656 --> 00:37:44,296
Thank you.

629
00:37:44,296 --> 00:37:50,296
Thank you Mr. Masuda. Ms. Rivas followed by Mr. Jones.

630
00:37:51,360 --> 00:37:52,576
Sorry. I have a question for

631
00:37:52,576 --> 00:37:56,936
Matt. We chatted a little bit earlier about this kind of the philosophical

632
00:37:56,936 --> 00:38:01,516
different approaches to focusing on capital versus operating. I think the

633
00:38:01,516 --> 00:38:06,736
case for the capital improvements has been very clear for decades now. We got

634
00:38:06,736 --> 00:38:10,876
to rebuild two stations. We've got to build another station. We've got to

635
00:38:10,876 --> 00:38:15,196
the training center, I think that the case,

636
00:38:15,196 --> 00:38:19,236
or for me in my mind, I wanna hear funding

637
00:38:19,236 --> 00:38:21,596
ongoing operating costs by this method.

638
00:38:21,596 --> 00:38:22,896
What are the alternatives?

639
00:38:22,896 --> 00:38:24,936
Why is this the best way to do it?

640
00:38:24,936 --> 00:38:27,160
Because in my conversations with residents,

641
00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:29,336
it's a very easy conversation to have about,

642
00:38:29,336 --> 00:38:31,116
you know, these one time capital expenditures.

643
00:38:31,116 --> 00:38:32,356
There's no other way to fund them.

644
00:38:32,356 --> 00:38:34,256
But the operating costs, I mean,

645
00:38:34,256 --> 00:38:36,276
it aren't those things we should be figuring out

646
00:38:36,276 --> 00:38:39,916
how to fund in other ways and planning

647
00:38:39,916 --> 00:38:45,716
for decades down the road instead of just relying on this measure so if you

648
00:38:45,716 --> 00:38:51,996
can shed any light on that. Sure I I would say is as a couple the the

649
00:38:51,996 --> 00:38:55,336
firefighters noted earlier that that this has been part of the plan for

650
00:38:55,336 --> 00:39:01,896
quite a long time and and I would say that the city has been prioritizing

651
00:39:01,896 --> 00:39:06,856
fire improvements where we can we recently added a six rescue ambulance to

652
00:39:06,856 --> 00:39:13,616
response we recently added a second battalion chief shift for all three

653
00:39:13,616 --> 00:39:19,436
shifts so we have been making incremental gains but looking in the

654
00:39:19,436 --> 00:39:23,216
forecast of all of the other things that we need to make we don't believe

655
00:39:23,216 --> 00:39:27,136
that we'll be able to achieve all of these within our current operating

656
00:39:27,136 --> 00:39:33,176
structure in terms of the general fund being primarily property tax sales

657
00:39:33,176 --> 00:39:38,216
tax, utility users' tax growth, most of those are,

658
00:39:38,216 --> 00:39:41,516
I mean, you've heard for the last many, many years

659
00:39:41,516 --> 00:39:43,636
we've been challenging, we've been challenged

660
00:39:43,636 --> 00:39:47,396
with balancing the budget, and so the city is,

661
00:39:47,396 --> 00:39:49,196
we've had a parcel tax for the library

662
00:39:49,196 --> 00:39:52,536
for quite a long time, and yes, that's had a sunset

663
00:39:52,536 --> 00:39:55,396
and the voters have approved extending that sunset

664
00:39:55,396 --> 00:39:58,696
for many years, but in working with the chief

665
00:39:58,696 --> 00:40:01,456
and the other parties involved, we believe

666
00:40:01,456 --> 00:40:04,876
that things like adding another truck unit,

667
00:40:04,876 --> 00:40:07,136
another fire suppression unit,

668
00:40:07,136 --> 00:40:09,216
opening up a ninth fire station,

669
00:40:09,216 --> 00:40:10,956
those are things that we're just not gonna be able

670
00:40:10,956 --> 00:40:12,456
to absorb the operating costs

671
00:40:12,456 --> 00:40:16,560
within our existing revenue structure long-term.

672
00:40:16,296 --> 00:40:18,276
And that's why we have been trying to maximize

673
00:40:18,276 --> 00:40:22,560
our return on billables for emergency response

674
00:40:22,560 --> 00:40:23,776
for our rescue ambulances.

675
00:40:23,776 --> 00:40:26,176
And I think the chief and the firefighters in the room,

676
00:40:26,176 --> 00:40:27,596
they've doubled that revenue,

677
00:40:27,596 --> 00:40:29,916
I think in the last six, seven years.

678
00:40:29,916 --> 00:40:32,556
and that's how we've afforded the six rescue ambulance

679
00:40:32,556 --> 00:40:33,356
and things like that.

680
00:40:33,356 --> 00:40:35,516
So we have been doing as much as we can

681
00:40:35,516 --> 00:40:37,596
and we think we're at the point where our budget

682
00:40:37,596 --> 00:40:40,656
won't be able to support it under the status quo.

683
00:40:40,656 --> 00:40:43,560
I appreciate that explanation.

684
00:40:43,196 --> 00:40:46,856
I'm also interested in having some sort of sunset

685
00:40:46,856 --> 00:40:49,656
or giving voters an opportunity to re-up

686
00:40:49,656 --> 00:40:53,856
or to continue on with the tax.

687
00:40:54,316 --> 00:40:57,196
Does staff have a position on the timing of that though?

688
00:40:57,196 --> 00:40:59,176
I believe Council Member Hampton mentioned 10 years

689
00:40:59,176 --> 00:41:00,516
in your presentation you mentioned

690
00:41:00,516 --> 00:41:02,796
that the current proposal would fund operational needs

691
00:41:02,796 --> 00:41:05,116
for 15 years, is there a preference

692
00:41:05,116 --> 00:41:08,796
or do you have a suggestion on the timeframe for a sunset?

693
00:41:08,796 --> 00:41:12,356
Sure, I mean, if the council did desire to put a sunset,

694
00:41:12,356 --> 00:41:14,996
this is why we offered up the model

695
00:41:14,996 --> 00:41:16,956
which had the getting everything done

696
00:41:16,956 --> 00:41:19,136
within the first 10 years

697
00:41:19,136 --> 00:41:21,636
and purposely looking at a pay as you go method

698
00:41:21,636 --> 00:41:25,160
in case we couldn't issue 20 or 30 year debt.

699
00:41:25,160 --> 00:41:26,796
And so we do believe that we could achieve

700
00:41:26,796 --> 00:41:31,716
all the results within that 10 year window if the council so choose chose to

701
00:41:31,716 --> 00:41:37,560
put a 10 or 15 year sunset on it that's why we built this model is so that it

702
00:41:37,560 --> 00:41:41,916
could accommodate a sunset if the council wanted to go that route okay

703
00:41:41,916 --> 00:41:46,376
so the model could accommodate a 10 or 15 year sunset and I'm assuming a 15

704
00:41:46,376 --> 00:41:50,496
year sunset would be more preferable give you more breathing room it it

705
00:41:50,496 --> 00:41:57,760
it would still go back to voters right right but rebuilding two fire

706
00:41:57,760 --> 00:41:59,946
in building a new fire station.

707
00:41:59,946 --> 00:42:01,666
We will work earnestly on that,

708
00:42:01,666 --> 00:42:05,660
but yeah, the extra years gives us a little more runway,

709
00:42:05,660 --> 00:42:08,146
but I mean, we believe we can do it in the 10 years as well,

710
00:42:08,146 --> 00:42:09,666
if that's what the council wants to do.

711
00:42:09,666 --> 00:42:10,826
Okay, thank you so much, Mayor.

712
00:42:10,826 --> 00:42:13,206
I'm supportive, but I would prefer a sunset

713
00:42:13,206 --> 00:42:15,926
to give voters the chance to revisit this

714
00:42:15,926 --> 00:42:17,666
in 10 or 15 years.

715
00:42:17,666 --> 00:42:19,806
I think I'd have a slight preference for 15,

716
00:42:19,806 --> 00:42:21,106
but open to both.

717
00:42:21,106 --> 00:42:22,936
Thank you.

718
00:42:22,936 --> 00:42:23,996
Thank you.

719
00:42:23,996 --> 00:42:25,996
Mr. Cole.

720
00:42:26,896 --> 00:42:28,896
Thank you, Mayor.

721
00:42:28,956 --> 00:42:34,356
Three things. First, my appreciation to everyone who spoke.

722
00:42:37,456 --> 00:42:41,356
This is not the ideal way to make

723
00:42:41,356 --> 00:42:47,226
this decision. I think we could all acknowledge that. What is true is that there is a rush

724
00:42:47,226 --> 00:42:53,186
to put this on the ballot because we have a limited timeframe. This will have to wait

725
00:42:53,186 --> 00:42:56,146
two years if we don't move tonight.

726
00:42:56,146 --> 00:42:59,706
What's not true is that this is new.

727
00:42:59,706 --> 00:43:02,626
Our fire chief, since he arrived here,

728
00:43:02,626 --> 00:43:07,426
has done an extraordinary job of really analyzing

729
00:43:09,760 --> 00:43:12,576
what the needs of a 21st century fire department

730
00:43:12,576 --> 00:43:15,876
for the city of Pasadena needs to be

731
00:43:15,876 --> 00:43:17,936
in order to protect every single one

732
00:43:17,936 --> 00:43:20,236
of the people in this room.

733
00:43:20,236 --> 00:43:21,856
And we have done the studies.

734
00:43:21,856 --> 00:43:29,560
We have done the analysis and we have done the hard work

735
00:43:29,516 --> 00:43:33,960
of recognizing that it can't be accommodated within our,

736
00:43:33,960 --> 00:43:36,796
we're going to have a struggle to balance our budget, period,

737
00:43:36,796 --> 00:43:42,760
given all of the challenges facing cities with inflation.

738
00:43:42,760 --> 00:43:46,336
So, this, a lot of work has gone into this

739
00:43:46,336 --> 00:43:48,536
and that's why I'm prepared to support it.

740
00:43:48,536 --> 00:43:53,936
Like my colleagues, I think that a forever tax

741
00:43:54,286 --> 00:43:58,460
is understandably a concern to folks in the community,

742
00:43:58,460 --> 00:44:01,646
and all of us are concerned about the various taxes

743
00:44:01,646 --> 00:44:04,460
that have been piled on by the school district,

744
00:44:04,460 --> 00:44:08,266
by the community college, by us, by the county.

745
00:44:08,266 --> 00:44:10,546
And this is yet one more.

746
00:44:10,546 --> 00:44:15,946
So on the timing, could we issue 15-year finance?

747
00:44:18,386 --> 00:44:21,986
Certainly we have in the past.

748
00:44:22,496 --> 00:44:27,560
Yeah, that's long enough that we could certainly issue debt on that kind of timeframe.

749
00:44:27,560 --> 00:44:33,960
So I'm more comfortable with a 15-year, because I do think we want to accelerate that.

750
00:44:33,960 --> 00:44:38,396
I also believe, Mr. Mayor, and I'll make this as part of the motion, whoever ends

751
00:44:38,396 --> 00:44:41,396
up making the motion tonight,

752
00:44:41,536 --> 00:44:48,136
that we have actually a guarantee that we are going to

753
00:44:49,960 --> 00:44:54,316
unsound and we are going to build a ninth station. I think to prioritize that

754
00:44:54,316 --> 00:44:59,456
I understand why people are concerned. That is our priority. That should be our

755
00:44:59,456 --> 00:45:04,756
commitment to the voters that if they are willing to make this investment

756
00:45:04,756 --> 00:45:08,356
that they see the tangible results.

757
00:45:09,516 --> 00:45:13,716
And finally this may not make a

758
00:45:15,486 --> 00:45:19,636
in how a person votes, it may make a difference

759
00:45:19,636 --> 00:45:22,596
in how people prioritize their finances,

760
00:45:22,596 --> 00:45:27,756
particularly people who we know out there will struggle.

761
00:45:27,756 --> 00:45:31,160
I am more comfortable with the original 17 cents

762
00:45:31,160 --> 00:45:33,196
we talked about, we talked about a range,

763
00:45:33,196 --> 00:45:35,596
17 to I think 24 cents.

764
00:45:35,676 --> 00:45:39,236
19 is a reasonable number in terms of financing

765
00:45:39,236 --> 00:45:40,956
all of the things we want to do.

766
00:45:40,956 --> 00:45:44,116
But I think the citizens who've raised concerns

767
00:45:44,116 --> 00:45:46,516
and their legitimate concerns tonight about,

768
00:45:46,516 --> 00:45:47,836
well, what is the city doing?

769
00:45:47,836 --> 00:45:50,656
Where's the city prioritizing this?

770
00:45:50,656 --> 00:45:52,596
And you've made the point, which again,

771
00:45:52,596 --> 00:45:54,816
we need to make clear to the community

772
00:45:54,816 --> 00:45:57,160
that we have found additional resources.

773
00:45:57,160 --> 00:45:59,456
The last three years running,

774
00:45:59,456 --> 00:46:03,656
we have added over and above the existing staffing

775
00:46:03,656 --> 00:46:07,256
and operations of the fire department.

776
00:46:07,956 --> 00:46:10,156
And we've done that through the budget process.

777
00:46:10,156 --> 00:46:17,796
but I think I would be more comfortable with the 17 cents. It's a small adjustment

778
00:46:17,796 --> 00:46:23,596
but I think that puts us in a better position for us to make some hard

779
00:46:23,596 --> 00:46:27,456
decisions around this table and that's what I think citizens are asking us to

780
00:46:27,456 --> 00:46:29,456
do.

781
00:46:31,436 --> 00:46:37,716
Mr. Lyon. Thank You Mayor. I also want to thank everyone who came out to

782
00:46:37,716 --> 00:46:44,266
I was I've been talking all weekend about this and about the development in

783
00:46:44,266 --> 00:46:50,506
my in my neighborhood back and forth and have heard from a lot of people that I

784
00:46:50,506 --> 00:46:55,566
I and heard a lot of what you had to say today I'm particularly sensitive to

785
00:46:55,566 --> 00:47:01,860
mr. Cutzer's comments about the burden on commercial buildings which I hadn't

786
00:47:01,860 --> 00:47:05,260
really fully appreciated in the formulation of this tax and it you

787
00:47:05,260 --> 00:47:10,426
South Lake is in my district and I have we are still reeling from those

788
00:47:10,426 --> 00:47:14,646
bankruptcies we are an expensive place to live I say all the time we're also an

789
00:47:14,646 --> 00:47:18,460
expensive place to do business and we're gonna have to reckon with that

790
00:47:18,460 --> 00:47:24,916
and all of that said I am highly convinced of the need here it as

791
00:47:24,916 --> 00:47:31,556
people said very well today it goes back many many years a few people

792
00:47:31,556 --> 00:47:34,856
have said like this is all sort of a rush to judgment after the Eaton

793
00:47:34,856 --> 00:47:40,236
I think the Eden fire just demonstrated for us the urgency of this work but we

794
00:47:40,236 --> 00:47:44,996
knew certainly clearly before that this work was essential. I also appreciate all

795
00:47:44,996 --> 00:47:48,496
our firefighters coming out. Y'all I hope we don't have a big fire tonight

796
00:47:48,496 --> 00:47:52,516
because I'm worried about it. But thank you for being here. It's good to see

797
00:47:52,516 --> 00:47:57,456
all of you in one place. We don't get to do that very often.

798
00:47:57,456 --> 00:47:57,996
So the things

799
00:47:57,996 --> 00:48:02,936
I think we're all leaning toward putting this on the

800
00:48:02,936 --> 00:48:07,536
it and and I thought Rafi said very well like ultimately this is a question for

801
00:48:07,536 --> 00:48:13,860
the people to decide and we should let the people to decide I think we do need

802
00:48:13,860 --> 00:48:17,846
to give it the best chance of passing and what I heard all weekend were two

803
00:48:17,846 --> 00:48:24,460
things one it needs a sunset to a person every person said to me I would

804
00:48:24,460 --> 00:48:28,260
feel much more comfortable if I knew it stopped the second thing were

805
00:48:28,260 --> 00:48:32,446
variations on the theme of some guarantee that the money actually goes

806
00:48:32,446 --> 00:48:35,726
to what we say it's going to, whether that is citizen

807
00:48:35,726 --> 00:48:41,126
oversight or a firmer promise in the ballot language

808
00:48:42,526 --> 00:48:43,346
than we have.

809
00:48:43,346 --> 00:48:46,326
So that's my question to you.

810
00:48:46,326 --> 00:48:48,726
How do we shore up the, because certainly we

811
00:48:48,726 --> 00:48:51,846
have had measures in the past, whether at the county,

812
00:48:51,846 --> 00:48:53,466
I don't know if we have in this city,

813
00:48:53,466 --> 00:48:56,766
but certainly at the county and state level

814
00:48:56,766 --> 00:49:00,366
that didn't fund what we thought

815
00:49:00,446 --> 00:49:01,226
they were going to fund.

816
00:49:01,226 --> 00:49:08,146
right so how do we meaningfully convince the public that that these funds are

817
00:49:08,146 --> 00:49:12,146
going to go to these projects and in 10 years or 15 years or whatever sunset we

818
00:49:12,146 --> 00:49:14,646
decide on we're going to see these two stations

819
00:49:14,646 --> 00:49:21,166
rehabbed and a new station built sure so in the big picture this is a

820
00:49:21,166 --> 00:49:24,746
special tax and so it doesn't go into the general

821
00:49:24,746 --> 00:49:28,660
fund it's not part of the broader general fund

822
00:49:28,660 --> 00:49:32,136
and the city as mentioned earlier had a library tax for

823
00:49:32,136 --> 00:49:34,160
many, many years of parcel tax,

824
00:49:34,160 --> 00:49:36,156
and I'm not aware of us ever being challenged

825
00:49:36,156 --> 00:49:37,936
on whether or not we appropriately use

826
00:49:37,936 --> 00:49:41,116
the library tax for library purposes.

827
00:49:41,116 --> 00:49:44,560
So it is a special tax, it just can't get lumped in

828
00:49:44,560 --> 00:49:47,436
to everything else that we do.

829
00:49:47,436 --> 00:49:50,776
The proposed language that would amend the municipal code

830
00:49:50,776 --> 00:49:52,996
does establish a baseline,

831
00:49:52,996 --> 00:49:57,336
so we can't just pull money out of the existing budget

832
00:49:57,336 --> 00:49:58,836
and supplant it with this money,

833
00:49:58,836 --> 00:50:00,316
because it establishes a baseline

834
00:50:00,316 --> 00:50:03,436
based on our current deployment and things like that.

835
00:50:03,436 --> 00:50:07,436
And then the other thing is if the council wants to,

836
00:50:07,436 --> 00:50:10,316
there is the language, as you mentioned earlier,

837
00:50:10,316 --> 00:50:12,560
about capital improvement

838
00:50:12,560 --> 00:50:14,116
and capital improvement prioritization.

839
00:50:14,116 --> 00:50:16,396
I think that if the council would like,

840
00:50:16,396 --> 00:50:18,360
it says capital improvement is currently,

841
00:50:18,360 --> 00:50:19,896
it says capital improvements for the fire department,

842
00:50:19,896 --> 00:50:22,996
including stations, training centers, fire headquarters,

843
00:50:22,996 --> 00:50:24,796
essential safety, infrastructure, rescue,

844
00:50:24,796 --> 00:50:27,796
ambulances, fire apparatus, and equipment.

845
00:50:27,896 --> 00:50:31,556
We can bolster that to specifically call out

846
00:50:31,556 --> 00:50:34,896
fire stations 33, 37, and a new fire station

847
00:50:34,896 --> 00:50:38,336
if the council would like to more firmly highlight

848
00:50:38,336 --> 00:50:43,736
what those are, and that would be in section 4.110.150,

849
00:50:45,716 --> 00:50:47,336
which is the purpose of it.

850
00:50:47,336 --> 00:50:50,560
We can bolster that section.

851
00:50:50,560 --> 00:50:52,536
Okay, I would like to see some language firming it up.

852
00:50:52,536 --> 00:50:54,356
I think these are the things that I'm hearing,

853
00:50:54,356 --> 00:50:56,896
and I also would support a sunset.

854
00:50:56,896 --> 00:50:59,896
And with that, I'm supportive.

855
00:51:02,206 --> 00:51:05,136
So before I, oh, Mr. Jones.

856
00:51:05,136 --> 00:51:06,360
You wanna go?

857
00:51:06,360 --> 00:51:07,276
No, go ahead, Mr. Jones.

858
00:51:07,276 --> 00:51:08,760
Thanks, Mayor.

859
00:51:08,760 --> 00:51:11,276
And then thanks to the firefighters

860
00:51:11,276 --> 00:51:15,656
that turned out here today and also to our residents.

861
00:51:15,656 --> 00:51:17,436
You know, first I wanna say, like,

862
00:51:17,436 --> 00:51:19,896
I'm very supportive of our fire department.

863
00:51:19,896 --> 00:51:23,136
I also understand that the financial realities

864
00:51:23,136 --> 00:51:25,360
of our working class residents,

865
00:51:25,360 --> 00:51:28,360
Every dollar counts towards medication,

866
00:51:28,360 --> 00:51:30,196
towards groceries, towards gas.

867
00:51:30,196 --> 00:51:31,936
And I'm not just speaking this, you know,

868
00:51:31,936 --> 00:51:33,116
obviously from my own experience,

869
00:51:33,116 --> 00:51:34,616
but from talking to the residents

870
00:51:34,616 --> 00:51:36,960
over these past few weeks,

871
00:51:36,960 --> 00:51:39,636
since we started to initiate this discussion.

872
00:51:39,636 --> 00:51:42,996
With that said, I do think we need to move forward

873
00:51:42,996 --> 00:51:45,596
with supporting this ballot measure

874
00:51:45,596 --> 00:51:49,360
and place it on the ballot and let the voters decide.

875
00:51:49,360 --> 00:51:51,656
And I think ultimately, you know,

876
00:51:51,656 --> 00:51:54,360
we need to make sure that we retrofit

877
00:51:54,360 --> 00:51:56,816
our stations, we need to make sure

878
00:51:56,816 --> 00:51:58,656
that we have a new training facility

879
00:51:58,656 --> 00:52:02,196
for our fire department, have a new battalion chief.

880
00:52:02,196 --> 00:52:03,816
I think we approved one last year

881
00:52:03,816 --> 00:52:05,216
and didn't have a third one.

882
00:52:05,216 --> 00:52:06,736
And I would say that this has been around

883
00:52:06,736 --> 00:52:07,656
for quite some time.

884
00:52:07,656 --> 00:52:09,316
Ever since I came on the city council

885
00:52:09,316 --> 00:52:12,760
when I met with the chief,

886
00:52:12,760 --> 00:52:15,596
after he asked me how much weight did I deadlift,

887
00:52:15,596 --> 00:52:19,196
he brought up the 10-year plan.

888
00:52:20,616 --> 00:52:23,556
He brought up his vision for the fire department.

889
00:52:23,556 --> 00:52:25,716
And I think we have a world-class fire department.

890
00:52:25,716 --> 00:52:27,296
And so that requires, you know,

891
00:52:27,296 --> 00:52:28,496
obviously world-class thinking,

892
00:52:28,496 --> 00:52:30,676
and it requires resources for us

893
00:52:30,676 --> 00:52:32,336
to keep our community safe.

894
00:52:32,336 --> 00:52:34,556
And I heard today, and I heard also

895
00:52:34,556 --> 00:52:35,756
these past couple of weekends

896
00:52:35,756 --> 00:52:38,576
about sunsetting this parcel tax.

897
00:52:38,576 --> 00:52:40,976
So I'd be interested in evaluating

898
00:52:40,976 --> 00:52:42,976
the 15-year sunset.

899
00:52:43,636 --> 00:52:47,816
I'd be open to discussing a 10-year sunset as well.

900
00:52:47,816 --> 00:52:50,760
And also the, as my colleague has said,

901
00:52:50,760 --> 00:52:53,376
some firmer promise to the voters

902
00:52:53,376 --> 00:52:56,576
on what this money will be used for.

903
00:52:56,576 --> 00:52:58,456
Just making sure that there's a guarantee

904
00:52:58,456 --> 00:53:01,276
that the money's gonna be used to retrofit the stations.

905
00:53:01,276 --> 00:53:03,236
I don't know if I'd go as far as, say,

906
00:53:03,236 --> 00:53:05,796
Fire Station 33 and Fire Station 37,

907
00:53:05,796 --> 00:53:09,976
maybe just saying retrofit the fire stations.

908
00:53:09,976 --> 00:53:12,756
And also, I guess, for the city manager,

909
00:53:12,756 --> 00:53:14,356
for the interim city manager,

910
00:53:14,356 --> 00:53:16,616
as he whispers to the finance director,

911
00:53:16,616 --> 00:53:21,416
can we spend this money on other items

912
00:53:22,456 --> 00:53:26,236
so in calling the election there's a

913
00:53:26,236 --> 00:53:31,316
resolution and in the resolution there's a whole slew of where as's and then

914
00:53:31,316 --> 00:53:36,296
there is the amendment to the municipal code if it's not in that document we

915
00:53:36,296 --> 00:53:41,660
can't spend money on it that document also provides the guardrails of what

916
00:53:41,660 --> 00:53:46,426
we can spend money on and so while for example fire stations 33 and 37

917
00:53:46,426 --> 00:53:51,226
aren't currently in the draft municipal code amendment, they are in the where as's.

918
00:53:51,226 --> 00:53:58,746
And in the where as's, it's very explicit. It says including reconstruction of fire station 3337,

919
00:53:58,746 --> 00:54:03,660
construction of an additional fire station, etc. are the things that we've talked about. So

920
00:54:03,660 --> 00:54:07,966
if we want to put any more guard rails, it should be in that resolution document.

921
00:54:07,966 --> 00:54:14,706
I see. Okay. That's helpful. And then I did hear about the burden on commercial properties

922
00:54:14,706 --> 00:54:21,306
on Lake, I mean, could you just opine on that, Matt?

923
00:54:22,196 --> 00:54:26,396
I'm not sure what, I'm not gonna disagree on the burden.

924
00:54:26,396 --> 00:54:29,376
The burden is on everyone.

925
00:54:29,376 --> 00:54:34,576
We evaluated a number of options in approaching it

926
00:54:34,576 --> 00:54:38,760
and the reality is is we didn't believe

927
00:54:38,760 --> 00:54:39,696
there was any perfect model.

928
00:54:39,696 --> 00:54:43,356
We believe this was a good model to approach to do this

929
00:54:43,356 --> 00:54:48,696
in trying to take an approach to fixed income

930
00:54:48,696 --> 00:54:51,416
and low income and size of properties

931
00:54:51,416 --> 00:54:56,156
and size of residences because while one person

932
00:54:56,156 --> 00:54:58,216
might say, well, you should do it on parcel type

933
00:54:58,216 --> 00:55:00,576
or parcel size, somebody else will come and say,

934
00:55:00,576 --> 00:55:03,896
that's not fair because then the single family

935
00:55:03,896 --> 00:55:07,496
residential property of 25,000 or 40,000 square feet

936
00:55:07,756 --> 00:55:11,256
that lives on an acre pays the same as a bungalow

937
00:55:11,256 --> 00:55:14,536
that's 600 square feet or 800 square feet, right?

938
00:55:14,536 --> 00:55:16,956
So there is no perfect science.

939
00:55:16,956 --> 00:55:21,116
We believe that this is a fair and equitable way

940
00:55:21,116 --> 00:55:23,760
to apply it across the board.

941
00:55:23,760 --> 00:55:24,816
We understand that the commercial market

942
00:55:24,816 --> 00:55:27,216
is challenging right now.

943
00:55:31,736 --> 00:55:34,960
But that's the method that we went with.

944
00:55:34,960 --> 00:55:37,676
I don't have, unfortunately I don't have a magic answer

945
00:55:37,676 --> 00:55:40,156
that will make everybody feel exponentially better.

946
00:55:40,156 --> 00:55:42,356
Yeah, I mean, and that's helpful.

947
00:55:42,356 --> 00:55:44,760
So, I mean, I'm prepared to support it

948
00:55:44,760 --> 00:55:46,156
and I'm also prepared to make the motion

949
00:55:46,156 --> 00:55:49,896
which would approve this to place on the ballot,

950
00:55:49,896 --> 00:55:53,760
but also to have a sunset of a 15 year

951
00:55:53,760 --> 00:55:57,336
or a re-evaluation for the residents every 15 years,

952
00:55:57,336 --> 00:56:00,516
and then also provide the firmer language

953
00:56:00,516 --> 00:56:02,516
that you mentioned.

954
00:56:03,246 --> 00:56:05,360
Thank you, Mayor.

955
00:56:05,360 --> 00:56:06,556
So a check-in?

956
00:56:06,556 --> 00:56:09,136
A check-in, yeah, I think a check-in to the council

957
00:56:09,136 --> 00:56:11,536
on year 15, perhaps, or.

958
00:56:13,496 --> 00:56:15,396
I think a sunset is gonna be

959
00:56:15,396 --> 00:56:16,656
what people are gonna ask for.

960
00:56:16,656 --> 00:56:18,656
Yeah, so I

961
00:56:20,496 --> 00:56:25,676
think likely what would happen is if the council goes with the 15-year sunset

962
00:56:25,676 --> 00:56:32,360
and this is approved, it's probably prudent to have a check-in at year 9 or 10 to see

963
00:56:32,360 --> 00:56:38,326
did we hit our 10-year plan, and then you have five years to strategize what's the

964
00:56:38,326 --> 00:56:43,446
next appropriate thing because maybe it's putting it to the voters at year 10.

965
00:56:43,446 --> 00:56:46,946
Maybe it's taking it back to the voters in year 14.

966
00:56:46,946 --> 00:56:53,546
So I think that a check-in with the council on the year 10 with yeah, or maybe it's your eight, right?

967
00:56:53,546 --> 00:56:57,600
But but like I mean, I imagine there's gonna be a check-in every year with the council

968
00:56:57,600 --> 00:57:03,166
Those are gonna progress that we're happening, right? But but a 15-year sunset. I wouldn't in my seat today

969
00:57:03,166 --> 00:57:05,806
I wouldn't recommend waiting till you're 15 to go

970
00:57:05,806 --> 00:57:12,826
Should we keep doing this or not? Right? Like we should be checking in every year to see are we make by the motion?

971
00:57:12,826 --> 00:57:15,586
To check in every year with the City Council

972
00:57:15,586 --> 00:57:17,746
I believe there's some language that every year

973
00:57:17,746 --> 00:57:19,926
you have to audit.

974
00:57:19,926 --> 00:57:22,766
And so that would be, so if we could have a public hearing

975
00:57:22,766 --> 00:57:25,706
on that every year, that would give residents

976
00:57:25,706 --> 00:57:29,260
an opportunity to actually have the transparency

977
00:57:29,260 --> 00:57:32,146
and accountability that we're doing the right thing.

978
00:57:32,146 --> 00:57:34,860
I'd be supportive of that.

979
00:57:34,860 --> 00:57:37,766
So if your motion is a 15-year sunset, I second that.

980
00:57:37,766 --> 00:57:41,366
Well, before we get to motions,

981
00:57:41,776 --> 00:57:43,216
let's go through everyone

982
00:57:43,216 --> 00:57:45,856
and give everyone an opportunity.

983
00:57:45,856 --> 00:57:47,856
Mr. Madison.

984
00:57:48,426 --> 00:57:49,306
Thank you, Mayor.

985
00:57:49,306 --> 00:57:52,286
I'm supportive of the staff recommendation

986
00:57:52,286 --> 00:57:58,136
and I'm concerned about some of the sort of hedges

987
00:57:58,136 --> 00:58:00,296
that I'm hearing about guarantees

988
00:58:00,296 --> 00:58:03,636
and sun setting and the like.

989
00:58:03,636 --> 00:58:10,216
Let me ask staff, Matt, I agree with your earlier statement

990
00:58:10,216 --> 00:58:14,216
but I just wanna confirm that we haven't ever had a case

991
00:58:14,216 --> 00:58:17,816
where we haven't followed our promise

992
00:58:18,560 --> 00:58:22,856
in terms of a special tax or assessment.

993
00:58:24,860 --> 00:58:26,926
I'm not recalling any, are you?

994
00:58:26,926 --> 00:58:29,126
No, not for a special tax.

995
00:58:29,126 --> 00:58:32,166
I have, yeah, that's the short answer.

996
00:58:32,166 --> 00:58:34,856
No, not regarding a special tax.

997
00:58:34,856 --> 00:58:40,856
So the two words I've heard are guarantee and sunset.

998
00:58:41,196 --> 00:58:43,736
I'm not sure, guarantee always makes me

999
00:58:43,736 --> 00:58:48,976
little squeamish because there would be so many actions required by future city

1000
00:58:48,976 --> 00:58:55,296
councils to actually execute and implement the plans even for a rehab

1001
00:58:55,296 --> 00:58:58,976
which I have no doubt we've already rehabbed numerous fire stations I mean

1002
00:58:58,976 --> 00:59:04,316
our commitment on that is clear these final two are more substantial because

1003
00:59:04,316 --> 00:59:12,116
they require demo and rebuild but like what does that guarantee actually look

1004
00:59:12,376 --> 00:59:15,976
or is it just window dressing?

1005
00:59:16,766 --> 00:59:19,946
And I would, this is Michelle Bonnerice, the city attorney.

1006
00:59:19,946 --> 00:59:22,446
I would note that as the city manager,

1007
00:59:22,446 --> 00:59:24,846
the interim city manager referenced,

1008
00:59:24,846 --> 00:59:27,846
the proposed ordinance does specify,

1009
00:59:28,126 --> 00:59:34,726
and I found some of the sections where there are limits

1010
00:59:35,326 --> 00:59:39,466
and it's limited to what it can be spent on

1011
00:59:39,466 --> 00:59:41,466
in sections 4.110.140 and 4.110.150.

1012
00:59:48,446 --> 00:59:54,446
And that sets forth the bases for spending the funds

1013
00:59:57,960 --> 01:00:01,896
and the limitations set forth in the code.

1014
01:00:03,800 --> 01:00:10,780
So is it your assessment Michelle that those are guardrails? Yes, I would say that's what they are in the ordinance in various places

1015
01:00:10,780 --> 01:00:13,780
and then in terms of

1016
01:00:14,190 --> 01:00:16,190
the sunset

1017
01:00:16,270 --> 01:00:19,270
Matt could you help us?

1018
01:00:19,970 --> 01:00:27,770
Is the idea that with a sunset in 15 years the assessment would stop

1019
01:00:28,100 --> 01:00:34,670
Well another election by the community the council putting it on the ballot for another

1020
01:00:34,670 --> 01:00:41,300
round of expensive elections and a two-thirds requirement that it that it

1021
01:00:41,300 --> 01:00:46,890
continue if there was a sunset then yes it would be it would require to go back

1022
01:00:46,890 --> 01:00:53,370
to voters for a renewal or an extension and you may want to look at oh I'm

1023
01:00:53,370 --> 01:00:59,670
sorry this is Michelle you may want to look at the time frames I mean I don't

1024
01:00:59,670 --> 01:01:06,150
15 years from 1986 I don't know where that puts you in an election

1025
01:01:06,150 --> 01:01:13,790
cycle so you should probably look at that if you're looking at those kinds of

1026
01:01:13,790 --> 01:01:23,390
sunset time frames I would think right and so that's how I land on 10 or 14 well

1027
01:01:24,560 --> 01:01:29,640
I don't support a sunset because I think if a future council were in the

1028
01:01:29,640 --> 01:01:35,260
position that we got all the work done and we'd satisfy ourselves that we

1029
01:01:35,260 --> 01:01:41,660
the fire department that we need in terms of the infrastructure and staffing and

1030
01:01:41,660 --> 01:01:46,980
remember part of this proposal is for staffing so if you're funding ongoing

1031
01:01:46,980 --> 01:01:53,580
staffing needs which is proven and appropriate with this assessment you'd

1032
01:01:55,600 --> 01:01:58,920
really be facing a cliff that the city would be driving off of if it

1033
01:01:58,920 --> 01:02:04,220
automatically sunset it and we'd either be looking at massive changes to

1034
01:02:04,220 --> 01:02:11,440
budget to be able to continue those operations or a reduction of service, which I don't think anybody

1035
01:02:11,440 --> 01:02:18,460
would support. So I don't support either the quote-unquote guarantee or the sun setting.

1036
01:02:18,460 --> 01:02:25,920
Obviously, if we were in a position where we could essentially walk this back,

1037
01:02:25,920 --> 01:02:35,260
reduce the assessment, do whatever it took to terminate it, great. But I wouldn't want to

1038
01:02:35,260 --> 01:02:41,240
automatically going I mean let's take a reality check at 19 cents I remember Matt

1039
01:02:41,240 --> 01:02:47,280
at the last meeting you showed us what that would look like and if I recall it

1040
01:02:47,280 --> 01:02:54,480
was $150 something like that for an average home in Pasadena first you're

1041
01:02:54,720 --> 01:02:59,210
looking at about three hundred and four dollars okay thank you for that so I

1042
01:02:59,210 --> 01:03:02,530
also don't support reducing the amount that's in the recommendation

1043
01:03:02,530 --> 01:03:07,890
Because I think those pencils were pretty sharp when staff worked them up in terms

1044
01:03:07,890 --> 01:03:09,850
of what the real costs are going to be.

1045
01:03:09,850 --> 01:03:13,430
And, of course, our experience is not that these costs tend to go down.

1046
01:03:13,430 --> 01:03:15,500
They often go up.

1047
01:03:15,500 --> 01:03:20,750
So I'd be nervous about reducing it and trying to do half a loaf.

1048
01:03:20,750 --> 01:03:27,950
In terms of the commercial stakeholders, obviously, I'm gravely concerned about the

1049
01:03:28,290 --> 01:03:31,690
of vacant buildings that one sees as one drives around

1050
01:03:31,690 --> 01:03:34,670
and what in a post-COVID world, you know,

1051
01:03:34,670 --> 01:03:38,330
what office space and bricks and mortar retail,

1052
01:03:38,330 --> 01:03:40,780
all of that, what it looks like.

1053
01:03:40,780 --> 01:03:43,620
But I totally agree with the city manager

1054
01:03:43,620 --> 01:03:45,660
that it's sort of like what Churchill said

1055
01:03:45,660 --> 01:03:49,280
about democracy is the worst form of government possible

1056
01:03:49,280 --> 01:03:51,980
except that it's the best anybody's ever been able

1057
01:03:51,980 --> 01:03:52,840
to come up with.

1058
01:03:52,840 --> 01:03:58,420
And this too is the case that none of us likes

1059
01:03:58,420 --> 01:04:03,220
putting an additional tax burden on our residents

1060
01:04:05,440 --> 01:04:07,420
and property owners.

1061
01:04:07,420 --> 01:04:10,240
But this is the fairest,

1062
01:04:10,240 --> 01:04:11,580
the most appropriate way to do it.

1063
01:04:11,580 --> 01:04:13,640
We had many commercial establishments

1064
01:04:13,640 --> 01:04:16,380
that were lost in the Eaton fire.

1065
01:04:16,380 --> 01:04:19,540
Those businesses are gonna be affected

1066
01:04:19,540 --> 01:04:21,180
as well as our residents.

1067
01:04:21,180 --> 01:04:23,560
Obviously our residents are our primary concern,

1068
01:04:23,560 --> 01:04:25,960
but the business community

1069
01:04:26,180 --> 01:04:31,360
in our commercial fabric is right there as well.

1070
01:04:31,360 --> 01:04:33,960
So I think it's appropriate and fair.

1071
01:04:33,960 --> 01:04:36,680
And so I'm prepared to support the staff recommendation.

1072
01:04:36,680 --> 01:04:38,700
And if there's a motion,

1073
01:04:38,700 --> 01:04:40,760
and I don't know that I heard the motion

1074
01:04:40,760 --> 01:04:44,520
to be exactly that, but I would second that motion

1075
01:04:44,520 --> 01:04:45,960
if that were the motion.

1076
01:04:45,960 --> 01:04:46,900
Thank you.

1077
01:04:46,900 --> 01:04:49,300
Thank you, Mr. Madison.

1078
01:04:49,670 --> 01:04:54,370
Yeah, you know, the issue of fairness is important

1079
01:04:54,370 --> 01:05:01,570
and for so many years are the way we tax residential property

1080
01:05:02,750 --> 01:05:07,290
versus commercial property in my view hasn't been fair.

1081
01:05:07,290 --> 01:05:11,900
And, you know, I'm very sensitive to commercial property,

1082
01:05:11,900 --> 01:05:14,500
but it's a fact that upon reassessment,

1083
01:05:14,500 --> 01:05:17,500
commercial properties often are exempted

1084
01:05:17,530 --> 01:05:19,890
to the higher tax rate.

1085
01:05:19,890 --> 01:05:23,510
And so this is a, what I believe to be

1086
01:05:23,510 --> 01:05:26,510
a fairer approach to development.

1087
01:05:28,110 --> 01:05:31,150
Again, not being insensitive to the arguments that

1088
01:05:31,150 --> 01:05:37,150
are being raised, and we'll have to double our efforts

1089
01:05:37,530 --> 01:05:40,270
than we have on economic development.

1090
01:05:40,270 --> 01:05:42,750
And we'll continue to do that.

1091
01:05:42,750 --> 01:05:47,550
In terms of the need, I'm not going

1092
01:05:49,410 --> 01:05:51,310
to repeat what we all saw during the Eaton fire,

1093
01:05:51,310 --> 01:05:53,970
because it was not only tragic,

1094
01:05:53,970 --> 01:05:58,770
but physically and emotionally scarring to this community.

1095
01:05:59,690 --> 01:06:04,490
But I am concerned about not just fire,

1096
01:06:05,300 --> 01:06:07,170
certainly that's top of mind.

1097
01:06:07,170 --> 01:06:10,810
But I'm concerned, and I think Jackie pointed it out,

1098
01:06:10,810 --> 01:06:12,810
the earthquakes.

1099
01:06:14,170 --> 01:06:20,170
If we, on the day we last discussed this matter,

1100
01:06:20,470 --> 01:06:23,690
Two days before that, the Santa Andreas Fault

1101
01:06:23,690 --> 01:06:29,690
saw two earthquakes in very close proximity to our city.

1102
01:06:31,450 --> 01:06:35,500
Each of them over 4.2, I believe.

1103
01:06:35,510 --> 01:06:39,110
And you know, that's a concern

1104
01:06:39,470 --> 01:06:42,170
because what we saw in the fire

1105
01:06:42,170 --> 01:06:47,570
was not only that the fire can move swiftly,

1106
01:06:50,700 --> 01:06:53,670
and assistance doesn't arrive as quickly.

1107
01:06:55,380 --> 01:06:59,960
You know, we had to wait, we count often on mutual aid.

1108
01:06:59,960 --> 01:07:02,800
And mutual aid is important and it's,

1109
01:07:02,800 --> 01:07:04,780
you know, we should continue that.

1110
01:07:04,780 --> 01:07:08,960
But if we were to have a regional earthquake

1111
01:07:08,960 --> 01:07:12,560
impacting more than just, you know,

1112
01:07:12,880 --> 01:07:17,400
one geographic part of the valley, for example,

1113
01:07:17,400 --> 01:07:23,200
the San Gabriel Valley other you know mutual aid I don't think we could

1114
01:07:23,200 --> 01:07:32,540
rely upon like we do in an isolated incident in a couple of communities because fire departments

1115
01:07:32,540 --> 01:07:38,540
appropriately not being critical will be focused on their own community they'll be focused on

1116
01:07:38,540 --> 01:07:42,740
helping their own residents in an earthquake.

1117
01:07:43,800 --> 01:07:48,940
And so we have to be prepared to help our own residents

1118
01:07:48,940 --> 01:07:53,740
in an earthquake situation before mutual aid arrives.

1119
01:08:01,730 --> 01:08:05,330
And we're now seeing more development,

1120
01:08:05,710 --> 01:08:07,610
particularly because of changes in state law.

1121
01:08:07,610 --> 01:08:12,410
We're seeing more intense development in the downtown

1122
01:08:12,630 --> 01:08:16,730
and soon in other outside of the downtown.

1123
01:08:16,730 --> 01:08:23,130
And we have to be prepared to respond to all emergencies,

1124
01:08:23,130 --> 01:08:25,630
including medical emergencies, you know,

1125
01:08:25,630 --> 01:08:29,300
and what a lot of people don't realize is, you know,

1126
01:08:29,300 --> 01:08:32,590
firefighters can't take an elevator upstairs.

1127
01:08:32,590 --> 01:08:36,280
I'm sorry, up to second, third, fourth,

1128
01:08:36,280 --> 01:08:38,200
fifth floor, sixth floor,

1129
01:08:38,200 --> 01:08:40,860
they have to take the stairwell for safety

1130
01:08:40,860 --> 01:08:43,220
because they also wanna make sure

1131
01:08:43,220 --> 01:08:45,980
that they arrive to provide the assistance needed.

1132
01:08:45,980 --> 01:08:47,700
And that's gonna take more time

1133
01:08:47,700 --> 01:08:54,300
and it's gonna be a bigger burden on our fire service.

1134
01:08:54,360 --> 01:08:56,420
You know, in terms of investment,

1135
01:08:56,420 --> 01:08:58,140
we have invested tremendously

1136
01:08:58,140 --> 01:09:01,820
in our fire service and fire department,

1137
01:09:01,820 --> 01:09:03,740
including, I would point out,

1138
01:09:03,740 --> 01:09:05,580
what many cities don't provide,

1139
01:09:05,580 --> 01:09:08,580
which is a four-person response.

1140
01:09:08,660 --> 01:09:10,840
We invested tremendously to ensure

1141
01:09:10,840 --> 01:09:15,200
that when our fire department gets that call,

1142
01:09:15,200 --> 01:09:17,360
whether it's commercial or residential,

1143
01:09:17,360 --> 01:09:22,440
that we have the best staffed department and response

1144
01:09:22,440 --> 01:09:24,360
to an individual call.

1145
01:09:24,360 --> 01:09:30,700
And a lot of cities, including Los Angeles, don't have that.

1146
01:09:30,700 --> 01:09:34,900
and we've invested in equipment, trucks, ambulances.

1147
01:09:36,980 --> 01:09:39,580
And what we're saying to the voters is

1148
01:09:39,580 --> 01:09:42,200
we wanna continue to provide that service.

1149
01:09:42,200 --> 01:09:45,980
They've responded to calls in my family

1150
01:09:45,980 --> 01:09:50,180
and I've appreciated the assistance and friends,

1151
01:09:50,620 --> 01:09:53,200
the assistance they've given my family and friends.

1152
01:09:53,200 --> 01:09:57,560
So thank you to our firefighters and all those involved.

1153
01:09:57,560 --> 01:10:04,160
And in the end, what we're asking the voters to review

1154
01:10:05,460 --> 01:10:08,460
is our record of service.

1155
01:10:08,580 --> 01:10:13,160
And what we're asking them is to look at our plan

1156
01:10:13,160 --> 01:10:16,760
for continuing that level of service

1157
01:10:18,200 --> 01:10:24,620
and doing so safely for the people who we count on.

1158
01:10:25,600 --> 01:10:26,560
Because remember these fire stations

1159
01:10:26,560 --> 01:10:29,560
aren't just housing fire trucks,

1160
01:10:30,340 --> 01:10:32,740
they're housing people, families,

1161
01:10:33,700 --> 01:10:34,730
and the people we will rely upon

1162
01:10:34,730 --> 01:10:37,550
to come to our aid in an emergency.

1163
01:10:37,550 --> 01:10:41,150
So I'm prepared to move forward

1164
01:10:42,210 --> 01:10:46,900
with asking the people if in fact,

1165
01:10:46,900 --> 01:10:48,270
our record of service and our firefighters

1166
01:10:48,270 --> 01:10:52,700
record of service and the need to keep them safe

1167
01:10:52,700 --> 01:10:54,370
so they can keep us safe is something

1168
01:10:54,370 --> 01:10:55,370
they want to support.

1169
01:10:55,370 --> 01:10:56,970
and I think that they will.

1170
01:10:56,970 --> 01:11:00,710
It's not going to be easy because it is additional cost.

1171
01:11:00,710 --> 01:11:03,910
You know, I personally, my family owns,

1172
01:11:03,910 --> 01:11:06,370
we own a number of properties

1173
01:11:06,370 --> 01:11:08,790
and we're going to have to pay

1174
01:11:08,790 --> 01:11:10,710
on all of those properties in Pasadena.

1175
01:11:10,710 --> 01:11:14,300
But I think keeping our commitment to family,

1176
01:11:14,300 --> 01:11:17,630
friends, residents, and visitors to Pasadena

1177
01:11:18,130 --> 01:11:20,610
is important and making sure that we're there

1178
01:11:20,610 --> 01:11:22,770
when they need us is important.

1179
01:11:22,770 --> 01:11:25,670
I don't wanna look back and say,

1180
01:11:25,670 --> 01:11:27,410
well, if we'd just done things differently,

1181
01:11:27,410 --> 01:11:28,810
we could have helped more people

1182
01:11:28,810 --> 01:11:31,850
or provided a better response in an earthquake,

1183
01:11:31,850 --> 01:11:36,500
in a fire or any other emergency.

1184
01:11:40,900 --> 01:11:44,290
Mr. Hampton, you're back in the queue.

1185
01:11:45,600 --> 01:11:48,740
Yeah, so I appreciate everyone's comments.

1186
01:11:48,740 --> 01:11:51,360
I do, once again, we talked about this

1187
01:11:51,360 --> 01:11:52,420
at the Finance Committee.

1188
01:11:52,420 --> 01:11:57,280
I did think that a 10-year sunset would be most ideal.

1189
01:11:57,280 --> 01:12:00,000
I think it gives the opportunity for the residents

1190
01:12:00,000 --> 01:12:01,300
to vote on again.

1191
01:12:01,300 --> 01:12:04,300
I appreciate Councilman Madison's comments

1192
01:12:04,300 --> 01:12:07,300
about not having a sunset.

1193
01:12:08,400 --> 01:12:11,540
I would say that I don't yield to him at all.

1194
01:12:11,540 --> 01:12:15,180
I mean, as far as a supporter of public safety,

1195
01:12:15,180 --> 01:12:16,600
since I've been on the council,

1196
01:12:16,600 --> 01:12:19,200
Councilman Madison has been one of the biggest supporters

1197
01:12:19,200 --> 01:12:21,260
he would give every dollar that we'd have

1198
01:12:21,260 --> 01:12:24,520
to first responders if we could.

1199
01:12:24,520 --> 01:12:26,740
So I appreciate his comments,

1200
01:12:26,740 --> 01:12:30,960
but I do think that we need a 10-year sunset.

1201
01:12:30,960 --> 01:12:34,320
And so I would make a motion for a 10-year sunset.

1202
01:12:34,320 --> 01:12:36,200
That's the only way I'd be able to support this

1203
01:12:36,200 --> 01:12:39,600
if we're looking for unanimous support.

1204
01:12:39,600 --> 01:12:41,420
This is uphill battle.

1205
01:12:41,420 --> 01:12:44,600
The responses I've received from residents

1206
01:12:44,600 --> 01:12:47,600
that were even affected by the Eden Fire.

1207
01:12:47,600 --> 01:12:48,700
There's only two districts in the city

1208
01:12:48,700 --> 01:12:50,220
that were affected by the Eden Fire.

1209
01:12:50,220 --> 01:12:52,420
There was one in four.

1210
01:12:52,420 --> 01:12:54,580
And we were all affected, don't get me wrong.

1211
01:12:54,580 --> 01:13:01,150
but I think as far as homes being lost we're one in four and even those uh that lost their homes

1212
01:13:01,150 --> 01:13:09,350
are I've sent me communications that were not favorable for the outcomes of of this at least

1213
01:13:09,350 --> 01:13:18,990
within my district boundary so I think giving more um assurances uh as mentioned you know the

1214
01:13:18,990 --> 01:13:26,830
the fire stations that are in dire need 33 and 37 and also having a ninth fire station

1215
01:13:26,830 --> 01:13:35,170
be identified somewhere but definitely having a sunset would be of 10 years would be

1216
01:13:35,170 --> 01:13:43,710
where I stand and so that's the motion I'm making and that's that thank you did I get

1217
01:13:43,710 --> 01:13:49,970
a second on my motion you did so there was already a motion so you're making a substitute

1218
01:13:49,970 --> 01:13:51,970
motion.

1219
01:13:52,340 --> 01:13:56,120
The second on your motion was for 15 years and I was going to call out

1220
01:13:56,120 --> 01:14:03,920
that our elections don't happen in 15 year cycles or odd cycles I'd say.

1221
01:14:06,100 --> 01:14:06,510
So

1222
01:14:06,510 --> 01:14:11,700
yours was ten years? Ten years. I mean I like to hear what my colleagues have

1223
01:14:11,700 --> 01:14:13,470
to say about it.

1224
01:14:14,230 --> 01:14:16,230
Mr. Cole?

1225
01:14:16,830 --> 01:14:19,650
I am very committed to the

1226
01:14:19,650 --> 01:14:26,700
petrofit of the two fire stations that we worry reasonably would not withstand a major

1227
01:14:26,700 --> 01:14:32,590
earthquake. I think that that is one of the reasons why I'm willing to move forward and

1228
01:14:32,590 --> 01:14:38,530
not wait two years is, as Mr. Madison said, there's a lot of pieces that go into that.

1229
01:14:38,530 --> 01:14:48,530
But I think that we have no excuse to not initiate as quickly as possible the reconstruction

1230
01:14:50,440 --> 01:14:55,460
of two fire stations that will be, as the mayor has just pointed out, will be critical

1231
01:14:55,460 --> 01:14:59,140
to emergency response in the case of a major earthquake.

1232
01:14:59,140 --> 01:15:08,740
So how would we how would we make sure within a 10-year window that we could

1233
01:15:10,290 --> 01:15:17,710
be able to finance those two stations would that mean postponing some of the

1234
01:15:17,710 --> 01:15:23,370
other operational augmentations or are there ways in which we could finance

1235
01:15:23,370 --> 01:15:28,770
this or partially finance this through a 10-year paper?

1236
01:15:29,280 --> 01:15:34,120
So I will start by saying, if that's the council's direction,

1237
01:15:34,120 --> 01:15:37,500
we'll find a way to make it happen.

1238
01:15:37,500 --> 01:15:41,500
The other thing I will say is that the outline

1239
01:15:41,500 --> 01:15:44,660
that we provided earlier today frontloaded the training

1240
01:15:44,660 --> 01:15:45,140
center.

1241
01:15:45,140 --> 01:15:47,600
It might mean that the training center doesn't

1242
01:15:47,600 --> 01:15:49,600
get frontloaded.

1243
01:15:49,900 --> 01:15:52,700
One of the renovations gets frontloaded.

1244
01:15:52,700 --> 01:15:53,940
We'll still have the challenge,

1245
01:15:53,940 --> 01:15:55,100
and the fire chief is here.

1246
01:15:55,100 --> 01:15:56,720
if you may wanna comment on it,

1247
01:15:56,720 --> 01:15:59,300
but one of the conversations about

1248
01:15:59,300 --> 01:16:01,550
it would be challenging to have two stations

1249
01:16:01,550 --> 01:16:04,770
being rebuilt at the same time,

1250
01:16:04,770 --> 01:16:08,500
but we'd work on that too.

1251
01:16:08,500 --> 01:16:12,510
The other thing which this draft ordinance does provide

1252
01:16:12,510 --> 01:16:15,100
is the city could advance funds

1253
01:16:15,100 --> 01:16:17,910
that the tax could repay.

1254
01:16:17,910 --> 01:16:20,650
So the city could advance funds if it wanted

1255
01:16:20,650 --> 01:16:22,630
from reserves or somewhere else

1256
01:16:22,630 --> 01:16:24,770
and get repaid from tax collections

1257
01:16:24,770 --> 01:16:28,130
if the council did want to accelerate something faster

1258
01:16:28,130 --> 01:16:30,570
than we could generate the revenue through Pay As You Go.

1259
01:16:30,570 --> 01:16:33,750
So I think there's enough opportunities in there

1260
01:16:33,750 --> 01:16:36,750
that we could certainly shift those earlier in the priority

1261
01:16:36,750 --> 01:16:37,990
if that's the council's direction.

1262
01:16:37,990 --> 01:16:40,370
There was an amendment or a substitute motion offered

1263
01:16:40,370 --> 01:16:42,530
by Mr. Hampton which,

1264
01:16:42,530 --> 01:16:46,690
so far as I know, has not gotten a second.

1265
01:16:46,690 --> 01:16:48,950
We are colleagues around this table

1266
01:16:48,950 --> 01:16:51,950
and I respect everyone's view

1267
01:16:53,190 --> 01:16:56,850
and we don't have unanimity on every aspect of this.

1268
01:16:56,850 --> 01:16:58,430
And so I think all of us will need

1269
01:16:58,430 --> 01:17:01,100
to be flexible in some ways.

1270
01:17:01,100 --> 01:17:04,490
I'm willing to be flexible to gain Mr. Hampton's support

1271
01:17:04,490 --> 01:17:09,700
by going with a 10-year sunset, as we've heard.

1272
01:17:09,700 --> 01:17:11,210
I also strongly believe, and would

1273
01:17:11,210 --> 01:17:13,870
ask that it be incorporated into the motion,

1274
01:17:13,870 --> 01:17:15,590
that we guarantee at least that we

1275
01:17:15,590 --> 01:17:17,610
retrofit the two fire stations.

1276
01:17:17,610 --> 01:17:27,610
I think that's a tangible commitment to the folks who live there 24 hours a day and to

1277
01:17:29,310 --> 01:17:36,510
the folks that would be served by those fire stations post an earthquake.

1278
01:17:36,510 --> 01:17:45,510
And I will drop the 17 cents recognizing that in 10 years we're going to have an

1279
01:17:46,700 --> 01:17:48,470
opportunity to revisit this.

1280
01:17:49,390 --> 01:17:52,510
Mr. Madison is right that we would face a cliff.

1281
01:17:52,510 --> 01:17:58,000
But I think we need to prove to the citizens that this

1282
01:17:58,000 --> 01:17:59,340
insurance is worthwhile.

1283
01:17:59,340 --> 01:18:00,960
And we have 10 years to do it.

1284
01:18:00,960 --> 01:18:04,380
We have 10 years to show that every single penny of

1285
01:18:04,380 --> 01:18:07,760
this is augmenting what we already have.

1286
01:18:07,760 --> 01:18:11,600
We have a fantastic fire department today, but in a

1287
01:18:11,600 --> 01:18:15,000
hotter and drier climate, one where we have the

1288
01:18:15,000 --> 01:18:22,180
present risk of earthquake, one where inexorably medical response calls go up year after year

1289
01:18:22,180 --> 01:18:24,180
after year.

1290
01:18:24,230 --> 01:18:29,600
This is less than a dollar a day for the average homeowner.

1291
01:18:29,600 --> 01:18:34,950
It is an investment that I think we need to give them the opportunity.

1292
01:18:34,950 --> 01:18:37,350
Not everybody buys insurance,

1293
01:18:38,110 --> 01:18:42,500
but boy, we found out a year and a half ago what not

1294
01:18:42,500 --> 01:18:44,380
having insurance is like.

1295
01:18:44,380 --> 01:18:49,900
this is insurance for all hundred and forty thousand people who live in our

1296
01:18:49,900 --> 01:18:55,970
city so with the permission of the person making the motion those would be

1297
01:18:55,970 --> 01:19:02,930
my points to include in the motion yeah I'd be willing to modify the sunset

1298
01:19:02,930 --> 01:19:10,730
to ten years to accommodate unanimity as you as you've mentioned you what

1299
01:19:12,760 --> 01:19:14,500
What else did you say?

1300
01:19:14,500 --> 01:19:20,780
That we guarantee that we will retrofit the two fire stations

1301
01:19:20,780 --> 01:19:23,780
that are seismically unsound today.

1302
01:19:25,490 --> 01:19:26,830
Yeah, I mean, but you're already

1303
01:19:26,830 --> 01:19:31,300
saying that's already included in the resolution.

1304
01:19:31,340 --> 01:19:36,330
Yeah, once we get ready, I can offer up

1305
01:19:36,330 --> 01:19:38,550
some revisions to the language that further

1306
01:19:38,550 --> 01:19:41,470
clarifies that, if that's what the council wants to hear.

1307
01:19:41,470 --> 01:19:42,870
The two stations are in there, but it

1308
01:19:42,870 --> 01:19:46,930
say that we're going to do it within 10 years and I think we should say we're

1309
01:19:46,930 --> 01:19:54,430
going to do it in 10 years. Are we able to do that within 10 years and do the

1310
01:19:54,430 --> 01:19:59,590
training facility? Yeah that's that's the timeline is we've built and we

1311
01:19:59,590 --> 01:20:02,850
believe we can do all of the things incorporated in the plan within 10

1312
01:20:02,850 --> 01:20:07,910
years but we can certainly highlight in the capital improvement proposed

1313
01:20:07,910 --> 01:20:11,550
municipal code section under the capital improvements we can highlight

1314
01:20:11,550 --> 01:20:14,710
including reconstruction of fire stations 33 and 37

1315
01:20:14,710 --> 01:20:17,110
within the first 10 years.

1316
01:20:17,430 --> 01:20:19,210
Yeah, as an additional statement

1317
01:20:19,210 --> 01:20:20,430
within that broader statement.

1318
01:20:20,430 --> 01:20:21,470
We can absolutely do that.

1319
01:20:21,470 --> 01:20:23,590
I'm willing to amend my motion

1320
01:20:23,590 --> 01:20:26,590
to include those two things.

1321
01:20:26,660 --> 01:20:28,240
I would say if there's a sunset,

1322
01:20:28,240 --> 01:20:31,430
it would just be before the sunset.

1323
01:20:31,430 --> 01:20:33,430
Yeah.

1324
01:20:34,470 --> 01:20:39,150
You know, if we head in this direction,

1325
01:20:39,150 --> 01:20:42,770
I would work in there that the council,

1326
01:20:42,770 --> 01:20:46,970
whoever's sitting around this dais in five years,

1327
01:20:46,970 --> 01:20:52,370
start the work of assessing and evaluating how it's,

1328
01:20:52,490 --> 01:20:56,690
we avoid that financial problem that occurs

1329
01:20:59,520 --> 01:21:00,980
when this goes away.

1330
01:21:00,980 --> 01:21:05,200
Because we are going to need equipment,

1331
01:21:05,200 --> 01:21:09,520
we're going to need to up staffing for fire stations,

1332
01:21:09,520 --> 01:21:11,380
particularly a new one.

1333
01:21:11,380 --> 01:21:16,740
All of these issues need to be worked on in advance

1334
01:21:16,740 --> 01:21:21,540
so that an education campaign can be undertaken.

1335
01:21:21,640 --> 01:21:25,520
And if the future council thinks they need to go

1336
01:21:25,520 --> 01:21:29,980
to the voters, there'll be sufficient time to do that.

1337
01:21:29,980 --> 01:21:34,600
And so at five years, if not before,

1338
01:21:34,600 --> 01:21:35,580
no later than five years, I would say,

1339
01:21:35,580 --> 01:21:36,980
the work has to start.

1340
01:21:36,980 --> 01:21:37,620
Ms. Rivas?

1341
01:21:37,620 --> 01:21:39,700
Mary, yeah, my comments are along similar lines

1342
01:21:39,700 --> 01:21:41,520
when I just wanna make sure we're considering

1343
01:21:41,520 --> 01:21:45,580
all the logistics of the 10 year versus the 15 and the timing of our election. So

1344
01:21:45,580 --> 01:21:50,640
if we're looking at 15 years and we want to put it to the voters to re-up

1345
01:21:50,640 --> 01:21:55,340
or you know continue it we'd have to put it in back on the ballot 14 years

1346
01:21:55,340 --> 01:22:00,320
from now. So we'd have a one-year leeway. If we're looking at 10 years

1347
01:22:00,320 --> 01:22:03,700
we'd have to put on the ballot eight years from now. So we'd have a

1348
01:22:03,700 --> 01:22:10,500
two-year leadway but that you know fewer time will have passed.

1349
01:22:10,500 --> 01:22:10,790
We may not

1350
01:22:10,790 --> 01:22:15,650
completed projects and I'm still I feel more comfortable with the 15 year

1351
01:22:15,650 --> 01:22:20,110
timeline and going to the voters in year 14 then going to the voters in eight

1352
01:22:20,110 --> 01:22:24,290
years and then having it sunset in 10 I don't know I guess I'm looking to staff

1353
01:22:24,290 --> 01:22:29,290
or there's any other timing considerations we should be looking at

1354
01:22:29,290 --> 01:22:33,610
when it comes to elections and perhaps other considerations that we

1355
01:22:33,610 --> 01:22:38,900
haven't brought up yet sure why I would say that although it would

1356
01:22:38,900 --> 01:22:42,550
sunset in ten years because it's a parcel tax, the council could still put it on the

1357
01:22:42,550 --> 01:22:47,150
ballot in ten years and it wouldn't sunset, it would still keep going if voters approved

1358
01:22:47,150 --> 01:22:48,100
it.

1359
01:22:48,100 --> 01:22:53,350
So it wouldn't have to go in year eight, it could go in year ten.

1360
01:22:53,350 --> 01:22:56,160
Well, actually no, in year

1361
01:22:56,160 --> 01:22:56,760
ten.

1362
01:22:56,760 --> 01:22:57,260
Correct.

1363
01:22:57,260 --> 01:23:00,780
Yeah, it's another consideration wanting to time it to certain elections over others

1364
01:23:00,780 --> 01:23:01,560
potentially.

1365
01:23:01,560 --> 01:23:06,340
Right, and that's why, that's why we were looking at ten or fourteen were the

1366
01:23:06,340 --> 01:23:09,710
two out years that made the most sense.

1367
01:23:09,710 --> 01:23:15,770
and you know and I would hope you know with the residents of Pasadena had

1368
01:23:15,770 --> 01:23:19,530
invested tremendously not just in infrastructure and services and there's

1369
01:23:19,530 --> 01:23:24,990
been a tremendous benefit to real estate and values of real estate in Pasadena

1370
01:23:24,990 --> 01:23:29,890
and I would hope that our friends at the Pasadena Realtors and

1371
01:23:29,890 --> 01:23:35,290
Department Association owners understand we want to maintain that

1372
01:23:35,630 --> 01:23:42,290
level of service and continue to ensure that you know Pasadena is a safe and

1373
01:23:42,290 --> 01:23:47,630
attractive place for people to live work visit and play and so that's a part of

1374
01:23:47,630 --> 01:23:52,330
why we're doing this this is not something any of us want to do but it

1375
01:23:52,330 --> 01:23:57,130
really is a desperate need at this point.

1376
01:23:58,390 --> 01:24:00,950
Mr. Lyon then Mr. Madison. Thank

1377
01:24:00,950 --> 01:24:08,340
Mayor so I will echo the Vice Mayor I for me the point of putting the sunset

1378
01:24:08,340 --> 01:24:13,520
in the measure is first and foremost to give this thing the best shot of

1379
01:24:13,520 --> 01:24:20,120
passing but second relatedly to demonstrate to the public that that

1380
01:24:21,740 --> 01:24:25,580
this is not a grab we're trying to do something very important and very

1381
01:24:25,580 --> 01:24:33,980
specific. That said, I'm not sure that 10 years versus 15 years or whatever number we

1382
01:24:35,330 --> 01:24:41,250
pick in between is is materially different for the public. I think the point is having

1383
01:24:41,250 --> 01:24:46,190
a sunset is saying this this stop so you'll get a chance to look at this again no matter

1384
01:24:46,190 --> 01:24:52,210
what. And I'm sensitive to Councilmember Madison's point that we we want a little

1385
01:24:52,210 --> 01:24:57,250
a runway on this thing right and and it wouldn't be bad to have some operational dollars at the

1386
01:24:57,250 --> 01:25:02,390
back end of this even if we get it all done at the front just to for the for the transition

1387
01:25:02,390 --> 01:25:08,110
into whatever comes next so i i want us to speak with one voice on this i hope that we will be

1388
01:25:08,110 --> 01:25:16,510
unanimous wherever we land my preference would be for the for the longer sunset

1389
01:25:17,940 --> 01:25:19,940
Mr. Madison.

1390
01:25:21,300 --> 01:25:22,840
Thank you, Mayor, very much.

1391
01:25:22,840 --> 01:25:28,840
And I too am very concerned about a 10-year sunset.

1392
01:25:29,740 --> 01:25:32,420
I don't love a 15-year sunset

1393
01:25:32,420 --> 01:25:33,860
for all the reasons I've already stated,

1394
01:25:33,860 --> 01:25:35,100
so I won't repeat myself,

1395
01:25:35,100 --> 01:25:38,580
but especially if we're still contemplating

1396
01:25:38,580 --> 01:25:44,580
operational budget as part of the use of this revenue,

1397
01:25:44,880 --> 01:25:46,360
it would really be imprudent

1398
01:25:46,360 --> 01:25:50,560
to have such a short termination date.

1399
01:25:50,830 --> 01:25:53,250
And let's be clear, when we're talking about sunsetting,

1400
01:25:53,250 --> 01:25:56,700
that means it's gonna go away.

1401
01:25:56,700 --> 01:25:59,490
And unless a future council goes through

1402
01:25:59,490 --> 01:26:04,270
this entire process again, puts it on the ballot.

1403
01:26:04,270 --> 01:26:06,510
And I had a question for staff on that,

1404
01:26:06,510 --> 01:26:08,370
actually a couple, one is,

1405
01:26:08,370 --> 01:26:10,350
presumably that would require also

1406
01:26:10,350 --> 01:26:13,350
two-thirds majority at that point.

1407
01:26:13,400 --> 01:26:14,880
Yes, sir. To pass.

1408
01:26:14,880 --> 01:26:20,480
Yeah, so, you know, again, we've talked about the challenges of an initiative like this

1409
01:26:20,480 --> 01:26:26,800
when we have other jurisdictions adopting new taxes sort of left and right, and then

1410
01:26:26,800 --> 01:26:31,200
taking funding away from us at the federal level currently.

1411
01:26:31,200 --> 01:26:36,300
I think those are the reasons why I'd be happy to have check-ins or even guarantee

1412
01:26:36,300 --> 01:26:42,900
that we would discuss agendizing and considering a termination of the

1413
01:26:44,500 --> 01:26:48,120
assessment, but to require us to go through this all

1414
01:26:48,120 --> 01:26:52,220
over again, especially if we're going to use the funds for operations.

1415
01:26:52,220 --> 01:26:57,200
Again, for three hundred dollars an average parcel,

1416
01:26:57,140 --> 01:27:00,420
it's a lot for a lot of families. I get that,

1417
01:27:00,420 --> 01:27:04,400
but I don't think it's the best practice.

1418
01:27:04,400 --> 01:27:09,400
But Matt, in the limited work that we've been able to do,

1419
01:27:09,400 --> 01:27:12,100
and I should just say that I do disagree

1420
01:27:12,100 --> 01:27:15,800
that this has been a rush to judgment or what have you.

1421
01:27:15,800 --> 01:27:17,000
We've been talking about this for a long time,

1422
01:27:17,000 --> 01:27:20,600
and certainly after the Eaton fire,

1423
01:27:20,600 --> 01:27:23,980
those conversations have intensified and increased.

1424
01:27:23,980 --> 01:27:26,360
So I don't feel rushed at all,

1425
01:27:26,360 --> 01:27:29,600
other than what Coach Wooden said,

1426
01:27:29,600 --> 01:27:31,740
be quick, but don't hurry.

1427
01:27:31,740 --> 01:27:33,860
And in the work that we've done

1428
01:27:33,860 --> 01:27:39,940
terms of outreach has this sunset thing been a topic that's moved the needle

1429
01:27:39,940 --> 01:27:42,940
one way or the other

1430
01:27:45,340 --> 01:27:50,920
it it's a topic that we've wrestled with for sure staff

1431
01:27:50,920 --> 01:27:55,220
landed on the proposal that didn't have a sunset but we certainly

1432
01:27:55,220 --> 01:28:00,640
recognized that the council had asked us prior to build a methodology that

1433
01:28:00,640 --> 01:28:03,940
would work with a sunset and that's why we approached the methodology that

1434
01:28:03,940 --> 01:28:10,410
we did so yeah well just from where I said I would not have the sunset I would

1435
01:28:10,410 --> 01:28:18,790
I'd be fine with committing to have a discussion set the agenda right now for

1436
01:28:18,790 --> 01:28:23,890
a council meeting you know eight ten twelve years whenever it is yearly even

1437
01:28:23,890 --> 01:28:27,890
someone said absolutely we should be talking about this and I expect we will

1438
01:28:27,890 --> 01:28:32,300
you know this isn't going to self execute right we're gonna have

1439
01:28:32,300 --> 01:28:36,550
Contracts year over year. We're going to have approvals of

1440
01:28:36,550 --> 01:28:37,970
construction and the likes

1441
01:28:37,970 --> 01:28:43,910
So this will be top of mind for all of us and I'm not I am not concerned that the staff or this council is

1442
01:28:43,910 --> 01:28:46,390
Not going to keep its promise

1443
01:28:46,390 --> 01:28:48,370
and then

1444
01:28:48,370 --> 01:28:56,710
Just procedurally. I'm a little confused because I heard a motion that had a 15-year sunset and

1445
01:28:56,710 --> 01:28:59,450
Mr. Clerk, can you remind me who seconded that?

1446
01:28:59,450 --> 01:29:06,900
It was made by Councilmember Jones, seconded by Councilmember Cole, but then it was modified

1447
01:29:06,900 --> 01:29:07,470
after Councilmember...

1448
01:29:07,470 --> 01:29:07,990
Well, hold on.

1449
01:29:07,990 --> 01:29:10,410
No, no, but you're getting ahead of me.

1450
01:29:10,410 --> 01:29:12,710
The next thing that happened was not a modification.

1451
01:29:12,710 --> 01:29:14,690
There was then a...

1452
01:29:14,690 --> 01:29:16,530
Substitute motion.

1453
01:29:16,530 --> 01:29:17,650
It did not have a second.

1454
01:29:17,650 --> 01:29:19,550
It was made by Mr. Hampton.

1455
01:29:19,550 --> 01:29:22,870
I thought I heard Mr. Cole second that motion also, and I don't know if that's...

1456
01:29:22,870 --> 01:29:24,250
No, he did not.

1457
01:29:24,250 --> 01:29:25,530
No.

1458
01:29:25,530 --> 01:29:26,250
Okay.

1459
01:29:26,250 --> 01:29:26,850
That was the...

1460
01:29:26,850 --> 01:29:28,460
That motion...

1461
01:29:28,460 --> 01:29:29,300
Sorry.

1462
01:29:29,300 --> 01:29:36,800
yeah that motion then dies for lack of a second correct the 10-year no he had a

1463
01:29:36,800 --> 01:29:42,520
substantive motion for 10-year it died it did not get a second but then okay

1464
01:29:42,520 --> 01:29:50,340
council member okay that motion died for lack of a second yes sir okay so

1465
01:29:50,340 --> 01:29:56,600
then we're back to the original motion and the maker then has amended that

1466
01:29:56,600 --> 01:29:58,600
motion? Yes, sir.

1467
01:29:59,540 --> 01:30:01,763
Okay. Well, I would really.

1468
01:30:01,763 --> 01:30:05,603
or just to, as I've heard some of my colleagues indicate,

1469
01:30:05,603 --> 01:30:09,203
to not make that modification respectfully,

1470
01:30:10,203 --> 01:30:13,630
but rather to keep the mushing where it is.

1471
01:30:13,630 --> 01:30:15,630
Thank you.

1472
01:30:19,503 --> 01:30:22,993
Okay, I just want to put us in the best position

1473
01:30:22,993 --> 01:30:24,773
to be successful.

1474
01:30:24,773 --> 01:30:30,773
And if we go down the route of a sunset,

1475
01:30:31,463 --> 01:30:35,753
it has to be firmly rooted and stated.

1476
01:30:35,753 --> 01:30:39,353
and I, you know, I'm hearing 10, 15.

1477
01:30:42,930 --> 01:30:46,333
I think if we're going to say to the voters

1478
01:30:46,333 --> 01:30:51,903
that it is a sunset, it should be a hard sunset

1479
01:30:51,903 --> 01:30:53,943
with a check-in and a commitment for us

1480
01:30:53,943 --> 01:30:56,963
to work immediately at five years.

1481
01:30:56,963 --> 01:31:01,163
The 10-year, I think, delivers that message

1482
01:31:01,263 --> 01:31:03,663
with the five-year check-in.

1483
01:31:09,323 --> 01:31:11,183
I would prefer-

1484
01:31:11,183 --> 01:31:21,143
or 15 I would I would prefer not to have one but you know I can see that a

1485
01:31:21,143 --> 01:31:25,343
majority of the council is headed in that direction so I just want to make

1486
01:31:25,343 --> 01:31:32,563
sure that if we do it that it's you know doesn't that it feels real to the

1487
01:31:32,563 --> 01:31:37,230
voters and that our commitment to come back to them is real so is your point

1488
01:31:37,230 --> 01:31:41,543
you think that 10 is more persuasive than any other number I think it would

1489
01:31:41,543 --> 01:31:51,443
I think otherwise it looks and you know, but we have to follow it up with a real commitment to

1490
01:31:51,443 --> 01:31:58,633
Start the work at five years if not before not later than five years

1491
01:31:58,633 --> 01:32:04,313
I have a strong preference for 14, but same or 15. I feel like we're good

1492
01:32:04,313 --> 01:32:07,693
It's a such a short time line it to come back at eight years

1493
01:32:07,693 --> 01:32:14,330
I worry that even if things are going well, it's just gonna be a harder case to make to the voters

1494
01:32:14,330 --> 01:32:16,330
I don't know.

1495
01:32:16,243 --> 01:32:18,923
Yeah, I concur Mayor because also these projects

1496
01:32:18,923 --> 01:32:21,643
won't happen overnight and it may be the case

1497
01:32:21,643 --> 01:32:24,803
that those who say that they're in favor of this

1498
01:32:24,803 --> 01:32:28,403
but actually aren't out in the community

1499
01:32:28,403 --> 01:32:31,483
that they would have an opportunity then to say,

1500
01:32:31,483 --> 01:32:32,743
see the work hasn't happened yet

1501
01:32:32,743 --> 01:32:35,183
and you shouldn't go down this road.

1502
01:32:35,183 --> 01:32:36,643
Can I ask the city manager

1503
01:32:36,643 --> 01:32:39,143
if that's the direction we're headed?

1504
01:32:39,143 --> 01:32:41,343
Like how much operational expense

1505
01:32:41,343 --> 01:32:44,343
are we planning on funding?

1506
01:32:49,343 --> 01:32:53,543
Ultimately, we're funding two new rescue ambulances,

1507
01:32:56,113 --> 01:33:00,330
a new fire suppression or fire engine, a new fire truck,

1508
01:33:00,330 --> 01:33:04,153
and year-round weed and brush clearance abatement.

1509
01:33:04,153 --> 01:33:06,553
Yeah, that's the truck.

1510
01:33:06,933 --> 01:33:10,993
And then year-round brush abatement, weed abatement.

1511
01:33:10,993 --> 01:33:15,130
Those are all operational costs that are ongoing

1512
01:33:15,130 --> 01:33:19,213
with the current financial model of 19 cents

1513
01:33:20,930 --> 01:33:24,233
essentially that I think it's in year 12 or 13,

1514
01:33:24,233 --> 01:33:26,330
all of those dollars are going towards

1515
01:33:26,330 --> 01:33:28,433
covering the operational cost,

1516
01:33:28,433 --> 01:33:30,613
because the capital would have been paid for

1517
01:33:30,613 --> 01:33:33,130
if we did the pay as you go plan.

1518
01:33:33,130 --> 01:33:35,793
And then that would essentially be what the need is

1519
01:33:35,793 --> 01:33:40,573
for all the operating costs 12 years or so down the road,

1520
01:33:40,573 --> 01:33:42,273
depending on inflationary pressures

1521
01:33:42,273 --> 01:33:44,723
and everything else of course.

1522
01:33:44,723 --> 01:33:47,203
Really we'd be essentially calling a referendum

1523
01:33:47,203 --> 01:33:50,103
in 10 years as to whether we wanted to continue

1524
01:33:50,103 --> 01:33:54,923
as enhanced services and the capital work would be done

1525
01:33:54,923 --> 01:33:57,923
is at least a plan.

1526
01:33:58,533 --> 01:34:03,933
I think that's probably the conversation in any sunset.

1527
01:34:04,953 --> 01:34:07,530
And the other thing I wanna point out,

1528
01:34:07,530 --> 01:34:09,893
I can hear the chief reminding me in my ear,

1529
01:34:09,893 --> 01:34:12,313
even though he's not really,

1530
01:34:12,313 --> 01:34:15,753
is this is a 10-year capital plan.

1531
01:34:15,753 --> 01:34:18,513
In year 12 or 15, there are gonna be other stations

1532
01:34:18,513 --> 01:34:20,730
that are gonna need to be remodeled

1533
01:34:20,730 --> 01:34:21,793
or they're gonna be other apparatus

1534
01:34:21,793 --> 01:34:26,113
or fire suppression is gonna look different in 12 years

1535
01:34:26,113 --> 01:34:28,293
or we don't know what will happen.

1536
01:34:28,293 --> 01:34:30,973
This is our 10 year capital plan

1537
01:34:30,973 --> 01:34:34,573
and then staffing plan going forward.

1538
01:34:35,443 --> 01:34:37,300
But with any good plan,

1539
01:34:37,300 --> 01:34:42,523
we will revisit that plan and create a new plan.

1540
01:34:42,523 --> 01:34:44,403
Okay.

1541
01:34:44,403 --> 01:34:45,943
So Mayor, I just wanna chime in

1542
01:34:45,943 --> 01:34:48,630
that I too would be more comfortable with,

1543
01:34:48,630 --> 01:34:51,663
let's say 14 year quote unquote sunset.

1544
01:34:52,300 --> 01:34:55,603
Again, it's really problematic to anticipate

1545
01:34:57,430 --> 01:35:02,443
this amount of operational expense and take that on.

1546
01:35:03,263 --> 01:35:06,230
And I know we talk about trucks and ambulances,

1547
01:35:06,230 --> 01:35:08,123
but what the city manager was just describing

1548
01:35:08,123 --> 01:35:11,430
is the men and women, the firefighters

1549
01:35:11,430 --> 01:35:14,683
who are gonna be staffing those initiatives.

1550
01:35:14,683 --> 01:35:18,303
And it's not prudent to commit to the community

1551
01:35:18,303 --> 01:35:20,383
that we're gonna be adding that level of service,

1552
01:35:20,383 --> 01:35:23,903
which we should do, but also say that the funding

1553
01:35:23,903 --> 01:35:26,383
is gonna go away for it in 10 years,

1554
01:35:26,383 --> 01:35:29,383
absent another expensive time-consuming election

1555
01:35:31,923 --> 01:35:34,630
where we'd go back to the voters.

1556
01:35:34,630 --> 01:35:35,943
But I've said my piece about that.

1557
01:35:35,943 --> 01:35:40,143
I think 14 years is much more preferable.

1558
01:35:41,203 --> 01:35:43,430
Could I just inquire the maker?

1559
01:35:43,430 --> 01:35:46,563
Would you accept a friendly amendment to 14 years?

1560
01:35:46,563 --> 01:35:53,533
Yeah I would accept 14 years if that's what my colleagues want but it also

1561
01:35:53,533 --> 01:36:00,313
sound like there wasn't a clear plan if the voters did turn this down after 10

1562
01:36:00,313 --> 01:36:06,383
or 14 years and that's a concern as well because if there's operational

1563
01:36:06,383 --> 01:36:15,223
costs that we're gonna be relying on the what is it 22 million or what is

1564
01:36:15,223 --> 01:36:22,763
by year 12 you're at over 22 million you know so it's closer to 25 million by

1565
01:36:22,763 --> 01:36:28,733
year 15 of those operational costs with all the capital already funded. Does the

1566
01:36:28,733 --> 01:36:36,803
council have the authority to I guess stop the tax or you have to go back to

1567
01:36:36,803 --> 01:36:38,803
the voters?

1568
01:36:39,423 --> 01:36:45,593
No I'll look to the city attorney but as far as I know the

1569
01:36:45,593 --> 01:36:49,793
Council could always assess a lower tax.

1570
01:36:49,913 --> 01:36:53,253
But you can't go back up once you lower the tax.

1571
01:36:53,253 --> 01:36:57,573
So the council could terminate the tax or lower the tax.

1572
01:36:57,573 --> 01:37:00,573
But that would end it.

1573
01:37:04,143 --> 01:37:04,223
Yeah.

1574
01:37:04,223 --> 01:37:04,443
Yeah. I just inquired if the second would also

1575
01:37:04,443 --> 01:37:06,383
I just inquired if the second would also

1576
01:37:06,383 --> 01:37:09,983
support the friendly amendment to 14 years.

1577
01:37:12,833 --> 01:37:14,773
I think we need more discussion on the sunset,

1578
01:37:14,773 --> 01:37:16,773
to be honest.

1579
01:37:17,300 --> 01:37:18,903
So I'm in the queue.

1580
01:37:18,903 --> 01:37:20,463
I've been asked by one of my colleagues

1581
01:37:20,463 --> 01:37:21,663
what my position is.

1582
01:37:21,663 --> 01:37:22,483
I'd like to be heard.

1583
01:37:22,483 --> 01:37:24,930
Mr. Cole.

1584
01:37:24,930 --> 01:37:27,193
So my colleague quoted Coach Wooden,

1585
01:37:27,193 --> 01:37:32,630
I will do the same, which is don't let the perfect

1586
01:37:32,630 --> 01:37:35,663
be the enemy of the good.

1587
01:37:36,313 --> 01:37:39,353
For all of the people who came out here tonight,

1588
01:37:39,353 --> 01:37:42,743
they're probably wondering, why are we fixated

1589
01:37:42,743 --> 01:37:44,443
on this one point, right?

1590
01:37:44,443 --> 01:37:49,383
For those who think that this is an absolutely urgent need,

1591
01:37:49,383 --> 01:37:51,103
why would we put a sunset on it?

1592
01:37:51,103 --> 01:37:52,923
We're going to need this ongoing.

1593
01:37:52,923 --> 01:37:56,430
And for those who are skeptical of it, even though a few said

1594
01:37:56,430 --> 01:37:59,643
if you're going to go forward, at least put a sunset on it,

1595
01:37:59,643 --> 01:38:05,743
this all seems like a very small concession to their concerns.

1596
01:38:05,743 --> 01:38:08,630
So I want to take a step back.

1597
01:38:08,630 --> 01:38:12,263
When I was mayor, the library director

1598
01:38:13,923 --> 01:38:18,423
came to the city council asking for the entire library

1599
01:38:18,423 --> 01:38:20,263
budget to be taken off the books.

1600
01:38:20,263 --> 01:38:22,563
because in order to protect police

1601
01:38:22,563 --> 01:38:26,693
and fire during the recession of the early 90s,

1602
01:38:26,693 --> 01:38:29,313
we severely cut the library

1603
01:38:29,313 --> 01:38:32,433
as we did all other departments besides police and fire.

1604
01:38:32,433 --> 01:38:34,933
And we were at the point of having to close a library.

1605
01:38:34,933 --> 01:38:36,773
And one of the things that's been a hallmark

1606
01:38:36,773 --> 01:38:40,673
of our community is that every child is

1607
01:38:40,673 --> 01:38:43,753
within one mile of a branch library.

1608
01:38:43,753 --> 01:38:46,863
And what library would you close?

1609
01:38:46,863 --> 01:38:50,463
Which neighborhood didn't deserve a library?

1610
01:38:50,583 --> 01:38:52,803
That was the issue.

1611
01:38:52,803 --> 01:38:54,563
So Ed Zanacca, who was library director,

1612
01:38:54,563 --> 01:38:56,603
said, let's just take the library out.

1613
01:38:56,603 --> 01:38:59,283
But that would have required a $12 million tax.

1614
01:38:59,283 --> 01:39:03,123
And I just felt that was never going to pass.

1615
01:39:03,123 --> 01:39:06,723
And so he's never forgiven me.

1616
01:39:06,723 --> 01:39:11,123
But in order to pass the library parcel tax,

1617
01:39:11,123 --> 01:39:15,230
I made the motion that we simply restore the funding

1618
01:39:15,230 --> 01:39:17,723
that we had cut, which was about $3.5 million

1619
01:39:17,723 --> 01:39:18,823
at the time.

1620
01:39:18,823 --> 01:39:21,503
And we got 82% of the vote.

1621
01:39:21,503 --> 01:39:23,643
And so I repeat, let's not make the perfect

1622
01:39:23,643 --> 01:39:26,300
be the enemy of the good.

1623
01:39:26,300 --> 01:39:27,843
I agree with Mr. Lyon.

1624
01:39:27,843 --> 01:39:30,903
I think without a sunset, getting to 2 thirds

1625
01:39:30,903 --> 01:39:33,963
is going to be extraordinarily difficult.

1626
01:39:33,963 --> 01:39:39,173
And so if we're talking about $22 million or zero,

1627
01:39:39,173 --> 01:39:41,573
I much prefer $22 million.

1628
01:39:44,563 --> 01:39:47,683
The perfect is we have everything

1629
01:39:47,683 --> 01:39:50,483
that we think we want.

1630
01:39:50,483 --> 01:39:52,483
But the voters have it within their power

1631
01:39:52,483 --> 01:39:54,883
to give us nothing.

1632
01:39:55,553 --> 01:39:58,730
That's entirely within their authority.

1633
01:39:58,730 --> 01:40:00,730
In fact, it's only a third of the people

1634
01:40:00,730 --> 01:40:01,673
have to decide that.

1635
01:40:01,673 --> 01:40:07,730
And this thing goes down in about, say, flames.

1636
01:40:12,493 --> 01:40:16,793
But so I think that's, and I would

1637
01:40:16,793 --> 01:40:18,273
like to see this be unanimous.

1638
01:40:18,273 --> 01:40:24,543
So, before answering the question about 10 or 15, I would point out that the library

1639
01:40:24,543 --> 01:40:34,730
tax was a 15-year sunset, and the voters have twice re-upped it because they saw that

1640
01:40:34,730 --> 01:40:39,530
our library provides an extraordinarily valuable service to every neighborhood.

1641
01:40:39,530 --> 01:40:45,993
And I think if we spend this money to augment our fire service, to retrofit to

1642
01:40:45,993 --> 01:40:53,233
fire stations, and to deliver better service to our community, I have no doubt that the

1643
01:40:53,233 --> 01:40:58,293
voters will continue to support this in the future as they have with the library.

1644
01:40:58,293 --> 01:41:04,293
I can live with 10 years, I can live with 14 years, I can live with 15 years, I would

1645
01:41:04,293 --> 01:41:06,253
like to have a unanimous vote.

1646
01:41:06,253 --> 01:41:12,163
So I'd ask Mr. Hampton, who has made clear up until this point that his support

1647
01:41:12,163 --> 01:41:14,883
for this is contingent on a 10 year sunset,

1648
01:41:14,883 --> 01:41:17,463
whether he would be comfortable in the spirit

1649
01:41:17,463 --> 01:41:24,630
of getting us to unanimity of either a 14 or 15 year sunset.

1650
01:41:29,203 --> 01:41:30,483
I appreciate that.

1651
01:41:30,483 --> 01:41:35,763
And I think the discussion is an important one.

1652
01:41:35,763 --> 01:41:38,103
I am firm in the 10 years.

1653
01:41:38,103 --> 01:41:41,383
I think that what we're asking of our residents

1654
01:41:41,383 --> 01:41:45,830
at this time when everything is the most expensive

1655
01:41:45,830 --> 01:41:47,563
to say, you know, we're going to do it for 15 years.

1656
01:41:47,563 --> 01:41:52,363
15 years is an eternity, 10 years is more palpable.

1657
01:41:52,623 --> 01:41:54,723
And so I think, you know, asking the voters again

1658
01:41:54,723 --> 01:41:59,630
in 10 years or eight years, if they want to continue this

1659
01:41:59,630 --> 01:42:04,853
after we show our work is the most or in my opinion,

1660
01:42:04,853 --> 01:42:06,433
the best way to go about it.

1661
01:42:06,433 --> 01:42:10,393
And I think a 10 year, I also think, you know,

1662
01:42:10,393 --> 01:42:13,993
is psychologically 10 versus 15 or 14 for anyone

1663
01:42:16,713 --> 01:42:19,993
who's voting on this that reads it's going to be 14 years

1664
01:42:19,993 --> 01:42:21,633
or 15 years.

1665
01:42:21,633 --> 01:42:24,313
10 years is just more palatable.

1666
01:42:24,313 --> 01:42:28,173
So I want to see a pass.

1667
01:42:28,173 --> 01:42:30,393
I would like to see this on the ballot.

1668
01:42:30,393 --> 01:42:31,653
It's a need.

1669
01:42:31,653 --> 01:42:34,853
It's a need that we've been talking about for years now.

1670
01:42:34,853 --> 01:42:38,993
So I appreciate my colleagues for having this long discussion

1671
01:42:38,993 --> 01:42:46,353
dialogue on these about 10 years is where I'm at. Thank you. So Mayor, just a

1672
01:42:46,353 --> 01:42:51,393
point of order. Am I hearing then that in that light Mr. Cold does not accept a friendly amendment?

1673
01:42:51,393 --> 01:42:56,653
Hold on. Mr. Mayor, it's a point of order. Do we have agreement from the

1674
01:42:56,653 --> 01:43:00,853
second to my friendly amendment? I don't think that's an appropriate point of

1675
01:43:00,853 --> 01:43:05,473
order, Mr. Madison. I'll answer in due time. That's your opinion, but I'd like an answer to my question.

1676
01:43:05,473 --> 01:43:10,733
hold on one second mr. Madison the city manager has a response that he'd like

1677
01:43:10,733 --> 01:43:17,363
to give so it when we were talking about when councilmember Cole brought up the

1678
01:43:17,363 --> 01:43:22,463
15 year of the library and and the importance of that I was just asked to

1679
01:43:22,463 --> 01:43:29,363
pull it to the library tax the library tax from now needs to be renewed

1680
01:43:29,363 --> 01:43:36,483
in ten years so not saying right or wrong I'm just saying there's a

1681
01:43:36,483 --> 01:43:44,763
that if it's a 10-year sunset both taxes would potentially have to be on the same

1682
01:43:44,763 --> 01:43:52,233
ballot which is for me convincing that you know we don't want this to pit

1683
01:43:52,233 --> 01:43:58,953
libraries against our fire service and fire department and so I'm prepared to

1684
01:43:58,953 --> 01:44:06,453
support the 14 I'm prepared to support the 14 and I would bring up that you

1685
01:44:06,453 --> 01:44:12,953
Although we won a unanimous vote it's obviously not required and we didn't have one for the

1686
01:44:12,953 --> 01:44:20,853
library just what two years ago so I think that's correct yeah so I I'm prepared to

1687
01:44:20,853 --> 01:44:24,453
amend my motion to to 14 years

1688
01:44:25,523 --> 01:44:29,123
prepared to support that change okay

1689
01:44:30,363 --> 01:44:37,563
Mr. Masuda mayor I'm prepared to support the 14 year thank you okay

1690
01:44:40,173 --> 01:44:43,173
So let's call the roll.

1691
01:44:43,623 --> 01:44:50,663
So the motion is to approve the staff recommendation with a 14-year sunset and to guarantee seismic

1692
01:44:50,663 --> 01:44:54,263
retrofits for the two fire stations.

1693
01:44:54,293 --> 01:44:55,333
Councilmember Cole?

1694
01:44:55,333 --> 01:44:56,133
Yes.

1695
01:44:56,133 --> 01:44:57,733
Councilmember Hampton?

1696
01:44:57,733 --> 01:44:59,130
Abstain.

1697
01:44:59,130 --> 01:44:59,853
Abstain.

1698
01:44:59,853 --> 01:45:00,813
Councilmember Jones?

1699
01:45:00,813 --> 01:45:01,753
Yes.

1700
01:45:01,753 --> 01:45:02,573
Councilmember Lyon?

1701
01:45:02,573 --> 01:45:03,253
Yes.

1702
01:45:03,253 --> 01:45:05,300
Councilmember Madison?

1703
01:45:05,300 --> 01:45:05,963
Yes.

1704
01:45:05,963 --> 01:45:06,543
Councilmember Masuda?

1705
01:45:06,543 --> 01:45:13,823
yes vice mayor Rivas yes mayor Gordo yes motion is approved seven in favor one

1706
01:45:13,823 --> 01:45:19,823
abstention so if it's okay I would just like to clarify for the council that

1707
01:45:19,823 --> 01:45:26,883
the ballot language that's in your staff report will be revised because it

1708
01:45:26,883 --> 01:45:34,303
currently says until ended by voters those four words will be replaced with

1709
01:45:34,303 --> 01:45:36,303
expiring after 14 years.

1710
01:45:39,823 --> 01:45:44,273
And that is found in, that's in the question.

1711
01:45:44,273 --> 01:45:45,793
Question as well.

1712
01:45:45,793 --> 01:45:49,393
And then we will add section 4.110.240,

1713
01:45:51,213 --> 01:45:53,573
which is the sunset provision.

1714
01:45:53,573 --> 01:45:55,773
And that will say the special parcel tax

1715
01:45:55,773 --> 01:45:57,893
established by this ordinance shall automatically

1716
01:45:57,893 --> 01:46:00,893
expire 14 years after its effective date,

1717
01:46:00,893 --> 01:46:04,530
unless extended by a subsequent ordinance

1718
01:46:04,530 --> 01:46:06,433
approved by the voters of the city of Pasadena

1719
01:46:06,433 --> 01:46:09,113
Upon expiration, no further taxes shall be levied

1720
01:46:09,113 --> 01:46:11,873
pursuant to this chapter, and any remaining funds

1721
01:46:11,873 --> 01:46:14,930
shall be used exclusively for the purposes

1722
01:46:14,930 --> 01:46:16,493
authorized herein until expended.

1723
01:46:17,983 --> 01:46:21,243
And I would suggest, I know you don't like this,

1724
01:46:21,243 --> 01:46:24,223
but we should read the question as amended.

1725
01:46:24,223 --> 01:46:27,223
Sure, I can do that.

1726
01:46:28,453 --> 01:46:31,613
The title, City of Pasadena 9-1-1 Firefighter

1727
01:46:31,613 --> 01:46:34,130
Paramedic Emergency Medical Wildfire

1728
01:46:34,653 --> 01:46:36,573
Preparedness Response Measure.

1729
01:46:36,573 --> 01:46:40,933
City of Pasadena 9-1-1 firefighter paramedic emergency

1730
01:46:40,933 --> 01:46:43,933
medical wildfire preparedness response measure

1731
01:46:44,853 --> 01:46:49,653
to help maintain fire paramedic 9-1-1 response,

1732
01:46:49,733 --> 01:46:53,333
prepare for, respond to wildfires, earthquakes,

1733
01:46:53,353 --> 01:46:56,353
medical emergencies, recruit, retain well-trained

1734
01:46:56,553 --> 01:46:58,953
firefighters, maintain life-saving equipment,

1735
01:47:00,783 --> 01:47:02,203
fire alert communication,

1736
01:47:02,203 --> 01:47:07,300
Shall City of Pasadena's measure annually levy 19 cents

1737
01:47:07,183 --> 01:47:09,263
per square foot of improved property

1738
01:47:09,263 --> 01:47:11,663
with low income senior exemption

1739
01:47:11,663 --> 01:47:14,630
providing approximately 22 million 100,000 annually

1740
01:47:15,723 --> 01:47:18,723
expiring after 14 years requiring accountability,

1741
01:47:20,503 --> 01:47:22,443
independent audits, oversight,

1742
01:47:22,443 --> 01:47:24,103
public spending disclosure,

1743
01:47:24,103 --> 01:47:27,523
all funds must be used to support local fire protection

1744
01:47:27,523 --> 01:47:31,123
emergency medical response services be adopted.

1745
01:47:35,933 --> 01:47:44,333
Okay with that I think that completes this matter and the plane has landed.

1746
01:48:03,743 --> 01:48:08,343
Now everyone has to go out and campaign for it. Yeah tonight start knocking on

1747
01:48:08,343 --> 01:48:17,343
door. And sorry for the turbulence but okay we'll allow those who want to stay

1748
01:48:19,443 --> 01:48:28,793
to stay and those who do not to thank you for your participation okay now we

1749
01:48:28,793 --> 01:48:32,393
will entertain a actually mayor what

1750
01:48:40,493 --> 01:48:45,863
do you want mayor do you want did you want

1751
01:48:45,863 --> 01:48:49,483
to do public comment on matters not on the agenda we have two spoke cards

1752
01:48:49,483 --> 01:48:55,230
mayor yeah we have two public comment cards for matters not on the agenda

1753
01:48:55,230 --> 01:48:59,223
And Caleb Kodama, followed by Heather Kodama.

1754
01:49:00,843 --> 01:49:02,843
Are you here?

1755
01:49:03,763 --> 01:49:07,333
[AD] Public Speakers Heather Kodama and Caleb Kodama approach the podium

1756
01:49:07,333 --> 01:49:09,333
Go ahead.

1757
01:49:28,253 --> 01:49:29,633
Ms. Kodama, go ahead.

1758
01:49:29,633 --> 01:49:30,130
Hi.

1759
01:49:30,130 --> 01:49:30,673
How are you?

1760
01:49:30,673 --> 01:49:31,133
Good.

1761
01:49:31,133 --> 01:49:32,743
Good evening.

1762
01:49:32,743 --> 01:49:40,783
My name is Heather Kodama, and I'm proud to be a lifelong Pasadenaan and an Altadena

1763
01:49:40,783 --> 01:49:42,783
resident.

1764
01:49:43,430 --> 01:49:49,643
I attended Firehouse Preschool, Burbank Elementary, Noe's Elementary, Elliott Middle School,

1765
01:49:50,830 --> 01:49:52,333
and John Muir High School.

1766
01:49:52,333 --> 01:49:54,493
For more than 30 years, I volunteered

1767
01:49:54,493 --> 01:49:56,573
with Pasadena Unified School District

1768
01:49:56,573 --> 01:50:01,273
and spent 10 years decorating Tournament of Roses floats

1769
01:50:01,273 --> 01:50:03,553
and currently serve as the vice president

1770
01:50:03,553 --> 01:50:05,553
of Rolls-Royce Riders.

1771
01:50:05,903 --> 01:50:07,943
My husband is the former principal

1772
01:50:07,943 --> 01:50:10,193
of Pasadena High School

1773
01:50:10,193 --> 01:50:12,333
and our son proudly graduated

1774
01:50:12,333 --> 01:50:15,333
from Pasadena High School in 2026.

1775
01:50:16,883 --> 01:50:18,563
Horses have been part of my life

1776
01:50:18,563 --> 01:50:20,163
since I was five years old.

1777
01:50:20,163 --> 01:50:24,983
Years later when my son was nine, he discovered horseback riding through

1778
01:50:24,983 --> 01:50:29,403
Rose Bowl Riders' Art of the Horse program. That city-supported program

1779
01:50:29,403 --> 01:50:34,983
introduced primary Title I students to horses through the art, hands-on

1780
01:50:34,983 --> 01:50:40,123
learning, and equestrian demonstrations. For many children it was their first

1781
01:50:40,123 --> 01:50:45,483
experience with animals, nature, and the outdoors. More recently, Rose Bowl

1782
01:50:45,483 --> 01:50:48,623
Riders and Myrtle Hill Farm have continued serving our community by

1783
01:50:48,623 --> 01:50:53,303
hosting programs for Pasadena after school youth and Five Acres.

1784
01:50:53,303 --> 01:50:59,430
Our members volunteer countless hours because we are deeply committed, not only to preserving

1785
01:50:59,430 --> 01:51:04,523
these programs, but to expanding affordable public access so more Pasadena families,

1786
01:51:04,523 --> 01:51:09,203
especially our children, can experience the lifelong lessons horses teach.

1787
01:51:09,203 --> 01:51:14,603
Responsibility, commitment, discipline, confidence, compassion, and the value of

1788
01:51:15,300 --> 01:51:15,583
the committee.

1789
01:51:15,583 --> 01:51:23,563
The mission is especially meaningful to me personally as a child my own family experienced homelessness for nearly three years

1790
01:51:23,563 --> 01:51:31,223
During that difficult period a local barn gave me the opportunity to become a working student that experience provided stability

1791
01:51:31,223 --> 01:51:36,603
purpose responsibility hope during one of the hardest times of my life ma'am

1792
01:51:36,603 --> 01:51:40,243
You your time is expired. I've got one little sentence

1793
01:51:40,243 --> 01:51:45,823
Okay, go ahead and wrap it up as Roseville riders approach it this 80th year in ha ha munga watershed park

1794
01:51:45,823 --> 01:51:52,843
I respectfully ask the City Council to continue supporting these valuable community partnerships with myrtle Hall farm and

1795
01:51:52,843 --> 01:51:57,943
Local schools face increasing fiscal challenges in coming years programs like mine

1796
01:51:57,943 --> 01:52:03,683
They become even more important for Pasadena youth. Thank you. Thank you so much, and we're having our 80th anniversary

1797
01:52:03,683 --> 01:52:07,630
I'm over ma'am now now you're

1798
01:52:07,630 --> 01:52:08,763
Caleb

1799
01:52:08,763 --> 01:52:09,513
[AD] Public Speaker Caleb Kodama approaches the podium.

1800
01:52:09,513 --> 01:52:11,763
[AD] Public Speaker Caleb Kodama approaches the podium. [CC] Kodama. Two minutes. I feel like a half my points got said by my dear mom there.

1801
01:52:11,763 --> 01:52:14,923
[CC] Kodama. Two minutes. I feel like a half my points got said by my dear mom there.

1802
01:52:14,923 --> 01:52:20,963
One minute. Hi, as you guys know my name is Kodama. I graduated Pasadena High

1803
01:52:20,963 --> 01:52:24,603
School, don't worry like me or two for those of you out there, and you know in

1804
01:52:24,603 --> 01:52:28,363
a couple very short weeks I'm going to be starting to study bioengineering

1805
01:52:28,363 --> 01:52:33,883
at University of California, Riverside. Now as she said I started going to

1806
01:52:33,883 --> 01:52:37,230
Rose Bowl Riders when I was nine. Pretty cool I thought at the time and

1807
01:52:37,230 --> 01:52:40,243
That was from Rose Bowl Riders' Art of the Horse program.

1808
01:52:40,243 --> 01:52:43,843
You know, one day, one field trip turned into multiple years

1809
01:52:43,843 --> 01:52:46,423
and a lifelong commitment to the program.

1810
01:52:46,423 --> 01:52:48,630
The thing for Rose Bowl Riders with me

1811
01:52:48,630 --> 01:52:50,763
is it helped shape fundamentally who I am today

1812
01:52:50,763 --> 01:52:52,603
and I think it is a valuable tool

1813
01:52:52,603 --> 01:52:55,300
in doing that for the youth of today as well.

1814
01:52:55,300 --> 01:52:57,230
You know, for me, growing up wasn't always easy.

1815
01:52:57,230 --> 01:52:58,943
I faced social struggles, got bullied,

1816
01:52:58,943 --> 01:53:00,143
but you don't wanna hear about that right now.

1817
01:53:00,143 --> 01:53:01,683
We got two minutes, right?

1818
01:53:01,683 --> 01:53:03,703
But the thing is, is at this barn,

1819
01:53:03,703 --> 01:53:06,323
I found something that I couldn't find anywhere else.

1820
01:53:06,323 --> 01:53:12,523
I found community, and I was guaranteed lessons by that community. I learned confidence, organization,

1821
01:53:12,523 --> 01:53:18,463
responsibility, perseverance. I mean, hey, horses don't judge you, right? They ask you to be patient,

1822
01:53:18,463 --> 01:53:22,363
consistent, and keep trying. And those lessons have carried over to every part of my life.

1823
01:53:22,363 --> 01:53:26,363
I mean, except for those couple seconds of air time I get whenever I'm bucked off. But

1824
01:53:26,363 --> 01:53:32,683
during COVID, when so many activities came to a stop, and the same thing for and during,

1825
01:53:32,683 --> 01:53:34,203
Oh, wow.

1826
01:53:34,203 --> 01:53:35,663
The Eden Fires.

1827
01:53:35,663 --> 01:53:37,603
The community offered by Rolls-Royce Riders

1828
01:53:37,603 --> 01:53:39,963
and the Myrtle Hill Farm Lessons program

1829
01:53:39,963 --> 01:53:43,283
provided so much support for me.

1830
01:53:43,283 --> 01:53:46,423
The lessons I have gained from riding, from the barn,

1831
01:53:46,423 --> 01:53:50,623
from the community has given me, frankly,

1832
01:53:50,953 --> 01:53:52,973
invaluable experience in building my character that

1833
01:53:52,973 --> 01:53:56,153
has helped me persevere through volunteering,

1834
01:53:56,153 --> 01:53:59,573
school, the fires, and now college.

1835
01:53:59,573 --> 01:54:00,653
Thank you very much for your time,

1836
01:54:00,653 --> 01:54:02,293
and I hope that we can continue to support

1837
01:54:02,293 --> 01:54:03,893
the whole farm and RVR.

1838
01:54:03,893 --> 01:54:04,453
Thank you.

1839
01:54:04,453 --> 01:54:05,873
Thank you.

1840
01:54:05,873 --> 01:54:07,873
And congratulations.

1841
01:54:08,503 --> 01:54:10,303
That completes public comment.

1842
01:54:10,303 --> 01:54:11,763
A matter is not on the agenda.

1843
01:54:11,763 --> 01:54:13,563
We have the consent calendar now.

1844
01:54:13,563 --> 01:54:15,183
Okay, is there a motion on the consent calendar?

1845
01:54:15,183 --> 01:54:17,183
Sweet motion.

1846
01:54:17,993 --> 01:54:20,993
The only one I'll accept.

1847
01:54:21,763 --> 01:54:25,630
So there's a sweet motion and a second.

1848
01:54:25,630 --> 01:54:25,563
Roll call.

1849
01:54:25,563 --> 01:54:25,763
[CC] Roll call.

1850
01:54:25,763 --> 01:54:26,323
[AD] Roll call vote for the consent calendar. [CC] Roll call.

1851
01:54:26,323 --> 01:54:26,603
[AD] Roll call vote for the consent calendar.

1852
01:54:26,603 --> 01:54:27,403
[AD] Roll call vote for the consent calendar. [CC] Council Member Cole.

1853
01:54:27,403 --> 01:54:28,323
[AD] Roll call vote for the consent calendar.

1854
01:54:28,323 --> 01:54:28,763
[AD] Roll call vote for the consent calendar. [CC] Council Member Hampton.

1855
01:54:28,763 --> 01:54:31,163
[CC] Council Member Hampton.

1856
01:54:32,963 --> 01:54:33,943
Yes.

1857
01:54:33,943 --> 01:54:34,623
Council Member Jones.

1858
01:54:34,623 --> 01:54:35,183
Yes.

1859
01:54:35,183 --> 01:54:36,830
Councilman Lyon.

1860
01:54:36,830 --> 01:54:36,323
Yes.

1861
01:54:36,323 --> 01:54:36,383
Yes. Councilman Madison.

1862
01:54:36,383 --> 01:54:38,930
Councilman Madison.

1863
01:54:38,930 --> 01:54:38,593
Yes.

1864
01:54:38,593 --> 01:54:39,613
Councilman Masuda.

1865
01:54:39,613 --> 01:54:40,730
Yes.

1866
01:54:40,730 --> 01:54:41,513
Vice Mayor Rivas.

1867
01:54:41,513 --> 01:54:41,993
Yes.

1868
01:54:41,993 --> 01:54:42,933
Mayor Gordo.

1869
01:54:42,933 --> 01:54:43,973
Yes.

1870
01:54:43,973 --> 01:54:45,953
The motion is and the consent calendar

1871
01:54:45,953 --> 01:54:47,953
is approved unanimously.

1872
01:54:47,993 --> 01:54:52,793
And we have second reading of an ordinance.

1873
01:54:57,763 --> 01:54:59,193
[AD] Roll call vote for an ordinance.

1874
01:54:59,193 --> 01:55:00,763
[AD] Roll call vote for an ordinance. [CC] This is an ordinance offered by Council Member Cole.

1875
01:55:00,763 --> 01:55:02,173
[CC] This is an ordinance offered by Council Member Cole.

1876
01:55:02,173 --> 01:55:03,733
It's an ordinance of the City of Pasadena

1877
01:55:03,733 --> 01:55:06,133
repealing ordinance numbers 7455 and 7457,

1878
01:55:08,713 --> 01:55:14,330
seven prohibiting urban lot splits and construction of multiple dwellings

1879
01:55:14,330 --> 01:55:18,493
pursuant to Senate Bill 9 and very high fire hazard severity zones within the

1880
01:55:18,493 --> 01:55:23,893
boundary of the Eaton fire to adopt. Councilmember Cole.

1881
01:55:25,300 --> 01:55:25,743
Yes and I'd like to

1882
01:55:25,743 --> 01:55:29,343
make an explanation afterwards. Councilmember Hampton.

1883
01:55:33,243 --> 01:55:34,803
Yes. Thank you.

1884
01:55:34,803 --> 01:55:40,430
Councilmember Jones. Yes. Councilmember Lyon. Yes. Councilmember Madison. Yes.

1885
01:55:40,430 --> 01:55:48,143
Councilman Masuda? Yes. Vice Mayor Rivas? Yes. Mayor Gordo? Yes. The ordinance is adopted unanimously. Mr.

1886
01:55:48,143 --> 01:55:57,803
Cole, explain yourself. So I supported originally a version of this ordinance. I asked for one that

1887
01:55:57,803 --> 01:56:03,263
was more restrictive. In the end we passed this this ordinance as an emergency ordinance

1888
01:56:03,263 --> 01:56:08,343
recognizing that it would not be on there forever.

1889
01:56:08,343 --> 01:56:10,403
It should be noted because people have asked,

1890
01:56:10,403 --> 01:56:13,923
Well, wait a minute, are you suddenly opening the flood gates

1891
01:56:13,923 --> 01:56:17,623
to high density development in high fire danger areas?

1892
01:56:17,623 --> 01:56:19,623
We are not.

1893
01:56:19,963 --> 01:56:24,630
And we should also be clear that we were sued on this

1894
01:56:24,630 --> 01:56:27,430
and we would have lost the lawsuit.

1895
01:56:27,430 --> 01:56:32,443
And so I think that people need to understand

1896
01:56:33,103 --> 01:56:36,103
that context for the decision

1897
01:56:37,363 --> 01:56:39,273
that the council is making tonight.

1898
01:56:39,273 --> 01:56:41,543
Thank you, Mr. Cole.

1899
01:56:41,543 --> 01:56:44,543
Okay, that completes our agenda.

1900
01:56:45,923 --> 01:56:47,903
Good morning, Mr. Madison.

1901
01:56:47,903 --> 01:56:49,630
Oh, he's gone.

1902
01:56:49,630 --> 01:56:51,463
Oh, he's there, yeah.

1903
01:56:52,403 --> 01:56:52,943
Okay.

1904
01:56:52,943 --> 01:56:54,943
Thank you, Mayor.

1905
01:56:55,983 --> 01:56:59,300
And with that, we will adjourn.

1906
01:56:59,300 --> 01:57:01,300
Thank you, everyone.