Editor:
I believe strongly in the power of government and ungrudgingly accept my tax burden. So why am I, a 27-year Piedmont resident, opposing Measure Y? Reluctantly I have concluded that this is the only way for Piedmonters to send a strong message that they want the City Council to make urgently needed reforms.
Piedmont’s coffers have been drained by a series of bad decisions, including the undergrounding cost overrun, unwise pool subsidies, the richest employee benefits in California, and unnecessary costs for Blair Park. Respected volunteers on the Municipal Tax Review Committee, Budget Advisory Committee and Task Force on Undergrounding, after countless hours of study, and have given the Council a road map for strengthening Piedmont financially. To my distress, these recommendations mostly sit on a shelf collecting dust. Thus, my hard-earned tax money goes not to providing essential services but to supporting bad decisions. More money has been wasted on excessive benefits and poorly managed projects in the last four years than has been raised from the parcel tax.
Because I care about Piedmont's future, I hope that the defeat of Measure Y will force the City to act with some urgency and implement long-term reforms necessary for our financial sustainability. Please visit www.NoOnMeasureY.com for the text of the relevant reports, and information about how our City's expenses compare against those of other affluent communities.
Kathleen Quenneville
Piedmont
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