Posted by True Blue, a resident of the Atherton: other neighborhood, on Mar 19, 2010 at 12:38 pm

The answer to Mr. Dobbie's question "When did we go broke??" is as follows.

The moment we CHOOSE to allow a whole series of residents and developers to litigate the Towns resources strait into the ground on the "principal" of (divine right???), instead of simply enforcing the laws. The logic at the time was that government could simply not afford to stand firm on mere laws or ordinances--but it set up the very predictable precedent that the town would cave in on anything that anyone sued for--which of coarse they did. This moment was 2006-2007 when with a 5 or 6 million dollar reserve which had been achieved by the previous finance director Mr. Johns, began going strait down the drain along with his job and reputation because the poor little council felt helpless to stop it.

Special Thanks to Charles Marsala and Jerry Carlson for this whole fiscal fiasco.

Posted by disgruntled, a resident of the Atherton: West Atherton neighborhood, on Mar 19, 2010 at 12:40 pm

A place to cut is our public works department. I see very little done, if anything, on our streets, etc.. If we ourselves do not take care of the Atherton property, nothing is done. A rare time when I have seen a public works truck, no one seems to be working and merely standing around.

Our police department is not very effective and it is rare that I see so much as a police car. Perhaps, we can cut our inadequate police force?

Posted by Alan Miller, a resident of the Atherton: other neighborhood, on Mar 19, 2010 at 2:32 pm

Separate from the article (responding only to the prior comment), I would like to say that I personally have seen nothing but excellent police service.

Posted by George, a resident of the Atherton: West Atherton neighborhood, on Mar 19, 2010 at 6:07 pm

How much of this projected shortfall is due to pension obligations for retired employees? Don't know the answer but it's certainly not declining.

Posted by JLK, a resident of the Atherton: West Atherton neighborhood, on Mar 20, 2010 at 11:16 am

Atherton can't afford local services? Atherton?!! I don't get it. If we can't, who can? OK, big giveback to the developers so our roads are junk. Overpaid public employees. Pensions. Just read the Prop 13 thing on the Weekly website -- does somebody have the information for Atherton? Is everybody in Atherton passing their homes on to their kids under Prop 68 or something? I just don't get it. How is it that we just passed another tax and we are still running out of money sitting on billions of dollars worth of RE?

Posted by logical, a resident of another community, on Mar 20, 2010 at 12:37 pm

Time to contract and merge everything with Menlo Park.

Posted by True Blue, a resident of the Atherton: other neighborhood, on Mar 20, 2010 at 12:42 pm

Logical--easy on that!

Menlo Park has been trying to annex Atherton since the early 1900s

Posted by reality check, a resident of the Atherton: Lloyden Park neighborhood, on Mar 20, 2010 at 1:50 pm

Ah, JLK, you say read the Prop 13 story on the WEEKLY website? Are you aware of which website you're reading now, and that you posted that comment on? It's the Almanac. You know, the newspaper that wrote and first posted the story, on this very website.

But back to the issue, I can't say I understand how a town like Atherton can be broke, either. Apparently, the turnover rate on housing is a lot higher than with commercial property, according to the Prop 13 story, so I doubt that has much to do with our problem. Is it a problem that begins in Sacramento? Didn't cities get funds from a state revenue-sharing program in the past? Also, I've read that the state is "borrowing" more money from cities to try to pay its bills.

Posted by Henry Riggs, a resident of the Menlo Park: Suburban Park/Lorelei Manor/Flood Park Triangle neighborhood, on Mar 20, 2010 at 1:53 pm

It's hard to blame a budget shortfall on giving back fees that shouldn't have been collected in the first place, as the city has admitted. It's time to look at why Atherton, like other California cities, has unsustainable expenses and obligations. Read the paper - any paper - it's not a secret.

Posted by Westside trucker, a resident of the Atherton: West Atherton neighborhood, on Mar 22, 2010 at 9:00 am

We have a revolving door on City managers and police chiefs. Sometimes they do dumb things that come back to haunt us. Why doesn't the Council reach out beyond the Town attorney and consult with some of the Free business experts that live in the town.

Posted by problem solved, a resident of the Atherton: Lindenwood neighborhood, on Mar 22, 2010 at 10:09 am

The solution is simple. Bring back John Johns and make him City Manager.

The Town did not have money problems when he was Finance Director.

He cleaned up the Building Department. He is one of the few who has the courage and the ability to clean up the Police Department.