by Jack
Recently I read a letter to the editor by Mr. John Salyer of Chico. He suggested we go to a five member city council, rather than the current 7. According to his research, we would save about $80,000 a year. I don’t know why Chico picked 7 council people to represent us, when most cities have 5-6 and Butte County only has 5 supervisors. It seems we’re over staffed. Aside from the cost saving, our quantity didn’t help us find the missing money from the budget. Turns out it was quality that eventually won the day in the form of one dedicated and determined public servant, Mark Sorensen. He sorted out that we were missing millions and going broke.
What do you think about John’s idea, don’t you think five is enough?
Research Update:
Councils can range in size from 5 to 51 across the nation, although the national average is six. While the number of councilmen is proportional to the population of the municipality, there is no national standard of proportion. In addition, the size of a council may reflect the complexity of services provided, the council’s workload, the diversity and size of the population, the political dynamics and preferences of the city.
At last count Chico had 87,714 citizens. That’s about 12,500 citizens per council representative. If we had 5 on the council that changes it to 17,500 citizens per council person. Los Angelese has one council person for every 250,000 citizens. Roseville has 5 council persons and they have a more diverse and complex city to run than Chico. Red Bluff, Grass Valley, Redding, Davis, Marysville, Auburn and Yuba City also have 5 council persons. So, why do we have 7?
It would appear that Chico’s Council is over staffed and that we could easily get by with 5 and save a lot of money in the process and without reducing the quality of our representation; which has been sketchy at best anyway, even with 7.
I also agree that seven is too large a number, in a perfect world it would be 4 or 6 people on the council with a equal representation from both sides of the spectrum. The period of time after Jarvis passed away, we had a 3 and 3 council, that forced them to work together for the benefit of all the people, and not so much just their party fan base.
Well I can dream can’t I
Five works for me.
Off topic required viewing from Bill Whittle —
Do you want to know what socialism is? This is socialism —
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkp4QgrZSAQ&feature=youtu.be
Five works for me as long as three current liberals aren’t members.
#3 Pie, Love Whittle’s, “Change without Hope.”
A female CNN journalist heard about a very elderly Jewish man
who had been going to the Western Wall to pray, twice a day,
every day, for a long, long time.
So she went to check it out. She went to the Western Wall
and there he was, walking slowly up to the holy site.
She watched him pray and after about 45 minutes, when he
turned to leave, using a cane and moving very slowly,
she approached him for an interview.
“Pardon me, sir, I’m Rebecca Smith from CNN. What’s your name?
“Morris Feinberg,” he replied.
“Sir, how long have you been coming to the Western Wall
and praying?” “For about 60 years.”
“60 years! That’s amazing! What do you pray for?”
“I pray for peace between the Christians, Jews and the Muslims.”
“I pray for all the wars and all the hatred to stop.”
“I pray for all our children to grow up safely as responsible
adults and to love their fellow man.”
“I pray that politicians tell us the truth and put the
interests of the people ahead of their own interests.”
The journalist then asked, “How do you feel after doing this
for 60 years?”
“Like I’m talking to a wall.”
Top drawer extra curricular reading from those who think five is enough.
Five works for me.
I’d like to see another change. Let’s split Chico up into 5 to 7 specific areas with each Council member a representative of one of the areas.
Additional:
Of course each area would elect their own representative.
6 of the 7 on the current Chico city council are government employees. Only one is in the private sector. I’m more concerned about this rather than the number of council members.
MCS that’s a great idea…wonder why no one has ever thought of it before? Or have they?
Jim I agree. We need more people with business experience. Even a retired person with business experience would be better than a career government or academic employee.As it is business interests are certainly not well represented.
MCS that’s a great idea…wonder why no one has ever thought of it before? Or have they?
It’s a liberal idea:
http://www.sfbos.org/
Nah…it’s a science fiction nerd derivation.
Well here is another idea to consider as well, 4 elected from within City Limits and one from the sphere of influence zone.
That sphere has long been affected by city council decisions without any real vote in the matters that would apply to them.
“Five works for me as long as three current liberals aren’t members.”
Thanks, Peggy. I enjoyed that.
“6 of the 7 on the current Chico city council are government employees. Only one is in the private sector. I’m more concerned about this rather than the number of council members.”
And so you should be. It is long established that public sector people are more public minded.
The private sector tends to be comprised of big moaners, and they’ll part with cash, some, but not with their leisure time. Because, for all the moaning, they’re not that bad off, and they know it. Fits in with that “selfish” thing I’m always ragging you about.
Libby: ” It is long established that public sector people are more public minded.”
Busybodies and control freaks without responsibilities to employees and customers? People without a clue who take to government work for the security it provides?
Creating products and jobs, providing services and jobs, generating a tax base is all PUBLIC minded work. Don’t be such a snob.
And quit trying to float the notion that groups or classes of people can be designated as selfish and selfless.
The truth is, those traits can be found in any individual of any class or group. How selfless is the public servant that formed a union, left the taxpayer out of the negotiations, and colluded with politicians to win extremely generous at taxpayer expense? Especially when they deliver a lousy product…poorly educated kids, bloated failing budgets…bankruptcy…and roads and bridges that haven’t been well maintained while art is purchased and fancy pants conventions are held.
Those “public minded” servants of the people have a lot to answer for today.
It’s time we considered the ideas of a few business people.