The article and comments database has been migrated to the new site. Comments are disabled on this site.

In the report, Gallant explains that “Given the decisive defeat of the [Measure B] Initiative at the polls, SunCal’s pending default under the ENA, and concerns regarding other SunCal development projects in bankruptcy or subject to foreclosure proceedings, circumstances to not presently exist under which an ENA extension should be granted.”

The report goes on to recommend that City Council deny both of SunCal’s requests, opening the door for City Council to terminate the ENA in early March, should SunCal not cure the default.

SSHRB President Cindy Wasko told City Council during the annual public hearing on housing: “The need is greater this year than ever”.

According to SSHRB 10 percent of families in the Alameda school system are families in transition, without a regular long term residence.

The Social Services Human Relations Board (SSHRB) is responsible for distributing the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). The funds come from the department of Housing and Urban Development and are given to the City of Alameda via SSHRB.

“Families in the school system are living in shelters, or with relatives. More and more families camp out,” said Wasko.

The food bank is SSHRB’s  best indicator of needs and services, and they have increased their services by 45 percent. This increase is evidence of the fact that more families and children in Alameda need special services.

This year SSHRB was given 1.36 million in CBDG funds from Housing and Urban Development.

“Our CDBG dollars are small in comparison to the need,” said SSHRB President Cindy Wasko.

One such example is Bananas Inc.

Bananas Inc. is a state funded childcare agency which receives CDBG funds. Bananas Inc. has been serving Alameda County and administering funds to families since 1985.

The funds are given to offset the cost of childcare. Parents receive a $250 stipend per month per child for up to 12 months.

However the stipend is not enough to cover the cost of childcare for an infant, which ranges from $130 to $200 a week in Alameda.

Wasko went on to tell City council the situation was only going to get worse this year. With the current changes occurring in the economy SSHRB is seeing that now more than ever, there is the need for education.

“We need to have discussions on what do we have and what  can we have. Our goal here is to help people who have survival issues. These are the people that need immediate food and housing,” said Wasko.

“We also need to look at how we can help people who are unemployed and need support to sustain income,” said Wasko.

These are the adults who are losing their jobs and need training as well as more childcare, support because often the childcare is no longer affordable after the Job has been lost.

SSHRB’s plan to increase their limited resources is to encourage agencies and foundations that work in and out of alameda to come up with more resources.

“We see that our efforts are breaking the cycle of poverty,” said SSHRB President Cindy Wasko.

At the event, Rock Wall is releasing their first two sparking wines, and pairing them with artisan chocolates. There will be live music too.

See here for details and admission prices.

The new geodesic dome is on the apron of the former Naval Air Station Alameda, now called Alameda Point, just outside the door from the former aircraft hangar that Rock Wall uses for their winery. An Action Alameda News reader sent these photos below. See here for more pictures of the dome during construction.

Alameda County Mayor's Conference at Rock Wall Winery Bubble Dome (David Duffin)

Inside the Rock Wall Winery Bubble Dome (David Duffin)

At a Feb. 3, 2010, Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Authority meeting Council member Matarrese gave a progress report on the Navy’s cleaning of Alameda Point.

Matarrese attended the Alameda Point Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) meeting held on January 7, 2010. Based upon the information he received at the RAB meeting Matarrese is calling for a presentation on cleanup work done on Alameda Point. “I’d like to ask ARRA to get a technical summary and dollar amount of the cleanup that has been done to date,” said Matarrese.

Part of the remediation work the Navy’s been doing is removing and replacing radioactively contaminated storm drain lines found at buildings 5 and 400. These storm lines discharge into the Seaplane Lagoon. In building 400 RAB has recommended the removal of a contaminated discharge line of radium under the slab floor.

ARRA also sent a letter January 14, 2010, directing the Navy to remove the storm drain line in building 400, however the Navy has warned RAB and ARRA that the removal of storm drain line will compromise the structural integrity of the building.

RAB member Joan Konrad supported Matarrese’s request for a presentation on the work done at Alameda point. The council members also discussed how important it was for Alameda citizens to be aware of the work that has been done.

“$100 million spent and we don’t have a clue as to what has been done. People don’t know what’s going on in Alameda point. If we can educate people on what’s going on it will end a lot of confusion,” said an RAB representative.

Mayor Beverly Johnson warned everyone that the Navy may not comply with the request.

“The Navy is not always open about information as we would like them to be,” said Mayor Johnson.

“We can’t promise we’ll get as much information as we would like.”

“Reduce your credit card debt! Pay only pennies on the dollar! You may qualify for a power chair or scooter at no cost to you! Hounded by the IRS? We can get you off the hook!”

Sound familiar? These “commercial messages” are brought to you by scam artists. By attorneys and manufacturers who have learned how to scam Medicare, credit card companies or the IRS. And they are enlisting you to become a co-conspirator. What’s wrong with that?

Well, every person who escapes a few hundred thousand in federal or state taxes, or credit card debt, or who gets Medicare to pay for one of those ridiculous power wheelchairs puts the burden on the rest of us. Our credit card fees go up, or our taxes, or Medicare goes bankrupt sooner.

But if you think this is something that goes on only on late-nite TV, look around you. The scam is going on everywhere. In California, angry taxpayers passed the Jarvis Amendment to the State Constitution, which froze the amount property taxes could be raised until the property changes hands.

Retired homeowners, people on a limited income, the working poor could all breathe a sigh of relief. Local government and state government would have to live within their means. Oh, yeah? Think they can’t scam their own system?

So some genius came up with the idea of a “parcel tax,” an incremental layer of fees on top of property taxes. And since it would take a 2/3 majority to pass, it couldn’t possibly be abused, now could it? Citizens aren’t that gullible…are they?

And then our local leaders turned to us and said, “Want a new library? Well, we can’t possibly afford to do that out of the ordinary city budget. If you really want that library, you’re going to have to pass a parcel tax. Want to keep that hospital open? When minutes count? You’re going to have to pass a parcel tax. Schools! Our schools are going broke! The State is taking away all that money! You’re going to have to pass another parcel tax!”

Meanwhile, almost 70 people working for the City make in salaries and benefits more than $200K a year. Teachers negotiate sweetheart deals and smaller class sizes to avoid layoffs, even as enrollment declines. And so long as we are told that without those new taxes these horrible consequences will result — no library! no hospital! no schools! — we pony up.

It gets worse. In the midst of scamming us with parcel taxes that get around Prop. 13, the snake oil salesmen came up with another scam. “Let’s also exempt the seniors from paying those taxes, but let them vote to impose them on everyone else!” (That’ll fix that 2/3 majority requirement, you betcha!)

And so far, the senior citizens have fallen in as co-conspirators every time. “Sure, we’ll vote for a new library, especially if it doesn’t cost us anything! Schools? Oh, the little darlings! Please don’t close that hospital and throw me into the Oakland briar patch!”

You can’t fool all of the people all of the time, but you sure can fool 2/3 of the people every once in awhile. Maybe our local electric utility should go into the cable TV business, eh? Now, there’s a scam I can get behind!

©2010 Dennis Green (Published on Action Alameda News with the express permission of the author.)

According to the Journal “Google is requesting input from interested cities by March 26 and plans to announce those selected and other details later this year.” They’ve also pledged to “foot the bill” for the trials, and accept no government subsidies. (Take that, SunCal!) If anyone has the money for this, it’s Google. On January 21, 2010, the company reported 4th quarter earnings for 2009 – Google reported revenues of $6.67 billion for the quarter ended December 31, 2009, an increase of 17% compared to the fourth quarter of 2008. Annualized, that figure means that Google enjoys $20 billion to $30 billion in revenue per year.

If you like the idea of an Internet service in Alameda that is an alternative to Comcast and SBC – without the hangover that resulted from past deals – you might consider asking City Council to submit a proposal to Google. We’d get behind this so long as Google genuinely does pay for everything and it doesn’t cost taxpayers a cent.

Google says they want to hear from interested cities by March 26th.

The East Bay Citizen appears to have scooped all local media by reporting on Saturday, February 6th, that Lai-Bitker was endorsing Tam for the seat, to the chagrin of Wilma Chan, who is also rumored to be considering a run for the seat again.

Tam’s nomination is probably doubly troubling for Chan, Lena Tam’s website for her 2006 run for Alameda City Council explains that “In 2005 Assemblymember Wilma Chan named Lena Tam as Woman of the Year for her community service.”

Tam was elected to Alameda City Council in November, 2006. Sources tell Action Alameda News that she is a “political animal” rarely found in her EBMUD office, and more concerned schmoozing around associations like the League of California Cities.

Alameda Mayor Beverly Johnson was rumored to want to run for the same seat, but settled for running for Alameda City Council, (Johnson has served only one term on City Council) until Lai-Bitker announced she would not run again. Sources say that Johnson was ready to announce that she was running for Council on or about the same day that Lai-Bitker made her announcement. Johnson’s decision may have left City Council running mate Frank Matarrese, who has declared his candidacy for Mayor of Alameda, in the lurch. It may turn into a three-way race – Johnson, Chan and Tam – for Lai-Bitker’s seat.

The Alameda Public Affairs Forum Returns February 13th, 2010.

The Alameda Public Affairs Forum in Co-sponsorship with the Ecumenical Peace Institute (EPI) and U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW)

“WHY ARE WE IN AFGHANISTAN?” – A documentary film followed by discussion.

Saturday evening, February 13, 2010 – 7.15 p.m – Alameda Public Library

The Alameda Public Affairs is privileged to present an outstanding documentary, written by Michael Zweig and illustrated by Mike Konopacki, produced for U.S. Labor Against the War. Following the showing of the film (27 minutes) there will be a panel of speakers including Michael Eisenscher, National Organizer of USLAW; Carl Finamore, writer and activist, former President, Local 1781, IAM; Arthur Lipow, Co-Chair, Alameda Public Affairs Forum.

As always, there will be plenty of time for audience participation.

The film looks at domestic pressures and geo-strategic interests that keep the U.S. in the region and the long history of U.S. foreign interventions that forms the broader context for this war.

Please tell your friends about the program and, if you are a teacher, by all means tell your students about the Forum.

Admission is free but we suggest a donation of $5. The Alameda Public Affairs Forum is a self-supporting group and we receive (and will not accept, no matter what the Supreme Court may say!) any financial support from Wall Street hedge funds or other corporate interests. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. We are a genuine educational citizens group devoted to the public interest and to building a democratic world without war and poverty.

Directions from outside Alameda. South on 880, take 23rd Ave. exit, cross Park Street Bridge, follow Park Street to Lincoln, turn right on Lincoln ½ block, left into Library parking lot.

For more information call (510) 814-9592 or go to www.alamedapublicaffairsforum.org

PS-future Forums are being planned now on important subjects – including, the recent resounding citizens defeat of Wall Street’s plan to steal Alameda Point; analysis of the Supreme Court’s decision to turn corporate America loose to corrupt democracy; a new democratic U.S. foreign policy for the Middle East – a positive response to Iran’s Green Revolution and a just solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Next forum March 13.