Sep
6
Council set to approve $6,400 subsidy Tuesday for Chamber’s fundraiser
Filed Under 2010 Issues, City Council Meetings, Community News, The Base
(9/6/2010, Los Alamitos) On October 24, 2010, the Los Alamitos Chamber of Commerce will hold it’s 9th annual “Wings, Wheels, and Rotors” Expo at the Joint Forces Training Base.
This is a major fundraiser for the Chamber, with some of the proceeds also going to the JFTB Veteran’s Park and Morale & Recreation Funds.
For the fifth year in a row, the Chamber is also asking for the City of Los Alamitos to contribute about $6,000 in police, public works, and recreation department staffing for the event.
In a year when the Council majority, led by Troy Edgar, planned to cancel the traditional fireworks display at the Base to save money, it’s hard to understand their willingness to dig into the taxpayer’s pockets to support a fundraiser that’s expected to turn a handy profit for the Chamber.
Especially when the city also subsidizes the Chamber by several thousand dollars every year by purchasing advertising in the Chamber’s annual business directory.
Surprisingly, this agenda item was placed on the Council’s “Consent Calendar,” for routine approval without discussion. Of course, citizens can still express their concerns during the public comments period at the start of Tuesday’s Council Meeting.
The reason it was on the Consent Calendar is that the expense is about the same as it was last year, and it was included in the city budget. Which raises the question why funding for the annual fireworks wasn’t routinely included in the city budget, since it’s been a regular city expense for much longer than has the 5 years the city’s been subsidizing the Chamber’s WWR fundraiser.
Supposedly the big issue with the fireworks this year was that non-police city staff had to be paid double time because the 4th fell on a Sunday. But in 2011 the 4th is on a Monday, & Troy Edgar’s already eager to cancel it if a way can’t be found to collect from cars entering the base.
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Personally, I think continuing a 4th of July tradition that we’ve had long before Troy Edgar or Constantine “Dean” Zarkos moved into Los Alamitos is more important than funding the Chamber’s fundraiser.
I just don’t understand why the city should lose money so the Chamber can turn a profit, even in good times, let alone in the current economy. And I have no idea what sort of costs the U.S. Military incurs from the event. (The Chamber doesn’t charge admission, but makes their money from the vendors and those exhibiting their cars.)
It’s even harder to justify the $6,400 cost in a year when our fireworks display would have been canceled were it not for the generosity of a Rossmoor resident.
2008 Wings, Wheels & Rotors
The Council recently instructed city staff to find a way to collect donations to subsidize the 2011 4th of July celebration. I could be wrong, but it seems to me like they should give the same instructions to the Chamber of Commerce.
If we want to have city staff or volunteers collecting donations from people as they drive into the Base next July, why shouldn’t Chamber members do the same to offset at least half of the city’s costs for WWR this year?
What do you think?
Click here for the staff report on this Tuesday night’s agenda item relating to this agenda item.
Click here for the Chamber’s letter requesting city help.
Click here for the full Tuesday, 9/7 Council Agenda.
Related posts:
- Tuesday, 7/5 City Council Agenda includes Medical Center sponsored pool shade
- News Flash: Special Council Budget Session at 4 Monday!
- Waste bids, Cancellation of July 4th Fireworks on tonight’s Council agenda
- Base News: New Commander to be Welcomed Tuesday
Comments
19 Responses to “Council set to approve $6,400 subsidy Tuesday for Chamber’s fundraiser”
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Dave,
This is just another example of this majority council not having their priorities straight because for them it’s not about doing what’s right for Los Al or the citizens, it’s about political favors and the “Good Old Boy’ network.
The inconsistency is part of their decision making because they have to make decisions based on whom the favor is for, on how they are connected politically to trash man or any one of their buddies.
Also, does WWR really help out local businesses? I am trying to remember how many local vendors serve food at the base. Do we have a lot? Seems to me it’s not a lot or I don’t recognize them.
Why are my tax dollars being used to support a fundraiser for something I may not want to donate to. If the chamber makes a profit, why do they need my city services for free?
I already support their businesses. Why do I have to give them free services on my dollar too?
Back track: the council can’t afford to go to conferences to network, which is vital to any city. we can’t have cell phones or laptop computers because that’s a waste of money. The council took a very high paying council job and had to cut it by about $50. We had to have private citizen from another community pay for our Fourth of July show.
but, it’s ok for us taxpayers to flip the bill for a higher trash bill and donate our tax dollars to a fundraiser for the chamber.
This city leadership is whacked.
Better bring out the national guard because we could buy a lot toothbrushes for $6OOO dollars.
You are a fraud sir. You have not been faithful or honest with us.
You have used your council seat power for purposes that are not for the benefit of Los Al and its citizens, but rather for your own gain and those who supported you on your quest to be a council member.
You sir are a coward.
Hey people, dont worry, all the city has to do, is call it revenue neutral, fire anyone running the finance department and everything is OK. Get with the program. Duh
Oh yeah…duh.
No one can be this stupid, can they?
Chuckie and the Trashman just spent a fortune sending out a glossy flier telling all the residents how fiscally responsible Dean and Troy are, and there is no way in hell that either, if not both of them, will not pull this from the consent calendar and kill this.
Maybe that’s the idea? Machiavellian… “see how tough on spending Dean and Troy are” as they knock down the Chamber’s request… Of course it would lose it’s “umph” if Gerri also pulled it and voted “No.”
Should be an interesting meeting.
You guys need to look at what is really going on. The council majority publicly dissed Dean G. and would not endorse him as a candidate. Dean is a lead organizer for the WWRExpo. This is a way for the majority to payback Dean for dissing him. This is the current trend of politics by our council majority. They put political paybacks over serving our citizens. It is very seedy and self serving. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to see that if they would stop doing these tactics and serve us first we might just vote for them in November. Until then, I will exercise my rights as a Los Alamitos Citizen/Voter to speak out and vote them out.
http://www.ocregister.com/news/police-265272-girl-beach.html
the link above is an article about a possible child predator at a park in Seal Beach over the holiday weekend.
Beware, he may move to a different park in Los Al.
I have similar concerns about the City Council contributing $6,000 of taxpayer money to a Chamber of Commerce event, especially one that is run by Dean Grose.
If the City does not have the funds for the fireworks show (a community event), how could the Council find monies for this (a private event)?
Will Grose be using this event to promote his candidacy for City Council as he has in the past?
Will the Council require an accounting of the funds and/or the entire WWR event? Has there ever been an audit of prior funding?
Why was Grose removed from chairing this event a few years ago? Former Chamber Exec Dir Chris Barnes knows that there were improprieties by Grose in past years. The only reason he’s running it this year is because she is gone. Ask her and former CofC board members about this!
To: To JHubert:
The questions you’ve posted could be speculated all day long. I would ask the council, the chamber and question those individuals you’ve mentioned to get the factual details directly from them.
I have one question. Is the Water Mellon Man going to be in attendance at this event? Why dont we put him in a dunk tank and The Los Alamitos Chamber may have record amounts of revenue from people all over the country. Lets turn a negative into a positive people. Duh
What does the Los Al Chamber do for Los Al?
I know that they didn’t step up and make the fireworks show happen, that was Kenny from Rossmoor.
Seriously, what do they do so we can all understand.
As a 35 yr business owner in Los Alamitos and former Chamber member I can tell you they are hardly representative of the business community. It has been years since I seriously looked at the number of businesses that belong to the chamber but my guess would be that it is between 10% and 15% of the business licenses in the city.
My experience with the Los Alamitos Chamber goes back to my first year in business. Like most new businesses I was approached by the Chamber Rep to join, which I did. I then paid for an ad in their directory costing about $150-$200 (a lot of money when you are first starting out). Well I never saw my ad because the chamber rep absconded with the funds and there were no refunds or credit for dues to make up for it.
Every now and then I get someone asking if I would join. I tell them my story and if they want to credit my dues up to the money I lost I would join. Funny, I never hear from them again.
Years ago I had a tenant who was a store manager for a regional restaurant chain (not in Los Al). I asked if he belonged to the chamber. He laughed and said this is quote, “When I take over a store the first thing I do is throw the chamber out, they only want us in for the free food and meeting space”.
So here we are today, The city is a partner with the chamber for WW&R. Every partner except the CITIZENS get their cost covered then the excess aka profit goes to the base.
Some partnership!
I say the city does nothing, we have traffic signals and stop signs at Lexington and Katella. Let the traffic signals do their job.
So, I was “watching the tape” as they say of the meeting. It looked like Ken and Dean were on the right track to kill this and then suddenly they started dancing to a different tune. I would LOVE to know what happened in the Council chamber that caused them to start singing a different hymn.
But the crazy part was Dean started doing Crazy Chuckie math.
Now we all know about Crazy Chuckie math from the http://www.losaltruth.com web site, but how did Dean suddenly do it?
Sales tax.
In order for Dean’s numbers to be offset by the increase in one day sales tax to the city it would require that visitors to WW&R would have to spend $640,000.00 worth of additional sales in our local merchants and restaurants on that day to offset the money that this vote just spent.
The above is from the 2010 WW&R flier for sponsors.
MATH TIME
640000/30000 = 21.333333
That means that Dean expects each and every single person attending the event to leave the base and spend $22.00 in the City of Los Alamitos on that day.
Considering that there are a large selection of vendors at WW&R and that their goal is to separate people from their money in the captivity of the event, I wonder how many of the 30,000 are going to spend $22.00 at our restaurants and stores. Well, we have been doing this for eight years now, I’m sure that the Chamber of Commerce can show a report that shows that each and every visitor spent at least $22.00 at stores in Los Alamitos from those WW&R events in the past.
Now the reality is, that there is no way in hell that each and every visitor spent $22.00 in Los Alamitos tn past WW&R events. That there is no way that there is a sales tax influx of $640,000 in additional retail sales in the City of LOs Alamitos on the day of the WW&R event. That the only way that this will break even for the City of Los Alamitos is if everyone in the city uses and believes Crazy Chuckie math.
I find it interesting that when the Council for member majority wants something, Poe, Stephens, Zarkos and Edgar all seem to be good at using Crazy Chuckie math to justify it. Whether it was Poe’s Party, WW&R or the trash contract, these four can be counted on to make Crazy Chuckie math the centerpiece of their justification to do what they want to do.
I am still stupefied on how Stephens and Zarkos were able to turn on a dime though. What happened? Did they see the ghost of campaign-cash-cows of the future?
So now, according to the contributors to this site, the Chief of Police is suspect when he tells the council that this is an event the city cannot approve or disapprove. It is something the base stages with the chamber and the base does not need a permit to use its own land. If the public comes (and it seems it will) there will be traffic that is created that will cause problems in the Lexington and Katella area and extending backwards in all directions. It is the police dept.’s job to control this and a liability to the city if it does nothing and someone gets hurt. Police costs account for 2/3′s of the total. Yes, we could ask the chamber to reimburse us for the rest but then that is micromanaging. Would allowing traffic to go unregulated in this area be what is in the best interest of the citizens? I think not.
This is different from the 4th of July. We and surrounding cities (mostly Los Al and Cyp) put on this event and can decide if we have the money to put it on effectively. I think most Los Al people stay home and watch it from their backyards which is why they are not willing to make personal donations because they don’t need to do so to enjoy it. I think this is attended by people outside the city, which is why I think they should charge to get in or not hold the event if that is not possible.
No. Nobody said that. You are now making a totally different argument than Zarkos using the Crazy Chuckie math.
Actually, I don’t see where the city would have any liability. The city has nothing to do with the event. Does the city have any liability when someone comes to my house for a house party I’m having? I think not. On public roads the public maintains the liability for their own actions (which is why we all have auto insurance). If the roads are mis-marked by the city, or left in disrepair, then the city could potentially have liability. But in general, liability doesn’t pass to the city because a private party has an event and others get hurt, whether they are attendees or innocent bystanders.
This is, as I said before a totally different argument than the Zarkos “we will make it back on sales tax revenue.” bullcrap.
You are right. A private entity, whether it be the JFTB or the CoC has the right to have an event on their property and invite the general public. There is nothing they are required to do to inform, advise or in any way work with the city to mitigate any public nuisance they may cause by their actions.
If that was the case I would have expected the debate to involve the need for the City of Los Alamitos Police Department requesting from the City Council money from the General Fund to cover the costs associated with providing protection and mitigation to the community from the event.
The fact is, that under your argument there is nothing that can be done by the city but to respond to the actions, record the costs, and remember who did it to us so that we, as a city, never give them another thing in the future.
And if that was how it was presented, and how it was debated, then I would agree with you 100%. But that is NOT how it was presented and that is not the argument that was made. It was presented as the city agreeing to absorb the costs without any future attempt to retrieve those costs or hold the organization that created those expenses to the city accountable. A proverbial “get out of jail free” card that excuses unacceptable behavior being done to the community that expends our tax dollars and for which the community receives no benefits.
In fact, I would argue that the Chief should be given the funds to put more officers on duty, not for traffic control, but for traffic enforcement. To ensure that even the most minor infractions will be fully enforced along the highly congested corridors that day. Cars that can not safely turn from Katella into Lexington and block the intersection should be ticketed. Cars making illegal U-turns along Katella should be ticketed. Officer should be stationed in Apartment Row and Carrier Row with radar guns and all speed limits strictly enforced. Looked at another way, this has the potential to be a financial bonanza for enforcement and fines!
As with any situation, there are two ways to approach it. If the sponsors of the event do not work with the city and absorb the costs of managing their event as it effects the city, the city can make it clear to the attendees that they are unwelcome in the city (police used to do this all the time with motorcycle “gangs”).
So, if I agree with your premise (and I do agree that there is nothing the city can do if the CoC wants to hold an event on private property and invite the public), then the issue is about HOW the city chooses to respond to the people running the event (the organizers) and the attendees. And here I believe the response should not be traffic control, but traffic enforcement. Had the organization putting on the event come before the city and agreed to cover the costs for traffic control, then that’s what the city should provide. But since the city was not asked to provide that service with compensation, then we should treat this as a revenue opportunity for strict by-the-book enforcement. Heck, I would even suggest working with the City of Cypress on having sobriety checkpoints!
Who knows, maybe next year, after hearing all the complaints from attendees, the sponsors will do the right thing and pay the city to manage their traffic situation in the future. But for this event, there is no justification for giving away almost $7,000 of our tax dollars to the organizers.
The real math:
9 times 6,000 = 54,000 in lost money for the city.
We will continue to pay for how many years? Thanks Chamber and council.
I believe this city charges the Relay for life use of the middle school, but they give away free services to the base and chamber every year.
9 is how many years the WWR has been going on at the base.
This is the 9th year of WW&R, so if we taxpayers have paid $6,400 for 9 years that is $57,600.
$57,600 dollars, of taxpayer money to subsidize a Chamber of Commerce event. What has the chamber done for the city or the residents in the last 9 years?
Charge an entry fee to the people who want to attend the event. If the base wants to have/allow these events on their land then they should let a fee be charged to pay for WW&R and the July 4th.
No charge no event.