|
|
 |
| |
Countdown
to Daly City’s Centennial
... Doelger’s Little Boxes Defended
|
 Daly
City’s Westlake neighborhood
once drew sneers from
haughty outsiders who
dubbed the development
“an instant suburb.” Malvina
Reynold’s song “Little
Boxes” is alleged to have
been inspired by a drive
through Daly City. The
song’s lyrics painted
an unflattering picture:
“Little boxes made of
ticky tacky, little boxes
on a hillside, little
boxes all the same.”
Westlake’s
critics have long since
been silenced and Henry
Doelger’s unique houses
are attracting a new generation
of admirers, including
resident and author, Rob
Keil. His new book, Little
Boxes: The Architecture
of a Classic Midcentury
Suburb, is an
homage to the Westlake
subdivision, complete
with stunning color photos
of some of its distinctive
homes.
Doelger,
a larger-than-life figure,
purchased 1,350 acres
from the Spring Valley
Water Company in 1945.
He transformed sand dunes,
pig farms, and cabbage
patches into a carefully
planned suburban community.
He ultimately built some
6,000 homes and 3,000
apartment units in Daly
City. His affordable houses
were close to schools,restaurants,
and the Westlake Shopping
Center – one of the first
retail centers of its
kind.
 Keil’s
book includes photos of
Doelger’s own Westlake
house at 112 Northgate
Avenue. His house deviated
from the standard Westlake
floor plan – it had an
indoor pool and outdoor
cages for his pet monkeys!
It also has the distinction
of being the first house
in Daly City to sell for
more than a million dollars.
Keil’s
book is available at Daly
City’s Westlake 650.991.8071
and Serramonte 650.991.8023
libraries. Proceeds from
books sold at either location
will benefit Daly City’s
libraries. Information
about the book and author
Rob Keil can be found
online at www.littleboxesbook.com.
|
A
New Drop-off
Program
Disposing
of Old Medicine
... Safe
and Environmentally
Responsible
|
 Daly
City residents
have a
new opportunity
to dispose
of prescription
and over-the-counter
drugs
in a safe
and environmentally
responsible
manner.
A new
program
introduced
by Supervisor
Adrienne
Tissier
and the
County
of San
Mateo
allows
anyone
to drop-off
expired
or unwanted
medications
at three
participating
Peninsula
police
departments
including
Daly City,
Pacifica,
and San
Bruno.
A sturdyand
secure
drop-off
box at
City Hall,
333 90th
St. is
available
for residents
to use
Monday
through
Friday
from 8:00
a.m. to
10:00
p.m. and
Saturdays
from 8:00
a.m. to
4:00 p.m.
The
three
main goals
of the
pharmaceutical
drop-off
program
are to
help seniors
avoid
dangerous
medication
errors,
help reduce
or prevent
recreational
drug use,
and to
help stop
environmental
damage
caused
by medicines
flushed
down ocean-bound
drains.
“Many
people
don’t
realize
that sewage
treatment
plants
are not
designed
to filter
out potentially
toxic
chemicals
in medicines,”
Supervisor
Tissier
said.
“So everything
from antibiotics
to the
hormones
found
in birth
control
pills
is showing
up in
fish and
amphibians
in our
waterways.”
All
medicines
should
remain
in their
original
containers,
with any
private,
identifiable
information
removed.
San Mateo
County’s
pharmaceutical
disposal
program
does not
accept
illegal
substances,
such as
marijuana,
ecstasy,
or methamphetamines.
The
disposal
receptacles
were placed
with law
enforcement
agencies
because
that was
the only
way to
lawfully
accept
all pharmaceuticals,
including
those
defined
as controlled
substances.
Under
the current
program,
the Daly
City,
Pacifica,
and San
Bruno
police
departments
have agreed
to accept
the discarded
drugs
and transport
them on
a regular
basis
to a secured
county
law enforcement
facility
where
a licensed
hazardous
waste
collector
will remove
them for
incineration.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Daly
City Ballot Measure G
Why is the Utility User’s
Tax (UUT) on the ballot
now? |
As
a result of recent changes
in State law and a subsequent
California Supreme Court
ruling, many local taxes
may now be subject to
voter approval. Although
Daly City’s Utility
User’s Tax pre-dates
the change in law, the
City Council chose to
place a measure on the
November 7 ballot for
voter approval of the
tax to ensure conformance
with current interpretations
of State law. Many cities
across California have
placed similar measures
on their local ballots
in recent years. More
than 140 other California
cities currently collect
some form of Utility
User’s Tax. The factual
information about Measure
G and the City Budget
presented in this newsletter
is provided by the City
of Daly City for voter
education purposes only.
Facts
about Measure G
On November 7, 2006,
Daly City voters will
decide whether to continue
the City’s Utility
User’s Tax.
If Measure G passes,
there will be no
change to the existing
tax. If Measure
G fails, the Utility
User’s Tax will be eliminated.
What
is the Utility User’s
Tax?
Instituted in 1989,
the Utility User’s Tax
is a general-purpose
tax assessed on telephone,
cable, electricity,
and gas to pay for community
services and programs.
What
if the UUT is eliminated?
If Daly City’s Utility
User’s Tax is not continued,
the City Council must
act immediately to cut
the City’s budget by
$6 million and City
services and programs
will have to be reduced
by that amount. A budget
reduction of this amount
will require deep cuts
in all City services
and programs and a likely
reduction in personnel.
Who
pays the UUT?
The average household
pays approximately $12
per month or roughly
40 CENTS PER DAY. All
businesses in Daly City
also pay the tax. Exemptions
are available for low-income
seniors, blind and disabled
persons.
|
Services
funded by the UUT
$6M in General
Fund revenues
The Daly City Utility
Users Tax generates
approximately $6 million
dollars in General Fund
Revenue each year —
or roughly 10 percent
of the City’s annual
operating budget. This
tax revenue helps to
pay for:
•
Twenty-four hour Police
and Fire protection.
• Recreational
events and activities
for children.
• Libraries at
Serramonte, Westlake,
Bayshore, and on Mission
Street.
• Senior services
and programs at the
Doelger Senior Center
and neighborhood parks.
• Maintaining
parks and landscaped
areas.
• Graffiti abatement
and code enforcement.
• Youth and adult
athletic leagues at
Westlake and Gellert
Parks.
Comparing
Daly City’s UUT
to neighboring
cities
Many
cities in California
depend on Utility Users
Tax to pay for
essential government
services. The 5% currently
collected in
Daly City is comparable
to other cities in San
Mateo County.
Pacifica . . . . . .
. . . . . 6.5%
Portola Valley . . .
. . . .5.5%
Redwood City . . . .
. . . 5.0%
East Palo Alto . . .
. . . .5.0%
Daly City . . . . .
. . . . . 5.0%
For
more information on
Measure G,
please see the ballot
arguments in your voter
pamphlet. You can also
call the City Manager’s
Office at 650.991.8127,
or log on to Daly City
Online at www.dalycity.org
or the San Mateo County
web site www.shapethefuture.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
What
you get for your City tax dollar
How much money does it take to run the City? |
 General
Fund Expenditures
Daly
City’s operating budget for fiscal
year 2006-2007 includes $66,448,775 in
General Fund revenue. The 5% Utility User’s
Tax generates approximately $6M annually
— roughly 10% of the City’s total General
Fund. If Measure G does not pass, the
City
will be forced to cut services by $6M
to
balance the budget.
 General
Fund Revenue
Unlike
other taxes, such as property and
sales tax, the Utility User’s Tax is generated
100% in Daly City and spent entirely in
Daly
City. By comparison, Daly City receives
only 20 cents of every property tax dollar
generated in Daly City and only 1 cent
from every taxable dollar spent in Daly
City.
The Utility Users Tax is also different
than
property and sales tax because it is collected
by the City, not the State of California.
|
|
The
General Fund
How tax dollars
are allocated for City services
|
The
Utility User’s tax paid by Daly City residents
and businesses stays in Daly City to pay
for local government services.
 Fifty-two
cents of every tax dollar collected is
spent on Public Safety — 33 cents for
Police services and 19 cents for fire
protection.
 Eleven
cents of every tax dollar is spent on
parks and recreation programs — including
parks maintenance, youth and adult athletics,
and activities for seniors.
 Nine
cents of every tax dollar is used for
public works - including sidewalk and
street maintenance, traffic signals and
street lights.
 Five
cents of every tax dollar is used to fund
library operations at Daly City’s four
public libraries — Serramonte, Westlake,
Bayshore, and John Daly (scheduled to
relocate to the new War Memorial Community
Center next year).
All
remaining City functions represent twenty-three
cents of every taxpayer dollar. Examples
of other City services include financial
management, human resources, economic
and community development, public records
retention, elections, community information,
and general administrative services.
|
|
Make
a Difference Day
Set for Saturday, October 28 |
 Make
a Difference Day returns to Daly City
on Saturday, October 28. This year marks
the eighth consecutive year that Daly
City has participated in the “National
Day of Doing Good.” This is the single
largest volunteer event in the nation.
Last year more than 3 million people participated,
including several hundred in Daly City.
If
you or your group are interested in pre-registering
for Make a Difference Day, call 650.991.8126
or visit www.dalycity.org
for registration instructions. Volunteers
will report directly to pre-assigned work
sites beginning at 9:00 a.m. the morning
of the event. A “thank you” barbecue lunch
for volunteers is scheduled for noon on
the southwest plaza at City Hall. And
just as in years past, Make a Difference
Day happens rain or shine!
|
|
|
|
|
Community Emergency
Preparedness Classes
Family and Individual Preparedness
(3-hour classes)
Saturday, October 28, 9:00 a.m.
to 12:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 2, 7:00 to
10:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 8, 7:00 to
10:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 11, 9:00 a.m.
to 12:00 p.m.
Wednesday November 15, 7:00 to
10:00 p.m.
Community
Emergency Response Classes
(24-hour class)
October 25, 27, 28, and November
1, 3, and 4
Wednesdays/Fridays, 6:30 pm to
10:00 p.m.,
Saturdays 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
November 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, and
18
Tuesdays/Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.
to 10:00 p.m.,
Saturdays, 8:00 am to 5:00 p.m.
All
Classes Are Held at Fire Station
94
10 Wembley Drive (at Gellert Blvd.),
Daly City
Call 650.991.8138
to register for classes.
Make
a Difference Day
City wide (see story, this page)
Friday, October 28
Election
Day
Tues., November 7
Be sure to vote!
(Last day to register to vote,
October 23)
Please
vist our web site, www.dalycity.org
for a complete community calendar
listing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
