City Council

>> MADAM City clerk. And we're good to go. >> It looks like the close caption should be showing up on the screen on the monitor. >> There we go. We're all Thank you very much. Thank you. It. Allen, please continue. Sure. Thank you >> so again, with the Sonoma County tourism and I put the slide back for those that assessment only goes lodging establishments that generate more than $350,000 in revenue. So it's generally hotels, motels. It's not charge to short-term rentals. Bia fees are typically they go toward tourism. Promoting. >> The area and and the like the. >> Sonoma County tours and that those dollars ago in 100% go back to you. Sonoma County tourism. The item that we are proposing has no changes to the bia as they as they are. So this slide will show where Santa Rosa be in relation to the other cities. If we raise the t o t from 9% to 11% it because we have the 5% of the iea assessment fees. It would raise the total amount or to lodger by up to 16%. So the tied with Healdsburg >> has the highest in the county we estimated the

revenue to be about 1.5 million. I in the past we talked about it being approximately 2 Million. However, looking at where revenues are are are headed with I think it's it's would probably be prudent to knock that down to 1.5 and be a little more careful there. So >> again. >> That is what we're proposing for dot. There's not a lot of of a nuance with that. It's just simply raise the rate, more revenue into the general fund the next slide will go into the business tax part, which is a little bit a half But I can take some questions now, if you have them, if not, I'll just keep moving forward. All right. For that to council any questions on q specifically. >> Hello, ask one with with that huge increase. Was there any outreach to local hotels or Sonoma County tourism or any feedback from the from the hospitality industry? There has been feedback. And and I think you saw some of that with the correspondence that they came in with with this item >> the specific outreach to them? No, I have had conversations with with some over email answering whatever questions that I could. I know some of the tea ot questions came up in with the chamber so from that standpoint it's it's been limited from there. Thank you. We can move out of the business tax. Apologies. Councilmember Donald. >> Thank you. Vice I do have a couple quick questions for you

under the bia, local and the bia county. I'm just calculating it based upon what we would be getting in revenue is 1.5 million on that 2% increase. Does that mean that the combined money that we send out honored t o t is about 3 million, $750,000. Or is it less than that? >> It is. I want to say it's around. See here. I'm trying to you know what, let me when we get to the right number. I got one of my head I doing is street percentages based on the increase. Is what actually might be going out. And this is why I ask depending on what we're sending out to these 2 entities. And I know this is something we've long-term finances. What are we getting for the money that we're investing in those 2 entities back to the city of Santa Rosa for tourism for her own benefit and >> and I think this is an important one to know as we move forward on it. He ot if that's the decision of the council because if in fact we are spending that much money to outside entities would behoove us to bring those services in-house and be able to retain that money in our general fund due to our, you know, impending deficits. And so I know that something that they're driving into, but I'm not sure of all of council's aware that we're actually reviewing the sort of what we're getting for those services. In addition to how much we actually are spending. And in those 2 percentages

that go out. >> Right. >> yes, and I I do know that we that. >> At least with our with our local bia, the center's a tourism wine. Partner with them to help with events. All of that is promoting the area, bringing tourism and visitors in we expect the same out of Sonoma County the same wages on a broader scope so those are areas it would deaths. That's what I know of what we get in return for that and I don't know if the city manager wants to or that. I mean, that's it. I think what we can do is is. I could reach out to both of those tourism organizations and get more of actual what are the things that are planned in cities Santa Rosa, especially with the county tourism one, but also with the Santa Rosa, local one as well. And and provide data. The council. Yeah, I think it's important for us to know our return on investment. >> If you are asking people that are coming here to visit, you know, to pay into this, what is our return on those investments and and how does it affect us if we were today, shift those scenes around not saying that that's something we should do perhaps are bringing in a lot more revenue for what we're actually spending in those 2 funds. But I think it is something that's been brought up in the call other council members asking for this information. I you Allen want to know is how much we actually spend to those 2 entities based on this current structure. >> Yeah, I'll have that exact number for you. I actually have I just I just forgot to

bring it years. I apologize for that. It will will shoot it out to the full council after this meeting. Thank I would say you know, I think that. Any partners that we can have to benefit our tourism to benefit bringing people into Santa Rosa itself is is a huge benefit to us. But my my hesitation is just that I know they can explain it a lot better than I can. And so I will work with them so that we can get that. That explanation to the council. Thank >> we can move on to the business tax All right. >> So the city's business tax and I want right up front and you'll probably see in some other slides. We want to distinguish this. We have a general business tax and then we have the cannabis industry tax, which is a completely different ordinance in that city code. We're not doing anything relative to the cannabis industry tax. This is all chapter 604, which is the general business tax that we're dealing with. This was enacted in 1990. We have never gone through a major review of of that >> ordinance or made any changes to it. As as we've gone through. So that's what 34 years what the ordinance establishes that any business operating in Santa Rosa. He's a business tax. Its general fund revenue that comes into the general Fund, which funds the services that the community needs. So it it helps provide road maintenance and public safety services in

parks and all of those types of things would benefit not only the Bennett, the businesses in the city, but also the people that are coming into the city to visit those businesses. It's the taxes based on gross receipts it has a minimum tax of $25. If your gross receipts or $25,000 or less the the tax is $25. And it has a maximum tax $3,000. We have different rates per business category with the lower for those contributing and other areas in the city's tasks base. So a retail establishment would have a lower business tax rate because there are also generating sales tax for for the community. The latest a general fund revenue. And this is a pretty good number 4 going forward that we would forecast offices about 4.7 million dollars annually going in to the general fund. Last last summer. The asked commissioned a hdl to do a review of the tax ordinance and to measure its effectiveness compared to a other cities. Not just locally, but throughout California. A look at our structure in offering any recommendations based on their expertise in the industry. And and the main things that they found was that the current structure underperforms

compared to other cities especially those of a similar size and the main driver for that $3,000 minimum tax removing the cap in enable. Equity a relative to effective tax rates. So right now, effective tax rate of a large business that has grocery seats is very small. I I think it's a his 0, 0, 2%, compared to a small business with less gross receipts paying probably not even up to the cap where they're effective rate I think it's around point 2, 2%, around there. So removing would would help build some equity within the cities that are there we would raise the rates. Like I said, the rates were established back in 1990. They could be updated to reflect something that we would see in other cities. Although that said every city is different in this. We try to pick ourselves as close as we can to some. But especially when we look locally, see rates all over the place. We we use it is kind of a a guiding principle, but not and exact and wherever possible. We simplified the rate structure and that goes more into how we are going to group things now we're proposing the group things now compared to what we had in the current ordinance. So had a lot of one. This is what I've already talked about. But we want to create a more equitable,

effective tax structure we want through this ordinance and air and or changes it what we had hdl do was look at a number of different. Methods that we could use for a new tax rate structure. I think it at the end we had 4, 5 of them. The one that we've landed on was a hybrid model. And the reason why we wanted to do a hybrid model is because it was the only way that we can guarantee that small businesses that are currently not generating enough. A grocery seats to be at the cap or or over that there would be no changes in their tax structure. They would stay with the same rates that that they've always had. And there would be no effective change. And they're in the amount that they pay the city, obviously, if their business grows, then then it grows along with generally and what we found is that most of they did not most virtually all of the businesses in the city fall in that small business category. I believe we have you know, rounding about 12,900 businesses. What what this hybrid model would effect is a little over 400 businesses. So you're looking at, you know, 90 5 ish. We even more than that percent of

the businesses will not be affected by this. And that's why we worked hard to create a hybrid model which is going to be a barrier to administer. But it's the one that's going to be the most fair we think going forward again, the new rates are lined with other cities. They again, not exact with other cities, but they're not far out of of whack with with other ones. So I think that were were at least able to to get in the right universe of where we should be with rates we tend to have the lowest rates as I mentioned before, for things like general retail category, where businesses are contributing to city's tax base. In other ways. And they also tend to have low profit margins. So we're trying to be responsive to And we wanted to treat all businesses the same, including short-term rental operators. Currently the ordinance, a business tax does not apply to residential property rental, which would include short-term rentals if they have less than 4 units. So in that case, you have people that are clearly operating a business yet they're not paying a business tax. So there is a demand on city services potentially for those those businesses and they are not paying into the pool to be able to pay for that. So what this ordinance would do is remove that exemption are really just expand a part of the ordinance to include residential units that are from one to 3 units

as well. And this goes over a lot of what I just mentioned in a in a future slide. You're going to see, in fact, I think it's the next one. We'll talk about the rate structure and what really most people want to know as well. What is that threshold of gross receipts is going affect me here we we said just seeing in general, it would be million dollars it's it's actually more than that that is. So what we've done is we've actually. Got it down to the penny of what it be at threshold. We keep similar business categories. We did shuffle around some of the businesses within those. But we've we feel that the grouping makes sense and the other thing is that we did not want to say this should pass in NOVEMBER. We did not want to affect those businesses that would be affected in JANUARY of 25. So we're putting off the effective date of this ordinance until JANUARY of 20. 26 to allow them to incorporate these changes into their business plans. Here is what we're in. You're going you're going to see basically anything less than the gross receipts threshold is the old rate. So and the more than the threshold is going to be the new rate that we have. So under the first group, which includes your retail wholesale restaurants. A corporate headquarters, manufacturing auto sales falls into that out. The gross receipts threshold to have the new

rates affect you is a point. Almost 8.8 million dollars. So if your lesson that you pay formulas, it's $0.34 per 1000. Gross receipts that caps and $3,000 under this proposed plan, you would be a dollar 5th. >> He per 1000 and there's there's cap and ice probably clarify, even though I say that there's a max of $3,000 there. That's just kind of illustrating where you would be on the threshold in reality, the the proposed ordinance would have no capital. So, you know, use this is just an illustration. If you are a public utility, the threshold is a 3 point. Almost 3.6 million dollars and dad has an old rate and the new rate would still stay at the a $1.50. Per $1000 of gross. Again, we're trying to keep those areas that are. Contribute to the taxpayers, keep them lower rate. So we did juggle these around a little bit. The recreation entertainment, same thing. 2.7 million dollars threshold still staying at the $1.5.50 per 1000 Gross receipts, you go into the next group. You have land developers. The same 2.7 number. But given

>> where? >> What would be contributed into the city's tax base and and other factors that we go into it. The amount of the tax for that would be 3.50, 1000 under the new plan. Professional Group says is a is also in group to doctors, offices accounts the like >> there it's a lower threshold of of one point that 1.8 million dollars. It was the highest tax that we had under the old plan and it still would be the highest of our rate structure under the new plan of again, 3.50, per 1000 of gross receipts. Created a a group 3 that is that is only commercial property The residential property rental in St ours. So again, with that, you're looking at a threshold of of 3 point 6 million dollars. And that would be to 50 per 1000 of gross receipts going forward. Therefore, you you have your general services, health care center's moving companies. It's kind of a catch-all of your service industry again, that that same threshold and again at the 2.50, per 1000. And then finally, your contractors that lower threshold of 2.7 million. But we would also have low tax rate about 50 per 1000. And then moving onto. We provided some examples what you would be if you had certain grocery seats what you're currently paying and then what would be new you can

see that in some of them where their gross receipts or over the threshold, they will pay a higher amount and some it's a it's a relatively small, higher amount and others. It's significantly more and where they do not hit the threshold there. Tax doesn't change at all. So in comparing with other cities. >> So these are areas where you have >> gross receipts, taxes. >> That are in Sunday do have again, everybody kind of figures. I'm a little bit differently. But you the city of Tracy. They're looking at the same types of of categories that we have. There's are you can see kind of where we sit in and some are significantly less than ours are not significantly. But there are less than ours. And some are little bit more. But we all kind of are in that one dollar to $3 range for of our rate structures. And then finally. Looking at the distribution of we know that that is going to affect Alma's, you know, between 4 500 businesses, the majority of them are going to see an increase about $20,000. But there approximately 21 that would see an increase of over $100,000. So again, that significant, I don't want to downplay that but it is the way that that this structure would work out. A lot of that has to do with removing the

cap. There are, you know, some of the businesses. Generate hundreds of millions of dollars or the high tens of millions of dollars of gross receipts in the city. And it's important to. I think, to put into perspective, if you look at where we are now with the services that we provide, all the things that we want to do as a community. And as a city serving the community. The part that that strikes me is that if I look back to if we didn't have the cap on its since 1990, where we would be in terms of the revenues that would come in and the projects that we would do. So yes, it it hurts to do this. Now but it's the right thing to be able to keep our city moving forward with the revenue that we needed to be able to provide the services to the community. To the community. We did do opinion survey on both of these items back in NOVEMBER of sorry. That's be NOVEMBER of 23 of 90,000 likely voters that were surveyed. We had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 5%. The support for the changes in the business tax ordinance. Was 66.8% support for raising that he ot was 63%. So where we are with the next steps we're hoping to have some discussion and and and direction from council here we are coming back to the council JULY 23rd report item 2, have

the approve this moving to the registrar of voters. So because these are ordinances week, we will do a second reading on the 6th. And then we have our deadline to get to the register voters on AUGUST 9th. We have met with business groups. We will continue to meet with business groups answer whatever questions that we can going forward. With that. Concludes my presentation and were available for any questions that you MAY have. Thank you very much both of you going to bring it back to council. >> Let's do questions first now in the public comment and then we'll come back for for comments and for guidance. Does that sound? All I'm just do a show of hands here. Alright, councilmember Crappie watching off. Thank you very Vice Mayor so just couple quick clarifying questions that I and there's a lot information back in that presentation. And so please bear with me. I'm not a cfo. So you MAY have to some things down for me. How are gross receipts tallied in one of the specifically interested in is let's say you have a business who is. Headquartered. I'm a professional services headquartered in the city of Santa Rosa. But as 10 other offices throughout the state. But because they're headquartered here, everything runs through here. >> they are you are they going to be asked to divvy up what is done in Santa Rosa versus the other? Areas? >> councilmember. Generally speaking the business license tax is a tax on conducting business in the city of Santa Rosa. All right. So that's

what's limited to. That can easily get confused with something like a sales tax where we care where the customers are. And a business license tax. We don't care of the customers are. That's not a relevant thing. We're not taxing sales at retail or consumption of goods. The short answer is to the extent that there's work being done in Santa Rosa, the results for and there worldwide gross receipts that are tied to that than a portion of that would be out apportioned to the city of Santa Rosa. How is that determined? Under your current code? There's a provision and there's no proposal to change. Is there's a provision for constitutional apportionment. That if they're if the business sees. >> But they have worldwide gross receipts, let's say. And that that some of those gross receipts, let's just make up some numbers for ease of illustration here. Let's say you're corporate headquarters and yeah, maybe. 10% of the worldwide business activity. You've got locations all over the world. Maybe 10% of your worldwide locations season. 10 1% of your business activity is occurring here in Santa Rosa. And typically you would apply to the city. And so I think I only have to pay only 10%. That typically goes through the city attorney's office for approval to determine whether that a portion it is is a cure. >> I mean, are we talking about the possibility of audit to make sure that organization is being accurate?

>> the short answer is yes. But that's going to come out in the discussion around when they when they present. Typically it's the burden of the business to present there. Hey, here's what we think is a fair apportionment, given how we run our business. You're going to ask for we're going to ask for as administrator is we're going to be looking for okay. Well. Show us what you've got show us. Your panels, your fight, tax filings want to see this lines up with what you're saying. Your calculation that I answer your question, councilmember, you did. Thank you >> also currently, if someone has an investment property that they inherited or or were fortunate to afford to move out of and then and then some wet as our rent out there currently not. Required to have business license, correct. And therefore taxed. Credit and going forward. They would be based on whatever the formulas was presented. Yes, okay. That's >> you said that you that this is a hybrid model. So that leads me to believe that there models that came before that for lack of a better term. Cherry picked to create. We're seeing what we're seeing today right? It's so. >> Where we and Eric and >> Cheney did the work on on it. But basically we had some models that simply just took away the cap left the rates the same. We had some. Why believe all of them took the cap away and and then there were just varying degrees of

of where the rates were go. But the in all of them, it would I wouldn't be able to guarantee that the rates for the small businesses. Wouldn't change. And so that was where we created the hybrid. One. So it was well where we were getting you know, to be fair, getting good amount of revenue. I think the most amount of revenue that would come in, but that would not affect those small businesses, a cause that was our target going forward was was not affecting them. Something. Going forward. Should this >> That's with Even if staff that the models that were considered should be included in there. So we can just make a comparison, right? So just for I don't know if we need to put it in the presentation. So everybody sees all of all these models are not. But just so for for consumption, it would be nice. Yeah, I could. I could easily do some repay to okay. Be great. Thank you here. And on How do we get those comparable comparable cities? Pico Rivera seems kind of random. Great question. So. >> There's a couple of layers of comparisons that we did. So one was we want to look at cities of similar size. To speak to Pico Rivera. The reason you saw Peaker Rivera Sausalito and Tracy and that slide was those are all cities that in relatively recent in the relatively recent pass in the last 6 years have updated either from something else to

a gross receipts or updated their rates. Tracy is a good example. That city of Tracy went from her per employee tax to a gross receipts tax in the 2022 election cycle. So part of what we wanted to show was what the rates were for some of these more modern. Ordinances. Because I I can cities that are closer to you, but they MAY have just as outdated ordinances. City of Santa Rosa MAY have been up to out updated in 30, 40. I've working with some cities where it's 50, almost 60 years since it actually looked out and made significant changes to their business license. So in that particular comparisons what we were trying to do is show. Cities what the rates were for cities that had made recent changes to seats. Rates. Thank you for that. I want and we're going to come back for comments or concerns with kind of question and a comment concern is. >> While I appreciate that, just because it hasn't changed as a main doesn't mean it's been considered. I mean, you have to go through every municipality and see if it's been on their agenda for the last. However, many, 10, 15 years and voted down. Right? So true. So it's very possible. There's ones that are closer of like size that have considered it and then said, no, we want to keep it the same. Is that correct? That is totally possible. Okay. As council member. So I guess that my my my biggest concern would looking at places like trees in Pico is something that I think that we're all we're well aware of. Witches. We are very different where an island with a higher cost of living therefore the burden of businesses generally

is higher, especially those with with with large amount of employees, loans, especially cost construction bill to those kinds of things. So I appreciate what you said. But I do have concerns about using these cities is compare utters just because they're more recent and believe that is my last question for now. Unless something. >> It's me my colleagues are speeding. >> No, we 2 later. Thank you. Councilmember Rogers. 1, one moment Councilmember City attorney. >> Thank you, MISTER Vice Mayor. I just wanted to make a there was a question. Councilmember Okrepkie asked does the general business license tax apply to someone who MAY have inherited a property and he's using it as a rental and the answer that was given was that there is an exemption. I just wanted to clarify that exemption is only have the property is 4 units or fewer. So just wanted to clarify if a it is a larger unit property, then it would be subject to the current ordinance business license. Thank you for clarifying that. Thank you. Council Rogers. >> Thanks. And I'm going just back really fast off Pepys comment. Pico Rivera is a 3rd. The size of Santa Rosa is not going to convince anybody in the city of Santa Rosa that we should model are ordinance after them. So when we come assuming we come back at the end of JULY, it would be helpful to see what's happening around us. People don't complain to me that San Francisco has paid parking

just like Santa Rosa. They complain to me that Windsor does not. And that put a limit is not. So people's comparison is very close, especially when we talk about something like the regional nature of economic development and jobs. So if we come back, I'd love to see a comparison to the rest of Sonoma County. Not places that have recently made changes. Sure, we we could do that. In fact, I have a slide that that does that. And generally the feedback is. >> It >> The comparisons don't work. So we don't want to see it. And so you know, but it will be in its already prepared. It's it's ready to go. So we'll we'll just we'll have it in there on the 23rd. >> Perfect. Thank And I want to dig down a little bit into the grocery seeds versus net. Portion of the conversation. Understand that gross receipts is where we have started this conversation. But when we did our cannabis tax policy, this was the most important issue >> and I do believe with cannabis, we did not go with gross receipts. >> I don't I I don't have the raff top my I have to look at that ordinance to to I know that there's a number of different calculations, their square footage in and the like. So I can I can look and make sure so. But I just don't >> I would just to be interested in hearing a little bit more about why grocery seeds. But we know that certain industries like restaurants, for instance, have really thin margins. And we're trying to make sure that

we're keeping those businesses in a operation. Which grocer says does not actually knowledge the profit margin for each industry. >> Right. And so being the industry expert, I Eric kind of chime in. Let me just say right up front, though, so the reason why we went with gross receipts is because we had gross receipts. We've seen 2 different types, least from what I can see of of I get I guess 3 theirs. There's a flat rates >> per employees and the gross receipts model. So we do it and especially the way we set there isn't a restaurant in Santa Rosa that's going to be affected by this there a day they fall well under the threshold that they need. So it stays the same. And again, I think that's important that we did it that way. The other concern that we would maybe era can speak more to it is >> how? >> if we did switch over to per employee type of tax, that that that MAY not benefit. The small. >> Businesses as keeping it the way that we we did so. >> There was a method there. Yes, and I'll defer to your city attorney on this, but it's my general understanding that. >> Taxation of net income is reserved to the state and California. And so. Part of the answer to your question is I understand that Councilmember Rogers is. We have a certain set of things

that we can tax. Versus things you can't. The second thing is again, to come back to it is that what we're taxing is the business activity. And the business activity here, the carrying on of the business. If we want to per employee model, we be taxing a labor input. But that would mean then that businesses that are high in labor like restaurants. But maybe not as high in capital that there would be a differential and who gets hit if you tax on a per employee basis that way. If you do square, if you do say square footage, which Palo Alto recently did you wind up taxing how big the footprint is. You also don't wind up taxing if they decide to go vertical. So there are reasons within sort of sound tax policy. I think to look at. Gross receipts as the closest measure to the business activity, the output of the business as the gross receipts. The other thing to keep in mind is even with the increase. We're talking about fractions of a penny on the dollar. When you look at the marginal impact of these taxes, $3 per 1000 sounds like a lot to you. Work it out right? And it could be a lot in the absolute sense. But in terms of the rate, it's a 3rd of a penny. And so it's a very small tax on a very broad base and that's part of the reason we think grocery seats not only did have you

historically, but it's a more viable basis for a broad based excuse broad based tax. That I answer your question or yet. Yes, and I think sort of dovetail >> From that question is how does this proposal online with our economic development, strategic plan that we passed them in implementing? Think in terms of of. >> Again, looking at small It goes for that ap. I think it sends a good message you know, we've had a lot of discussions internally relative to the attraction of large businesses. And I know that's also focus and the strategic plan and and the like, you know, so. I think that there are other. Elements of Santa Rosa the weekend. Due to to enhance or at least have businesses want to come to I don't see this is being hopefully would not be an impediment to that given our area proximity is the county seat where we just all the things that we can provide at the same time. What we're doing is we're generating the revenue necessary to make. For a safe clean well maintain city to grow business and to have their employees work for

and hopefully live in Santa Rosa. So all of those kind of come together. I get that on the surface. Putting a a tax effects, large businesses seems to be. Thank you against that. But I think that in the long run you're generating the ability for the city to maintain all the things that we do well here that would want to bring businesses to the city. >> I've got a couple specific questions within So can you give us a little bit more information about who has covered in the public utility section? Yesterday from them it. Well, if you. If you've got >> yeah, give the generic answer because we don't speak to specific businesses for. Confidentiality reasons. The generic a simple answer would be. >> If you are not actual public entity, but you're providing utility service >> that's already an existing tax structure within your code. That's not a new tax structure other than that. So it could be, for example. Generically have seen in other cities if there's a water and power that is not city-owned. For a private. Of a utility like Like to be a little bit more direct. Does that include pg and e? I? Generally speaking pg and e would fall under that kind of category >> For the recreation and entertainment section. Have we received input from?

>> I was there anything that? A regarding a specific instance? But yeah, they're not going to. It's not necessarily that our model that we used is going to capture all of those public utilities, right? But generally speaking, it would fall under. >> Classification that way. Depends on how they've been classified now because we're not really trying to reclassify businesses with this hybrid model. We're trying to keep people where they were for the lower rates and If they're making a lot with removal of the cap, that a higher rate applies. So for the recreational and entertainment section, we just had a presentation at the week or so ago. Couple of newspaper articles on. >> The proposed downtown event center does if we were to pass this, does that. Based on your knowledge, Allen? Render the feasibility study. I want to say useless but updated. Going from the maximum of $3,000. 2, the $1.50 $1000 for arts and entertainment. Presumably it would apply. So I guess under that scenario, it would be a factor that we would want to. >> Or they would want to maybe update in their study. Is it could Before we come back. So come back. Could you reach out and have a conversation with those and make sure that they're involved? Because right now >> they're projecting the only end up showing a $16,000 $21,000 net profit at the end

of year 3. And the theory behind as it generates economic activity. And that's why we might want to do it. But if changing our business tax structure wipes out, not just that 21,000, but and then some. It would be good for us to have that information at the time that we make this change. >> For >> land development. Do we know how that will impact some of our pending housing projects? If we make this change for land development from the maximum the of the 3,000 to the 3.50, per 1000 Gross. It would. >> mean, that's I. So I don't know off top my head. That's a hypothetical it would face on the the amounts of of receipts that they would come in at that time. So I mean, yes, I guess you a land developer has a gross receipts and they're trestle. >> Is there are out that comes in that over >> whatever that threshold is. And yeah, they're they're going to on 7 Million. Yeah. Something we come back. If we get a better picture for that as well its housing is one of the top priorities for the council. Good to know how that's going to impact existing projects in the pipeline. Before we make that change as well. >> And then sort of just a general question and I apologize and I've got 2 more questions I'll turn it back over. How did we come up with a gross received threshold? So we literally backed into it from. >> What the the amount that you would have to to make that would literally get you to $3,000. So we just did the

math backwards. Okay. Gotcha. >> And then would we need in the additional staff cost to be able to implement? This? Okay. No. I mean, our existing staff can handle. Actually. >> You're looking at that debt service week? We contract out in staff that we have in-house it that would answer questions and things like that. There were there would be some impact there. I don't think that it would be anything that absolutely require any additional staff costs. We can manage Okay. >> And then just as a side before the acting mayor ticks me off, it would I do. We're not trying to talk about specific businesses, but I would find it really helpful as a council member making this decision to see for those. 21, I think you said businesses that would be impacted, that it would go above. What are they currently paying and what would they then be paying under the proposal? Even if you want to redact the names of them. I it just put what sector there. And that would be really helpful for me to understand a little bit better. What this does to those businesses. So I can I can tell you generally this >> they're and I I can come up with some generics. For the 23rd, but you're you're looking at. >> All of them. They're what they currently pays $3,000. We have a cap. They their new I think highest is about a $500,000 one. It's significant. There are. >> a couple in the 2 to

$300,000 range and then the rest are amounts from 100,000 up to that 200,000. I think would I try to See. I don't know that I could tell you what the the amount of the gross receipts that they're bringing in. But a lot of those are in the 100 million plus, definitely in the high 10's of millions of dollars that are coming in. So it's a rather significant amount of. Gross receipts thank you. >> Thank you. Councilmember Thank you. Thank you for the presentation. Just a couple follow-up questions on so what I read in and what you presented was there's been no changes to business tax structure for 34 years in the city of Santa Rosa. Is correct? Yes, ma'am. Second k? And then I just want to make sure that I heard you correctly. Also, 95% of the businesses won't be affected by propose change only about 5% and business and city of Santa Rosa. Correct? Okay. And then for this small businesses and I I really only have an exam. Well, really around construction and construction costs. But if you're based in the city of Santa Rosa and you have grocery seeds to a million dollars, but you have $400,000 worth of work that you do say in the town of Windsor and $400,000 worth of work that you do in the city

of Petaluma then you'd only be paying business grocery seeds on the $200,000 that you make in Santa Rosa is that the current structure that we have because we pay for a business license to do the business in Windsor and they'd paper business license to do that in peddling that. But on Santa Rosa specific, it would only be based on that $200,000, even if the businesses based here I'll give the simple answer. And then we can dive into details of 30's before. And the short answer is. >> Yes, you'd only pay on the work you're doing here. Technically that could include your admin, then some overhead for the jobs that you're bidding in other places. The way it's practically done throughout the state where's the bids? Where's the job site? Just makes it easier for in contractors in general that the focus on where the job site as as a practical matter. >> That's I think that's helpful to understand when you do have a business is based here, but maybe is doing business in other jurisdictions. How that's calculated in the difference is that they have to do when they pulled the business licenses. And but c I do want to say that we had like extensive conversations in the long-term finance committee meeting around this and sot the different jurisdictions. We realize that the ones that surround us like Windsor or Runner Park have it don't have the same structure is we do even currently. But a lot of times when Santa Rosa will

make a shift or changed in those jurisdictions seemed to follow a lot of times depending on their own study wishes of their counsel. But I think that that was something we talked about unless we do have something to come pair about as I as city that like similar in size. What we offer for services is also quite different. And our size city versus another smaller city, even the ones that surround us. I think that that was why we thought it was important to bring that forward the council so that we have that comparison of like Apple Staff Bulls versus apples to oranges. So as far as a flat rate, grocery seeds and per employee. I do feel like this is is seems to feel more equitable when you have small businesses that might be paying currently $111500 for staff are our business tax in the city of Santa Rosa versus these extremely large businesses that are doing and the big box businesses doing business only maybe 1100 dollars more are up to about $3,000 Mark. So it doesn't feel that the current structure based on having a small It doesn't seem as fair compared to the larger businesses and what they're contributing to the services that we provide in the city. So I I think that's important to know certainly want to make sure that we are a business friendly community. But I also think that it's important to ensure that we're keeping up with the services that people not only doing business, but the community members that live here and go to those businesses are requesting of us in the city of Santa Rosa. So thank you again for the presentation. That's my

questions. Thank you. Councilmember. >> And thanks to both of you for this for this presentation and for all all the work tax policy is so complicated. Inevitably and I'm also thankful my colleagues because they've done most of the heavy lifting with their with their questions. But I wanted to nibble around the edges and a few of the points they raised back to back to council member Rogers Point about high gross margin or or high revenue low gross margin. Businesses do we think we've captured most of those winter talking grocery when we're talking aspects of health care, even small landlords whose tenants might be might might have state control grants. Alright, are we comfortable that we're not squeezing? Got essay indirectly squeezing businesses that are significantly hurt with with the new stack structure. Yes, we were sensitive. >> To do that. But at the end of the day, I think we we took a >> just a holistic approach and we had that guiding principle of trying to. Make sure that again, I that we kept our small businesses. >> Where where they were. I got that by. Allowing a a delay in the revenue coming in the implementation of of the tax. Are. Those are the things that we could do to help out them. I mean, I know it doesn't help from a I mean, the ultimate help would be that we would continue to not. Charge them. What what we should charge them. The I I just I don't know in looking

at. That that we could look a process like this and pick out specific businesses or even business types. >> We needed to as far as we did. It small, medium and large and they just kind of worked out way. But we we we >> have the lowest part of the rate structure for those. >> would typically have low profit margins. We we so that part of it was set up in that way with by. But that's typical for most cities that have these are probably all cities that have these. So we followed along basic principle that that. Best practice, if you will, a look at ours as a whole and tried to you just take and an objective change to the tax. >> Thank And again, the city's commitment to create a more equitable tax structure and to bring the current court up to continue to provide good city services for all of our businesses. Those are all goals everybody here in the day everyone, everyone here can agree with with respect to the larger covid to the hundreds businesses that are are going to be significantly affected by change in tax structure. Could you give some sense of what jurisdiction or what what municipalities within our competitive region say the North Bay broadly down into, you know, down in the San Francisco in Oakland. What other municipalities would have at the top and tax structures that look like what we're suggesting where we have mid 60 year mid 60 Mid-sixties your charges for some of our

our local employers. >> In the Bay Area. >> Of top of my head union city as some both girls payroll and grocery seats that could go that No cap. Got a few that are currently taking measures similar to this forward because they're outdated per employee tax is not working for the city. Obviously no one likes to be compare their but San Francisco. Temperatures Codas have significantly higher in the Bay area on gross receipts. They switched, I think exclusively degracie. It's neither 2012 or 2016. Just left top of my head. I would say those there are a few more that I know again, are taking matters to their counsel. And looking at similar rates. One that I'm aware of is looking at a cap of between 25500,000 where they're kept right now is already 30,000. Trouble with these caps is both the equity and the way it. Doesn't allow the city. To grow in its ability to provide services as the business is also a girl and its community. So. Understood the point trying to underline there is that based the data that we have and it was very helpful, presented long-term finance. Is that Santa Rosa, if and when forward this structured? >> We would very much stand out within our competitor region with multiple orders of magnitude higher in terms of our highest tax rates as compared to any of that, any of the cities that we're we're competing against. In your neighboring area believe that's accurate. Vice Mayor. And that's obviously hitting at the issue. I think everybody everybody touch on

up here, which is the the tension between this initiative and economic development. What's let's focus on that for just for just a moment. Going back to how you begin the presentation. I you. You mentioned the city's budget, current budget situation. You mentioned that the impact a positive impact that this that this measure could make on our budget deficits over the next couple of years. Unfortunately, those budget deficits are scheduled to grow in the years that follow. And so it is true that if we were to, if we were to pass, this measure has structured it would provide some assistance in the short term. But ultimately, if I'm not mistaken, as we're looking for 5, 6 years in the future, really counting on economic growth to be to be what what helps out the city's budget knows years and by potentially impacting negatively our ability to retain and attract business. Then we're putting ourselves in we're we're MAY be doing ourselves a short term favor, but a long-term putting ourselves a hole in terms of not being able to bring more businesses to the area, not being able to to incentivize economic activity, cetera. How how we wait. We that tension. >> So a couple of points one I I we're not going to solve our budget problem with revenue alone. All right. So let's just make that perfectly clear. This is this is a first step and then move over to the expenditure side and then we see how writing our base. Writing our ship. I think that regardless of what rate that

we do, the problem that we have with our ordinance is the It's the cap that makes it an equitable. And there's no. So i mean. Dad is what needs to be addressed more than anything. And that is still going to cause some businesses to even even if we left a 34 year-old rate structure just removing the cap would would result in a six-figure >> business tax payment to the city. So I think we need to, you know, yes, we want to have attraction and and after businesses. But I think we also want to retain our existing small businesses that we have. There. Also. >> a a >> driver of our economic growth in the city. So when looking at it from a >> a universe where we have almost 13,000 businesses and are doing everything we can to. Keep and grow. You know, 90 plus percent of those and not affecting them with that that have frankly subsidize the larger businesses for a number of years. 34 years. That's what we need to address my mind. And that's, you know, I I admit I'm I'm not in the economic development department. I pretty hear gay kicking me in the back of the chair. I think when I'm looking at trying to. Not only create a a creating equity within the city, but also solve.

>> problem that we have with the city. And I would also say that yes, on a short-term basis, this this does take some steps in that direction. Long term we still have a problem and it's going to take all of our efforts to continue to go along the same path that we're going with economic development. But we can't get away from our short-term needs that we have right now because frankly, that should be what our laser focus is and we can we can due to the economic development, more longer-term planning off of that. But if you don't address things right now in the way that we're looking at it. Don't have. 5, 6, years down the road. So that's where you're where our focus needs to line. >> Yeah. Vice mayor, if I could add to that, so economic development, that alone is not going to solve our problems. It's going to help. We're going to have to do some belt tightening internally. And I think the staff is up for that. I think where we are now. We're going to give the department's the opportunity to say how can you make that 2% 5%. Rna percent cut. Instead of just given a random all across the board When you talk about freezing positions, what makes sense to the department instead of just saying all right, these are the ones that are not field, but if you have someone leave, maybe we can replace those. So have to do some internal belt tightening. But what I will say when you talk about economic development and

people come to visit your city, I want you to take a look at how the city looked about 2 years ago and this is not a are. You know, trying to disparage anybody who sat in the seat before I did. But look at our roads, even though some of us can drive without the lines. We're working on those. When we look at some of the the weeds when we look at some of the work that our police department has done, we're definitely down homicides. We're very responsive. When we look at the number of homeless individuals that we're trying to get into housing, the compassionate approach that we take, the cleanliness in the quality of life issues. And that we have moved forward over the last 2 years. I would tell you, businesses want to invest in communities that invest in themselves. I will tell you myself the interim deputy director. Of economic development met with the business who came here 2 years ago and specifically said I cannot believe how downtown has transformed. When our residents call, we're We want to continue to be responsive government. I think I just showed I'm Skews Me Council Mirage. Is this. Want Santa Rosa to be a place where people call home. And that's what's going to increase economic development. That's what's going to drive people into the city. So, yes, while we do have some work to do some belt tightening economic development alone is not going to solve our problems. But the steps that we're taking to transform this community is

going to help in the long run. >> Agreed and all points administer just economic development was going to be by itself. Savior. But I did want can underline again that it's a competitive situation and they're competing and cities very close to Cities are kind of movement Healdsburg that argument charging significantly less tax rates are also attractive places for businesses to go. If you're if you're new auto dealer, do come to Santa Rosa? Any part of do row know when you're going to pay $300,000 a year where would put over the cap is currently 45. We want them to come come here. And we have there's an r Ariz there, 70 strong argument to be made as to why they should come. But if we're having this discussion about this tax rate, we need to take that into account. A really good question for hdl. Is there any data on the cities that have gone to an uncapped to gross revenue tax structure? Is there any long-term data on how it's affected their their ability to attract and retain businesses? What what's been San Francisco's and Union City's experience. For example. I don't have. >> Solid data That question. I can tell you that in reports that San Francisco has put out this year during the election cycle and reconsidering their tax, that they. They have felt that the overall tax burden, this is their own statements, their overall tax burden because it's not just business license tax. Is something that they're they're looking to. Address with their business community. I can tell you that historically our experience is a company in a smaller subset of the. Communities here in California has been that. These tax rates. Again, fractions of a penny on the dollar and marginally tend not

to have an impact. I can tell you, however, so, for example, with Tracy City of Tracy, we haven't seen at this point and it's only 2 years in like a major flight. But I can tell you with working with other cities that there's theirs conversations from the business community about the overall tax burden in California. I'm not going to sugarcoat that for you. The cities are in. Tough because the city's sort of so last line of defense, you're providing the the water and the and the sidewalks and the streets in the sense of community in the marketplace here. And yet a lot of the taxes are going somewhere else. And so that's a real And so I would be careful drawing conclusions from the lack of impact historically. But historically overall, it hasn't been a major, a cause of flight for a business or to perhaps but answer your question. Vice mayor, that's helpful. Thank Any other questions for my colleagues councilmember cooking just one more quickly refined question. How does this apply to nonprofits and faith-based organizations? >> They are. They're exempt rent. You know, >> All right. Let's move to public comment city clerk. >> Thank you. Vice mayor. We're now taking public comment on item 4.2, if you're in the chamber, it would like to comment but have not provided a speaker card or your name. Please make your way to the podium. You have 3 minutes and a countdown. Timer

will alert at the end of that period. As you approach the podium, please state your name for public record. If you choose to do so. The first public comment will be from Karl followed by Ananda. Then Dwayne. Carl, Go ahead. >> Good afternoon. My name is Carl Yeager. I am PRESIDENT Of the Sonoma County Coalition of hosts and friends. We represent hosts and owners of short-term and vacation rentals and associated businesses here in Santa Rosa and in Greater Sonoma County. When we think about raising that he ot in a presentation we were we were was talked about how we have one of the lowest he ot rates. But when you add on both of the bia, is that our hosts pay, we are no longer the lowest. Now if you raise the g ot, we become the highest in the county. Along with park. So when you think about it from what the visitor to our city will pay, it will be the highest rate, not the lowest. And so at a time of inflation. In our country and in California, when we want people to visit, I'm not sure raising the tax on them to do so is the right way to get them to visit. The other thing that I would say is that and few short years ago. We banned vacation rentals and put caps on vacation rentals in Santa Rosa. And what that effectively did was banned the growth of revenue for not only visitors from visitors who come. It bans the Grove and caps the growth in revenue for

all the restaurants, cafes, wine bars, museums and other places that the visit. And so part of the reason we find ourselves in the situation we cut off around grabs. Had we instead enacted legislation. That focused in on noise, nuisance and safety. And created educational programs as to how to have vacation rentals that ran. Well. What we did was we just cut it all off and said don't come to Santa Rosa. If you want an affordable place to stay with your large family or an affordable place to stay is a group of people go somewhere else. And we are now living. The effects of that. Right now we think raising that he ot is not the best idea. We would say that if you looked again at the ban on short term rentals, my property will bring in about 25,000 dollars in dot this year. Multiply that by just 100 houses. That's 2.5 million in revenue for the city. Think about all the other revenue that all the other businesses will get and the tax revenue from that. And ask you to consider creating legislation that enables us this activity but do it safely and well. Thank you, Carl. >> The next public comment will be from Ananda followed by Dwayne. >> Staff Council members, staff and honestly with the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber of Commerce. So we understand the business tax structure MAY need to be reassessed and would urge you to meet and work with the affected businesses to fully understand

the impact of these proposed changes. A comprehensive understanding would allow you to build and mechanisms to avoid some of the unintended and serious consequences of an extended press receives tax structure like the one proposed. The proposal as it stands would result in a substantial tax burden on many local businesses that already Perry, their fair share of taxes. Here we are talking, for example, about small local businesses appear large with high gross receipts but have low profit margins and that provide important services to residents and businesses alike while investing in our local economy. Gross receipts tax can also have significant implications for businesses providing essential services in our community. For example, rental housing providers, housing developers, hospitals and healthcare providers that have high gross receipts but significant operating costs. These are all examples where Gross receives indicate the magnitude of the services and jobs provided locally but do not accurately depict profitability. From an economic development perspective and overly burdensome and and balance business tax structure would be a disincentive to locate Expandir continue operating a business in Santa Rosa leading to a decline in local economic development from decrease business activity. Your job opportunities, lower wages and a diminished tax base. We do understand your goal of a fair and updated business tax structure and should you move forward? We urge you to take a nuanced approach here by tailoring the tax structure to reflect the economic realities and profitability of various business sectors. You have the opportunity to create a more equitable and sustainable tax system. The Santa Rosa Metro

Chamber's ready to work with you and local businesses to understand how achieve these goals in a balanced way. Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker will be 2 Wayne followed by >> At anyone else who wishes to provide public comment. You can approach the podium. >> I've been calling Santa Rosa home since the Mid 1950's. Santa Rosa has always been a business friendly municipality. Perhaps at this time. You should slow the process and to raise funds. Don't raise taxes just yet. Instead sell-off city properties while raising money and study increases on large businesses. Only. Don't include small landlords and small businesses. Take that cap off on the large opportunities and that will help to obtain revenues. What's really a helpful in this discussion today is that the city manager's pointed out. We need to do belt tightening internally. This is something where you could really do some good situations by selling off the properties. But the city owns right across the street. We're the Chamber of Commerce used to be. Basically make those revenue generators instead of just sitting there vacant. At this time, you can walk down through Santa Rosa's central area and see many vacant spots. Lots of small businesses have folded business. People are struggling. At this point. Now, if you so these properties instead and bottle up the dollars that you'll be getting into the and put him in the reserves where they'll

be earning interest for the city. You'll be able to take a better look at this. Come up with a way in which you can be. Accommodating to the short-term rental folks who have pointed out that they feel they're helping. And you can also look into a bigger discussion about what the city. And the downtown residents will be wanting in the future. This whole idea about the housing for the city. You're generating the idea that you want more growth, you need more housing. You say the best way to have that is downtown and those areas. And it's really important that you. Understand your own return on investment. With your partnership on the Metro Chamber. The Chamber of Commerce has been basically receiving funding from the city of Santa Rosa for decades. And many people don't understand how that really helps us. So perhaps look, there and see how we can get better return on investment on each of these. Opportunities for funding that you give out to others. It's very important time because there's been stated here today. You're looking at deficits, budgets for the next few years. Things won't be getting better. Ask some of your long-term in place to take the golden parachute. Leave, bring younger people in do more, innovative things during this time that we have now. Thank you kindly. >> Thank you. The next speaker at the Westpac podium. Please go ahead. >> Hello, my name is Robert. Compare. I wanted to speak to you as a long-term owner of a short-term rental within blocks of This, in my opinion, it is. It seems like from our perspective the wrong approach

as MISTER Yeager stated, there are plenty of opportunities within our current structure to be able to maximize the revenue generated from short-term rentals. But also how our current structure is enforced. One of the things that is available that's not being currently utilized by the city is the opportunity for taxes to be collected at the time of the reservation. That is one of those efficiencies that should be examined before we look at raising the base rate from 9 to 11, we are currently under a self reporting system which although many of us, you know, do it honestly, I think we're leaving a tremendous amount of taxation on the table by those who are participating in the short term rental. But there is a lack of enforcement because we have an opportunity to collect that tax base at the register. When the guest checks. And and I can guarantee you the revenue would be substantially higher. Quarterly self reported burden that's put on the current short-term rental. I can also tell you that as a small business owner, my wife and I are looking at investing a large capital, some and occupying some of the vacant downtown commercial real estate and this tax proposal honestly has us hitting the brakes on getting ready to sign a long-term lease that would employ over a dozen people. So I would ask that we take a much harder look at both the St, our portion of this, both from the 2% increase of the dot as well as the imposition of what seems like an unneeded business license for somebody

collecting such a low revenue about many of the Airbnb owners. I think there is a false perception that these properties are owned free and clear that they're highly profitable and that somehow everybody is just running off to the bank with the funds that are generated by str. When I can only speak for myself are short term rental covers its own costs and allows us to make capital investments as I recently had to do to replace infrastructure. That is our responsibility. I just took place $30,000 worth of sewer and water line for that str. Those are things that most individual residents might not have the ability to do so. So the mystery Acres point. I think we're losing the forest for the trees here would not looking at the broader impact that str has on our economic development. And Santa Rosa. >> Thank you. Is anyone else in council chamber wishing to provide public comment on this item? 4 point to the proposed revenue measures. Vice Mayor mc no one else approach the podium on this item. >> Thank you for back to council for fighter final comments and guidance. That's Raw Council Rogers. >> I appreciate it. So I made some of my comments as I was asking questions. I think you can kind of tell some of the concerns that I would have. >> Bringing this forward. I think we have 2 weeks before were set to actually have the item before council. I think we have a lot of work to do. Meeting with folks are going to be impacted by this to see if we can find something that's palatable, something that's workable. I understand

the long-term finances for the city and how important that this is to continuing to be able to deliver adequate services that people rely on. But I think we do need to make sure that we're doing at hand in hand with folks who are going to be impacted by it, make sure that they have been invited to the table for discussion. And so that's a lot of work in 2 weeks. I'm happy to continue to advance this from the Sunday session for that consideration. No promises yet on where I think I'll be or where I think the council will be. But I do think that there's potential here if we can continue to tell the good story about Santa Rosa and make sure that we're bringing folks into the fold. Councilmember Crappie. Thank Yeah, I agree with Councilmember that. >> And that also little bit more succinctly. The timeline of this is has very uneasy that we have to vote on something next week. Otherwise it's dead because we have to the second time. And then it's 2, 3 days later based on where our meetings are scheduled to fire. If I'm accurate on that. So that makes me uncomfortable. I do think this is a law a longer conversation that needs to be had. I do have reservations about gross as was stated before if if income equaled wealth, I would be a very wealthy individual. But unfortunately, I have associated with some of that that I have to pay off. So >> it is a >> I don't think it accurately reflects, especially when you look at this, the comparable that we're the high cost of living the high cost of goods,

the high cost of labor and everything here. I understand that there could be a shift regionally in the competitiveness >> of attraction businesses and economic development. But that being said, taking on something like this, when you have limit its $45 capped, they could do half of what we do make a ton more money and still be, you know, half of what, what we're charging and be far more competitive. While you know, you would you like to rising tide raids that raises all ships, but in economic development with cities, I mean, it's competitive. You know, if we can get a business over and one of our neighboring cities, I think we want it and if that, you know, that would. I think it would signal an opportunity for our neighbors in or or Parker winds are to be like, oh, well, you know, we can still be hold their threats, be below their threshold to get a lot more income I will say that I have I have no interest in residential rentals. 1, 1, to 4 units the owner is not going to pay that get passed down. The renters going to pay that? I think that, you know, is optimistic as we want to believe the owner of that, that house or or duplexes going to pay that they're going to pass it on to the runner. And I want to artificially Rents for people that are trying to live in our community. I will say you know I do have. Concerns about development, especially when it comes to affordable housing that is not owned or operated by a nonprofit. You know, if we're trying to build 100 to

200 units and keep them affordable, those pro formas a razor to get. To get to a point where you can you put a shovel in the ground and tax burden on top of I think would hinder us. So while severe reservations, I do agree with Councilmember Rogers in that it you know, based on the timeline, we should bring it back to have that discussion. But likewise I cannot make any promises to where all be on on on item. Council member told. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor. I think this goes back for me on how outdated our policy is and how we need to probably do a long time before. And unfortunately, we're in a fiscal crisis and need to do work on ordinances that I feel have outdated for some time. And so now we're in this sort of perfect storm, unfortunately, where the economy is not doing well. We have an outdated policy that need to be looked at again. And we have of this school deficit that we're looking at. So to me, the current structure is based on gross receipts and I know as a business, you feel like you're almost double taxed because it's based on Chris Receipts and you have a profit margin based on cost of goods sold or you're buying equipment or you're buying food. If you own a restaurant. I understand how it works. As apply for business licenses being a small business owner. So I understand the concerns that Councilmember Rodgers bringing up on that. However, that is the way other business or other cities do. The current structure is based on the gross receipts what we make

not not what we make, but what we gross. So it's it's how all of those licenses are done. I do feel we do need to look at If you are lucky enough to own rentals and I understand how that structure works as well and that there's always overhead on those. I do feel that if you're doing business in the city of Santa Rose, you should be taxed along with everybody else and have to have a business license. Certainly I don't want to inflate rent for anyone because we know rents very high in Sonoma County. But I also feel like their services that are combined with streets and roads and all the things that go get to those rental properties, not to mention our public safety that we provide for anyone staying in the city of Santa Rosa and then further, I just want to remind council that this while this presentation is brought to the council fully today for a study session, this is something that we've been talking about, I think in long-term finance for almost a year and that we've done extensive and vice mayor sits on on that committee along with myself mayor. So I just this is not a surprise to me. Certainly we've talked about it many, many times, but this is this is finally coming to us. But I do want to say I appreciate the work that's gone into it for this last year so that we can get to this point today. And and I think it's noted that what you said earlier, Allan, that we aren't going to be able to take care of our deficit based on just this one model that there's going to be other things that we have to look not just economic development, but in addition to what other things are we going to have to change as far as the structure

of the city of Santa Rosa and what we're currently being able to provide. With that, I'm comfortable moving both of these forward. I do like the idea of bringing back some more information. We don't want to make sure that we do want to make sure that we're not a decision that's going to create a long-term impact negatively on our economy. But buddies do think its forward to both of these forward. Important to move both of his forward. Sorry. >> This since my to Collier, the mit to college to my left, brought it up. It's probably worth mentioning that for at least some small landlords situations, they aren't actually able to pass along any any potential cost increases because they're those rents are kept in some circumstances by the state. And so we're potentially squeezing those small landlords in a way that makes that that that business on profitable again, potentially providing a disincentive to overriding house in the community another good example of council member Rogers Point why we need to be in close conversation a number of areas of our local business community. Want to make sure that we're picking up those nuances I I echo that point strongly especially for some of the larger firms that would really be pretty significantly affected by that by the proposed structure firms like he cited. Kaiser have reached out to letting us know that they're there. They want to sit down. I like the city to be taking advantage of those calmer conversation, opportunities and incorporating that feedback into the measure. And finally, I think what I'm looking for

looking for options. This was brought up earlier. I'd like to some different options that include bring they include economic development as a as as a criteria. So we have one option on the table before us today. Are there a couple of other options that were considered that might keep keep Santa Rosa? I'm a bit more competitive with our local communities. I'm in for any information to that effect. The council can consider would be helpful because we're certainly having a way that tradeoff is. We're making this decision whether to push this this measure forward and like at least to my colleagues would say that I'm very open to the idea of updating the ordinance. It's clear that we need to we we need make it more equitable. We need to make sure that the city is providing the services that are that that make our community good for all residents, including businesses. But we've got keep ourselves competitive. And so I'd like to see I'd like to see that consideration brought more into this discussion and potentially the front final measure that will that will determine where I stand at the end of the day. And with that, I'll turn the conversation over to both of you to see if there are other if there's other information or feedback that will be helpful. No, I do have answer to. >> Councilmember MacDonald's question. About the revenue that's generated through the bia a's the county in this is for the 20 to 23. Fiscal it does buy calendar year or so. I'm kind of adjusting for fiscal year but that was the county bia was about 1.2 million. And the city bia about 2.2 million. Those are are a gross amounts. So again, I mentioned that there's a 2% >> 2% admin, fyi, that helps

us administer. Basically do the accounting for it. And I came to a little under $70,000. So that's that's where. With that you know, relative to our competitiveness. Those excellent points. I I understand where you're at. You know, we'll show the chart for next time. That has where we are right now compared to Petaluma and all the other ones. And by that definition, we're not competitive. Now yet. I think we do pretty well. So I I just think that there's some perspective to that. But will we I will. We'll bring that information forward. We have a Lis I have the tape that I will be reviewing and try not to listen to my nasally voice and a comeback with it. More presentation and a couple weeks. I do think I I don't The city attorney wants to weigh in on. We do have to reading requirement however, you know, I do think we do have some flexibility on that's maybe the >> the register voters deadline AUGUST. The 9th. And so you have 2 meetings left before that deadline JULY 23rd and then you have a gust. The I correct? Yes. AUGUST 6. What legally has to happen in order to send it off to the registrar of voter's requires one meeting. There will be an extra step. You have to take a

second meeting. But it doesn't have to be before the registrars. A deadline. So although has in terms of their planning this item to come back on the 23rd. If you are not ready to go, you in theory could come back again on the 6 pass the resolution necessary to get it to the voters and do your first reading on the ordinance. We would need a second reading before any measure could take effect. But we This is the rare circumstance where you don't have to have that second reading in order to meet a deadline for this particular kind of ordinance. And to be clear, the usually most ordinances take effect. The 31st day after your second reading, this ordinance would never take effect unless the voters approve it. But it does need a second reading from all of before it can take effect. So basically 2 readings from you and approval from the voters in order to take effect. So the second reading can trail. I know that staff was hoping to be able to land the plane on this. If it was going to go so that both could happen before the Register's deadline. But as a legal matter in that second reading can trail. That's helpful. Thank you very much for that clarification. And Allen, another point. >> I was just going to say, I mean, hearing from the council and from the >> business community. >> Not >> ideal from a staff perspective. Putting that

aside coming in on the 6. Allows more time to have outreach businesses to hear concerns too. Talk through those concerns. 2. See if there's any other options. To your point, Vice mayor that we could have that >> well, our ourselves that these are at least be more successful. There. But I don't want to get out over my skis and obviously if this isn't something that the city manager would like us to do that and then I'm I'm perfectly capable of being back here on the twenty-third and doing Councilmember prepping. Yes. So that sort of address my question, opposed to the rest of the day as which would be. >> Since we're giving direction, I would feel more comfortable getting more time for them to do the research than to rush something to the 23rd. Have it be part again possibly and then come back on the 6th a 3rd time. So that's where I land on that. Rogers. >> Yeah, he's going make a suggestion that what we could do is agenda is for the next meeting. Staff is not ready. Then we can actually hold that until the next meeting. Give you the option you maximum flexibility by both meeting the reporting requirements or the agenda using requirements. So that if things are easier with outreach than they MAY appear at the moment that there's that opportunity. And if not that, I can just be continue to the next council meeting, which would then

still meet the spirit of age and Isaac requirements. >> Yeah, I'm I'm good with that. And then at the same time I would ask our business community to be as flexible as possible would be with the in a timely manner so that we can get as much feedback as short period of time. >> I'm certainly supportive of that as well. Any any other feedback we can provide? All right. Well, thank you again. Thank you. And thank you for this discussion. We'll move on item 5 people. We need to welcome back. Our colleagues will take a five-minute break and then and then be back here. >> Lululemon has that everyone find your seats, please. So we can resume the meeting, seeing a quorum. MADAM City Clerk me please call the >> Thank you, Maine. There. Councilmember Rodgers here, Councilmember Okrepkie Councilmember MacDonald Councilmember Fleming is absent councilmember Alvarez. Vice mayor stopped here. Mayor Rogers PRESIDENT, let the record show that all council members are present with the exception of council members. I Fleming. Thank you very much. >> Moving on item 6, which is our report on our closed session. MADAM City Attorney. >> Thank you, MADAM Mayor. I have no reportable action. >> We have no proclamations for today. Moving on to our staff briefings City manager. >> I 0.1 is our community empowerment Plan. Update. And also call call down a point to violence prevention partnership since she's

standing up as well. >> Good afternoon. They are vice mayor and city Council on out that community engagement manager with the communications and relations office, also known as will be providing you with the community Empowerment Plan. On JULY 20 is the Violence Prevention partnership to Senator Alyssa Police Department, the Santa Rosa Fire Department and see well will be participating in this summer South Park event. And Martin Luther King Junior Park 1, 6, 7, 1, hand street from one to 04:00pm. Event will provide an opportunity for community building with enough to noon. A family fun live music games, priceless ruffles craft projects face painting and ice cream. Finally JULY, 15th, violence Prevention partnership, Santa Rosa Police Department creation and parks and 0. But dc painted in the Juneteenth celebration Martin Luther King Junior Park. The celebration was a great success do in the event the department's share, helpful resources, building relationships and engage with community members. And that concludes staff date. Thank you. Are there any questions from council members? Seeing none? MADAM City clerk me please facilitate public comment. Thank you, Mayor. We're now taking public comment on item 8.1. If you're in the council chamber and would like to comment but have not provided a speaker card or your name, please make your way to the podium. >> You have 3 minutes and a countdown timer will or at the end of that period as you approach the podium, please state your name for public record. If you choose to do

so. The first public comment will be from Dwayne. Please go ahead. >> Hello, my name is Dwayne De from Roseland. I want congratulate the speakers now for what they've just said in for the positive things that happened at the Juneteenth in district one over in South Park. That's all good. One of the things that I hope when we came up with the community empowerment plan is that we put actually do some trainings of the community members so they can come here and feel empowered to work on the issues that were important to them. Some groups in the past that helped to advocate for there to be a community engagement department. And I think it's really important, especially because we had open government task force after the killing of Andy Lopez 10 years ago and which we stated we needed to do better and involving people such as Andy Young teens and others and the future public policy decision-making process. It's their world in the future. And yet they're not getting the chance actually learn how to participate. They have some games. They do some things that are fun out there. Park stuff like that. But it doesn't really get to the meat of the matter of how they're going to help. Their future by interacting with government in a positive, proactive manner. The violence Prevention partnership is a well funded organization. This is something where we could teach these young people to come here instead of getting

involved in gangs. This is really important. I mean, over in Rosen where we're at. Luckily we've had less homicides this year than last year. That's not a promise. It's going to be kept perhaps in the future. We need to find a way to channel the energy of these young teens and others to become proactive and participating and civic involvement. If we're going to have a democracy that last beyond some of the one might say divisive situations that are happening just in the state and nationwide. Need to have the young people. In our community. Understand it's up to them to be involved and not get involved with gangs. Not be concerned about being us or a new or entertain, you know. Red or blue colors. The colors that American flag down there have red, white and blue. That's a fine thing to uphold and we should be teaching those young people that this is the place where they could be welcomed. And participate and true empowerment for them to be a part of the decision-making process. The current situation. In local government both here and at the county doesn't really feel that way to a lot of people. I come because some might a glutton for punishment. Thank you. >> Thank you. Is there anyone else in council chamber wishing to speak on item 8.1. Mayor, mc no one else approach the podium on this item. MADAM City manager. Thank you. MAY point to balance prevention partnership, community, Climate update. >> Good afternoon, MADAM Mayor, Vice mayor members of council and Daniel Bard ano program manager for the

Center's of Violence Prevention Partnership. And Today I have with me, Lieutenant from the Santa Rosa Police Department who will be joining me in this update. We are asked here today to provide an update given the current community climate here in Santa Rosa, particularly incidents of violence that have happened in our downtown area. So going to turn it over to Lieutenant felt to provide us with some updates on this. >> Good Just want to get some brief have some statistics for you about some of what we've seen in the downtown area. We have seen an uptick in violence, specifically violence related to youth in involved in gangs. It's not a massive amount of calls year-to-date just calls for service within the downtown area. We've had 5,000 556 calls for service in the downtown area. That's about 1500 more than any other beat in the Santa Rosa area, which we have 9 beats in Santa Rosa. There have been 33 calls that were deemed as violent calls for service. That's less than one percent of all calls within the downtown area. Violent calls will be things like assaults, weapons violations, fights that you have at the mall. When it comes to These groups that we're talking about, the 2 hot spots that we saw, the most activity would have been the transit mall and the Santa Rosa Plaza our gang crimes team worked with the violence. French in partnership. Santa Rosa Transit Mall staff up lots of security. Our downtown

inforcement team and our patrol staff to increase patrols within the areas. We saw uptick in that and on that we had 5,005 1556 calls for service. We had 4,500 officer events created within the downtown area. So just about nearly as many as that is our officers going out on foot patrol, driving through the plaza. I'm going to the transit mall patrolling the downtown area. So it's a very high amount of self initiated activity in the area to try and help curve some of what we're seeing, what we saw through the investigation of the gang crimes team didn't would was a group mainly of unfortunately younger age 13 to 17 year-old a middle school high school kids involved in various assaults within the downtown area through the investigation. We found that there's been a recruitment in our middle school Most of the middle schools throughout the city. Because they want the younger members because there are oftentimes less punishment for juveniles than there are for adults. Through the investigation are gang crimes team found 20 made 20 arrests related to 19 kickbacks. Sorry, 19, 9 cases of the same group of individuals, mainly 13 to 17 juveniles. The arrests were for assault with a deadly weapon. Robbery, gang enhancements and weapons violations. On that. We've continued again with the proactive calls for service anecdotally in talking to our downtown enforcement team in our downtown patrol officers. They have seen a reduction in

a lot of these calls because it was related to a specific group of individuals that most have been arrested for some form of crime, whether be crimes of school for crimes that we found through these investigations. Again, we've worked in collaboration with the Violence Prevention Partnership, Transit Mall, the Santa Rosa Plaza security and then patrol in downtown enforcement. Everyone sharing information. We've done gang awareness, trainings, we have participated in rigs, restorative justice programs such as dot rj, which is a program that we introduced last year through the police department. That takes juveniles and takes them out of the juvenile justice system and runs them through you would call it life skills and realizing the harm that they're creating the victims and the suspects go through this training to try and learn better life skills through all of that, we've continued to go to the operational team meetings and the policy team meetings as well as supporting events, such as the Gang Awareness Week that the vials French Partnership puts on regularly. Again, we've tried many different ways. We're very focused on data, informed policing, making sure that seeing the trends in the data and trying to it attacked those areas appropriately. In addition to the work that and Santa Rosa Police Department has been doing. Our team has been very busy outreach and engagement of in the downtown area as well. >> Before jump into that, I do want to give some numbers here for marketing people successfully program, which many of you have heard me talk about, which is our referral program in the last fiscal

year. So from JULY, first, 2023 to JUNE, 30th 2024, we handled 140 referrals those. 21 probation referrals and 119 on probation referrals. This is one referral more than the previous fiscal While didn't have a dramatic increase in the number referrals, are staying consistent. In addition to that, our team was very busy at the end of the school year responding to multiple calls for help from some of our local middle schools in total from December of 2023 to JUNE 2024, we responded. 39 times to 8 different schools 4 of those schools where the primary schools we were at the other 4 schools. That was one or 2 times that we were called out to assist in. This was helping out with things that rumor control de escalation between certain groups of students and actually helping with crisis response as well. In response to uptick in youth incidents downtown. My intervention staff have been very starting the last week of school for the current school year. They were out there every afternoon at the Transit Mall, the downtown Mall. And I'm referring to want to who are here with us this evening. Also, affectionately known by the youth that they work with as Ron. They were out everyday engaging youth that work with at the schools who happened to be at the on the downtown mall, making that they had everything that they needed stepping in when they knew tensions were really high. And they sense that a fight was going to happen. In addition to that, they have been on the

phone with parents talking with parents, referring parents to services helping top parents off a We're seeing a real big cry for help from our families. And we're trying to do everything we can to get them the support and the services that they need. They've also been at juvenile over the last month engaging with youth that have been arrested and that are currently in the hall. I'm helping to work with them to figure out what their needs are, connect with their families as well and prepare them for re-entry back into the community from our juvenile Hall and our juvenile probation partners. Given the arrests that were made they do report that the hall is currently full with over 60 youth in custody. So we're working with to make sure that the youth are coming out back into community at the support they need as well. They have also helped out with victim support. So with some of the fights, some of the victims of those fights were used that were working with schools. And so that either the youth themselves would had for each to want to for help or their parents have reached out to them for help and support of services as well. I'm one of those incidents was just last week were youth from the Apple Valley area was a jumped by a rival gang and severely beaten and hospitalized. They were able to step in and help him and his family out with some services. We've also been working with our neighborhood services staff and our summer camps and providing gang one-on-one to the youth that are with our young folks. The

summer and providing support and to to those that are working with youth in our camps. Our biggest need right now street outreach. Mentorship. Mentorship is a huge need that we're hearing from our partners. We need positive adult role models, particularly male role models for young people that are going through some of these issues and more parents support. And with that, that is my update. >> Thank you very much. Looking. Vice mayor is that? Thank you, Daniel and interesting note about juvenile hall being fall when that happens and where are you place? >> When they've reached I'm actually not sure the answer question a top task. I'm not sure where they go. All right. Well, thanks for highlighting >> Councilmember MacDonald. >> Thank you. I want to say thank you for the presentation. This information was brought to during our last meeting. This uptick in violent crimes kids that are you know, gangs trying to go after the younger children in the community. And so I ask that this be brought forward. Mostly said that we can inform the community not only of the efforts that we're putting in on outreach, which are really extends is not only from our law enforcement and the law enforcement, the team that's down. There are 24 hours now. But in addition to our outreach specialists that are in your department. But could you give a number or an that families can contact when they find themselves in the situation of not actually knowing what to do do when

their children are being so to speak, groom to get into a game, which is what we're Families kind of put up their hands and don't really know where to go for help. >> Yeah, we actually don't have a national public aligned to call. So we give a number which is 543-4696. They can call and leave a message or they They can also reach out. E-mail us at Saint Rose, a partnership that that's our city work. >> Okay. So Santa Rosa Partnership our city Dot Org, I think is probably I didn't catch the phone number, but we could probably put something like that on our communications so that that can go out. We can send it out on our social media because they know that that is some of the concern is parents just don't even know that we have some of the resources. Families don't know where to go to. But I just want to say thank you so much. 2 law enforcement. Thank you to our partners to the wrong team. For all that they do to outreach to our use. I get to hear about it as the chair of the dpp about what we're doing. But I thought it was really important because I think even our community members don't realize how much work we're putting into trying to combat some of these issues and where they can go to. Let us know when there's there's problems. So thank you. >> city clerk me please facilitate public comment on that item. 8.2, thank you, mayor. We're now taking public comment on item 8.2, if you are in the chamber and would like to comment but have not provided a speaker card or your name. >> Please make your way to the podium. You have 3 minutes and a countdown. Timer will alert at the end of that period. As you approach the podium, please state your name for the public record. If you choose to do so. Please go ahead.

>> Hello, my name is Dwayne De from Rosen. I want to thank the staff for all they're doing it, especially nice to know get another 3 minutes to speak that one home didn't. Alright. Doing to it from Rosen. Thank you. To the staff. Are all they've been doing and thank you to the police department for trying to work with these young teenagers. Middle school, 13, 14 year-olds, the most prime candidates to be in gangs. Now, that's as quite sad. If you look back, the Hells Angels were doing the same thing 50 years ago. And most of you probably don't know what the Hell's Angels are. Still a very strong gang here in Santa Rosa. Their current leaders in jail for murder from the Sonoma County chapter. But they're out there recruiting. They're looking for what they're called prospects. And so one of the dilemmas about all this is that this continues to go on has been going on for many decades. We have to try to find a way in which we can give young 13 14 year-olds that MAY have stepped over a line a chance to step back behind it. Chance to re gear, if you will. With that in mind, it was mentioned about life skills. They used to call juvenile halls. Youth guidance enters was an opportunity to give up person a chance to perhaps turn it around and do some better things with their life. I was hoping is that you folks are looking into a way in which someone who's basically been caught doing something. Might require them to. Face punishment. Be given what could be called alternative. And teach them to do some positive things here in the community. Used to be the idea of painting over

graffiti. Making sure that there's no graffiti in areas, especially like Apple Valley where we and MAY not have any more. A satellite police station because there was so much violence in the past. Places like Roseland where the gang graffiti goes up and it never comes down unless somebody goes out there and repainted. In the past. I know that veterans groups, volunteer didn't try to get more involved. We haven't felt much support for love from the city and the various departments that are involved. I think if you use actions of the United States military, you'll find they'll be helpful. These young people, you're talking about role models. These are people that is stepped up and so they would defend this country. And they would do it even if they might lose their lives. That's what gang membership is also about. In some ways, I think. Giving these young people. Role model and mentoring them could be something that keeps them from going towards these gangs. I really salute one and Rogelio for all the stuff they're doing there at the transit mall, which is definitely kind of a threatening environment. Now, I do hope that you'll take it into account that there's this opportunity. But these youngsters to work on something positive and have it take away from any punishment because they served our community. Thank you. >> Thank See another speaker approaching the podium on the

West podium. Please go ahead. >> And Susan Lamont district 2 wasn't planning to speak on this, but it ties into what I'm going to say later. You're coming at it too late. I was raised by my mother to understand that the United States heats its children. Know, you're going to say, oh, how could that possibly be? And yet if you look at our tax system, if you look at all of our policies. We do, we treat children like their garbage like they don't count like it doesn't matter. There. Eventually going to be an expendable resource for corporations and really not much more. What I would like to see and asked this before from this council. I know you cannot change the tax policy. I know you cannot change the economic system, but you can speak out. You can say it's wrong. You can say we cannot continue to have our money. Suctioned upped by the richest. Getting richer and richer and richer. As everybody else gets poorer. You just got to say it's turned those above. You do have something to say about the tax policy and say we need to truly show that we care about our children. We're always talking about. We don't have enough money. We don't have enough money. There's a lot of money out there. You're just not asking for it. >> Mayor mc no one else approach the podiums on this item. Thank you. Thank you for the presentations, but also all the work that you're doing in the community. Want to thank you very much for for stepping up. I wish I could like duplicate you guys a few times. Maybe we could get some work thank you so much all of

you for what you're doing in your teens. >> Moving on to item 9 looking to our city manager does the is she has a report following that, our city attorney. >> Thank you. I have no items to report for this evening. I have no further report either. Thank you. Item 10 statements of abstention by council members. Seeing none. We will move right into our mayor and council members reports. Does anyone have reports today starting with council member Okrepkie? >> The very much MADAM On JUNE 22nd, I was able to the Pentagon sorts for those cn which is not only a great event, but a special shout out to Ana Horta who was just here as a board member of that organization who helped on the event another special shout out to Rafael Rivero, who I don't know how long we're going to be able to employ him here because he was fill-in presenter. And I think he may get a job as a dj or a television presenter. He was that good. Did a remarkable job on short notice filling in for Monday. >> On JULY 5th, I attend the Fire reveal of our new squad trucks that through a generous donation from the Community and the Fire Foundation or the Fire Foundation. We have 2 new squad trucks for those of you that don't know. Squad truck is it's basically a Chevy 71 to 2500. That is souped up to be a fire It will. The 2 home

will be a on duty. 24 with 2 firefighter paramedic Senate roaming the streets of Santa Rosa responding medical calls. It also has the capability of putting a small water pump with a small water tank and hoses in the in the bed of the truck during the summer to fight fires. And that's important because they're smaller faster and can get to areas that are engines can not because they four-wheel-drive vehicles. So we're excited to see that. Those go into service, which is expected, I week from today is the goal and have those in service yesterday was the cta Rcp, a a couple of items that are of interest to us as we presentation from a mtc on the transit oriented communities goal that they have, which is important because there's a set of funding back funding that comes along with that for transit oriented communities. I think it is safe to say that the city of Santa Rosa leading the pack with ability vie for those it's very exciting something very interesting came out of the presentation, which was that of the 9 Bay area counties. Sonoma County is the first county to beef fully. I'm certified for their housing element. That means all cities and the county have all been certified with the state for the housing element where the first in the entire Bay Area, 9 County Bay Area just showing further that the city of Santa Rosa Sonoma County or or the standard So that was really exciting. We also saw our greenhouse gas

report based on numbers from 2022, which are the latest available. We're down. 21 1% from 1990, levels, which is a huge gain with transportation and buildings making about 80% of those greenhouse gases in the Santa Rosa is the second lowest per capita and also the in terms greenhouse gas emissions. But and that's of the state and federal levels. They do show one slide that shows totals and it's really not fair to be compared to cotati in total greenhouse gas emissions. 42 per capita. We come out pretty strong. Something else that was discussed and was Healdsburg High mascot and acting Governor Mike was able to sign into >> sb 867, which is a bond proposal for about 10 billion, 10 billion dollars for climate goals. >> Including including protecting water wildfire in forest health efforts to combat sea level rise. Extreme heat mitigation and protection for about diversity. So that will be on the ballot in the and we'll be able to provide some a very much very funding. Sure that pass. And we also saw the strategic implementation plan for go cinema, which is slightly different from measure. Am a little bit flexible. Amanda divers. So we're excited see that come Roughly q 2 of next year. And that is my report. Thank you. >> Thank you. Councilmember MacDonald. >> Thank you, mayor. I to attended the cnn event. Want to congratulate the award winners from that evening. It

was a great event to go to and then I'm not sure Councilmember Okrepkie noted on the fire truck that these will be the first to new fire trucks going out since 2009. Did you say that? >> First new fire apparatus are their little fire trucks. Just so, you they're really nice. The to the ribbon cutting on that, too. I also was able to attend another event for the new seen a house and Hope Village that was open over in Rincon Valley. And I just want say this is a great complex. It's going to serve a lot of >> women and families and a gym. Sports area and playground for children that pickleball court as well as some basketball courts. But I do want to say thank you to the program and to what they do for the community. And and it's a beautiful campus. And I was really happy to be able to participate, >> Thank you. Councilmember Rogers. >> But 2 quick things. One, we had an economic development subcommittee meeting this morning. One of the things that we looked at was the implementation plan for our strategic Action plan around the economy. We've added a couple of really good, I think sending items to the agenda for folks to look at. One is upcoming events for the city of Santa Rosa. Things that are high impact on the economy. The other one is looking at the overall fiscal health of the city we saw, for instance, a chart that showed that unemployment ticked up just a little bit to 4.8%. It does have charts that show our vacancy rates in each of our kind of key areas. Want to put that on councils radar. The second thing is I had a pretty

interesting presentation and wanted to pass along a resource to council. It's from a nonprofit called Climate Interactive. So it's climate interactive 0, Dot Org. They have a modeling system where you can go on and look at long term the impact from different policy interventions around climate change and the way that they interact with one another. So, for instance, if you go on and maximize your renewable energy potential, it actually doesn't have much of a net benefit if you don't also control things such as efficiency or how much energy people are using. So you can really play with the different policy levers that we talk about up here to see what their local and a national and worldwide impacts would be. And you can zoom in and look at the impacts from either loss of land due to sea level rise. Looking the arid climate and the impact that that has on high fire severity zones. And you can see how each of those interventions could potentially save some of that land at the local level to pretty cool tool. Just want to pass it on council climate, interactive Dot org. And that's it for my report. >> Thank you very much. And now will go Vice-mayor step. >> Just a few quick updates from Councilmember Rodgers could also have the excellent Summit County Conservation Action event on the same night as Lucien a it's an organization that council Rogers has had such big hand

in making successful and it's important environmental advocacy group in the county. I'm beyond that on JUNE 19th at the Sonoma County Commission on the status of women released their 2023 report several of the key challenges faced by women and girls in Sonoma County notable our housing and also childcare. If you're familiar with the portrait of Seminole County, another really critical report on that goes into demographic breaker on the county and challenges faced by by different different populations with in Sonoma, the status of women report is very It makes important rating. On JUNE 25th. There the Santa Rosa Police Department participated yet again for something like the 27th year in the law enforcement torch run, which is just a speck Special Olympics about 30 of our officers ran 5 and a half miles from police headquarters down a runner park. Interestingly, the group was paced more than pace by the community engagement and work to is by far the best runner from that group. All of them there. There are a number of strong runners. It was a fund. It was a fun event to be a part of and kudos to police Department for again, participating raising money for Special Olympics on JUNE. 26th, the opportune I want a new small organization in the city. We're not exactly new, but they held a ribbon cutting for their new new headquarters, the Opportunity Foundation, which assists small businesses and entrepreneurs, particularly within the Latino community. They held a ribbon cutting at their new office just behind Coddington Mall and had not had a nice turnout and they're doing good things for small businesses in the area. So congratulations to the

Opportunity Foundation. Their board. On JUNE the board for the Fresno County ag and Open space. The advisory board no significant updates from that board meeting but an up but updates on a number of possible acquisitions in the months to come. And one certain acquisition, the Southeastern our Southeast Greenway over over in Southeast Santa Rosa. We are weeks away from that being official. And so the ag Open Space Board celebrated a bit. They had so much to do with that project. And finally, just a just a note in memoriam to Walter back. I mean, it's probably familiar to many of you as the as the founder and operator of Paradise Ridge Winery, the largest and most prominent wineries within within the Santa Rosa City limits up there at the town of Fountaingrove. There was a memorial service yesterday. They how they hosted by 200 people there who came to pay their respects and talk about what wonderful things Walter big did for the community, a small token of altars impact is actually can I not kind? Guess our excuse me, the pasta, back of the room. Paradise Ridge is where can I made or live for many years, really helping to get the snow mix in counties. One industry off the ground and for ever since it opened the Paradise, Ridge is hosted a an exhibit honoring kanine AUGUST. So impactful actually that the city of Kagoshima Japan comes over and every so often to visit the exhibit and to pay their respects to can I just one small part of Walter Dix legacy. And it was it was touching to see so many people show up to support So I wanted

to mention that today. Thank you. >> Thank you. I would like to take this opportunity to appoint Henry home to the design review board. I'm also on JUNE. 26 the Sonoma County Homeless Coalition staff and representatives from all home, a Bay Area organization in Advancing Regional Solutions to address homelessness provided the Housing Gap Analysis report which will assist in the development of long-term funding plans as part of the coalition's. 5 year strategic plan, all homes. Regional action Plan recommends making concurrent investments in targeted prevention, interim housing in permanent housing solutions to effectively reduce unsheltered homelessness. With that, I'll turn it over to city clerk to facilitate public comment. Thank you, mayor. We're now taking public comments on item 11. If you are in the chamber and would like to provide comment but have not yet provided a speaker card. >> Please make your way to the podium. You have 3 minutes and a countdown timer will alert at the end of that period. As you approach the podium, please state your name for the public record. If you choose to do so. Please go ahead of the West sector. >> I'm Susan Moment again. Being a broken record. The report from the Sonoma County of some county commission on status of women. Reiterate what I said about. >> Country State County city. Think about children. The deplorable situation in terms of housing. And health and so many other things. I also want to point out to people that

there was a bond mentioned. I want to explain to people what a bond measure actually is. It's a transfer of wealth to the wealthy. It Starts because of need. That is results from not taxing the wealthy enough so that we don't have enough money to do x, y or z the government's response let's issue a bond. And what is a The rich people who didn't pay enough in taxes by the bond and then get our taxes in return. Is there Is there interest on bond? So I just want people to be clear, but it's the wrong answer. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mayor. Mc no one else approach to Putin's for public comment on this item. Thank you. On to item 12 approval minutes. We have one set minutes, JUNE 18, 2020 for looking to council to see if there are any corrections to the minutes. Seeing none. MADAM City clerk, can you please facilitate public comment on this item? Thank you. We're taking public comments on item 12.1. If you're in the chamber and would like to comment but have not yet provided a speaker card. Please make your way to the podium. You will have 3 minutes and a countdown timer will alert at the end of that period. They one approach to Putin's for this item. Thank you. The minutes will be adopted as presented moving on to item 13, our consent items. I will ask City clerk to read the consent items but it bans I would like to thank you very much because we have a lot of consent items until you take your time. Get some water, whatever you need to do. But if you read those for us, we appreciate it. Understood and thank you. Item 13.1. Motion approval of First Amendment to

professional services agreement. Number f 0, 0, 2, 5, to 4 with calendar Associates, Landscape Architecture, incorporated for design services associated with the Hopper Avenue Corridor, Fire Recovery Improvements project. Item, 13.2 resolution. Go cinema Co-operative agreements. This item has been continued to the JULY 23rd 2024 regular meeting. Item. 13.3. Resolution adoption of mitigated negative declaration and mitigation monitoring and reporting program for the Santa Rosa Creek Trail. Access at North, West Side project. Item 13.4 resolution approval of additional funds to contingency for General services agreement. Efa 0, 0, 2, 0, 7, 1, with Matrix Hg incorporated for hvac maintenance and repair services. Item. 13.5. Resolution approving a 5 year blanket purchase order with Day Management Corporation. Item 13.6 resolution, Second Amendment to professional services agreement ef 0, 0, 1, 6, 9, 7, with Turbo Data Systems Incorporated. Item 13.7. Resolution, professional services agreement. The Woodlands. Item, 13 point 8. Resolution, 5th Amendment to professional services agreement ef 0, 0, 2, 1, 4, 4, General Plan 2050, ghg reduction strategy strategy. Ir and housing element. Implementation. Last word angled over to the second page. 13.9. Resolution approval to extend the term of the exclusive negotiation agreement among the city of Santa Rosa, Burbank, Housing

Development Corporation in 10 e-street llc for the real property located at 7 33rd Street Santa Rosa, California. 13.10. Resolution three-year renewal of Microsoft Enterprise agreement. 13.11. Second resolution, Second Amendment to professional services agreement. Number f 0, 0, 2, 7, 4, 5, with Jacob Greene and Associates Incorporated. Item 13.12. Resolution adoption of memorandum of Understanding Unit 5 police officers are represented by the center is a police officer's association effective JULY first 2024 through JUNE, 30th 2027. Item. 13.13 resolution, adoption of memorandum of understanding the unit 9 Police safety management represented by the Santa Rosa Police Management Association. Effective JULY first 2024 through JUNE. 30th 2027. Item. 13.14. Resolution, adoption of memorandum of understanding Unit 9 Fire Safety Management represented by Santa Rosa. Please Management Association. Effective JULY first 2024 through JUNE. 30th 2026. Item 13.5 per per me. 13 0.15. Resolution adoption of memorandum of understanding unit 3 maintenance. Represented by the operating engineers, local union number 3, effective JULY first 2024 through JUNE. 30th 2027. Item. 13.6 resolution. Adoption of wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment unit. 11 middle management unit, 12 confidential, effective JULY. First 2024 through JUNE, 30th 2027. Item. 13.7. Thank you. Think pain

0.17 adoption of wages hours and other terms and conditions of employment for unit, 10 executive management effective JULY. 1st 2024 through JUNE. 30th 2027. One moment. I think there is additional language that I do need to read into the record for compliance with the Brown Act. To comply with Government Code Section 5, 4, 9, 5, 3, which applies to changes in compensation for Citi executives. The following is a summary of the proposed benefit changes for unit 10 executive management employees. A 7% salary increase effective JULY first 2024. 4% salary increase effective the first full period following JULY first 2025. 4% salary increase effective. The first full period following JULY first 2026. Market equity adjustment of up to 5% effective. The first full pay period following JULY first 2025 for benchmark classifications with base wage of more than 10% below market average to bring the classifications based wage up to 10% below market average. Excuse me, market equity adjustment, effective the pay period following JULY first 2025 for non survey classifications that are tied to a benchmark classification that receives the base wage increase to maintain the differential recommended. And increase monthly automobile allowance from $350 to $500 per month. One additional holiday Juneteenth and and expanded short-term disability plan to include a paid family leave benefit. Item. 13.18. Resolution, adoption of memorandum of Understanding Unit 13 mechanics represented by the operating engineers, local union number 3, effective JULY. First 2024

through JUNE, 30th 2027. Item. 13.19 resolution, adoption of memorandum of understanding Unit 8 transit represented by that by seiu, local 1, 0, 2, 1, effective JULY first 2024 through JUNE, 30th 2027. Item, 13.20. Resolution, adoption of memorandum of Understanding Unit 14 police civilian technical represented by seiu, local, 1, 0, 2, 1, effective JULY one, 2024 through JUNE, 30th 2027. Item, 13.0. 21 resolution adoption of memorandum of Understanding unit 16 utility systems. Operators represented by operating engineers, local union number 3, effective JULY. 1st 2024 through JUNE, 30th 2027. Item, 13 dash. 22 got 22. Resolution adoption, a memorandum of understanding units for support services unit, 6 professional and unit 7 technical represented by. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, local union number 8, 5, 6, effective JULY first 2024 through JUNE, 30th 2027. Item. 13.30 23 resolution, adoption of memorandum of understanding unit 18 Millis miscellaneous mid management represented by the Santa Rosa Management Association. Effective JULY first 2024 through JUNE. 30th 2027. Item. 13.0. 24. Resolution, adoption of memorandum of Understanding Unit 17 Santa Rosa City attorneys represented by the

International Brotherhood of Teamsters, local union number 8, 5, 6, effective JULY 1st 2024 through JUNE, 30th 2027. That concludes the consent calendar. Read. Thank you again for that So I'm gonna bring it back to council. But before I do that for any questions, I do want have something cues. I want to thank the the labor groups for their hard work on getting completed. You know, it's really hard to to get successful negotiations. Santa Rosa is a beautiful place to to live. >> And we want to make sure everyone feels like it's a wonderful place to work. So thank you very much for your hard work. I want to specifically our h r Thank you very much for all your hard work. You guys really got in there and got it done. So thank you very much. Our city manager in our city attorney for your hard work in getting this Some places have one or 2 groups that they have to to contracts for. But we don't we have a lot. And so thank you very much for your hard work. So with that, I'm going to go to council to see if there are any. >> Questions regarding the consent. >> See none. >> MADAM City clerk, MAY you please facilitate public? >> Thank you. We are now taking public comment on item 13, the consent calendar. If you're in the chamber and would like to comment but have not yet provided a speaker card or your name, please make your way to the podium. You have 3 minutes and a countdown. Timer will alert at

the end of that period. As you approach the podium, please state your name for the record. If you choose to do so. Ngo and approach the podium on this item go ahead on the West lectern. Are you ready? Get go ahead. >> Hello, my name is Dwayne De Wit. I'm from Roseland. Thank you for number 13, 3. That's a good project. Done North Thank you. Also for. Moving forward on negotiations about the White House. I 13.9. I think you need to get other developers in there. That is a prime site for mixed use, anchor for the downtown in a big way. And Burbank is more about smaller situations. I really think that especially after you gave that nice presentation about executive staff. And how much those percent we're going to be raised during these difficult budget times ahead that you should actually put dollar figures in there. So the public can understand what's going on. The rest of memorandums of understanding for wage increases. It's difficult for the average taxpayer or citizen to know exactly what's occurring here in the past. We had a booklet that was available that showed all of the items on the agenda for the public to look at. We don't have that anymore. You put a computer tablet over there that people use is a lean Iraq and it's never

really help the public in any way to follow some of these issues during the meeting. It's really important that the public understands how much dollars are involved here? How many are going to be spent each and every year of the memorandums of understanding effective dates because you're already telling are facing budget deficits for the next 3 to 4 years. Minimum. And it MAY be worse if we get a different federal administration after the next election. Congratulations to getting some of these agreements negotiated. But please tell the taxpayers the funders of all this, what it's going to be. And then last but not least. Items were you put so much under consent and then say, oh, the public just gets 3 minutes total. There needs to be the opportunity to speak separate distinct items and given time to talk with them by the public. When you low this all up and the consent and say, okay, you here's 15, 18 different things to speak about. The public can't really address any of them and death. And it does a disservice to what was once known as the Open Government Task force and all the work they did 10 years ago thinking that we have better opportunities in the future. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mary. See no one else approaching the podium on this item. Thank you very much. And in over to vice mayor's that. >> Thank you all. Make a motion to approve items. 13.1 through 13.0. 24 second. >> I'm a motion made by Vice

mayor staff and the second by county. Remember MacDonald, city clerk. Me. Please call I just want to clarify. It is items 13 0.1 and then excluding item. 13.2 is that item was continued and then 13.3 through 13.0. 24. >> makes a redo. The motion. Are we are we good occasion. >> Are you city attorney? Are you okay with that clarification on the record. I'm okay with that clarification. That's the motion you want to make. It is thank you for that. I thank you for catching that matter to the clerk. Ok? Thank you. Councilmember Rogers, I crappie, Councilmember MacDonald. I Councilmember Fleming and Councilmember Alvarez are absent. Vice mayor stopped. >> Yes, Mayor Rogers, I let the records show the consent counter passes the fire. The formative votes. Thank you very much. Moving on to item 14, our public comment on on edge matters. >> I would like to take the opportunity let the public know that today this will be your only time to make public comment. We will not have to public comment >> periods as or are we don't have very many items left on the agenda. So with that, I'm going to hand it over to Thank you. We are now taking public comments on item 14 18 public comments on non agenda matters. >> If you're in the chamber, him like to comment but have not yet provided a speaker card or your name. Please make your way to the podium. You have 3 minutes and a countdown timer will alert at the end of that period. As you approach the podium, please state your name for public record. If you choose to do so. The first public speaker will be twain

followed by Paul than Arthur. Sure. One moment, Please go ahead. >> Hello, my name is Dwayne De Wit. I'm from Roseland. This is a publication from the U.S. Government a quarter of a century ago talking about building livable communities been following up on that for a long time and hoping that perhaps our city will take that into account in the future. But unfortunately, the city's overextended and it bigger visions as the talks with the county in negotiations for annexation of what they call South Santa Rosa, the Santa Rosa Avenue corridor. With that in mind, I brought an original copy of the South Sound Rose a specific plan from 1984. And these things need to be brought into account because you're not necessarily going to be able to pay for the things that you want to do. Actually, maybe you're biting off more than you can chew and will be the residents and the taxpayers of have to pay the price on these things. I know this from personal experience, but first, I want to show you in this document. Discussion about parks back in the day for Roseland. >> Right any year. It's very important that, you know, that we were in the sense promised parks. And then the South. West area had area plan. It was put together in 1994 and more parks were promised. And

the idea was that parks would be purchased land would be bought and then there will be many parks in the South West area and especially Rosen Derby. At least 7 more parks at the time these discussions were going on as it stands now, pleading poverty and saying you're not going to be able to do the things you want to do. And yet you're reaching with the county of talking about and saying this large area, the dilemma that we face As taxpayers. Is that you keep coming back to the public trough saying we need more money. We need more things to do. And you say it's to do it for the community, but you don't involve the community in the actual discussions of what they would like to have in their areas. So I just would like to really ask you to point out that. There have been major flaws in land use studies in the past. There have been major flaws after lots of money has been paid to consultants and you're paying out a lot to consultant right now. Millions of dollars, perhaps. And you might get a flawed report that will lead you astray and you won't be able to pay for what you think. You're promising the community. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be Paul followed by Arthur to Testing. Hello. >> Hi, I'm Paul Saif I'm to speak about the summerfield theater. I like coming to the space. I was here the meeting in and I figured out why place

is like a movie theater to me. Yeah, we've got a nice stadium seating. We've got nice screen. Got several actors sitting there on the day doing a great job. But think about this, this space when during the pandemic and pandemic, the terrible effect on movie theaters. This base during the pandemic was probably not used. I'm guessing that you held your meetings through zoom. And same thing with the summerfield theater. Want to come out and want to get sick. But look at look around. People came back to this space right now. You meetings people come. They MAY wear a mask, but they're here. Summerfield theater and all movie theaters. Our I think was for People realize that they don't have to be afraid to come out. People in the who are in the summer feel center said that it was much more before the pandemic. So there's a chance they can be a resurgence. But the problem is the like the summerfield won't be there when people want to come back to see a movie on the big screen and adventure movie. A love story, something that touches them and they'll never forget. Leaders will be there. What a what a shame that would be I've 40 years with small businesses on business promotion and advertising. And I'm of the opinion that the summerfield with new entrepreneurial spirit some new blood running it could probably have a resurgence and do quite well. There are movie theaters and Sonoma County that are doing well in Santa Rosa in Sebastopol. But what if the theater's not there? But if it's what if it's a fitness club? Instead, I have nothing against fitness club

that makes things that myself. I think Planet Fitness should know that they are about to build on on the grave. Of the much beloved Saint Rose Institution decades. There. So be aware come come under a cloud, perhaps a building there. I had a thought came in a dream. I think about mixed use for that air to that building. I coined the phrase I think in my dream the summerfield film and fitness center. If anybody's from the development group consider that is as one possibility for a happy ending to this movie. Anyway, there's potential for all kinds of things, community gatherings, things for kids. Why tear down the theater? They won't be there when we want to come back to them. Just like this space. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be our 3rd followed by Teri. Then Gregory. Arthur. Go ahead. Thank you for having me. If you can raise the podium up so your microphones little bit closer. >> First time doing stuff like this. So I've been going to the summerfield theaters since it was spent. So I've been going since was really young. Think first memories of I was like 5 or 6. And here in 30 staying film and media and institutions like that would still be there when. I hopefully become 40 or 50. I've been noticing that there hasn't really been. There's been fear closers from, you know, rocks in the corner, the reading and has kind worried

about culture and are kind of more and more. Not as grant claim is saying entertainment spaces like, you know, plays and live shows. Pandemic has taken a lot of. Chunks of the local. Interest of the you know, wife, spaces for. Gatherings, but so do that. These trends, usually last longer least as long as you think they do. And losing the theater for a gym in an area that we has a. Areas that you can exercise or any like Howard Park and the trails there. It just feels like. And a waste. Something like that we can have more. Get your team media in culture. Say that see spaces where lake not just mainstream but more camp, smaller and independent films can the show more. Independent artists can express themselves. Kuz. Well. Buildings like this have and places like this last for decades that the future itself is over like this 6 years old and feels like it's at this point kind historic landmark to the county. If not talent. Deceive, like spaces like this. We're actively we preserved and people mindful of places like this, not just turnout. For next big thing.

Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker will be Terry followed by Gregory than Derek. >> thing goes up and Just close to Terry. Stephen, thank you for letting me talk today about about the beloved summerfield Sen. >> It's been in operation for a long, long time is my princes just spoke about. And as always, first-rate entertainment. What I really like about this theater is that in in the community, a different set. >> And in our Santa Rosa community, we have little flavors in different sections of our town and would hate to see the summer feel be demolished in some cases some people talk about planet Fitness being there. This this particular theater gives us a different flavor gives more kinds of movies that we can have, that that other places don't have. So I really feel that it would be missed by the community if it was demolished or if it taken over by fitness place. Thank you so much. Thank you. The next speaker will be great. Followed by Derrick than Susan. >> Good evening. Mayor Rogers and members of the council. I think it's appropriate that I'm here to in the midst of pleas to save something that is a valuable resource for Santa Rosa. But I'm on another subject and like bring your attention that this is the 35th anniversary of another great idea that was brought to the council that has for 35 years been serving residents

of Santa Rosa. I'm referring to a letter that I received from can black in 1989 offering 12. 49 Ripley, which is the coffee center 2 and say why? I was the guy who basically help make that happen and Ken and I and the I have a lot to celebrate about the fact that it has existed, that it has provided services to the youth of Santa Rosa. Unemployment in counseling and housing, as you probably know, it's on the chopping block right now. One of the 2 properties that is the why is a placing before the bankruptcy judge. I hope that we can see the property for continued use. And I will do everything I can to help make that happen. But I also want to point out I'm here for another reason, which is to also announce that you have additional surplus properties that you heard from your real estate division. We're going to be determined as to whether they could be placed a to a nonprofit or to a unity to use for good purposes. You placed 3 properties on your website which I saw there along found Grove in minus, you know, Avenue and I submitted a letter to your a real estate division asking that agency that I represent be allowed to acquire those properties and turn them into really low income housing as I did, as you remember 40 years ago

South Park with Community Support Network. And 35 years ago with one your real estate in the agency said that you weren't quite ready to do that, but I would be notified if and when you are, I look forward to process. And to that opportunity, I think a lot of the properties that you own can be turned into small properties for low-income housing, for homeless and others. And we stand ready to help you do that once again. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be Derek followed by Susan. Then Jason. I didn't go Hunt. Thank you. >> Good evening, everyone. I'm Derek Stephen for a return engagement here. I'm very happy to be here in council chambers again. Thank you all for listening. And for this opportunity present, save summerfield. This is a campaign that Paul Saif and amazing community supporters are actively signing petition. The petition that has over 1000 signatures. Now just on the petition and I saw 1077 members, many of them from the local community also outside of Santa Rosa throughout the North Bay. And even as far away as New York, Los Angeles and all points in between. I'm going to take this opportunity to thank some of our supporters just by reading some of their support or voices. This comes from Kathleen. She says this is our go-to movie theater and has

been for years. It is one of the remaining local businesses that is highly valued by the community. And we know that many, many of our neighbors, appreciate having it remain. Another says this is free. Does she says we come from now all the way to Santa Rosa to enjoy their popcorn and the movie's don't let this place get replaced. And this is a longer one. Lisa says I've been exclusively watching films here at least twice a month for almost 20 years, not having a dedicated cinema playing intelligent artful, a motive, thoughtful art-house, independent documentary films will be a loss to our community. If you haven't seen the film here, I'd encourage you to do so. So all pause just for a moment and take a little straw poll. Anybody in the chambers can raise your hand. Who loves to go to a movie or see a movie. Just raise your hand if you're interested in film of any kind of any kind. Thank you. Well, I would definitely say that this this organization that operates the theater has a history here since the 1920's that took in the family is operated theaters that long and deserve the opportunity to stay in their lease, even with new ownership changing as this is a in escrow the plan is a 2 build a planet, fitness and replace this. This sentiment that has certainly a staple to the community. I definitely urge our city leaders and our community here tonight and listening in to support this activity to keep the

summerfield as a cinema looking into changing the city plan, creating ordinances to protect small and local businesses in Lakeside shopping center and around our great city of Santa Rosa. Again, this is Derek Stephen for Safe Somerfield and thank you for your time. Thank you. The next speaker will be Susan followed by Jason. >> Susan Lamont District, First, I'd like to thank everybody for what they said on the other issues. Agree with sporting us and say why one is done the past using properties. For low-income housing and savings summerfield theater. We don't have a homeless problem. We don't have a genocide problem. Don't have the budget problem. We don't have a problem with any issue that doesn't have its roots in our democracy. Problem. Our representatives don't listen to the people. They listened to money. It's true nationally and it's true in this room. The most important role of government is to better the lives of its people and to level the playing field to counter the people have the money to pay to play, whether it's a propagandist from Israel or wealthy vintner. One of the most fundamental measures of the health of a society is how the children are doing. By that measure. Those here in Sonoma and in Palestine, the children are doing so different problems, of course, in Palestine, their being slaughtered. And here there be economically and socially underserved. Some of them then join gangs. Creating what will

be a desperate generation. Your response to both as a collective shrug. >> Was speak out. Are you kidding? I've got my job to protect and I'm not really helping those in need help. My ego says my being in this job is more important than the lives and physical and mental health of children anywhere. We need brave representatives, not good test to cowards. We need people who can rally to overcome the influence of those with the money. We need you to say the genocide of children is wrong and you're going to call for a We need you to say that the ongoing transfer wealth to the richer and richer must stop. You're going to bring our demands to those in office above you and so that we don't have a budget problem. We have a tax system problem. You are of no value. If you can speak up. We need speak up loudly. We need you to do and say things that will inspire those who become disillusioned. The brave are remembered the names of the cowards end up in the dustbin of history and the children pay the price. And Councilmember Rogers, if you don't have the courage here, you won't have it in Sacramento. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be Jason. >> Good afternoon. And good evening. My name is Jason District. 5. Yeah. I just decided it was time to come back and still water all over In front of you. I wanted to speak to you again about issue Susan was just referring you know, but the point is when you when your community comes

to you with the problem. For months at the time. I mean, how many months it's been 10 months since the start of this verdict. This moment in the conflict. But we've been coming to you and we've been talking with you since as far back as NOVEMBER. And I know that much. And when you ignore us. It's hard to see a point in engaging. It just becomes increasingly frustrating and creates anger, which is a normal response to not being heard. And let me just say that real safety is rooted in the truth we need to be able to talk about and get to the truth. Since the beginning of this round of violence in Palestine. Israel has that we use a little more land in the West Bank, which is not their land. Then they have and similar time frame since the Oslo accords. That's 30 years ago. There's a quote in and give your the finance minister for every country that unilaterally recognizes a Palestinian state. We will establish a settlement. So, you know, not your head if you understand that this isn't always was about a land grab. You know, 4 out of 5 Palestinians are. Have been displaced since the start of this war. The town head south that to the safe zones a bomb them in the safe zones. There's there's so much that I want to bring with you to share with into because I'm afraid of what you're not hearing. But but the point, the reason I'm here today is because I want to remind you and the citizens of Santa Rosa that we've been coming here for, like I said, 10 months and we deserve a response and it's an election year and we

deserve to know what you think. And you are obstructing democracy. That's what this boils down to when you don't hear your citizens and and find a way to respond. You are obstructing the democratic process. How do I know how to vote come NOVEMBER? And when you say to your citizens that there are times when I need to put my personal feelings aside do what's best for the city. Are we talking feelings or principles? First of all, and second of all, who is it that decides when we don't hear you discuss it. We don't hear you say a So did you violated the Brown Act? Did you talk about group who decides who is above the City council in the city of Santa Rosa who decides that it's it's better to acquiesce and be silent support. And Indira genocide, thank you. >> Thank you, Mary. See no one else approaching the podium on this item. Thank you very much. So we have no report items this evening. No public hearings. Item 17 written communications. >> Which are attached to the agenda. And with that, we will now adjourned the meeting.