![]() The underfunded pension debt hasn’t helped, but there isn’t a single cause for the financial woes. Essentially, the county-operated under a Whac-A-Mole model where certain problems would get addressed by defunding other needs. “Jim, the county has a long-standing tradition of paying below-market wages, but it was only able to pay these low wages by deferring maintenance. In other words, you’re most likely proposing something similar to a quasi-Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Reorganization, sans Bankruptcy Court.’” The county will need to reorganize.’ When you talk about the need to reorganize, I’m assuming that means laying off employees, eliminating certain services, selling off assets, including property and buildings, perhaps refinancing certain financial instruments (COPs, POBs), etc. This assumes that at some point, even if the currently missing revenues are restored, we’re still in the big hurt locker because, ‘Over decades, officials grew the county beyond what the revenue from 90k people can support. “Ted, the discussion with you centers on the argument that the fiscal footprint of the County is no longer sustainable. Over decades, officials grew the county beyond what the revenue from 90k people can support. “Your idea would be good if we truly didn’t know how we got here. One can agree with “hire more people, pay the people more,” but the revenue doesn’t create this possibility. Under Prop 13, in a no-growth county, it’s foreseeable that the cost of doing business will increase at greater slope than revenue. The county has increased wages by deferring maintenance of buildings, infrastructure, software, training, jail, etcetera. “On untenable fiscal mess, the cost of doing business has outpaced revenue. When was there last a long-term plan to maintain the road network? Your original question presumes the county was functioning well under prior officials. It appears one board after the next ignored certain long-term liabilities in order to focus on limited priorities. ![]() I’ve studied the budgets from 1965 to the present. Perfect assessment and tax collection would help, but it won’t completely solve the gap. The county cannot pay market wages to its existing employees, maintain its existing buildings, and maintain its roads with the current revenue. I’m looking at the numbers, not anyone’s feelings. “Jim, Angelo’s state of feeling satisfied is irrelevant to me. Something’s not right with those pictures.” “There’s a Grand Canyon-sized chasm between you knowing back in 2019 that the County was in big trouble and Angelo’s declaration that it was “on firm financial footing” as she made her exit in 2022. I leave knowing the situation today is much healthier than when I was appointed CEO in 2010.’” “Ted, so my question is, assuming that both you and I are correct in our respective narratives, why haven’t you (or any of your colleagues) at least asked former-CEO Carmel Angelo to explain her assertion that ‘she is especially satisfied that the county, facing near bankruptcy in 2010, is today (February 2022) on firm financial footing with $20 million in reserves in the face of an annual budget of $340 million. What follows are excerpts from those exchanges that provide pretty solid information on what this issue is all about. This led a few days ago to Williams and I exchanging posts on the Anderson Valley Advertiser website. Recently, 5th District Supervisor asked me what I think should be done to solve this crisis. ![]() Most folks know that for months, I’ve called for the County to stop talking about the County’s fiscal crisis and start doing something, get to the bottom of the root cause(s), and then take decisive action to solve it.
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