1. City Finances: PG is in a better financial situation than in recent years, but still does not have many financial options. Without a significant and continuing increase in sales tax revenue (from a more robust business community) and property taxes (from the sale of increasingly expensive homes and buildings) PG will remain cash-strapped.
This year the City will dip into reserves to take care of long-deferred maintenance. It may appear that the City finally has sufficient funds, but this dip into reserves cannot be repeated. We need to remain careful stewards of the citizen’s money by responsibly increasing revenues and being conscientious about making new financial commitments.
2. Pension Obligations: Pensions, both past and current, account for about 1/4 of our city’s budget. We cannot undo the past and we will need to meet these challenging obligations going forward. We can, however, represent our city’s dilemma regionally and push for state-wide action on an issue that challenges many cities in California. We can hire wisely, while treating our employees as we would want to be treated.
3. Water Issues: The limited water supply for this region impacts all of us who live here, even though the supply and legal authority over our water are outside of our direct control. Our first priority must be the continued wise and thrifty use of this limited resource within our city. Establishing a viable source of reclaimed water for the cemetery and golf course is a good step in the right direction and will be an important part of a long-term strategy to establish reliable sources of water.
4. City-Citizen Partnerships: The citizens of PG have stepped up to support parks, the library and business initiatives. The city has a history of taking a more passive role when this happens, when the city should step up to being a true partner. While Council has given direction to the city to support citizen’s efforts, this direction has often lacked follow-through and specificity. We need to support our citizen’s efforts to make Pacific Grove the kind of community that we all want to live in.
5. Vacation Rentals: in today’s world, short-term owner-offered rentals are firmly a reality. PG has taken a proactive step to license and oversee these businesses so that they add value to our community, but do not detract from the neighborhoods we all enjoy. The current ordinance is a good first step, and the city must assure neighborhoods that it will enforce regulations, set high expectations, and be willing to do the work it will take to monitor, evaluate and, if necessary, amend this important policy.
6. Environmental Treasure: Our area is a treasure we should, as a community, respect and protect. By making it easy to “live lightly”, our community can serve as an example. By representing our philosophy regionally and statewide, we can encourage others to protect the environment, coast, ocean, forests, air and fresh water that give us such a wonderful place to live.
7. Hometown Future: Our schools and our community attract young families, but the cost of living is discouraging. While City Council cannot assure that young families will move into or stay in PG, we can make sure that projects and initiatives support and encourage affordable housing as well as the hometown feel we all appreciate.
8. Business Vitality and Work Infrastructure: Businesses are an important, fundamental part of PG. They provide the goods, services and amenities that make this a great place to live, and they pay the taxes and fees that fund the majority of the city budget. PG can support business success by streamlining permitting, making the city’s rules clear and logical, and working with the business community to solve mutual problems. We can encourage a robust business community that is still consistent with PG’s historic character.
We need to support infrastructure improvements that make PG an excellent place to “work from home” or to start and grow a small business. Cell phone coverage, fast and robust broadband, competitive cable and internet providers, meeting space and small offices will make PG a desirable home for the modern workforce. A thriving community needs a thriving economy.
9. Aging in PG: We have an aging population that includes all of the folks that raised families here, and all the retirees that finally get to call PG “home” every day. The average age of Pagrovians is almost 50 years, well above the state and regional averages. As we all hope to live in our own homes as long as possible, we need to be sure that roads, signage, visibility and walkways make PG safe and welcoming for the older people that live here and those that visit.
10. Welcoming: Creating a warm welcome for new residents will turn newcomers into neighbors, whether they are at home 24/7 or can only live here on the occasional weekend. A coordinated welcome from the components of the city - the museum, library, golf, historic society, businesses, etc. - will help us know our neighbors better. Our newcomers contribute: they shop here, pay taxes and add to the vibrancy of our community.
11. Equitable contribution: “Fair Share” is a widespread approach to making sure that those who use services and amenities share in the cost of providing those amenities. That means we should keep working on a method to have visitors pay for coastal parking. At the same time, parking regulations should encourage access for all. That means that no visitor, whether tour bus, RV or beach-goer should monopolize parking to the detriment of other visitors.
12. Equitable Treatment: “Fair share” also means that the ordinances we currently have on the books need to be enforced evenly and consistently. Parking enforcement, code enforcement, licensing and tax collection, and rental ordinances must be enforced so that those who do abide by the rules are fairly treated. To do otherwise disrespects those who play fair.
This year the City will dip into reserves to take care of long-deferred maintenance. It may appear that the City finally has sufficient funds, but this dip into reserves cannot be repeated. We need to remain careful stewards of the citizen’s money by responsibly increasing revenues and being conscientious about making new financial commitments.
2. Pension Obligations: Pensions, both past and current, account for about 1/4 of our city’s budget. We cannot undo the past and we will need to meet these challenging obligations going forward. We can, however, represent our city’s dilemma regionally and push for state-wide action on an issue that challenges many cities in California. We can hire wisely, while treating our employees as we would want to be treated.
3. Water Issues: The limited water supply for this region impacts all of us who live here, even though the supply and legal authority over our water are outside of our direct control. Our first priority must be the continued wise and thrifty use of this limited resource within our city. Establishing a viable source of reclaimed water for the cemetery and golf course is a good step in the right direction and will be an important part of a long-term strategy to establish reliable sources of water.
4. City-Citizen Partnerships: The citizens of PG have stepped up to support parks, the library and business initiatives. The city has a history of taking a more passive role when this happens, when the city should step up to being a true partner. While Council has given direction to the city to support citizen’s efforts, this direction has often lacked follow-through and specificity. We need to support our citizen’s efforts to make Pacific Grove the kind of community that we all want to live in.
5. Vacation Rentals: in today’s world, short-term owner-offered rentals are firmly a reality. PG has taken a proactive step to license and oversee these businesses so that they add value to our community, but do not detract from the neighborhoods we all enjoy. The current ordinance is a good first step, and the city must assure neighborhoods that it will enforce regulations, set high expectations, and be willing to do the work it will take to monitor, evaluate and, if necessary, amend this important policy.
6. Environmental Treasure: Our area is a treasure we should, as a community, respect and protect. By making it easy to “live lightly”, our community can serve as an example. By representing our philosophy regionally and statewide, we can encourage others to protect the environment, coast, ocean, forests, air and fresh water that give us such a wonderful place to live.
7. Hometown Future: Our schools and our community attract young families, but the cost of living is discouraging. While City Council cannot assure that young families will move into or stay in PG, we can make sure that projects and initiatives support and encourage affordable housing as well as the hometown feel we all appreciate.
8. Business Vitality and Work Infrastructure: Businesses are an important, fundamental part of PG. They provide the goods, services and amenities that make this a great place to live, and they pay the taxes and fees that fund the majority of the city budget. PG can support business success by streamlining permitting, making the city’s rules clear and logical, and working with the business community to solve mutual problems. We can encourage a robust business community that is still consistent with PG’s historic character.
We need to support infrastructure improvements that make PG an excellent place to “work from home” or to start and grow a small business. Cell phone coverage, fast and robust broadband, competitive cable and internet providers, meeting space and small offices will make PG a desirable home for the modern workforce. A thriving community needs a thriving economy.
9. Aging in PG: We have an aging population that includes all of the folks that raised families here, and all the retirees that finally get to call PG “home” every day. The average age of Pagrovians is almost 50 years, well above the state and regional averages. As we all hope to live in our own homes as long as possible, we need to be sure that roads, signage, visibility and walkways make PG safe and welcoming for the older people that live here and those that visit.
10. Welcoming: Creating a warm welcome for new residents will turn newcomers into neighbors, whether they are at home 24/7 or can only live here on the occasional weekend. A coordinated welcome from the components of the city - the museum, library, golf, historic society, businesses, etc. - will help us know our neighbors better. Our newcomers contribute: they shop here, pay taxes and add to the vibrancy of our community.
11. Equitable contribution: “Fair Share” is a widespread approach to making sure that those who use services and amenities share in the cost of providing those amenities. That means we should keep working on a method to have visitors pay for coastal parking. At the same time, parking regulations should encourage access for all. That means that no visitor, whether tour bus, RV or beach-goer should monopolize parking to the detriment of other visitors.
12. Equitable Treatment: “Fair share” also means that the ordinances we currently have on the books need to be enforced evenly and consistently. Parking enforcement, code enforcement, licensing and tax collection, and rental ordinances must be enforced so that those who do abide by the rules are fairly treated. To do otherwise disrespects those who play fair.
