City News

080313_ci_cityarticle.C   Headline: Revenue piracy threatens Davis budget Layercake: Council gets head start on next year’s budget By JEREMY OGUL Aggie News Writer   There is not a large shortfall in Davis, but the state budget crunch is threatening local funding. California’s $16 billion budget deficit gives legislators the option of taking funds from local […]

Budget Workshop Finance Director Paul Navazio presented a workshop on the budget for fiscal year 2008/2009.Projected General Fund shortfall is $854,000.Unmet needs include funding for street maintenance, a fourth fire station, a youth sports complex and city retiree medical benefits.Expenditure reductions to cover General Fund shortfall may include reduced staffing for planning and building, reduced reserve level and a soft hiring freeze that would exclude public safety and revenue-generating positions. Revenue enhancements may include additional retail development and new ballot measures for taxes.

Davis collision rates have made a dramatic 50 percent decrease over a span of five years. From 2002 to 2006, the California Highway Patrol compiled data on collisions at various intersections throughout the city, investigating possible causes and preventative measures. The term collision refers to an accident between a motor vehicle and another motor vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian or any other object.

Davis resident Sarah Hafer will participate in AIDS/LifeCycle, a seven-day, 545-mile annual cycling event in support of HIV/AIDS services and education. Last year’s event boasted more than 2,500 cyclists and roadies and raised over $9 million.

A state appellate court recently ruled that California parents must have a teaching credential to homeschool their children. Previously, the state has allowed homeschooling for parents without credentials if they established themselves as a small, private school, hired a credentialed teacher, or enrolled their child in an independent study program.

The California Department of Public Health has warned consumers not to eat certain brands of alfalfa sprouts due to salmonella contamination. Salad Cosmo USA Corp. of Dixon, Calif., has recalled Salad Cosmo Alfalfa Sprouts throughout California and Washington, and Always Fresh and Alfa One packaged by J.H. Caldwell and Sons Inc., have been recalled in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

Traveling from downtown Davis to campus during lunch rush hour in the middle of the day can prove a harrowing task. The city of Davis is currently communicating with Specialized Transportation Services on the UC Davis campus to develop a shuttle service that would take patrons from the downtown area to central campus during lunch hours.

Let’s make s’mores! Individuals were seen camping out in front of store on E. Eighth Street. The other sister Individual said she was mentally ill and had possibly been assaulted on Fifth Street. Oh, that’s not part of the street? An individual drove over the sidewalk on L Street. Surprise! A small box wrapped in brown paper was sitting on a fence on L Street.

City employees may soon be cashing in on larger paychecks or benefit packages. The Davis City Council is currently waiting on research in order to implement a standard living wage for the city. The city’s neglect of having a standard living wage policy has been an issue Councilmember Lamar Heystek has been persistent on addressing since 2006 when he was first elected to City Council.