Emery Go Round To Residents:
You Don't Count...Literally
Emeryville's free bus, the Emery Go Round, convened their Board of Directors last week to discuss charges made by the Tattler that Emeryville taxpayers are receiving short shrift, a total lack of recognition from the bus service in advertising, including prominent signage sprawled on the buses.
The Emery Go Round Board decided the public financing it receives from City Hall should continue to go unacknowledged. The contributions to the service from Emeryville's private sector: "A Free Shuttle Service Provided By Emeryville Businesses" will continue to be proudly proclaimed on the sides of the buses they decreed.
The Board's proclamation puts to rest conjecture about if the Emery Go Round had simply made a mistake in not acknowledging Emeryville's taxpayer residents with the signage. With last weeks decision, the Board continues to proudly proclaim that the popular bus service is paid for exclusively by Emeryville businesses as it has since Emery Go Round's inception but there now exists an officially sanctioned definitiveness to the bogus funding claim.
The Tattler story on May 2nd revealed how Emery Go Round was forwarding incorrect information about its sources of funding. On the company's website, funding was "solely" attributed to Emeryville businesses and another website about Emery Go Round claims the funding for the free bus service is "100% funded by Emeryville business".
The Tattler noted on May 9th, the Emery Go Round changed their website by removing the word "solely" from their claim of business funding.
The Emery Go Round Board of Directors noted they are not concerned that the information they are providing to the public on the buses is inaccurate and their decision to keep the signage as it is, is final. They will, however, continue to take taxpayer funded payments from City Hall they indicated.
I agree with the Board. What the Hell difference does it make? EmeryGoRound is a great service, and the Community, at large, benefits.
ReplyDeleteFunded solely by Emeryville's businesses? The story here is not about Emery Go Round's quality of service. The story is the extreme lengths this company went to to make you think the service is funded exclusively by business and not one penny by the government. Any firm that accepts public money is on the hook to not purposefully obfuscate like this.
DeleteThe standing question is why. Why is the Emery Go Round doing this...they still have not answered that question.
Why doesn't KFC have to pay and why does the oaks club pay so little for the emerygoround?
ReplyDeleteThen it is time to stop funding this service with residents' money or should I say city money from the residents. It is that simple; no acknowledgement, no funds.
ReplyDeleteIt's an interesting point you raise. The city is required to pay being a property owner in the Transportation District (set up by the city). Those who don't pay get their property liened. I doubt the Emery Go Round could lien City Hall. A refusal to pay would likely result in a 'no contest' from Emery Go Round...but you never know. It could turn into an interesting battle.
DeleteDoes the City make a grant or simply contribute via a special assessment on property owners (the City is a property owner too)?
ReplyDeleteThe city pays its share as a property owner in the assessment district.
DeleteSo exactly how is the Emery Go Round funded? My understanding is that it is funded by a special property tax based on square footage. If that is true every tenant (and homeowner?) is contributing. Is there any property that is exempt from the special district property tax?
ReplyDeleteThe Emery Go Round is primarily funded by a business improvement district paid which includes all commercial property in the City, with the exception of land which is exclusively zoned residential. The City contributes to the Emery Go Round based on square footage assigned to public building. Mr Donahue makes the false assumption public land is owned by the residents, and therefore they are contributing. However, City land is owned by a municipal corporation, which is a separate entity like any other corporation.
ReplyDeleteMr. Donahue is confusing the public by saying residents are paying for the service. Emeryville residents benefit "without being directly accessed" for the cost of the service. Since Mr. Donahue has determined they are making a false statement he expects the Board to repaint all the buses, at great expense.
Well, it's nice to know the Emery Go Round Board members read the Tattler...even though they won't admit it.
DeleteThe argument that City Hall and city parks, etc are not owned by the people but instead they are owned by a "municipal corporation" may make sense in the Emery Go Round board room out here talk like this plays like Bush's "Healthy Skies Initiative"; verbiage meant to grease the skids for air polluters. The municipal corporation argument is totally fatuous...I'm kind of surprised you even attempt it...every other argument seems even less plausible I suppose.
Ridiculous as it is, I'll play along...Who, prey tell, owns the municipal corporation?
I guess what the Emery Go Round is saying is that Emeryville City Hall is really just a business like any other. It's not really the people's hall. And to think all this time we thought government had something to do with the people...well, silly us!
DeleteFor purposes of managing an assessment district, City Hall is a business, no matter who actually owns it. Why would the small contribution by the City deserve any more attention than any other contributor.
ReplyDeleteWould you be happy if the Board looked at the percentage of the financial contribution by the city and then indicated they are responsible for maybe 3% of the costs, indirectly. If the Emery Go Round is serving the residents "almost for free" why is it such a big issue. Aren't there more important issues to complain about?
Q: "Why would the small contribution by the City deserve any more attention than any other contributor?"
DeleteA:How about because the CITY IS NOT A BUSINESS (regardless of your claims to the contrary). Remember, YOU'RE claiming the service is funded solely by Emeryville BUSINESSES. If you feel a need to downplay the taxpayers contributions (after we finally get you to acknowledge them in the first place someday), you're free to do that but warning: given your recalcitrance on this subject up to now, your ideological stance is obvious for all to see.
Ok, how much does the city (corp) pay?
ReplyDeletePlease read the Tattler story on this on May 2nd. The City of Emeryville paid $43,389.36 last year for Emery Go Round.
ReplyDeleteI believe the EGR tax district is basically illegal under the California Constitution:
ReplyDeleteARTICLE 13D (ASSESSMENT AND PROPERTY-RELATED FEE REFORM)
(5) No fee or charge may be imposed for general governmental services including, but not limited to, police, fire, ambulance or library services, where the service is available to the public at large in substantially the same manner as it is to property owners. Reliance by an agency on any parcel map, including, but not limited to, an assessor's parcel map, may be considered a significant factor in determining whether a fee or charge is imposed as an incident of property ownership for purposes of this article. In any legal action contesting the validity of a fee or charge, the burden shall be on the agency to demonstrate compliance with this article.
There are many companies in Emeryville who do not have to pay this tax assessment as they are labeled "not served", but all apartment buildings more than 4 units do. This means that the renters in the end are paying for this service. You cannot call apartment renters commercial businessmen can you? In the end the EGR is serving the general public and if kept, should be paid for by the general public.
interesting to note that while your article on the emery go round rustled up 16 comments, your article on bond counsel, bond underwriters, public relation consultants and turner construction only brought three. and no major protest on teacher layoffs at anna yates.
DeletePerhaps they've been gobsmacked.
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