Just in case you were wondering, the foreclosure crisis ain't over yet.
We got proof this week after this Wednesday's cover article — detailing how one Tracy woman who managed to keep her home despite it going into foreclosure and is now helping a few others do the same — generated dozens of phone calls, all from homeowners seeking the help of Omaira Muñoz, the protagonist of our feature.
On Wednesday, the newsroom became a virtual relay office for those desparate to keep their slice of the American Dream — a wrenching reminder of the Great Recession's human casualties.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Three's no crowd at City Council meeting
One of the reasons it's been such a quiet news Wednesday (see post below): There were only three members of the City Council at last night's meeting.
Councilmembers Suzanne Tucker, Evelyn Tolbert and Mike Maciel were the only members present at a meeting with an agenda that can only be described as "bare bones."
At the previous meeting there was a suggestion from city staff to forego the meeting, given the sparse nature of the agenda and that Mayor Brent Ives and Councilman Steve Abercrombie wouldn't be able to attend. (Plus, there was one item, a city staff report on traffic connectivity and general mobility in Tracy and its environs, that really could have used the attention of all five council members.)
But the three councilmembers who would be present voted in favor of the April 6 gathering, anyway.
Which doesn't sound so bad, until you consider this: If the city's desperately trying to find ways to save money and reduce staff time, one way might be to cut down on uncecessary meetings.
Councilmembers Suzanne Tucker, Evelyn Tolbert and Mike Maciel were the only members present at a meeting with an agenda that can only be described as "bare bones."
At the previous meeting there was a suggestion from city staff to forego the meeting, given the sparse nature of the agenda and that Mayor Brent Ives and Councilman Steve Abercrombie wouldn't be able to attend. (Plus, there was one item, a city staff report on traffic connectivity and general mobility in Tracy and its environs, that really could have used the attention of all five council members.)
But the three councilmembers who would be present voted in favor of the April 6 gathering, anyway.
Which doesn't sound so bad, until you consider this: If the city's desperately trying to find ways to save money and reduce staff time, one way might be to cut down on uncecessary meetings.
A quiet day in the newsroom
It's been a fairly quiet day around Tracy.
No fires, no big crimes, no earth-shattering news — nothing to really rattle the newsroom. Just a bunch of sunshine streaming through the partially-drawn drapes, mocking us desk jockeys for not being able to lounge in Lincoln Park or hit up Old River Golf Course.
(Of course, now that I've said that, something's bound to go wrong. It's like the journalist's version of Murphy's Law.)
But hoping that doesn't happen, enjoy a relaxing Wednesday.
No fires, no big crimes, no earth-shattering news — nothing to really rattle the newsroom. Just a bunch of sunshine streaming through the partially-drawn drapes, mocking us desk jockeys for not being able to lounge in Lincoln Park or hit up Old River Golf Course.
(Of course, now that I've said that, something's bound to go wrong. It's like the journalist's version of Murphy's Law.)
But hoping that doesn't happen, enjoy a relaxing Wednesday.
A touch of fiscal sanity
Earlier this week, reports the San Jose Mercury News, city of Tracy department heads agreed to forego their cost-of-living pay increase beginning this month and to cut their compensation package for the 2010-11 fiscal year by 5 percent.
The estiamted savings are a drop in the bucket compared to the city's estimated $6 million deficit for the next fiscal year.
However, as this Tracy Press report made obvious, reductions in employee compensation — particularly outsized benefits and retirement packages — will be key to getting Tracy back in the black.
Give credit to the department heads for sharing some of the pain, for rank-and-file workers for taking on furlough days and to the police and fire department unions for agreeing to less money than their boom-year contracts inititally called for.
But city employees, beware. There's still a big gap to fill. And slicing out more of city employee compensation is bound to be the most politically popular move.
The estiamted savings are a drop in the bucket compared to the city's estimated $6 million deficit for the next fiscal year.
However, as this Tracy Press report made obvious, reductions in employee compensation — particularly outsized benefits and retirement packages — will be key to getting Tracy back in the black.
Give credit to the department heads for sharing some of the pain, for rank-and-file workers for taking on furlough days and to the police and fire department unions for agreeing to less money than their boom-year contracts inititally called for.
But city employees, beware. There's still a big gap to fill. And slicing out more of city employee compensation is bound to be the most politically popular move.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Catching up with the Blue Mexican
This weekend I caught up with Tracy's newest celebrity, Danny Dunne, a retired Tracy cop who now teaches language and literature at my alma mater, St. Mary's High School in Stockton.
Dunne's recent local fame is because of his just-published book, "The Blue Mexican," which has been met with solid reviews both in Tracy and elsewhere.
I saw Dunne holding court about the book in the Stockton Barnes and Noble — he's been on a bit of a book-signing barnstorming tour, having already hit Tracy's B&N.
After explaining to the crowd how his book, set in Tracy, features real-life anecdotes about life as a cop intertwined with fiction of his own making, Dunne told me that the success of his book surprised him. The support, he said, has been beyond anything he could have hoped for — so much so, he said, that he's considering another book.
If they haven't sold out, you should be able to find his book at a local Barnes and Noble or, if you must do so, online at Amazon.com. (One hint if you do go searching, Dunne's pen name is Danny Thomas Ruiz.)
Dunne's recent local fame is because of his just-published book, "The Blue Mexican," which has been met with solid reviews both in Tracy and elsewhere.
I saw Dunne holding court about the book in the Stockton Barnes and Noble — he's been on a bit of a book-signing barnstorming tour, having already hit Tracy's B&N.
After explaining to the crowd how his book, set in Tracy, features real-life anecdotes about life as a cop intertwined with fiction of his own making, Dunne told me that the success of his book surprised him. The support, he said, has been beyond anything he could have hoped for — so much so, he said, that he's considering another book.
If they haven't sold out, you should be able to find his book at a local Barnes and Noble or, if you must do so, online at Amazon.com. (One hint if you do go searching, Dunne's pen name is Danny Thomas Ruiz.)
Friday, April 2, 2010
State of the City: The budget
No real news here.
Tracy’s budget is still bleeding red, and it’ll take some combination of taxes and cuts to balance the city’s checkbook.
But the mayor did have a few things to say on City Hall’s behalf.
One was that the city would have a balanced budget without the freefall of tax revenue. He cautioned, though, that the city also wouldn’t have “right-sized” itself, which I can only guess is politics-speak for “lost weight.”
As a further caveat, Ives said that the tax base is only projected to fall in the immediate short term.
But there was some good to report, from the city’s perspective. Ives gave a lot of credit to the local labor unions, who agreed to concessions fairly painlessly when the unions of many other cities have fought tooth-and-nail to have their cake and eat it too. In Tracy, though, Ives said the labor unions bought into the idea that both the city brass and brass tacks were on the same “team.” At least for now.
Still, that positive doesn’t wholly compensate for the negative. (And conspicuously absent from this debate was any mention of the city’s controversial emergency medical services fee, which will generate revenue for the general fund.)
Basically, Ives painted the picture of a city that’s fiscally damaged but not crippled. Which sounds bad. Until, that is, you consider what some other cities are dealing with.
Tracy’s budget is still bleeding red, and it’ll take some combination of taxes and cuts to balance the city’s checkbook.
But the mayor did have a few things to say on City Hall’s behalf.
One was that the city would have a balanced budget without the freefall of tax revenue. He cautioned, though, that the city also wouldn’t have “right-sized” itself, which I can only guess is politics-speak for “lost weight.”
As a further caveat, Ives said that the tax base is only projected to fall in the immediate short term.
But there was some good to report, from the city’s perspective. Ives gave a lot of credit to the local labor unions, who agreed to concessions fairly painlessly when the unions of many other cities have fought tooth-and-nail to have their cake and eat it too. In Tracy, though, Ives said the labor unions bought into the idea that both the city brass and brass tacks were on the same “team.” At least for now.
Still, that positive doesn’t wholly compensate for the negative. (And conspicuously absent from this debate was any mention of the city’s controversial emergency medical services fee, which will generate revenue for the general fund.)
Basically, Ives painted the picture of a city that’s fiscally damaged but not crippled. Which sounds bad. Until, that is, you consider what some other cities are dealing with.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Not an April Fool's joke
Even the most divisive of forums can offer a story that bridges what divides us.
Such was the case a couple weeks ago in the Voice section, when William Sutton — whose sometimes partisan opinion has found its way into the pages of the Press — wrote us once again. Not to talk about the latest in health care reform, but to share a personal story about his family and its final days with his dog, Rocky.
After it published, Sutton received a deluge of support. Touched, he sent this reply:
For all those that wrote to the Tracy Press Forum, I want to express my deep appreciation for their kind words, concern and compassion about my wife's and my loss about our dog, Rocky and also to Jon Mendelson of the Tracy Press for his caring and thoughfulness.
Right now, getting another dog is out of the question, but will consider getting a new pet in the future. I have to let this grieving period run its course. I don't know how long that will be, but right now it is going to take time. It's said that time heals all wounds.
... Other animal lovers have had to put their pets down and go through the same grieving process. It's good for them to know that they are not alone in their suffering with other personal problems. We all have our troubles in life and no one escapes the negative and more serious things that people face daily compared to one losing a litle dog.
People can get bogged down with all the rhetoric language that goes on these days in the political arena. Sometimes it's good to take a break from politics and all the bickering and outright lies and false statements that comes with it and recognize and realize that there are human experiences, trials and tribulations that ordinary people everywhere deal with every day.
Sometimes, those petty divisions seem to be exactly what they are — petty.
Such was the case a couple weeks ago in the Voice section, when William Sutton — whose sometimes partisan opinion has found its way into the pages of the Press — wrote us once again. Not to talk about the latest in health care reform, but to share a personal story about his family and its final days with his dog, Rocky.
After it published, Sutton received a deluge of support. Touched, he sent this reply:
For all those that wrote to the Tracy Press Forum, I want to express my deep appreciation for their kind words, concern and compassion about my wife's and my loss about our dog, Rocky and also to Jon Mendelson of the Tracy Press for his caring and thoughfulness.
Right now, getting another dog is out of the question, but will consider getting a new pet in the future. I have to let this grieving period run its course. I don't know how long that will be, but right now it is going to take time. It's said that time heals all wounds.
... Other animal lovers have had to put their pets down and go through the same grieving process. It's good for them to know that they are not alone in their suffering with other personal problems. We all have our troubles in life and no one escapes the negative and more serious things that people face daily compared to one losing a litle dog.
People can get bogged down with all the rhetoric language that goes on these days in the political arena. Sometimes it's good to take a break from politics and all the bickering and outright lies and false statements that comes with it and recognize and realize that there are human experiences, trials and tribulations that ordinary people everywhere deal with every day.
Sometimes, those petty divisions seem to be exactly what they are — petty.
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