County Executives Give Themselves Pay Raises During County Economic Collaspe.

 What a surprise.  Government officials and high ranking employees give themselves a huge pay raise prior to revealing to the public the huge budget deficits and massive cuts to public services.  See Santa Cruz Sentinel, by Kurtis Alexander and complete 2009 Santa Cruz County salary database.  http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_14817734

Waste and fraud are so commonplace in all aspects of government, no one should be surprised that executives are receiving step and pay increases prior to announcing a severe cut in services to the community and elimination of lower level jobs. These are the decision makers who approved the increases for themselves, allowed them to occur, then waited to announce catastrophic budget deficits. Their pay increase costs were skillfully hidden in the balance sheets where the Sentinel didn't find them.
Not one of these highly overpaid individuals refused to take the increases or stopped the bleeding. Further, they cannot get paid more to work less hours since government services were cut and government buildings were closed.
More importantly, not a single government service employee, elected or otherwise reported the wrongdoing. Government employees at all levels have a duty to the people.
A forensic look at the books is called for. A public demand to get the State District Attorney to have a good look at the books for fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement. A case could be made for subjecting the public to a substantial and specific danger by eliminating services because government employees put their personal gain above their duty. Qui tam.

Tim Morgan, of the Republican Party, file suit on behalf of the people.  This liberal Democrat would support an investigation. 

Santa Cruz County Officials Want Dinner on a Train to Nowhere.

Santa Cruz County Democratic led legislators are more concerned with having "dinner" than fiscal responsibility.  With budget cuts to county services including the courts, the schools, public services and community support organizations, Supervisors are running around giving speeches at public events to buy a defunct rail line from Davenport to Pajaro, dubbed the "dinner train."  The cost?  $14+ million!!!   

In these hard economic times it is not wise for Santa Cruz to spend millions they don't have for a frivolous project while the homeless and unemployed populations rapidly expand.  The rail line which is adjacent to homes in many areas has homeowners concerned.  It appears the priority of Santa Cruz politicians continues to be spend now, pay later.  The idea that the County needs dinner on a train to nowhere when so many are going hungry and homeless shows a political landscape out of touch with the people they serve.  A touch bite to chew.  Bon Appetite!

Rail line purchase moves closer to finish 
By GENEVIEVE BOOKWALTER
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_14813711?IADID=Search-www.santacruzsentinel.com-www.santacruzsentinel.com

Santa Cruz County-Tourist Attraction-Juveniles, Homeless and Addicts For Sale

Santa Cruz County, with spectacular beachs, mountain ranges, farms and a quaint downtown has again failed the tax payers with a 2.3 million dollar budget deficit. The restructuring of the court system shows the myopic view of government officials that lacks public policy and input from the community. The announcements show an already under utilized brand new court in Watsonville becoming a white elephant while overburdening the existing main court on Ocean Street.

The elimination of juvenile cases in the Felton courtroom next to where children are housed forces transportation and protective costs up with no real plan for where to find the shortfall. Closing Department 11, currently next to the jail which reviews Prop 36 cases, 100+ cases per day shifting them to Ocean Street, will overwhelm the court calendars.

Prop 36 funding cuts by the State completely devastated this program. The only effective way to monitor a drug and/or alcohol offender is through the watchful eye of a court officer familiar with the background on a weekly basis for compliance with probation. That can't happen anymore because Ocean Street is not equipped to handle 100+ people per day through required security systems. Eliminating these 2 courts is done on the backs of children, people with serious health care related problems and the already strained tax payers.

Imagine what tourists this summer driving on Ocean Street and walking in downtown will think when they find more homelessness and people with serious mental health problems. A comprehensive public policy position is long overdue in Santa Cruz (theSC).

Santa Cruz County courts make massive shift in consolidation plan
03/31/2010 - SANTA CRUZ -- By Jennifer Squires.  http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_14790934?IADID=Search-www.santacruzsentinel.com-www.santacruzsentinel.com