Last Monday evening (at a special meeting at the Balboa Park Club) the City Council closed public testimony on the Mills Act, but they have yet to decide on new fees for those who have nominations waiting to be heard and on imposing a threshold limiting the number of new agreement incentives to $100K per year. If you read the story in the Union-Tribune you didn’t find any facts that showed the real benefits of the program such as the higher revenue that it generates through increased property taxes. You also didn’t read any insight as to why this revenue generating program is being changed now when the city is in such dire straits. At Monday’s meeting SOHO’s executive director Bruce Coons asked the audience to stand if they favored saving the Mills Act. Virtually the entire audience of 200 rose to their feet.
The council did vote to remove the word “substantial” when describing the obligations of property owners to re-invest the Mills Act tax incentives. A majority also agreed to establish a low income fund to help those below the median income to pay the new staff processing fees proposed by the Mayor. The matter will be continued again on Tuesday afternoon, December 2nd at City Hall. The current council, with four members termed out of office (including Toni Atkins in District 3) will make the Mills Act changes one of its last votes.
Council President Scott Peters attempted to get a vote on the matter by limiting the time for public testimony. In some cases he allowed speakers only 30 seconds. He explained that this was to help him juggle the speakers, council deliberations and a strict 9pm closing time. This council session was a rare opportunity for the public to attend a meeting after normal business hours. Those who wanted to address changes in the Mills Act faced a shrinking time clock as their planned presentations were shattered into mere sound-bytes. Sadly, some council members seemed to lose interest and preferred to check their cell phones and computers during the Beat-the-Clock testimony.
Tuesday’s council meeting attendance is important for retaining provisions of this program. Community presence in the chamber is powerful and shows the council that the public is watching how they vote on issues. If you could not make it to the Monday meeting, please attend Tuesday’s hearing. Be sure to fill out a speaker slip to show your opposition to the Mayor’s proposal.
Our neighborhood’s historicity aided in the American Planners Association (APA) announcement in October of 2007 that Hillcrest was chosen one of the ten great neighborhoods in the nation. (This was the first time the APA honored any communities.)
