Should the Chico Taxpayers Association ever embrace informed argument (and abandon the frequent resort to personal abuse), I would consider joining. As it is, their website is no credit to our community.

Juanita you are wrong about the power of "public safety" unions. The fire union is powerful, the police union is not. The fire union was taking raises when then the police union was giving money back to the city. The police department is losing officers to higher paying agencies where the fire department has hundreds if not thousands who would do the same job for half the pay. You should recognize the difference.

I agree the Fire union members are more overpaid than police. And if it can be independently confirmed that Chico pays below market rates for police, then perhaps they're not overpaid. But they make a lot more than the sheriff. Did you know that Dave Main Chico fire captain makes more then the Secretary of Defense? Is anybody really OK with that??

Good letter Juanita!
Background documents are available at ChicoPolitics.com
ChicoPoliticsPAC.org is endorsing Sorensen, Gruendl, and Fillmer for City Council. We had interest in Molina and Arim-Law but they wouldn't respond to us, purportedly under orders from Bob Mulholland. If that is true, we need candidates that show more independence of thought. We still may endorse a fourth candidate if any show more promise.

Sorry Michael, with a huge amount of respect that you are due, any organization that supports Gruendl for City Council does not deserve the support of anyone.

Who else is there? Andrew Coolidge announces up front that he won't consider contracting with CalFire or the Sheriff; giving away that information to monopoly unions that consume 67% of the General Fund negates his good intentions. Forough and Lupe won't talk to us on orders from Bob Mulholland. Rodney proposed a 1/4% sales tax to further overpay public safety. While Gruendl voted to give the 3-year notice to the firefighters that we will be considering contracting out to CalFire, and he voted for deficit reduction plan that was too conservative even for Sean Morgan. You could certainly make the case to support only Sorensen and Fillmer. Our signs just arrived. Look for them around town soon. I think Gruendl is concerned that his association on our signs with Sorensen and Fillmer will hurt him with his base, but if that is true he should change his base. Ain't freedom of speech great ;-) !!

Who else is there? Who cares! Without a doubt Gruendl would be replaced by another progressive but they would have less power than Gruendl. Gruendl will come out in favor of a tax increase after the election. He has not changed any of his progressive beliefs. He is one on the main characters that got Chico into the financial mess that we are in. He will do nothing to help drive the bums out of Chico. He MUST be toss out of office.

I'd rather have a competent Councilor I disagree with on occasion, than an incompetent one always on my side. But I'll take incompetence over evil genius (aka Bob Mulholland)