City Exploring New Tax Measure; Cutting Cost of Treating Storm Water; Etc.

In his latest report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Oliver Chi reports:

~ Monrovia "will be exploring the option of putting a sales tax measure on the ballot for our residents to consider in 2019." Why? Because, Chi said, "if Monrovia doesn't tax itself to the maximum permitted (10.25%), the LA County will tax to the max, and in that case the new taxes would all go to the county and Monrovia would only get a bit of that back. Chi writes: "Those cities that have reached the 10.25% cap do not pay for additional LA County taxes, but are still able to receive the funds collected." For example, he said, Santa Monica and Long Beach do not pay anything for Measure H homelessness tax because they already have a 10.25% sales tax rate, but they do receive Measure H money - paid for by everybody else in the county.

~  The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board has given conditional approval for Monrovia's Revised Enhanced Watershed Management Program (EWMP). (That's filtering our runoff water.) Chi writes: "Our original EWMP plan was slated to cost around $1.4 billion (yes... BILLION) to implement." Now it's down to $122 million, still a bucket-load of money, but, he adds, Monrovia should get $32.1 million a year in Measure W grant money for the projects.

~ Want to watch the State of the City address? Here it is: https://youtu.be/vBR9xkKK3J0

~ The 18th annual Mosaic Arts International Exhibition Series has selected the Bob Bartlett Memorial at Station Square as one of 19 architectural and site-specific mosaics from around the world to be recognized. Renderings of the mosaic art-work will be on display in Nashville, TN, from January 26 - May 19.

~  Foothill Unity Center will host an open-to-the-public reception to honor Betty Sandford for her contributions to Monrovia. Reception on Thursday, Feb. 21, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Foothill Unity Center facility at 790  W. Chestnut Ave.

~ Monrovia has been working with the Monrovia Youth Baseball League on baseball field improvements at Recreation Park. Painting, maintenance on the scoreboard, work on the infield, working on an outfield fence and figuring out how to install a new batting cage.

- Brad Haugaard