| Vol. 17 No. 21 | Final Edition | |
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July 11, 2000
City Council Retreats
Heated Debate With County On Loss of Taxes
By Amy WilliamsCLOVIS -- The Clovis City Council unanimously reversed its previous stance on cleaning up the urban blight zone in Southwest Clovis. The proposed work would have been done in an area bounded by Shaw, Clovis Avenue, and Winery Avenue and sections of Ashlan and Gettysburg avenues. Area residents have shown widespread support for redevelopment of the area in question.
In recent weeks the Fresno County Board of Supervisors were critical of Clovis announced intentions to redevelop the neighborhood. County officials have alleged that the City Council had not identified a sufficient justification that would meet requirements for obtaining state redevelopment areas and that not all of the Southwest site was blighted.
At its June 19th Council meeting an ordinance approving adopting the Redevelopment Plan was considered and discussed at length. Steven Peck reviewed the uses within the area and described the low property values for single family homes and the overcrowding, lack of open space, calls for police services, and the general economic conditions in the area.
Mr. Peck reviewed the substandard physical conditions in the area. Police Corporal Lonnie Amerjan, reviewed the calls for service in the area and indicated that 36% of all City calls were for the Southwest area.
Lonnie Amerjan reviewed the police problems in the area and the physical conditions of the dwelling units in the area. Lonnie Amerjan reported on the CARE Clovis Program.
Officer Amerjan indicated that there were 10 beat officers assigned to the area and reviewed the contents of Exhibit 8 submitted for the record. Housing Project Manager Tina Sumner reviewed the conditions within the area, especially problems not visible from the outside of the home.
Ruben Castillo, Chief Deputy Counsel for Fresno County, stated that most of the area was not blighted and presented evidence of misuse of the redevelopment process of government by the City Council.
According to a Clovis Free Press news source at the County of Fresno, as much as $10-12 million in urban renewal funds may be at risk in potentially lost property-taxes if Clovis had moved to start redevelopment work on the site. In what is perhaps and overstatement of the case, the official told reporters that the Clovis City Council could put at risk moneys already budgeted by the Supervisors for such things as operations at the County Courthouse like criminal courts and jails.
In a surprising show of resistance to such arguments, the Council pointed out that County government would benefit from increased property tax revenues after the redevelopment project was completed.
At a recent Council meeting when the Council was challenged by a member of the public as to the extent of the Council's zoning authority, Mayor Harry Armstrong said, "Well, we've been here so long we can do just about anything we want to around here!" However, a new era of humility was readily apparent at last night's Council meeting when Mayor Armstrong acknowledge the higher authority of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors as he addressed that issue with the comment," I hope that Big Brother sees the light and continues to work with the City of Clovis". Plans for funding the Mayor's redevelopment project for Southwest Clovis do not appear to be in the works, unless Clovis voters can be persuaded to take on more City debt. Minutes of the June 19th meeting may be reviewed by clicking on-- Minutes.[Editor's Note: The California Constitution, Art. XI, Sec. 20 specifies the limitations on City expenditures prohibiting spending in excess of 5% of current bond revenues, unless previously authorized by a two-thirds vote of the of the electors. If you would like to download the Council Minutes and don't have the free Adobe software viewer, please go to the Adobe download page ] .
©2000 Clovis Free Press. All rights reserved.
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