Opinion

Garden Tale

EDITOR,

After recently stepping down from two years as the city’s mayor and passing the gavel to Mayor Jim Reed, I think this is a good time to reflect on where the city has been recently and where we’re going.

EDITOR,

Mayor and Police Chief Working Together On Gun Shop SafetyBy Chief John P. Weiss, City of Scotts ValleyThe Scotts Valley Police Department recently proposed an ordinance to address gun shop security and safety in our town. The increase in local gun shops prompted us to examine this issue.While gun shops are highly regulated by Federal and State law, there are no requirements for alarm systems and video cameras. The current gun shops in town are professionally run (all have alarm systems and cameras) but we want to insure that they remain that way. Rather than reinvent the wheel, police staff researched neighboring jurisdictions and proposed an ordinance similar to others in other jurisdictions.Unfortunately, the convenience in following other regulations led to a somewhat hasty staff report that lacked adequate analysis. Gun shop owners and council members had valid concerns about certain provisions of the ordinance and several council members felt there were too many unanswered questions. It became obvious to police staff that more work was needed for the city council to make an informed decision.The police department’s main objective is to insure that gun shops are properly alarmed and equipped with camera systems (an invaluable resource for theft investigations.) The police department is designing a burglary and robbery protocol so local dealers know how to respond to such incidents. A modified ordinance will be brought back to the City Council and the City will explore a reasonable permit process for firearms dealers.The City of Scotts Valley prides itself on our commitment to public safety. We consistently have a low crime rate, vigilant police department and excellent programs like DARE and our Junior Police Academy. To that end, we will work together to insure local gun shops are safe, secure and well protected by our police staff.   Mayor and Police Chief Working Together On Gun Shop Safety By Dene Bustichi, MayorCity of Scotts ValleyAt last week’s city council meeting, the issue of existing and future retail gun shops was discussed. After listening to many comments on the subject, the City Council decided to defer action on a proposed ordinance and study the matter further. The consensus among the council was that the police department should do more inquiries on this matter and that, as written, the ordinance would have exempted the current gun shops from any proposed changes.The priority of this council is and always has been public safety. We reserve nearly 50 percent of our operating budget to achieve that goal. We also strive to craft a balanced approach to any matter that comes before us. To that end, I have asked staff (in coordination with the police department) to put two items on our agenda for the September 2nd meeting.A revised licensing ordinance from our police department which fully addresses the security and safety of gun shops in our community.A 45 day emergency moratorium of any new gun retailers, to allow the City Council to consider creating a conditional use permit process for any applicant who is considering opening up a retail gun shop. Throughout this process, the City Council and the police department have been and will continue to be proactive in dealing with this issue. Public comments and dialogue are always welcome in implementing measured and thoughtful policies that are best for our city. 

EDITOR,

Recently, I received a flier from the newly formed citizen group “Preserve Scotts Valley.” It appears some folks are concerned about the magnitude of the city budget cuts and suggest an extension of a recent tax increase. As a taxpayer, I would support tax increases only if the Scotts Valley City Council recommended them. In addition, if things are as dire as the citizen group suggests, my first question would be, “Is Scotts Valley going to roll back the police and fire pension benefits?” The recent pension increases during the past decade that reach 90 percent of pay (with overtime spiking) is unsustainable and also, I might add, unreasonable. San Jose is going to implement a two-tier pension system this year with increased contributions by employees and lower pensions. With the coming budget deficits Scotts Valley faces, it's now time for the leadership of Scotts Valley to move in the same direction. The police and fire departments are the largest part of the budget, and public safety pensions are part of the reason for the current budget woes. Before any tax increases, our fiscal house should be put in order.