SEASIDE SNEAK… Squid’s no longer sure our democracy works so well, but that doesn’t mean Squid’s going to stop paying attention. That is not the case for recently elected Salinas City Councilman Tony Villegas, who showed up late to his own swearing in Dec. 13. Not exactly an auspicious start to a political career.
But this week, it’s the Seaside City Council meeting that has Squid’s tentacles tingling. Specifically, it’s part of item 10b – tucked away on page 161 of the agenda packet for the Dec. 15 meeting – that made Squid perk up. The item contains several proposed amendments to city code, one of which would amend an existing section of code – “any councilmember may place or cause to be placed an item on the agenda for council consideration” – so that could only happen with two-thirds approval from the council.
Seaside has five councilmembers, which means it would take a super-majority vote – at least four-fifths – for an item to even make a council agenda. What that means is if, for example, there is anything Mayor Ralph Rubio and Councilmember Dennis Alexander – who votes in lock-step with Rubio every time – don’t want to discuss, they could quash it before it sees the light of day.
The balance of power on the council has shifted with the recent election, as Councilmember Ian Oglesby – another Rubio rubber stamp – was unseated by progressive young upstart Kayla Jones. Squid can’t help but wonder if the proposed change in code is a response to that shift.
Squid hopes the majority of the councilmembers frown upon the amendment, which could preclude any number of ideas worth considering from ever coming to council.
That may sound like the United States of America of 2017, but it doesn’t sound like democracy.
MAKE YOUR MOVE… Squid occasionally starts to feel restless in Squid’s lair, where daily routine can be repetitive. Take Squid’s English bulldog, Rosco P. Coltrane, for a walk; watch the news; eat snacks; repeat. So Squid understands the impulse to move away and see new horizons.
Former Carmel mayor Jason Burnett left the charming 1-square-mile town-by-the-sea after his term ended and relocated to Washington, D.C., where he’d formerly worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Maybe he thought he’d get hooked up with another gig there. “The Clinton transition team had contacted me,” Burnett says. Well, so much for that plan. Considering Donald Trump’s appointments (and commentary) so far, the EPA might not even exist four years from now. Burnett at least has a Plan B: “I have been looking at a possible business that involves accelerating the transition from coal to wind power in certain states,” he writes by email to Squid’s colleague. “The election doesn’t help but we will see.”