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Please do not limit staff in providing a feasibility study on issuing Pension Obligation Bonds. This implies that <br />you are not interested in other options. Please direct staff to provide studies for all options including <br />negotiating with the City's bargaining units and overall pension reform options. <br />Please read some of the smaller nuances of the staff report which may or may not be explicitly stated including: <br />o One time budget fixes will not be enough to solve the budget deficit we will be experiencing <br />o The combined $27M drop in revenue for FY 19/20 and 20/21 may very well be $50M+when all is said <br />and done according to respected economic research (UCLA/Fitch). Now this $50M likely includes the <br />$15M FY 21/22 property tax drop but the $27M is likely the floor for the drop and not the <br />ceiling. Prepare for the worse now while praying for the best. There is a big difference between $50M+ <br />and $27M revenue losses when preparing budgets and creating contingency plans. Please listen to what <br />staff is telling you both explicitly and implicitly. To me, they are hinting that we need long term budget <br />solutions. <br />o Property taxes will likely decrease by around $15M for FY 21/22... this problem is not going away <br />anytime soon so we need to make some systemic changes for the longer term. <br />o CalPERS pension obligations are going to skyrocket based upon current compensation but even more so <br />because of CalPERS investment experience late. This will have MAJOR impact in the future and as such <br />we need to look at ways to reform the city's pension obligations now and not wait any further. <br />65AW: Receive and file report relating to updated FY 2019-20 General Fund revenue estimates. <br />Generally, receive and file reports do not receive any feedback from council. They are essentially administrative in <br />nature. Literally, we received it, we will archive it, thanks, next item. There generally are no questions asked, no <br />comments given, or clarifications sought. <br />Make no doubt about it. This "receive and file" agenda item is much more than just receiving and filing it. Council and <br />the public needs to fully understand the gravity of the situation that we find ourselves under. The Finance Team is <br />highlighting things before you which I can only hope that they are doing as much so that you can see the situation. They <br />have done this with other "receive and file" items but again, it has been literally a "receive and file". Maybe even part of <br />the situation we are in is because of the receive and file scenarios instead of discussing items that the Finance Team is <br />highlighting for you. <br />So first, I hope that you do more than just "receive and file" the updated revenue estimates. Please ask questions, <br />understand it. Maybe if you understand it already, be the council member who asks a question because they know that <br />the public may not understand it and there is a need for the public to know. <br />The public has a right to understand the fiscal situation that the city is in because of the COVIDI9 impact. They need to <br />understand that the City is now expecting to have $12.35M less revenue in the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2020 <br />than was budgeted for. They also need to know that the projected 20/21 revenue will be $15M less than our current <br />year budget. As importantly, it appears that these shortfalls may very well be on the rosy side of the spectrum and that <br />things may be quite a bit worse. <br />This is important to understand the projections, and I direct you to the 2nd full paragraph of page 2 of your Staff Report <br />which in part reads "If UCLA Anderson Forecast and Fitch Ratings are both correct the City could lose $50+ million of <br />revenue by the end of 2020." So, despite the chart showing the revenue sources that the city believe is most impacted, <br />if both UCLA and Fitch are correct the impact on the city will be $50M instead of $27M by the end of the <br />year. However, it is very possible that this $50M figure also includes the $15M property tax reduction which will impact <br />FY21/22, but regardless, the $27M combined impact should likely be viewed as a floor to the reduced revenue and not a <br />ceiling. Additionally, it is important to note that this is not a quick turnaround due to the trailing revenue reductions <br />that likely will happen. <br />Additionally, notice that the staff report indicates that "As the City receives more information, the projection may <br />worsen and revised estimates will be prepared for City Council consideration." To me, this language is setting the stage <br />for additional revised downward projections. The staff is letting you know, or at least hinting, that things may get worse <br />