Modesto considers sales tax oversight panel

The Modesto City Council is expected to take a step Tuesday toward forming an oversight committee that would review how Measure G — a one-half percent general sales tax on the November ballot — is spent.

The council also is expected to approve a salary increase for the position of community and economic development director as a new manager assumes those duties, and approve allocating nearly $2 million in federal funds for three proposed affordable-housing projects.

And the council will hold a workshop after its meeting to discuss a proposed ordinance that would add more locations where panhandling is banned and a proposed ordinance requiring the disposal of unused prescription medication at the Police Department.

As a general tax, Measure G can be spent on any government purpose. But city officials say if it passes, they intend to spend it on the Safer Neighborhoods Initiative. The initiative calls for spending nearly all of the $14 million Measure G is expected to bring in each year on public safety, such as hiring more police officers, and the rest on such efforts as combating graffiti and blight.

Officials say an oversight committee is one of the safeguards in ensuring Measure G is spent as intended. The council on Tuesday is expected to authorize City Manager Jim Holgersson to invite organizations to pick someone to serve on the committee.

A city report states the 11-member committee would be made up of four members of neighborhood groups picked by Modesto Neighborhoods Inc. (each group would represent a different part of the city); one member each from Modesto City Schools, Central Labor Council, Chamber of Commerce, Stanislaus Community Foundation, Commission on Aging and League of Women Voters; and one member from the “safety community” picked by the police chief.

The council also is being asked to change the salary for community and economic development director from a range of $121,356 to $151,716 to a range of $133,959 to $167,477. A city report said an initial search to find a new director was challenging because the salary was not competitive. Modesto has hired Cindy Birdsill — the economic and cultural development director for Coral Gables, Fla. — as its new community and economic development director at a salary of $161,000. She is expected to start Sept. 15.

The council also is expected to allocate funding for these housing projects:

▪  $495,000 to the Stanislaus County Affordable Housing Corp. to renovate a 1,572-square-foot East Granger Avenue residence into a 2,000-square-foot community center and build four one-bedroom apartments to serve as permanent supportive housing in conjunction with Behavioral Health and Recovery Services and Community Transitional Resources.

▪  $300,000 to Great Valley Housing Development and the Housing Authority of Stanislaus County to build four one-bedroom apartments to provide permanent housing to veterans at high risk of homelessness.

▪  $1.14 million to EAH Housing for 74 units for the second phase of Archway Commons, a Carver Road apartment complex for low-income families.

This is the proposed city funding for these projects, which may have additional funding sources. If the funding is approved by the council, agreements will be negotiated with the project developers and brought back to the council for approval.

This story was originally published September 6, 2015 at 5:28 PM with the headline "Modesto considers sales tax oversight panel."