Last week we started to look at Councilman Voigts’ broken promises (Part 1 was public works) but then the Traffic Forum and the Planning Commission articles came up. If you recall from Part 1, Voigts promised to synchronize traffic signals, and not only didn't achieve this, but he voted to extend the time for completion of the project. He promised to reduce traffic congestion, then voted to approve nearly 40,000 new vehicles trips per day, and then voted against setting up a traffic commission whose specific goal would be decreasing traffic congestion. Today we’ll look at his promises with regard to the business climate.
BUSINESS CLIMATE
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What He Promised
Find out what's happening in Lake Forestwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“…be proactive in promoting policies that attract and retain businesses and create jobs…”
What He Did
Since Voigts came into office, more jobs have left Lake Forest than ever before. Look at all the vacant storefronts that can be found everywhere. Our neighboring cities seem to be recovering faster than we are.
What He Promised
“…promote a favorable business environment to improve city revenues…
What He Did
Voigts has tried to promote a more favorable business environment, but in 3 years his most notable achievement was to vote on Jan 21, 2014 to allow businesses to display more and larger signs. It’s not much, but it is positive.
OTOH, sales tax revenue for Lake Forest is projected to grow at only 2% a year for the next few years, while in our neighbors and throughout Orange County, the projection is more than twice as high.
Voigts voted the biggest increase in trash hauling fees in the history of the City, with an average increase of 25% for all businesses, but an average of nearly 50% for small businesses. This is an additional $1.5 million per year that businesses must pay. That’s hardly a favorable business environment.
What’s even worse, Voigts defends the City’s policy of spending less than 2% of our $35,000,000 annual budget on our own people and businesses. Historically this is the lowest percentage in the 8 years that I’ve been tracking this figure. By my estimates, nearly $1,000,000 could be funneled back into the local economy if the City simply contracted with local people and businesses for the everyday activities of the City. But Voigts opposes taking positive action to help our own people and businesses.
This isn't to say that we don't have a more favorable business climate, but it has very little to do with Scott Voigts. The Economic Development section of the City has been doing a good job since 2008 under Jessica Gonzalez. They started business seminars (2008), commercial broker roundtables (2008), promotional video (2009), new business receptions (2010), a website (2010), etc. In fact, most of their innovations happened long before Voigts took office, and they continue since.
What He Promised
“…read Scott’s lips – ‘No new taxes’”
What He Did
City Councils do not control state, federal taxes, or property taxes, so Voigts promise of “no new taxes” is a false one, designed to sound good but to have no meaning. However cities do control fees and fines and Voigts has voted to increase them!
Voigts voted on Jan 7, 2014 to start fining people who fail to move their cars on street sweeping days – an insidious form of taxation that strikes hardest at people in lower income groups.
On March 3, 2014 Voigts voted against seeking new bids for our trash hauling contract, and then voted to approve the highest bidder which will result in increases for commercial businesses and multi-family residents by an average of 25% and in some cases, as much as 100%. The total new payments as a result of this contract will exceed $1.5 Million annually.
Voigts has turned out to be a “tax and spend” politician.
SUMMARY
Voigts did do some positive things to improve the business climate, but he’s done substantial harm by refusing to increase the amount of money our City spends on our own people and businesses. The result has been the loss of jobs, the increase in vacant storefronts, and that our projected sales tax revenue growth is half the rate of the cities in the rest of Orange County. In addition, he voted in the biggest increase in trash hauling fees in the history of the City, all of it borne by businesses, and most of it by small businesses.
Next we’ll look at Good Government. If you think his achievements have been meager in this area, wait until you see what he promised and what he delivered with regard to Good Government. It ain't good.
