City of Benicia This Week
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In this edition: Message from the City Manager, Housing Element Study Session, Youth Citizen Police Academy, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Now 988, July is Parks Make Life Better Month, Resume and Career Counseling Class, and much more!
Message from the City Manager
July 18, 2022

Good Morning Benicia Residents,

Tomorrow night, the City Council will be discussing and taking action on placing a 3/4 cent local sales tax measure on the ballot for our residents to consider for the November 8th election. The impetus for this revenue measure is to secure local funding so the City has the financial wherewithal to take action on the community’s top priorities. A top priority identified by both the community and City Council is to address our road system. Over the past few weeks you may have seen social media posts, informational signs or even this video which highlights some important facts about our road system, such as the City is responsible for maintaining 195 miles of roads, many miles of which are deteriorating. In fact, we have one of the worst road systems in all of Solano County. Why is this the case? Well, you may be surprised to learn that the City only receives about $1.1 million dollars per year from the State of California, including the gas tax you pay at the pump, but we need about $5.8 million dollars each year to improve our roads. Now, if the City secures sufficient resources and invests about $60 million over ten years, then all of our roads can be improved. 
 
Of course, any discussion about a sales tax should register the mind to recall the fact that the City already passed a sales tax measure in 2014 called “The Benicia Quality of Life Measure”, or more commonly referred to as Measure C. So shouldn’t Measure C be paying for our road work? Recall that Measure C was placed on the ballot because the City’s financial outlook was forever changed by the Great Recession. Simply put, the economic output of our city had declined and if we wanted to continue to offer the same level of services, then we needed a new revenue source. From the outset, Measure C was always about paying for City services. Please take a moment and visit www.ci.benicia.ca.us/measurec to view for yourself the enabling Resolution that placed Measure C on the ballot, along with all the informational materials that discussed Measure C and how it was for City Services…which does indeed include roads. To that end, the City has invested nearly $15,000,000 in recent years to support our road system. Unfortunately, even with that major investment, our road system continues to decline because we do not have the means to invest $5.8 million each and every year. This is why if we as a City wish to address a top priority of fixing our roads and infrastructure, then we need to secure additional funding.   
 
If you have questions or would like more information about our roads, Measure C or the revenue measure proposal the City Council is considering, please do not hesitate to reach out and contact me.

Mario Giuliani
Deputy City Manager
(707) 746-4289
City News
Housing Element Study Session on July 26 
The City of Benicia is in the process of updating its Housing Element, the City’s plan for housing. The Housing Element is a required part of the Benicia General Plan, mandated by the State of California. As part of this effort we must plan for new housing units to meet Benicia’s projected housing need, a process that will require rezoning sites to allow for housing, and setting new policies and programs to address housing needs for all segments of the community.  

The Public Review Draft of the Housing Element is now available and open for a 30-day public comment period that began on July 1, 2022. The draft can be viewed by visiting www.ci.benicia.ca.us/housingelement. The Public Review Draft is also available for review at the reference desk at the Benicia Public Library.  

Public comments received through the 30-day period, and any recommended edits to the draft Housing Element based on those comments, will be presented to the City Council during their regular meeting on August 16, 2022. After that meeting, the draft will be finalized and sent to the Department of Housing and Community Development for review. 

Please consider attending the joint City Council / Planning Commission Study Session at 6 pm on July 26, 2022, to learn more.  

The City Council / Planning Commission Housing Element Study Session will be conducted in a hybrid format, with participation possible in person at Benicia City Hall, or remotely via Zoom. The agenda, as well as information about how to view and participate in the meeting, is available at www.ci.benicia.ca.us/agendas.
There's still time to enroll in this year's FREE Youth Citizen Police Academy!
The 2022 Benicia Youth Citizen Police Academy will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. August 1-5, at the Benicia Middle School. This academy is offered at no cost!
Students who are Benicia residents that are entering either the 7th or 8th grade are welcome to apply for the academy. The class is limited to a maximum of 30 students.
Students learn about all aspects of policing through structured and age-appropriate instructions and guidance. For more information contact Sgt. Kirk Keffer or Lt. Kenny Hart at 707-745-3411. Applications are available here or by stopping by the Police Department at 200 East L Street.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline throughout the United States.

The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources and best practices for professionals in the United States.

The public may now call and text 9-8-8 anytime to reach the lifeline. Learn more at www.988lifeline.org.
Resume and Career Counseling Class at the Library
On Friday, July 22, 2022 11:30 a.m. to 1p.m.
the Resume Writing Class at the Benicia Library will help attendees create resumes and cover letters. Together, students and teacher will find jobs that meet student expectations and take advantage of student skills. Included is general career counseling to help job seekers focus their career efforts or move in a new career direction. Please register for classes by calling 707-746-4341 or email for class registration or learn more here.
July is Parks Make Life Better Month!
Help Benicia celebrate!
  • Take a picture in one of Benicia's parks or programs
  • Photo must include the BeniciaRec Parks Make Life Better logo
  • Submit the photo on our BeniciaRec mobile app

Print the logo, request a printed logo at the Benicia Community Center, or display it on a mobile device, to include it in your picture. A full page logo is available on the website at www.ci.benicia.ca.us/recspecialevents and on the BeniciaRec mobile app.
Press Releases
Recent City of Benicia Press Releases are available on the City of Benicia website under Main/Announcements.
Save the Date
  • Jul 18 - Library Board of Trustees meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Benicia Public Library. See the Full Agenda for more information.
  • Jul 18 - Community Sustainability Commission - CANCELED.
  • Jul 19 - City Council, 6:00 p.m. at the Benicia City Hall Council Chambers. See the Full Agenda for more information.
City of Benicia This Week is published each Monday morning. Previous editions are available here. We also communicate on Nextdoor.com and AlertSolano.com. Sign up now!