Bell Tower and Public
Art
An incorrect perception is that Cathedral City used money
from its General Fund to pay for the IMAX and Mary Pickford Theatres, the
Bell Tower, and the Fountain of Life. That is NOT correct.
The IMAX and Mary Pickford Theatres were built primarily
with private funds with assistance from the Redevelopment Agency. The Bell
Tower and Fountain of Life were paid for with Redevelopment Agency funds.
Redevelopment funds can pay for activities that relieve blight, stimulate
economic development and increase or improve affordable housing. By State
law, Redevelopment funds cannot be used for city operations or maintenance.
In short, if the Redevelopment Agency had not used
redevelopment funds to upgrade the downtown area, there would be NO
additional money to bolster the City’s General Fund, and NO improvements to
the downtown area. We would still have an aging Mobile Home Park, seedy
bars, a taxidermist, and other marginal businesses – not businesses that
bring pride to Cathedral City. Again, Redevelopment funds can not be used
for police and fire services, park watering and maintenance, road repair or
other services.
Public Art is also NOT paid for from the General Fund –
but though fees paid by developers (1% of 90% of the construction valuation
on projects over 15,000 square feet or with improvement valuation over
$100,000 regardless of square feet). These funds, collected from developers,
are specifically earmarked for public art. This money can not be spent on
police and fire services, park watering and maintenance or road repair.
In short, if the Art in Public Places fees were not used
for public art, they would need to be returned to the developers who paid
them, and would not be available for the city to use for other purposes.
Admittedly, all these different sources of money are
confusing and the way that California cities are funded and are required to
account for their funds is complex to say the least.
Yellow
Basket Restaurant coming to town
The planning department has received an application from
the Yellow Basket Restaurant to open business at Canyon Plaza South in the
old Burger King building. Yellow Basket offers a quick breakfast, lunch and
dinner menu. All home style cooked to order. Yellow Basket Restaurants are
also located in Santa Ana, Menifree and Temecula. The restaurant should
receive approval for a conditional use permit at the August Planning
Commission meeting.
Be Cool
Here are some ideas to stay cool and save energy:
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Consider adding a whole house fan to reduce your central
air conditioning use. The fan draws warm air out through the attic,
replacing it with cooler outdoor air. Whole house fans require enough
ventilation to move a large amount of air through the attic.
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If you refrigerator is over ten years old, consider
replacing it. New ENERGY STARR refrigerators require about half the energy
as models made before 1993. That pitcher of ice tea will taste even better
chilled efficiently.
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Check and clean you air conditioner filter every month.
And consider an annual tune-up. If you decide it is time to replace your
existing air conditioning unit, choose the most energy-efficient model you
can.
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Shade windows with eastern, southern, and especially
western exposures to avoid unwanted heat gain. Keep your drapes or blinds
closed on these windows during the day.
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Dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers give off heat, so
try to avoid using them during the hottest times of the day.
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What would a sales tax
increase mean to me?
The current sales tax rate is 7.75%. If the sales tax was
increase half-a-percent to 8.25% a $100 night on the town in Cathedral City
would cost an additional 50 cents.
If, to beat the heat, a person went on an air conditioned
$1,000 shopping spree in Cathedral City, a half-a-percent sales tax increase
would add an additional $5 to the tab.
A person who spent $20,000 over the course of a year in
Cathedral City (remember, there is no sales tax on food and many other
services) would pay an additional $100. If the sales tax was increased ¾ of
a percent, the increase would be $150.00.
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