All posts by Roger Straw

Editor, owner, publisher of The Benicia Independent
Solano County Assessor-Recorder, Solano County CA, Taxes, Valero Benicia Refinery

Solano County property tax assessments – keep an eye on this

[BenIndy editor: I’ve been around long enough to know that Valero Benicia Refinery routinely appeals its tax assessment, and that Solano County has been known to roll over and “give away the farm.”  Who in Benicia will monitor this and advocate for the City and County?  Check out the Solano County Assessment Appeals Board.  – R.S.]

Solano County assessment roll increases for eighth year in a row

Vallejo Times-Herald, July 6, 2020

Solano County Assessor-Recorder Marc Tonnesen announced Monday morning that the local assessment roll for properties throughout the county for fiscal year 2020, 2021 increased by $2.9 billion — or approximately 4.94 percent — in assessed value over last year.

“This is the eighth year in a row that the total assessed roll value increased countywide,” said Marc Tonnesen, Solano County Assessor-Recorder in a press release. “The real estate market showed steady growth over the past year, while new construction continues to add value to the property tax roll.”

At the close of the roll, the value of all assessable property in Solano County was nearly $60.9 billion ($60,888,053,079). This “net roll” is used by local agencies as a starting point to calculate the distribution of property taxes for the benefit of the cities, schools, special districts and local programs.

“Closing the roll this year involved some unique challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, but I am proud to announce the timely completion of this roll,” Tonnesen said in the press release. “As far as values are concerned, since the values in this roll are derived based on the January 1, 2020 assessment date, the overall impact COVID-19 has had on local property values will not be reflected until we begin work on the fiscal year 2021/22 assessment roll.”

As real estate market values continue to rise, the number of properties on Proposition 8 status – which is a temporary reduction in a property value below the established Proposition 13 base year value – has decreased. There are currently 8,507 parcels on Proposition 8 status, a decrease of 367 from the previous fiscal year. The total number of parcels on Proposition 8 status peaked 2012 at 78,000 parcels. There are 149,588 parcels county-wide, spread between the seven cities and unincorporated county.

Police reform, Police violence, Vallejo Police

ACLU, SF Board of Supes request release of footage in Monterrosa shooting

Vallejo Times-Herald, by John Glidden, July 6, 2020 
Jorge and Linda Moreno, former roommates of Sean Monterrosa, protest in front of City Hall prior to a June 5 march. Monterrosa was killed by a Vallejo police officer on June 2. (Chris Riley – Times-Herald file photo)

Pressure continues to mount from outside Vallejo to release body camera footage from the fatal officer-involved shooting of Sean Monterrosa in front of a Vallejo Walgreens during the early morning hours of June 2.

Both the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors have taken the rare action of asking Vallejo leaders to release the body camera footage immediately, instead of delaying release of the footage up to 45 calendar days — as allowed by state law.

“For years, police accountability and civil rights activist in Vallejo have run up against a police department that has disproportionately targeted people of color, has been allowed to brutalize Black and Latino residents, and has rarely been held accountable for its actions,” part of the supervisors’ June 16 resolution reads.

In its five-page letter from June 30, the ACLU criticizes the city for failing to release the body camera footage, and video from a private drone sought through the California Public Records Act by the nonprofit public interest newsroom Open Vallejo.

“Not only is the city required to release these records pursuant to the PRA, the city’s delay erodes what little public trust remains with a community that has seen far too many killed and brutally assaulted by the police,” the letter states.

Monterrosa, 22, of San Francisco was shot and killed outside the Walgreens on Redwood Street. Law enforcement sources say the police officer is Jarrett Tonn. He fired five times through a car windshield, hitting Monterrosa once. City and police officials have yet to officially confirm Tonn as the shooter.

“Sean Monterrosa was my constituent and a beloved member of the Bernal Heights and Mission District neighborhoods that I represent,” said San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who authored the resolution, in a statement to the Times-Herald on Monday. “He was a passionate advocate for social justice, and his death by Vallejo police has left a painful void in our community. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the resolution I authored urging the release of body camera footage from the officers involved in Sean’s death in order to bring greater transparency to this case and help Sean’s family obtain the justice they deserve.”

Monterrosa’s sister, Ashley Monterrosa, told the Times-Herald over the weekend that the family was offered the chance recently to watch the body camera footage, but only without a lawyer. The family declined.

Ashley Monterrosa said the family is hoping to watch the footage some time this week with their lawyer. She said a lawsuit would likely be followed afterward. The Monterrosa family is being represented by civil rights attorney John Burris.

Coronavirus, Covid 19, Solano County CA

Solano County continues COVID-19 surge, adding 264 cases over the holiday weekend

Monday, July 6: 264 new cases today,
no new deaths. Since the outbreak started: 1,740 cases, 107 hospitalized, 25 deaths.

Compare previous report, Thursday July 2:Summary

  • Solano County reported 264 new cases over the 4-day holiday, total of 1,740 cases since the outbreak started.  Over the last 7 days, Solano reported 614 new cases, an average of 88 per day.
  • No new deaths today, total of 25.
  • Hospitalizations – Solano is reporting 13 fewer currently hospitalized, total of 27, but 2 more hospitalized since the outbreak started, total of 107.  (Hospitals discharging more than they are admitting.)
  • Solano reported 76 fewer ACTIVE cases today, total of 293.  This figure has been climbing: a week ago there were 70 active cases, increasing to a high of 369 on Thursday, and now back down to 293.  A whole lot of infected people among us, hopefully quarantined.
  • ICU beds Available increased 3% to 35%.  Ventilators Available dropped 2% to 88%.
  • Testing – Solano County reported 2,011 residents were tested over the 4-day holiday, total nearing 34,000.  We still have a long way to go: only 7.6% of Solano County’s 447,643 residents (2019) have been tested.

Details and Demographics tab

The County’s Public Health Dashboard includes a second tab (panel), “Details and Demographics” (shown here).  Note that the Summary tab and this Details tab are both user interactive – hover over a chart (or tap) to get details. On this Details tab, most of the small charts have a small additional tab showing the rate per 100,000.   Go there and explore the two tabs.  (Expand a chart by clicking the small button in its upper right corner.)

BY AGE GROUP

  • Youth 17 and under – 32 new cases today, total of 164 cases, and 1 new hospitalization.  Two weeks ago, there were only 70 cases among this age group – we’ve seen nearly 100 new cases in 14 days!  I continue to be alarmed for Solano’s youth.  Cases among Solano youth have increased in recent weeks to over 9% of the 1,740 total confirmed cases.
  • Persons 18-49 years of age – 165 new cases today, total of 1,027 cases.  This age group represents 59% of the 1,740 total cases, by far the highest percentage of all age groups.  The County reported 1  new hospitalization among this age group today, total of 29 hospitalized at one time, and 2 deaths.
  • Persons 50-64 years of age – 49 new cases today, total of 339 cases.  This age group represents 19% of the 1,740 total cases.  No new hospitalizations today, total of 35 hospitalized at one time.  No new deaths, total of 3 deaths.
  • Persons 65 years or older – 18 new cases today, total of 209 cases.  This age group represents 12% of the 1,740 total cases.  No new hospitalizations, total of 41 hospitalized at one time.  No new deaths, total of 20 deaths.  In this older age group, 20% were hospitalized at one time, a substantially higher percentage than in the lower age groups.  And this group counts for 20 of the 25 deaths, or 80%.

CITY DATA

  • Vallejo added 62 new cases today, total of 620.
  • Fairfield added 98 new cases today, total of 587.
  • Vacaville added 52 new cases today, total of 263 cases.
  • Suisun City added 21 new cases today, total of 113 cases.
  • Benicia added 4 new cases today, total of 33 cases.
  • Dixon added 25 new case today, total of 101 cases.
  • Rio Vista added 1 new case, total of 16 cases.
  • Unincorporated areas –Although the County still still shows Unincorporated at <10 (less than 10), a little math tells the story: Solano’s unincorporated areas must account for the 1 new case unaccounted for in the other City totals.
  • A “Rate” column shows the rate of positive COVID-19 cases (per 100,000 population) for each city.  Benicia is leading the way here, with a rate of only 119.7 cases per 100,000. Compare with other Solano cities in the chart, and note that the CDC reports today’s rate in California at 658 per 100,000 (up from 566 yesterday).  Johns Hopkins lists the overall Solano County rate at 330 (unchanged, as it reflects incomplete data for today).

RACE / ETHNICITY

The County report on race / ethnicity data includes case numbers, hospitalizations, deaths and Solano population statistics.  There are also tabs showing a calculated rate per 100,000 by race/ethnicity for each of these boxes.  This information is discouragingly similar to national reports that indicate worse outcomes among black and brown Americans.  As of today:

  • White Americans are 39% of the population in Solano County, but only account for 23% of cases, 21% of hospitalizations and 21% of deaths.
  • Black Americans are 13% of Solano’s population, and account for 13% of cases, but 29% of hospitalizations, and 38% of deaths.
  • Latinx Americans are 26% of Solano’s population, but account for 35% of cases.  They account for 26% of hospitalizations, and 17% of deaths.
  • Asian Americans are 14% of Solano’s population, and account for 10% of cases and 14% of hospitalizations, but 21% of deaths.

MUCH MORE…

The County’s new and improved Coronavirus Dashboard is full of much more information, too extensive to cover here on a daily basis.  The Benicia Independent will continue to summarize daily and highlight a report or two.  Check out the Dashboard at https://doitgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=055f81e9fe154da5860257e3f2489d67.