Tom Plant

While serving on the board of the Southwest Riverside County Association of REALTORS, I had the good fortune to meet many community leaders. One of those I have enjoyed spending time with is Maryann Edwards, Temecula City Council member and mayor pro tem. I have been asking Maryann to write a guest article for my blog, and she has delivered:

“Government should be run like a business, or like we run our household budget!” How many times have you had that same thought?

Me too, and that’s exactly the way the city council and staff prepare the budget for the city of Temecula each year. Here are the basic rules that are the key to this city’s success:

1) Don’t spend more than you take in;

2) Safety first;

3) Put money away for a rainy day

4) Your “special projects wish list” should have a separate savings plan and timeline

5) Don’t skimp on the important things

Temecula has no debt, and in 2008-09 the city will take in $1.1 million more than it spends with a budget of $62.8 million. Public safety (police and fire) will receive 41% of the budget with one police officer for every 910 residents and a paramedic on every fire engine. The city’s emergency rainy day reserve will be $12 million.

The “special projects wish list” is the Capital Improvement Budget of $405 million. The CIP provides for complete funding over a five year period and includes the French Valley Parkway freeway interchange, Pechanga Parkway improvements, and the Temecula Community Center expansion. This “project savings plan” has served the city well for nearly 20 years and allowed Temecula to remain debt-free while completing nearly a billion dollars in infrastructure improvements.

Lastly, I believe that when Temecula builds a public facility or project, it should be the very best - every time. Temecula’s facilities (library, theater, parks, civic center) are meticulously planned and budgeted to be the best in quality, beauty, and long-term functionality.

Whether it’s for a business, a home, or a shining city, fiscal responsibility is vital. A budget must be based on sound financial principles administered by people with vision and the guts to stick with the plan. It is this winning formula that has made Temecula the beautiful place we all call home.

Thanks so much, Maryann. I think Temecula is in excellent hands. The Inland Empire is a wonderful place to live, and I would love the honor of showing you around.

Murrieta Real Estate Expert – Tom Plant, REALTOR® - Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – Active Rain Ambassador (951) 907-9701

It would be my honor to show you the incredible Temecula Valley, a place I’m very proud to call home.

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Jan Bates is truly an angel. For the past several years, Jan has worked tirelessly motivating agents and affiliates to round up supplies for our troops in Iraq and then taken care of packaging and mailing them. Boxes of socks, beef jerky, Otter Pops, cookies, books, games and many other items are donated and sent to platoons that Jan has "adopted". The reports we get back tell us that it's like Christmas when the packages arrive.

Each week at the MLS marketing meeting we pass a can to collect postage to ship the items. After today's meeting, Jan asked me if I would stick around and help assemble the boxes. For about an hour and a half, Jan, Rosemary Smith and I filled boxes with coffee, Rice Krispies treats, Girl Scout Cookies, socks, toothpaste, toothbrushes and much more. Jan will take these boxes to the post office where they will be shipped off to our troops in Iraq.

This means so much to the men and women who are putting themselves in harm's way. If you'd like to find out more about what Jan is doing, visit www.assistourtroops.com. Jan truly is an angel.

Jan Bates & Rosemary Smith -------------------- Packing the boxes

photos courtesy of Daniel Brincat

Murrieta Real Estate Expert – Tom Plant, REALTOR® - Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – Active Rain Ambassador (951) 907-9701

It would be my honor to show you the incredible Temecula Valley, a place I’m very proud to call home.

Subscribe in a reader

My wonderful hostess Judi Morgan took me to San Antonio's famed Riverwalk on the final day of my recent visit to Texas. After a nice lunch and another great visit with Jason Crouch, we hopped in the car and drove to Riverwalk. Judi showed me "Wedding Island", where she and Don exchanged vows last year.

From there we strolled and then did what any good tourist does. We took the tour boat. If you ever visit San Antonio, don't miss your opportunity to explore Riverwalk. I would haved loved to have been able to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening there. It truly is magnificent.

I had a grand time in Texas and can't wait to return. By the way, no visit to the Lone Star State is complete without Bar-B-Q...

Tom Plant, Murrieta Real Estate Expert – GRI, e-PRO – Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – 951.907.9701 – Active Rain Ambassador

It would be my honor to show you the incredible Temecula Valley, a place I’m very proud to call home.

Subscribe in a reader

Did I ever mention how much I love living in the Inland Empire? You'll have an opportunity today to discover one of the many reasons why I think this is such an extraordinary place to live. I have done a few posts on the Santa Rosa Plateau. Today you can see for yourself in rare opportunity with the Santa Rosa Plateau Garden Tour.

Starting at 10 this morning you can enjoy a self-guided tour of seven five acre estate properties and their unique gardens. You'll see native and drought tolerant as well as rose gardens, succulent and cacti gardens. Your $20 entrance fee will benefit the third grade education program at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve. Start at the information tent at the corner of Clinton Keith Road and Avenida La Cresta.

Tom Plant, Murrieta Real Estate Expert – GRI, e-PRO – Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – 951.907.9701 – Active Rain Ambassador

It would be my honor to show you the incredible Temecula Valley, a place I’m very proud to call home.

Subscribe in a reader

Ben Stein talked about it this past Sunday on CBS Sunday Morning.

The Press Enterprise talked about it, too:

Shelters filling up with four-legged victims of foreclosures

As if that weren't bad enough, Animal Friends of The Valleys suffered a tragedy February 28th when a trailer with 24 puppies/dogs and 15 cats burned killing all 39 animals.

This Sunday April 27th a fund-raiser will be held at the Lake Elsinore Storm's Diamond Club. Although a new shelter is being built, it won't be ready for another two years. In the meantime, the trailer, cages and equipment that were destroyed need to be replaced. A silent auction and 20/20 drawing will be held and live music and hors d'oeuvres will be featured. Suggested donation is $20. I hope to see you there.

AFV holds a special place in my heart. After all, that's where I picked up my Domino!

Murrieta Real Estate Expert – Tom Plant, REALTOR® - Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage – Active Rain Ambassador (951) 907-9701

It would be my honor to show you the incredible Temecula Valley, a place I’m very proud to call home.

Subscribe in a reader