True story. A local gringo lawyer was working on his Spanish, and had a Mexican client in jail. They had the typical lawyer-client interview, with the assistance of an interpreter, about the facts of the crime and about don't talk to the pigs without a lawyer, etc.
At the end of the interview, the lawyer wanted to show off a little Spanish. Wanting to say, "Horita, van a recogerte," meaning, "Now, they [the guards] are coming to get you [to bring you back to your cell]," instead he said, "Horita, van a cogerte." All of which would not be very amusing but for the fact that coger is a colloquial term for f&^%. Imagine this poor guy in jail in a foreign country where he doesn't speak the language and his lawyer tells him, "Now, they are coming to f&^% you!"
All of which is an introduction to the latest Encinitas city scandal. The city cut a sweetheart deal with Carltas, the Ecke family development company, where if the golf course did well, the Eckes made out like bandits. And if the golf course failed, the city and Encinitas Ranch homeowners were liable.
Well, if you're an Encinitas Ranch homeowner, ¡Horita, van a cogerte! HOA fees are going up because the golf course isn't pulling its weight.
A drastic drop in the number of golfers who play at the Encinitas Ranch Golf Course, combined with some changes in the way the public course handles its finances, will cause nearby residents' property tax-related assessments to increase.
The tax bills, which will come out in August, are "going to reflect the roughest year the golf course has had thus far," said Jay Lembach, an Encinitas city finance manager who handles the golf course and attends its board meetings as a city representative.
The average Encinitas Ranch area homeowner, who now pays $2,500 in annual community assessment fees, will probably see bills go up in August by about 8 percent, or about $200, because the golf course isn't going to be making a contribution to offset those fees this year, he said Friday.
This is only the beginning. Encinitas Ranch is a mediocre golf course in a region full of world-class golf courses. BOHICA, Encinitas Ranch homeowners and Encinitas taxpayers!
Ecke III has owned the Encinitas city council for a long time. $tock$ has been their boy since day one. Remember when Ecke tried to renege on his promise to keep that open land near Quail Gardens in agriculture for perpetuity for having been allowed the massive development that included the golf course? It had to go thru a voter referendum, where it was trounched in spite of Ecke's massive campaign to fool the voters. He lied and said he needed the revenue to stay in business and might have to relocate if it didn't pass. He failed to mention he had already relocated most of the operation to Guatemala, where things are less expensive and have fewer regulations. Promises from Ecke were mere tools to expedite the contractual moment - not to be kept(except by voter decree).
ReplyDeleteThis sham of dropping the golf course losses onto the home owners is just another example of this city's catering to the elite few that buy these council people into office for their pleasure and convenience (profit/wealth accumulation). Time to clean house.
If I were one of those homeowners I would be pretty angry at all of this. Although to those of us who have been around a while this is pretty much business as usual in Encinitas. Thanks for posting it W.C.
ReplyDelete¡Orale! You got it right. The Golf Course Authority is close to defaulting on the bonds that financed the construction. Carltas/Ecke have an escape clause. The city does too, but the city won't use it. The authority must make bond repayments of $800,000 a year, If golf revenues drop another $64,000+, there will be a default unless the city steps in. The city has no legal obligation to pay, but Jerome Stocks will vote any amount of money to save the golf course and his politcal career.
ReplyDeleteCluck. Cluck. The chickens are coming home to roost.
What I found even more troubling than the infamous 2 hat presentatin was Jay Lemback's presentation of "the very complicated formula" and sets of rounded numbers that did not add up at the last meeting in April, where they voted in favor of the deal. I saw on the tape that Teresa Barth said that there was no way that she could vote in favor of such sloppy work.
ReplyDeleteThose who were at the meeting told me that Jerome Stocks went into the hall and congratulated Jay and shook his hand, as he did at the last meeting too where he praised Jay for nothing. What type of standards is Stocks rewarding for a higher up in the Finance Department, who can't add rounded numbers?
I thought the days of public fools went out in middle ages. What type of elected official uses his position to reward stupidity, misrepresentation, and institutionalized poor performance. Do you see what the promise of a pension has done to these people. They will do anything for the eventual reward of a lifetime payout at 55.
The description of stupidity, misrepresentation and institutionalized poor performance aptly describes $tock$'$ political career to date. What is baffling is that he gets reelected!!
ReplyDeleteGovernment should never be involved with golf. Yet, it is all over San Diego. Incredible.
ReplyDeleteI never knew we had so many libertarians around here!
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