Encinitas residents should be surveyed on whether they would support raising the city’s sales tax rate to pay for roadway improvements, new trails or other civic projects, a majority of the City Council indicated Wednesday night.Watch the consultant's presentation from last night. The survey isn't about finding out what the public wants. It's about how to spin a sales tax increase to get it to pass.
The council voted 3-2, with Councilwoman Kristin Gaspar and Councilman Mark Muir opposed, to seek cost estimates from survey research companies, with the goal of voting on a contract next month.
Conducting surveys and doing other community research is likely to cost at least $100,000, one research consultant told the council Wednesday night.
Catherine Lew, president and CEO of the Oakland-based Lew Edwards Group research company, also warned Encinitas officials that they should set a fast pace if they hope to have their tax proposal ready to go before the city’s voters in November. Other communities proposing to put sales tax proposals on the 2014 general election ballot started work last year, she said.
Even without that time crunch issue, the sales tax hike proposal appeared on Wednesday night to be highly unlikely to make the November ballot. In order for the proposal to go on the ballot, four of the city’s five council members must back it, and two council members — Councilwoman Kristin Gaspar and Councilman Mark Muir — said there was no way they were going raise residents’ taxes.
“You can count me out,” Gaspar said, commenting that she doesn’t believe city leaders have done enough to make certain the city is living within its means.
“When we’re exploring any kind of a tax, it needs to be a last resort — I don’t believe we’re in that place,” she said.
Muir agreed.
“My standards for raising taxes are pretty high … I will not be one of the four-fifths voters,” he said.
But Mayor Teresa Barth, Councilman Tony Kranz and Councilwoman Lisa Shaffer said the survey work was worth doing, even if the sales tax proposal was unlikely to make it on the November ballot. Shaffer said she would like to get the survey results to find out how residents would like the extra tax money spent.
If they're honest about it, we would see survey questions like this:
1) Would you like to raise sales taxes to improve road maintenance?
2) Would you like to raise sales taxes to avoid the need to reform pensions?
3) Would you like to raise sales taxes so that Encinitas' hundreds of city workers can continue to earn more than $92,000 on average plus $36,000 in benefits?
Do you think those would poll overwhelmingly positive? 60% or 70% in favor as Mayor Barth suggested last night?
The blog of NO yet again NO NO NO lets keep the status quo.How about find ing out what the people really want and what they'll pay for .
ReplyDeleteTo me, it was excellent that both Kristin Gaspar and Mark Muir stated, unequivocally, that they will not be supporting increasing transactional use taxes (TUTs). Therefore, because a 2/3 majority of any Council is required by Government Code for these types of tax increases to be set as a ballot measure, it will be IMPOSSIBLE for Council to force these new, unwanted taxes on the public. Because we have five voting members on Council, it would require 4 out of 5 Council Members to approve any such ballot measure. That's NOT going to happen.
DeleteBarth, Shaffer and Kranz don't seem to understand what an unpopular idea raising taxes would be. You all know I support saving Pacific View in the public domain, but we could do that without raising taxes.
For one thing, because a non-profit foundation would provide a true lease revenue stream were the classrooms to be rehabbed and maintained as a community arts and learning center, this is one instance where a lease revenue bond could be justified. The debt service could be paid back through the lease revenue stream, NOT the General Fund.
Tony Kranz, last night, held up a chart showing numbers for part of the Roads Report, which Kevin Cummins and others worked so hard to finally get released. Kranz stated we are over $45 million in debt for deferred road maintenance. He also stated that the City wasn't going to be able to make enough money by cutting operating expenses to address that.
But doesn't Tony realize that the projections for the amount of TUTs that he's talking about raising, is only an additional $5 Million or so? So the same thing could be said of raising sales taxes. This could create a temporary increase, if the public supported it, which we don't, but the taxes would be sunsetted. Any temporary revenues from possible TUTs would have to go into the general fund, absent a two thirds vote of the public for special projects.
Because Council does not have the 4 out of 5 Council Members that would be required to put this measure on the ballot, the money that Teresa, Lisa and Tony are now wanting to pay to a contractor is essentially for another "satisfaction survey" during an election year. There is no guarantee the results would be statistically significant, or that the questions would not be "stacked" as they were, in 2012. At least that satisfaction survey was for only about $20,000, not $100,000.
Mayor Barth questioned Councilmember Gaspar and Deputy Mayor Muir, wouldn't you go by what the public wants if the survey were to show they wanted to raise revenues? . . . or words to that effect. Why can't the mayor understand that so many of these surveys are actually "Push Polls," which are known to be marketing and propaganda tools? This is the same thing as her not being able to comprehend that Gus Vina should NOT have received an excellent evaluation, and the so-called "impartial analysis" written by City Attorney Glenn Sabine for the sample ballots re Prop A, was NOT factual, or impartial?
Lisa Shaffer said we are talking about only 50 cents more on every $100? Is that accurate? Doesn't that mean in order to raise an additional $5 Million, we would to have sales tax revenues, now, of $500 Million? Sorry, but is my math way off? If I divide .5/100 I get .005
5,000,000/500,000,000 = .01
I know that for big ticket items, such as cars, people would go to other cities, such as Carlsbad, Escondido, or San Diego to purchase, if the transactional use taxes are lower in those cities. Raising taxes isn't a good idea, especially when there has been no valid needs assessment, and no setting of priorities with respect to all the intent motions made re Gus Vina's "passionate" Strategic Planning.
[Reposting this and prior comment from previous thread]
DeleteI thought both Kristin and Mark did a good job of standing up to Gus Vina last night. Lisa Shaffer also questioned Glenn Sabine, who was told to be prepared re legal questions with respect to Encinitas Municipal Code and Statutory Code regarding Pacific View. Supposedly there is a FAQ section on the City's website relevant to rezoning applications? We were not told where that could be found.
With respect to any survey or poll, allegedly designed to educate, not advocate, people are going to say Encinitas is a great place. People are going to say the City needs more money. But if any valid survey is to be taken, we need to be asked, flat out, if we support increased sales taxes. That is the purpose of the measure going to ballot.
However, it is a colossal waste of taxpayers money to spend $100,000 plus on another survey, designed to push people into thinking that specific projects would be earmarked by our paying more sales taxes, when the law is clear; that is NOT the case, unless the ballot measure is for specific projects, which must RECEIVE a two thirds vote of the public. Lisa Shaffer brought up the Leucadia 101 Streetscape, too. That is to be paid for out of TransNet Tax monies. It seems her plan would be to misrepresent the amount of money that could be gained, because we do NOT have that much money coming in through taxes on retail sales, compared to property taxes, or compared to cities such as Carlsbad. Also, the plan seems to be to exaggerate what the increase could enable in terms of projects being able to be completed, or even begun.
Again, for either a sales tax through which the revenues would go into the General Fund, OR for a sales tax earmarked for specific projects, either tax would have to receive four out of five council member votes in our city, for the measure to go to ballot. Fortunately, that's NOT happening. If Council wants to have more money available for Capital Improvement Projects and deferred Road Maintenance, then it should cut back on operating expenses, which means not paying for another unwanted and unwarranted “satisfaction survey,” or any survey which is actually designed to reaffirm Barth, Shaffer and Kranz’ preformed conclusion that we should raise sales taxes in Encinitas.
7:08 - you have one extra NO in your statement. It should be NO to Barth, NO to Kranz, and NO Shaffer!!!
DeleteI will no longer support these three!!! That was my last straw. This is from a previous and active supporter.
That was a long statement when all we needed to know was that a sales tax increase would need to receive a 4/5 vote, which isn't happening.
Delete7:08
DeleteThe council does know what the people want...................it is that the council does not want the same thing. A few facts-
1. Residents spoke oput against the 2005 salary and pension increase- council ignored them and spent money.
2. Residents spoke out against the 2008 increase- council ignored them and spoke the money.
3. Residents spoke out against the bond offering that was suppose to finish the Hall park- but the money got spent on fire stations- council ignored them
4. Residents spoke out against raiding fully funded capital improvement projects of some $7 million- council ignored them
5. Residents spoke out against paying MIG $1M for the GPU- council ignored them
6. Residents spoke out against giving Pedr Norby a renewed contract of $100K- council ignored them.
7. Residents spoke out against a second bond offering for the Hall park as the council had previously mismanaged the first bond offering when they told the public it would build the Hall Park- the council ignopred them.
8. Residents spoke out against Gus Vina asking for another $400K for the planning department going over budget- the council ignored them
9. Residents spoke out against the city spending $100K on the Nichols road report- council ignored them
10. Residents spoke out against Gus Vina hiring a PR director for a requested $135K - council ignored them.
This si teh council of No - no we won't listen to residents. No we won't act responsibly - no we wont' show leadership- no we won't live within our means -no we won't respect taxpayers who pay the bills-
Residents also applauded getting funding for the Park to be completed, reallocating funds from both partially and completely funded low priority projects to do so.
Delete11:10
DeleteResidents will not applaud learning that becuae of financial mismagement and I say malfeasance Vina along with Barth shaffer and Kranz want to raise taxes- they have already raised fees-
By teh way, is that all you got? One example out of 10? The only people applauding the 35% pay and pension increases were city employees- spin that one doctor-
Not spinning. Just a fan of the Park. We need places for our kids to play. Its unfortunate that the best site in recent history happened to be in Cardiff. We need fields, not surveys!
Delete1:48 - we have lots of places for our kids to play today- many of the fields sit vacant a majority of the time. THe Hall Park was truly about the ego of council members attempting to leave a 'legacy' in the end the legacy is they have nearly bankrupted to the city and heaped debt on taxpayers-
Deletecould a few fields have been built at the Hall park along with community serving low cost functions like trails, out door theatre etc have been built for less and used by more- yes .
Instead fewer taxpayers will use the park - moreover the child rate in Encinitas is dropping not increasing - again, just the facts
There are not enough fields for the number of kids currently in Encinitas to play. They are crammed onto existing fields that get overused. There are no lights and so it gets even worse in the winter. The school district fields are not all available in the summer, and they are poorly maintained.
DeleteIf you drive by a city park field (ie Mullen or the Y) during school hours, of course its going to be empty -- the kids are in school.
Btw, a few fields were built at the Park. If it truly was a sports park (only) then several more fields could have been put in based on the acreage, but they weren't.
Would it be such a terrible thing to have one lighted field with 30' permanent lights? If i were to run for council, that would be on my platform (and i know i wouldn't get any votes from the Composer District crowd).
What is it about the fact that the population or children in encinitas is decreasing that you don't get? What is it about there already being lights at the YMCA, ecke sports park, Mullen and lake sports fields that makes you think we should believe we need more lights on fields, when as you state we don't have money to maintain the fields we now have?
DeleteBarth is out of touch
ReplyDeleteBang your pots, drive them out!!!
DeleteLynn is right on! What are these 3 thinking?
ReplyDeleteLynn is clueless just like several council members.
ReplyDeleteI would never waste my time reading her post. She is totally illogical.
While I do not often agree with Muir and Gasper on many issues like over development. They have it right. The majority is clearly out of touch with the constituents.
It's clearly time to vote in new counsel but against all incumbents
If you don't read my posts, 8:18, then you can't know whether or not they are logical.
ReplyDeleteSadly I still read them, illogical as they are... It's like watching a train wreck, you know nothing good comes out of it, but you can't turn away.
DeleteSpeaking of train wrecks, how many more must there be until the city, nctd, Amtrak, Sandag and others get this train below grade??
PS- I'm posting anonymously, something that's not permitted on the Leucadia Blog.
It's going to take a big check from the Federal Gov to get that done. The cost is way up there. Solana Beach, through the vision of their leaders, got the money in the earl7 90's to lower the tracks there.
DeleteMeanwhile, our leaders fiddled while Rome burned. I agree, it should be a priority, especially with the planned double tracking on the whole rail corridor.
-Mr Green Jeans
Me. GJ- SB is light years ahead of Enc. move your money to SB.
DeleteMr. Green Jeans, solana beach has completed their streetscape and increased the walkability of their 101. Today's LA times talks about Newport Beach improving their downtown walkability. Everyone is getting on board.... Except Encinitas. No progress on the 101 streetscape in 18 months. Encinitas has abandoned Leucadia just as the crap lovers had hoped.
Delete1:09 PM
DeleteWalkability in Newport Beach? Have you seen the traffic?
1:09
DeleteI believe the N 101 patch, slurry, restriping, bike lanes, reflectors and lowered speed limit for two miles happened less than a year ago.
The N101 lane diet happened shortly after the 2012 election.
DeleteAccording to Dave Roberts, Solana got the money to trench their tracks because they accepted the Amtrak station that Del Mar didn't want. The funding was from federal, state, local and private sources.
Consideration of the so-called "lane diet" on North 101, came up suddenly, when many were on summer break, including Jerome Stocks, on July 18, 2012. Bond, seemingly increasing in his growing lack of understanding or willingness to stand firm, flip flopped and voted for the lane diet, which he had voted against on January 13, 2010. Jim Bond did so, saying "Democracy works."
Deletesigh
Northbound lane elimination for motorists was put into effect on approximately February 8, 2013, after the January 30, 2013 CC Meeting, where out of area bicyclists did not provide their cities of residence (for the most part), or the location of the same bicycle accident some of them kept repeating, over and over.
A great deal of money is being spent on engineered plans, before there was a true public needs assessment, not actual elimination of weeds, which some anonymous poster keeps bringing up. NCT did get rid of the goat head thorns, too, correct? And I believe the dead oleander bushes are finally being removed, or have been? The median looks nice, now, with all the little flags, are those plantings?
The speed limit had already been reduced to 35 mph. Yes, and the slurry seal helps, but I've heard some people cautioning about the rough surface in some areas, also, cars suddenly merging into one lane northbound, causing near accidents.
Unfortunately, Gus Vina yanked the bicycle masterplan update from the agenda, before, after it had already been published in the Coast News. I wasn't allowed to speak on the agenda item, because it had been "de-agendized," I could only address my issues in oral communications.
But the plan was for a railtrail corridor bicycle and pedestrian lane from Chesterfield, north, to La Costa. What is bizarre that Cardiff, near Swami's, on the West side of 101, already has a separated lane for bicyclists and pedestrians. Why is this stopping at G Street? Part of the answer is the city's premature installation of an eight foot bicycle lane, when bicyclists, except when passing, are to travel single file, just like cars, by law.
Coastal Commission said don't do it; you don't have an exemption for a Coastal Development permit to reconfigure the highway, as required. City staff said, don't do it, wait. But Lisa Shaffer made the motion to go ahead with lane elimination, against the recommendations of staff and the Coastal Commission ; I believe that was another one of Council's early unanimous votes.
Mark Muir later suggested Council's considering placing a ($20K) question on the general election ballot re one-lane roundabouts as part of the Leucadia 101 Streetscape. No one would support his request, but he could have a Council Member initiated agenda item discussion, as Tony Kranz did on 3/12 re another letter to EUSD regarding Pacific View.
Speaking of PV, I think Council should have been more firm in stating that disclosure requirements must be made, at the meeting on Wednesday. I suppose it's not too late to do that in more discussions.
At the meeting, one speaker after the RailTrail Corrodor presentation, made a good showing of concerns that parking in the dirt on the east side of the tracks, along San Elijo, would be eliminated by the 12 ft. bike/ped lane being planned. The consultant said the lane could be shrunk down as needed.
DeleteTeresa Barth said maybe if more people rode their bikes and walked, they wouldn't need to park in the dirt. She truly doesn't appear to understand the dynamics of our town.
People use that as offstreet parking for the homes on San Elijo, to check the surf, and now, to use the new underpassing, to go the beach. Taypayers paid $6.5 million for the underpass!
Teresa made the point that more people should ride their bikes, therefore not needing to park near the underpass. But some people are coming from greater distances, Teresa! And are you still riding your bike, Mayor?
Maybe it's the hour you post your comments.... The median looks nice with the little flags?? Those are location spots for plants. Those flags aren't placed there for esthetics!! Jeez lady, seriously you thought those flags were there to beautify the median?? Fuck me!! ( it's no wonder why this city, state, and country are in such bad shape, with thinking like that.). Btw- the state of California is soon to parole a Manson family member, the guy that cut the head off his victim, are you glad Jerry Brown is the governor ?? Are ya?? Well are ya?? I don't know what would be worse living next to a paroled Manson family member or Jerry Brown??
DeleteFuck the Cosstal Commision !!!
Delete1:42-
DeleteYou are one clueless windbag. I can't wait for you to run for City Council. You would fit right in!
Where is the Communications director in all of this? If the tax has to go to a public vote, why waster 100K on a stupid questionnaire, which will most likely be skewed in favor of what Barth and Co. want? This is most illogical. What are these people smoking, or perhaps they should be smoking and leave the citizens alone.
ReplyDeleteBarth is the same as Jerome Stocks - Stocks hired Norby and other consultants paying them top dollar to produce data to support his over development efforts to benefit special interests-
ReplyDeleteNow Barth led by Vina is doing the same thin - hiring over priced data collectors in an effort to hoodwink and mislead the public-
Barth has blindly followed the lead of city manager Vina who remains a puppet for Stocks-
Couldn't the new Communications Director put together a reliable and valid questionnaire and get it out there, if Council wants a questionnaire? Why pay 100K when we know it has to get on a ballot anyway, as there is not 4/5 majority of the Council supporting it?
ReplyDeleteBarth is hoping the consultant will put together a really biased survey and get an overwhelmingly positive response which will force Muir or Gaspar to go along. That's what the consultant is an expert in. Our Communications Director doesn't have any experience that I know of in pushing an agenda on the public.
DeleteWCV
I don't think a biased survey could force Gaspar or Muir to change either of their minds.
DeleteSigned, Gaspar's campaign director. Please, no more ass kissing of Muir and Gaspar...
Deletewow Lword, that is the shortest post you've ever done. Good job. Did you go on a walk today? Are you actually learning?
DeleteHello WCV-
ReplyDeleteIt is my understanding that the direction was for staff to propose an RFQ of some sort to solicit other bids in addition to the speaker's company. I understood that the decision to spend the $100K was not yet written in stone and that it would need to return to the council one more time before the money was allocated.
Perhaps I misunderstood.
Please correct me if appropriate.
Thank you
Andrew Audet
Not sure. I was confused about that too. But remember Vina has the authority to sign contracts without council authorization, so I wouldn't be surprised if that's what happens, especially because they are on a tight timeline to get it on the November ballot.
DeleteWCV
That was my understanding as well, Andrew. Given Gaspar's and Muir's overall objections I would be very surprised if Vina went ahead and signed a contract as there is already mixed support at the council level.
Delete- The Sculpin
At first Teresa and Tony were all set to give staff (Vina) authorization to enter into a contract with the contractor who said it would cost about $100K. At the last moment, before the vote was called, Lisa Shaffer did say there should be competitive bidding, so Gus Vina is to come back with an RFQ (Request for quotes?) because that would be faster than an RFP.
DeleteSo Council voted for Vina to come back ASAP with quotes from probably at least three contractors. Muir and Gaspar voted no. This time, Vina won't be able to exercise his authority by hiring any contractor he wishes, as long as the cost is under $100K. That policy needs to be changed, anyway. That is how Rutan and Tucker were hired for the so-called "independent" report re the Right to Vote on Upzoning Initiative, which was full of conjecture and speculation, because it was pro-development. That policy is also how Linda Bartz was selected, and pre-briefed, prepped, to give a report on Eminent Domain, that was NOT neutral, although her written report had been. With respect to a report on the Naylor Act, we have relied on Glenn Sabine, whom we also know is not neutral, but who, instead, along with Vina is all for gaining more tax revenue through development and raising taxes.
Shaffer may have a doctorate, but she, Barth and Kranz are sorely lacking in common sense. The only reason I can imagine that Teresa relies so heavily on Gus Vina is that she is afraid; she can't trust her own judgment.
Hello WCV-
DeleteIs it possible VIna has already signed the contract with the firm from Oakland and 'some council' members were aware of it before the meeting?
It seems to me a logical question to ask as it is my understanding Vina had already signed the Peak Democracy contract before the meeting and "some council' members seemed suprised to learn that while others did not.
Hello WVC-
DeleteI am responsible for the post at 11:12 am.
Thank you
Andrew Audet
That's a very interesting theory and could explain why Barth kept pushing forward even when it was clear they didn't have 4 votes -- to save face for Vina. But then Shaffer blew it for them by requesting an open bid, so she wasn't in the know.
DeleteSomebody wanna do an PRA request on the contract and any communications between staff and the Oakland firm?
WCV
So what exactly ARE the rules on signing contracts before a vote? I'm sure the rules are complicated, but it seems like a legit question to me at this time.
Delete-Mr Greenjeans
Vina has carte blanche up to some amount. Not sure the exact amount but it's definitely at least $50,000 and I recall someone saying $100,000.
DeleteWCV
The city manager used to be authorized to spend up to $25,000 without council approval, but it was changed to $100,000. It's possible Vina has already signed a contract. He was acting flustered last night during the discussion.
DeleteAudet is correct according to my understand. Vina is to put out RFQs to other companies. Council has not approved spending the $100,000 yet, but it looks like there are 3 votes to approve the expense asap. The Lew Edwards Group CEO outlined a very tight schedule to get the tax increase on the ballot in 2014. Otherwise it will be on the ballot in 2016. Vina needs the money NOW.
That sounds likely to me. I did a contract at another agency in the county once, and the director also had signing authority up to $100k, but it was for emergencies etc.
DeleteFor Vina to be doing this tells me he thinks he owns the council. They need to get off their ass and start driving the bus. This is not the type of decision the city manager should be making without approval of the council.
-Mr Green Jeans
Mr. Green Jeans,
DeleteVina does own this council. They are his lap dogs. Vina raiding reserved funds in 2012 for the Hall park and told the council at that time they would have plenty of time to think about the budget. It is now almost 2 years without any discussion on the money problems facing the city.
I'm not saying Vina should have diverted reserve funds for the park, but I also know you can't have a half built park. That said, there had to be another way.
DeleteThe bell should have rung when there were funding issues with the park that it's time to address the shortfall in funds, the pension issues, and the roads report.
I'm hoping somebody else on the council comes to their senses and doesn't cast the third vote to allow this survey to go forward.
How would I find out how many of these surveys have been done in the last 5-10 years?
-Mr Green Jeans
Check for election years usually in March or April.
DeleteThis is UNBELIEVABLE!
ReplyDeleteDid I miss something, like legalizing pot smoking before council meetings?
Hello WCV-
ReplyDeletePlease let me know if Vina has sole signing authority for up to $100K ? It is my understanding Rutan and Rucker was in the neighborhood of $50K and Peak Democracy was $9K. I am curious what Vina's 'cash advance' limit is.
Thank you
Andrew Audet
It seems this council is putting the cart before the horse. Is there not a strategic planning meeting coming up in the near future? If so, that is the time to set the priorities for what the city needs and what the citizens have been telling the council what WE want for out city. Then, take that sweet little overpaid Communications person, and have her put together a nice little survey that can be sent out to the citizens in order that we can tell the council yet again what we want. We don't need to be paying out of town companies big bucks to do a little survey. It is a waste of our money. Someone said the council is out of touch and they are. Stop listening to your idiotic city manager who doesn't have a clue either and ignores the people who pay his salary. This entire council needs to get on board or be DUMPED.
ReplyDeleteDump them all.
Delete"The people must be shown. They must be pushed!"
DeleteAnthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange
Here's is WHY and HOW the sales-tax increase to purchase Pacific View will play out this new Spring on the Council.
The Strategic Planning Process, a year in the making, ends with a council vote on June 11th, 2014. While all $45 mil needed to renovate infrastructure needn't be all spent at once: let's face it, hot burning asphalt and year-long detours aren't as sexy or popular as
Pacific View New Cultural Center, an urban fruit forest and a rail-adjacent park (Shaffer said at a Jan. Meeting that kids may get ‘bored’ with just the beach) might just be enough to convince local voters to tax themselves: and in reality ALL of this crisis/anxiety created by EUSD that has tried at least 5 different approaches to finding someone to give them $10 mil, but no one in land investment that recognizes the school site's true dollar value: between $3 and $5 million dollars, have cleverly, using the kitchen sink tactic, somehow convinced 3 out of 5 Encinitas City Council people that if they don't cough up $10 mil NOW! the opportunity of a lifetime will be missed.
And then the expensive 'jewel' will just ‘sit’ for 20 years… which might be okay…but most-likely the Park, 101 improvements will be completed before a ‘cultural center’ is built and artists will hold car washes and bake sales.
Kristin Gaspar, who refuses to approve MORE than $4 mil for Pacific View along with Muir is aghast at the idea of paying 'triple' that the other 3 are in a fever dream to fulfill the overpayment of Pacific View (Whose brother-in-law gave Supe Baird the ridiculously 'high' evaluation? Check their bonafides) by mortgaging the City's future, literally. (EUSD ran a ‘push-poll’ type initiative in 1996 called Prop O, that was much like what Lew was sketching out for $100K last night)
Can’t Miss Out On The Opportunity of a Lifetime!
Because Barth believes that they are about to 'miss out' on this treasure: being Pacific View, the past two meetings have once again made the Mayor's perennial supporters again question Barth's grasp.
Barth, Kranz and Shaffer's Stampede To Overpay EUSD.
In Mayor Barth's view, what's another $100K when we are talking a about the attainment of a cultural 'gold mine'. Mayor Barth truly believes and has said repeatedly in 2014 that she believes the future finances of the City of Encinitas are dependent upon it's 'culture' and 'art's community': and Pacific View in the eyes and heart of Mayor Barth, Kranz and Shaffer is the 'crown jewel' for a future 'artist's colony' that will bring in millions in sales-tax spent by visitors.
6:11 You need to cool it on the energy drinks. Or the meds.
Delete6:11 sounds like Andreen when he gets all lyrical and storytelling and red in the face and out of breath when he talks in front of council, until he found out he could pre-record his talk and insert it into a powerpoint presentation so he could record it over and over again until it came out just right.
DeleteYeah, except Andreen is more coherent in his writing. Not sure what we're talking about, pacific view on some obscure level...
DeleteVina can spend up to $100,000 without council approval. See above. He is skirting the upper limit of the authorization.
ReplyDeleteThe old ordinance allowed the city manager to spend up to $25,000 in an emergency. Resolution 2011-14 changed that.
ReplyDeleteB. Purchases and contracts with an approved budget and a cost estimate of $10,000 to $100,000 may be authorized by the City Manager pursuant to Chapter 7.18 of the Municipal Code and the policies and procedures approved by the City Manager. Staff shall solicit three written quotes from at least three prospective providers. Award authority is the City Manager and award is based on specific evaluation criteria which result in the best value to the City.
C. Purchases and contracts with an approved budget and a cost estimate of more than 100,000 will be made pursuant to Chapter 7.18 of the Municipal Code and the policies and procedures approved by the City Manager. Award authority is the City Council and award is based on specific evaluation criteria which result in the best value to the City.
So this would have been Stocks, Bonds, Barth, Gaspar and Houlihan approving this (I'm saying these were the council members, I don't have the vote details)? With Phil Cotton as City Mgr?
Deletehere's the link:
http://encinitas.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=631&meta_id=19732
1:19 PM
DeleteThose were the council members. Phil Cotton had retired earlier in the year but was brought back as an interim city manager? If the council wants to have oversight as was previous to this resolution and ordinance, they must reinstate the old ordinance.
The TUT is a tax that people carry with them. Consider it a head tax. If the Encinitas voters approved a 0.5% TUT that must be added to any purchase in California. An Encinitas resident buys a car in Los Angeles and gets the LA sales tax in addition to the 0.5% sales tax placed on Encinitas residents. The same is true of any purchase outside Encinitas.
ReplyDeleteNo information on what it would cost to administer the TUT tax program. A few more employees at city hall.
This is correct, if you buy a car in C-bad, you still pay the Sales tax in the city you live in, ie Encinitas
Delete-Mr Green Jeans
Barth, Shaffer, and Kranz are losing their minds if they think this tax on Encinitas resident is 1.) a good idea, and/or 2.) ever going to be accepted by residents/voters.
DeleteShaffer is supposed to be so smart. She is an idiot.
Also on last night's agenda - the up date on the I-5 widening. Big surprise!
ReplyDeleteCaltrans wants Encinitas to be responsible (pay for upkeep) for all the landscaping along the freeway. And how much will that cost?
So we build a huge sports complex for over 1/2 of the occupants living in carlsbad but little Encinitas foots 100% of the cost then you tax the shit out of us too maintain it???
ReplyDeleteNext elections will be interesting
Well, with all due fairness, the Stocks/Bonds crew was in charge during most of the time when the land was purchased, planned and built. The current council is stuck trying to build it when there's not enough money...
ReplyDelete-Mr Green Jeans
Vina should have prepared a realistic feasibility and cost analysis of the project including ongoing maintenance and impact on the future financial impacts for the city.
DeleteHold him accountable and fire the loser
He also has been in charge of the General Plan Update/Housing Element since he arrived almost 3 years ago. It has been an indisputable disaster and another money drain. He keeps finding new ways to use invalid so-called citizen participation to prove that we want what the city wants. If council does not get rid of him, they will find themselves out of jobs.
DeleteHe doesn't care. He will announce his retirement next year and we will be stuck with him for 2 more years if the current council doesn't act.
DeleteI always though Jerome Stocks would go down in history as the worst Encinitas Councilmember. Will the current council, outdo Stocks in stupidity?
The answer is right in front of you. Hold the person responsible for many wrongdoing responsible. Demand accountability.
Fire the City Manager that has shown he has no clue how to run an effective city operation and budget. Fire Vina!!!
It is in everyone's best interest to support the council......once we get a council worth supporting! As long as Vina and Sabine hang around there will be no reason to have any hope.
ReplyDeletenow that is worth repeating. Well said:
ReplyDeleteVina doesn't care. He will announce his retirement next year and we will be stuck with him for 2 more years if the current council doesn't act.
I always though Jerome Stocks would go down in history as the worst Encinitas Councilmember. Will the current council, outdo Stocks in stupidity?
The answer is right in front of you. Hold the person responsible for many wrongdoing responsible. Demand accountability.
Fire the City Manager that has shown he has no clue how to run an effective city operation and budget. Fire Vina!!!
Personally I thought Dallablabber was the worst, but Stocks comes close, just for his attitude.
DeleteI don't think Gus is going to retire, why retire when you have it going on to the tune of $200k plus a year and the council in the palm of your hand?
there is no difference between Stocks and Barth. The facts are Barth has voted exactly as Stocks would have since Barth became Mayor. Barth has approved of Vina;s back room deals at city hall, Barth has approved of spreading misinformation around town, Barth has approved of using taxpayer money so city staff can releae propaganda to hoodwink the public.
DeleteI walked streets and donated money to Barth's campaign in 2010- she needs to be voted out of town. She is selfish, weak kneed and an eogist- she is Jerome stocks. Very sad.
And guess what, none of them are leaving until their term is up. As always the question remains, who will run besides Teresa and Kristin. It's the million dollar question, everything else is hot air...
Delete$tock$ was worst for shepherding in the 35% increase. Dallablabber was just a dumb lap dog of $tock$.
ReplyDeleteThis Council may top them with their attempts to rush taxes… PHfffff!!!
IT OBVIOUSLY TAKES AT LEAST 3 COUNCIL PERSONS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. SINCE BOND WAS AGAINST IT WHO WHERE THE OTHER TWO - QUIT ALWAYS BLAMING 1 PERSON WHEN YOU KNOW IT TAKE 3 TO TANGO!!! YOUR LOSING CREDITABILITY!!!
DeleteStock$ was the RINO that made it happen. The other losers were guerin, dalablabber, & maggie .
DeleteCheese Jerome testy testy. I bet you didn't know that that vote would end your political career ha ha
DeleteThe vote was 4-1. Stop stupidly blaming everything on one person = Stocks.
DeleteHey, they're all gone now. If it was 4-1, who voted no, Jim Bond?
DeleteHere's the vote, Bond dissenting:
Deletehttp://www.utsandiego.com/news/2005/Mar/17/encinitas-workers-get-improved-salaries-benefits/
Mr. Green Jeans
Bond was the only smart one. Stocks is a rhino loser!
DeleteI don't like the fact that Catherine Lew is pushing council by stating that time is of the essence since I would wager that Vina had already signed the contract before the meeting. That is how he works. He signed on with Rutan and Tucker because of the emergency of Prop A, and he had already signed up Moonshot Mike for the Peak Democracy program before the council heard the presentation or could consider other providers. The fact that Lew said it would be $100,000 means that Gus has already signed us up. If she is like Austen Foust or MIG, she will keep coming back for more, and Gus will sign off on that, too.
ReplyDeleteThis is a time-tested ploy to take power to declare a threat from the outside and to overstate how the time is now or something terrible will happen.
The Propzilla propaganda poster against Prop A claimed that La Paloma Theater would be in jeopardy if Prop A passed. As you see, nothing has happened on account of Prop A. The same people who put out this message do not seem concerned that patrons of the party bus urinate on our city's "jewel." If the City and the Mainstreet Association really care about preserving Downtown, they need to take actions to prevent further damage to our community resources by drunks and vandals. Pass the ordinance now!
9:53, your mind is made up, so nobody wants to confuse you with the facts. If you had done your homework before posting, you would know that the $100K contract has not been signed.
DeleteMs. Lew repeatedly stated the cost would be 100,000 plus.
Delete"Know it" like we "knew it" when Gus pretended he couldn't remember the name of the firm hed already signed with? PLEASE. I've got a bridge to sell you, 11:29.
Delete11:29 thank you for your opinion. Do you have proof? Please explain for us how you know the contract between the city and the the Lew Edwards group has not been signed? Thank you
ReplyDeleteIt's not an opinion. It's the fact of the matter. Watch the video of last Wednesday's meeting or read the summary in Councilwoman Shaffer's newsletter.
DeleteI was intrigued by the possibility too, but I've heard from a source I consider credible that Vina did not sign the contract already.
DeleteWCV
From Shaffer's email:
Delete"So the question became whether it would be worthwhile to do the research and see what public priorities and concerns are to help us in budget planning, even if we have foreclosed one possible strategy for increasing revenues. Of course there is a cost for such a research effort, estimated at $100,000. Council member Kranz proposed that we go forward with a contract for the background research. I wasn't prepared to commit last night to a contract without a more precise cost and statement of work. There may be a lower cost option to do some polling without the rest of the program outlined at the meeting. So we voted 3-2 for the City Manager to bring back a proposal for a contract."
12:24
DeleteWhere does it say "City Manager Vina has not entered into a contract with the Lew Edwards consulting group" ??
What did Kranz and Barth know, and when did they know it?
DeleteIt doesn't, we'll have to wait for follow-up meetings to try and see what is really happen, but in the meantime, we can still speculate endlessly here, lol!
DeleteHello WCV-
DeleteIt is an interesting possiblity given City Manager Vina's actions surrounding the signing of the Rutan and Tucker contract from Orange County and the Peak Democracy contract from Berkeley.
Ms. Lew flew all the way down from the bay area and told me (if I heard her correctly) that she was flying back to Oakland that night.
It does seem like a long way to fly without having a contract in hand but perhaps the thought of closing the contract that night without the prospect of having a competitive bidding process was enough to have her invest the time to prepare and spend the cost of the trip.
If my understanding is correct city Manager Vina failed to get competitive bids before selecting Rutan and Tucker. I believe City Manager Vina also told the council he would have competitive bids for the Peak Democracy town hall program - and he did not.
If Vina has a history of avoiding competitive bidding could he have made promises or assurances to Ms. lew that the contract was her and a signature a mere formality?
Is that why Mayor Barth pushed so hard in hopes Muir and Gaspar might reconsider? Mayor Barth seemed desperate and City Manager Vina seemed uncomfortable when Ms. Gaspar and Mr. Muir refused to go along with the program.
I guess we will just have to "stay tuned" for more later.
Thank you
Andrew Audet
Andrew, I was unable to attend the 3/12 CC Meeting. But I had called the Clerk, Kathy Hollywood, to inform her that I believed that there would be people who were active on the SavePacificView.org site, who would either want to speak during oral communications, or speak to Tony Kranz' agenda item re Council's writing another letter to EUSD, regarding Pacific View.
DeleteI had suggested to Kathy that possibly the order of the agenda could be changed to accommodate the PV speakers, many of whom had also attended the meeting the night before at EUSD headquarters, for the Board of Trustees meeting. Kathy and I had a short conversation. She explained that there was already to be a change to the calendar, something to the effect that the presentation to be given by Ms. Lew was time sensitive? I'm not sure, but Kathy referred to that presentation already having been moved up. I suggested that there could be two changes to the agenda. Kathy said she would speak to the Mayor about another change as soon as she got off the phone with me, which, thankfully, she did.
My point is that City Manager Gus Vina may have already signed a contract for a presentation, only, not the actual surveying or polling, with the contractor, the company which Ms. Lewis represents. I don't know if her fee was adjusted according to how many hours she was present at the meeting. It could have been that she was contracted for a flat rate to fly down and make her presentation, or an adjustable rate, according to hours spent.
If Ms. Lewis was contracted for a flat rate, the Pacific View should have preceded her presentation, so those audience members, including some children, could return home. They were probably exhausted after the meeting the night before, which had to be frustrating, due to the bad attitude of the Trustees, with the exception of Mo Muir, and Superintendent Baird.
Kathy had told me it was entirely up to the Mayor's discretion, re changing the order of the calendar. So I'm glad that Tony's letter re PV was changed to after the presentation by Ms. Lewis, and Council's long discussion of that.
My point is, a preliminary contract could have been signed, for Ms. Lewis to make a presentation, which she thought would likely lead to being awarded a contract to begin what I see as another "push poll." Someone would be wise to submit a California Public Records Act (CPRA) request.
I meant, above, that EUSD Superintendent Tim Baird, and the Board of Trustees, with the exception of Mo Muir, have a bad attitude regarding Pacific view.
DeleteBaird thinks he owns the land, just as he thought he owned the land in Ojai, at another surplus school site that he tried to get changed to a strip-mall style development, instead of a skatepark, built with the help of volunteers, that had been promised by the City to the local community. The skatepark was successfully built after Baird departed, leaving OUSD for EUSD, in 2009.
When Baird was recruited, probably because of his pro-development inclinations, to EUSD, he immediately started trying to take over, here, with his development agenda. Essentially, the public already owns Pacific View. The land was donated to the children, for a schoolhouse, a "learning center," to Encinitas School District, created to raise a $600 bond, and to accept the land, long before EUSD or the City of Encinitas existed.
EUSD, the Trustees and Baird are to be the stewards of public land. Public assets should not be sold off for privatization to the highest bidder. We can all figure that out.
Ms. Lew, sorry, not Ms. Lewis.
Delete12:14 Thank you-
ReplyDeleteThe video however does not show a single person denying there is a signed contract between the city of encinitas and Lew Edwards.
As for Ms. Shaffer's email newsletter- Ms. Shaffer participated in the telling of untruths to the public when she signed her name to the ballot statement prepared in part by the writings of Rutan and Tucker of which city manager Vina had retained withot council consent claiming 5 story buildings were forever banned in Encinitas. When the council was asked by residents to produce the city code banning 5 story buildings forever the council was unabel to produce it.
So- why would anyone trust Ms. Shaffer ? She has proven herself untrustworthy.
I ask again, please sahre with us the factual proof you have to know a singed contract, letter of agreement, memo of udnerstanding, had not been entered into by city manager Vina or city staff or a council person before the meeting?
I am open minded, but your video claim and newsletter contention carry no weight.
I agree with WCV, I'm hearing the contract has not been signed from a good source. Sorry I can't give you the incontrovertible document you'd like, but it is politics after all.
Delete-Mr Green Jeans
what did Kranz and Barth know, and when did they know it? How conveinent Kranz had the road report - yes the same road report Glen Sabine tried to bury, yes the same Glen Sabine Tony gave a glowing job review to.
DeleteYou can go on speculating all day on what happened, or you can watch the meeting video on the City's website and see and hear what actually happened. Start at 1:48 and continue through to the vote.
Delete12:22 — What's in the public record on the video of the meeting carries no weight? Are you nuts?
Delete1:29- Where does it say "City Manager Vina has not entered into a contract with Lew Edwards for these services" ? thank you
ReplyDeleteWhy would the council tell him to get competitive bids if he had already contracted with one vendor?
DeleteBecause i believe if you read the information about his spending authority, it requires that competitive bids be obtained BEFORE he makes the purchase.
DeleteI hate joining the speculation crowd, but maybe Lisa was asking for the procedures to be followed (possibly knowing that they hadn't already?).
From above:
Staff shall solicit three written quotes from at least three prospective providers.
"Shall" is a critical word, it must be done that way (not may).
Were 3 competative bids provided for the Rutan and Tucker contract? Why would Vina ask Lew to come down here to do a presentation without getting the bids first? Her schedule makes it look like she wants to start this week since we are already midway through March. For those who continue to support Gus on this site, why?
Delete3:51 Vina contracted with Rutan and TUcker without a competitive bid for 50K and he contracted with Peak Democracy without a bid-
Deletewill you be at city hall next week to hold him accountable?
Nope. That's just how i read the March 13, 12:39 post. How do you interpret it?
Delete4:36 you lose the argument. It is a fact Vina contracted with Rutan Tucker and Peak democray without revealing alternative bids at council meetings. There is no reason to believe he did not plan the same chicanery Weds night until Shaffer, Muir and Gaspar spoke up. What did Barth and Kranz know, when did they know it?
DeleteWhere are our local lawyers who are so famous for suing cities in this issue? It looks like Vina did not follow the law with regard to his duty to get 3 bids before awarding a contract. It also gives the appearance that there might have been kickbacks for the other 2 contracts--though the Peak Democracy contract is just a teaser for him to get his foot in the door.
Delete
ReplyDeleteConsider this WCV -
1. The agenda item for the tax increase written by city manager Vina and approved by Mayor Barth claimed the agenda item was an "informational" presentation.
2. Then when introducing the agenda item Mayor Barth made a point of saying- while this is an information agenda item it does not stop the council from taking action tonight
hmm. Why did Mayor Barth go out of her was to say that?
Likley Mayor Barth and City Manager Vina knew if they posted an honest agenda stating - council to consdier a vote to raise sales taxes and spend $100,000 on a survey - then its likley lots of people would show up to oppose the tax increase.
Is that why Mayor Barth worded the agenda item one way, and then instructed the council another way - stating nothing prevents the council from taking action tonight?
Did Mayor Barth and Vina have this planned out to hoodwink an unsuspecting public?
Tony Kranz and Lisa Shaffer would be well served to distance themselves from Mayor Barth. Barth resembles Mayor Stocks and his lack of transparency, openess and intregitry with each passing day. Word is beginning to leak out.
Why did Barth and Vina word the agenda item they way they did?
I
They are all sneaky rats.
ReplyDeleteRatones.
DeleteI love the Ramones!
Delete-Mr Green Punk
¡Rateros! Todos.
DeleteBesides all of the excellent points made above and that fact that he has done it twice in the last year, I think that the clearest red flag is that she came up with a figure of $100,000. Remember, $100,000 is the upper limit that Vina can sign off on a contract under his own authority.
ReplyDeleteStop the totally nonsensical conspiracy theories and watch the video!
ReplyDeleteWhile I feel Ms. Lewis may have been contracted with, preliminarily, to make a presentation, with the understanding that a continuing contract to implement the push poll would likely be forthcoming, concerns about the City's past shenanigans and back-room, disingenuous tactics, give us all reasons to be suspicious.
DeleteAlthough some are conspiracy theory extremists, in any population, citizens in Encinitas do have good reason to know that staff, contractors and Council have conspired in the past, to put out misleading information, to make false statements, and to twist the truth.
Some conspiracies do exist. It's unwise to write off the watchdogs and messengers with personal attacks and disparaging remarks.
Again, I meant to write Ms. Lew, above.
DeleteIt's so hard to get contracts through a public agency, you have to start early, get the proposals, then do the whole presentation thing and then get the vote of approval. Lots of red tape. It's a nightmare..
Delete-Mr Green Jeans
3:48 I have watched the video and it looks to me like Barth, Kranz and Vina are all ready to approve the contract. Then Muir and Gsapar say no. Then Shaffer says let's do competitive bids-
DeleteNot once does Barth, Kranz or Vina suggest competitive bids until Shaffer does
Once Shaffer suggests competitive bids Barth and Vina get very uncomfortable- it reminds me of Jerome Stocks being caught by the public just as he is ready to give Norby a raise, or the meeting just after Gus Vina and Mayor Stocks had cancelled a council meeting with out authority claiming the city had no business - only to see Tim Baird there the following week to chew Stocks and Vina out.
Barth is like Stocks more and more everyday. Trust and transparency my ass - her actions are shameful
Notice how weirdly close barth sits to vina. She oftentimes leans in and they mutter to one another. The body language is off.
Delete"Some conspiracies do exist. It's unwise to write off the watchdogs and messengers with personal attacks and disparaging remarks."
DeleteWhat went down Wednesday night is in the video. The vote was 3-2 to get competitive bids on doing the survey.
End of story.
What's the point of speculating about what didn't happen?
6:49 you choose to look away does not mean intelligent taxpayers should. This was pre planned and Vina cooked before it hit the floor. If Shaffer ahd voted yes with barth and kranz there would be no bids and the contract would have been signed. There will now be more heat on Vina Barth and Shaffer when this comes back around......unlike vina and barth skirting the bid process on rutan and tucker and peak democracy
DeleteI agree with 4:20 I saw the same thing in watching at home
Delete7:29, not to say his actions were right, but Rutan and Peak money was well within Vina's discretionary spending limits. The proposed survey is not, and if Vina and Barth were conspiring to railroad it, they got derailed. In other words, the divergent views of other council members applied the brakes. That's the way things are supposed to work. Saying if this, that or the other thing had happened is irrelevant because only what happened happened.
Delete9:19 the city statute apparently says the city manager shall get 3 bids, he did not with rutan and peak democracy, if i understand right. Do you think vina should be held accountable?
DeleteIf the muni code says the staff is supposed to get three bids on everything the city manager has decision-making power over that costs between $10,000 and $100,000, then, yes, Vina should be held accountable for not following the code.
DeleteIt is no conspiracy. They want to hire someone--maybe Lew was first choice, to do something really stupid that the majority of the citizens and 2 of the 5 council members are against. Tell me where the conspiracy is in that, Gus?
ReplyDeleteWhen council members are pre-briefed, and there is a potential plan for action already "in the works," that means that at the very least Barth and Vina conspired to turn an informational item into an action item, awarding the contract for what will be another, but far more expensive, "satisfaction survey," soon before the election. Has the city pulled out of its previous contract with the firm that we contracted with for another satisfaction this year? That contract was for three years of what were to be a questions asked by a random sampling of Encinitas residents. However, the questions were devised by city management; leading questions slant the results, and can create statistically invalid surveys.
DeleteIt feels like a conspiracy when the City has been relying on lobbyists, insider influence and statistically insignificant surveys to push an agenda the Mayor and the City Manager hold onto the general public. Thank goodness Kristin Gaspar and Mark Muir asked to see a contract proposal and Lisa Shaffer did ask to have competitive bidding. Unfortunately, Teresa Barth and Gus Vina, with Tony tagging along, were all set to award the contract to Lew & associates at the 3/12 CC Meeting.
You may object to the semantics of using the word conspire, but all too often it feels as though the City Manager, City Attorney and current Mayor have been working against the public trust, with pre-formed conclusions and pre-arranged contracts.
The contract policy needs to be revised down to anything over $5,000 at least should go on the Consent Calendar. That is one way to check the City's outrageously increasing operating expenses.
Barth is so totally out of touch with reality - a survey?? Really??? When it takes only 7 retirees to cost the city a million a year, what happens as these retiree numbers swell? Salaries out of proportion to the private sector and budgets that get shifted around to appear to make things balance. The "reformists" are the spend easy, go with the program bunch and Muir/Gaspar the fiscal conservatives! Suddenly these two look better all the time!
ReplyDeleteDump Barth.
Yes how artful Gaspar and Muir played this ,the same two who want to spend 1 million of your tax dollars on synthetic turf and lights at Leo Mullen park for there soccer buddies.Fiscal conservatives,I don't think so DON'T BE FOOLED
ReplyDeleteSpecial interests at work
Their ... Not there.
DeleteYes, what we are witnessing are shape shifters.
DeleteSo what was the vote and direction per the video? Three-two and Vina is to get competitive bids on what it would cost to do the survey. According to the muni code, that means three bids. So where's the conspiracy and pre-assigned contract?
ReplyDeleteI was there in person. I don't need to watch the video There seemed to be a plan to push the $100,000 hiring of the the Lew Edwards Group and put the tax increase on the ballot in November. Remember that Vina meets individually with each council member each week. He can strongly present his opinions without violating the Brown Act. The "conspiracy," if that's what it was, got scuttled by Muir and Gaspar. Both Vina and Barth both looked spooked when they realized that the tax increase would never get on the ballot. Then Shaffer came in with her suggestion to get competitive bids. This was approved 3 to 2.
DeleteVina is desperate to get more tax revenues. He's limited in trying to increase revenues in other ways. Hence, the Hail Mary pass to get a sales tax increase.
Why is he "desperate" to get more tax revenues?
DeleteThe entire tax hike plan is a conspiracy! Nobody wants it except for the City workers and the council. Lew is being considered so that she can change the minds of the voters with her "surveys."
ReplyDeleteUm, I think the main purpose of the survey is to define the tax, say how long it would apply, specify how much the revenue would be and what it would be used for, and ask residents if they approve. The survey results would determine whether putting the tax proposal on the ballot made sense.
DeleteIn the meantime, Gaspar, who declared her candidacy for mayor on Wednesday night, will make "No New Taxes" part of her faux populist mayoral campaign.
George H. W. Bush did that in the '88 presidential campaign, then broke his promise during his one-term presidency.
6:18 you mean kind of like how shaffer barth and phony tony promised to protect community character and then sided with developers on Pro A and told untruths? You mean like how Mayor Barth said she was for transparency and now she is scheming in back rooms with Vina and spreading untruths? Barth won't ron, word is leaking out. Like Stocks she is a loser
DeleteNo, 6:18 didn't mean any of those things. Gaspar and Muir have already said they won't support the tax proposal going on the ballot, so even if the other three vote to do the survey, regardless of the results, it won't be on the ballot because that requires a 4/5 yes.
DeleteAt this point, it looks like a dead issue. It's unlikely that the three-vote majority will spend a lot of money on something they already know will go nowhere.
If they take that unlikely step just to find out what residents think, then a lot of people will demand a survey to find out if Leucadians want the Streetscape plan that's been proposed.
That Barth won't run is close to a given.
So it's Gaspar vs. Fidel then?
DeletePlace your bets.
WCV
I was under the impression that Kristin Gaspar said she didn't want to vote on giving the elected mayor a raise, because she felt it could be a conflict of interests IF she decides to run. Barth had no such qualms.
DeleteI don't get that Gaspar is like Bush. I'm not going to paint all fiscal conservatives with one brush, either, although Bush wasn't one, and Jim Bond was one, only while his better judgment was still intact.
The office of mayor can be a non-partisan position. And we all know that some Republicans, that is Republicans in name only, like J. Stocks, and Christy Guerin, favor big spending for public unions, in particular. Christy Guerin was even listed on campaign fliers sent by Democratic Union interests. When Guerin applied for a job with Arnold Schwarzenegger, on the state level, she was quickly rejected, because of her pro union/big spending past actions, as Mayor of Encinitas, and Councilmember.
I support private sector unions, and all unions, but I feel public sector unions need to be more in alignment with private sector unions, in terms of benefits. On the other hand, executive officers in administrative positions are often tremendously overpaid; because of the huge benefits, and perks, for elected officials, government "management" should not be making the same kind of salaries as profit making corporations. They are not subject to the same competitive pressures of the marketplace.
I feel confident we could get excellent employees if staff making over $100,000 per year were given a 20% pay reduction, down to $100K, so less than 20% for those people making less than $125K. We should also raise city employee contributions to their pensions and health benefits, and should enact a hiring freeze. These reforms would create greater long term savings than raising $5 Million, in how many years?
How much money has our city already wasted on statistically invalid surveys, actually designed to promote incumbents during an election year? Barth, Kranz and Shaffer KNOW that people are going to say Encinitas is a great city, because it is, because of our location, and because of the people who live here, DESPITE our current mayor and city manager's agenda for high density growth, more city employees, more micro-management by "bureacratic authorities" and less, not more OPEN public engagement, less, not more transparency.
I thought it was interesting how Lisa and Teresa before had supported term limits for Council Members, and potentially, an elected mayor, but changed their minds, when it became clear Tony doesn't agree with them. Once again, Teresa tried to put it off on the public, saying there must not be more support for term limits, or else there would be more public speakers. Many have just given up on participating, especially while Teresa is Mayor and Gus Vina/Glenn Sabine are in control.
But what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Commissioners shouldn't have term limits, if Council doesn't.
8:39, there's no question that Gaspar is running for mayor. She started months ago, and part of her strategy is duping you. The amazing thing is you're swallowing it. If Gaspar were elected mayor, which is highly unlikely, she would instantly revert to her old ways and alignments. That would be doom for the Encinitas we know and love.
DeleteIt'll be Gaspar, Fidel and whoever comes out of the woodwork. You can bet that will happen, as it did in 2012. The forums will be great because Fidel will not only hold the others' feet to the fire, he'll throw them in it.
Delete9:26,
DeleteWhy is it highly unlikely? Who could beat her who is likely to run?
And how would Gaspar be doom for Encinitas? Her administration would be pro-developer, but constrained by Prop A, exactly as our current council is.
In the words of a latter-day stateswoman, "At this point, what difference does it make?"
WCV
She doesn't have broad enough support. The Ecke land initiative vote, the Prop A vote, the election of Kranz and Shaffer and the defeat of Stocks and Forrester demonstrated which way most Encinitas voters lean. And that's not to Gaspar's side. Other mayoral hopefuls will emerge, which will split the vote among multiple candidates, and it's highly unlikely that Gaspar, especially considering the major negatives that will re-surface during her upcoming stint as mayor and during the campaign, will come out on top.
DeleteApart from Prop A's limits, you don't really want a pro-developer partisan as mayor, do you?
Who could possibly run who has name recognition or a political network? It's getting kinda late in the game for someone else to emerge.
DeleteWCV
... unless someone from the Prop A group steps forward, but they've been kinda quiet lately...
DeleteWCV
Sadly WC, it would be Kristin over Fidel in a landslide due to name recognition alone. Speculation is great, but I won't believe Teresa isn't running until she says she isn't, in print or at a meeting.
DeleteA lot of people in the past haven't declared in the past until the deadline to pull papers in July.
Gaspar is going to have support, the developer wing of the city, and new Encinitas will as usual be her base of support. Someone else will have to galvanize the city with support to beat her.
If you get multiple candidates opposing her, what I call "The Naninga effect", she should have a pretty easy time.
It's too early to call it now, you have to see who the candidates are in July. Fidel could be a spoiler if he can pose some real tough questions during the forums, but it's never happened in the past...
-Mr Green Jeans.
-Mr Green Jeans
Green Jeans I walked streets for Barth, gave her money, and stood in the rain holding signs in 2010.
DeleteI will vote for Gaspar over Barth. Barth has proven she has no integrity or ethics. Her leadership has been a failure. She is known to me as a teller of untruths and a reckless self serving spender of tax dollars.
Dump Barth, she is Jerome Stocks, she is no different
1:30 Barth has proven not only a failed leader but also a person intent on destroying not preserving community charachter and a person more interested in raising our taxes to pay for pension abuse - Barth will be crushed n. No one likes her, word is leaking out. She has no ethics, believes in the same backroom deals at stocks.
Delete9:03, so did I. Although I didn't stand in the rain. I'm with you, I'm not happy with Barth's current leadership, but I feel the same way about Gaspar. I don't see her holding very ethics either, what with her bogus Encinitas website, out of town money, and fake credentials as a CFO. I'm just not buying it.
DeleteWhat we need is someone other than these two, don't settle for Gaspar, she's shown all she's good for is reading off of a paper, chanting the developer line.
At least Teresa was grass roots, and she tried, I know she put a lot of effort into the job, I just think where we're at right now requires a higher skillset. We have to tackle pension and revenue issues, and frankly I'm not sure any of the current council A.)Thought they'd have to deal with those issues B.) Want to deal with those issues. C.) Have the background to deal with those issues. Kranz and Muir might be able to deal with the budget, Lisa definitely should, but I'm not sure if she's going to have the nails to do it. Time will tell. To me Kristin and Teresa are in over their heads on that stuff.
Teresa was ok as a council person, but I think she's in over her head as mayor. She gave it a pretty good 8 year run, took a ton of heat, and I think she should move on.
That's politics, if I got so down over each shortcoming of my candidates, I'd never take part again. But that's the beauty of democracy, new people come on the scene, and the cycle starts again. I probably sound like I'm nuts, but at least we have the freedom in this country to have dissent, and select our leaders.
-Mr Green Jeans.
GJ
DeleteI supported Barth and can't wait for her to get out of office. In hindsight she was a failure as a council member, what did she accomplish- zip, nada, jack.
The city is in worse financial shape today then 8 years ago when she was elected while her friends and cronies at city hall are living high on the hog on the backs of taxpayers.
I was blind to her whining woe is me selfish ways as I desperately wanted to believe there was council member who put common sense and taxpayes before there own self serving interests, I was wrong.
Since becoming Mayor Barth has given out some 100K to an un-needed and unwanted spin doctor, she has openly advocated on KPBS for the destruction of our existing community charachter, she has knowingly misled the taxpayers by tellinn untruths on a ballot statement-
you may want to be her friend, I don't. She is not who she claimed to be, she is a as a 7th grader would say a two face- she loves power, she loves people telling her she is great, she loves charging citizens to go hear a state of the city address rather than give it at city hall like Ol Jerome used to.
She is a disgrace, I will be working against her actively in 2014, supporting Gaspar if that is what it takes to send Barth Packing - you should to.
Right with you as is the majority of Encinitas. The energy is moving towards a functional council in the future.
DeleteShe definitely spoke in thinly-veiled code when speaking about how to phrase the survey questions. She also had huge and frequent grins in Sabine's direction. Verrrrry friendly, I'd say.
ReplyDeleteShe was practiced, experienced and polished in just how to address city council members and staff. She was respectful, used titles, cited examples from her "other cities," was careful to flatter and had all the correct catch words and phrases in her professional quiver.
DeleteHow many times did she say, "That's an excellent question." ?
6:25
DeleteI think about 17, but that's an excellent question.
Legal briefs dropping again?
DeleteTheir--- not there , that's all you got out of my statement.I think your the dummy.
ReplyDeleteYou're not your.
DeleteThere were a lot of people attending their first city council meeting on Wed. Even thought I warned them, no one was expecting the narcotic drone of the SANDAG rail and trail guy, and the smooth-as-silk delivery of the vampire rep from the Lew Edwards group. Predators are self confident and polished, and there seems no end to the parade of professional con men that continue to seduce our cities, all over the country. Pity.
ReplyDeleteThey know where the money is. It's a very sad condition of these times.
DeleteWhen has our country in the last century not been populated by smooth talking con men? Teapot dome anyone?
DeleteI don't disagree with Ms. Lew's comment when she identified herself and Sabine both as lawyers and made a comparison to some sort of rotten food--I think it was rotten eggs and rotten tomatoes. She thought it was a joke, but we took it as factual testimony.
DeleteWTF… te Lew Edwards group was asked to come and make a presentation. She was professional. If you have a beef about the subject, take it out on the ass holes that requested the presentation. Gus Vina.
ReplyDeleteYou people are wacked. Use your fricken head. Quit smoking dope and go for a walk tomorrow. Your brain is not working.
10:55 with all respect the comments are critical of Vina. As for Ms. Lew her chosen profession is helpinghelping failing cicities and failed leaders like Barth and Vina find creative ways to create false data to further tax hardworking taxpayers robbing them and their families of money while rewarding fat cat pensioners like Vina Barth Shaffer Muir and no doubt he hopes he will be one Tony Kranz.
DeleteMs Lew chose her profession. She wants over 100,000 dollars of our money to take care of her lifestyle and pay for her needs - not ours.
I'm not sure you can paint Barth and Shaffer as "fat cat" pensioners. Muir yes, based on the size of his pension.
DeleteI agree with 10:55. The Lew Edwards group is PAID to do what they do. It's called capitalism. It's the job of the city's representatives to weigh the value and cost of what they have to offer.
That's one of the problems with the U.S. now, to much evaluating the right of other people do try and make money, ie "I get to make money, but I want a deal on what you do, please work for free or very cheaply.
We badly need ideas and people to create jobs, at least Peak Democracy and Lew Edwards are California companies trying to create something, instead of fleeing the state for a tax break somewhere else.
You're not going to get a free pass, you want Vina out, you better bust some ass and get some candidates going that support your views, or you're going to be here 4-5 years from now singing the same song.....
9:28
DeleteLew Edwards profits by manufacturing false data to tax hard working taxpayers who are under the misguided and wrong impression that elected leaders like Barth, Shaffer, Muir,. Gaspar Kranz are looking out for them when they are not. Is it predatory, ethical? It is profitable for Lew Edwards and the fat cat pensioners living high on the hog while taxpayers get stuck with the bill. Were those Laboutian shoes she was wearing or Jimmy Choo?
Lew Edwards profits by helping failed city leaders like Gus Vina concoct new and exotic ways to tax hard working taxpayers to pay for pensions-
Fact- Muir, Barth and shaffer all get tax payer pensions, Kranz hopes to get one.
Free pass? How many times you been to city hall? Did you walk neighborhoods, have you handed out flyers?
Peak democracy creates jobs ? Peak Democracy is intended to help kleptocrats continue to find creative ways to hoodwink the public and control messaging, not create jobs. Lew Edwards creating jobs? Lew Edwards is intended to pay for the lifestyle of Ms. Lew by coming up with creative ways to word ballot statements to get taxpayers to vote against their own best interests.
Badly need new ideas to create jobs- how about we cut taxes, start the Keystone pipeline, secure the borders to stop the theft of our tax revenues and end tax payer funded pensions.
I will be taking my salary and my business out of state later this year - I am holding off all major purchases including a new car until I do.
I plan to keep more of the money I earn for me and my familiy and not give it to Barth, Vina, Gov Brown and the other tax you to give to themselves failed political leaders. And to think I donated $ to Candidate Obama's campaign in 2008 and now I am called a racists and extremist for having a different view.
9:28,
DeleteI wouldn't call that capitalism. Capitalism is building a product or service that people value so much that they will exchange money for it voluntarily.
Lew Edwards and Peak Democracy persuade politicians to give them Other People's Money at no cost to themselves. That's CRONY capitalism.
WCV
Don't let the door hit you in the ass. The Keystone pipeline isn't going through California, just FYI. Sounds like you need to turn off Fox news and turn your brain back on.
DeleteAh, the old "Secure the Borders" approach, because so many illegals have been coming here in the worst recession since the 1930's, I see. It's always their fault, it has nothing to do with our society.
Maybe you need to look at the mirror and see what you're doing wrong, instead of blaming everyone else.
We have to have government, and we're all responsible for the leaders we elect, either by our vote, or our lack of a vote. If you don't like them, vote them out, that's how it's been that's how it will be. Where were you in 2005 when they voted the pensions in under Stocks, Houlihan, Guerin and Dallager? I opposed upping the pensions then, and I oppose it now. You have to keep fighting, instead of running away.
I would contend that a lot of people are only paying attention to government now because the economy is so shitty. No one had any time for civic issues when the stock and real estate markets went ape the last 20 years, things were too good. Everybody picked up an illegal on the corner, bought a big ass house and overextended. I personally have no sympathy.
I have no idea if that mirrors your personal situation, so let's not get into a one on one on that. My point is to make a broad analogy. Americans as a whole got lazy, stupid and greedy the last 25 years, and now a lot of people are pissed that some public workers are getting something they don't. Am/was/ or will I be for big pensions, no, heck no.
But to see people jumping in now with their holier than thou attitudes, I'm not having it. My friend is a librarian in SD, he gets attacked on a semi-regular basis by the mentally ill who populate the library. Would anyone else like to take on that thankless task? I bet not, remember, this is a LIBRARIAN.
This country needs to come together, instead it seems to be coming apart. Still, I'm not moving, this is still paradise, and it's worth fighting for...
WC,
DeleteYou're right, technically. But it's not like every market segment in the U.S. doesn't have their lobby or trade group out in DC to lobby. Crony Capitalism is rampant in our country, for at least the last 50-60 years.
I guess in a perfect world, we wouldn't have all this undue influence. To me though, it's an unfortunate part of the system we now have. I can't sit here an vilify Lew Edwards and Peak Democracy any more than the guys in Hollywood, Wallmart, Oil Companies or anyone else trying to work the government or Tax Board for a break or handout.
Hell, when I worked at a large homeland Security company, you better believe they spent most of their time trying to steer the port their way.
I'm with you, I am not for the survey or Peak Democracy, they're all a waste of money. But for me to act like they're trying to hoodwink me with their "slick presentation" seems kind of disingenuous.
The Shea homes on Vulcan are having an open house right now, I have to imagine it will be a slick presentation.
Mr Green Jeans
10:220 Unable to respond with a cogent argument the flamethrowing and name calling begins- typical. It was you who talked of creating jobs, certainly Keystone would created tens of thousands of good american jobs- truck drivers, cement pourers, pipefitter, electricians, welders. It seems you are less interested in creating jobs for all and more interested in creating only the jobs you want.
DeleteAs WCV correctly pointed out your claim that Lew Edwards was some how built on exchanging good and services for the private sector was wrong. Lew Edwards profits not from the private sector but from the public sector.
Likewise your incorrect assumption that Peak Democracy was a private sector enterpirse was also exposed as wrong as Peak Democracy profits from the public, not private, sector.
Taking the 'inventory' of others and making assumptions of how others should live their lives is never productive. If we have laws on the books for legal immigration shouldn't those laws be enforced - that seems reasonable?
I was at city hall in 2005 to speak against pension, I was also at city hall in 2008 to speak against an increase given in November 2008, I have participated, soon I will be leaving, and taking my business, employees and tax dollars with me. We will be going to a state that doesn't need to increase taxes on private workers because bloated government rewards cronies and special interests. Those place still exist where you can work for your family and not for the state and some fat cat pensioners family. - the roads are maintained, the schools are successful, the government debt is manageable, liberty and freedom are promoted, transparency is visible and the individual comes before the government- it's called paradise
hey 10:22 why is the economy so shitty? Could it be NAFTA, one party rule, higher taxes, more government spending, increased debt ceilings, lowering of USA living standards, UN agenda 21, out of control government? right, let;s not talk about those things, let's talk instead about "i did not have sexual relations with that woman- Ms. Lewinsky" or 'if you like your plan you can keep yoru plan"
DeleteJeez, I guess now we know wht Mitt Romney went to Poland as a candidate - to sure up an ally against a despotic Putin- but hey, the American press villified him- I get that tingle up my leg every time Obama speaks
I agree on NAFTA, and I'll give the TWO Party Rule, since the Democrats and Republicans are now indistinguishable. I'll give you Clinton, Bush Jr., Obama, the Iraq War, the Afghanistan War. I'm not really into tit for tat, to me you can look at an issue and see if it's been a plus or minus, good or bad. Clearly NAFTA is bad, because there's no such thing as Free Trade. The reason so many illegals came into the U.S. is because NAFTA destroyed prices in Mexico for crops. NAFTA slipped right on through both parties without much opposition, because we were in boom times.
DeleteRomney ran a poor campaign, I have no sympathy. You could vote for him, or not vote for him. I went Gary Johnson personally, a guy who has shown how to actually get it done...
10:57 I think the point on Romney and Poland was a non-existent press that mocked him adn made fun of him while promoting the otehr candidate Obama - it turns out Romney's position on Putin was correct and Obama's was incorrect. I don't want to speak for the poster but I took the point to be that the press can't be trusted - I think the press promoting Candidate Obama and denigrating Ronmney had much to with the election. The statistical data of negative news stories on Romney versus positive new stories on President Obama are facts that I can't ignore. Romney as right on Poland, and many other issues as well.
Delete10:42, but unless you tell me what your company is, where you're going and all the background, your argument is disingenuous. How do I know why you're really leaving, what tax breaks you are or aren't getting. And you could be going to Texas, or another state that has other major issues. People try to paint Texas a paradise, but the schools suck, it's hotter than hell, the governor is a complete ass and they're still executing people on a regular basis.
DeleteFYi, the schools are very good here, and you can still work here, and you don't have to work for the government. The economy is down now, there's no question. But I'm not moving to North Dakota or Wyoming to work as an oil worker.
The problem with immigration laws is they've never been enforced. Every president from Carter on has taken a pass. They never want to deal with it or alienate a voting bloc. In short, no one has the balls to make the tough call.
Plus there's a lot of hypocrisy, companies using illegals when times are good, then vilifying them when times are bad. Our country has done this to Hispanics for decades, it's a sad fact. We have to come up with a plan and stick to it, for EVERYONE, all the time, not just when times are bad.
There has been a lot of significant Latino immigration to this country and state for the last 30 years, but you only hear about it now when times are bad.
Sorry you're leaving, sounds like you participated, but sorry to see you giving up and fleeing the state with your JOBS.
I'm sticking to my point on Lew Edwards, tell me how they're different then Enron, the Koch Brothers, Walmart, Hollywood productions or anyone else seeking a deal from the government.
I'm sure you could crush me in an econ. discussion on pure capitalism and what should and shouldn't be In our system, but the fact is most people out there are seeking a deal, cutting the corner etc. No one is pure in my view, never has been. Nothing is perfect, our system has flaws, but it's still the best.
And to discuss Keystone as a pure job creator without the negative effects of the shale oil it contends is sheer folly. Why do people see this project as some kind of shining beacon that is going to save the nation? How about driving a smaller car first? It's a false straw man argument to me, that "liberals" and "Environmentalists" are always against jobs, with this being an example. It's not purely jobs vs. oil, it's way more complicated than that, hence the fighting over the issue.
http://www.businessinsider.com/oil-sands-in-alberta-canada-2012-7
My point is simple, I'm not leaving California. I was born here, and I'm going down with the ship, I'm not giving up. California is still the best, not Idaho, not Texas, nowhere...
11:03, please not the old canard about the press. So you're saying people can't think for themselves, the press can invade their mind and force a vote?
DeleteObama won, Romney lost. Romney lost because he ran a poor campaign, and came off as wooden and lame. The same way Gore did, and Kerry Did (meanwhile, I voted for Gary Johnson). Different parties, same result, although I have to say, the ingenious swift boat campaign against Kerry was pretty effective, but you can't really blame that when you're running against an ass like Bush.
And you can chose to accept or ignore those facts as much as you want, Obama still won, and won't be leaving until 2016. Vote Gary Johnson next time...
11:16 The oil sands in Alberta and the oil fracking in teh US are 2 different things and types. Alberta with wet while the US is hydrocarbon based.
DeleteWhat the press won't report is that the Alberta oil continues to come into the the US by rail. Who owns the rail - why good Ol Warren Buffet that's who. Ol Warrenhas spent close to $44B sicne his good friend and benefactor president Obama took office in 2008 to buy up the railroads that move oil from Canada to the US. Of course the railroads have been known to derail causing environmental disasters whole pipelines have proven more safe, and good Ol Warren';s railroad spews toxics into the air while the pipeline would not - but the press won't report those things. It si easier for ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS to distract from the truth
The press is more than happy to promote Good Ol Warren's position that we average hardworking taxpayers muddling by with a $100K a year salary should pay more in taxes and less interested in telling us how Good Ol Warren got the inside trade on Goldman, Bank of America and Merrily Lynch shares one day before the government bailed those banks oit - netting food Ol Warren a Billion more-
Nothing to see here people, hey let's go after the Koch brothers
Warren Buffet is known to me as a swindler and inside trader benefiting from his cronies and a complicit press
11:24 I read the post you commented on and no where did I read "people can't think for themselves" or the press "can invade their minds" . There is no denying the press in america is one sided. The statistical facts support that contention.
DeleteRight, but to me the Koch Brothers are no different. I'm no fan of Buffett either, but he has done a better job at selling himself, that's the American way. But it's not like he's some bleeding heart liberal, he's his own business, seeking to curry favor with whoever can do him one.
DeleteYou have to think and read for yourself, these guys are in one business only, the business of making money at all costs. They're not concerned with anyone else, which quite frankly, is nothing new.
We saw the dangers of rail with that huge explosion in Canada last year. Again, it's not a one to one comparison, both rail and pipelines can be dangerous, depending on the contents that they're carrying, the maintenance of the system etc.
It's kind of the old NIMBY argument with Keystone, with a lot of people not wanting it in their backyard. Personally, I am ok with building it, but they better be damn careful. One big blowout and they will be toast.
Funny that this pipeline has become such a lighting rod. It's like it's some symbol of economic opportunity, when really, it's a pipeline, with the potential to move oil, but with the environmental risks associated with any big pipeline.
http://www.businessinsider.com/r-insight-beyond-the-hype-keystone-would-yield-few-permanent-jobs-2014-14#ixzz2vvwYJVUF
FYI, you forgot Fox in your list above...lol
Delete11:16 the schools are good here? California ranks 48th in math and 49th in reading - Texas ranks 10 and 2nd.
DeleteCalifornia does have the 4th highest pay for teacher and administrative costs but sadly ranks 50th in pupil to teacher ratio
So where has all the taxayer money gone? Why are California schools failing? Likley the money has gone to kleptocrats and unions and their bosses. They can always pay a firm like Lew $100K to cleverly craft a bond ballot intiaitive that gets passed.
Here in Encinitas EUSD asked taxpayers to give them some $40M in a bond offer in 2008 or 2010 and we did - now EUSD is back wanting to sell out our assett at Pacific View to line their pockets.
11:52 actually I think Fox news is pretty fair, I am talking hard news with Brett Bair and Chris Wallace. I used tow atch BNC until Brian Williams edited videotape of George Zimmerman to intentionally make Zimmerman look racist. Certainly one can see GZ as a racist, my comment is Brian WIlliams and NBC can't be trusted if they are willing to intentionally and knowingly edit tape to make something look like it isn't.
DeleteI find the hard news at Fox like Bair and Wallace ask tougher questions of all political leaders on both sides then the other stations do.
If you have not seen theri coverage you might want to check out the hard news coverage
The schools are good in Encinitas, not the state. Fox is a load of horseshit, not that at any of the other networks are good. I haven't watched network tv in 25 years. What's the old saw, "If you're watching the news, you're not getting any". Trust the news, please. Not since they all got bought up by big corporations...
DeletePS-
ReplyDeleteFire Vina or Sad Sac or whatever you call that disaster of a life long government employee.
Councilman Tony Kranz said he has been impressed with what Vista has done with the revenue it gained from raising its sales tax rate several years ago.
ReplyDeleteHe has suggested that Encinitas could use its extra tax money to purchase the former Pacific View School property and turn it into a city arts center. On Wednesday night, he also said the city could also use the money for roadway and public building repairs.
Really? Tax the crap out of my for yet another trophy project. What about our road falling about. Lay off 1/3 the staff and rebuild are road.
Lets look at the big picture. For years now the City has told us that the City finances are in great shape, we have enough reserves, and everything is just fine. Then out of the blue, a suggestion for a sales tax increase should be studied was made at Council. The next meeting we get a long informational presentation on a tax increase stressing that only fast action can get it on the ballot. Suddenly, we have a near emergency that must be addressed now.
ReplyDeleteWhy ? If we are in such good shape, what's the hurry ?
The City tried to hide the road evaluation from the public - what are they hiding here?
What is the point of doing an informational survey if two Council members won't vote to put a tax increase on the ballot ?
Does anyone think that a survey will be "unbiased" and not slanted towards a tax ?
Does anyone think that the City won't promise every thing to every one to get a tax increase passed and then renege on those promises [say, where is that needed lifeguard station ?].
I am afraid we have deeper problems than the conspiracy folks think. The stink of no bid contracts, the $16000 land give away, the $100,000" we have to do it now" presentation and the pressure Vina, Murphy, and others have been putting on Council to do it their way leads me to believe we may have big trouble. I just can't tell what kind of trouble.
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.....
DeleteI like all the pretty little flags on 101 in Leucadia .... They remind me of an acid trip I took in the 60's. far out man.
ReplyDeleteI love the rhino's comments in the Union Tribune. Jerome stock is the cause of much financial hardship in Encinitas. You raise pension 35% and went for with the regional sports park that Encinitas cannot afford. Jerome stocks in the huge enemy of Encinitas. Financial health!!!
ReplyDeleteWhy do you continue to bring up Stocks. Your not that stupid to think he did this without the support of Teresa and Maggie! You need 3 votes to get anything done on the council and we all know Jim Bond voted no on pensions and the other council member were not around then.
ReplyDeleteMostly Maggie. Teresa did not vote on the pensions in 2005. She came on the council in 2006..
DeleteDump Barth.
DeleteJerome stock was the ringleader for an increase in pension and the ringleader for pushing forward unsustainable huge regional sports bar. The city of Encinitas cannot afford a huge regional sports park on it's own dime......
ReplyDeleteThe issues were brought up back then and there being brought up now. The point is Jerome Scott was completely wrong and he caused a lot of financial hardship for Encinitas!!!!!
Vina is just as guilty. He knew of the financial pain that was being caused by the regional sports park. He should be fired immediately
UC even Siri does not like the name Jerome Stock&
ReplyDeleteThank God he politically hung himself!!!
The only thing worse than a bleeding liberal is a selfish RINO!!!
ReplyDeleteJerome $tock$t was the worst enemy of the city's financial health
They'll have to tax the tax in order to pay these fat cats' outrageous pensions.
Delete