Seaside Courier:
His family has a long history in Encinitas.We sincerely doubt the Cozens were actually priced out of Encinitas; apartments and rental houses were cheap and plentiful here in the 80's and 90's. In fact, Encinitas has historically been fairly affordable until it recently became so popular and crowded (and high-density development will do nothing to relieve crowdedness or improve affordability; just look at Manhattan Beach!). Rather, we suspect the Cozens made a lifestyle choice to live in a single-family home with a nice yard in a low-density community, the same choice families here and elsewhere have been making for generations. And a choice the Cozens have once again validated with their new Encinitas home.
But the cost of living forced fifth-generation Encinitas resident Tom Cozens and his wife, Peggy, who went to high school in town, to move inland to Vista to raise a family.
“We lived where we could afford it,” said Peggy.
They eventually moved from Vista to Carlsbad. All the while, they stayed involved in the Encinitas community.
Thirty-seven years later, they are back for good. The 60-somethings have purchased an 860-square-foot home on a big lot in Old Encinitas with plans to build a larger home. They hope their children and grandchildren won’t mind visiting more often now that they are so close to the beach.
But what's with that 1/3 acre lot? We thought seniors wanted to live in high-density development.
Tom Cozens sells million dollar properties. Does he own property in the downtown specific plan where he wants to go up to 3 or more stories?
ReplyDeleteLook, I'm so liberal I'm practically a communist, but this "affordable housing" meme is 100% unadulterated bullshit from the top down. As someone who has taken the time to read most of the the state density bonus law, it is obvious to me that the document is no more than an effort to placate developer interests and increase tax revenues. The kicker , of course, is the potential windfall to scumbags like Marco. See, it's a win-win-win situation for the "players".
ReplyDeleteFrom an equally left liberal, I agree 100%. The affordable housing law is a joke and a scam. Lawmakers who voted it in should be ashamed.
DeleteSo?? You can find many "gifts" in current statutes not just density bonus. But like it or not it's the law. If you don't like it then head up to Sacramento and get them to change it. But as a warning, newly elected assemblyman and former San Rafael councilman Marc Levine introduced a bill last year to ease some of the requirements in the housing element and it went exactly nowhere. The only thing he could get his fellow legislators to agree to is a bill this year to reclassify Marin county from urban to suburban for housing element purposes. And in case you're wondering, the legislation doesn't apply to San Diego county.
DeleteAnd just so we're clear, affordable in Encinitas doesn't just mean below market rate. Go ahead and get a current estimate on your house and then see if you can afford it with only 20% down even with current low mortgage rates.
Or is it, screw them I've got mine?
Memo to city: residential development does not pay for itself with the taxes it brings in.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to Mayor Kristin Gaspar last night? She wants to put more debt on the taxpayers with buying Pacific View school at a lower price than the other three council people agreed to with the school district.
ReplyDeleteMayor Gaspar doesn't seem to understand that debt is debt.
I know this is not related to the topic but i wanted to share it anyway.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone cares to, take a look at Ruben Flores's "official" government Facebook Page. Oh, you didn't know? Yes, Mr. Flores who is a Plannng Commissioner has his very own official FB page, as well as a more generic one. One the "government official" page, as he likes to call himself, he supports Catherine and Gaspar. Interesting choices. He has also come up with his own definition of "community character." I notified all 5 council members who didn't think there was anything wrong with it. The interesting thing is that in 2013, all Commissioners were supposed to attend an ethics seminar (yes you read it correctly) run by Lew and Company. It cost the City $1500.00. At the meeting all commissioners were given the legal rules of what they can and cannot do. And one thing they cannot do, (well I guess with the exception of Mr. Flores) is to not say you represent the City. Only City Council can do that. So, Mr. Flores violates the ethics law, set forth by the State of California, and he gets a pass. Hmmm, I wonder why?
Bullshit MGJ. This is part of the propaganda role out to lie, deceive and manipulate public opinion, it's called propaganda, who can forget uncle Tom coaching Gaspar, or his ties to stack and pack czar Norby. Hey, let's not forget uncle Tom's ties to Dave Meyers and the finfinancial fiasco at the boat.house
ReplyDeleteFor those on the fence this confirms it, the seaside courier was started for two reasons, elect Gasapr and push the housing element update
Then don't vote for whoever is leading the propaganda. Come on, grow up people. I've been saying on here repeatedly not to vote for Gaspar, this is our chance to make Muir the lone big development vote....
ReplyDeleteThis guy is a biotech executive, and it looks like he wants to be a mover and shaker in politics...That's all I could tell, someone may have to let him know the boundaries of his position...
ReplyDelete5:44- I let all 5 council members know. What more can I do? No one else seems to think it is a problem. But it is. The reason is that when it comes time for the Planning Commission to decided on something, Flores has already stated his position on a Facebook page. He can hardly be objective, when he has already said what, for example, "community character" is, even though it is to the General Plan's definition. Why can no one see this? Or perhaps I am making a mountain out of a molehill?
DeleteSorry typing too fast. Should have said "it is not the General Plan's definition. Adding to my post. Should he get a pass if he decides to use his own definition? And if so, how much leeway should citizens give him. He has already stated he is for Gaspar and Blakespear and has had "meet and greets" for both of them. I can see some appeals going to Council if Flores decides he wants it his way. Seems like he should be dumped from the Commission, or at least recuse himself on anything having to do with Rossini Creek or New Encinitas.
DeleteMy point is Prop A supporter or Non Prop A supporter, don't vote Gaspar. This our chance to dump Gaspar. If you don't like Tony, then you will have your chance in two years.
ReplyDelete-MGJ
MGJ . Kranz . = Gaspar they are the same, Tony has more debt, both want to screw taxpayers. Cameron Graboi
ReplyDeleteState density bonus law requires that the low income house is the same size as the market rate houses. Mayor Gaspar said no to that requirement. Her reasoning was that the low income affordable house should be smaller because low income families wouldn't be able to buy furniture.
ReplyDelete5:58 Stupid comment from a stupid mayor. People want to vote for this idiot? Oh, please.
DeleteI'm no fan of Gaspar, but she's right.
DeleteFurniture, heating, air conditioning, electricity, maintenance, landscaping, insurance--every cost goes up with square footage.
Ever been to a white elephant party? The name comes from a fable about royalty in Thailand giving the rare animal as a backhanded gift. Because of the importance of the gesture, the recipient cannot sell the animal, but the cost to feed and maintain an elephant was enough to bankrupt most common people.
The white elephant was both a blessing and a terrible curse.
Just like a low income family getting a big new house with a below market monthly payment.
People buy big houses all the time and can barely furnish them, so they get the furniture they need and leave the rest until they can afford it. Have you ever seen pictures of big homes that are for sell with little to no furniture? I see it all the time.
DeleteGaspar has no feel or grasp for the lower class when she lives in her upscale million dollar plus house. She found a rich sugar daddy.
typo: "for sale" not "for sell"
DeleteWell chief, one of those two is winning, and Tony has done some good things and has helped Leucadia. I go Tony. Gaspar is a zero. Sheila can't win, no money, no backing, no website and wouldn't get along with anyone. Please don't go that route, she will be a distant 3rd, and I've been working on these campaigns for the last 16 years, I've seen the darkhorse deal before, it doesn't work, especially for Sheila....
ReplyDeleteHere's what happened the last time we had a big time vote splitter, we lost Dennis Holz...
ReplyDelete•Dan Dalager .......... 8799 votes 27.1%
•Christy Guerin .......... 8110 votes 25.0%
•Dennis Holz .......... 7733 votes 23.8%
•Robert Nanninga .......... 5791 votes 17.8%
•John Murk .......... 1946 votes 6.0%
This time Sheila will probably pull 4, maybe 5k votes. Watch that be the difference, because you know the old school, Rotarian, conservative developer crowd will back Gaspar.
ReplyDelete6:02 PM
ReplyDeleteWhat good things has Tony done?
How has Tony helped Leucadia?
6:02 keep talking that trash about Tony and I am likley to vote for Gaspar to make sure she wins. Kranz is a phony. If Kranz and Blakespear win they will appoint Barth and the Encinitas Lairs club will be running things-
ReplyDeleteWhen you "Talk Trash" about someone, that means you're slagging them. I'm for Tony. Sheila's old supporters are voting Tony, all the folks who supported Teresa, Lisa, Holz, the original Christy, these people are voting for Tony.
ReplyDeleteIf you vote for Sheila, Gaspar will win anyway. It's one of those elections where you have to hold your nose and vote for the least offensive pick. Tony has some work to do, and I didn't agree with the Pac View vote, but that thing has such a long history with Jerome, Danny and Bond blocking that purchase, that I can't hold it all against Tony.
If you want the total handout to developers club to remain in, the out of town money club, the secret website club, vote for Kristin or Sheila, the result is the same...
Tony has been an effective board member at NCTD, getting us some incremental improvements. If you recall when Jerome was on the board, we got nada.
ReplyDeleteIf you can provide me with details on how Sheila would be effective after basically getting run out of the mayor's job, whether her fault of not, right or wrong, I'd love to hear it. Especially after 14 long years being out of office.
I asked Bob Naninga the same hard questions after his THIRD defeat, after which he vowed to run again. Sadly, he passed, which deprived us of a valuable arts guru and good guy. The comparison here is Bob's campaign was about ego: His. Sheila's campaign is the same...
I will not be voting for Tony. He is mean, phony, dumb, not bright and a liar. All he had to do was be responsible with spending and represent residents, instead he llied, wasted money and sided with developers. I would rather have Gaspar as Mayor. I do not believe your lies that Cameron supporters will vote for Kranz. Collier, Dennis NeesNeeds have opted to support the liar, but then they support the liars Barth and Shaffer. I may yet vote for Gasapr, Tony is a phony
ReplyDeleteTom Cozens most certainly stands to profit, big time, from developing his downtown Encinitas property. He is one odd duck...there at the planning meeting the other night, he spoke on god knows what, he was so all over the place...the whole time with that Joker smile plastered on his face. The Housing Element Update scam the city plans for us must've been responsible for his permanent grin.
ReplyDeleteAnd who can forget when he offered his "services" to take Norby's facilitator job and and Kranz jumped on the offer?
Cozens does not creep around, currying favor, for nothing.
Cozens sold Tim Baird his house and chaired Prop P a coupla years ago for Baird.
DeleteAs a former Tony supporter, who gave the max. and campaigned to get him elected, I will not vote of him this time. Keep your word, or don't get elected. Tony has too much baggage right now. Let's see: a fully paid trip to Israel, compliments of Leichtag. Yes, he claimed it on his FPPC form, but that still doesn't make it right when he votes for Leichtag to go against Prop. A that he supported. even Gaspar, who was invited on that trip turned it down. I will vote for Cameron, knowing that most likely Kristin will win. But I cannot vote for someone who supports one thing to get elected and then turns his back on the same supporters. With Kristin, we know where she stands, and even though I don't always like it, she hasn't left her base. Cameron, I'll vote for, even if she can't win.
ReplyDeleteCollier's been calling everyone she know, lobbying for Tony. She is not someone whose opinion I value, not by a long shot.
ReplyDeleteThis Tom article is a fricken joke. Really? He should be ashamed. What a loser!
ReplyDeleteI supported Collier, now she is backing the liar, shame on you Rachelle, Barth doesn't even respect you, now I don't as well. Phony Tony, dump Kranz in 2016
ReplyDeleteAfter hearing Sheila rant about nonsense at Council meeting and then seeing the picture on the propaganda she is littering the streets with, I am pretty much convinced she is struggling with Dementia. Poor thing. The eyes say it all. Some people do not know when enough is enough and they should take the back stage for everyones good.
ReplyDeleteGo visit your friend who needs you. You can bitch about how much the world has changed. Talk each other to sleep. Peace and sweet dreams.
Huh?
DeleteSadly agree with part of 9:59.....
DeleteI could not make head or tail out of any of it.
DeleteGo join the KLCC and you will get it. Cockroaches love to bitch out cleaning up the place.
ReplyDeleteHave another.
DeleteHere is a tid bit for u loser KLCC members. Even though I can't stand how retarded you are on quality of life issues, I support your zero growth (true smart growth) stance.
ReplyDeleteYou have to do more than pass out a few fliers of retard Crazy on the face and go to the debates. Get organized. you are going get smoked. your old dead unsafe and bad ways have to change and you will die soon anyway.
PS- Don't drive. You obviously can not learn how to yield.
And another. Then don't write. You obviously can not learn how to write.
DeleteBravo 4:28 that make sense. Well at least we are confident you will not be mayor. Thank God.
Deleteactually the KLCC coach-roaches love to see how they can keep everything crappy and unsafe-- the way the like it.
ReplyDelete7:12 PM
ReplyDeleteAt the NCTD did Kranz save the trees along the 101?
Tom Cozens is a wolf in sheep's clothing! Very strange individual!
ReplyDeleteNo, and neither did anyone else on council the last 20 years, not even maggie.
ReplyDeleteBut Tony is out there fighting for us, Gaspar is not. It's Tony or Gaspar, who's your pick?
ReplyDeleteIf you vote for Gaspar, you get what you deserve, it's that simple. It's a matter of logisitics really. Let's say you don't like Gaspar or Tony. Gaspar is not running ffrom a safe seat, if she loses, she's out. Tony will be around 2 more years no matter what. If you don't like Tony, knock him AND Muir out in the next election. This is our chance to dump Gaspar, pure and simple.
ReplyDeleteI would say this, if you don't like Tony or Kristin, I wouldn't blame you if you didn't vote at all. I don't have the same pollyanna notions as a lot of people on here about Prop A. and Tony's endorsement of it or lack therof. Clearly a lot of people are bitter about his perceived endorsement of Prop A. and subsequent lack of support.
ReplyDeleteFor me right now, it's pure and simple. Get Gaspar out now, clean house on the rest during the next election. If we don't mend our fences and get the coaltion against people like Gaspar back in order, we might as well all stay at home in the future and let them run the town.
Good luck to all in the election. I'm out until November 5 and Gaspar and Blakespeare are declared the winners.
-MGJ