It seems Deputy Mayor Catherine Blakespear has taken negotiation lessons from Jim Bond.
In the midst of not only negotiations for the new city manager's salary but also labor negotiations for pay and pension increases for the entire staff, here's Blakespear in the Coast News shouting, "Look everybody! We've got lots of money!"
We don't doubt that the current property boom has Encinitas' finances looking rosy; homes in Encinitas are now valued well above the peak of the last bubble, and residential and commercial development is roaring. But Blakespear's carefree outlook reminds us a lot of a certain former mayor during the last bubble. Wouldn't it make sense to use the current boom to save a little money for the next rainy day?
And if Encinitas is in such great financial shape, why were Barth, Shaffer, and Kranz pushing for a sales tax increase just last year?
Shaffer is touting the same line in a recent letter to the Encinitas Advocate. Their theory is that if they affirm it enough, it must be true!
ReplyDeleteTwo words: road repairs.
ReplyDeleteIt is a circle of ass-coverage.
ReplyDeleteStaff makes "mistakes" that always support their own private interests over public good, and instead of Council telling them, "look for another job," Council praises staff so that they can praise themselves for the work at the City. If Council were honest about performance, they would not look very good either since they are responsible, ultimately.
Who on the Council is ready to say that we want higher standards instead of claiming that we are in excellent financial shape and hiring layer upon layer of consultants to do the staff's outsourced jobs? Other organizations identify and eliminate duplication whereas our city is expert at adding more and more layers.
Just when we thought we had a council member to stand for this community, Catherine seems to have crossed over to the dark side like so many have in the past once they breath in that rarefied atmosphere up on the dais. Her vote on the Orpheus project last week was crucial and she failed. Now this week we are left out once again as she colludes with staff to accept substandard performance from a bunch of over paid lackeys who farm out most of their work to high cost consultants.
ReplyDeleteWhat is old is sadly not new to anyone paying attention. Same old, same old seems to be the standard here. Some day we can hope a council member or three will not sell out. That day cannot come too soon. Disappointment reigns on!
I thought we had a keeper with Catherine that this community could rely upon, but she has squandered her good name and for what? The betrayal hurts. Perhaps the naive thought that change was in the wind led me to believe she offers something new for true representation that we have lacked. Same old, same old rules again.
Encinitas will always have sub-standard and below representatives running for the big seat. They get so full of themselves that they immediately forget about the constituents who put them into office.
ReplyDeleteThis council is a total failure, along with many in the past. The only good years were in the very beginning when we first got incorporated. Now, it is about the Princess, A Queen for the Day, Prince, Duke and Duchess.
Place the title on anyone of them as you see fit.
I believe incorporation has failed in many ways.
I still believe that we did the right thing by incorporating. The big money has always had control, and if we had not incorporated we could be looking at a One Paseo. At least we get to vote on zoning changes. I also think that the reason so many people do not step up to the plate and run for Council is that they get slammed by so many and every aspect of their lives are looked in to. It's one thing if you are running for President. Then your life is the publics. But a City Council member is not quite the same, especially in a community of about 62,000 people. I can think of many people who have thought about running, only to be told right here on this blog that they would not be supported. And, I am talking about progressive people, with good ideas, and a willingness to serve. We can't have it both ways. If someone wants to run, and you just don't like them for whatever reason, having nothing to do with how they would run the City, then it is all of us who have a problem.
DeleteLet's don't forget that Blakespear has zero credibility when it comes to finances. She single-handedly racked up more than $500,000 in private school debt ($150k bachelors degree in Journalism...you can see her feminist mum saying "do what you love honey, you are such a good writer..why don't you write for a living"....crash bang boom...Blakespear gets her butt kicked by the real world for one year then goes back to school to get another $150k private masters degree in Journalism, oh yeah that's the ticket, just get more Kool Aid flowing and then see what you can do out there in the real world...FAIL after less than two years she threw in the towel...the real world wasn't like the college campus...there was a lot of aggressive talent out there out hustling her at every stop, lesson partially learned...retreat..retreat...well that 6 years of high cost 'Journo' debt didn't amount to a hill of Olivenhain beans. So what do you? Instead of finding a real job (ANY JOB) and working for a living, her elitist/feminist mum supports her decision to stay out of the work force (you are much better than all those normal people with just bchelor degrees (who cares-no one) and supports her choice to pursue yet another advanced degree (which would cost a normal person half a lifetime to pay off)...so her mum says "oh honey I am sorry that writing didn't work out, why don't you just go get a $200,000 law degree and come work for mummy in the Del Mar office that I inherited & own free and clear AND I'll even give you a Cardiff beach house to boot..sound good honey buns?". Blakespear has never worked for a living or had to, every financial hurdle in her life has been 'covered.' I wonder if she'll raise her two kids in her subsidized Cardiff beach house the very same way? "Kids do what you love, never mind if you can't make a living doing it...just do it anyways and I'll pick up the tab." Blakespear and Shaffer are products of the Ivory Tower elitist culture of "know it all's" and are completely detached from people who work for a living in the private sector & frankly cannot be trusted to make ANY financial decisions, as for Kranz, I think that all of us know that boy definitely wouldn't be living in his parents-in-law home if it wasn't for his wife and her job...in Los Angeles. For the record Tony Kranz has never purchased or sold a piece of property in Encinitas EVER, he lives at his in-laws house in Leucadia which is open every other weekend for 'Glass Blowing' sales...definitely don't let that neanderthal nut job near the register!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you know the families here. Basically it is the big monied interests that run this town and they put their operatives in or seduce them shortly after they get in. The activists who know what's happening are too few and far between unfortunately.
Delete9:24, I disagree with Blakespear's recent decisions, but I think that the comments about her education and her mother are unfair.
DeleteMost of us would provide the best educations for our kids that we could afford to provide.
9:24.
DeleteIf you had an ounce of self-awareness, then you'd realize that your comments say far more about you than they do about Ms. Blakespear.
Yup, it's not anyone's business what her personal obligations are. Though I don't agree with all her takes in the article, I wasn't nearly as offended by a lot of the posters here. If you want a strict Libertarian on the council, someone from here should run.
DeleteAnd man, that post reaks of so much bitterness. It's not in the cards for everyone to own a house in this town, we've ground that discussion out on here. Plenty of people either inherited or were gifted houses. Some bought at low prices. That's capitalism. But to cast aspersions on people's ability because of those kind of factors is ludicrous.
DeleteNow I'm going to look up the info on the Orpheus decision so I can talk about an actual city issue, not someone's educational choices.
-MGJ
buying at a low price is self-reliance - that is capitalism
Deleteinheriting a house is relying on others - that is an inheritance
they are two different things. One is achieved, the other is received. The do reflect part of one's abilities.
MGJ - listen to both sides of the Orpheus presentation, then see what you think. Don't rely solely on "staff's recommendation." In fact, the case before it is worth watching, too.
DeleteMGJ - And pay attention to the vote on the Orpheus appeal. It was 3 to 2 with Shaffer and Muir voting to support the appeal. See if you can figure that one out. Listen carefully to what Sabine said and then what each of the council members said.
Delete12:14, it doesn't matter, she still got elected. Trying to make a value judgement on how she obtains her coin of the realm adds nothing to the discussion.
DeleteI have to watch the meeting. Will try tomorrow.
Fakespear has lived up to her name. Orpheus was a strike against the people and a vote for development.
ReplyDelete11:22 PM
ReplyDelete"Fakespear has lived up to her name." Oh goody. You came up with a play on her name. That seems to be required here. Shows the deep thought that goes into many of these comments. I guess it's always good to stay in touch with our inner seventh grader.
11:22 LOL. With one blow, you drove that nail all the way in.
DeleteIs every city in Calif as easily duped as Encinitas?? Do all cities roll over for the staffs and management?? Are ALL politicians so desperate for staff endorsements at election time that they open the vaults and allow the robbers to swindle the taxpayers??
ReplyDeleteWhen interest rates go up(and they will go up) the economy will crash harder than 2008-9, they only nice thing about it will be the elimination of Fed, state and local pensions and govt employees that serve themselves, thereby allowing govt to serve the public not the unions. Yes millions will be destitute and the streets will be unsafe for 3-5 years and yes America will fall into dictatorship ( for a while). But a great RESET of values and renaissance will begin.
Vive el RESET.
Bravo, bring on the reset! George Soros has just warned us about an imminent World War III. The end of the Petro-dollar and the U.S. economy is near, the Chinese hold the cards now. For when things get a little 'sketchy' around town...don't forget your second amendment-this is certainly one area where you want to 'buy ahead of your needs.'
DeleteDoes Dalakranz have a sign outside his Council Office that says "Fer Sale - my vote" (Donations/trips accepted). Sounds like his idea to jam low cost housing on Quail Gardens Drive has lost him even more support - so much for community character K-bob. The old adage applies - everyone has their price.
ReplyDeleteNext he will be working for some local bank. One termer for sure.
ReplyDeleteMaking out loans for kitchen appliances.
DeleteOff topic:
ReplyDeleteHas anyone noticed a drop in water pressure in the last week?
Not sure if it's my imagination (I doubt it) or associated with street work in the neighborhood (maybe).
Or is it possible that the SDWD is saving water through a quiet pressure reduction. When I wash my hands or take a shower, the valves are open for the same amount of time, but there's no doubt I'm using less, and honestly it's not a hardship.
Anyone else noticing anything similar?
low flow showers and toilets - that's not gonna be good for anyone
DeleteWon't matter on the toilets. Just take a few seconds longer to fill the tank. I bet most people would hardly notice a subtle pressure drop in the shower, even with low flow fixtures.
DeleteIt would be a sneaky way to cut consumption. Effectively reducing the amount of water dispensed on landscaping without changing valve timers.
I bet they could cut 5-10% under the radar. But can they legally do that?
Beneath the resentment, 9:24's point in the long paragraph above is that Blakespear has been fed from a silver spoon all her life, has never had to do the heavy lifting required to make it on her own and therefore doesn't understand and can't empathize with people who are self-made.
ReplyDeleteA common argument I hear made all the time these days, but it's usually overheated and overused. I will judge her on the decision once I watch the meeting. Where she went to college is up to her and her loan officer. Petty stuff.
Delete9:24 PM is simply bitter and projecting onto Blakespear, and others, what he/she assumes is their life. Unless this person knows the family well, it's all speculation. I've known salt of the earth type people both rich and poor. I've known slackers both rich and poor. I've also known assholes both rich and poor. Life is what you make it to use a common trite, but true, expression.
Delete9:24 PM just sounds envious. Blakespear should be judged on her merits and actions on council not the family she was born into. How many people here wouldn't do the same for their child if they could afford it.
Envy and bitterness. That's all 9:24 PM has got.
9:24 Sounds like typical Andreen, you know, the Lee Atwater wannabe. He's just honing his defamation skills for sale before the next election.
DeleteOK, so how's Blakespear's performance on council going?
ReplyDeleteLooks to many that she started out with integrity and popular purpose but has already been compromised and taken into the fold by the staff and the other council members.