Barth was relying on an e-mail from Finance Director Tim Nash to the council in response to a question from Council Member Lisa Shaffer:
In the current six year financial plan projected contributions to PERS are increased approximately 10% per year beginning in FY 2015/16. By FY 2018/19 (the final year of the current six year plan) contributions are assumed to increase 40%. When the six year plan is updated to add FY 2019/20 another 10% increase will be included resulting in a total 50% increase in PERS contributions between FY 2015/16 and FY 2019/20.Encinitas Undercover wanted more information so that we could share the good news with our readers. Somehow, City Manager Gus Vina had found a way to increase revenues and/or cut costs that resulted in a balanced financial plan even including rapidly rising pension costs, road maintenance, park operations, and debt service. It seemed too good to be true.
Well, you know what they say about things that sound too good to be true. We asked for a copy of the current six year financial plan that Nash referred to. No current plan was provided, and the response was:
The 10% annual increase that the Mayor is referring to is the anticipated increase in PERS contributions for actuarial changes that CalPERS has implemented. The “draft” financial plan was included in a couple of slides in the CIP presentation on 2/12/2014 and is included as an attachment to the agenda report for that meeting. The final budget and financial plan will be discussed at three City Council meetings in May with final adoption in June.In fact, the CIP presentation on February 12 did not include anything that could be remotely considered a financial plan, "draft" or otherwise. A financial plan, in any normal sense of the term, would show projected revenues and expenses by category, and an explanation for any significant increases or decreases. Nothing like that exists in the presentation.
Apparently, the most that can honestly be said is that the city is aware that costs are going up, but has absolutely no plans on how to pay for the increases. That's quite a different reality than the Mayor's reassuring statement to the public based on staff assurances to the council.
Wouldn't any competent city manager have created at least a medium-range financial plan before starting a project as large and expensive as the Hall Park construction? And what does it say of our city council that they didn't even require Gus Vina to produce a plan before they approved his borrowing and spending?
Communications Director Marlena Medford and Mayor Barth were very helpful and responsive to our inquiries, and both seem genuinely interested in improving transparency in the city's financial plans, as does Council Member Tony Kranz. We hope to see a legitimate six-year financial plan at the city's budget meetings in May.
Incompetency, complacency and outright distortion or concealment of the facts are some of the issues at City Hall. Barth is worthless and needs to resign or be voted out of office. Vina's position needs to be reevaluated and his contract possibly terminated. Encinitas is the Ttitanic post-iceberg..
ReplyDeleteThe latest from Barth's newsletter: Sounds a little like something Stocks might have said when he was on the Council. A little too snippy for my taste, but to each her own.
ReplyDeleteFact Check: What we discussed was NOT to place a tax on the ballot but rather to understand the process and possible cost. The $100,000 was the estimated cost for research, polling, public outreach and the ballot measure.
The purpose of the polling would be to get the public's input: Do they support a tax and if so for what purpose. It would cost far less than $100,000 and more likely around $20,000. Unlike the previous 'feel good' surveys the questions would be much more specific.
If polling showed there was strong support for the idea the city council would then have to vote to place a measure on the ballot. It would require a super majority of at least 4 votes. If the council agreed, then the public would vote on the measure. However, I doubt that would happen since Council members Gaspar & Muir have already said they would vote NO regardless of the public's opinion.
While you may not support the idea, a number of people I have spoken to say they would if it was for specific projects such as street improvements, more pedestrian RR crossing & quiet zones, open space and especially to purchase Pacific View. Others also told me they see it as a way to move these projects forward at a faster pace with everyone, residents and visitors who shop in Encinitas, paying for the improvements and it does NOT create any long term debt.
It is a topic worth discussing not just saying NO.
Dump Barth.
Delete"A number of people I have spoken to" say Barth and Vina are destroying Encinitas through fiscal mismanagement.
DeleteBarth is so wrong when she writes that the tax doesn't create long term debt. Once the tax is voted in then the bonds are issued. Bonds, bonds - long term debt.
DeleteHello WCV-
ReplyDeleteThis is excellent investigative reporting. This is a great service to the community. I find your blog is the most honest investigative broker of important informative news in the community.
The city has considered the following ways to pay for the rising costs they know exist but they simply did not include them in the plan. Mayor Barth and Gus Vina's plan
1. Let's hire an additional code enforcement officer (proposed)
2. Let's increase building and permitting fees on residents seeking to remodel their homes (passed)
3. Let's increase fees on families and their kids participating in youth sports(proposed).
4. Let's install parking meters to in effect tax residents for parking on now free city streets (proposed)
5. Let's increase the sales tax on residents - wherever they go in the state - making them pay more so city government can spend more-( proposed)
6. Let's spend $100K on a survey to be used to cleverly convince residents that the majority of people support raising taxes -( proposed)
7. Let's spend $100K on a Spin Doctor to better help the city present its message of raising fees and taxes on residents.(Passed)
8. Let's give some government employees a raise allowing them to increase their pensions and pension contributions and tell the public we are implementing pension reform. (passed)
Thank you for all the you are doing. I appreciate it.
Andrew Audet
Andrew, good points, and sorry to be a stickler, but I would estimate the Comms Director position as $75k + benefits, based on the posting and what I know from past experience at how they assign salaries based on ranges.
DeleteOtherwise, an excellent rundown on the current "lurking obligations".
Here's my question to the group, how do we get candidates out there that are WILLING and ABLE to put the pension issue in their platform and run for council. It's never happened up to this point, and it needs to happen.
That to me is the key issue, we have some great exposition and discussion on all these pension/cost related problems, but we need that next step, to getting someone on board who can carry that torch on the council.
Anyone willing to step out from behind the curtain and meet on this issue, perhaps bringing in other groups?
-Mr Green Jeans
Good run down Andrew. You forgot about the whoring out of the downtown and the invitation for the party bus to bring busses of drunks in on the weekend.
DeletePeople whose homes are broken into or who have to clean up the party that moves to their yards are asked to suck it up and clean up the human waste and beer bottles.
This is what is known as tourism!
Party bus sighted in the Encinitas Town Center.
Delete2:43- the all in comp for the spin doctor is around 100K - sorry to be a stickler - but you are wrong.
DeleteSeems like a waste of money to me, if in fact, the Council needs 4 people to get it on a ballot. I don't think Muir or Gaspar are going to change their minds, so why do this at all? What am I missing?
ReplyDeleteLorri, as Teresa Barth says: " . . . a number of people I have spoken to say they would [support raising sales taxes, through enacting a greater transactional use tax] if it was for specific projects such as street improvements, more pedestrian RR crossing & quiet zones, open space and especially to purchase Pacific View."
DeleteWhat you are not understanding, Dr. Lorri, is that the purpose of any poll, whichever survey conductor is selected, is to convince the public, by leading questions, that it would be worth it to us to increase taxes, AND, that although for the TUT increase to be enacted by a simple majority vote of the public, and not a two thirds majority, the money CANNOT be allocated or earmarked for ANY specific projects, but must go into the General Fund.
So, the purpose of the Lew Edwards Group or any other contractor would to be to FOOL the public, to convince us that although money would go into the General Fund, we would then have more money in the General Fund to help pay for SPECIFIC PROJECTS. It's a kind of bait and switch.
Another purpose of any survey, that could be contracted with the vote of only three Councilmembers, would be to try to convince the dissenting Councilembers, Muir and Gaspar, to change their minds, and to vote for what they are now saying they will not support: to place this measure for a tax increase on the ballot.
As Teresa Barth states: "I doubt that would happen since Council members Gaspar & Muir have already said they would vote NO regardless of the public's opinion." That quote is definitely taking what Gaspar and Muir have stated, publicly, out of context, and twisting the facts to support Barth and Vina's agenda to raise taxes, even though our City budget is supposedly in excellent shape.
Hello Lynn-
DeletePerhaps the reason Mayor Barth pressured Mr. Muir and Ms. Gaspar on their refusal to raise taxes on residents at this time was to conjecture spin that they somehow oppose "public opinion" on the issue of raising taxes. It reminds me of a political trick someone like Jerome Stocks would employ in an effort to negatively paint those presenting an opposing view while attempting to favorably spin events to better portray themselves.
Thank you
Andrew Audet
Andrew,
DeleteRespectfully, I think you'd be giving Teresa too much credit to come up with a plan like that, and I can't see her trying to pressure Muir or Gaspar, or them going for it.
Frankly, this one is never going to get onto the ballot, but let's keep the heat on and make sure it doesn't.
-Mr Greenjeans
-Mr Green Jeans
Thank you, Andrew. I am grateful for your participation, here, on EU. I sent you an e-mail, forward, and will be sending more, with law, opinion, and facts relevant to a possible injunction filed against EUSD's plans for an auction on March 25 to sell Pacific View to the highest bidder, without first abiding by the specific terms of the Naylor Act.
DeleteI was at the council meeting, maybe you were not. When it became apparent that Muir and Gaspar were not going to support Vina and Barth's little plan to waste $100K on a survey and raise our taxes Barth and Vina were visibly distressed and uncomfortable. Barth then got into Muir's face, Barth sat up in her cahir and leanded in on Muir so much so that Muir had to sit back in his chair, and Barth said something like 'so even if 60-70% of the people say they want a tax increase on the survey you won't support it' to which Muir responded something like 'that's right'
DeleteIn my opinion I too think it resembled Jerome Stocks. Barth and Vina just like Jerome Stocks want 5-0 council votes to cover their tracks.
I wasn't at the meeting, but I watched it, live, on Cox 19, from home. I too could see that Teresa Barth WAS "trying to pressure Muir or Gaspar."
DeleteLike you, Mr. GJ, I don't see them going for it. But Barth was trying to use pressure, to posture herself as supporting public opinion, and Muir and Gaspar as disregarding it, at the 3/12 CC meeting, and has continued her futile (I hope) attempts through her most recent newsletter.
I will not forget that Teresa Barth and Lisa Shaffer attempted to do away with time donations, except as a donation to a "pre-qualified" group, so "groupspeak." Neither Barth nor Shaffer have any qualms about changing tradition or policy, as long as they can get Tony Kranz to go along with them. Public opinion be damned.
Fortunately, neither Tony, Kristin or Mark went along with eliminating time donations. I can't understand why Lisa Shaffer, who has taught ethics, and gave a lecture, "Confessions of an ethical politician," or words to that effect, could not have added one more commission, an ethics and safety commission. The Ethics Commission could help people, including candidates or their support groups, better understand the often complicated disclosure and conflict of interests laws now in effect.
The Safety Commission did not need to be combined with our Traffic Commission, which traditionally has had one Commissioner from each community, just like the Planning Commission. The only reason Barth and Shaffer didn't add more members to the Planning Commission, is that is prohibited by Government Code.
It is a band of thieves !
ReplyDeleteSomeone with more understanding the transaction and use tax should clear up the questions of the payers of the additional tax. It will not be the visitors to Encinitas. The tax is only on Encinitas residents. Barth is wrong in her statement that visitors will pay the tax.
ReplyDeleteVina let the streets fall in more disrepair than previous city managers. The council went along with him. RR underpasses at $7 million dollars - no way.
Work with the agency powers for at grade crossings.
Quiet zones - last estimate was in around $50,000? And Barth thinks we need a tax for that amount? The city is in the toilet.
Open space hasn't been a priority for the last 10 years. Barth and the other cohorts want to trash our environmental protections in the general plan. The city is in the toilet.
here's how the Vista tax works:
Deletehttp://www.cityofvista.com/departments/citymanager/salestax.cfm
So it does look like visitors pay a tax on purchases, assuming the tax is written and implemented as it was in Vista.
-Mr Green Jeans
2:49 PM
DeleteDig a little deeper on the Vista website and find the FAQs on the tax. Only residents and businesses of the city pay the transaction and use tax.
Proposition "L" established a general half cent "Transaction and Use Tax" approved by voters in 2006. Similar to a sales tax, the tax is levied on the same goods and merchandise as the 1 cent State of California sales tax. However, where the sales tax is applied to all sales within the city, the Transaction and Use Tax is only applied to purchases by consumers or businesses located within the city.
Vista voters approved the 30 year tax, Prop L, to be in effect until 2037.
Here comes the long term debt -
Proposition L is a general purpose tax the voters approved based on the community projects proposed. In 2007, bonding for all of the community projects was initiated; due to the structure of the bond payments, funds cannot be used for any other city operations other than firefighter salaries. Once the bonds were issued, the City was obligated by law to utilize the money for the projects as outlined in the bond documents. While the Proposition L money does go into the general fund, the amount required to pay the bonded debt is immediately removed to fund the projects approved by the voters.
If someone from San Marcos buys a car in Vista, will he/she have to pay the extra sales tax?
No. The half-cent sales tax will be collected on automobiles purchased or leased by Vista residents (no matter which city the automobile is purchased or leased).
http://www.cityofvista.com/departments/citymanager/SalesTaxFAQ.cfm
Thanks for digging up the link!
Delete-Mr Green Link
Financially Encinitas hit the ice berg long ago, the library got us on the rail and approving hall park put us soundly in the life boats. We now have bloated bodies floating around city hall.
ReplyDeleteAt $178.000/year corpse payment for one that "represents" the citizens.
DeleteVina and the finance department are hoping the property taxes come in before May.
ReplyDeleteWhy not utilize the new Communications person at city hall to come up with a questionnaire as part of her job? This would be a cost savings of thousands of dollars. Seems to me this should be part of her job description.
ReplyDeleteThe next "happy" card that Gaspar sends out can have a postage paid reply card attached.
DeleteBetter yet, she can do a little street paving. I can't give you a good reason, but public agencies love to outsource...
DeleteYou people can dance around the 800lb gorilla all you want, the city is bankrupt !!! They just havent filed the paper work yet. Now deal with that!!!
ReplyDeleteNo fan of Vina here, but it's wrong to blame him as the sole villain in the Hall Park fiasco.
ReplyDeleteFind the video of that council meeting at the Community Center to confirm this summary:
Stocks cooked up the financing plan with Bond, and they brought Vina on board. Not too long before, they and three other council members had hired Vina.
Stocks and Vina explained the financing scheme. Stocks repeatedly emphasized that the bond debt would not blow back on taxpayers.
There were many, many dog people there to cheer for the park. Same for skaters. The neighborhood people who objected were ignored.
Shortly before that meeting, Stocks' buddy Muir had been appointed by the majority to fill Houlihan's seat. Muir was still getting his feet wet, indebted to Stocks and barely made a peep.
When Stocks made the motion to approve the $19.3 million plan, not a nanosecond went by before Bond seconded. Muir was already on board. Gaspar briefly objected because Stocks had not massaged her enough beforehand. He did that during the meeting, and she went along. Barth voted for it because being the sole dissenter would have been pointless and, given the pro-park vibe in the room, would have been unpopular.
Stocks created and pushed the plan because he thought the park would be a feather in his cap and get him re-elected.
We got the boondoggle park, but Stocks lost. The former is a financial albatross, the latter is a great blessing.
2:38 is not making excuses for Barth. 2:38 is saying it's wrong to simplistically vilify Vina. He's not solely to blame for everything.
DeleteWe need a council that will not prolong the fraud! They keep it going, and it will grow much faster as time goes on. Someone has to show some courage and demonstrate some "ethics" and bring in a forensic accountant.
DeleteBy the way, Gus likes to say, don't use the F-work--forensic!
Instead, all 5 "get along" and agree to keep us in the dark about the ice berg!
Actually it was Vina who put together the financing plan for the Hall property park construction and Moonlight Beach improvements. Jerome Stocks just gave the order and Vina went along because he knew that there were at least three votes on the council. Stocks wanted it done before the November election because he knew he was in trouble and Bond was retiring. They were aware that with a new council the park master plan would probably be changed and the park built in increments as money was available. This had already been proposed during the campaign.
DeleteVina did play a pivotal role in getting park construction financed and started in order to make it irreversible. He was warned about this and went ahead anyway. He could have stalled for several months. He is now paying for the consequences for his actions.
What consequences? He simply runs and hides his face in the Mayor's skirts, and she attacks anyone who brings attention to his bad work.
DeleteI don't understand the hold that this hypnotic weasle has on Teresa!
4:05, you restated what 2:38 said: Stocks' scheme, Vina joined to help execute it. Stocks was the general, Vina was the lieutenant.
DeleteYou can only take the Nuremberg denfense so far. Why should, "I was just following orders," be an acceptable excuse? They have professional titles and are certainly getting professional pay for their jobs. The only thing missing is professional ethics and other professional behavior that their pay and job descriptions should require.
DeleteYes, what was missing, and still is, are ethics, integrity, and true understanding of and compassion for the general public, putting the "little guy" above special interests.
Delete2:38 another explanation for Barth's shitty voting record sticking it to taxpayers. What explanation do you have for Barth voting toa pprove the spin doctor? How about Barth voting to give Vina another $400K over budget for the planning dept? How about Barth proposing the code person? How about Barth voting for the bogus 3% increase they call pension reform?
ReplyDeleteMaybe, but also an accurate depiction of what went down. We're wasting WAY, WAY to much time on the past here folks, and sadly, people to get a lot of it wrong. 2:38 is right, there is a ton of blame to go around, and I'm not a Vina fan either.
DeleteLet's quit attacking each other and try and figure out how to get some candidates on the freakin' ballot that can carry the pension reform flag...
Recruit Dennis Holz!
DeleteAgree. Recruit Holz and fire Vina!!!
DeleteAMEN! But I think Dennis is done with politics, as in a long time ago. It's got to me a new person.
DeleteIt's a city manager's responsibility to present financial analysis for capital projects and long-term future financial conditions. Vina needs to be fired
ReplyDeleteAm I the only one who noticed that during the early part of this century that there were a plethora of cities that went into serious debt to build sports parks. Even little Wasilla , when Palin was mayor had zero debt until a sports park was pushed through leaving the town 26million+ in debt. It would be interesting to follow that money trail.
ReplyDeleteThe Cabezon
Yes, I heard that too, about Sarah Palin's town, and a sports center, there. Many of these public centers had to be sold out and privatized, as the Cities could not afford the maintenance and the debt service.
DeletePension reform thru initiative - waiting for a candidate to do it is too vague.
ReplyDeleteDUMP BARTH
ReplyDeleteDump Barth and dump vina
ReplyDeleteDig a little deeper on the Vista website and find the FAQs on the tax. Only residents and businesses of the city pay the transaction and use tax.
ReplyDeleteProposition "L" established a general half cent "Transaction and Use Tax" approved by voters in 2006. Similar to a sales tax, the tax is levied on the same goods and merchandise as the 1 cent State of California sales tax. However, where the sales tax is applied to all sales within the city, the Transaction and Use Tax is only applied to purchases by consumers or businesses located within the city.
Vista voters approved the 30 year tax, Prop L, to be in effect until 2037.
Here comes the long term debt -
Proposition L is a general purpose tax the voters approved based on the community projects proposed. In 2007, bonding for all of the community projects was initiated; due to the structure of the bond payments, funds cannot be used for any other city operations other than firefighter salaries. Once the bonds were issued, the City was obligated by law to utilize the money for the projects as outlined in the bond documents. While the Proposition L money does go into the general fund, the amount required to pay the bonded debt is immediately removed to fund the projects approved by the voters.
If someone from San Marcos buys a car in Vista, will he/she have to pay the extra sales tax?
No. The half-cent sales tax will be collected on automobiles purchased or leased by Vista residents (no matter which city the automobile is purchased or leased).
http://www.cityofvista.com/departments/citymanager/SalesTaxFAQ.cfm
Why does the business community care then? non-residents aren't "impacted" by the couple cents fee? doesn't sound right. Why I don't get is why canadians don't pay tax in the us.
DeleteOn this TUT tax, can someone explain something to me? If I pay cash for something is Carlsbad, for example, how would the merchant even know that I live in Encinitas? Or even if I charged it, how does they know where I live and how does the tax get back to Encinitas?
ReplyDeleteFor cars, you pay the tax based on the address you give to register.
DeleteFor small purchases, they won't track and penalize you everywhere just because you live in Encinitas.
WCV
What happens with Internet buying?
DeleteI believe you'd pay the higher tax if you ship it to your Encinitas address. People with offices in Carlsbad or San Diego might presumably start shipping there to save on the tax.
DeleteThat's at least with Amazon, which has voluntarily started collecting tax based on location. Other Internet retailers are still tax-free, but eventually that may end.
WCV
Reposting the FAQ:
Deletehttp://www.cityofvista.com/departments/citymanager/SalesTaxFAQ.cfm
News flash --
ReplyDeleteLogan Jenkins reports that Shaffer sent an email to Vina with the comment that she wanted to change her vote on the $100,000 study.
5:08 Where did you read this? Logan is a FB friend of mine, and he has not posted anything in the UT or on his other page. Please give us the link if it is true.
ReplyDeleteLogan's column --
ReplyDeletehttp://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/15/money-name-game-encinitas-fallbrook/
Is Logan Jenkins an errand boy protecting his masters?
DeleteIs Jenkins and the UT trying to paint Muir - who voted to raid infrastructure accounts of $7M - favorably to make Muir look good for a Mayoral run?
There were community commentary's in the Coast News about Encinitas going bankrupt just about every week in 2010, 2011 and 2012 where was Jenkins? Protecting his master and the developers best friend Jerome Stocks?
There were community commentary's in 2010, 2011 and 2012 about the buried road reports, failing infrastruture, Hall Park train wreck, fat pensions, over priced fire houses and some zoning consultant being questionable in representing residents- where was Jenkins?
Who can forget Jenkins telling us all how Dan Dalgaer had a 'cool kitchen' instead of reporting to us Dalager was under some kind of indictment from the DA? Come to think of it this was the time of the year when Cotton, Stocks and Dalager tried to bury the road report, as advised by Sabine- was Jenkins silent because it was an election year? Should Jenkins get a raspberry for being a Palace Guard instead of a steward of the publics best interests?
Is Jenkins a waterboy carrying water for his leaders? Is the UT lining up to back the pension problem Muir because Muir is the developers newest best friend at city hall?
Interesting Jenkins mentions Kranz - I remember reading Kranz went to some swanky party after getting elected with the UT - Kranz has known about the city's crappy finances for years (*just like Jenkins has ) yet Kranz has done nothing to make them better. Kranz opposed A, gave approval to Vina hiring Rutan and Tucker and then voted to hire the communication specialist.
Jenkins is again wrong - the debt in Encinitas isn't a gray or green issue - it is a failure by government, the UT and Jenkins, to report the truth to citizens the past 10 years.
The purpose of government for people like Jenkins is the transfer of tax dollars from the middle class to the 1%.
DeleteJenkins isn't interested in the nitty gritty of actual government, or how it affects the people of the city. He likes the little scandals, surveying it all with a nod and a wink.
DeleteDude's a good writer, but he's not an investigative reporter. We tried for years to get the Jonathan Horns of the world to do write about some of the dirt, they would never go for it. Only the Dallager kitchen scandal finally got on the radar. All the out of town money, sneaky donations, early signs etc never raised as much as an eyebrow.
As for Tony going to the party, it's a party, how many times are we going to rehash it. As for him not trying to raise the cover on finances, totally valid point, which should be brought up every time.
Look for Jenkins to continue to smoothly support Muir going forward, if he runs...
3:08 you make my point. Jenkins is a waterboy carrying water for his masters. Hie does not offer insightful commentary to alert readers but rathers pens sophomoric prose to please his masters. He's an errand boy sent by grocery clerks to run inteference and political cover for his masters. He's also not that good as a writer. A bit winded and gasseous, unless you like that kind of scent.
DeleteI don't always agree with Logan, but I think he nailed it on this one. I wonder how he sourced that email from Lisa.
ReplyDelete-Mr Green Jeans.
Lisa would have copied the whole council on it. Some of them are no doubt friendly with Jenkins and realized he'd obviously be interested.
DeleteI've been wondering why Jenkins has been silent on Encinitas for so long. Nice to hear from him again.
WCV
How can she change her vote? What's done is done. There's no do-over.
DeleteThat would be Mark Muir most likely, as Logan was/is kind of a Stocks buddy.
DeleteHe needs a real juicy "take" to put it in his column, I figured he'd have something on the Pacific View property....
-Mr Green Jeans
Lisa Shaffer can change he vote by doing another councilmember initiated agenda item, as Tony Kranz did re his letter to EUSD re Pacific View, last Wednesday night.
DeleteShe can ask for a reconsideration based on the fact that she has reconsidered herself. This would be preferable, rather than waiting for Gus Vina to come back with three bids for more unwanted contractors to perform unneeded surveys.
We know that Kristin Gaspar and Mark Muir would support reconsideration, and there could be a new vote by Council at a public meeting. There are "do-overs," 6:32.
Meanwhile, Logan Jenkins got a lot wrong in his article, including his misstatement that the District has been trying to sell the property for ten years. Not true. It was always to be an exchange, hence the excuse that the Naylor Act didn't apply. But it does apply because it is based on when the District initially made the determination to sell or to LEASE the property, which was through the City.
At Taxpayer expense, in early 2004, the City paved over the PV playing fields, as part of its lease WITHOUT 30% of the permanently closed school site being offered to public agencies FOR OPEN SPACE, as mandated by the Naylor Act. The time tolls from "at least eight years immediately preceding the date of the governing board's determination to sell or LEASE the schoolsite."
In another one of Baird's baits and switches, he keeps attempting to mislead by saying, "this law only applies when a school district’s Governing Board determines to sell or lease property and where the property has been used for a playground, park, or other recreational purpose for eight years immediately prior to a school district selling or leasing the property"
Notice the subtle but important difference? The citizens never had a chance to acquire public land for public open space, prior to the playgrounds and playing fields being paved over. The time TOLLS from when the Board of Trustees made the initial decision to lease, and to eliminate the open space, not to ten or eleven years later, when the District suddenly decides not to exchange, but to sell the property to the highest bidder.
Lisa Shaffer can change her vote . . .
DeleteFloating names in alphabetical order for council or mayor candidacy:
ReplyDeleteAndrew Audet
CJ Minster
Great choices!
DeleteAndrew Audet has my vote. I have no idea who CJ minster is?
DeleteWatch last Wednesday's oral communications near the start of the council meeting.
DeleteNeither will run. Next!
Deletelol.....great choices....
DeleteWe know Andrew reads the board, not sure if he's interested.
ReplyDeleteNo pension over $50K/year for any employee. Reduce staffing to minimum; justify positions already in place. No new taxes, dump Barth, dump Gaspar.
ReplyDeleteTell Shaffer she isn't in the Ivory Tower anymore - dump her next time around too. Muir and Kranz are on the line too. Tell Muir to donate $70K to the Hall Park - he's flush with the pork barrel pension.
This city needs to have a budget and live within those means. We do not need to pay outsiders, who have no interest in our city, to do surveys which are not needed at outrageous rates. There are plenty of city staff who are capable of putting together a survey. This is not a huge endeavor. If the council would open their eyes and ears to what the citizens have been saying, there is no need for yet another useless survey. Stop spending our money foolishly.
ReplyDeleteI understand the Barth was on the 2-person sub-committee that hired MIG for the General Plan and for our current City Manager (Vina).
ReplyDeleteBarth was the Chair of that committee.
DeleteI think that there may have been others from different areas of the City on the committee, but my understanding is that Barth and Patrick Murphy were the ones who guided this selection. This was despite the fact that MIG disclosed in their proposal that they were being sued by another client. Wouldn't this have been a serious red flag if the selection committee had bothered to read the proposals before deciding?
DeleteMIG also structured their contract so that they would receive their final payment prior to the September 2011 release of the Draft General Plan Update. This means that they had already received complete payment and had left town before citizens got a chance to evaluate their work. When asked why he would agree to such poor terms for a city contract that was more than 1 million dollars, former Planning Director Patrick Murphy stated, “That is the way that Daniel (Iacofano) wanted it."
Vina joined the city after MIG had been selected. However, part of the reason that he said he deserved to be City Manager was his assertion that he had extensive experience in General Plans. He said in a presentation to the council that Encinitas would be his 3rd General Plan. Some had hoped with this experience, he could turn around the Encinitas GPU fiasco. At the time, some claimed Vina hadn't been given a chance to turn it around on account of Stocks' bullying. In light of Vina’s recent performance, that excuse seems very questionable by now.
Delete11:08
ReplyDeleteGood point. or start laying off people because they are not needed.
Anyone paying attention knows what the CIty needs to do, which is deal with the infrastructure. We don't need a surgery to tell us that. And, we certainly don't need any new taxes. I want PV as much as anyone, or maybe not. Because I don't want to pay another 1/2cent on the dollar to get it. If that makes me a bad citizen then so be it. It''s time to address concrete issues, literally and figuratively. The COuncil can stop the feel good to themselves stuff, stick Vina in a corner and not listen to his bullshit anymore if they don''t have the balls to fire him, and start fixing our roads. They can start with El Camino Real.
ReplyDeleteThey can start with Santa Fe Dr.
DeleteHas anyone ever talked to the city about Santa Fe? I know they did that water project there 5-7 years ago, why didn't they repave it in from on the high school.
DeleteIf there's one road that stands out, that would be the one.
Which parts of El Camino are really bad?
DeleteParts of Leucadia blvd are awful. Parts of downtown where they did the revitalization are falling apart.. What's wrong with a city that accepts substandard work??
DeleteLeucadia Blvd and El Camino Real? Really? Awful?? Photo's please.
DeleteAnd for those who can't seem to comprehend how roads get repaired... They are not going completely repave Santa Fe until Cal Trans widening, Scripps, the park and the other building projects on Santa Fe are completed. Have a clue before you bitch about it!
El Camino Real looks like a patchwork job and does not look like a place that has the finances to do it right.
DeleteIf you want to see a truly awful road try Sorrento Valley Road near the coaster stop. Now that's awful!
DeletePart of Leucadia in the right lane is rough in between Saxony and the 5, it does need an overlay. It's otherwise in good shape.
DeleteAnother really bad road, Friars road going to the Q in SD.
-Mr Green Jeans...
In case anyone is interested, it wasn't Muir who gave Jenkins the email, it was the person who wrote it.
ReplyDeleteIt was Muir , very simple he's a fat cat rat .He spiked his pension by using 800 hours of vavcation time YA 800 HOURS and he never met an ass he couldn't kiss. What a guy
Delete800 hours??? That's 20 weeks of unused vacation time?? Unreal.. I haven't had 20 weeks of vacation time in the last 10 years , and mine isn't paid either. It's time to kill this union perk.
DeleteUh, that would be Lisa Shaffer. Either way, glad she changed her mind.
ReplyDeleteI love it…. they are so smart.
ReplyDeleteMuir did it.l Fat cats have all the time in the world.
Don't forget his election motto "Tried and Trusted"
DeleteMore like "Career Slacker now in the civic trough for life"
Animal Farm...
New motto: Tried the sensibilities of the citizens to the breaking point!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Lisa Shaffer changed her mind. This would be the first time, to my knowledge, that she has been the swing vote on any issue. In the past, that vote has been Councilmember Tony Kranz. But Tony was the one who made the motion for consideration of this increased tax; and was Teresa Barth the second.
ReplyDeleteAn e-mail by Lisa Shaffer to Gus Vina should be publicly disclosable. Time for another California Public Records Act request.
Shaffer is showing how politically naïve and inexperienced she is by reversing her position when it was no longer an issue. She suddenly realized the absurdity of the idea and is trying to do the "Never mind" act. She is still an academic - lived as a "theoretical intellectual" off the public coffer all her life (high end of welfare). The old adage applies aptly to her "Those who can - do; those that can't - teach". It is obvious that she is out of her league in the real world. Reminds me of the Three Stooges episode where they feign being academics and talk gibberish and people buy into it.
DeleteDump Shaffer!
DeleteShaffer doing the "Woop woop woop"!
DeleteWho is Shemp?
DeleteMuir looks like Curly; Barth is Moe after a lobotomy; Larry might be Sabine after his coffed do goes bad. Shemp - Tony the Toner?
DeleteDalager is the potted plant on the window sill.
Hello WCV-
ReplyDeleteFriday afternoon March 14 I sent a records request to the city clerk requesting any all communications between the city manager and city staff with any member of the Lew Edwards consulting group and any council member on the subject of survey's, tax increase and this issue.
Thank you
Andrew Audet
Good for you Andrew, but expect to get the tried and tried response from the City Clerk, "no such records exist."
DeleteThanks for making a CPRA request, Andrew. According to Logan Jenkins article in the UT, an e-mail was sent to the City Manager by Lisa Shaffer. That e-mail is a publicly disclosable document. You should NOT get the response "no such records exist." I would have shared the link to Logan's commentary, with the Clerk:
Deletehttp://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/mar/15/money-name-game-encinitas-fallbrook/
Thanks very much, also, to whomsoever provided the UT link!
If Shaffer sent the email to Logan, I don't quite get her motivation. To me it makes her look foolish. Although I was surprised by the bluntness of Gaspar and Muir refusing to vote for a tax measure, I immediately recognized that the agenda item was dead in the water. It's a mystery why Shaffer continued to support it. Barth is a Vina loyalist, and Kranz is often the same. So their votes are understandable.
ReplyDeleteIf Shaffer did send the email, did she realize she had been conned by Vina and the Lew Edwards Group?
None of this really matters. She realized the whole thing was doa, and that it was bogus, and bailed out. I don't really care what your motivation was for doing the right thing, just do it.
DeleteAs for Tony, whatever happened to the roads report, and living within our means. I appreciate him going up against the bar guys, but appreciate it if he'd go back to some of his small government thinking..
-Mr Green Jeans
Shaffer shows her true colors - yeller!
DeleteFutile attempt to save face.
DeleteSeems she can change her position but not the vote she already cast. Her new position will apply to future votes but not past votes.
ReplyDeleteThat's correct. She can ask for another, public vote, and at that time go with Mark Muir and Kristin Gaspar's no vote on our city's contracting with an unwanted consultant to do an unneeded survey.
DeleteShaffer said that she supports the idea of taxing residents and used the "residents have a right to vote"-
DeleteBarth and kranz also used this line "residents have the right to vote'- I suspect it was Vina and his spin doctor who came up with this creative way to spin their attempt to get their greedy hands on more of our money-
They are correct, it's a question of how you feel on taxes, and the role of government. Most of us on this board would be against any additional taxes...
DeleteKranz Barth and Shaffer also approved hiring a spin doctor to find out to write a ballot statement to educate residents - last time bartBarth Shaffer and kranz educated residents on a ballot statement they lied.......ethics and transparency my ass
DeleteTony, Teresa and Lisa, please return to your stated core values and the people who elected you. This change of sides is the most painful episode in Encinitas political history--which is saying something. What do you want your legacy to be? Being part of this ongoing financial cover up and helping to create a larger bill to stick to taxpayers is not the right thing to do.
DeleteNot as painful as the election of Dan Dallager, but I see your point. They do need to step it up. I'm hoping this is the turning point, because for all of our well intentioned discussion, they're not going anywhere for another 3 years...
DeleteWhy would they change sides? And so quickly? It was obvious from roads not being repaired there was no money, my guess is we are beyond broke and council's just living on the hope somehow the next council will fix it. Game is now at it's end.
DeleteSacrificing the good of Encinitas that remains for the sake of financial solvency. But financial insolvency has been created by overspending and bad management.
DeleteYes, I remember Teresa Barth responding, when asked about Prop A, that she supports the citizens "right to vote," knowing full well our local grassroots proposition was entitled the Right to Vote initiative!
DeleteThe Mayor says she supports our right to vote, as she imagines that by "astute" push polls and lobbying by contractors she might get the people to vote yes on more sales taxes. However, she never signed the petition for Prop A, and after Lisa Shaffer and Tony Kranz were elected, she helped write ballot arguments against the people's right to vote on upzoning.
The Mayor also has not supported the people's right to vote on a $20 Million plus project, the version of the Leucadia 101 Streetscape that would include four one lane, three way, t-intersection roundabouts.
I understand the little flags in the medians, on 101, in Leucadia, are where plantings will be or currently are planted? Personally, I think the flags look better than dirt, and I don't mind them as a portender of living plants to come; I appreciate that we are in a drought, and don't mind drought resistant plantings, some of which are colorful, and beautiful.
When they voted Dalager in, the electorate thought that they were voting for his dog.
DeleteIf Shaffer would think before she rambles on and on, she might get a grasp of what is going on. Her facial expressions show that she doesn't have a clue on most issues.
ReplyDeleteReally, are you the master of pantomime, or Marcel Marceau? Tell us, what do Muir's expressions mean, or Gaspar's, oh great reader of thoughts...
DeleteWOW! If someone out there knows how to read people's minds, please contact me and I will put you immediately to work as my assistant "shrink". They never taught me that in grad school:) Sorry, but I gave up chocolate for Lent and my posts are going to seem a little odd for a while. OK, they have always been odd. But seriously, the City of La Mesa, where I asked for Sabine's records still has not sent them. I told them they were in violation of state law and contacted Calaware. I would like people;s thoughts on whether I should write La Mesa's City Council and let them know they are in violation. Any ideas about this?
DeleteDr Lori, I'm not trying to make excuses for La Mesa, but they are probably running late. Most agencies have one person that handles Public Information Requests, although I think they have to respond to you in a certain amount of time initially.
DeleteMention the press and see if that speeds things up.
-Mr Greenjeans
If you would read the post of 1:39 pm they didn't say they could read minds. It's all in the facial expressions. There is a world of difference. It's similar to body language, i.e., crossed arms, looking to left, no eye contact, etc.
Delete3:02 post...is that you Lisa?? Sounds like you.
DeleteMr. Greenjeans; I realize that getting records takes time. The law requires a CPRA request to be processed in 10 days. I have given them 30 and they are still not ready. Encinitas gave me the same records in 8 days. I am not asking for very much.
DeleteDr. Lorri, I'm with you, there's no real excuse, except probably the ineptitude of the people(s) you are dealing with.
Delete-Mr Green Jeans
Lorri, please let me know if you hear back from Terry Francke. It's interesting to me, too, that La Mesa is one of the only four cities in San Diego County, out of 83, I believe, that have increased taxes through this type of TUT tax. The cities which have, according to my research, are La Mesa, El Cajon, National City and Vista.
DeleteWe should not model ourselves after these cities. Glenn Sabine may be good as City Attorney for La Mesa; he's demonstrated that he's not a good fit, here.
No he has not served well.
DeletePlease do.
ReplyDeleteHow does everybody feel about the countywide half-cent TransNet added sales tax? It was voter-approved in '87, again in '04 and is in effect till '48.
ReplyDeleteI voted against it. If SANDAG puts a half-cent Quality of Life tax on the ballot, as proposed, I will vote against that too. SANDAG gets enough money from the first half-cent. No one at SANDAG is elected. All are highly paid bureaucrats.
Deletegood grief, bent out of shape about a couple of dollars on big expenses. you don't even see it. take a look at your paycheck and all of the big numbers floating to the IRS.
DeleteI voted against in 2004. Don't get me started on the waste of money and bureaucratic nightmare that is SANDAG. Man, if we could disband that agency, it would be a great thing.
DeleteIt wouldn't be so bad if they could get something done, but SANDAG is a disaster. The Oceanside Train bridge that fell down, SANDAG. Buying a little used toll road, SANDAG.... Ughh..
-Mr Greenjeans
Anonymous at 8:11:
DeleteGood grief. I've been paying the SANDAG tax for forty years. Enough is enough. I've been to SANDAG meetings. Plush offices and a deluxe buffet And after forty years all we have is worse and worse traffic problems and more and more sprawl. Of course, there is always the annual retreat in a high-class resort. It's been at Harrah's and Barona.
Only about 15 to 20% of the money SANDAG spends comes from the 1/2 cent tax. The rest comes from state and fed grants. When SANDAG did their presentation to our council at the community center, it was revealed that they actually have only a small portion of what they say they'll spend on the North Coast freeway and rail projects. And while we're on that subject, what's the status of the Cleveland National Forest lawsuit challenging the widening of I-5?
Deletequick file a lawsuit t over the cleveland national forest that transfers tax money for taxpayers to the pockets of greedy self seeking attorneys hoodwinking the public as envionmental attorney's.
DeletePost again after you learn how to spell.
DeleteThe federal and state sources of money for SANDAG have dried up. That's why the timetables for construction are stretching out far into the future. I-5 expansion? Projected for 2020 - 2030. Same with the rail corridor to complete double tracking.
DeleteSANDAG lost the Cleveland National Forest lawsuit. It's on appeal. With the court backlog a decision won't be coming quickly. SANDAG has been scrambling to look environmentally friendly. That's what the Cardiff rail trail is all about and being pushed quickly, even though it takes money away from extension of the HOV lane north of Manchester.
SANDAG has been talking about the Quality of Life tax since before 2010. SANDAG does polling, and it indicates a defeat, so the tax proposal has been on hold. It's hard to imagine that public opinion will change any time soon.
Yup, so far SANDAG= build more freeways.
DeleteNote the word "plan" below when discussing rail double tracking..
http://www.keepsandiegomoving.com/Lossan/Lossan-intro.aspx
Look at the graphic on the right and you can see what is and what isn't funded..
-Mr Green Jeans
I believe I voted for the tax; I did not realize, then, that money could be routed for what I and my family, friends and neighbors all feel would be unwanted obstructions on our highway, four one-lane, three way T intersection roundabouts, which would increase cut through traffic, bottleneck the highway down to one lane north and one lane south, for motorists, and bicyclists, through the one lane roundabouts. Also, because of the Cities permature and illegal lane elimination, northbound, the railtrail corridor will not be going through to La Costa in the foreaseeable future. Instead, it's being installed on the east side of the tracks, along San Elijo, when there is already a separated bike/ped lane along PCH Residents don't want it, there, as they would lose valuable parking.
DeleteAlso , didn't some of it go to the $6.5 Million underpass, there, near Swami's? That money could have been spread out for more at grade crossings, including one at Marcheta and 101, near Juanitas.
The more pedestrian/bicycle underpasses that are built, and the more money spent on unwanted and unneeded roundabouts, the less likely that the train could ever be trenched, as in Solana Beach.
Even if the roundabouts never are installed, our city has spent probably close to a million dollars on "workshops" put on by roundabout lobbyists, starting in 2008, so going on six years ago, more statistically invalid surveys by the same lobbyists, and now expensive engineered plans, when Peltz and Associates were supposed to be responsible for PHASE I of planning and design.
No, I don't appreciate SANDAG's not being accountable, as they are not elected officials, but cater to special development interests and political power brokers.
The underpass near Swami's was $5.6 million. The three proposed for Montgomery, El Portal and Grandview/Hillcrest are supposed to average $6.4 million each.
DeleteThe $18 million coastal rail trail through part of Encinitas is another of SANDAG's absurd, unnecessary, unwanted projects. It's a waste of money that could be much more wisely applied.
Go to Solana Beach, hang out for a day between the Coast Highway and the rails trench and count how many people use the trail. Yours truly has done this several times. The count was zero, nada, none, zilch. A few people used the high overpasses south and north of Lomas Santa Fe, but nobody used the trail paralleling the highway and tracks.
There are already paths, sidewalks and/or streets on the west side of the Coast Highway from Chesterfield in Cardiff to Grandview in Leucadia. No other N-S route for walkers and bicyclists is needed.
When was the streetscape on downtown Encinitas - 10 years ago? The improvements are falling apart. At least one mosaic sidewalk insert has lost a 4th of the tiles by vandals or otherwise. The sidewalks are filthy with grease, dirt, and gum. Missing chunks of green paint on the street lights add to the vibrancy. The road is decomposing.
ReplyDeleteThe City reduced sidewalk cleaning to once a year from twice a year.
DeleteIt's been closer to 12 years since the first phase of Downtown Streetscape. Periodically, the city has the tile medallion artist repair his work. They take a pounding. The landscape plants and trees always look great. Don't know if or when sidewalks are steam cleaned but that would be in order for sidewalks. They're pretty tough for 50 years. And the cast iron tree grates are pretty indestructible. Where is the road decomposing between A st and F st? exactly? Living so close to the ocean, the street lamps oxidize quicker than other places and the paint flakes off. Downtown features are still far better than what was there before:
ReplyDelete* No ENCINITAS sign
* broken, decomposing and missing sidewalks
* War of the Worlds style 40 ft. street lamps.
* No pop-outs
* No public furniture
* Bus stops that took robbed parking spots
* less trees
* unsafe bike lanes (Ast - Dst)
* pot holes
OK it's late. Feel free to mentally subtract either "took" or "robbed" from my sixth bullet point.
ReplyDeleteI like War of the Worlds, maybe some giant spaceships over downtown, with lasers for anyone thinking impure thoughts...
ReplyDeleteAs long as they don't find this blog.
DeleteAll the little flags on hwy 101, what do they mean?? Is it art?? Maybe we can put the art colony on the medians of 101?? Earn $180,000 per month!! Know any artists that want to put their own flags on 101?? I'm going to plant my flag on hwy 101. Join me ....
ReplyDeleteThey are Arts Alive banners, wise guy. Danny Salzhandler goes through a lot of trouble to do this every year while you sit on yer fat ass. Go away!
DeleteI think 8:46 is asking about the little colored flags, in the median, along North 101. I think they look better than dirt. I am hoping they are markers for where various plantings are going to be located.
DeleteThe Arts Alive Banners are BEAUTIFUL. Thanks so much to the Artists' Colony and Danny for your wonderful work.
Wow Lynn. Im impressed. Something logical, positive and concise.
DeleteYou must have taken a walk that day. Try it again. After 20 times it might start to become a positive habit. I called it a "habit because I know you fear "change" even if for the better.
Encinitas has become a mechanism for a select group of "employees" to secure massive payouts for life. Civic projects/requirements be damned! Until the citizens rise up, nothing will change.
ReplyDeleteThis weds go to city hall with pitch forks and flaming torches and protest. Those morons at city hall must tell the anger.
DeleteFire Vina
ReplyDeleteFire $abine
Dump Barth
Dump Gaspar
Reevaluate all positions and dump redundant employees
Dump PR Spin Woman
Dump the Cabinet