She is pointing out that tax increases are typically for broke, ghetto cities. She is also pointing out that it is a scam to put poll-tested words like "public safety" and "Save Pacific View" on the ballot and then dump all the money into the general fund.
Now Barth is talking about the building boom in Vista. How about the Civic Center that is cracking and built at similar standards as Pacific Station. I don't like the sound of this.
Barth is done... Barth and vina are tax and spend bleeding liberals and will never have my support from this point forward.
Barth, Kranz, and Shaffer- why are you keeping the loser city manager which lead you to the financial cliff?
Why not hild him accountable for not addressing to true costs of future obligations including the huge sports complex , pensions, and all the deferred maintenance.
No on Gaspar for Mayor, I wouldn't support her if she ran against a gecko, the gecko would at least think of his own answers. Time for both Barth and Gaspar to go, and fill those seats with someone who will stand up to Vina, developers and staff...
NO FOR GASPAR FOR MAYOR. She has no experience, is a lame thinker, a hair flipper, nasal breather, and a developer lover. The city is not a physical therapy office. She has no clue how a city is run.
pffff. first action is fire half the staff and use the money to pave some roads, before we are riding our bikes on dirt. I guess that is the way its helping. But hey Staff has huge pensions like Muir's $180,000 a year forever!!! How special!
I said this last week and I'll say it again, Shaffer does not breath through her nose. She is a mouth breather. Ask any ENT, they'll agree with me. Lists to the tone of her voice, it's entirely nasal. This is an indication of mouth breathing.
so what?… your a foot thinker and we don't tease you. Jackass. Whats your point? to make fun of someone because of a physical characteristic. Your mom must be proud of you my dear.
This is very simple ,i am sorry you don't get it Kevin.The election code or the law required the council to put Prop A out for vote,perhaps you should look it up as I did.
Shaffer out of touch with the mayors job description. She says mayors deserve extra pay... Why?? No need to do anything beyond what the mayor does now.
Muir and Kranz posturing over who has better car... Barth says we all need to follow Agenda 21 and not drive cars....
Wrong, 9:20. The council could have adopted Prop A without putting it to a public vote. Tony commented on the irony if the council adopted the Right to Vote Initiative without putting it to public vote.
Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Patricia Lucas' tentative decision released Monday prohibits the city from forcing current employees to contribute significantly more toward their pensions, as called for in last year's Measure B. But the ruling allows the city to cut employees' salaries to offset its increasing pension costs.
That left each side claiming victory, even as both expected to appeal.
The courts only said employees can't pay more for their pensions. It didn't say City's could lower the overall pension programs offered. The City Employees would not need to pay any more for the pension earned to date.
they earned 2.7% at 55 since 2005 until 2014 or when the City decides its new program like it did in 205. At the time of the new pension program, just make sure employees are not paying more for their pensions. In the end the pension obligations will go way down the sooner we stop adding years to the 2.7% at 55 pension participants.
Its legal for a City to change the pension programs. Just don't ask the employees to pay more, just offer less of a City Pension program - 2% at 62 sounds good for all City Employees. Come on City Council have a special attorney look into it. You need to trim the employee costs before anything else.
"But the judge also upheld a section of Measure B that allows city officials to obtain the savings by cutting workers' pay if the extra pension contributions were invalidated. Reed said city leaders will spend the next few months working out how to make the pay cuts before July 1 when they were to go into effect, saying the voters passed a measure to reduce employee costs and would want those changes carried out.
"It would be much better if we could deal directly with the skyrocketing (pension) costs, but there are limited things that we can do," Reed said. "The judge said all you can do is cut their pay."
City leaders may find it difficult to go through with the pay cuts, however. . . "
Lady complaining that someone can give any amount of money to defeat a candidate. What she isn't telling the council is that SHE can also give any amount of money to elect HER candidate.
Corporations are not people, money is not speech. Citizens United is worst Supreme Court decision since Dred Scott, 1857. Both are perversions of justice.
10:29 until SEIU George Soros and other special interest groups are prevented from spending then gow do limit anyone......Koch brothers or otherwise? The whole argument against Citizens United is a joke
11:00 SEIU have ypu heard of them? They are the problem, large public unions that forcibly take dues from members to support candidates and causes their members don't always support. The unions then donate to elected cronies who reward the unions with big pension and pay hikes. Then there is George Soros and other kleptocrats who donate money to candidates who in turn reward Soros and his cronies - how are these groups different then the Koch brothers in terms of donated money? They are not. That lady and our council members are once againon the wrong side of freedom and liberty - they are again on the side of govermnet knows best, supreme court be dammed - my they are all so smart, talk about zealots
Amen 10:29, agree. The amount of money influencing our elections is unreal. I don't care what hat you want to wear, Koch, Soros, unions (who as a WHOLE) have very little power now in our country.
Citizens united did not give you and me more say in our process, that's the key. Personally, I favor an English style election, 3months, 3 debates, publicly funded, no outside money.
I love the hatred poured on Soros, the one alleged liberal who is always pointed to as the big evil, when there are 20-30 guys like the Koch Brothers out there funneling money through dummy orgs in Arizona to influence CA elections.
It's time for people to get off their asses, and get back in the game. Locally we need to get some fresh faces at city hall, 5 new council people, a new city manager, lawyer etc.. Staff can't retaliate against you when their power structure is being altered.
Like him or hate him, Michael moore made a great statement when he said "In France the government fears the people, in the U.S. people fear the government"....
France is an economic nightmare - an equal nightmare - but an economic nightmare-
Unions have very little power- waht an ignorant statement unsupported by facts- the biggest donor to President Obama's campaign- Unions. The biggest and msot often visitor to the white house - unions, Andy Stern, SEIU., Jimmy Hoffa teamsters
Really, you sound stupid, how do you think Harry Reid won Nevada - Unions
Oh yea, while private workers get there health care plans taken away the Unions just got an exemption unconsitutionally from El Presidente' - leader of our third world banana republic-
Muir says self funded campaigns are wrong but ignores self promoting of placing signs prior to allowable time limits... Hypocrit!! Muir says self funded campaigns are wrong, but ignores union funded campaigns that expect giant fire houses as a reward. Hypocrit!!
The hypocrisy is unreal, no new taxes, but don't cut my pension. I'm in, so pull up the gate behind me.
I'm glad he and Kristin oppose the sales tax, but this is why you can't trust someone like Muir. How can we support someone who has a vested interest in the current power structure?
Barth must have read the comments about her wanting to "weigh in". Those words didn't come up one time tonight (such a relief), but what is it with her scratching her back? Wonder if she has fleas.
I know they all do…. they can't stay away. After all, its more open and available to the public then any city run "Open Democracy" would ever be.
Do you remember how the comments and the blog shut down after Leucadia blog required "sign ins"?
That is what made this blog so popular. This blog then become the new City Open blog.
The city's blog will be the opposite of free speech. The comments and reporting will be controlled. Just like the citizen surveys…… sigh :(
I am voting in all new council member and Mayor next election.
Its been about 1.5 years of the new "majority" and they really have not even begun to address the ballooning City Hall operation costs and the future needs of the City. They all get along but don't get anything done. Plus they support a proven failure for City Manager.
What does Vina care? He is less then one year away from the announcement that he will be retiring soon. What is Gustavo birthday and when does he turn 55. We know its in 2015 right?
"Government is one of the biggest industries in Sacramento, so it was natural Vina found work with public agencies. He first worked for the state in a variety of departments before going to work for the city of Stockton, eventually transferring to the city manager’s office. That’s where he said he formulated his goal to be a city manager."
Gus has no idea about real world budgets or free enterprise. He is a product of failed government upbringing… which can be seen by his inept ways and lack of informing City Council about critical issues and budget decisions. Of course, his solution is to raise taxes and could not even contemplate reducing 98% of the city costs which is employee costs.
City Coucil is failing in their number one priority to provide a good City Manager. The only thing Guss is good at is growing City Employees payroll, benefits and costs, and selling out Encinitas to try and pay for his huge forthcoming pension.
Guss Wins, Citizens Lose and City Council are huge Losers for sticking their head in the sand.
Leucadia Blog did not "shut down," because sign ins are required. One can still post there anonymously, without giving his or her name.
I stopped posting there because of lack of moderation, in later years, but I appreciated very much JP's stance against Encinitas forming a redevelopment agency. Also, I believe many stopped posting there so much because LB became so allied with Leucadia 101 Mainstreet Association, whose Board of Directors, in turn, was advocating, with Council, against Prop A. I support JP's freedom of speech, and our freedom to participate on whichever blogs we choose, freely expressing ourselves, while balancing that with our responsibility to cause no harm.
Leucadia Blog requires a Google +, Wordpress or other type of account to comment. So it's not anonymous like this blog. The traffic did decline greatly when they implemented the new policy.
Yes, it's not anonymous in the same way as anonymous posts are on this blog, but people don't have to post under their names, and no one but the blog administrator can track who someone posting under the name "anon" is, for example. So it's still anonymous, because people can use fictional names.
Mr. Green Jeans, on LB, could use that name, through his blog account. One can easily change her or his blog name, too. In fact, I had previously used "anon" with a small a, and then someone started using the same name. Not only can the sign in names be anonymous, but a troll can usurp someone else's pseudonym.
Lynn- We can tell your illogical posts by content under any name. Your lack of reason speaks for itself. We new which anon posts were your… maybe I should post as "lynn". Noooo that would get me sick.
To 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.
Barth, 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.
I 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.
How dare the council majority consider us similar to the citizens of the city of Vista the city of national city the city of El Cajon and the city of La Mesa. Next election will show how completely different we are!
Good point 8:26. It seems that they are ignoring the fact that most Encinitas residents are more educated than most who work at the City. Barth in particular seems to feel it is her duty to bring in a demographic more like the cities that you mention. She seems to want to do some social engineering. Why don't they just leave us alone or move elsewhere themselves?
Gaspar just won the mayoral election last night. Barth lost. It is hard for regular people with busy lives to understand the details and counterpoints of many issues. But people understand taxes, especially sales taxes. Anyone (Barth, Shaffer, Krantz) who hints that raising sales taxes in Encinitas is a good idea is going to lose. Anyony (Gaspar, Muir) who oppose an increase in local sales tax is going to win. Gaspar will be elected mayor.
I hope she doesn't even run. We have to do better than someone saying she opposes a new tax, that's too low of a bellweather. Muir opposed it as well, yet continues to draw a huge pension that I doubt he's cutting.
We need people who aren't invested in the system, whether via pension, prior association (stocks/bonds, voters for the pension raise) etc.
Let's get someone new who has some genuine intellectual capacity and can think outside the box and make it happen.
We can hope a lot of things. But Gaspar will run and she will win. That's the reality of politics, which some (Shaffer and Barth) on this council have no clue about. Gaspar is playing the politics well.
I am not a Gaspar fan, but don't underestimate her ability to win. She was the top vote-getter when she ran for counclil 4 years ago. Most people don't really follow the specifics of what the council is up to. But she will be able to accurately say she opposed an Encinitas sales tax increase supported by Barth (and Shaffer and Kranz). That will become a crystallized issue and stick in the minds of voters who pull their head out of the sand to cast their vote. Gaspar won the mayoral election last night. That's politics.
Dr. Lorri, I could see her not running. If she runs for Mayor and loses, she's out. If Muir runs and loses, he can go back to his seat. I think Teresa would run for mayor, and if she doesn't win, she would be ok with not being on the council at that point.
Barth has no chance of winning. She lacks integrity and character. She knowingly spread untruths during Prop A, she voted for salary increases and raiding funds, she gave Vina a glowing recommendation. I donate money to Barth in 2010 and handed out fliers. I am already telling my neighbors to dump Barth - she has been a weak kneed self serving failure
Right, but the majority of people don't follow what goes on. So the turnout is key. If it's not a presidential election, the turnout won't be that high, which does favor Gaspar, because the more conservative, early voter crowd in New Encinitas probably leans her way.
Still, she hasn't done much, and Barth will be able to list "Mayor" when she runs. Teresa will still have her supporters. Kristin has a record of abstaining on big votes.
It's not a great choice right now, and will no doubt feature the usual last minute slander hit pieces in the mail send out by anonymous , out of town groups and team Stocks.
Greeen Jeans with all respect you are a Barth apologist, you might even be her campaign manager.
Barth is terrible. She knowingly used her position of trust in teh community to spread untruths about Prop A and mislead the public - just like Stocks would ahve.
Barth knowingly used the city manager and the city attorney to provide her cover to spread misinformation and untruths about Prop A - just like Stocks would have
Barth gave a weak self serving city manager who has reckelssy spent our money and failed residents a glowing job review- just like Stocks would ahve.
I supported Barth in 2010. I gave her money. I stood on croners in the rain holding signs at 7 am on the corner of Garden View and Encinitas Blvd. I will vote for Kristin Gaspar or Mark Muir. Gaspar and Muir are transparent about who they are. Teresa Barth is known to me as a selfish teller of untruths and a financial train wreck for the citizens and residents of Encinitas. Dump Barth - she is terrible
Oh yea- Barth stood with developers like Harwood, Accretive Partners and the group from Chicago on Prop A- just like Stocks would have- Barth and Stocks- one and the same -
Well Bonds baby is gone (thank God), Stocks got totally dumped (thank God), when everyone realizes Gaspar is Stock's go to girl (hopefully she will get dumped), Dallablabber is gone (thank God) and Muir (his health may deter him from being around for very long).
They only voted Stocks out because he got caught putting up signs early after 4 Scotchs at Fatty O'Grady's Airtight Hellhole. It made the news, he looked like a jerk and people who had no clue saw that and voted for someone else.
He might have still lost, due to the fact that he wore out his welcome, but I think it would have been closer than it was. Maybe he takes third, and Muir doesn't get in. Hard to say, but both times there was negative information right before the election (Dalager, Stocks) it had a big effect.
The same thing kind of happened with Sheila, the news leading up to the election wasn't that great...
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. No information on what it would cost to administer the TUT tax program. A few more employees at city hall.
that is what got us to this dilemma. Gus added another 5 employees to the payroll plus more expenses. Adding at least another 1 million to the expenses. Not even including the forthcoming huge employee hires and costs for the new regional sports complex. Thats right. all on your dime. Carlsbad residents don't get taxed for the regional park. Only Encinitas taxpayer.
Technically, it's a special use park that has community park features but because of the size cannot be classified as a community park according to our general plan. It is named Encinitas Community Park because that name captures the intent of the park, as a community park. It is NOT a regional sports park.
Will sports be played at the park? Yes. Will teams from outside the area play at the park? Yes. They do at our existing parks now. When Encinitas or Cardiff teams host games, half the field will be full of non-Encinitas kids. Crazy, right?
Did you realize there are people from outside Encinitas enjoying Moonlight Beach facilities at this very second? But we paid for it!
10:34 AM Please, spare us the city spin. It is, it was, for a regional sports park. Where is the Encinitas Soccer Express giving gratitude to the council for building the regional sports center. A little shy now that the city P&R has declared that everyone must pay for any rec use in Encinitas. The folks that use Moonlight Beach facilities use state property. The only reason we paid for it was a previous council that signed a contract with the state making the city responsible for the upkeep.
It is a regional sports park for regional sports team. It is not a community park because it violates Encinitas Municipal Code.
Some attempt to call it "The community park" in hopes taxpayers won't look too closely at it's cost and limited use by the community and it's extensive use as a Special Use Park.
It is called a special use park by the Encinitas code becuase that is what it is- a special use park.
Do you realize City manager Gus Vina raided $7M from fully funded capital projects that had been designated prioroties after telling residents the city was in good financial shape?
Do you realize Vina has wasted our money reckelessly, told untruths in representing to the public that the city's finances were in good shape and is now raising fees on residents and attempting to raise taxes?
I don't care what you call it - it's a sports park that can be used by youth and adult sports leagues to play the sports they love. I am very happy to pay for it because it will be a great place for like minded people, a majority of which live in Encinitas, can be together and do what they enjoy. It's a bargain at twice the price!!!
We built the tot lot at Moonlight Beach. On a 3-2 vote it was approved. There were a lot of people against that too. Haven't heard too many complaints about it after it was opened and overwhelmingly enjoyed by so many families.
11:05 It "violates" nothing. It's designated a special use park because of code (greater than 20 acres). It has features of a community park (playground, dog-park, skate park). There is no law about the name of the park. .
11:48 the facts are the facts. The Hall Park is zoned a Special Use Park. It is not zoned a community park.
Also- the council told residents the consturction of the Parkw as fully funded in 2005 - the council lied.
The council told residents in 2008 when they did a bond offering that the money would be used to fully fund building the Hall park- the council lied.
City Manager Vina told Residents in 2012 when he raided some 17 fully funded priority projects of some $7M and directed the council to do yet another bond offer of near $10 million that the city's finances were in good shape- Mr. Vina told residents yet another untruth-
Community Park /Special Use park = a park we can't afford that will benefit non-taxpayers from other citites.
Naming it "Community Park" is not in adherence to our General Plan, as supported by Encinitas Municipal Code. The name community park contradicts the definitions in our GP. You may not see that as violating a specific ordinance, but the name is not compatible. It was designed and built, primarily as an interregional sports specialty park. The dog park is a welcome exception.
Personally, I don't understand why the park will have so many 100 yard fields, and no basketball or tennis courts? It seems that soccer, football, and La Crosse leagues are being given priority? I know there are to be some baseball diamonds, too? And the skatepark is also a good addition.
I don't see it as violating a specific ordinance because it does not violate any ordinance. Not because i say it does or does not, and not because you do either. This is the same issue that you called our staff law breakers over yet couldn't name the law they broke -- because there is no law.
The kids playground is nice too. As are the walking paths around the perimeter. I'm hoping the landscaping is as nice as we deserve as the "flower capital".
It goes against the policy of our general plan, which is the law of the city. The City neglected to codify that policy in zoning definitions, which definitions are part of our municipal code.
I have not stated that staff have been lawbreakers, without naming the laws they have broken. Staff, including the contracted City Attorney and our City Manager have broken the Brown Act and the California Public Records Act, in the past, which are both part of California Government Code.
Glenn Sabine and, now, Teresa Barth "mine" the Brown Act for open meeting law exceptions, and for reasons to keep the public in the dark. That violates Teresa Barth's word. The Brown Act only states that people wishing to attend public meetings do not have to register their names and addresses in order to attend. Doing so is voluntary.
NOWHERE does the Brown Act say that public speakers cannot be asked to state their names and cities of residence when they are speaking before the public, and Council. This is being misrepresented by Teresa Barth and Lisa Shaffer.
The Brown Act also states, "A legislative body may not conduct any meeting or FUNCTION [emphasis added] in any facility . . . where members of the public must pay to attend the meeting. (Government Code Section 54961). I would define the State of the City address event as a public/private FUNCTION. Peder Norby and Gus Vina sat on the State of the City Subcommittee, in 2012.
There should have been free seats provided at the function, and the Mayor's address should have been repeated at City Hall at a Council Meeting, as part of a special presentation, upon which members of the public should be allowed to comment, afterwards, as they were after the RailTrail Corridor presentation.
It makes absolutely no sense at all when there will NEVER be a 4/5 vote by the council to proceed with getting any estimates as the 3 idiots directed the city manager to do. More waste of time by him, by staff. What are these people thinking about? We need to clean house.
Current Council has no leadership. A waffling sail with no wind and relying on a dirty leaking diesel 1/2 horsepower engine steering in the wrong direction.
Hope you're not thinking clean house with the likes of a Forrester, who said last election that the public has no business weighing in on the planning process.
Sculpin, the Dump Stocks movement got Stocks voted out of office, which was the goal. Often, when leadership changes, there is a vacuum.
Part of the challenge is that Teresa Barth wasn't ready to step up to the plate. She had wanted Kristin Gaspar to be mayor for 2013. But Kristin declined; Teresa, Lisa and Tony's pre-formulated plan was derailed. They later tried to do damage control by taking the unprecedented step of appointing two mayors for 2014.
Sabine went along saying EMC doesn't "preclude" that, although it specifically addresses one mayor being appointed. Because the code was changed so that a successor could be appointed prior to the originally appointed mayor completing her term, our City Attorney seized on that to say there was nothing to stop Council from choosing a mayor and simultaneously choosing a mayor successor. That isn't really what happened, though. Council simultaneously chose two mayors, and more or less "flipped a coin" to decide who would serve first. By rotation, it was Kristin Gaspar's turn. Teresa was so infuriated when she was skipped over, yet she had no qualms skipping over her colleague, for reasons of political posturing.
Glenn Sabine, Gus Vina and Teresa Barth, Lisa Shaffer, are all willing to bend and twist the letter of municipal code to fit their purposes. After this year, this won't be an issue, because we will have an elected mayor.
I understand, Lynn. My comment was somewhat tongue-in-cheek. More of an exasperation that you always have to be careful what you wish for. I have always thought Barth was not up to the task - her first run in with Stocks proved that. I don't trust Lisa because I don't trust academicians to get to the right answer, or any answer. I use academicians to formulate policy and that's it. Tony is still finding his way - some good, some not so. Muir understands how to run an organization. He asks great questions, but he's finding his way too. I have no clue about Gaspar........
With Vina, he's just reading the council and trying to anticipate their moves, like any good city manager. He gets crapped on a lot, and I have no idea if it's deserved or not because his actions are such a lightning rod on this blog......but I have to assume he's communicating regularly with council and doing what they want.
I have a clue about Gaspar, and that is to say she has no clue. I pretty much agree with the Sculpin's take, Teresa is not seeming like she's up to the task, but from my observance, neither is Gaspar. She can't even formulate a vote on big issues.
Mark and Tony may end up being ok, we'll see. They could be a force in years to come. Gaspar has never seemed to be one for policy discussion, the same way Dallager wasn't. Lisa it's hard to say, she has to realize where she's ad, and develop a stance. We're not in Kansas anymore Toto, or UCSD.
The mayor "swapping" all started years ago when Sheila was in office, when Stocks,Bonds, and their crew decided she had to go.
Frankly I always thought it was embarrassing, but that's politics. It's still hard for me to get a grip on Vina, not sure if he's up to the gig or not. I don't think Phil Cotton was. Sabine to me just is a clog, to many backroom conversations, not clear enough on his statements.
As always, the question is, "If we dump Vina, who takes his place, and will it be better or worse". That's the reality...
Barth not up to the plate?? She pined for the job, over and over. You and her legion of followers were ready to hang Stovks for skipping her again and again, now you excuse her failures by saying she's not ready?? Nonsense. She can't lead because she has no mettle in the game. I know 50 Encinitians more suited to be mayor than anyone we've had for the past 10 years but none of them want their lives picked over. But they are LEADERS!! Not followers. Leaders get the job done and don't care who's toes get stepped on, followers tippy toe here and there and always want to be someone's friend. This is evident by her satisfaction of 'we all get along'. Pure nonsense.
I don't excuse her failures, but if she's ready, she's not acting like it. Some people aren't leaders, and if that's the case, that's the case. Stocks wasn't a leader either, Gaspar isn't, Muir I guess qualifies, Dallager no, Bond, yes, Guerin no.
You can't know until they take the reins, and it's not an elected position, yet. This is why Barth vs. Gaspar is not a very appealing race.
And this is the problem, and I guess that makes me part of the problem. What are we doing right now, picking over people's lives, essentially. That's part of the game to be in politics, but you see people less inclined to take part. This is why we no longer get the best people in politics, we get put ups like Gaspar, a-holes like Stocks, ladder climbers like Guerin, dopes like Dallager and Doug Long, people with personality issues like Sheila Cameron etc etc. You can go down the line through the Lou Aspells and more.
The only guys I thought who were clued in and could lead in the last 20 years were holz and Bond, and Bond I don't agree with, but he certainly understood the game, and got things done.
The question is the same, where are these potential leaders, and who's willing to run?
$tock$ is the furthest thing from a leader. He talked but never walked the walk. watch Braveheart and you will understand what qualities a real leader has.
Actually, Sheila-apologists, Ms. Cameron was the one who first 'skipped-over' Jim Bond for Mayor in 1998, with Holz and Guerin's votes added to her own, just to keep the record clear.
8:01 Barth is a bully once you disagree with her. Rather than discuss an opposing view she simply shuts down, offended any one would dare suggest her position or thinking is flawed-
Barth is on her way out, she likley will leave town after the election- she has marginalized her resident support and the business support will turn on her if she runs again
Stocks was a leader, you don't have to like the leader nor where she/he takes you, so he was voted out. But he lead, today we have NO leadership. The city is rudderless and adrift....SO staff now leaded the city (Vina). Someone leads and everyone else follows. Complaining here doesnt change the cities situation. Step up and lead.
4:23- As SNL says some people are just not ready for prime time. And some will never be ready. I liked Bond, even if I didn't agree with him. He was at least fiscally responsible. I also liked Dennis Holz. But as I stated on another post, a lot of so called leaders don't want their lives picked apart. More later. A patient just arrived.
$tock$ was thought to be planning for higher public office; he hung around too long and was recognized for the weasel he is. Now he is just pitching insurance again - maybe he can sell Herbalife at council meetings?
Category - Sales Tax **BUZZZ* Ms. Barth... "Panacea to all ills?" Oh no, I;m sorry... ***BUZZ**** Mr. Dalager.. "Fry the squirrel meat on my new stove?" Oh.no.....the answer is "Bad Idea"
I think we are witnessing a Ponzi scheme that is in melt down stage. Vina is up there like Bernie Madoff trying to find ways to keep the income stream going. Barth and the rest of the council are being led around by him by rings through their noses. Someone said it before. Barth looked desparate the other night. I want a forensic accountant to go over the books NOW!
Leadership does not mean taking crazy measures to keep the fraud going!
No tax and fire Vins!
ReplyDeleteFire Vina now
ReplyDeleteEarlier in the meeting, Barth twice called Garth Murphy "Mr. Fiske." Is she confused or what?
ReplyDeleteGina is completely a dumbass he thinks that Encinitas residents are stupid as La Mesa El Cajon national city and city of Vista residences...
ReplyDeleteFire Vina!
Gaspar is asking scary questions:
ReplyDelete1. Do you work for cities that are close to bankruptcy?
2. If we pass this can we use the money for something else?
This doesn't sound good!! They may use the Pacific View School as an excuse to do this and then borrow another $50 million!
Gaspar is against the tax increase.
DeleteShe is pointing out that tax increases are typically for broke, ghetto cities. She is also pointing out that it is a scam to put poll-tested words like "public safety" and "Save Pacific View" on the ballot and then dump all the money into the general fund.
Thank you Ms. Gaspar!
WCV
Let's hope that Muir also votes against it and block this.
DeletePublic safety? How many firemen/women get $100,000 salary in other cities?
DeletePlenty, unfortunately...
DeleteCall them the Vons Shopper Brigade.
DeleteThis speaker keeps talking about our city's tradition of open and tranparent government! What a lie.
ReplyDeleteNow Shaffer is asking if they can be sued if they raise the taxes and spend it on something else. Sabine is giving another of his murky answers.
ReplyDeleteNow Barth is talking about the building boom in Vista. How about the Civic Center that is cracking and built at similar standards as Pacific Station. I don't like the sound of this.
ReplyDeleteShaffer is talking about how people are coming to them asking them to do things. What people? The people who live her want our roads fixed.
ReplyDeleteMuir says he has to live with in he's mean HA A HA
ReplyDeleteNow there is a motion to do more surveys. Oh joy. I can hardly wait.
ReplyDeleteGaspar is a multi millionair , she is the 1 percent
ReplyDeleteAnd, what is the problem?
DeleteThe people should be allowed to VOTE on this issue
ReplyDeleteIs the survey they're proposing the equivalent of a vote? If the survey shows majority support or denial, wouldn't a vote do the same?
DeleteYeah the question is whether to spend $100,000 of tax money to swindle the public.
DeleteWCV
Any sales tax increase should be held up to a public vote.
Delete-Mr Green Jeans
My prediction for mayor... Gaspar
ReplyDeleteBarth is done... Barth and vina are tax and spend bleeding liberals and will never have my support from this point forward.
Barth, Kranz, and Shaffer- why are you keeping the loser city manager which lead you to the financial cliff?
Why not hild him accountable for not addressing to true costs of future obligations including the huge sports complex , pensions, and all the deferred maintenance.
OK, from this point forward, you cannot benefit in any way from government spending of any kind.
Delete8:07 - your spin doctor comment makes no sense.
DeleteFirst on the ax is the unnecessary position of the communication director. Better start looking for a new job. May the patch will take you back.
No on Gaspar for Mayor, I wouldn't support her if she ran against a gecko, the gecko would at least think of his own answers. Time for both Barth and Gaspar to go, and fill those seats with someone who will stand up to Vina, developers and staff...
Delete8:07's comment refers to 7;58's comment about "tax and spend bleeding liberals."
DeleteNO FOR GASPAR FOR MAYOR. She has no experience, is a lame thinker, a hair flipper, nasal breather, and a developer lover. The city is not a physical therapy office. She has no clue how a city is run.
DeleteDump Barth - the ex-civil "servant" without a clue.
Deletepffff. first action is fire half the staff and use the money to pave some roads, before we are riding our bikes on dirt. I guess that is the way its helping. But hey Staff has huge pensions like Muir's $180,000 a year forever!!! How special!
ReplyDeletesoon to be topped by Gus Vina's $210,000 per year forever starting next year!
DeleteHow could our Council Member be so dumb?
BURP! Bring on the pension feast!
DeleteHow much did we spend on the vote for Prop A $300000 I think
ReplyDeleteCouncil choice. They could have adopted it for free.
DeleteWCV
That's not true and you know it .The number of signatures that were gathered left council no choice,They were required by law to have the vote.
DeleteIt is true and I know it.
DeleteThe number of signatures gathered left the council a choice: adopt the initiative, or force an expensive, divisive vote.
They chose the expensive, divisive vote.
WCV
Right you are, WCV.
DeleteAlthough I think Tony suggested to adopt it to avoid the special election.
DeleteThese are some of the pitfalls of the initiative process, but I think the council is sitting on the wrong side of history.
Delete-Mr. Greenjeans
Have all the speakers all pony up $50k each to put skin in the game for purchasing the property. Otherwise its not a city issue. Next priority please.
ReplyDeleteMust be Pacific View time. Should be good entertainment....
DeleteNo!!
ReplyDeleteGaspar just declared her candidacy for mayor! Then she tried to run out of the room, and nobody on the dais let her.
ReplyDeleteProbably looking for her invisible jet to fly off as Wonder Woman!
DeleteWhat? That makes no sense...
ReplyDelete9:18, you must not have been watching.
DeleteI said this last week and I'll say it again, Shaffer does not breath through her nose. She is a mouth breather. Ask any ENT, they'll agree with me. Lists to the tone of her voice, it's entirely nasal. This is an indication of mouth breathing.
ReplyDeleteso what?… your a foot thinker and we don't tease you. Jackass. Whats your point? to make fun of someone because of a physical characteristic. Your mom must be proud of you my dear.
DeleteI agree with 5:49. There is plenty to talk about without going after people for the way they look or how they breath. This is not a beauty contest.
DeleteThis is very simple ,i am sorry you don't get it Kevin.The election code or the law required the council to put Prop A out for vote,perhaps you should look it up as I did.
ReplyDeleteSabine irritated by having to answer questions about mayors salary.
ReplyDeleteShaffer repeating Kranz's statement.... Why?? We heard it the first time.
Insane asylum...
DeleteFIRE VINA! THIS GUY IS ABSURD!!! WHY ARE WE TOLERATING HIM!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteShaffer out of touch with the mayors job description. She says mayors deserve extra pay... Why?? No need to do anything beyond what the mayor does now.
ReplyDeleteMuir and Kranz posturing over who has better car... Barth says we all need to follow Agenda 21 and not drive cars....
Wrong, 9:20. The council could have adopted Prop A without putting it to a public vote. Tony commented on the irony if the council adopted the Right to Vote Initiative without putting it to public vote.
ReplyDeleteThese 5 couldn't organize a jr high school dance.
ReplyDeleteVina twirling his pen... Sign of boredom.
ReplyDeleteDiane Lane telling council citizens have no right to freedom of expression....
ReplyDeleteVina reading this blog to tally cries for his ouster.
ReplyDeleteCouncil wasting time listening to people opposed to freedom of expression.
ReplyDeleteThese people want money out of politics....good luck!!
ReplyDeleteMoney is the mothers milk of all politics.
Lady complaining about million dollar homes in Leucadia.
ReplyDelete"Livin' next door to a millionaire never bothered me". - Dad
DeleteSanta Clara County Superior Court Judge Patricia Lucas' tentative decision released Monday prohibits the city from forcing current employees to contribute significantly more toward their pensions, as called for in last year's Measure B. But the ruling allows the city to cut employees' salaries to offset its increasing pension costs.
ReplyDeleteThat left each side claiming victory, even as both expected to appeal.
The courts only said employees can't pay more for their pensions. It didn't say City's could lower the overall pension programs offered. The City Employees would not need to pay any more for the pension earned to date.
they earned 2.7% at 55 since 2005 until 2014 or when the City decides its new program like it did in 205. At the time of the new pension program, just make sure employees are not paying more for their pensions. In the end the pension obligations will go way down the sooner we stop adding years to the 2.7% at 55 pension participants.
Its legal for a City to change the pension programs. Just don't ask the employees to pay more, just offer less of a City Pension program - 2% at 62 sounds good for all City Employees. Come on City Council have a special attorney look into it. You need to trim the employee costs before anything else.
"But the judge also upheld a section of Measure B that allows city officials to obtain the savings by cutting workers' pay if the extra pension contributions were invalidated. Reed said city leaders will spend the next few months working out how to make the pay cuts before July 1 when they were to go into effect, saying the voters passed a measure to reduce employee costs and would want those changes carried out.
Delete"It would be much better if we could deal directly with the skyrocketing (pension) costs, but there are limited things that we can do," Reed said. "The judge said all you can do is cut their pay."
City leaders may find it difficult to go through with the pay cuts, however. . . "
http://www.mercurynews.com/pensions/ci_24782960/pensions-city-workers-cant-be-cut-but-pay
Lady complaining that someone can give any amount of money to defeat a candidate. What she isn't telling the council is that SHE can also give any amount of money to elect HER candidate.
ReplyDeleteBarth says future council members term of office to be determined by Rock Paper Scissors....
ReplyDeleteSabine wearing short sleeve shirt under his coat ?? Not very GQ.
ReplyDeleteGaspar flipping her hair as she speaks....very annoying.
ReplyDeleteTry watching Rosa Koire.
DeleteI like it!
DeleteDoes she say "Om Ma God!" at the same time?
DeleteShaffer asking public to answer questions regarding motion, not asking Sabine for advice.
ReplyDeleteShaffer sucking up to labor unions.
ReplyDeleteCouncil ignores US constitution freedom of expression clause. Votes to limit speech.
ReplyDeleteCorporations are not people, money is not speech. Citizens United is worst Supreme Court decision since Dred Scott, 1857. Both are perversions of justice.
Delete10:29 until SEIU George Soros and other special interest groups are prevented from spending then gow do limit anyone......Koch brothers or otherwise? The whole argument against Citizens United is a joke
Delete10:41, please clarify your comment with good declarative sentences and understandable English.
Delete11:00 SEIU have ypu heard of them? They are the problem, large public unions that forcibly take dues from members to support candidates and causes their members don't always support. The unions then donate to elected cronies who reward the unions with big pension and pay hikes. Then there is George Soros and other kleptocrats who donate money to candidates who in turn reward Soros and his cronies - how are these groups different then the Koch brothers in terms of donated money? They are not. That lady and our council members are once againon the wrong side of freedom and liberty - they are again on the side of govermnet knows best, supreme court be dammed - my they are all so smart, talk about zealots
DeleteAmen 10:29, agree. The amount of money influencing our elections is unreal. I don't care what hat you want to wear, Koch, Soros, unions (who as a WHOLE) have very little power now in our country.
DeleteCitizens united did not give you and me more say in our process, that's the key. Personally, I favor an English style election, 3months, 3 debates, publicly funded, no outside money.
I love the hatred poured on Soros, the one alleged liberal who is always pointed to as the big evil, when there are 20-30 guys like the Koch Brothers out there funneling money through dummy orgs in Arizona to influence CA elections.
It's time for people to get off their asses, and get back in the game. Locally we need to get some fresh faces at city hall, 5 new council people, a new city manager, lawyer etc.. Staff can't retaliate against you when their power structure is being altered.
Like him or hate him, Michael moore made a great statement when he said "In France the government fears the people, in the U.S. people fear the government"....
-Mr Green Jeans
GJ
DeleteFrance is an economic nightmare - an equal nightmare - but an economic nightmare-
Unions have very little power- waht an ignorant statement unsupported by facts- the biggest donor to President Obama's campaign- Unions. The biggest and msot often visitor to the white house - unions, Andy Stern, SEIU., Jimmy Hoffa teamsters
Really, you sound stupid, how do you think Harry Reid won Nevada - Unions
Oh yea, while private workers get there health care plans taken away the Unions just got an exemption unconsitutionally from El Presidente' - leader of our third world banana republic-
those are the facts - own it
Muir says self funded campaigns are wrong but ignores self promoting of placing signs prior to allowable time limits... Hypocrit!!
ReplyDeleteMuir says self funded campaigns are wrong, but ignores union funded campaigns that expect giant fire houses as a reward.
Hypocrit!!
Guess made-up firemen associations with membership of one (him) is his bright idea of what ethical behavior looks like.
DeleteMuirs funding is the result of unions. Follow the money and actions, not the words.
DeleteThe hypocrisy is unreal, no new taxes, but don't cut my pension. I'm in, so pull up the gate behind me.
DeleteI'm glad he and Kristin oppose the sales tax, but this is why you can't trust someone like Muir. How can we support someone who has a vested interest in the current power structure?
-Mr Green Jeans
Burp!!!! $175K for life - how sweet it is!!!
DeleteBarth must have read the comments about her wanting to "weigh in". Those words didn't come up one time tonight (such a relief), but what is it with her scratching her back? Wonder if she has fleas.
ReplyDeleteShe doesn't come to the cesspool...so she says.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteLucadia Blog has become insignificant. Just an ad site for Surfy-Surfy.
DeleteI know they all do…. they can't stay away. After all, its more open and available to the public then any city run "Open Democracy" would ever be.
ReplyDeleteDo you remember how the comments and the blog shut down after Leucadia blog required "sign ins"?
That is what made this blog so popular. This blog then become the new City Open blog.
The city's blog will be the opposite of free speech. The comments and reporting will be controlled. Just like the citizen surveys…… sigh :(
I am voting in all new council member and Mayor next election.
Its been about 1.5 years of the new "majority" and they really have not even begun to address the ballooning City Hall operation costs and the future needs of the City. They all get along but don't get anything done. Plus they support a proven failure for City Manager.
What does Vina care? He is less then one year away from the announcement that he will be retiring soon. What is Gustavo birthday and when does he turn 55. We know its in 2015 right?
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2011/Sep/08/encinitas-city-manager-made-way-cuba/2/?#article-copy
"Government is one of the biggest industries in Sacramento, so it was natural Vina found work with public agencies. He first worked for the state in a variety of departments before going to work for the city of Stockton, eventually transferring to the city manager’s office. That’s where he said he formulated his goal to be a city manager."
Gus has no idea about real world budgets or free enterprise. He is a product of failed government upbringing… which can be seen by his inept ways and lack of informing City Council about critical issues and budget decisions. Of course, his solution is to raise taxes and could not even contemplate reducing 98% of the city costs which is employee costs.
City Coucil is failing in their number one priority to provide a good City Manager. The only thing Guss is good at is growing City Employees payroll, benefits and costs, and selling out Encinitas to try and pay for his huge forthcoming pension.
Guss Wins, Citizens Lose and City Council are huge Losers for sticking their head in the sand.
Leucadia Blog did not "shut down," because sign ins are required. One can still post there anonymously, without giving his or her name.
DeleteI stopped posting there because of lack of moderation, in later years, but I appreciated very much JP's stance against Encinitas forming a redevelopment agency. Also, I believe many stopped posting there so much because LB became so allied with Leucadia 101 Mainstreet Association, whose Board of Directors, in turn, was advocating, with Council, against Prop A. I support JP's freedom of speech, and our freedom to participate on whichever blogs we choose, freely expressing ourselves, while balancing that with our responsibility to cause no harm.
Anonymous comments are not allowed on the LB.
DeleteGet your facts straight....
Land as usual you have no idea what you're talking about
DeleteLynn as usual you have no idea what you're talking about
DeletePlease go get some fresh air today
Leucadia Blog requires a Google +, Wordpress or other type of account to comment. So it's not anonymous like this blog. The traffic did decline greatly when they implemented the new policy.
Deletehttp://www.theleucadiablog.com/2009/10/to-moderate-or-not.html
Yes, it's not anonymous in the same way as anonymous posts are on this blog, but people don't have to post under their names, and no one but the blog administrator can track who someone posting under the name "anon" is, for example. So it's still anonymous, because people can use fictional names.
DeleteMr. Green Jeans, on LB, could use that name, through his blog account. One can easily change her or his blog name, too. In fact, I had previously used "anon" with a small a, and then someone started using the same name. Not only can the sign in names be anonymous, but a troll can usurp someone else's pseudonym.
Lynn- We can tell your illogical posts by content under any name. Your lack of reason speaks for itself. We new which anon posts were your… maybe I should post as "lynn". Noooo that would get me sick.
Delete"They all get along but don't get anything done" sums it up perfectly.
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.
ReplyDeleteBarth, 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.
I 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.
DeleteWith 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.
I'm not reading your posts.
ReplyDeleteThat would be complete waste of time
How dare the council majority consider us similar to the citizens of the city of Vista the city of national city the city of El Cajon and the city of La Mesa. Next election will show how completely different we are!
ReplyDeleteGood point 8:26. It seems that they are ignoring the fact that most Encinitas residents are more educated than most who work at the City. Barth in particular seems to feel it is her duty to bring in a demographic more like the cities that you mention. She seems to want to do some social engineering. Why don't they just leave us alone or move elsewhere themselves?
DeleteGaspar just won the mayoral election last night. Barth lost.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard for regular people with busy lives to understand the details and counterpoints of many issues. But people understand taxes, especially sales taxes. Anyone (Barth, Shaffer, Krantz) who hints that raising sales taxes in Encinitas is a good idea is going to lose. Anyony (Gaspar, Muir) who oppose an increase in local sales tax is going to win.
Gaspar will be elected mayor.
I hope she doesn't even run. We have to do better than someone saying she opposes a new tax, that's too low of a bellweather. Muir opposed it as well, yet continues to draw a huge pension that I doubt he's cutting.
DeleteWe need people who aren't invested in the system, whether via pension, prior association (stocks/bonds, voters for the pension raise) etc.
Let's get someone new who has some genuine intellectual capacity and can think outside the box and make it happen.
-Mr Green Jeans
We can hope a lot of things. But Gaspar will run and she will win. That's the reality of politics, which some (Shaffer and Barth) on this council have no clue about. Gaspar is playing the politics well.
DeleteGaspar will run for mayor and lose. She doesn't have broad enough support to win and has too many skeletons in her closet.
DeleteBut a key factor: A better alternative has to be on the ballot for the above scenario to play out.
I am not a Gaspar fan, but don't underestimate her ability to win. She was the top vote-getter when she ran for counclil 4 years ago. Most people don't really follow the specifics of what the council is up to. But she will be able to accurately say she opposed an Encinitas sales tax increase supported by Barth (and Shaffer and Kranz). That will become a crystallized issue and stick in the minds of voters who pull their head out of the sand to cast their vote. Gaspar won the mayoral election last night. That's politics.
DeleteWho is going to run besides Gaspar, which is a given? Somebody better step up soon as time is running out to get a campaign going.
ReplyDeleteDr. Lorri, I could see her not running. If she runs for Mayor and loses, she's out. If Muir runs and loses, he can go back to his seat. I think Teresa would run for mayor, and if she doesn't win, she would be ok with not being on the council at that point.
DeleteShould be interesting.
-Mr Green Jeans
Barth has no chance of winning. She lacks integrity and character. She knowingly spread untruths during Prop A, she voted for salary increases and raiding funds, she gave Vina a glowing recommendation. I donate money to Barth in 2010 and handed out fliers. I am already telling my neighbors to dump Barth - she has been a weak kneed self serving failure
DeleteBarth is out. she has proven she is ineffective at changing City Hall.
DeleteI knew she was done, when she gave that BS rating to our inept City Manager.
Right, but the majority of people don't follow what goes on. So the turnout is key. If it's not a presidential election, the turnout won't be that high, which does favor Gaspar, because the more conservative, early voter crowd in New Encinitas probably leans her way.
DeleteStill, she hasn't done much, and Barth will be able to list "Mayor" when she runs. Teresa will still have her supporters. Kristin has a record of abstaining on big votes.
It's not a great choice right now, and will no doubt feature the usual last minute slander hit pieces in the mail send out by anonymous , out of town groups and team Stocks.
-Mr Green Jeans
Greeen Jeans with all respect you are a Barth apologist, you might even be her campaign manager.
DeleteBarth is terrible. She knowingly used her position of trust in teh community to spread untruths about Prop A and mislead the public - just like Stocks would ahve.
Barth knowingly used the city manager and the city attorney to provide her cover to spread misinformation and untruths about Prop A - just like Stocks would have
Barth gave a weak self serving city manager who has reckelssy spent our money and failed residents a glowing job review- just like Stocks would ahve.
I supported Barth in 2010. I gave her money. I stood on croners in the rain holding signs at 7 am on the corner of Garden View and Encinitas Blvd. I will vote for Kristin Gaspar or Mark Muir. Gaspar and Muir are transparent about who they are. Teresa Barth is known to me as a selfish teller of untruths and a financial train wreck for the citizens and residents of Encinitas. Dump Barth - she is terrible
Oh yea- Barth stood with developers like Harwood, Accretive Partners and the group from Chicago on Prop A- just like Stocks would have- Barth and Stocks- one and the same -
I wouldn't vote for Gaspar, but how hard can it be to cut some ribbons at a ceremony? Now that takes real intelligence.
ReplyDeleteHow hard can it be?? Hard enough to deserve a pay raise according to Shaffer.
DeleteNever underestimate the intelligence of the voting people of this city. They are a smart bunch who are following city hall very closely.
ReplyDeleteThen how did we end with Stocks, Bonds, Gaspar, Dallablabber, Muir?
DeleteWell Bonds baby is gone (thank God), Stocks got totally dumped (thank God), when everyone realizes Gaspar is Stock's go to girl (hopefully she will get dumped), Dallablabber is gone (thank God) and Muir (his health may deter him from being around for very long).
Delete8:16
DeleteAt least make a point!
WTF…… we all know its the dumb citizens that were asleep. they are finally starting to wake up and they voted out $tock$.
that was huge!!!!
10:27 I made my point. Apparently, it was over your head.
DeleteThey only voted Stocks out because he got caught putting up signs early after 4 Scotchs at Fatty O'Grady's Airtight Hellhole. It made the news, he looked like a jerk and people who had no clue saw that and voted for someone else.
DeleteI'd bet he would have lost without that incident.
DeleteThe widespread "Dump Stocks" bumper stickers were around town for months and even the most tuned-out voters remembered that when voting.
WCV
He might have still lost, due to the fact that he wore out his welcome, but I think it would have been closer than it was. Maybe he takes third, and Muir doesn't get in. Hard to say, but both times there was negative information right before the election (Dalager, Stocks) it had a big effect.
DeleteThe same thing kind of happened with Sheila, the news leading up to the election wasn't that great...
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.
that is what got us to this dilemma. Gus added another 5 employees to the payroll plus more expenses. Adding at least another 1 million to the expenses. Not even including the forthcoming huge employee hires and costs for the new regional sports complex. Thats right. all on your dime. Carlsbad residents don't get taxed for the regional park. Only Encinitas taxpayer.
DeleteTechnically, it's a special use park that has community park features but because of the size cannot be classified as a community park according to our general plan. It is named Encinitas Community Park because that name captures the intent of the park, as a community park. It is NOT a regional sports park.
DeleteWill sports be played at the park? Yes. Will teams from outside the area play at the park? Yes. They do at our existing parks now. When Encinitas or Cardiff teams host games, half the field will be full of non-Encinitas kids. Crazy, right?
Did you realize there are people from outside Encinitas enjoying Moonlight Beach facilities at this very second? But we paid for it!
10:34 AM
DeletePlease, spare us the city spin. It is, it was, for a regional sports park. Where is the Encinitas Soccer Express giving gratitude to the council for building the regional sports center. A little shy now that the city P&R has declared that everyone must pay for any rec use in Encinitas.
The folks that use Moonlight Beach facilities use state property. The only reason we paid for it was a previous council that signed a contract with the state making the city responsible for the upkeep.
It is a regional sports park for regional sports team. It is not a community park because it violates Encinitas Municipal Code.
DeleteSome attempt to call it "The community park" in hopes taxpayers won't look too closely at it's cost and limited use by the community and it's extensive use as a Special Use Park.
It is called a special use park by the Encinitas code becuase that is what it is- a special use park.
Do you realize City manager Gus Vina raided $7M from fully funded capital projects that had been designated prioroties after telling residents the city was in good financial shape?
Do you realize Vina has wasted our money reckelessly, told untruths in representing to the public that the city's finances were in good shape and is now raising fees on residents and attempting to raise taxes?
I don't care what you call it - it's a sports park that can be used by youth and adult sports leagues to play the sports they love. I am very happy to pay for it because it will be a great place for like minded people, a majority of which live in Encinitas, can be together and do what they enjoy. It's a bargain at twice the price!!!
Delete- The Sculpin
We built the tot lot at Moonlight Beach. On a 3-2 vote it was approved. There were a lot of people against that too. Haven't heard too many complaints about it after it was opened and overwhelmingly enjoyed by so many families.
Delete11:05
DeleteIt "violates" nothing. It's designated a special use park because of code (greater than 20 acres). It has features of a community park (playground, dog-park, skate park). There is no law about the name of the park.
.
11:48 the facts are the facts. The Hall Park is zoned a Special Use Park. It is not zoned a community park.
DeleteAlso- the council told residents the consturction of the Parkw as fully funded in 2005 - the council lied.
The council told residents in 2008 when they did a bond offering that the money would be used to fully fund building the Hall park- the council lied.
City Manager Vina told Residents in 2012 when he raided some 17 fully funded priority projects of some $7M and directed the council to do yet another bond offer of near $10 million that the city's finances were in good shape- Mr. Vina told residents yet another untruth-
Community Park /Special Use park = a park we can't afford that will benefit non-taxpayers from other citites.
Yes, but it will also benefit Encinitas tax-payers tremendously.
Delete(And if it had a field with lights, would continue to do so even in the fall after daylight savings time is over.)
30' lights for ECP!
Naming it "Community Park" is not in adherence to our General Plan, as supported by Encinitas Municipal Code. The name community park contradicts the definitions in our GP. You may not see that as violating a specific ordinance, but the name is not compatible. It was designed and built, primarily as an interregional sports specialty park. The dog park is a welcome exception.
DeletePersonally, I don't understand why the park will have so many 100 yard fields, and no basketball or tennis courts? It seems that soccer, football, and La Crosse leagues are being given priority? I know there are to be some baseball diamonds, too? And the skatepark is also a good addition.
I don't see it as violating a specific ordinance because it does not violate any ordinance. Not because i say it does or does not, and not because you do either. This is the same issue that you called our staff law breakers over yet couldn't name the law they broke -- because there is no law.
DeleteThe kids playground is nice too. As are the walking paths around the perimeter. I'm hoping the landscaping is as nice as we deserve as the "flower capital".
DeleteThe city plans call for cactus which isn't much but better than the weeds and dirt they line the 101 with....
DeleteIt goes against the policy of our general plan, which is the law of the city. The City neglected to codify that policy in zoning definitions, which definitions are part of our municipal code.
DeleteI have not stated that staff have been lawbreakers, without naming the laws they have broken. Staff, including the contracted City Attorney and our City Manager have broken the Brown Act and the California Public Records Act, in the past, which are both part of California Government Code.
Glenn Sabine and, now, Teresa Barth "mine" the Brown Act for open meeting law exceptions, and for reasons to keep the public in the dark. That violates Teresa Barth's word. The Brown Act only states that people wishing to attend public meetings do not have to register their names and addresses in order to attend. Doing so is voluntary.
NOWHERE does the Brown Act say that public speakers cannot be asked to state their names and cities of residence when they are speaking before the public, and Council. This is being misrepresented by Teresa Barth and Lisa Shaffer.
The Brown Act also states, "A legislative body may not conduct any meeting or FUNCTION [emphasis added] in any facility . . . where members of the public must pay to attend the meeting. (Government Code Section 54961). I would define the State of the City address event as a public/private FUNCTION. Peder Norby and Gus Vina sat on the State of the City Subcommittee, in 2012.
There should have been free seats provided at the function, and the Mayor's address should have been repeated at City Hall at a Council Meeting, as part of a special presentation, upon which members of the public should be allowed to comment, afterwards, as they were after the RailTrail Corridor presentation.
It makes absolutely no sense at all when there will NEVER be a 4/5 vote by the council to proceed with getting any estimates as the 3 idiots directed the city manager to do. More waste of time by him, by staff. What are these people thinking about? We need to clean house.
ReplyDeleteWe will.
ReplyDeleteCurrent Council has no leadership. A waffling sail with no wind and relying on a dirty leaking diesel 1/2 horsepower engine steering in the wrong direction.
Sad but true. :(
Hope you're not thinking clean house with the likes of a Forrester, who said last election that the public has no business weighing in on the planning process.
DeleteComments like yours can be read either way. ;)
Yea - just look at what the "Dump Stocks" movement got us........and now the same people want to dump Vina?!?!?! Heaven help us all........
ReplyDelete- The Sculpin
Dump Barth - get it right this time.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteEdited for typos:
DeleteSculpin, the Dump Stocks movement got Stocks voted out of office, which was the goal. Often, when leadership changes, there is a vacuum.
Part of the challenge is that Teresa Barth wasn't ready to step up to the plate. She had wanted Kristin Gaspar to be mayor for 2013. But Kristin declined; Teresa, Lisa and Tony's pre-formulated plan was derailed. They later tried to do damage control by taking the unprecedented step of appointing two mayors for 2014.
Sabine went along saying EMC doesn't "preclude" that, although it specifically addresses one mayor being appointed. Because the code was changed so that a successor could be appointed prior to the originally appointed mayor completing her term, our City Attorney seized on that to say there was nothing to stop Council from choosing a mayor and simultaneously choosing a mayor successor. That isn't really what happened, though. Council simultaneously chose two mayors, and more or less "flipped a coin" to decide who would serve first. By rotation, it was Kristin Gaspar's turn. Teresa was so infuriated when she was skipped over, yet she had no qualms skipping over her colleague, for reasons of political posturing.
Glenn Sabine, Gus Vina and Teresa Barth, Lisa Shaffer, are all willing to bend and twist the letter of municipal code to fit their purposes. After this year, this won't be an issue, because we will have an elected mayor.
I understand, Lynn. My comment was somewhat tongue-in-cheek. More of an exasperation that you always have to be careful what you wish for. I have always thought Barth was not up to the task - her first run in with Stocks proved that. I don't trust Lisa because I don't trust academicians to get to the right answer, or any answer. I use academicians to formulate policy and that's it. Tony is still finding his way - some good, some not so. Muir understands how to run an organization. He asks great questions, but he's finding his way too. I have no clue about Gaspar........
DeleteWith Vina, he's just reading the council and trying to anticipate their moves, like any good city manager. He gets crapped on a lot, and I have no idea if it's deserved or not because his actions are such a lightning rod on this blog......but I have to assume he's communicating regularly with council and doing what they want.
- The Sculpin
I have a clue about Gaspar, and that is to say she has no clue. I pretty much agree with the Sculpin's take, Teresa is not seeming like she's up to the task, but from my observance, neither is Gaspar. She can't even formulate a vote on big issues.
DeleteMark and Tony may end up being ok, we'll see. They could be a force in years to come. Gaspar has never seemed to be one for policy discussion, the same way Dallager wasn't. Lisa it's hard to say, she has to realize where she's ad, and develop a stance. We're not in Kansas anymore Toto, or UCSD.
The mayor "swapping" all started years ago when Sheila was in office, when Stocks,Bonds, and their crew decided she had to go.
https://thecoastnews.com/2012/02/council-votes-to-modify-mayoral-selection/
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/Dec/10/jenkins-three-questions-new-encinitas-council/
Frankly I always thought it was embarrassing, but that's politics. It's still hard for me to get a grip on Vina, not sure if he's up to the gig or not. I don't think Phil Cotton was. Sabine to me just is a clog, to many backroom conversations, not clear enough on his statements.
As always, the question is, "If we dump Vina, who takes his place, and will it be better or worse". That's the reality...
Forgot my handle
Delete-Mr GreenJeans
Barth not up to the plate?? She pined for the job, over and over. You and her legion of followers were ready to hang Stovks for skipping her again and again, now you excuse her failures by saying she's not ready?? Nonsense.
DeleteShe can't lead because she has no mettle in the game. I know 50 Encinitians more suited to be mayor than anyone we've had for the past 10 years but none of them want their lives picked over. But they are LEADERS!! Not followers. Leaders get the job done and don't care who's toes get stepped on, followers tippy toe here and there and always want to be someone's friend. This is evident by her satisfaction of 'we all get along'. Pure nonsense.
I don't excuse her failures, but if she's ready, she's not acting like it. Some people aren't leaders, and if that's the case, that's the case. Stocks wasn't a leader either, Gaspar isn't, Muir I guess qualifies, Dallager no, Bond, yes, Guerin no.
DeleteYou can't know until they take the reins, and it's not an elected position, yet. This is why Barth vs. Gaspar is not a very appealing race.
And this is the problem, and I guess that makes me part of the problem. What are we doing right now, picking over people's lives, essentially. That's part of the game to be in politics, but you see people less inclined to take part. This is why we no longer get the best people in politics, we get put ups like Gaspar, a-holes like Stocks, ladder climbers like Guerin, dopes like Dallager and Doug Long, people with personality issues like Sheila Cameron etc etc. You can go down the line through the Lou Aspells and more.
The only guys I thought who were clued in and could lead in the last 20 years were holz and Bond, and Bond I don't agree with, but he certainly understood the game, and got things done.
The question is the same, where are these potential leaders, and who's willing to run?
Stocks was a leader, although most didn't like his additude nor where he was leading the city.
DeleteOne thing about leaders they don't have time for idiots morons nor suck ups.
Moving up the ladder at a job by either attrition, retirement of other workers or time on the job is not leadership.
lol you don't think $tock$$ surrounded himself by suck-ups? Vina? Glenn "I have to go look that up" Sabine? Right.
DeleteWell he didn't tolerate your smart mouth now did he??
Delete$tock$ is the furthest thing from a leader. He talked but never walked the walk. watch Braveheart and you will understand what qualities a real leader has.
Delete$tock$ is a blowhard RINO.
Stocks was a bully, not a leader.
DeleteSome leaders are bullies. Barth is not a bully, and certainly no leader. So the city drifts....rudderless.
DeleteActually, Sheila-apologists, Ms. Cameron was the one who first 'skipped-over' Jim Bond for Mayor in 1998, with Holz and Guerin's votes added to her own, just to keep the record clear.
Delete8:01 Barth is a bully once you disagree with her. Rather than discuss an opposing view she simply shuts down, offended any one would dare suggest her position or thinking is flawed-
DeleteBarth is on her way out, she likley will leave town after the election- she has marginalized her resident support and the business support will turn on her if she runs again
THE most laughable post to ever land here is someone posting $tocks is a leader. Perhaps for a lemming in need of a cliff.
DeleteStocks was a leader, you don't have to like the leader nor where she/he takes you, so he was voted out. But he lead, today we have NO leadership. The city is rudderless and adrift....SO staff now leaded the city (Vina). Someone leads and everyone else follows. Complaining here doesnt change the cities situation. Step up and lead.
DeleteDumping vina is a must.... There are plenty of candidates out there...like hundreds that would be much better for Encinitas. Fire vina now!!!
ReplyDelete4:23- As SNL says some people are just not ready for prime time. And some will never be ready. I liked Bond, even if I didn't agree with him. He was at least fiscally responsible. I also liked Dennis Holz. But as I stated on another post, a lot of so called leaders don't want their lives picked apart. More later. A patient just arrived.
ReplyDeleteLet's have a City Jeopardy with Barth vs Dalager - we can finally see who qualifies as the most clueless in the city's short history!
ReplyDeleteThrow $tock$ in there. I loved that he thought he had everything in the bag being all the "Chair" of SANDAG…. and all…..
ReplyDeleteBig deal. The public saw him for who he is a huge RINO that gave every City Employee a 35% increase in their pension in one nights vote!
That my friends, is no leader in my opinion.
$tock$ was thought to be planning for higher public office; he hung around too long and was recognized for the weasel he is. Now he is just pitching insurance again - maybe he can sell Herbalife at council meetings?
ReplyDeleteCategory - Sales Tax
ReplyDelete**BUZZZ*
Ms. Barth...
"Panacea to all ills?"
Oh no, I;m sorry...
***BUZZ****
Mr. Dalager..
"Fry the squirrel meat on my new stove?"
Oh.no.....the answer is "Bad Idea"
I think we are witnessing a Ponzi scheme that is in melt down stage. Vina is up there like Bernie Madoff trying to find ways to keep the income stream going. Barth and the rest of the council are being led around by him by rings through their noses. Someone said it before. Barth looked desparate the other night. I want a forensic accountant to go over the books NOW!
ReplyDeleteLeadership does not mean taking crazy measures to keep the fraud going!
Good point. put realistic expenditures against profits and lets see what we have.
ReplyDeleteCity Council = collective failure
ReplyDelete