Sunday, December 11, 2016

Progressives to take supermajority on city council; will they revive push for sales tax increase?

Progressives have taken a 3-1 majority on the Encinitas city council, and will be able to appoint a kindred spirit to the vacancy created by Catherine Blakespear's election to mayor.

In 2014, the Barth-Shaffer-Kranz majority pushed for the hiring of a sales tax increase campaign manager, but was thwarted only by the lack of a fourth vote to put a tax increase on the ballot when Mark Muir and Kristin Gaspar made it clear they would not go along.

Now the progressives have their fourth vote.

40 comments:

  1. Any increase in sales tax revenue will be used to safeguard overpaid salaries and overpaid pensions. But "they" will tell us it's for public safety and all that nonsense....
    Vote NO.

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  2. Muir is the only fiscal conservation left on the council. The rest will spend money like drunken sailors. Pacific View will be nothing in comparison. Encinitas will be Berkeley South.

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    1. Muir is the only one who talks to the ceiling. The guy doesn't burn with all bulbs lit.

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  3. With a $4.4M carryover from last year, it would be hard to argue that the city needs the extra revenue.

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  4. EU is making a mountain out of a mole hill. When the sales tax increase idea was very tentatively floated, it became clear immediately that it wouldn't get majority council or popular support. The council won't be dumb enough to raise the issue, let alone put it on the ballot. It would be sure to fail and in the process make the council members extremely unpopular.

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    1. Don't underestimate a big government politician's ability to craft a "sky is falling" reason to justify a new or increased tax.

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    2. It wasn't tentative at all. It was well-planned. Vina had already selected the campaign manager and brought her to speak to the council. Barth was visibly angry that Muir and Gaspar wouldn't go along with it.

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    3. Progressive today just means "not Republican".Like Republicans, still owned by the donor class.

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    4. EU is right: the person who came to speak before the Council to sell her services more than hinted she knew how to turn a phrase or two to trick residents into voting for the tax. She did it shamelessly and blatantly in front of everyone. Shaffer and Barth lapped it up.

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    5. A sales tax increase on the ballot didn't happen, and it's not going to happen.

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    6. How dare they allow people to vote.

      Voting must be stopped at all costs.

      Demand that council sign a pledge to block a public vote.

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    7. They only put things to a vote when they have to; now, primarily, due to Prop A.

      The public works development project being forced on unwilling residents, and businesses, along North Highway 101, should also be put to a vote.

      It hasn't been "well-vetted." That's just a buzz phrase used by consultants/roundabout lobbyists and our compliant City Engineer, Ed Deane.

      Rather than putting the rail-trail corridor (in Cardiff) issue on the ballot, Council caved to public pressure, which was good.

      The only time Council has been willing to put a question on the ballot is when "members only" have no choice.

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  5. From here it looks like "progressive" and "fiscal conservative" are just labels which are not at opposite ends of a spectrum, at least not at the level of this City. Taxes pay for infrastructure and city services. The current taxes are high enough to cover everything that we now have, with an apparent surplus to cover the debt burden and some contingincies. If circumstances change we may want to do more (or less) but I, for one, am pretty satisfied with the way things are going in Encinitas.

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    1. The four are socialists.

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    2. Labeling people is a lazy way of thinking. We are all in this world together.

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    3. 4:52 PM Quote Lisa Shaffer.

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  6. The city finances "are in fine shape," as we're told repeatedly. No new taxes are needed, in that case. You listening, Tasha/Catherine/Tony???

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  7. no new taxes are needed but there appears to be a dire need to approve every schlock housing project, built to the maximum density. Rincon's work, for example... on Leucadia Blvd., Diana St, Jason St, etc.. max-crap.

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    1. Complain to the City Manager, not to the Council.
      Planning isn't following the General Plan or the Code.

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    2. City Manager?!! Haven't you figured her out yet? She isn't going to rock the boat - she's on the SS Pensionbloat!

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  8. City of Fort Worth pension fund as bad or worse than Dallas. Pension haircuts coming....lololollll. ( that means pension reductions for those of you that don't speak banker/crony/elite/snob).

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  9. 10 Dallas police officers retiring every week AND taking their pensions with them....no haircuts for them..... can Encinitas city retirees survive on Capt Keno's $2.99 spaghetti dinner??

    Can't happen fast enough.

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    1. Well that's a haircut that no one saw coming ... now is it??? How long has it taken the Police association to file a lawsuit?? Gee, it's there money isn't it?? But they can't have it??? kinda like what's happening in India, no??

      How many $2.99 plates of spaghetti does it take to fill the belly of a retired city fire chief?? Now if the pension doesn't allow withdrawals??? Huh??
      Soon, no one will be allowed to withdraw any funds from their local bank. Be prepared.

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    2. Muir needs a cost of living adjustment - he's starving!

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  10. Gag-me expressions of gratitude start off with a bang as Karris Rhodes falls over herself congratulating those whose butts the door cannot hit fast enough.

    Cardiff Main Street says the city is better off for Gaspar having "served."


    Now Barth showering Lisa for imagined accomplishments.

    And so it goes....

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    1. Inbreeding of phony politicians.

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  11. Apparently today is "Lisa Shaffer Day."

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  12. Blakespear's blind adulation of Shaffer is truly cringeworthy.

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  13. Shaffer claiming accomplishments that never happened. Thanks the city attorney.

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  14. If doing nothing but free spending and looking the other way while Rome burns is an accomplishment... then ok.

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    1. Was Shaffer on the fiddle?

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    2. She could not wipe the "I'm outta here suckas" look off her face.

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  15. Wow, I just pulled my head out of the puke bucket after watching the council tonight....wait, off I go .... brapppp!!!

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  16. All politicians lie, not all liars are politicians.

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  17. Finally, the Feds raised the rate.

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  18. Interesting how Measure T's results had to be certified last night but the city did it only up on the screen, without fanfare let alone mention.

    Can you imagine the crowing and beating of chests had the thing passed?

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  19. I hear that Roberts was there praising up Gaspar. I suppose that was standard protocol - she slandered him big time - he owed her no due.

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