nostalgic

Comments by nostalgic

City Attorney weighs in on formation of downtown arts and entertainment district

Don't get confused. These districts are all about the money. The other part - art, Maintenance, business, - all incidental.
— April 10, 2013 6:51 p.m.

San Diego city attorney dances to lobbyists' tune in banquet video

He's the guy who never moved his feet while dancing, right? Any chance of identifying the supporting cast?
— April 2, 2013 7:23 a.m.

TMD consultant and his firm has collected nearly $550,000 in TMD revenues since 2008

I accidentally clicked on the ad next to your column - The Grand Del Mar - Daily Rates from $495. Maybe costs have something to do with the reduction in tourism. I saw a relatively nice Hotel advertising $55 in LED lights today. Do you think both hotels benefit proportionally from the added advertising?
— March 30, 2013 6:17 p.m.

TMD consultant and his firm has collected nearly $550,000 in TMD revenues since 2008

Always keep your ears open at a meeting. Any time a community member shows up and says "I love my Community", "this is vital to <fill in the blank - San Diego, etc>, then you can be assured that person is taking cash out. The ones who show up with statistics and the law don't stand a chance.
— March 30, 2013 2:24 p.m.

Council President Todd Gloria once served as a board member for the Tourism Authority

The same sort of voting occurred in the Golden Hill Maintenance Assessment District. The condo owners were charged $35. a year, and voted YES resoundingly, as property values were starting their downward trend. The largest property owner paid $10,000 a year and VOTED Yes, for different reasons. The Middle voted no - people who wanted to take are of their own problems and didn't want to turn the money over to someone else. And are there other benefits? Can you use the 2% for cash flow before you turn it over to the city to turn it over to the TMD? How the money is collected and distributed plays a part in the scheme. The budget motels see it as possibly some benefit and no direct cost.
— March 29, 2013 2:15 p.m.

Tentatively, judge sides with Filner in TMD dispute

Is there a link to the ruling?
— March 25, 2013 4:45 a.m.

TMD puts 2014 funding requests on indefinite hold

If you spend $20 MILLION for advertising, and it brings in $20 MILLION, you are at a zero sum game. A lot of money goes out there that DOESN'T result in advertising. It keeps both organizations in business - the contractor and the contractee. When the funds seem limitless, all parties just glaze over and find a way to spend it.
— March 13, 2013 6:13 p.m.

TMD puts 2014 funding requests on indefinite hold

Is there any evidence that these TV ads work? Do people really go "Hey, I never heard of San Diego! Let's go there!" Or is it just another way for friends to fund friends, who somehow do them favors in some way? No way of knowing. That's why it works so well.
— March 9, 2013 5:03 p.m.

Tourism Marketing District Board has nearly $2 million stashed away in reserve account

Why do they get to keep the money after the contract has expired? Why don't they have to give it back to the City? Because their board voted to keep it doesn't seem to be reason enough.
— March 7, 2013 4:23 p.m.

In Filner case, tangled tale of four GOP leaning judges

Why did Mayor Filner have to represent himself? Did the City Attorney refuse? In that case, is Mayor Filner entitled to a Public Defender? This is really beyond imagination. Didn't I just read that these hotel people who are suing didn't even bother to vote for the TMD at the time. This is San Diego. What next?
— March 5, 2013 9:01 p.m.