Here's something you might be interested in.
Should it be any suprise that the mayor waited until right after the election to announce how bad our financial mess really is? He couldn't tell people this before, because then they may have voted for Mike Aguirre who has been saying this all along and who has tirelessly fought to suspend the illegal pension benefits that allow city employees to retire at 50 and collect 6 figure yearly payouts.
In the meantime we are looking at some of the most dramatic cuts in history. Cuts that will destroy public libraries, libraries that were built and donated by private citizens. Cuts that will destroy Rec centers that undoubtedly keep crime levels lower than they would be.
Activist blogger Pat Flannery, has been following the story closely in his blog. http://www.blogofsandiego.com/ He details the biggest and most significant expense that the city has no intentions of cutting...developer subsidies. So while you guys are suffering with the closing of libraries and parks and watching the city deteriorate into a cesspool of crime and delapidation, the developers are feeding at the trough and filling up on over 100 million in public funds.
They are banking on you not paying attention. And it has worked. I mean there is practically nothing that they can do that will get people out on the streets. Look at prop 8--, there are 1000s of people enraged and taking to the streets w/ signs and vigils and endless amounts of time, money and energy to fight the injustice.
But when it comes to having your city stolen from you, no one says a thing. I don't get it. Yeah there are people at city council to speak about it, but they are used to that. Now that the election is over and they got their schills, Sanders, Goldsmith (who has promised to do nothing), and Gloria, they aren't worried about what you think. And by the way I still dont think this election was honest. remember the County Board of Supervisors hired Deborah Seiler and Michael Vu to run the election---Vu was the elections director in the infamous Ohio 2004 election, yeah the one that changed history. And Seiler was the sales rep for both Diebold and Sequoia, 2 of the most controversial voting machine manufacturers.
They appointed lackluster Peters to the Port. They have most of their ducks lined up except for Emerald and Lightner who may be the key. A little public outrage won't change a thing.
We need a revolution.
Here are my suggestions for saving money:
1: As Pat said get rid of the 150 million in pork barrel developer subsidies.
2: The police helicopters that in 2003 cost the city over 2.5 million dollars a year.
God only knows what it costs now that gas is 4$ a gallon. http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/media/San-Diego-Magazine/December-2004/Front-Pages/
The ones that fly in tiny circles for at least 10 hours a day in broad daylight over low crime neighborhoods like University Heights---
Here's the youtube video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AmdfXsJR50 Can we cut that in half. It is so unnecessary. When I called the police (multiple times) I was told they were just "patrolling" and they could do it wherever and whenever they want. 1.25 million should be able to keep a few libraries open.
3: Up developer fees. The developers destroy our roads and max out our infrastructure and then leave the mess for us to pay for.
4: Stop paying for the "Technical Advisory Committee" lunch. The city buys lunch for 30 Building Industry members of TAC once a month. Can they just pay for their own lunch. That should help keep Recreation Centers open a few hours longer.
5: Landscaping: Can we get rid of some of the ridiculous looking and water thirsty vegetation along center medians of places like ElCajon Blvd and replace it w/ indigenous drought resistent and low maintenance plants like the ones found in Balboa Park's beautiful rose garden. My God the joy of not hearing the 2 stroke city leaf blowers and weed wackers every week. Think of all the water and maintenance money we would save. This is a job that volunteers would eagerly do.
6: Volunteers: reach out to retired citizens like the ones in the RSVP program and find people that would like to help at the Rec Centers and Libraries. It could be our adopt a library program.
OK, I have more, but dont want this to be too long. But come on people. You cannot trust Jerry Sanders to fix this the right way.
Should it be any suprise that the mayor waited until right after the election to announce how bad our financial mess really is? He couldn't tell people this before, because then they may have voted for Mike Aguirre who has been saying this all along and who has tirelessly fought to suspend the illegal pension benefits that allow city employees to retire at 50 and collect 6 figure yearly payouts.
In the meantime we are looking at some of the most dramatic cuts in history. Cuts that will destroy public libraries, libraries that were built and donated by private citizens. Cuts that will destroy Rec centers that undoubtedly keep crime levels lower than they would be.
Activist blogger Pat Flannery, has been following the story closely in his blog. http://www.blogofsandiego.com/ He details the biggest and most significant expense that the city has no intentions of cutting...developer subsidies. So while you guys are suffering with the closing of libraries and parks and watching the city deteriorate into a cesspool of crime and delapidation, the developers are feeding at the trough and filling up on over 100 million in public funds.
They are banking on you not paying attention. And it has worked. I mean there is practically nothing that they can do that will get people out on the streets. Look at prop 8--, there are 1000s of people enraged and taking to the streets w/ signs and vigils and endless amounts of time, money and energy to fight the injustice.
But when it comes to having your city stolen from you, no one says a thing. I don't get it. Yeah there are people at city council to speak about it, but they are used to that. Now that the election is over and they got their schills, Sanders, Goldsmith (who has promised to do nothing), and Gloria, they aren't worried about what you think. And by the way I still dont think this election was honest. remember the County Board of Supervisors hired Deborah Seiler and Michael Vu to run the election---Vu was the elections director in the infamous Ohio 2004 election, yeah the one that changed history. And Seiler was the sales rep for both Diebold and Sequoia, 2 of the most controversial voting machine manufacturers.
They appointed lackluster Peters to the Port. They have most of their ducks lined up except for Emerald and Lightner who may be the key. A little public outrage won't change a thing.
We need a revolution.
Here are my suggestions for saving money:
1: As Pat said get rid of the 150 million in pork barrel developer subsidies.
2: The police helicopters that in 2003 cost the city over 2.5 million dollars a year.
God only knows what it costs now that gas is 4$ a gallon. http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/media/San-Diego-Magazine/December-2004/Front-Pages/
The ones that fly in tiny circles for at least 10 hours a day in broad daylight over low crime neighborhoods like University Heights---
Here's the youtube video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AmdfXsJR50 Can we cut that in half. It is so unnecessary. When I called the police (multiple times) I was told they were just "patrolling" and they could do it wherever and whenever they want. 1.25 million should be able to keep a few libraries open.
3: Up developer fees. The developers destroy our roads and max out our infrastructure and then leave the mess for us to pay for.
4: Stop paying for the "Technical Advisory Committee" lunch. The city buys lunch for 30 Building Industry members of TAC once a month. Can they just pay for their own lunch. That should help keep Recreation Centers open a few hours longer.
5: Landscaping: Can we get rid of some of the ridiculous looking and water thirsty vegetation along center medians of places like ElCajon Blvd and replace it w/ indigenous drought resistent and low maintenance plants like the ones found in Balboa Park's beautiful rose garden. My God the joy of not hearing the 2 stroke city leaf blowers and weed wackers every week. Think of all the water and maintenance money we would save. This is a job that volunteers would eagerly do.
6: Volunteers: reach out to retired citizens like the ones in the RSVP program and find people that would like to help at the Rec Centers and Libraries. It could be our adopt a library program.
OK, I have more, but dont want this to be too long. But come on people. You cannot trust Jerry Sanders to fix this the right way.