Comments by HonestGovernment | San Diego Reader

HonestGovernment

Pinpoint Forecasting, San Diego Style

Right, JW: it's really conflicting. I support raising and paying taxes as necessary to fund our city services adequately, via the General Fund. But. Sales taxes always hit the poorest the hardest; it isn't fair, especially given that the City bestows property tax dollars on wealthy, powerful, quasi-governmental groups (Tourism Marketing District, BIDs). Those dollars can't be used for fire engine staff or to keep libraries and swimming pools open, or for many other resident quality-of-life services (unless you consider banners and hanging flower baskets a suitable distraction from cracked up sidewalks and decaying infrastructure and closed libraries). Coupling a sales tax increase that hits the lower income groups hardest with outsourcing, privatization, and a bunch of other nebulous and hardly believable "reforms" makes it very hard for me (a very liberal progressive Dem) to vote 'yes.'
— August 18, 2010 1:04 p.m.

Pinpoint Forecasting, San Diego Style

Oh, exactly, and well said, Visduh.
— August 18, 2010 11:20 a.m.

La Jolla's Riford Center can't get money

Correction: Aguirre issued Memoranda. (Not MoL) And, the Council passed the following Resolution: http://docs.sandiego.gov/council_reso_ordinance/r… Of importance in the Resolution: A. That Council Policy No. 700-02 be amended to include the following: 1. A prohibition on any allocation of CDBG funds to a project for which a CDBG application has not been received by the City;
— August 13, 2010 12:21 p.m.

La Jolla's Riford Center can't get money

See HUD Audit Report 2009-LA-1005 (Date Issued: December 30, 2008 - City of San Diego Did Not Administer Its CDBG Program in Accordance with HUD Requirements When Funding the City's Redevelopment Agency Projects). http://www.hud.gov/utilities/intercept.cfm?/offic… Related to this excellent Reader story, concerning the application for CDBG monies and their restricted use: The HUD investigation revealed a broad mishandling of all CDBG monies, in addition to RDA projects. In particular, the Economic Development division abetted several Council people in allocating CDBG money to groups that had NOT submitted applications at all, against regulations. Also, these particular intended uses (to pay for PR and related costs in the formation of Economic Development division-run Maintenance Assessment Districts) of CDBG monies were not allowable under HUD regs. Economic Development employees steered unapplied-for CDBG monies for MAD formation to business groups in Hueso's and Faulconer's districts. During and following the HUD findings, Aguirre issued several Memoranda of Law, which included directing that no further CDBG monies would be allocated by City departments without applications on file by grant seekers.
— August 13, 2010 12:05 p.m.

SDCERS Says City Breaking Law

Ha! Funny, Founder. Didn't think of that! Anyone have any info on KMA's subconsultant, "3DV" or "3D Visions" or anything similar? Can't find an active Cal/local business registration on any name variant...just wondering...
— August 9, 2010 2:56 p.m.

SDCERS Says City Breaking Law

Don Bauder says: "in downtown San Diego/CCDC/developer scams, most of the lawyers and the money are lined up on one side" And so it seems to go with the CCDC/consultants/money: http://www.keysermarston.com/index.cfm?navid=75 Mr. Trimble is Managing Principal of Keyser Marston Associates, Inc., San Diego. He came to Keyser Marston in 1992 after... 10 years as the chief executive officer of the Centre City Development Corporation, San Diego. Here is CCDC's Alessi explaining to Faulconer the CAP "facts": http://docs.sandiego.gov/councildockets_attach/20… Page 5 identifies the CCDC's blight-hunting consultants, who will be paid >$500K to find the blight that will justify increasing the downtown redevelopment tax-increment CAP and timeframe. One consultant, the primary one, is identified only as "KMA." And that is...Keyser Marston Associates?
— August 9, 2010 12:09 p.m.