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It would have been prudent...
Not making excuses here, but when the wheels are in motion, it takes more effort to make things stop. We seem to somehow lack the ability to put people where it takes--i.e., where they can be positioned to stop all this mess. Is that because someone or some people "get" to them after they have been elected or appointed, or is this all somehow a shadowy part of the process by which our "leaders" become "leaders". We really need some people who can stick up for what the citizenry want, which is to say, honesty in government and schools, not a bunch of self-appointed developers taking over everything.— December 1, 2014 1:15 p.m.
It would have been prudent...
Excellent points, all. No public debate of the sale and development of school property? Unknown developers at the helm of city school district plans? How did the system get short-circuited in this way? To answer my own question, I can only say that there must have been many small steps toward this, many people being co-opted along the way, including the Sweetwater Board of Trustees in several iterations. Too bad the judicial system seems to have been similarly co-opted (Espana). Furthermore, with McCann now pulling back into the lead for the city council spot, we know that he will always side with the developers, because that's where the money is. Looks like the vocal, attuned and aware members of the public can't rest. Wouldn't it be great to actually find out who the people are behind all of this? Ed Brand and pals? David Malcolm? Others? All of them??— December 1, 2014 11:07 a.m.
It would have been prudent...
Sounds like a pretty good idea to me.— November 30, 2014 7:09 a.m.
It would have been prudent...
It seems quite amazing that some unnamed outside entities can drive the school district and the city of Chula Vista on these development issues. So they must have contributed quite generously to all the campaign war chests. There must be some deep alignments which somehow are able to circumvent all the protocols and procedures as prescribed by law. And well, we have enough experience watching Judge Espana to know that we unfortunately cannot rely on the judicial branch of the government. Some of these understandings appear to be contrary to all sorts of legalities. I hope there are enough honest people remaining who can help us get to the bottom of all this bad deal-making and wholesale hornswoggling of our community.— November 28, 2014 1:22 p.m.
It would have been prudent...
What continues to amaze me is that they--meaning the temporary board--continue down the same road, when obviously it is past time to make a U-turn. They are ignoring all signs, they are continuing along a road that takes them further and further from civic good. Why?— November 25, 2014 8:33 p.m.
It would have been prudent...
I really hate to say it, but perhaps it wasn't just happenstance that those Sweetwater board members were such a bunch of, shall we say...underachievers? So, for example, if one were a string-puller, wouldn't it be great to have people in place who are ok with doing whatever they are told or "advised", all for a small bit of publicity, a few perks and a bit of status--and maybe the promise of a payoff down the road? Something like "If you just go along with this now, you can have the _______ of your dreams". Or, you know that we'd like X to happen--as long as you do your part to help, you will get Y. Why else would the informed community members who have made their voices known have such difficulty being heard--and listened to? I am left to conclude that some developer influence has played a part in all of this. I will go out on a limb to say that Ed Brand's delusions of grandeur must have made it easy for developers to shift into high gear with all these projects/schemes/scams. None of this appears to have been accomplished with any degree of legality, although there are elements which are cloaked in some semi-legal claptrap. I really hope the judicial system isn't completely crooked as well. We all know that Judge Espana isn't going to win any awards for being a deep thinker or even a public-minded individual, more's the pity, but let's just hope the bar she set is much lower than the bar others in that branch of government live up to. Complicity is a word we have mentioned before, but things look rather more widespread at this point. Pretty horrifying to think that for decades our children have been robbed of opportunities because monies have been shifted into schemes for developers/Ed Brand and his coterie of opportunists. May the full fury of the law be brought down on every single person who has gone along with this wholesale thievery. Turning your back on children, their education, the future of your own community and country. What an accomplishment for all those involved. Sickening.— November 25, 2014 2:09 p.m.
It would have been prudent...
Tom Cahoots...oops, sorry, Calhoun, needs to take a hike. Yes as has been mentioned, there are some major string-pullers behind the scenes. And who are they? Some deeply connected people, with the "influence" to get to just about everyone, it seems. I will cut this short, but have more to say!!— November 25, 2014 12:31 p.m.
Ed's gone, but this Sweetwater shenanigan isn't
Your responses are all well-reasoned--I really hope you stay with this fight for education in the Sweetwater District. What you have to say about Shinoff is astounding to me. It is so apparent to me that the endemic corruption goes very deep and some pillars of society might well be involved. Yet another reason why Ed Brand could boast that he could basically do anything he wants and get away with it. Chris, you have a great deal to contribute to this effort. All of us who believe in public education and a society based on equality need to keep plugging away at all this. Or our children and children's children will have a very dim future, indeed.— November 25, 2014 8:07 a.m.
California electricity rates top nation’s — by far
Talk about your sunshine tax.— November 23, 2014 11:41 a.m.
Unfair bidding over Carmel Valley's polo fields?
Just one of those very convenient arrangements, I guess.— November 23, 2014 11:40 a.m.