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Partnoy Quoted in Great Movie "Inside Job"
USD....that is interesting. USD is where we get all the super greedy developers. I saw thats where alot of the developers teach so it would make sense that it would be an epicenter of evil.— November 22, 2010 6:52 p.m.
Suit Filed Against Midnight Backroom Deal
"Lately the State has not given the ReDev. Area the amount that is due because of its own shortage of funds..." Yeah but Prop 22 changed all that. The state has to pay them whatever they are due. Its a huge sham and every group that is experiencing cuts should demand an end to this redevelopment sham. We are closing almost all of our state Parks. I just dont think citizens are putting these pieces together. I always ee the teachers protesting and I think "you guys should be focusing all your energy on how your $ is being stolen by the redevlopment agencies". They have powerful unions so I wish their guys would address this.— November 22, 2010 12:47 a.m.
Suit Filed Against Midnight Backroom Deal
Check this out... Why is Atkins still allowed to lobby for her partner Jennifer LeSars development firm while she is an elected Assembly Member? http://lesardevelopment.com/about-us/ This seems like a blatant conflict of interest especially since State Assembly votes on Redevelopment issues.— November 21, 2010 12:32 a.m.
Suit Filed Against Midnight Backroom Deal
As for the 2nd suit "San Diego attorneys Catherine Rodman and Scott Dreher, and a Pasadena attorney filed suit on behalf of low-income residents against the Redevelopment Agency, which is the city council"....that suit doesnt do us any good at all. These slime balls are the same slimeballs that continue to give us the low quality affordable housing projects that dont even go to low income people so a victory for them is a loss for us. Incidentally I have noticed most of the redevelopment projects are still empty 2-3 years later. Is there any financial incentive for them to leave them empty? I would think they would at least rent them out. So of course Im thinking that they are receiving some sort of subsidy if they are empty or its part of the stimulus giveaway to developers that gives them cash back and allows them to write off losses from 09-and 10 going all the way back to 05.— November 21, 2010 12:28 a.m.
Suit Filed Against Midnight Backroom Deal
I am really glad to see this has gotten the attention of Mike Aguirre. I still think he is our best hope and you are right Don, this is something that needs to be fixed in Sacramento. We will never fix it here because they will continue to illegally pervert and distort redevelopment law....why because there are NO consequences for breaking the law locally. We have to get creative. I say we appeal to the teachers and the State Parks and get them on board and seeing how all our State Parks have to be closed and budget cuts have to be made to schools because private developers have managed to divert more and more tax money to themselves w/ NO oversight. I still think we need an investigation of now assembly woman Toni Atkins and her personal finances and how she personally was enriched by redevelopment projects that she gave to her long time partner Jennifer LeSar. I hope Aguirres' wheels are turning.— November 21, 2010 12:23 a.m.
Suit Filed Against Midnight Backroom Deal
Prop 22 also was a HUGE power grab for the developers. It said that in order to deal w/ the budget crisis you could not take 1 penny of their massive 10% of property tax revenue. Any cuts have to come from schools or other neccessary things but can NOT come from private developers. My issues are 3 fold: 1: The quality of garbage they are building w/ these tax dollars. they are paying themselves as if they are giving us the Taj mahal while delivering "tenement slums" (as they were described in Orchids and Onions. Thus they are using money intended to fix blight to build blight. 2: They are destroying amazing quality historical homes and buildings, 100s of original craftsmans that could be rehabbed as affordable housing and beautiful buildings like Gustafson Furniture store and the old 7 up bottling plant and on and on. 3: the emminent domain abuse as in the Grantville case where elderly citizens are being tossed from a wonderful mobile home community that they have lived in for years, a community that is by no means blighted. So they are lying and fabricating blight. This has to stop. there is no accountability. here is a great quote from the above website for redevelopment reform.... This unknown government currently consumes 10% of all property taxes statewide - $2.1 billion in 2001. It has a total indebtedness of over $51 billion. It is supported by a powerful Sacramento lobby, backed by an army of lawyers, consultants, bond brokers and land developers. Unlike new counties, cities and school districts, it can be created without the vote of the citizens affected. Unlike other governments, it can incur bonded indebtedness without voter approval. Unlike other governments, it may use the power of eminent domain to benefit private interests. This unknown government provides no public services. It does not educate our children, maintain our streets, protect us from crime, nor stock our libraries. It claims to eliminate blight and promote economic development, yet there is no evidence it has done so in the half century since it was created. Indeed, it has become a rapidly growing drain on California's public resources, amassing enormous power with little public awareness or oversight.— November 20, 2010 12:55 a.m.
Suit Filed Against Midnight Backroom Deal
My question is does this suit accomplish anything? Does it just give them the money back to build more ugly "non-affordable" housing? Im all for suing them but we need massive reform in regards to what redevelopment agencies can do w/ the money. They currently owe California over 51 billion dollars and the LA Times article last month claimed their investigation found barely any affordable housing was created w/ this money. It just simply paid developers for private development. Will this suit just propagate that behavior by returning the reigns to the corrupt "affordable housing" developers? http://www.coalitionforredevelopmentreform.org/re…— November 20, 2010 12:47 a.m.
Nov. 2 Memo Doesn't Mention Computer Glitch
Interesting thread of thoughts on here. seems this story really hit alot of buttons w/ people. I am very glad to see people so angry. I want as many people as possible to care. that is how we will change all ths :)— November 18, 2010 5:01 p.m.
Nov. 2 Memo Doesn't Mention Computer Glitch
I wonder if we would have any better luck if we appealed to the US attorneys office? Its probably a slim chance but here is an instance where I will give Obama a shot at fixing this. perhaps Laura Duffy is interested in cleaning up corruption. I don't know. I hope so. I would love for Obama to surprise me w/ some serious a$$ - kicking in this department by giving us a real US attorney. If so I will gladly give O all the credit he deserves.— November 18, 2010 4:59 p.m.
Nov. 2 Memo Doesn't Mention Computer Glitch
I had hopes for Obama, but I think he showed his cards right out of the gate w/ all the lobbyists he hired and not just any lobbyists but the worst of the worst. I mean we have 2 Monsanto lobbyists, the company that brought us pesticides, agent orange and the bovine cattle disaster in charge of both the FDA and the USDA. For what its worth I started keeping a list right after he was elected so I wouldnt get all caught up in the feel good language. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=546382152&…— November 17, 2010 11:51 p.m.