Funny how people, in general, have a way of believing they are equal among other people. That what they perceive, interpret, etc. is how others will interpret also.
This weeks Stockton City Council antics could have passed for a “Twilight Zone” skit, or maybe even an episode of the “Three Stooges”, or a big screen film “Balloon Lady’s Six”. Just imagine the plot, the planning, and the skill needed to carry out a theft of millions of dollars from the tax paying citizens of Stockton.
However getting back to “all seriousness” do these rookies and tenured incompetents actually believe we the voters will forget or have forgotten? All have pounded their empty chests during campaigns with statements such as “ I believe in more police”, “Stockton has a crime problem”, “We need to stop building, and secure our infrastructure”.
Then as soon as they sit in the chair of their own grandiose, they pound what ever political drum they think will get them support at that time.
Such has the latest and greatest, due to the recession, “public employee’s benefits are to costly”, all the while riding the same train in their personal careers in the state education system.
Or how about expecting City employees to take huge and unreasonable cuts in pay, to the tune of an average $1200.00 a month. That’s right, how could you afford an overnight bill of $1200.00 per month. Completely pompous to suggest such when you relax in the opulence of the “Stockton Country Club” all the while soaking the city for an, unnecessary double income, but what the heck life is often “a dangerous game of chicken” played out on a “two-way street”.
I could write a terabyte of such things as not even reading your council brief until during the meetings, continually flip flopping, such has voting for and ridiculing those who did not vote for, a budget, and then voting against it a week later, and then trumping up your wisdom on such a vote. Or expecting to actually balance a budget in a month, but then refusing to cut city non-essentials, all the while your trees die, your roads crumble, and the quality of life spirals. And the topper?, lay off, huh…..“maybe not, well yes lay off, no no no no hold on a second….yah go ahead, then the city manager , no I don’t think so“…….who’s leading this goat f#*k anyway?
But, one thing is for certain, given enough time people will forget most things. However any given politicians vote to lay off police officers will never be forgotten. That vote will never stay buried, but will always be resurrected, and at the most in opportune times. Like when they run for any other office any where in the world. The Mercury will arrive, and all will know the disservice done to the citizens. Like a cancer in remission, an Achilles heel, after the race is in progress and precious funds and time are invested the truth will be exposed, the disease will unfold, and their opponent will be the Nike.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
“If you come……… the recall will follow”
Every time I read an article it justifies the creation of this blog more and more. Talk about starting off with a “spin”. The first paragraph makes it sound, as did several radio broadcasts, as if the cops are responsible for the deficit, and by not giving concessions they have forced the city to lay off officers.
The layoffs are going to net 6 million dollars, which is still 500K short of what the city wanted from the police officers union of about 400 officers. Well there are not 400 members in that bargaining group due to about 50 being in the management group which settled a few days ago. So lets divide 350 by 6,500,000=1547.62 dollars per month, or 18571.43 per year, or about a 15% pay cut. Wow that would be great the city’s budget gets balanced and all the police officers have to file for bankruptcy, lose their homes and then leave for a department in a normal city, geez that really settled it……what a bunch of morons!
The city council seems content to allow the city manager to continue status quo, and not find a competent replacement. Members of the council have stated they are not interested in placing blame for this financial disaster on any employee. So in essence the city council is not going to hold the guilty responsible, but is more than willing to have the employees carrying the burden and the voters to suffer the harm?
The council’s idea of settling a multiyear mistake in one year is unrealistic. How many of us have woke up and realized the 5 credit cards, 3 car payments, and the adjustable rate mortgage is too much. It would be nice to call the debtors and say I’m not paying anymore, because I’ve hatched a plan to get out of debt in one year. Oh I know it would be more realistic to pay off the debt over time, but that would cause me to spend my “thing money” on my responsibilities, which I’d rather not do……yeah right! The council needs to abandon this pipe dream and finally realize it will be a long term get out of debt plan, not a get rich quick scheme, which victimizes the employees and citizenry.
The city manager robbed from the general fund, which was tax payer money for the essential services, to build monuments of failure. Now the city manager states it is illegal to take from the capital improvement project accounts and give back to the general fund, where it came from in the first place. Yet other cities are doing just that, and as of today the city staff has not produced one shred of evidence, one statutory law, stating the illegality of such a common sense act.
Funny how the city can pay back the money owed to the water department over 20 years, but is also unwilling to make the same arrangements to pay for other essential services for the community.
Just imagine what other accounts the city manager has robbed from to build and create with. I’m sure all will eventually come to the surface, and hopefully the responsible will end up in a federal prison.
The city charter has guidelines for recalling elected officials who just sit there slobbering and making ridiculous comments, like chopping of limbs and not the dead wood, or the other great quote of eternal wisdom “we’ve never been through this situation before”.
We the good citizens of Stockton need real leaders. Leaders with a good business sense, realistic goals, and the intelligence to implement common sense plans, that give our town a real future. Please come and save us from these beasts of moronic platitude. There are citizens who will finance your campaign, walk the town, and help you. Present your ideas at the next council meeting, lets get it started before there is nothing left of our community.
If you come……… the recall will follow, I promise.
The layoffs are going to net 6 million dollars, which is still 500K short of what the city wanted from the police officers union of about 400 officers. Well there are not 400 members in that bargaining group due to about 50 being in the management group which settled a few days ago. So lets divide 350 by 6,500,000=1547.62 dollars per month, or 18571.43 per year, or about a 15% pay cut. Wow that would be great the city’s budget gets balanced and all the police officers have to file for bankruptcy, lose their homes and then leave for a department in a normal city, geez that really settled it……what a bunch of morons!
The city council seems content to allow the city manager to continue status quo, and not find a competent replacement. Members of the council have stated they are not interested in placing blame for this financial disaster on any employee. So in essence the city council is not going to hold the guilty responsible, but is more than willing to have the employees carrying the burden and the voters to suffer the harm?
The council’s idea of settling a multiyear mistake in one year is unrealistic. How many of us have woke up and realized the 5 credit cards, 3 car payments, and the adjustable rate mortgage is too much. It would be nice to call the debtors and say I’m not paying anymore, because I’ve hatched a plan to get out of debt in one year. Oh I know it would be more realistic to pay off the debt over time, but that would cause me to spend my “thing money” on my responsibilities, which I’d rather not do……yeah right! The council needs to abandon this pipe dream and finally realize it will be a long term get out of debt plan, not a get rich quick scheme, which victimizes the employees and citizenry.
The city manager robbed from the general fund, which was tax payer money for the essential services, to build monuments of failure. Now the city manager states it is illegal to take from the capital improvement project accounts and give back to the general fund, where it came from in the first place. Yet other cities are doing just that, and as of today the city staff has not produced one shred of evidence, one statutory law, stating the illegality of such a common sense act.
Funny how the city can pay back the money owed to the water department over 20 years, but is also unwilling to make the same arrangements to pay for other essential services for the community.
Just imagine what other accounts the city manager has robbed from to build and create with. I’m sure all will eventually come to the surface, and hopefully the responsible will end up in a federal prison.
The city charter has guidelines for recalling elected officials who just sit there slobbering and making ridiculous comments, like chopping of limbs and not the dead wood, or the other great quote of eternal wisdom “we’ve never been through this situation before”.
We the good citizens of Stockton need real leaders. Leaders with a good business sense, realistic goals, and the intelligence to implement common sense plans, that give our town a real future. Please come and save us from these beasts of moronic platitude. There are citizens who will finance your campaign, walk the town, and help you. Present your ideas at the next council meeting, lets get it started before there is nothing left of our community.
If you come……… the recall will follow, I promise.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
“No Business Like Government Business”
Once Again government proves by example it has no business in business. The free rent is not that big of a deal. The biggest mistake made by the past City Council was to pay for the upgrades, consulting, and retro fitting of the building. Yes my fellow Stocktonians it is not just the 2.7 million for the free rent, it is another 400K for the consulting fees, and a 3 million dollar retro fit on the floor, so it would not collapse under the weight of the kitchen. I’m sure Council members Eggman and Martin along with City Manager Gordon Palmer could give you a more detailed explanation.
However the real reason for failure of the Paragary's Bar & Grill is not some unified boycott by the citizens. The real reasons are high prices coupled with the downtown theater complex has become a haven for hundreds of out of control teenagers hanging out on Friday and Saturday nights. Often large scale gang fights have erupted directly out side of Paragary's. And why? Well because once again the Gordon Palmer financial management disaster robbed the funds from the police department preventing the hiring of extra officers to keep the little gangsters out of the area.
Now I don’t mind paying extra for a little serving of food once and a while, and I do like the upscale atmosphere Paragary's provides, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to drive my SL55 to downtown Stockton, and have it sit in front of the restaurant when there is a gang fight going on in the street, AGAIN. Then after our dinner we couldn’t even walk to the Starbucks for a cup of coffee due to the horde of pimple faced cussing teenagers clogging up the area and taking all the seats in Starbucks drinking free water.
Where have the police gone? Why are they not there? I’ll tell you why, GROSS MISMANAGEMENT by city staff.
Mayor get real, it is time to change out the coaches. Get rid of the incompetent city staff, or you can take responsibility for the years of robbing our tax dollars for failing capital ventures.
However the real reason for failure of the Paragary's Bar & Grill is not some unified boycott by the citizens. The real reasons are high prices coupled with the downtown theater complex has become a haven for hundreds of out of control teenagers hanging out on Friday and Saturday nights. Often large scale gang fights have erupted directly out side of Paragary's. And why? Well because once again the Gordon Palmer financial management disaster robbed the funds from the police department preventing the hiring of extra officers to keep the little gangsters out of the area.
Now I don’t mind paying extra for a little serving of food once and a while, and I do like the upscale atmosphere Paragary's provides, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to drive my SL55 to downtown Stockton, and have it sit in front of the restaurant when there is a gang fight going on in the street, AGAIN. Then after our dinner we couldn’t even walk to the Starbucks for a cup of coffee due to the horde of pimple faced cussing teenagers clogging up the area and taking all the seats in Starbucks drinking free water.
Where have the police gone? Why are they not there? I’ll tell you why, GROSS MISMANAGEMENT by city staff.
Mayor get real, it is time to change out the coaches. Get rid of the incompetent city staff, or you can take responsibility for the years of robbing our tax dollars for failing capital ventures.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Workers Comp for All
Ok I volunteer to help my city, my community and my neighborhood. I will clean the streets, I will paint over the graffiti, and I will mow the grass in my park. Yes City of Stockton I will work for free…….. AND City of Stockton you will insure me, you will pay my medical bills, AND my lost wages, when I fall from the ladder as I trim YOUR tree, and when I cut my foot mowing YOUR grass. If you don’t pay up, as I’ve seen you do in the past, I will litigate you to no end, and as always you will have to pay huge OUTSIDE attorney fees to replace the incompetent ones you have……..of all the ridiculous ideas!
The law provides workers compensation coverage for any and all people volunteering to work for the city. Thats right, if you get hurt doing volunteer work for the City of Stockton, you will be covered by workers compensation.
Present volunteer opputunites with in the city are limited, and mostly involve peole who once worked or are trying to get a job with the city. These current volunteers have an interest in not abusing the sytem, as in they want to continue to associate with the organazation. But will the citizen who is helping to mow the grass in the parks, trim trees, paint grafetti have the same ethics.
Just in shere numbers alone the mayor is opening the city up to unmeasurable liabilities regarding personal injuries. hey if I were looking at getting laid off of my job, I'd get injured volunteering, and while I was off work anyway pursue compensation from a city who has a long history of giving "shut up money" to undeserving folks.
Another black eye in the propostions is, how in the heck does the city lay off workers and then hire free labor to work in the laid off workers position, with out following the city policy of re-hireing the laid off worker first?
And so what your telling me is that I should pay my taxes and then perform the work myself?
The law provides workers compensation coverage for any and all people volunteering to work for the city. Thats right, if you get hurt doing volunteer work for the City of Stockton, you will be covered by workers compensation.
Present volunteer opputunites with in the city are limited, and mostly involve peole who once worked or are trying to get a job with the city. These current volunteers have an interest in not abusing the sytem, as in they want to continue to associate with the organazation. But will the citizen who is helping to mow the grass in the parks, trim trees, paint grafetti have the same ethics.
Just in shere numbers alone the mayor is opening the city up to unmeasurable liabilities regarding personal injuries. hey if I were looking at getting laid off of my job, I'd get injured volunteering, and while I was off work anyway pursue compensation from a city who has a long history of giving "shut up money" to undeserving folks.
Another black eye in the propostions is, how in the heck does the city lay off workers and then hire free labor to work in the laid off workers position, with out following the city policy of re-hireing the laid off worker first?
And so what your telling me is that I should pay my taxes and then perform the work myself?
Monday, April 6, 2009
THUD, the Lead Balloon
“A lead balloon”, “ the elephant in the room”, “ an Albatross” , call it what you want, but the fact remains nobody wants to own it at the end of the day.
Interestingly enough is that the “lead balloon” is rapidly becoming the city staff, and not the budget, deficit, etc.. I say city staff due to the years of incompetent management by the city manager, city finance officer, deputy city manager, and H.R. director. The current crisis would be but a nominal slow down if it weren’t for the past years of continued mismanagement of taxpayer money.
Now it seems as if the council and mayor will be content to buy in and own the city managements years of incompetence. The economy down turn did not create, but exposed the under handed misuse of the voters tax money.
The city management was caught taking money from the water department to pay for capital improvements, which was obviously illegal due to the “out of court settlement” to pay it back. The ambulance fund cost the city 17 million not 5 million as previously stated. The city negotiated a contract to re-structure police officers salary and then take the savings and pay for the 3@50 PERS retirement plan, but instead of using the concessions for the contracted purpose instead used it to build the arena, and then had to go into debt to PERS to pay up. They taxed the citizens, Measure W, for extra police and fire personnel, and then now plan layoffs. The trees are dying, the roads are a mess, but there is no need to go on,..... you get the message.
The city manager and staff are in way over their heads, and continue to offer completely unrealistic overnight solutions to a problem which was years in the making. Then suggest going into debt to buy minor league sports teams.
All the while the city manager sits on 160 million dollars of Capital Improvement Project funds, for projects which will not be started for 10 to 15 years, along with the city of Stockton sitting on 1.2 billion dollars worth of net assets. In spite of this usable wealth the mayor, council, and management toy and threaten the taxpayers with claiming bankruptcy and reducing vital services. Does anyone really think any municipality can simply claim bankruptcy and then have a judge re-negotiate a contract for .50 cents on the dollar, not going to happen. An industry standard will be used and awarded.
Just as the city government toys with bankruptcy and destroying a community with short term solutions and goals, the voters now toy with RECALL. One would have to be a total goof to think this council and mayor will survive a bankruptcy and the reduction of public safety, all the while keeping the same city management team in place.
So the political career question is, “who wants to hold the “lead balloon”? Poli-Sci 101 tells us at this point a change in management is way over due, or the elected officials will own the problems created by city management.
The mayor and council have two options,...... wash their hands of city management or start planning for the recall.
Time to change the coach!
(Nothing here in is intended to aid or hinder the City of Stockton's Government process. All contents are simply opinions of the author and are not the opinions of any government office, department, entity, or business)
Interestingly enough is that the “lead balloon” is rapidly becoming the city staff, and not the budget, deficit, etc.. I say city staff due to the years of incompetent management by the city manager, city finance officer, deputy city manager, and H.R. director. The current crisis would be but a nominal slow down if it weren’t for the past years of continued mismanagement of taxpayer money.
Now it seems as if the council and mayor will be content to buy in and own the city managements years of incompetence. The economy down turn did not create, but exposed the under handed misuse of the voters tax money.
The city management was caught taking money from the water department to pay for capital improvements, which was obviously illegal due to the “out of court settlement” to pay it back. The ambulance fund cost the city 17 million not 5 million as previously stated. The city negotiated a contract to re-structure police officers salary and then take the savings and pay for the 3@50 PERS retirement plan, but instead of using the concessions for the contracted purpose instead used it to build the arena, and then had to go into debt to PERS to pay up. They taxed the citizens, Measure W, for extra police and fire personnel, and then now plan layoffs. The trees are dying, the roads are a mess, but there is no need to go on,..... you get the message.
The city manager and staff are in way over their heads, and continue to offer completely unrealistic overnight solutions to a problem which was years in the making. Then suggest going into debt to buy minor league sports teams.
All the while the city manager sits on 160 million dollars of Capital Improvement Project funds, for projects which will not be started for 10 to 15 years, along with the city of Stockton sitting on 1.2 billion dollars worth of net assets. In spite of this usable wealth the mayor, council, and management toy and threaten the taxpayers with claiming bankruptcy and reducing vital services. Does anyone really think any municipality can simply claim bankruptcy and then have a judge re-negotiate a contract for .50 cents on the dollar, not going to happen. An industry standard will be used and awarded.
Just as the city government toys with bankruptcy and destroying a community with short term solutions and goals, the voters now toy with RECALL. One would have to be a total goof to think this council and mayor will survive a bankruptcy and the reduction of public safety, all the while keeping the same city management team in place.
So the political career question is, “who wants to hold the “lead balloon”? Poli-Sci 101 tells us at this point a change in management is way over due, or the elected officials will own the problems created by city management.
The mayor and council have two options,...... wash their hands of city management or start planning for the recall.
Time to change the coach!
(Nothing here in is intended to aid or hinder the City of Stockton's Government process. All contents are simply opinions of the author and are not the opinions of any government office, department, entity, or business)
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Lets Get Up To Speed
About 6-10 years ago the metropolitan area around the City of Stockton, along with the city itself, experienced a boom in the housing industry. The city government, elected and appointed, spent money as if it was a disease they needed to rid themselves of.
They invested in several capital ventures, restructured redevelopment agency districts, to aid in tax collecting, and expanded city staffing levels in almost all departments.
Almost anyone with any economic training understood this boom was just that, a boom. Not a status quo to be counted on and depended on for rears to come. Any competent manager could have seen the end coming before the story even began to develop. In fact at a meeting of county tax assessors the word was put out to start saving due to the boom coming to a bust. San Joaquin County began saving, Stockton’s City management began spending like drunken sailors, and raiding funds like drunken pirates.
When revenue began to slow down the city manager continued to spend and invest in capital ventures such as a multipurpose sports arena, minor league baseball field, and a high end marina. A new city hall was also purchased with millions of dollars of upgrades.
Tax money was diverted from the general fund to pay for these high end projects. Money that was ear marked through contract negotiations meant to be spent on public safety retirements and back loaded contracts (which were at the city‘s request to save money when they were making money). Tax money ear marked for the water district was also diverted. City staff has now admitted to removing 38 million dollars from the general fund to pay for the arena.
Now revenues have decreased and the city manger, who while facing the drop in revenues refused to stop spending, even making statements similar to “I have people money and thing money, I have a lot of thing money and not very much people money, and I‘m not losing my things“, now blames the employees salary and benefit packages for the city’s financial problems.
During the “boom” one thing was certain, the written labor contracts.
Any competent manager could have, should have, read the contracts and then realized there was a bill coming due, and then curtailed discretionary spending, thereby securing funds to pay the contracts.
Any competent manager would have stopped the spending.
This manager was incompetent in reading the existing contracts, following the advice of professionals, and has now created a huge financial problem.
The truth is the City of Stockton would have at least an 8 million dollar surplus instead of a 30 million dollar deficit, had the city manager not removed the 38 million dollars to pay for pet projects.
The truth is the financial mess was created by mismanagement of taxpayers funds, and the economy downturn only shined the light on the city manager’s incompetence.
Nothing here in is intended to aid or hinder the City of Stockton's Government process. All contents are simply opinions of the author and are not the opinions of any government office, department, entity, or business. For entertaiment purposes only.
About 6-10 years ago the metropolitan area around the City of Stockton, along with the city itself, experienced a boom in the housing industry. The city government, elected and appointed, spent money as if it was a disease they needed to rid themselves of.
They invested in several capital ventures, restructured redevelopment agency districts, to aid in tax collecting, and expanded city staffing levels in almost all departments.
Almost anyone with any economic training understood this boom was just that, a boom. Not a status quo to be counted on and depended on for rears to come. Any competent manager could have seen the end coming before the story even began to develop. In fact at a meeting of county tax assessors the word was put out to start saving due to the boom coming to a bust. San Joaquin County began saving, Stockton’s City management began spending like drunken sailors, and raiding funds like drunken pirates.
When revenue began to slow down the city manager continued to spend and invest in capital ventures such as a multipurpose sports arena, minor league baseball field, and a high end marina. A new city hall was also purchased with millions of dollars of upgrades.
Tax money was diverted from the general fund to pay for these high end projects. Money that was ear marked through contract negotiations meant to be spent on public safety retirements and back loaded contracts (which were at the city‘s request to save money when they were making money). Tax money ear marked for the water district was also diverted. City staff has now admitted to removing 38 million dollars from the general fund to pay for the arena.
Now revenues have decreased and the city manger, who while facing the drop in revenues refused to stop spending, even making statements similar to “I have people money and thing money, I have a lot of thing money and not very much people money, and I‘m not losing my things“, now blames the employees salary and benefit packages for the city’s financial problems.
During the “boom” one thing was certain, the written labor contracts.
Any competent manager could have, should have, read the contracts and then realized there was a bill coming due, and then curtailed discretionary spending, thereby securing funds to pay the contracts.
Any competent manager would have stopped the spending.
This manager was incompetent in reading the existing contracts, following the advice of professionals, and has now created a huge financial problem.
The truth is the City of Stockton would have at least an 8 million dollar surplus instead of a 30 million dollar deficit, had the city manager not removed the 38 million dollars to pay for pet projects.
The truth is the financial mess was created by mismanagement of taxpayers funds, and the economy downturn only shined the light on the city manager’s incompetence.
Nothing here in is intended to aid or hinder the City of Stockton's Government process. All contents are simply opinions of the author and are not the opinions of any government office, department, entity, or business. For entertaiment purposes only.
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