TMC: Thirty Miles of Corruption

THE FOLLOWING IS A COMMENT TMC RECEIVED BY VIEWER:

Concerned Resident Says:

Why may i ask is this website called 30 miles of corruption? 30 miles doesn’t mean anything in Riverside, the City is something like 86 square miles. Is it that the creator thinks by trying to sound like TMZ, they will be taken more seriously? Maybe they think if they sound something like TMZ there OPINION website will be viewed as fact by the Riverside residents.

Now, onto the site content. How can you honestly be taken seriously when all this info that you sit as fact comes from secret sources and hear say? You say how horrible Brad is, but this City hasn’t looked better. We have more libraries, parks, fire & police stations, better roads, less traffic. How can someone so horrible get all this one?

Also, this talk of Mr. Hudson being being given the choice to be fired or resign. The process to be hired in Sacramento would have been a lengthy one. Sac sups say the decision was made 2 weeks ago. This means Mr. Hudson would have had to apply and go through the interview process weeks or months ago. Seems like the best timing ever in order to have a higher up, more prestigious job waiting in the wings incase he were to be fired.

You also love to compare his $400+ Riverside pay with his $250+ Sac pay. Maybe you should tell the truth about his base salary in Riverside was something like $280, and only went up to the 400 number when you factor in other benefits like retirement and health. Im sure once those are factored in to his Sac rate, it will be right in line with his Riverside salary. Also, this man is focused, and out for a challenge. the $25K less a year is not much to part with when you are making over $200K already.

Response by TMC:

If we are spending more than we take in that’s called BANKRUPT!  Riverside has  an eerie similarity to Jefferson, Alabama. Yes,  Riverside is approx 86 sq miles, but the Redevelopment area in question is about 30 sq miles.   Yes,  TMZ  was the first thing that came in to my mind when deciding on a blog site name.  The blog site was designed because the Press Enterprise is in bed with the city.  They have benefited from the redevelopment program monies themselves.

The city fathers choose to make all the really important decisions in closed session.  Our only real access to information is other Citizens, employees, and doing our homework to uncover the misuse of public funds.  We will not print their names,  our sources may be in jeopardy of being fired or retaliated against.  “Secret sources and hear say”, not quite, if you notice in our articles there are numerous citations direct from news articles, government websites, city information and info received through the public information request act.

Regarding our contents, if you don’t like our style, you are not obligated to read it, that is your right. Brad, Brad, Brad…. He was the Boss…. the ultimate decision maker.   So let’s look at the facts.  July 1, 2012 the debt is due and we will not be able to pay it, and that is a fact.  He continues to brag about our balanced budget,  if this is the case why did we have to borrow 65 million from ourselves?  Especially if they claim we have so much money?  He allowed Tom DeSantis to misuse the police asset forfeiture fund and put the entire program at risk.  What was the real reason Tom DeSants  left?  Who is Brunie Mecardo?  Did she get a raise?

He used public utility, sewer, workman compensation, and electric funds to pay for redevelopment.  The citizens of Riverside are going to be hit hard in their utility bills. The seniors , disabled, and poor will not be able to afford it.  Now let’s look at wasteful spending.  The Main Street Mall Project  submitted approximately 3 million in change orders.   The Fox Theatre, had over 10 million in change orders.  Then there is the Cities Raincross Café runned by Marketbroiler,  REALLY!   This café runs at a deficit every year, and the deficity is what we pay to keep it operating.   Rumor has it that Marketbroiler, which is under the umbrella of Provider Food Services, Inc.,  will be putting a new restaurant down town and again we will build it for him.   The Star Track Exhibit.   I was told directly from Brad Hudson himself that an estimated 80,000 people would show up, this was not hear say.  The Exhibit wiped out the Museum fund to a tune of $389,000.00 now they  are going to ask the City council to pay Museum expenses, and that’s called a deficit.  But in all fairness, this is not only Hudson’s fault, but the City Council and the Mayor.  You see, the City Manager serves at the pleasure of the City Council and the Mayor.  But what happens when the City Manager is much more creative than they are?  Do we then have a disconnect as seen with the City of Bell in their City Manager Robert Rizzo?

Now let’s look at all the beautiful improvements he provided for us.  His crowning glory the Fox Theatre.  The last time I looked at last years budget,  it ran at a 2 million dollar deficit.  How long can we pay for  this?   Nederlander left why?  Brad Hudson built it and not enough people came?  My prediction is that the Fox will close down soon.  But the City continues to state that everything couldn’t be better.  I beginning to think its the Kool Aid.  The improvements, such as the Museums, libraries, parks, fire, police etc.  The museum and libraries will cost the city dearly.  The Fire stations now have to be leased back to the city to help pay for redevelopment.  How long will that take before they have to stop paying rent because their budgets are cut.   Lastly, my favorite,  the police asset forfeiture fund.  The only fund we do not have to pay back has been misused for the longest time.  Do I need to mention Connie Leach?

In regards our Article: Brad Hudson Given Ultimatum: Be Fired or Resign;  a reliable VIP source in city has told us Tuesday, that Brad Hudson did resign on his own accord.   As a result, we will be editing our story with our new findings.   Our sources say he still has 2 years remaining on his contract, and if they did fire him, they would have had to pay him his golden hand shake.   We were also told that he has not delivered his resignation letter to the City Council or Mayor.  The whole process has been verbal.  He never signs his name to anything, thats always been his style.  There is the possibility he could legally come back to Riverside postion.  Our sources do say they do not want him to come back.  I believe the quote was “Kiss him good bye and wish him well”.  Our new story will be titled: BRAD HUDSON……….BIGAMIST? While honeymooning in Sacramento he hasn’t quite finished the Divorce process with Riverside.  Is he playing the field?

When there is an opinion to be, we usually state it, otherwise, our viewers our beginning to understand our style of writing and we do it to provide better insight to the facts we  receive.  We do provide links to articles and budget numbers.  Regarding our sources, they are afraid of being fired or retaliated on.  Anyone that works or gets a hand out from the city has been afraid to speak publicly.  If they go to their bosses with the truth or concerns they will be put on review, or FIRED as we have seen with many employees.  The employee lawsuits are mounting !  How many can we afford.  How many really good employees have been fired because they chose to do the right thing, those darn WHISTLEBLOWERS!

Another example, is the annual budget on page 167 for the Fox Theatre performing arts operations for 2010-2011 for non-personal expenses is as follows:

In 2008/2009 the actual budgeted amount was $625,000.00

In 2009/2010 the budgeted amount was $2,293,011.00

In 2009/2010 the amended budgeted amount was $2, 293,011.00

Then in 2010/2011 the requested budgeted amount was $1, 724,511.00

The cost of operations has continued to be run at a deficit, this may directly be due to the public sector atitude of taxpayer money, it’s not ours.  The private sector would do a much better job.  The increase in the cost of operations could be due to the level of attendance, would be directly related to level of income revenues received, which has decreased, and the revenues may begin to decrease even more due to the leaving of Nederlander.

My personal prediction looking at all these facts is that the City of Riverside will have major financial problems starting in about 6 months. Many City employees will be laid off and Our Utility bills will double, or if not triple.  If you can show the facts differently, please do so.