TMC: Thirty Miles of Corruption

CLICK  ON THE PIC TO WATCH BRAD HIDE!

WHO WILL BE HIDING BEHIND THE COMPUTER NEXT WHEN THE AUDITOR COMES ASKING QUESTIONS? CHECK BACK WEEKLY…THAT IS, EVERY CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY! WE’LL EVEN PROVIDE THE DIRECT LINK SO YOU CAN CHECK THE CURRENT CITY COUNCIL AGENDA. CALL YOUR LOCAL ELECTED COUNCIL PERSON AND THE MAYOR AND REQUEST THAT A FORENSIC AUDIT BE DONE BY STATE CONTROLLER JOHN CHIANG OF THE CITY HALL BOOKS.  IF THERE IS NOTHING TO HIDE, THE NUMBERS WILL ALWAYS COME UP RIGHT! 

MAKE SURE YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THIS CITY COUNCIL AGENDA, AS REQUESTING A 100K INCREASE FROM 50K FOR A PAYOUT TO THE LAW FIRM CIHIGOYENETCH, GROSSBERG & CLOUSE THAT BRAD HIRED TO INVESTIGATE HIMSELF. “ABSOLUTELY SILLY!” AS ONE CITY MANAGER STATED ABOUT THE CLAIMS OF AN ASSISTANT DEPUTY ATTORNEY, THOUGH I DO AGREE WITH THE CITY MANAGER THIS TIME ON THE FOLLOWING ISSUE, (ITEM 41).   NOT TO FORGET THE REISSUANCE OF THE MEASURE C BALLOT (LIBRARY SERVICE TAX) INITIATIVE FOR A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE (ITEM 17).  THEN THERE IS RIVERSIDE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION AND RENOVATION PROJECTED COST OF 36 MILLION.  AGAIN, THEY HAVE THE CREATIVE FINANCING THAT WE ARE SEEING WITH THE FOX THEATRE/PARKING GARAGE EXPANSION.  TAKE A LOOK AT FISCAL IMPACT.  YOU KNEW BRAD WAS GOING TO GET THIS ONE OUT BEFORE HE LEAVES (ITEM 12, 3:00PM SESSION).  

NOT TO FORGET THE “ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION” OF LEASE BETWEEN PUBLIC UTILITIES AND BEST, BEST & KRIEGER.  THIS MEANS THAT THE CITY WILL TAKE OVER BB&K’S VERY EXPENSIVE LEASE, SO THEY CAN GO TO A NEW LOCATION THAT IS CURRENTLY IN CONSTRUCTION. (ITEM 40).  

The leasing schemes only represent smoke from a small brush fire. The really, really big wildfire is in  redevelopment. The Council just dumped another 56 million gallons of gasoline on  the wildfire last night. And the taxpayer is locked into a burning house…with  no way out. -Nomo Taxes, Commenter from the PE

RIVERSIDE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION AND RENOVATION PROJECT APPROVED AT THE COST OF $36 MILLION. (ITEM 12).  THE 6 MILLION OF THAT COST WILL IS COMING FROM REDEVELOPMENT FUNDS DUE TO THE CREATIVE MERGING OF DOWNTOWN/AIRPORT-HUNTER PARK/NORTHSIDE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA.  THE $30 MILLION WILL BE RAISED BY THE ISSUANCE OF DEBT BY THE GENERAL FUND.  THIS WILL BE DONE IN EITER OF TWO WAYS, 1. THE ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES OF PARTICIPATION (COP) OR,  2. A BANK LOAN SIMILAR TO THE ONE UTILIZED TO FINANCE THE FOX ENTERTAINMENT PLAZA.

ON JUNE 29, 2011 GOVERNOR BROWN SUSPENDED ALL REDEVELOPMENT ACITIVITIES IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.  THE OPTIONS TO THIS SUSPENSION FOR CITIES AFTER THAT DATE IS TO DISSOLVE IT OR CONTINUE IT.  BECAUSE OF THE ABUSES OF REDEVELOPMENT AND YOU CHOOSE TO CONTINUE, THE PAPERWORK THE STATE EXPECTS TO FILL OUT IS TEDIOUS, AND HAS UPSET MOST CITY GOVERNMENTS AS OURS.  SO YOU HAVE BEHAVIOR SUCH AS THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE CALLING THE “OBLIGATION PAYMENT” A FORM A RANSOM.  THE CITY ISSUED AN ORDINANCE TO CONTINUE THE VOLUNTARY REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. THE CHOICE OF A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM IS MORE OF A STRUCTURED PROGRAM TO MAKE THE CITY BECOME MORE RESPONSIBLE, WITH THE STATE’S  VIEW THAT IT WILL MITIGATE ABUSE OF FUNDS.  THE PARTY WAS OVER IN RIVERCITY.  BUT THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE DID NOT TAKE THIS SUSPENSION WELL, CALLING IT “RANSOM”, KICKING AND SCREAMING TO THE EXTENT THAT THE LEAGUE OF CITIES (MAYOR IS PART OF) AND THE REDEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE STATE.  THE SUSPENSION WAS IN LIEU OF REDEVELOPMENT FAILING TO DO WHAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED FOR, TACKLING URBAN BLIGHT.(ITEM 13).

SO COME ONE, COME ALL! THE USUAL SUSPECTS WILL ALL BE IN ATTENDANCE! 

UPDATE: 07/26/2011: RIVERSIDE POLICE OFFICER SERGENT VALMONT GRAHAM’S COMPLAINT AGAINST THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE IS AS FOLLOWS: Complaint+07-19-11   “PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT I DON’T THINK EXIST, I THINK PEOPLE ARE READING PERFECTLY INNOCENT THINGS AS SOMETHING SINISTER.”  WELL, YOU MAY BE RIGHT MIKE, BUT WOULDN’T THIS BE A GREAT VENUE FOR SUPERIOR COURT THEATRE?  THAT’S WHERE THE LIGHTS SHOULD BE, NOT THE FOX THEATRE!   SERGENT VALMONT GRAHAM VS. THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE, NO HOLDS BARRED!   I’LL PAY $60.00 A SEAT FOR THAT ONE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE GREAT CITY CAST OF CHARACTERS, DESANTIS, HUDSON AND CHIEF DIAZ! MAYBE WE COULD EVEN GET EX-CHIEF LEACH TO ROLL IN ON RIMS TO MAKE A SURPRISE CAMEO APPEARANCE!  BUT YOU KNOW THE CITY WILL MAKE IT RAIN ON THIS MUSICAL, AND SEE IT IN THERE BEST INTEREST, NOT THE TAX PAYERS, TO PAYOUT A GILLION DOLLARS JUST TO MAKE IT GO AWAY.

UPDATE:THIS IS WILKIPEDIA’S CURRENT ARTICLE OR DESCRIPTION OF THE RIVERSIDE POLICE DEPARTMENT.  BEFORE IT WAS REWRITTEN, EARLIER TODAY THE ARTICLE APPEARED AS THIS RPD ARTICLE.  THE TOP PART SHOWS HOW IT WAS DISPLAYED ON WILKIPEDIA, THE LOWER PORTION SHOWS THAT SOMEONE CHANGED THE ARTICLE TO THE ABOVE, IT EVEN DISPLAYS THEIR ISP ADDRESS!

UPDATE: 07/26/2011: CITY COUNCIL HAS JUST NAMED RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR SCOTT BARBER AS INTERIM CITY MANAGER, UNTIL THE CITY COUNCIL HIRES A SEARCH FIRM TO FIND A PERMANENT REPLACEMENT.  THIS QUESTIONS THE LEADERSHIP SKILLS OF THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR WHO HAVE TO HIRE A FIRM TO FIND A CITY MANAGER THAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY.  DIDN’T THEY RUN FOR OFFICE BECAUSE THEY KNOW OUR CITY AND NEIGHBORHOODS?   AS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, SCOTT OVERSEES THREE DEPARTMENTS: PLANNING , BUILDING  & SAFETY AND THE INFAMOUS CODE ENFORCEMENT.  AS OF NOW,  WE’VE YET TO RECEIVE A RESIGNATION LETTER FROM CURRENT CITY MANAGER BRAD HUDSON WHO WILL BE LEAVING AUGUST 11, 2011 TO TAKE ON THE POSITION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY.  AND A LOOK BACK ON THE FUTURE OF RIVERSIDE IN 2006 WHEREBY THE RIVERSIDE CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED A $780 MILLION PLAN TO PAY FOR PROJECTS, INCLUDING LIBRARIES, SENIOR CENTERS, PARKS AND UNDERPASSES AT CONGESTED RAILROAD CROSSINGS. THE CLINCHER THEN, THE CITY DOES NOT INTEND TO RAISE TAXES TO COMPLETE 30 YEARS WORTH OF PROJECTS IN FIVE YEARS! 

UPDATE:07/28/2011: ALABAMA’S JEFFERSON COUNTY’S BANCRUPTCY WOULD TOP 4.1 BILLION.  THIS IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE 3.14 BILLION OF THAT HAS BEEN CONNECTED TO SEWER DEBT,  A DEBT THAT THE COUNTY CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO PAY!  IT WAS FOUND THAT THE SEWER UPGRADES WERE FINANCED WITH RISKY TRANSACTIONS SHOWN LATER TO BE LACED WITH BRIBES AND INFLUENCE-PEDDLING.

AND PLACENTIA POLICE OFFICERS SUE OVER RAISES!

UPDATE: 08/01/2011: CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS RHODE ISLAND FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY!