TMC: Thirty Miles of Corruption

PART I, OF WHAT’S SURE TO BE AT LEAST A TRILOGY

BREAKING NEWS: Mayor William Rusty Bailey issues his veto message.  The mayor stated this in a circulated email just mere minutes ago:

Good Afternoon,  Last week at the City Council meeting, under the authority invested in the Mayoral position by Section 413  of the City Charter (https://riversideca.gov/municode/city-charter.asp), I vetoed the City Council’s decision to renegotiate and extend the City Manager’s contract.  As required by the Charter, attached is the veto message that we released to the City Council this afternoon. Each of you plays a valuable role serving our community, I would encourage you to engage in this process in the coming weeks.

With Respect, Rusty

William R. “Rusty” Bailey, III Mayor

 

               

BAD TIMING, BAD BUSINESS, BAD POLICY, BAD MESSAGE – RUSTY’S VETO EXPLANATION

CLICK ON ABOVE IMAGES TO ENLARGE, OR THIS LINK TO VIEW FULL PDF VERSION

Just when you think you’ve seen all, you forget you’re in Riverside: the epicenter of creative government finance for the betterment of special interests.  At Tuesday’s February 6th council meeting, Mayor Bailey did something that has not been done for nearly 25 years: he dusted off his copy of the City Charter and used his veto power, finally showing he has a pair of balls.

Initially, when discussion opened to City Manager John Russo’s proposed contract, it appeared that the majority of Council was outraged.   Condor, Adams, Soubirous and Gardner expressed their displeasure with the contract.  When the final decision came about the vote was Condor and Perry “Nay”; MacArthur, Soubirous and Melendrez “Yea,” with Adams and Gardner flipping at the end with “Yeas” as well, to make the final tally vote 5-2 in favor of a brand spanking new 7-year contract for City Manager John Russo.  TMC nominates both flippers for Academy Awards in the special category of “Pretending to Give a Damn”.

During the debate one could tell this outcome would not go over well with Mayor Bailey.  The rumor is that behind the scenes the Mayor’s office and the City Manager’s office are feuding.  Apparently, the Mayor’s Office cannot function as his predecessor, ex-Mayor Loveridge’s had things running (you know, with him having access to all City staff for his pet projects).  It appears that the new City Manager put a stop to that, as was his right under the City Charter, and the paths were set for collision – Hatfield and McCoy-style.  TMC takes no political position on this donnybrook, for the time being, we are just enjoying the the little boys stomping their feet.  We present a montage of highlights:

ROYAL RUMBLE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS

Interestingly enough at the February 1st Budget Engagement Commission Meeting, Natasha Fatale, Marianna Marysheva – (Martinez, what happened?), responded to what she was informed was a divide between the two offices with…“I haven’t seen it!”  According to the video she receives weekly calls from headhunters (recruiters) asking her to go elsewhere for more money.  Lucky for us, she rebuffs those solicitations because she sees the value of the City of Riverside and our best-in-class leadership. [snicker, snicker]

While your Council became worried about losing Russo, and began kissing his behind, Mayor Bailey finally asked the question, “Have you made a statement that you will leave if you don’t get this contract?”  Well then the real John Russo comes out swinging!  His ego is let loose for all to see.  TMC reminds readers that Russo chose to enter into the public sector because he didn’t want to take any risk, as in the private sector.  Now it seems he’s having a mid-life crisis as he comes to the latter stages of his career, and realizes he’s nothing more then a city manager hack in Riverside, California…unlike entrepreneurs and real businessmen like Elon Musk, who doesn’t have to beg for money, who doesn’t have to beg for his salary, while he’s shooting rockets to Mars doing exactly what he wants to do.

“When truth is blurred by lies and misinformation, perception becomes reality and all is lost.” … This person is creating his own perception by creating an illusion of reality. It does not matter that this person isn’t god’s gift to Riverside, it only matters that to him that you perceive him as one.

What is the reality of Russo’s contract to the taxpayers?  Over his lifetime after retirement will it cost us over $50 million in pension cost and benefits?  This has yet to be addressed by Council.

Back to the council meeting/spitball fight: Bailey gave a scathing response to the Council’s approval of Russo’s contract, and used his super secret, mayoral, wonder-twin power to veto the action vote of the  Council!  City Attorney Gary Guess was asked if the veto was legal?  His response was a somewhat trepid (and mostly unconvincing) one, leading to Rusty’s “talk to the hand” response.

According to Section 413 of the Riverside City Charter:

At any time before the adjournment of a meeting, the Mayor may, by public declaration spread upon the minutes of the meeting, veto any formal action taken by vote of the City Council including any ordinance or resolution, except an emergency ordinance, the annual budget or an ordinance proposed by initiative petition. Thereupon, pending the vote to override the veto as herein provided, such ordinance, resolution or action shall be deemed neither approved nor adopted. The Mayor shall, no more than twenty days following the veto, provide to Council members, in writing, reasons for the Mayor’s veto.

Well, this kind of contradicted what City Attorney Gary Guess had earlier stated to Council and the Mayor, and certainly creates a controversy vis-a-vis the opinion he requested from outside counsel Michael Colantuono (a Proposition 218 attorney from Los Angeles that by the way, the Moreno’s beat on a case in Riverside, which protected ratepayers…not that we’re bragging…much).

In what must’ve been a land/speed record for Riverside contracts, the following morning City Clerk Colleen Nicol and Mayor Pro Tempore Chris MacArthur signed the contract.  And within two days, we have the Mayor’s veto justification…without Council approval.

And so the saga continues….lies and drama, and yes, there is a divide Natasha. Not only is this a divide; its a fracture that will not repair itself.  A fracture over the whole organization, and over EGO AND ARROGANCE AND ENTITLEMENT.  And our Mayor has chosen his hill to defend or die trying.  And so there will be only one winner.  The Ice Queen selling a bill of goods to the budget committee that she is so sought after she can go anywhere, and old grandpa Russo being so smart that if he leaves, the sky will fall.  And then you have the council tripping over each other, seeking favor from our City Manager in doling out the last remaining nectar from the almost-dry Measure Z honeypot.

We never thought we’d utter these words, but this may be better than the Brad Hudson/Belinda Graham era.  But better in what way dear readers?  Only time and a really good legal opinion will tell us who’s right on the Charter. But one thing for sure is that the Mayor’s office and the City Manager and their Council supporters will continue to fight this out in private and public now…and it will get uglier.

But is there still a game within this game?  Our take is that one or two of the Council will flip their vote in favor of Bailey, out of loyalty and to insure future political fare in the City of Riverside.  Ya knows? For the good of the old Riverside families.

TMC welcomes you responses and comments on this issue.  Please reply in the comment section.  We especially welcome those from the City of Oakland and the City of Alameda.

Will Don Bailey finally get’s Capo Russo to show respect for the River City Godfather and La Famiglia by kissing the ring?  Who will be next on Corleone’s contract?  For now finito!

BLAST FROM THE PAST: CITY MANAGER JOHN RUSSO:

DECEMBER 19, 2007: SAN FRANCISCO GATE: OAKLAND CITY ATTORNEY GIVES HIMSELF A $28,000 RAISE

BLAST FROM THE PAST: FORMER CITY MANAGER BRAD HUDSON:

OCTOBER 2, 2010: PRESS ENTERPRISE: RIVERSIDE MANAGER’S PAY RAISES EYEBROWS

“Riverside officials said they’re getting their money’s worth. Councilman Andy Melendrez pointed to citywide improvements under the Renaissance program and the city’s healthy fiscal condition, things Hudson also cited as achievements.”   Five years later Russo comes to town and discovers a $10 million budget deficit and $600 million in unfunded pension liabilities, and has to deal with $2 billion in City debt.  Fast forward three more years 2018 and it’s the same old song and dance by our more-or-less-the-same Council just replace “Renaissance” with “the Cheech and new Library”.   Nowhere does it mention the rate hikes, fees hikes, new taxes, and new debt that supported this non-stop reckless spending.

TMC, RATED RIVERSIDE’S REGIONAL COUNTIES MOST, “NEGATIVE,” “RAUNCHY,” “LOW CLASS,” “VISIONS OF GRANDEUR,” “FULL OF B.S.,” “REPREHENSIBLE,” “IGNORANT,” “MISGUIDED,” “BULLYISH,” “FILTHY,” “VILE,” “SICK,” “PERVERTED,” “DEFAMATORY,” “STUPID,” “PATHETIC,” “DESPICABLE,” “DISAPPOINTING,” “BELOW THE BELT,” “A NEW LOW,” “SHOCKING,” “OFFENSIVE,” “OBNOXIOUS,” “INAPPROPRIATE,” “HURTFUL,” “MEAN SPIRITED,” “DISTASTEFUL,” “EMBARRASSING,” HORIFFIC,” “SLANDEROUS” “FIT TO BE VIEWED FROM THE REAR” AND MEZZSPELLED, “MISSPELLED” AND “OPINIONATED” BLOG SITE! YES WE ADMIT WE OUR ALL OF THAT AND MORE, WHICH IN CURRENT TERMS IS KNOWN AS “UNPOLITICALLY CORRECT.” TEMPORARILY BLOCKED BY THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE AT PUBLIC ACCESS SITES WITHIN THE CITY, THEN UNBLOCKED. I GUESS YOU CANNOT DO THAT ACCORDING TO THE ACLU. RATED ONE TWO ONE STAR OUT OF FIVE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY APPROVAL RATINGS.. … AGAIN, THANK YOU COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE EMPLOYEE’S FOR YOUR SUPPORT! CONTACT US: thirtymilescorruption@hotmail.com