Posts Tagged ‘raychelle sterling’

CITY OF RIVERSIDE: FUGACIOUS MANAGEMENT VS. PERENNIAL CRITICS: LET’S ALL DO THE RUSSO HUSTLE!

Posted: April 27, 2016 in Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
2

 12510496_10207741708877187_9215059899072541863_n

CITY MANAGER RUSSO IS IN THE DRIVERS SEAT….HOW SAFE DO YOU FEEL?

jones_RUSSO-copy-620x465

Our Fugacious, City Manager Mr. Russo and Assistant City Manager Marianna wrote an editorial about the current state of  “Fiscal Reckoning”, in the City of Riverside. He was trying to defuse the message that the city is going down the path of bankruptcy.  I think Mr. Russo needs to leave the messaging to the professionals. His office is only making it worse and more obvious. You can read the full article on the Press Enterprise.

Who are the Perennial Critics or should I say who are the Truth Tellers. Me Vivian Moreno, Dvonne Pitruzzello, Raychelle Sterling, Jason Hunter, Kevin Dawson, Karen Wright, Marilyn Whitney, Aurora Chavez, Scott Simpson and my man Javier Moreno, we all work really hard and our motivation is to protect the underserved, disabled, elderly, and the  taxpayer/ ratepayer from bad decision making at city hall that will ultimately raise taxes and our utility bills.

Because I was referred to in this article I needed to answer or clarify the statements that were made. We took out all the fat or unnecessary verbiage and just left in the substance.

The city of Riverside has enjoyed financial success in the past decade, most notably through the on-time and on-budget delivery of the nearly $2 billion Riverside Renaissance capital improvement program. The city rode out the Great Recession with grace. By Borrowing or Stealing (depending who you ask) from Riverside Public Utilities, Water fund, Sewer fund, Electric fund, Workmans comp.fund, and the Rate Payer. Now, the city is in a “Fiscal Reckoning of this magnitude”, those are your words Mr. Russo not ours.

That success, however, was partially due to budgeting practices that are no longer sustainable. Whether it was borrowing from other funds to prop up the city’s General Fund. Why would the General fund have to be propped up? Our General fund cannot function without the propping up by Riverside Public Utilities…..REALLY BIG MISTAKE!

There is nothing ethically wrong with these practices, NO… IT”S JUST PLAIN STUPID, and they are certainly not illegal.  Depending on who you ask.  Indeed, many cities employ some variation of such budgeting practices, and Riverside could have continued doing so for many years without encountering serious financial difficulties.  Just like the city of Bell.

However, reliance on such practices is not sustainable over the long term, and goes against the principles of prudence and conservatism in municipal budgeting.  First you say we could have continued down this path for many years and now you say it’s unsustainable, WHAT? You sound like a crooked politician, maybe you should elaborate on (long term) and (many years).

The city’s new administration has spent several months working to institute the kind of fiscal discipline required to generate healthy and sustainable budgets well into the future.  This process has been difficult at times for everyone involved.  A $1 million surplus projected for fiscal year 2015-16 – built on the type of budgeting we should no longer allow – has morphed into a shortfall of about $8 million. This shortfall, if not corrected with sustainable ongoing measures, will result in a $10-12 million budget hole in fiscal year 2016-17.

While the projected deficit numbers may seem scary, they are not surprising – the city has had an expenditure problem for years. The very smart Perennial Critics recognized a expenditure problem years ago. The Council, over the last 10 years voted yes to all the expenditures. No one was listening to the very smart citizens who saw the writing on the wall. BUMMER!

All city departments will recommend cuts to the council, and, while it is management’s intent to minimize service reductions, those impacts are probably unavoidable in the face of a fiscal reckoning of this magnitude. Why? Because the only effective budgeting tool available to the council is service cuts; in California, most revenue increases require voter approval.  Are you going to cut the contracts for Government Entertainment? I can answer that NO! So let’s get this perfectly clear the Citizens have their services cut but we the citizens continue to pay for Government Entertainment. Most of the citizens of Riverside will never have the opportunity to afford to go to the Fox Theatre but they will still have to pay for it! We lose Police and Fire but we keep Rusty’s buddy.. Live Nation….REALLY! Is this because your band, Mr. Russo will be the ongoing featured act headlining at the FOX..It usually is self serving isn’t it!

Moreover, Riverside will now pass its budget within the context of a five-year financial plan.

This approach to municipal budgeting is bound to find more potential issues that demand attention.

As we hold ourselves to a higher budgetary standard, The real challenge John and Marianna is to wean the general fund off the RPU gravy train.

Unfortunately, some perennial critics of the city have confused the cure (early diagnosis of future budget challenges) with the disease (a negative imbalance between ongoing expenses and ongoing revenue). These folks have been frightening some Riversiders by proclaiming loudly that the city faces imminent bankruptcy. It’s amazing to me that we are labeled critics when all we ask for is the truth. When you make truthful statement like “Fiscal Reckoning, and while the projected deficit numbers may seem scary, they are not surprising,” these statements scare the folks. Even though you are in the driver seat Mr. Russo we will still demand the truth.

Let us state unequivocally that the city of Riverside is not going bankrupt; in fact, the city could have continued on its prior path for many years without suffering financial doom. But we believe that our standard should be higher than the very “low bar” of “just don’t go bankrupt.” We are committed to a rational budget in which ongoing revenue meets ongoing expenses, and long-term capital needs, like road repair and tree trimming, are properly covered.  Mr. Russo you cannot unequivocally state that the city is not going bankrupt. When you say the city need to be propped up. That sounds as dumb as Mike Gardner saying there were pots of gold.  We could not exist without the propping up of public utilities.

pot-of-gold

You also state very clearly in this editorial that, budgeting practices are no longer sustainable, We are experiencing a Fiscal Reckoning of this magnitude, projected deficit numbers may seem scary, and Residents and business owners may hear things that make them uncomfortable, and perhaps even a bit nervous about Riverside’s financial health. You can lay it out any way you like but what the critics are absolutely sure about 100% is that the life line to the General Fund is Public Utilities. The General Fund needs to be propped up. This is a scary situation to be in. We are one legal challenge away from a disaster….. BANKRUPT! That’s the truth.

As Riverside moves through weeks of introducing, refining and, ultimately, approving a budget for fiscal years 2016-17 and 2017-18, there will be some bumps in the road. Residents and business owners may hear things that make them uncomfortable, and perhaps even a bit nervous about Riverside’s financial health.  Mr. Russo you can make your case to the public any way you like, but there will be no new rate increases or new taxes. I can assure you of that. BRING IT ON!

We encourage everyone in Riverside to attend the council’s budget hearings or go to EngageRiverside.com to let us know what you think and be a part of that solution. Together, we will ensure that our city’s great past will be honored by an even greater future built upon sound and secure finances. What a joke! sound and secure finances were built on the backs of the RATE payers, overcharging and bilking Riverside Public Utilities has been going on for over a decade. The City Council is responsible for this entire fiasco. THEY OWN IT! The Perennial Critics encourage everyone to attend.

John A. Russo is Riverside city manager; Marianna Marysheva-Martinez is assistant city manager.

NOW FOR A LITTLE MUSIC TO SOOTHE THE SAVAGE BEAST…

VOTE VIVIAN MORENO MAYOR 2016, DON’T FORGET THE DEBATE TOMORROW NIGHT APRIL 28TH AT THE STRATTON CENTER (7:00PM TO 8:30PM), BORDWELL PARK, 2008 MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD., RIVERSIDE.

According to RivPublic, anonymous contributor to Thirty Miles of Corruption, “And about Russo, the man rocks! Can play the electric guitar and keyboard (and kinda sing??). Maybe he could pull a rabbit out of his hat and find some $$$$ too!”

TMC, RATED RIVERSIDE’S REGIONAL COUNTIES MOST, “NEGATIVE,” “RAUNCHY,” “LOW CLASS,” “VISIONS OF GRANDEUR,” “FULL OF B.S.,” “IGNORANT,” “MISGUIDED,” “BULLYISH,” “FILTHY,” “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

CITY OF RIVERSIDE: THE GOOD, BAD & THE UGLY OF THE TRAILER BILL…MOSTLY UGLY..

Posted: July 9, 2012 in Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
0

At the June 26th, 2012 City Council Meeting City Manager Scott Barber responded to the new passing of the ‘Trailer Bill” or as it is known AB 1484, enacted as a result to clarify and define language of Redevelopments inter-agency transfers and possibly padding the ROPS (Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule).   Barber inititated his comment by stating, ” I was going to say that I thought ‘The Trailer Bill’ was the good, bad and the ugly, you may have remembered that western movie, but spending more time reading through it,  I just think it’s all ugly.”  The California League of cities have come out with opposition for a less amended bill, that is there recommendation..  There are some concerns we should have in the budget trailer bill, one of them is a threat to local finances.  Now our understanding in first reading the bill made us think perhaps there would be some good for us with regards to our outstanding inter-agency loans, the ones that had been reconfirmed by our oversight board and sent to the Department of Finance.   It did appear that there would language in here for repayment of these loans.  However, the conditions which appear in the current version of the trailer bill, although they say ‘repayment’, the conditions that they create make ‘repayment’ very unlikely without exhausting other debts and then growth in tax increment to other taxing entities.  That does not look very favorable.  The trailer bill as it is written really takes the away the power and authority from the oversight board and really make their actions really meaniless.  It transfer a great deal of authority to the State Department of Finance.  It changes the department of finance role to where they have a huge amount of authority over county and cities regarding our finances. They have the ability to impose fines for what they consider non compliance on ROPS, and they have the ability to transfer sales tax and property taxes where they don’t believe successor agencies or oversite board have not acted appropriately.  I think in general we our better off right now, than we would be with the trailer bill as drafted, if it was adopted.

Greg fires back and states that the State Department of Finance is getting to much power, and will even get $22 million for legal council to take on the cities and the redevelopment agencies , which I would say is close to the amount he pays out to BB&K for overpriced legal advice?  Wouldn’t you say?  Under this trailer bill we will never receive a 100% repayment for ROPS.  Well maybe the City was not doing things right to begin with, as was padding the ROPS along with other cities.  Of course you’re not going to receive 100% repayment.  But didn’t we start out with $259 million in the original ROPS submission, but $21 million remaining in ROPS limbo.  The trailer bill was meant to stop these padded submission and bring in some surgical clarity and prevent city attorney’s from taking up the state’s time while arguing their case.  Priamos than referred to a legsislative analyist from where their response to the Trailer Bill was a word of caution as opposed to an endorsement. Greg in his convoluted way continued to make no sense at council and spinned in a draconian way every response made.  Primos’s take on the $10,000 per day fine for not turning your ROPS on time, was draconian… well, now the city knows how the constituents have felt with ‘draconian’ code enforcement fines that Priamos’s city attorney’s office have been enforcing toward the constituents of the the City of Riverside, as well as the ‘draconian’ ticket violation for street sweeping when the constituent already  pay for it.  Those Council people whe represent those wards such as Councilman Mike Gardner have addressed these issues as well in a ‘draconian way’.   We must then consider Priamo’s refusal to respond to public records request regarding his departments expenses when directed toward Best, Best & Krieger…’draconian’.  Why is he protecting Best, Best & Krieger?   According to Priamos, the overall evaluation of the Trailer Bill, it’s ‘draconian’!

Councilman Andy Melendrez asked the question if cities can actually file for bankruptcy?  Priamos stated, “yes, cities can file for bankrupticies”.  That was largely done to address the concerns of the unions (possibly for unsustainable union contracts which were not negotiated in the best interest of the ‘people’ as TMC understands).   Barber even said that we spoke with our lobbyist (I’m assuming the League of California Cities), to this passing of this legislation, and said, don’t expect changes.  Incidently, can the city afford to continue to hire a lobbyist?   Davis says “it is unfortunate, not a great way to run a business”?  Did he misspoke? Barber states that we spoke to our lobbyist this afternoon, don’t expect changes of this thing (the legislation) it is  going to be past.  Councilman and Mayor Pro Tempt, Paul Davis responded to this passing of the this trailer bill legislation, “It’s really unfortunate, it’s a great way to run a business”?   Really Paul..remember this is all about Redevelopment abuse and all need to take responsibility for it, but that never happen with our city or other cities at the local level.  Unfortunately , the State saw it differently with respect that local municipalities abused their power, and in response, have intervened with an ‘iron fist’ of authority, for even at local level, local arrogance and displays of entitlements has shown the need for the State’s drastic actions and as labeled by some city execs, ‘draconian ’.

The Trailor bill validates every thing that Vivian Moreno, Dvonne Pitruzzello and Raychelle Sterling has been saying for 2 years.  They were 100% right.  So I guess that makes them really smart!  TMC would imagine that this would conincide with the cities new award, of the ‘The Most Intelligent City”.  Again, City management will try to portray them as if they had no idea what they were talking about.

RIVERSIDE FORGOTTEN…CHINA TOWN FROM MT. RUBIDOUX.  BROCKTON AVENUE RUNS LEFT TO RIGHT, WHERE IT INTERSECTS WITH TEQUESQUITE AVENUE. (CIRCA 1912)

TMC, RATED RIVERSIDE’S MOST “SLANDEROUS” AND MEZZSPELLED, “MISSPELLED” AND “OPINIONATED” BLOG SITE!  TEMPORARILY BLOCKED BY THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE AT PUBLIC ACCESS SITES WITHIN THE CITY, THEN UNBLOCKED.  I GUESS YOU CANNOT DO THAT ACCORDING TO ACLU.  PROUDLY RATED ONE STAR (POSSIBLY DOWN TO ZERO FROM OUR LAST ACCOUNTS) OUT OF FIVE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY APPROVAL RATINGS..  TMC IS NOW EXCLUSIVELY ON FILE WITH THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE’S DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE FOR GOOD REASON, AND PROSSIBLY POSSIBLY ON FILE WITH THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE’S POTENTIAL SLAPP SUIT LIST, FOR GOOD REASON… WE WILL HAVE TO ASK GREGORY ABOUT THAT ONE ( OUR PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO CONTACT HIS PEOPLE)… AGAIN, THANK-YOU COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE EMPLOYEE’S FOR YOUR SUPPORT!   COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOMED, ESPECIALLY SPHALL SPELL CHECKERS!  EMAIL ANONYMOUSLY WITH YOUR DIRT OR CONTACT US BY THE FOLLOWING EMAIL ADDRESS! CONTRIBUTORS WILL ALWAYS BE PROTECTED… YES, WE EXPECT THE JAIL TIME FOR THAT ONE…  THIRTYMILESCORRUPTION@HOTMAIL.COM