02/04/10 - 07:30 AM
PKShaw says...
Keep in mind also that redevelopment money provides local employment so when they take this money, they also take jobs.
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02/04/10 - 07:36 AM
Captain Jason says...
Out of curiosity, what role does the fact that Palmdale became a charter city play in this little fiasco?
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02/04/10 - 07:57 AM
Jack says...
PK Shaw, people aree tired of petition drives, just so the courts can throw them out!
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02/04/10 - 02:52 PM
avres says...
PK Shaw don’t be discouraged by Jack, he is the type of guy who feels discriminated against when someone asks to help him. By this last post it seems he does not want to help anyone either. This is a great cause, I would be willing to sign this petition on the Eastside, even at night. I know his name is Jack but when you pronounce it, it sounds like Scrouge.
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02/04/10 - 03:10 PM
scdyne says...
I thought the whole point of becoming a Charter city was to prevent this from happening. How is that process coming along?
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02/04/10 - 03:39 PM
whomeye says...
can i borrow some $’s too?
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02/04/10 - 06:16 PM
PKShaw says...
The State is stealing from everybody – all cities, counties, redevelopment agencies, transit agencies, schools. They’re stealing from all cities – chartered and non-chartered. Although the City of Palmdale is chartered, the Palmdale Redevelopment Agency is not; it is a separate entity and its revenues are not protected under the City Charter.

Redevelopment revenues are protected under the State Constitution, but of course the State does not care about complying with the State Law – they think they are above it. About 9 months ago, a California Court ruled that the State cannot take redevelopment money; they are constitutionally protected. Does the State care about the court ruling? No, a few months after that Court ruling, they decided to raid from the redevelopment agencies again. They are taking $11.6 million from the Palmdale Redevelopment Agency and more from Lancaster (I think about $17 mil) this year ALONE. They think they’re about the law and their actions are clearly illegal and we’re confident that we’ll prevail in courts, again. But these lawsuits are costing both sides a lot of money. The Local Taxpayer, Public Safety, and Transportation Protection Act would protect all redevelopment revenues.

Bear in mind that the money that they’re stealing from cities, counties, transit, schools, are protected under the State Constitution or voter-approved measures (Prop. 42 – local transportation). Even then, they’re stealing it. A City Charter derives its power from the State Constitution – what chance do you think charter cities have of protecting our revenues if the State blatantly chooses to ignore our own Constitution and the courts.
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02/04/10 - 08:02 PM
fewenuff says...
Go PK! However we have petition drives all the time. They are called elections. PoliSci 101 – The one rule of politics, people get the government they deserve.

We voted these idiots into office and asked for, neigh DEMANDED, this and that and that and this program and pretty much bankrupted ourselves.

People get the government they deserve… You getting it hard enough yet?

Throw the lying bums out!!! and their little dogs too!
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02/04/10 - 08:04 PM
lancaster says...
still can’t blame their dogs!
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02/04/10 - 08:23 PM
fewenuff says...
An exercise in allegory and metaphor. lottsa wannabes running around with leash burns in the AV etc etc etc.

Their little dogs can be blamed but are yummy with a little rib-cicle sauce.

c-:

TTLBOATLDT!
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02/04/10 - 08:33 PM
lancaster says...
yeah, i know!
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02/04/10 - 08:34 PM
lancaster says...
were the pits are concerned, their locking up the wrong “dogs”.
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02/04/10 - 10:10 PM
PKShaw says...
Yes we do have elections every year and usually what we vote on are propositions put forth by the legislators. What are the odds they would ask us to vote on one that ties their hands and makes them spend responsibly?

Another route to getting something on the ballot is through a petition drive. It was this mechanism that brought us Prop 13 if you’ll recall. You think state legislators would have done that on their own?

Petition drives are the people’s way of saying enough is enough. And apparently this issue resonates with a lot of people because just since last night I have filled five petitions.

Petition drives may not “throw the bums out” but they do make sure those bums do what we want them to do.
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02/04/10 - 10:53 PM
Sovereignty Soldier says...
Now see here is a chance for the city to take a stand and refuse to give funds. Will they? Highly unlikely. They will do what they feel is politically expediant and beneficial to themselves. In other words they will give up the money. No backbone and no loyalty to Americans!
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02/04/10 - 10:55 PM
Sovereignty Soldier says...
And Arnold was tapped by Rove to run for governor at Bohemian Grove. Ever seen the photo of Arnold with his Nazi death head belt buckle? Google it in google images. The facade we see in the open is NOT who these people really are!
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02/04/10 - 10:56 PM
dbeardw says...
PK – petition drives don’t necessarily make sure that ‘those bums do what we want them to do.’ They just give some credence that the bums aren’t as open and visible about their actions as they may ordinarily be.
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02/04/10 - 10:56 PM
PKShaw says...
Not a question of the cities refusing to give the funds. All proceeds from sales and income taxes go directly to the state and then in turn they are apportioned to the cities. When the state takes local funds they do it by refusing to pay out what they’re supposed to.
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02/06/10 - 08:25 PM
Steve Hofbauer says...
On the court issue, actually the Prop 1A has withstood scrutiny; it was very carefully crafted. The states illegal grab of city funds last year was challenged by the cities, and again, upheld the cities position.

This latest initiative is intended to close the loopholes the state intends to exploit, many of which they had previously assured us were already protected by statute, constitution or other mechanism.

In my report at the last City Council meeting on my recent meetings with the Governors office and state legislative leaders, they made it clear they fully intend to go after every source they can, legal or not. Even now, they were told it was illegal, and the state’s response is Ok, pound sand, make us pay it back. We’re broke! They are attempting to tap local resources now, and this initiative has a retroactive recission feature.

As far as cities “refusing” to pay up… It wasn’t an issue of “politcally expediece” or “loyalty”, it wad survival! When we threatened to withold payment, the state responded with their “death sentence”. They would kill the city’s Redevelopment Agencies, effectively shutting down local economic development, and bankrupting the agencies, as the bonds would have no source of payment!

Relative to our Charter City status, state law has a provision for the state law that the state can declare a matter of statewide importance. Quite convenient. However, this measure would close that loophole, as well.

This initiative is critical to the survival of local cities.
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