Past redevelopment efforts in Chula Vista have failed. Why do more of the same?
Three council members want to expand redevelopment project areas to include more residentially-zoned properties.
Redevelopment diverts property tax revenue away from public safety like fire and police and other areas like libraries and parks for the whole city. Listen carefully east side.
Why, because all the increases in property tax in a redevelopment area go the redevelopment agency instead of the general fund, even though the majority of tax increment increases in redevelopment areas have been generated by appreciation or by property turnovers that reset proposition 13.
The Southwest Redevelopment Area is the only area where a report has been released detailing both Redevelopment revenues and expenditures. For the 15 year period from 1991 thru June 30, 2006, the area received $6.1 million net tax increment revenue. The City spent $5.7 million of the $6.1 million net tax increment on staff services.
In the 3 plus years since the report, the Southwest Redevelopment Area has generated approximately $4 million more in net tax increment. The mayor wrote that since she took office three years ago, $1 million redevelopment dollars were invested in Southwest redevelopment area. Where did the rest of the funds go? What outside area projects were subsidized?
The Southwest Project area included residentially-zoned property areas known as Woodlawn Park and Brodericks Otay Acres when it was formed 20 years ago and the city consistently chose not to spend redevelopment funds in these residential areas.
Say no to expanding redevelopment areas into residentially-zoned areas, say no to the council members who pushed for passage of Proposition A, the sales tax increase. Say no to the foolishness and misleading rhetoric at City Hall.
Proponents of the proposed expansion claim money will be re-invested in the neighborhoods, but the track record in Southwest indicates something different
Don’t reward poor performance. Request that the City use the tax increment they have to demonstrate successful redevelopment before expanding the redevelopment areas into residentially-zoned properties.
Earl Jentz
Chula Vista
Obama needs less eloquence and “yes we cans”
Democratic Congresswoman Wasserman-Schultz almost said it all last evening when she alluded to the Obama banking problems as a principal cause of dissatisfaction with administration. This relates to the Bush call for funds to bail out banks and the Obama led democratic congress rushing to approve $750 billions now known as TARP without the dems giving serious thought to overseeing or understanding the legislation. But this is only part of Obama’s, Pelosi’s and Frank’s creation of a growing democratic disaster.
Obama is lost in the universe. Having gained the Peace Prize he really doesn’t understand the Islamic mind and by sending over 50000 troops to Afghanistan and keeping 100000 troops in Iraq he is lost in understanding the fact that the only way if ever, that Islam can rid itself of popular jehadists, will be through Islam alone rooting out the evil, which it is not so sure that it is, Obama must realize that Gates neglected the rise of the Talban for three years and encouraged a whole new war called Obama’s war with the poppies still paying for the insurgency. At this time, the man of peace should immediately start withdrawing, with the partnership of the republicans getting our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan. It would be far better to have troops in Pakistan protecting nukes, but in no way threaten India. He must be able to stop the jehadists at the gates of America and to be able to root out budding homegrown terrorists in the USA while realizing the master plam of a major part of Islam.
Obama is wishy washy on Iran showing weakness, his mantra of “help is on the way” has outlived its usefulness, Main Street sees through it as banks and Wall Street have gotten their ill deserved rewards after driving the US to near insolvency with the help of Bernanke and Geithner participating in giving an assist to our financial crisis. Yes the home buyers should have known better, but it was the past three administrations which pushed lenders to throw financial requirements to purchase out the window and sell, sell, and sell regardless of whether the norms of purchasing a home were present. The brokers saying the government made them do it is their defense, and they obeyed all the ways to the banks, as the Fed’s printing presses churned out billions to create the largest ponzi scheme known to mankind. Obama and Congress cannot restore lost jobs without a war and China remains our best friend but not our ally. Healthcare reform is out since it was more payola than real reform. Too many votes were bought and arms twisted and seats threatened. America is slowly becoming a “failed state”. Maybe a new 3rd party is needed since in reality those scoundrels who have been in the house ands senate for the past decade have contributed to our despair. They should all be sent home and pensions denied.
Norman Mann
San Diego