Sunday, August 8, 2010

Watchdogs


Memory lane:  A reminder from the past - reasons to vote-out incumbents
 

Just love this cute dog!  Would this cute dog had more financial intelligence than the existing 8 year city council?  



Many 2002 Pacifica Watchdog recall issues continue 8 years later.  More debt, more outstanding maintenance, more cost passed to property owners (including sewer laterals).  A few more examples:  high franchise fees (scavenger) more taxes proposed (3), an embedded utilities tax (because they can); more city rotting (no planned north Pacifica seawall, continued city staff reductions, $50 million in sewer collection pipes outstanding, road deterioration.  No city paid and maintained dog park or museum. Highway 1 still not fixed, Quarry still not developed, abandoned old waste water treatment plant at Palmetto also still not developed. City structural failure. No plan and no motivation for the improvement and future of this city. 

Pacifica Watchdogs 2002.
  Mission:  To replace the current City Councilmembers James Vreeland, Pete De Jarnatt, Julie Lancelle and Sue Digre with responsible public servants from the community. Our goal is to raise the City of Pacifica from its current state of financial insolvency to one of financial strength. It is then and only then that both current and future generations of Pacificans can enjoy the quality of life they desire in this community.

How different is the need to bring-in economic sustainability to this city now?  Vote-in known pro-economy candidates this Fall.   

Posted by Kathy Meeh

 

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't know who the "known pro-economy candidates" are.

Kathy Meeh said...

So far Susan Vellone and Barbara Arietta.

Anonymous said...

What are their pro-economy positions? Do they support or oppose the recommendations of the Financing City Services Task Force?

Kathy Meeh said...

Broken budget, city with no money. Parameters set by 8 year city council which is responsible for the structural problems of this city.

So, what, do you care, do you have an opinion? As I recall that list of recommendations (within city parameters to cut the budget) is rather extensive.

Fair? Why not ask all the candidates, even host a debate. The Task Force was told to cut the entire city budget. So, what do you think Anonymous, or are you just making conversation.

Want to do something positive, post the list here, just a suggestion. 8 years declining budget, no attempt to fix other than tax, eventually major problems occur.

Mr. Sir said...

Anonymous just asked if the two candidates you mentioned supported or opposed the Task Force recommendation and what their positions are.

I see nothing provocative that anyone has posted in this thread.

Why are you ranting?

Anonymous said...

Mr. Sir, Don't deny Kathy her one true pleasure in life. :)))

Anonymous said...

Vote for Vreeland!

Unknown said...

Anonymouses - you really should think up a name and use it rather than being confused anonymouses.

Anonymous said...

Check out Jeff's Bigmouth for a great article on Vreeland!

Kathy Meeh said...

Maybe Anonymous 8/9 @6:51pm voting for Vreeland is Vreeland, a happy fan of the 12 year stellar development and highway 1 "never growth" plan. "Promises, promises"--hey that worked before, why not forever?

View Palmetto development memory lane, the current version of Vreeland Follies on Jeff's Big Mouth: Vreeland Follies Part III.

Mr. Sir said...

Kathy, do the pro-economy candidates you mention support the recommendations of the Financing Task Force?

Anonymous said...

And do they support the Economic Development Committee's quarry resolution that was adopted by the Council last night?

Mr. Sir said...

And yet the question remains unanswered.

It's a simple yes/no question (one that's being avoided which of course makes one wonder why).

Do Susan Vellone and Barbara Arietta support the Financing Task Force's recommendations? yes/no

The Ghost of Maureen Lennon said...

Why don't you ask them yourself, Sir, and report back to us? Sometimes the simplest of questions can be answered by the simplest of means - Occam's Razor, third postulate.

Mr. Sir said...

Members of this site have engaged in slamming, smearing, mocking, and criticizing our City Council members for years.

Now it comes time to promote their pro-business candidates and... cue the crickets... silence.

Don't you find that interesting?

I don't know these two candidates and was hoping someone who did might be able to answer the question: do they support the Financing Task Force recommendations?

Re: Occam's Razor... due to the unwillingness of anyone here to answer this very simple question, I'm going to have to assume the answer is an embarassing YES.

Anonymous said...

"Anyone who supports the recommendations of the FTF/EDC is con-economy." Therefore you would be opposed to any candidate who supports the Financing City Services Task Force and the Economic Development Committee recommendations.

Now let's find out where the candidates stand.

And if they don't support those recommendations, what do they propose to do instead?

Kathy Meeh said...

Mr. Sir, Anonymous or whoever your are not really, its only you that is having a debate with yourself on a wide range of city task force issues.

And, based upon your first sentence @ 10:37am, how proud you are to be counted with 8 year city council failure (congratulations, be happy). City council with the influence of friends like you have NOT been accountable to this city, its population and community.

Some of us are tired of "crumbling city" and want something better. That won't happen on the watch of the incumbent city council you champion and support.

Also, although you seem to think you've reached "campaign headquarters for pro-economy candidates" you have really only reached the "fix pacifica" blog. You know, a blog is kind of like talking over-the-fence to a neighbor. Maybe you're lost, and in the "wrong neighborhood." Following the direction of "Ghost" might help you navigate out, good luck.

Kathy Meeh said...

Anonymous @ 10:37am, aka Mr. Sir. The Task Force provisions are a "hope it works" band-aid to a much larger city budget structural problem.

Hopefully those running for city council are focused on fixing the city structural problems. And, until we get a city council that will actually solidify solutions to fix city structural problems, personally I do not plan to support the several taxes proposed.

Mr. Sir said...

Kathy,

Do the pro-business candidates you listed (Susan Vellone and Barbara Arietta) support the recommendations of the Financing City Services Task Force?

Mr. Sir said...

Here's what I would say to my neighbor "over-the-fence":

You seem more than willing to criticize those currently on the council and you say we should vote in "pro-economy" candidates to replace them. That's fine, but why should I believe that the two candidates you mention are "pro-economy" when you're either unwilling or unable to tell me what their stances on the issues are?

Don't you want to fix Pacifica? Why aren't you helping to sell these candidates to the voters?

I'll ask again:

Do the pro-economy candidates you listed (Susan Vellone and Barbara Arietta) support the recommendations of the Financing City Services Task Force?

Anonymous said...

Mr. Sir, you should give it up.

Kathy will NEVER give a straight answer when she's asked to clarify or defend a statement of hers. Instead you'll find yourself accused of wanting Pacifica to fall into the ocean all because you dared ask her to explain herself.

It's some bizarre defense mechanism.

todd bray said...

Mr. Sir, perhaps a phone call to the candidates themselves would be a better avenue for you than asking a third party.

Kathy Meeh said...

Mr. Sir, I know you think you are talking to some one cares what you think, but that would not be me. And, based upon your words, you are not a pro-economy prospect to cultivate. Moreover, this pro-economy issue is kind of like turning a light bulb "on" (fix pacifica), or turning a light bulb "off" (broken-down city, high city fees and taxes), as in your case. Maybe Dr. Phil could unscramble why you have low level expectations for the "common good" we all share in this city, and why you feel entitled to deprive others of a functional and efficient city. And Please re-read the clearly stated instructions from Todd Bray @2:30pm. That will help you find your way out of the maze.

Anonymous @ 2:26pm, had the city council listened to the US Geological Survey, and built an effective sea wall north of town, those apartments probably wouldn't be falling into the ocean now. I don't know the exact table but this 8 year city council would have known. "Empty pockets", limited city future-- wait for highway 1 to fall-in I guess.

Anonymous said...

See, Mr. Sir, I told you!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, getting Kathy Meeh to answer any question in a straightforward manner is like waiting to catch Santa Claus in the act.

Hey Kathy, stop complaining and start answering, then maybe someone would take your seriously.

Mr. Sir said...

Kathy: You should vote for pro-economy candidates.

Me: Okay, can you tell me if they support the financing task force report?

Kathy: You want Pacifica to fail!

Steve Sinai said...

I intend to support Barbara Arietta and Susan Vellone, and I haven't got a clue as to what their position on the task force recommendations are.

I just know my view is that I won't vote for any new taxes as long as Vreeland, Digre, DeJarnatt and Lancelle are in control of the city.

Kathy Meeh said...
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Kathy Meeh said...
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Kathy Meeh said...

Ah ha, Steve has the answer!

Now about that City Services Task Force Final Report 3-2010, 12 pages. Mr. Sir, which questions from what part of the report on which page are you asking? Not my job, but I actually thought I posted this prior (along with a quick-sand dialog especially for you).

Mr. Sir said...

Ah ha, Steve has the answer!

"I haven't got a clue?"

Why didn't you say so from the beginning?

(BTW, your link to the Task Force Report is incorrect)

Kathy Meeh said...

Mr. Sir, well isn't that interesting, the City Services Task Force Final Report didn't load with a link title, and it didn't transfer when I added your "pen name". So at this time here's the easy "post to browser link" for the city website. Look at "City Focus" (right) on the front page: http://www.cityofpacifica.org/

Actually in the 1st response to your inquiry, I advised the pro-economy candidates. 2nd response to you, 2nd paragraph I responded "As I recall that list of recommendations (within city parameters to cut the budget) is rather extensive." This is a 12 page comprehensive report, with a list of recommendations.

You seemed to be asking for "all or nothing", now as then I'm not sure you even look at the report in advance and prior to demanding answers of pro-economy favored candidates.

We have to find solutions to our economic short-fall in this city. That's easy enough to understand. The recent efforts made by Mary Ann, Steve Rhodes, the Financial, Economic Development committees, this year's Chamber of Commerce, Saving Sharp Park Golf Course, and the attempt to get some portion of the quarry developed are all good moves forward.