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Measure W will only saddle Lodi with debt and siphon future revenue away from our schools
By Phyllis Roche
Special to the News-Sentinel
Special to the News-Sentinel
Monday, February 23, 2009 6:59 AM PST
It's too bad that the proponents of Measure W refuse to participate in an editorial page forum proposed by the News-Sentinel to answer five questions from each side of the measure.
Former Mayor JoAnne Mounce and I were eager to be finally getting some facts out on redevelopment.
Our City Council is eager to encumber the property tax increment for up to 45 years (the normal life of redevelopment projects) knowing that this property tax cannot go into the city's general fund to be used for maintenance or to provide police, fire, library services, etc. — not even on the Eastside. The city has a $1.4 million budget shortfall because of deflated property values and lower sales tax revenues. With the papered-over state budget just passed, cities, counties and schools are going to be hard-pressed to get much help from the state.
Redevelopment Agencies are popular because they can be formed without voter approval (our council did this in 2000) and they can approve a Redevelopment Plan, also without voter approval.
Our Council did this in July 2008 and refused to put it on last November's ballot, this special election now costing over $137,000.
Citizens obtained enough signatures to force a referendum, so you, the taxpayer, can vote on Measure W on March 3.
Another phony argument is that because 95 percent of the cities Lodi's size have Redevelopment Plans, that means overwhelming approval. That would be true if citizens in these cities had voted for the Agency and Plan. Rarely do citizens get the right to vote.
And in cities where they have voted, Redevelopment has been handily defeated: Montebello, 82 percent; La Puente, 67 percent; Ventura, 57 percent; Los Alamitos, 55 percent and Half Moon Bay 76 percent (Blair King's baby).
Our former mayors recently wrote, "Measure W isn't a vote to borrow money." Pray tell me what Section E. Financing Limitations of the Lodi Redevelopment Plan means, "The Agency may issue such types of bonds on which the principal and interest are payable in whole or part from tax increments …. .The total outstanding principal of any bonds so issued and repayable from said tax increment from the Project Area shall not exceed Four Hundred Million Dollars ($400,000,000) at any one time, except by further amendment of this Plan."
These same mayors spouted the same nonsense that almost every supporter of W has made ad nauseam: "It simply allows your local government to keep a greater percentage of the property tax you're already paying, instead of having it spent at the whim of the state Legislature."
Guess what, guys? All county property tax stays in the county, and if you would like to see how it's allocated, Adrian Van Houten, County Auditor/Controller, will furnish you with the details. The Chamber of Commerce has made the ridiculous claim that with Redevelopment we can keep 80 percent of the property tax; without, 80 percent goes to the State to squander.
How many of Measure W's supporters have actually read the Redevelopment Plan? A Plan without specifics — just maybes, mights, coulds. Art Hand from the School District said the School Board — after hearing Bob Johnson, Blair King and "Pat" Patrick speak for the measure — unanimously endorsed it. This is critical thinking and open mindedness? Don't they realize that they have the best deal now?
According to Van Houten, Lodi Unified Schools receives $36,298,903.20 of the county property tax for 2008-2009. This is about $10 million more than Tracy Unified and Manteca Unified receive, and about $8 million more than Stockton Unified. One reason: Lodi doesn't have a Redevelopment Plan to siphon off money that would go to schools and county government.
The State of California has to backfill these districts for the loss to RDAs in California to the tune of $2 billion a year statewide — money the state obviously doesn't have. RDAs shortchange the schools in what they are required to pass through, hence AB 1389 in which the Legislature took back $350 million from RDAs for schools.
Reynolds Ranch with senior housing and double the retail space has already been approved. The WalMart complex may be next. This is private enterprise.
Follow the money. Developers are those who benefit from RDA or they wouldn't be financing a campaign complete with paid consultant.
The Eastside needs basic infrastructure. It's the Council's responsibility to allocate property tax each year for sewers, water, lights. Instead, the people get medallions to beautify Cherokee Lane.
It's reminiscent of Marie Antoinette's famous response to the peasants' clamor for bread: "Let them eat cake."
Phyllis Roche of Lodi is a leader of the campaign against Measure W on the March 3 ballot.
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edumacation wrote on Mar 1, 2009 5:22 PM:
wtf wrote on Feb 27, 2009 1:10 PM:
Great post, edumacation! In fact, this big, ugly pig has morphed into a boar! LOL! "
edumacation wrote on Feb 27, 2009 10:01 AM:
Scrutiny wrote on Feb 26, 2009 6:41 PM:
edumacation wrote on Feb 26, 2009 1:53 PM:
ZZ wrote on Feb 26, 2009 9:43 AM:
election year wrote on Feb 25, 2009 11:50 PM:
edumacation wrote on Feb 25, 2009 3:24 PM:
danielh wrote on Feb 24, 2009 2:08 PM:
or are you going to write empty cliches? "
mp wrote on Feb 24, 2009 1:20 PM:
Stop telling lies people! "
mp wrote on Feb 24, 2009 1:19 PM:
People, have any of your even read the plan or know what you are endorsing? "
patton1 wrote on Feb 24, 2009 11:29 AM:
patton1 wrote on Feb 24, 2009 11:26 AM:
mp wrote on Feb 24, 2009 9:32 AM:
Once is passes, Lodian will see the only people to benefit will be developers as with every other RDA in the State. The eastside people will still get the shaft. "
Are You Real wrote on Feb 23, 2009 8:02 PM:
El Rushbo wrote on Feb 23, 2009 7:02 PM:
El Rushbo wrote on Feb 23, 2009 6:59 PM:
wtf wrote on Feb 23, 2009 12:23 PM:
This special election, and the fact a vote for or against the RDA wasn't an option for voters last November, is the CC's answer.
And now they want us to give them carte blanche with virtually unlimited funds?
I don't think so! "
mp wrote on Feb 23, 2009 12:00 PM:
On the John Johnson blog, you say vote Yes on W and save the Grape Bowl! What, with a 35 million dollar bond to be paid back on the property taxes of the poorest people in town? Let's talk about a hose job!
The whole problem with Measure W is "the blank check." All you do is continue to confirm it.
Thank you El!!! "
danielh wrote on Feb 23, 2009 11:56 AM:
Observer: It was too close to call. Definitely, both sides would not have had an opportunity to campaign.
After the petition was submitted, the CC was criticized for not putting it on the ballot in the first place. "
El Rushbo wrote on Feb 23, 2009 8:20 AM:
Observer wrote on Feb 23, 2009 7:34 AM:
wtf wrote on Feb 23, 2009 7:04 AM:
You wrote: "Redevelopment Agencies are popular because they can be formed without voter approval (our council did this in 2000) and they can approve a Redevelopment Plan, also without voter approval. Our Council did this in July 2008 and refused to put it on last November's ballot, this special election now costing over $137,000."
This move, spending $137,000 of money we don't have; especially in such an unnecessary manner when it could have been put on the ballot, gives me a clue what these clowns would do with an RDA. "
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