Power Point Slides from the UUT Workshop
25 Nov 2012 Leave a comment
in Andy Carrizales, Beatriz E. Valenzuela, Budget, Burglury, Ca, Centurion Security Patrol, Chief Mat Fratus, City of Rialto, Coffee Nutz, Crime, Currupt, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Edward J. Carrillo, Family, Family Sports, Flores Park, Fun, Grace Vargas, http://www.guardianwatch.com/, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, Josef (Joe) Britt, June Hayes, Layoffs, Lazy, Mike Story, Nieghborhood Watch, Poor, Protest, Public Safety, Rafael Trujillo, Rialto, Rialto Fire, Rialto Police Department, Rialto Rotary, Run Watcha Brung, Sarmad (Sam) Syed, SCAT, Shawn O'Connell, SWAT, Taxes, Twitter @IEBeatriz., youth
Deborah Robertson Makes a Failed Stance
25 Nov 2012 Leave a comment
in Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, City of Rialto, Crime, Currupt, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Flores Park, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, Mike Story, Nieghborhood Watch, Protest, Public Safety, Rialto, Rialto Fire, Rialto Police Department, SCAT, SWAT, Taxes, Twitter @IEBeatriz., Uncategorized, youth
This week I David Phillips learned another hard but valuable lesson.
I had a long conversation with Mrs. Deborah Robertson about her intentions with our police department. She did state that her only intention was pension reform but she never said at the cost of 22% of the cities budget. Yes she is holding her Vote on the Special Election Hostage over the Police officers paying their full 9% pension costs. Her statement to me was my goals while in office havent changed since my campaign.
She has this power for many reasons:
- The biggest reason she has this power is the council took the entire month of October off for the election. Knowing full well the decision on the special election must be made before December 1st to make the deadline for the special election in March (Utility Users Tax sunsets in June 2013). This gives Deborah the leverage necessary to squeeze the Police for what she wants now.
- The tax Measure “V” that just died over the cities inability to be straight and honest with the community.
- Talk of the PERS tax being re-instated.
- That the last 2 chiefs have rebuilt the police into something we can be proud of and staffed the department with people that will bend to a TYRANT forcing her will upon the electorate to see the awesome programs and resources not be lost at the cost of severe arm twisting. FYI the police have taken concessions for the last 4 years with no end in sight.
So whats the solution?
First its supporting the Utility Users Tax at 8%. All council members stated they dont support raising it beyond that point at the workshop last Tuesday.
Second email, call and text Deborah Robertson and tell her what you think of her hard line stance and what it does for her ability to show she wants to work with the council and the community rather than fight us and try to rule with an IRON FIST.
Deborah Robertson
Email: robertsonformayor2012@gmail.com, robertsond@rialtoca.gov,
Phone: Office- (909) 820-2525 Fax- (909) 873-2921 Cell- (909) 644-8520
Third be at the council meeting on Tuesday November 27th and voice your concerns over the possibility that she will vote no on allowing the community to vote on the future of our city and our police.
Fell free to jin us on the Rialto Now Facebook Page or the Rialto Residents for Rialto PD group at the following link:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/309058217201/
Below is a message put out last night
****Urgent Action Required***
Deborah Robertson is holding the communities ability to decide on the need of the Utility Users Tax hostage. She has made a strong ultimatum to the cities most important barging unit. Pay you full 9% pensions or I vote no one the Utility Users Tax Special Election. We must show our support for these men and women to have enough time to discuss this impact on their families. The vote on the Special Election must be unanimous one no vote and it doesn’t happen. Plus because council went dark in October this is it. If the vote doesn’t happen in November the special election wont happen prior to the tax unset in June.
We need a mass showing of resident support for these vital men and women. Make signs and show up.
Utility Users Tax Workshop
20 Nov 2012 Leave a comment
in Budget, Ca, City of Rialto, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Grace Vargas, Joe Baca Jr, Poor, Public Safety, Rialto Fire, Rialto Police Department, SCAT, SWAT, Water, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com
Wow this issue has brought the normal people out of the wood work. Here is some of the statements being made in reference to the issue and our prior post:
*The city and council have been good stewards of your money and city.
Lets not forget the massive step they made to bring our water and waste water systems up to date. They made a massive sell off our our systems because of the years of neglect. Plus now they eant to borrow another $5 million dollars to make rates increase by 115% in 4 years.
*Without the UUT at the current rate the city looses $11 million in yearly revenues forcing the city into bankrupcy. With this we loose police and fire services to the county.
Yes loosing the UUT would be tragic and I don’t want to loose public safety to our mess of a county. I support the UUT at the current rate.
*We have been told that the UUT issue is highly polarized and that this blog should stick to the facts and hold our personal opinion.
Wow I thought Rialto was in America not communist China! We present the facts with commentary that isn’t soley mine but a loud collective set of voices saying the same thing.
People that take issue with what is said here can comment on the post, comment on the Facebook page, twitter page or call me on my cell. I have no problem diologing with the Community on issues effecting us all its the reason I write this blog.
The point is tomorrow night at council Chambers downtown @6pm and insert yourself into the discussion on this polarizing issue.
Public Workshop regarding the Utility Users Tax
17 Nov 2012 Leave a comment
in Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, City of Rialto, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Flores Park, Grace Vargas, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, Layoffs, Mike Story, Public Safety, Rialto, Rialto Fire, Rialto Police Department, Uncategorized, youth Tags: economy, government, politics
Hello Rialto Now readers there is a workshop we need to attend our very TAX DOLLARS depend on it.
merchantcircle.com
Five Years ago the city put a Utility Users Tax on the Ballot it was sold as a way to pay for Police and Fire supplies, services and Equipment we thought exclusively. Now looking back it was thrown into the general fund and used a revenue source to keep the city afloat. I am very proud of you Rialto residents for showing the city council that lies and using the fact that we like our fire and police services as tax hostages with measure “V”. Sadly though because we told them with our vote on measure “V” to be honest with us and stop lying they are floating the idea of raising the Utility Users Tax.
Now the Utility Users Tax expires in June 2013. City Council is holding this workshop to get your opinions as well as hopefully show what services will need to be cut and personnel we will lose if its not extended. Another reason to hold the workshop is to float increasing the rate to as much as 15% up from 8%. At 8% they bring in just over $11 million they were banking on measure “V” bringing in about $5 million the amount we are short year to year.
What happens from here:
- Workshop to get the cities temp on an increase or leaving it the same, showing the cuts that will be made if the tax isn’t extended and talk of impending bankruptcy if it fails.
- The results will be tabulated together and city staff will make a recommendation to the council on a direction to proceed at the November 27th council meeting. Be advised this council meeting is just as important as the workshop, why? Because the decision to reinstate the tax and put the issue on a special election ballot in March must be made in November. If the decision isn’t made in November and unanimous the tax will end and the city will be scrambling to find ways to pay its obligations.
I hate taxes more than life itself, we never seem to get real representation in our government and the unions have the elected officials ears so we are unheard. We also pay the highest taxes across the board here in California and these taxes crush the hard working middle class as well as chase away the wealthy job creators to other more business friendly states.
With that being said I will vote for the extension of the Utility Users Tax but only at 8% and only if the city doesn’t lie to get the tax passed just tell us what you need!!!!!!!!
Finally please contact Mr. Joe Baca Jr. and let him know it’s important that he does his job as a Rialto City Council Member and attend Tuesday’s workshop. He ran for this office now he must take time out of his schedule to work through this issue together.
Below is the information on the workshop:
Utility Users Tax Workshop
The City of Rialto is conducting a Public Workshop to receive updated information regarding the Utility Users Tax. The Workshop will take place at 6:00 pm on November 20th at the Civic Center 150 So. Palm Ave.
First Council Meeting Since the October Election Blackout
14 Nov 2012 Leave a comment
in American Water, Budget, Ca, Chief Mat Fratus, City of Rialto, Currupt, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Flores Park, German owned company, Grace Vargas, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, June Hayes, Lazy, Rialto, Rialto Fire, Rialto Police Department, Water, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com Tags: business, joe baca jr, politics
Seems like we should have had those meetings in October after all.
Because no City Council Meetings were held in October due to the Election we had a stacked calendar tonight.
They had the Utility Users Tax on the end of the agenda and choose to address that TAB item first. What that TAB item was for was city staff laying out the ground work for the workshop that will be held November 20th. What seemed the hardest was getting the council on board to attend the workshop, the biggest problem maker was Joe Baca Jr. I’m not sure if he was still licking his wounds from November 6th or if he really only cares about parks and that’s it but he had a scheduling conflict with that day and refused to adjust his schedule.
What the UUT (Utility Users Tax) is the 8% tax on all the utilities you use in the city of Rialto and amounts to a little more than 11 million dollars for the general fund. The way it was sold 5 years ago was a tax to help pay for Police and Fire operations looking back it was probably sold the same way Measure “V” was if you don’t vote for this the police and fire will suffer. I was young and not living in the city back then so I was listening to what my parents, in laws & friends were telling me about the UUT.
What’s scary now is they began floating the idea of raising the percentage to as high as 12% as a way to punish voters for not falling for their lies with Measure “V”. I don’t like this tax but if they are straight with the community and don’t raise the percentage because it means such a big piece of the general fund.
What also was annoying was the fact that things are changing with the sale of Rialto’s water and waste water systems to Viola and West Valley Water. The deal was for 30 million dollars, tonight it was brought up that there is an additional 5 Million the city can borrow, that we have to pay back. There was talk of your 100 percent increase in rates over 4 years would be more if they borrowed that money.
City Staff brought up bringing back the Per’s Tax. I’m not familiar with this tax but Council was scared to death of another lawsuit from our friends the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Apparently Howard Jarvis stopped Rialto from doing this long ago. If they bring it back and Jon Coupal wants to sue on a residents behalf I will be first in line.
Everyone kept saying we don’t want to raise taxes then talked about a new way to tax the community. Also Transparency is the buzz word right now all of the Council People want to provide it even though they have been hiding things from us for years. Even June Hayes RUA Committee member was blown away by the new talk of 5 million in available borrowed money.
Ed Scott tried to equate the 5 million to a homeowner who buys a house then finds out they qualify for more money and takes it. A homeowner can only take more money if the value of the house meets the desired loan amount. Also its not free money it does raise the interest and principle monthly payment.
So 5 million is what percent of 130 million its 3.84 percent almost a filth of the entire loan and when your talking millions that’s not chump change.
So lets re-cap:
*Water and Waste Water rates will go up for the next four years.
*Rialto wants you to possibly pay 12% on your UUT (up from 8%).
*Rialto pays 8-10 cents more per gallon than cities like San Bernardino that have higher sales tax than Rialto.
*Late fees were increased largely in part to Mr. Everyone Else Is Doing It Why Not Us.
So what should we do?
First off plan on being at the UUT Workshop on 11-20-12 at 6pm.
Second call, email and ask him in person if given the opportunity. Him I mean Joe Baca Jr. who for some reason refuses to attend the UUT workshop on 11-20-12 he claims to have plans. So do I Mr. Baca my parents will be in that week from out of state yet I will be there and I am not a paid member of the city of Rialto just a concerned resident.
Joe Baca Jr.
Email: Bacaj@rialtoca.gov
Phone: 909-820-2525
Second attend the Council Meeting on 11-27-12 because there they will make the final vote to officially sell off the water and waste water, vote on whether to put the UUT on the ballot in March and at what percent and its the last day for Ed Scott, Mayor Grace Vargas and Deborah Robertson’s last day as a council member so there may be some interesting exchanges at this meeting.
Tomarrow I will Re-cap the rest of what I stayed for.
RIALTO AIRPORT: Move to San Bernardino advances or miss-use of Water Sale Money
14 Sep 2012 2 Comments
in AFL-CIO, American Cancer Society, American Water, Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, Cancer, City of Rialto, Currupt, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Grace Vargas, In & Out, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, June Hayes, Lewis Properties, Mayor Pat Morris, Protest, Public Safety, Target, Taxes, Water, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth
Below you will find a story from the Press Enterprise Newspaper. The articles purpose is to highlight the work moving forward at the San Bernardino Airport with the closing of the Rialto Airport. We were told that the $30 Million the city would secure by selling off our water for 30 years and raising our rates over four years by more than 100% was going to go to allow the city to afford the types of upgrades necessary when your developing land where there isn’t drainage, adequate streets for expected traffic along with street lights and signals. Reading below at first sight you think your reading about the continued relocation of the airport to move forward with its closure, but that’s not the case to those of us who still fight against this evil deal.
The following was never made clear to the public:
- Anything about the bulk of land sales going to the San Bernardino Airport for relocation costs.
- That now that the land is worthless and not desired by anyone, the city made another bad deal on our behalf to give away the supposed Capital Development money obtained from the bad water deal.
What makes the water deal and now the Airport Closure stink are:
- Closing of the Airport puts our own Helicopter program in jeopardy. We will have to take our own helicopter to another Airport creating an unnecessary delay in response time (which newspaper article will we find tells us where our helicopter will be based since the city hates telling the community what they are doing).
- $30 Million isn’t allot of money when it comes to large development. If a BULK of the money must go to San Bernardino what money is left for all the BUSINESS they think they can attract to come to RIALTO?
- Why wont the city tell us all the people connected to the city who will make millions at Rialto Rate Payers Expense.
- The statement from Councilman and Mayor Candidate ED SCOTT that the settlement money from the perchlorate cases wont be enough to repay Rialto businesses who paid perchlorate fees for years right along with Rialto residents. So Ed Scott wants us to promote him to Mayor and trust him with the responsibility of attracting new business to the city. He has his hands super dirty in being on the committee that hired failed Superior for graffiti removal services, being a council member that still likes and wants American Water as the servicer of Rialto’s failed water deal and calls the police and makes false accusations against Rialto Residents because he doesn’t like what they say.
- Target, Super Wal-Mart and In & Out are the three projects on tap for the $30 million, if we have to give most of that money to San Bernardino how will any of these projects happen?
Read the article below, then email your council members and city administrator and ask them to finally be honest with us!!!!!
Little activity goes on at Rialto Airport these days. The last few tenants could find a new home at San Bernardino International Airport.
Seven years after an act of Congress ordered Rialto Municipal Airport closed, the effort to shift tenants to San Bernardino International Airport took a small step on Wednesday, Sept. 12.
The San Bernardino International Airport Authority awarded contracts worth up to $1.8 million combined for the design of hangars that will serve private pilots and the San Bernardino County sheriff’s aviation operation.
TR Design Group, a Riverside-based company that built a city call center at Riverside Municipal Airport as well as structures near March Air Reserve Base, was awarded up to $902,720 to develop plans, including architectural and engineering, for the sheriff’s hangar.
An $868,500 contract went to Parsons Brinckerhoff Inc. for design work and oversight of the eventual construction of amenities for private pilots and their planes that would be relocated from Rialto to San Bernardino’s 32-acre site.
Funding will come from the authority’s related Inland Valley Development Agency. The agency has so far received approval from the state’s Department of Finance to use bond revenue for the new hangars and amenities. State law dissolved redevelopment agencies earlier this year and forced them to seek approval from the finance department when they want to spend property tax revenue on unfinished redevelopment projects.
The IVDA has estimated it could cost $9.55 million to build the sheriff’s hangar, according to the list of financial obligations approved by the state. The general aviation improvements could cost nearly $7 million.
In 2005, Congress made the rare move to close Rialto Airport because the city — the airport’s owner — wanted to see the land developed with homes, retail and other improvements. A large portion of the money earned from selling the land was supposed to have gone to the San Bernardino airport to create space for the tenants forced to move. But the economy soured, land values plummeted, and no land was sold or developed. Tenants still pay rent month-to-month at Rialto Airport, where weeds are visible sprouting from the runway.
Recently, the city of Rialto approved a complicated deal to contract out its water management in order to earn money to reimburse San Bernardino airport for a portion of the costs.
Rialto Airport, which has been further tangled in uncertainty because of the dissolution of the city’s redevelopment agency, is expected to close by 2014, said Chad Merrill, project manager for the IVDA and San Bernardino airport.
Municiple Bonds Become Volitile, What Does This Mean For Rialto?
27 Aug 2012 Leave a comment
in AFL-CIO, American Cancer Society, American Water, Bad Commerce, Brad Mitfelt, Budget, Ca, Cancer, City of Rialto, Currupt, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Janice Rutherford, Joe Baca Jr, Josie Gonzales, June Hayes, Lazy, Lewis Properties, Mike Story, Neil Derry, Poor, Protest, RDA, Ron Pharris, Sheet Metal Workers Union, SOSRialtoWater@gmail.com, Taxes, Terra Vista Shopping Center, Water, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth
“A decision by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. BRKB +0.28% to end a large wager on the municipal-bond market is deepening questions from some investors about the risks of buying debt issued by cities, states and other public entities.”
“Some investors said the decision to end the bet indicates that one of the world’s savviest investors has doubts about the state of municipal finances“.
Read more of the Wall Street Journal article at the link below:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443855804577601413630604118.html
So what I find funny in a scary way about all this is Rialto/RUA is looking to take out a $177 Million loan with $27.4 Million in existing debt. I was told that the overall rate is going to be between 7.25% & 7.5%. Yet the bulk ($144 Million) we will be paying 4.33% to 4.83% so the rates average out to be so expensive once we tack on existing debt. Why is that?
First of all because California has borrowed itself into a hole. That’s why governor Brown & a ton of other people have qualified tax measures for the November ballot. They have borrowed us into a massive hole and wont stop spending to save this state.
Second cities, school districts, counties and the state have been using bonds as a dirty band aide for their budget woes. Bonds were seen as good long term investments because municipalities made sure money was there for the bond payments to keep AA & AAA bond ratings or good credit scores. Now they just don’t have the money so they are defaulting on payments or just faulting altogether with Bankruptcy.
I have said time and time again, this deal isn’t good for the RESIDENTS in RIALTO! Yes the infrastructure needs to be upgraded but Rialto and the RESIDENTS are not in the position take on such massive debt while reaching into the pockets of struggling families. Do you know how we are going to pay the interest on this debt; we are borrowing money to pay the first three years. So that means we are borrowing more money than needed to pay interest on debt we cannot afford.
I have heard that this deal is worth $1 Billion to the parties involved. We need to stop this deal in its tracks, hold on and once our economy is back on track look into moving forward. Rialto will be $5 Million in the hole this year. Meaning we are using our reserves for what we can’t get out of our unions in the way of contract negotiations.
The amount of money we are in the hole ($5 Million) is the same amount that staff said was nessicary to bring all the county areas up to city code ($5 Million) since the city and the mangers of the Lytle Creek Development were strong armed by Josie Gonzales and the rest of the Board of Supervisors on the county board. They said if we wanted to annex the county areas in the proposed Lytle Creek Development we must also annex the areas already within our city limits. So when Ed Scott tells you that the water deal isn’t part of the Lytle Creek Development what are we supposed to think with this info. Looks like $5 Million is coming from the borrowed money to fund yet another project.
Warren Buffets recent actions means he dosent trust municipalities ability to re-pay the loans!!!! Said Ric Edelman of Edelman Finacial Services (see the podcast link below, fast forward to the last 7 minutes).
http://www.ricedelman.com/cs/radio_show/past_shows?id=1837
I have been told that this deal is also nessicary for attracting new development. What I find funny is In & Out is good to go for next year and Wal-Mart has won its lawsuits and plans to move forward with plans to re-locate to the empty lot on the corner of San Bernardino and Riverside Avenues (I don’t like this store). So why do we need 30 million dollars? To pay off the back room deals that Ed Scott and Ed Palmer have made with the Lewis builders (Target Developers) and Ron Pharrise the principle owner of the Lytle Creek Development. So once they have wasted the 30 Million dollars then what? Our CURRENT city government is so horrible at attracting real development that the community actually wants.
For example I have heard numerous council members say in reference to In & Out “we need more than another fast food place” or “we have enough burger joints”. We have too many crappy stupid chain fast food burger joints that hire the worst employees, pay the lowest wages and offer horrible customer service. On top of all that they offer a un healthy over processed food option.
In & Out is the best burger option in the State. They offer fresh quality food at a reasonable price. They also are and employer that looks for the best expects the best and pays a very fair wage. They are always clean, polite and productive. The next best option is Bakers but for some reason they are always right smack in the middle of the worst part of the city.
People in Rialto do you want to see this deal drag this city into ruin? How much more money do you want to give these defunct local legislators? Stop the back room deals and call them on this failed deal, also let’s vote for major change in November.
Below is a list of people tied to or working on this Water Deal call and email them and let them know what you think of their deal even if you already called or emailed do it again they have yet to get the message:
All Council Members can be reached at 909-820-2525 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 909-820-2525 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Grace Vargas vargasg@rialtoca.gov
Joe Baca Jr
Ed Palmer
Deborah Robertson
Contact Anthony W. Araiza General Manager
Table Rock Finacial:
Megan – 415-497-2320 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 415-497-2320 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Lynn Smull – 510-326-3209 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 510-326-3209 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
855 W. Base Line Road P.O. Box 920 Rialto, CA 92377 Ph: (909) 875-1804 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (909) 875-1804 end_of_the_skype_highlighting ext. 703 Fx: (909) 875-7284
Were not the only ones smelling coruption
22 Aug 2012 Leave a comment
in AFL-CIO, American Water, Budget, Ca, Cancer, City of Rialto, Crime, Currupt, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Flores Park, Grace Vargas, In & Out, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, Josie Gonzales, Layoffs, Lazy, Lewis Properties, Nieghborhood Watch, Protest, Public Safety, Rialto Fire, Rialto Police Department, Street Crime Attack Team, SWAT, Terra Vista Shopping Center, Uncategorized, Water, youth
Let’s start with some awesome news we have the attention of more than just or city council we have senators and senators of the future, financial advisors and Dr. Imran Farooq.
Mr. Farooq is a partner at:
The Omnius Group – The Omnius Group specializes in comprehensive economic development to dynamically integrate public and private sectors. Our experience includes real estate development, commercial finance, green technologies, workforce development and extensive relationships across local, state and federal agencies. Our objective is to pursue projects that incorporate economic, social and environmental value in the local communities.
http://www.facebook.com/DrIFarooq
His preliminary advice is to look at:
Is it possible to propose exemptions to rate increases depending on household incomes? This might be a way to protect the most vulnerable in the community but still facilitate the deemed ‘necessary’ upgrades.
Now we were sent an interesting piece of news. The article below is about the failure of American Water to secure the contract with the City of Rialto. I find it interesting that in the press release they (RWS) claim they decided to sever ties with American Water, but here it looks like American Water was the one cutting the ties. Insiders have told me that the cities decision to ignore the residents desire to put the outsourcing issue to a vote in November gave American Water an uneasy feeling about moving forward. The city attorney’s bad advice to the council now looks like a failed political move.
You see they didn’t put the issue on the ballot for a ton of reasons:
- They don’t want to know what you think, at least the Eds and the city attorney. Call them sometime and try asking questions they will try everything in their power to shove you off they just want to make their money.
- They know it’s an election year with a presidential election which means more people at the polls.
- Putting the issue on the ballot would remove their ability to say that most of the people want this deal.
- The city wants to have a stock pile of money to dip into to bring us “Development”. What happens once the $30 Million is gone and spent? How then will you bring us the economic development we desire?
- The city tried to hide from their bad decision by saying it was a union issue not a community issue, let alone I saw hundreds of residents getting petitions signed the union got what they wanted and left, the residents are still here and a few of us refuse to stop fighting.
- Lastly, from the looks of the words of American Water’s CEO American Water walked away. So the city took what they thought would remain secret and tell us we (Council) have decided to remove American Water from the deal and not change the deal just the players right before an election. They didn’t hear us if they did they would have started from the ground up and better involve the community and find ways to protect residents that are elderly, poor and struggling.
Also if this deal is to bring Development to our city can someone explain the consequences of their miss-direction and lies as seen at the bottom of this article from the Public Works Newsletter:
The deal called for American Water to be paid $26.5 million a year to run the system and cover certain maintenance expenses – but not counting the automatic price escalator each year. Multiply that out 30 years – and that’s just for the O&M, which of course must be covered by sufficient revenues from the ratepayers, on top of covering the financing for the improvements, the $30 million “catch up lease payment” to the City, refinancing existing RUA debt (at much higher interest rates), etc.
When I asked Megan Madsen from Table Rock Financial about the built in profit guarantee that was there for American Water she said she had no idea what I was talking about. So when information I stumbled across leads one to believe there is more than they are telling us. Does anyone know that 27.4 million is going toward refinancing existing debt?
No one will tell us the rates they are financing at or why it nessicary to add such a massive amount of debt to something that’s tied to our WATER & WASTE WATER systems. On financial person told me that depending on how the loan is structured it may very well hurt more than help if the city ever found its self in the same situation as our neighbor San Bernardino. I have been told we will be in deficit spending this next fiscal year in the realm of $5 million dollars.
We need to be wiser to WHO is sitting on certain sub communities when it comes to dealings with contracting out services.
06 Aug 2012 Leave a comment
in Ca, Centurion Security Patrol, City of Rialto, Crime, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Edgar Montes, Family, Family Sports, Flores Park, Grace Vargas, IE Gourmet Food Trucks, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, Mike Story, Public Safety, Rialto Fire, Rialto Police Department, SCAT, Steven's Hope for Children, Street Crime Attack Team, SWAT, Target, youth
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT TUESDAY, 8/7/12.
DOWNTOWN 5 – 8:30 PM.
Yes its that time of year again, time for National Night Out. This event is an annual event created to foster community awareness. Target, Rialto PD, Cardenas Markets and many more have teamed up to bring this event to Downtown Rialto again.
There will be tons of:
Vendors
Entertainment
Food
And
Demos from our wonderful Rialto Police Department.
This is a FREE event that draws people from all over the city. Its a time to get out and be around fellow citizens and have a good time.
Click the link below and Join the event group to be kept up to date on all the developments.
http://www.facebook.com/events/430826046967978/
The Cloak of Secrecy – Rialto’s Water Deal
05 Aug 2012 Leave a comment
in American Cancer Society, American Water, Budget, Ca, Cancer, Currupt, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Joe Baca Jr, Layoffs, Lazy, Mike Story, Water, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth
I have sat down with both Ed Scott and Deborah Robertson.
One thing that is the same with both candidates running for mayor of Rialto is both are scrambling to try and show you they are pealing the back the cloak slowly.
Ed Scott wants you to come sit down with him and listen to his side of the story and take it as gospel. He doesn’t like it when you try and fact check his statements and hear about it from the horses mouth. Let me prove this point so that Ed doesn’t threaten to sue me again.
When he was discussing my conversation with Butch Ariza the GM of West Valley Water District. Ed Scott eluded to the fact that Mr. Ariza didn’t have direct answers on some topics not because he had yet to come across that issue but because he didn’t know me and was holding information back.
What I find funny is my father-in-law and Mr. Ariza both are members of the local HOG (Harley Owners Group), My Neighborhood Watch Group butts up to West Valleys back yard and I have worked with his staff on eliminating graffiti in the wash area along Cactus Ave.
I have found West Valley Water to be easy to deal with and I was wondering why they were overlooked in the first place as the person to run our water system since they already work in Rialto. From what I heard they wanted nothing to do with what amounts to a 30 million dollar payoff to the city council.
Ed Scott also doesn’t like my questions for Table Rock the company brokering the deal and handling the negotiations. He said “Do you know how hard it is to be in the middle of negotiations and have some random person calling asking questions that’s not even connected to the deal”. I’m sorry I thought as a rate payer I had the right to know what was going on with this deal?
Question: Do you think you should know more about this deal?
On thing that bothers me and no one can give me an answer is why if American Water really is out of the deal and Table Rock now has control or Rialto Water Services why doesn’t the SEC the Federal Securities Exchange Commission only has American Water listed as a subsidiary of Rialto Water Services:
| Rialto Water Services, Inc. | Corporation | Delaware | 100% held through American Water (USA) | General partner of Rialto Water Services, L.P. Percentage will fall below 50% if transaction completed as a concession. | ||||
| Rialto Water Services, L.P. | Limited Partnership | Delaware | 100% held through American Water (USA) and Rialto Water Services, Inc. | Rialto concession bid. Percentage will fall below 50% if transaction completed as a concession. |
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1410636/000119312511047938/dex211.htm
All of my meetings were not a total loss; I have been told I can have a copy of the entire water concession agreement. My hope is that I can download it to a zip drive and save myself the hassle and cost of printing.
So here we are again more questions than answers. Let’s keep telling those council members that they must show us their cards and involve the public.
rialtonow 