A Disconnect in the Brain

NCT link

This week's column by Barratt American CEO Michael D. Pattinson is about city fees and taxes associated with new development projects.

At first I thought Patty Boy and I were going to see eye to eye on this one but it didn't take long to realize that this man has a serious disconnect from reality.

Pattinson just can't grasp that if he comes into an old neighborhood and builds a bunch of new homes that the new people impact the area. He complains that Oceanside is helping itself to new traffic lights, well gee, why would they need those? Because everyone in the new houses drives cars.



Should all this come out of the general fund? Yes. But these developments are so big and happen so fast that if "improvements" (it's really hard to call a stoplight at the end of your street that used to be a quiet stop sign an improvement) aren't made then it leads to congestion, chaos and a lower quality of life for everyone.



In Riverside County, child care is the fourth largest industry, taking in $230 million per year. But even that is not enough to support the cost of their own facilities, supervisors say. That is why they are talking about forcing developers ---- I mean new home buyers ---- to foot the bill.

What they don't say is that excessive government fees have raised the cost of housing so much that most families need both parents working, hence the need for child care.




To hear Pattinson tell it the reason both parents have to work is because the fees are too high on new homes. Pattinson's company recently reported record revenue, $131.2 million for the quarter ended Sept. 30. This an all-time record for a fiscal quarter since the founding of the firm. All you Moms out there, are you swallowing this tripe?




Take a look at Barratt's website The gross over ornamentation of their homes is ridiculous. If Pattinson wants to cut cost on home building he could start by streamlining his projects. Construction cost are extremely high in California with labor, worker's comp. Insurance and materials. Imagine the extra hours and materials it takes to build pseudo-castles and faux shutters. Why all the widgets and gimmicks Mr. Pattinson? Do you like wasting money?

Pattinson says new homebuyers who are taxed have no say in where those taxes go. Taxation without representation? Time for another Boston Tea Party? Let's start by sending euro trash Pattinson back across the Atlantic.

Ecke Ranch Shopping Center Refinanced for $63.4 Million Smackers

GlobeSt.com link

Taking advantage of the continuing low interest rates, a joint venture of Los Angeles-based Zelman Development Co. and Carlsbad-based the Carltas Co. has refinanced Encinitas Ranch Town Center. The JV refinanced the 503,000-sf property for $64.3 million.

Gee, that was easy. Didn't someone suggest like a year ago for Ecke to use his shopping center equity to modernize his greenhouses?

Jesus and Santa are American Citizens

Union Tribune columnist Logan Jenkins wrote a good piece on the parade name change. link.
He brings up an excellent point, the stores don't care what you call it:

In this mercantile context, Christmas could not be more inclusive. The more shopping the merrier. (And we don't care if you call them Hanukkah presents!)

On this plane, Christmas is a money-driven revelry that, long ago, exchanged the soulful Jesus, a spiritual prophet whose world view was something of a downer in the marketplace, for the materialistic Santa Claus, the emcee of plenty.

Jenkins also makes this wise obsevation: Dalager is right – and wrong.

Christian Values for City Council?

The prophet Isaiah said: "Woe to you legislators of infamous laws ... who refuse justice to the unfortunate, who cheat the poor among my people of their rights, who make widows their prey and rob the orphan."

I patiently await a press release from the Encinitas city council announcing an end to closed session meetings and cronyism with consultants and contractors.

The Bernese Mountain Dog Club

PUPPIES!

Has the Leucadia Town Council Killed It's Momentum??

The Coast News wrote that the defeat of prop A signaled a new movement in Encinitas, one spearheaded by the politically active members of the Leucadia Town Council.

Well, the LTC has blown it's wad and picked a poor battle. By boycotting the parade they will now be forever filed into the PC liberal goofball category and no-one will pay attention to anything they say ever again.

They are making all of Leucadia look bad by acting on our behalf. Most Leucadians could probably care less what the parade is called.

Way to go hippies!

Parade History



What if they boycotted the parade by marching in it with signs saying boycott the parade? That would be sweet.

It's a Christmas Parade Dude

Encinitas Mayor Dan Dalagher has used his extra special mayor powers to change the name of the city's annual "Holiday Parade" to "Christmas Parade."

KFMB website story

"I'm not terribly religious. I'm just sick and tired about everyone whining about things. You know ... there's an American holiday called Christmas, said Dalager.

Some people plan to boycott the parade.

What do think?



Bob Johnson, retired social worker

I support the city telling the Jews to go fuck themselves and banning them from the parade. I mean Hanukkah? What the hell is that anyway? And is it spelled with an H or a CH? Make up your minds already.



Harold Webster, systems analyst

I guess this means that the city council will adopt Christian morals and values and stop shafting us. No? Oh well.



Susan Goldstein, data entry

Mayor Dalagher should name the parade, "Seemingly Endless Amounts of Boy Scouts Marching For-Fucking-Ever While I Freeze My Ass Off On The Sidewalk Parade"



Rick Lemon, mechanic

I'm joining the boycott and by boycott I mean going to Hooter's with my buddy Earl and eating chicken wings and drinking beer.



Helen Frisket, retired school teacher

Mayor Dalagher said there is an American holiday called Christmas? Wow, does he know that Christmas is celebrated all around the world? I would like to hear from him about some more American holidays, like New Year's for example. This guy Dalagher isn't the sharpest tool in the shed is he? Get it? I said the sharpest tool in the shed because he owns a blade sharpening...oh, never mind.

Another Perfect Fall Day In Leucadia

Leucadians are pleased to announce that once again the weather is beyond perfect, people are out and about with smiling faces enjoying the best small town on Earth.

Yesterday evening as I ran down the Beacon's trail to surf the last dark lines of the day I passed two women in their late 50's. They held a steady stride and were chatting about their families. Classic Leucadians, they were dressed humble, no flash or glitter. They were healthy and enjoying life. They are archetypes of the Leucadia population.

Much to the chagrin of the interloper who wants to raze and change Leucadia, these women vote in numbers.

Developers from overseas may call these women grouchy, but they are not. They are savvy, educated and wise. They are enjoying every sunset and every lungful of air.

Leucadians are not grouchy, they just have their priorities straight. Here, family comes before corporate snake oil.

Leucadia "funky" stands for family and community.

Have a funky day.

Uh Oh!

4th Crossing Added for N. Leucadia

Sometimes it takes a little nudging but the city council will oil our squeaky wheels from time to time.

I threw a fit when North Leucadia (the blighted part) was overlooked for pedestrian train track crossings.

Last night the council approved ordering plans for a 4th crossing.

Thanks gang, now the kids who live in that part of town can safely get to the beach (just a reminder, we will need a crosswalk at the same location so once people are across the tracks they can get to the other side of the coast highway).

The price tag freaks me out though, from the NCT "The city must set aside $203,500 to pay for the design work, said Richard Phillips, assistant to the city manager.

The crossings may cost up to $4 million each to build and the city has not identified a funding source for construction."

Here is my idea free of charge, don't over design it. All we need is a ramp like they have at the Coaster station. We don't need tunnels or bridges, just a ramp. Maybe add a crossing guard like the ones at the street crossings or just a warning light that flashes when the train is approaching.

Seriously guys, I'm thinking like 5,000-8,000 for each one if you do it this way.

In other newz:

The public works yard contract was put on hold (those squeaky wheels again).

Now, where do we put this thing? I was thinking the hall property as Gilbert Foerster suggested.

But that kinda sucks, you say, we want the park!

Yeah, but that park is so over the top we can't even come close to paying for it. The council already explored selling some of it for housing. I seriously think that might be the best place to store our city vehicles. What other open land do we have?

Rosa Parks & Grading Permits?

My all time favorite North County Times guest columnist is of course, Mr. Michael D. Pattinson, CEO of Barratt American. His newest column is his greatest yet.

NCT link

He compares some meatsack out in the sticks who was too dense to get a grading permit to iconic American hero Rosa Parks.

Now, a grading permit IS a hassle, this is true. But what is a bigger hassle, getting a grading permit or going to court?

Pattinson refers to "college kids with earth shoes" (wtf?) as the main culprit here, but the fines were dished out by the San Diego Water Quality Office. Why do they care about grading permits? I'll tell you why:

A grading permit insures that your property doesn't drain into your neighbors yard. It insures that you contain as much excess water on your own property so it doesn't drain into the city stormdrain system (keep that illegal tax in mind people), but most importantly it insures that the site is compacted properly so that your future structure does not settle and your foundation cracks or worse, your structure sinks or collapses.

Mr. Pattinson and Barratt American seem to have issues with grading permits (see the drama at Sheridan and Andrew St). Yes, it's a hassle, especially when the Coastal Commission is involved, but man, if you just take it on the chin and wait you WILL get the permit in due time.

Bureaucracy is daunting but the seemingly endless codes and permits are there ultimately for safety. The irony is, if we didn't have building codes why would we need development companies like Barratt? We could just build everything willy nilly ourselves.

Rosa Parks dramatically changed the paradigm of America, to compare her to some guy playing around on a tractor is blasphemy.



The greatest American hero who ever lived, M.P.D.

Cart Before Horse? The Public Works Yard

On the city council's agenda for the Wed. 16th meeting is a council vote to approve a big contract (over $400,000) for the design of the public works yard.

Does it make sense that they are going to spend this money prior
to swapping the land or getting a rezone.

What did I miss?

Was the city so confident that Prop A would pass that they put this issue on the agenda and forgot to take it off?

Or, are they awarding contracts without a site?

People, Please NO MORE TAXES

Friends and neighbors please, don't be get scammed into giving this city any more or your cash. Five bucks a month ($60 a year) doesn't sound like a lot to give, especially when it is for a worthy cause like clean storm water runoff, but please don't do this.

SignOnSanDiego.com story

This is a Jedi mind trick, A FEE IS A TAX.

Read the UT story, the city has been illegally collecting this tax for some time now.

This city spends a hell of a lot of your money, my money, our money. This city council is rabidly consultant happy. This city takes in a lot of revenue and it loves to spend it. This city has a lot of ambitious pet projects that cost millions of dollars. YOUR dollars.

Never, ever vote in a fee. A fee is a tax.

But comon' man, you say, it's just five bucks.

Yes, just another five bucks. Then it will be just another five bucks. And then just another five bucks. Just like the last streetlight fee/scam this city will continue to nickel and dime you until the end of days.

Force the city to use the overflowing general fund more wisely. Force them to put on their thinking caps, don't let them worm out of this by simply charging you another five bucks (sixty bucks a year).

It doesn't rain 12 months of the year here my friends, keep that in mind.

The Experts Can't Believe It

Among the city's 35,957 registered voters, 13,223, or 36.8 percent, participated in Tuesday's election. A 42 percent turnout had been predicted.

edit-there seems to be a lot of misinformation on the voting results. I suppose we won't know until the election is certified sometime in Dec.

The experts at the North County Times just can't believe what has happened. They have been punked by the free weekly coastal paper down the road and it stings.

The NCT, has printed an ill conceived whiny editorial accusing anti-prop A folks of just exporting sprawl to the surrounding areas.

link

This editorial reads like a Dad scolding his teenage son, "Don't you see what you are doing to your mother?"

Everyone is feeling really bad for their golf buddy Paul right now but even worse they have to face the harsh fact that their horse not only lost the race but it went lame and was shot dead and sent to the glue factory*.

The major players in this town were popping the champagne corks just a wee bit early in this one. Their indignant attitudes haven't changed though. I guess they learned nothing. It's too bad that the NCT is out of touch with the vibe of the town. Of course, that is apparent when the daily newspaper in a beach town keep using lame headlines like, "Local Surfer is Riding a Wave of Success." whenever they write about some local guy who just opened another smoothie stand/yoga studio.

The NCT and other supporters never could quite explain how more traffic was less traffic and more sprawl was less sprawl and we just couldn't take their word for it.



*Apologies for the use of such an old cliche'.