David vs Goliath
Measure U was Defeated
Yucca Valley, Ca.,- FLASHBACK-The biggest story of 2012 was the defeat of Measure U against the greatest odds and the most campaign money ever spent in Yucca Valley to promote Measure U, the 1% sales tax for 30 years, a General Fund tax expected to bring in $160 million to the Town’s coffers.
Town Manager, Mark Nuaimi, earning over $20,000.00 per month salary, spent 18 months and about $199,000.00 Town funds to promote Measure U. This figure includes the contracts approved for the professionals to prepare the financial analysis, surveys and mailers but does not include Staff time or attorney fees which are an unknown. Nuaimi was instrumental to create a special political action committee and used the Chamber of Commerce as his mouthpiece to advocate for the tax. “Team Nuaimi” had most of the Town staff on board with personal donations and political appointees and elected official were scattered about on his chess board ready, willing and able. They were dutifully writing letters to the Editor, holding fundraiser, wearing matching shirts and waving their blue pom-poms saying, “Give me a U!”
Town Manager Mark Nuaimi installs Yes Measure U signs and donated $1,000.00
The Yes on Measure U PAC raised over $39,000 with Nuaimi’s friends at Burrtec donating $10,000.00.
Total funds raised/spent:
YES on U was $239,000!
vs.
NO on U raised $950.
Letters to the Editor in the local newspaper were submitted by the Town Clerk, Mayor Dawn Rowe, Planning Commissioners and many others who were assigned this task. Many promoting this tax lived in Phase III of the sewer plan. Many Staff members did not live in Yucca Valley and could not vote for the tax.
Donations:Huntington $980.00, Lombardo $1,000, Abel $300, Mayor Rowe $1,000.00
Bob Dunn/Jim Schooler donated $1,000.00 each
Nuaimi’s trusted political consultant, Tab Berg, was brought in to run the campaign using Tab Communications with a track record of 97% wins. Berg was paid by the PAC to set up their website and was instrumental in the many mailings of glossy 4-color post cards to the voters of Yucca Valley, the size of place mats. Tab Communications had successes with political campaigns of clients: Mark Nuaimi, Janice Rutherford and Paul Cook, to name a few.
Cynthia Kraemer/PAC Secretary/Past YV Parks & Rec Commissioner donated $500.00
Sheldon Hough donates $200, Richard Ghan (center) donates $250
Other Donors include: Burrtec $10,000.00. G&L Realty $1,000.00, Atkins Engineering $2,000.00
The list goes on with donations to promote this General Fund tax that could not be designated or ear marked.
Dividing the citizens of this community, they voted down Measure U with the final tally: 52% voted NO, and 48% voted YES. (Measure U only needed 50% +1 vote to win).
Jamie Anderson, Jeff Drozd, Ellin Loveless
Deputy Town Manager-Shane Stueckle hawking a “U” sign!
Treasurer Ellin Loveless for Yes Measure U
Measure U supporters/Town staff
Sheldon Hough/Town Manager Mark Nuaimi waving “U” signs
Not Margo! Trying to deceive the public.
Vote No Measure U only raised $950.00
Thank you to all the 3,594 citizens that voted No
Margo Sturges Author link
Measure U...David versus Goliath in Yucca Valley...the Biggest Story of 2012,
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![[UNSET]](http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/UNSET-75x75.jpg "Local Smoke Shops Shut Down By Sheriff’s Department")
Margo,
Measure U may have been the biggest story of 2012. Today however, it is old news in that most people are aware that U failed so it is pointless to rehash the issue unless of course you revel in your efforts to keep the community divided by rubbing their nose in it.
Winning without a degree of humility is worse than a sore loser….
Scot McKone- There is ANOTHER loser tax measure on the horizon. 3/4% for 30years requiring 2/3rds vote. OUR tax dollars are being spent right now to prepare that REHASH of the failed Measure U. Add another $70,000 to place on the ballot OR $46,000.00 for ANOTHER mail-in ballot for such folly!
Council-MAN Rowe is the only one on the council with “special guts” to vote No on another tax measure being placed on the ballot by council. The three “BOYS,” Huntington, Lombardo and Abel are rolling the dice with OUR tax dollars to try another tax.
Just as you supported Jennifer Collins with a personal financial contribution and attended some of the “Eat & Greets,” you just don’t get it.
Strike Three on the 3/4% tax for 30 years. If you haven’t learned anything from Measure U club and their Collins candidate riding only on endorsements then that is your problem so don’t tell me I am rubbing your nose in it. Only four months have passed and all seems forgotten?
When your Starbucks cluck keep spending my tax dollars for more failures at the polls, you can bet I will bring up the past, least you seem to forget the lesson.
Go lick your wounds on another comment because I do not have time to coddle you. Get up, dust the dirt off yer britches and learn from the past and don’t expect me to stay quiet on this issue.
It is pointless of YOU to try to impose your “sore loser morality” when the town manager is squandering our funds with his uncontrolled spending.
Please know,I am not serving tea and crumpets so take your pansy criticism down the road because this is not game of croquet.
I am serving up the truth and the reality that ANOTHER town tax of 3/4% for 30 years will not fly, period. If I have to serve up a reminder of the past to convince the readers (voters)….so be it.
Man up Scotty! I have taken a few blows and assure you nose bleeds do heal. If the wind is knocked out of yer gut…don’t worry, ‘Rescue Guy’ will perform CPR on you! He has been practicing on his ET mannequin….not a pretty sight.
Thanks for the comment.
Let’s start right here…..”Vote NO on the 3/4% Town Tax for 30 years!”
MARGO STURGES! You are right — I guess someone has to snivel for the rest of us who, “Just don’t get it.”
Thanks for your concern, but I think I’ll pass on the C.P.R. lesson from the Rescue Guy (I saw where he offered to use you as his next practice dummy….).
Good evening Madame….
Measure U was defeated in November by several hundred votes. The Town was told there were several reasons for the failure of the measure. Many of these were included in what was promised to be a Citizens’ Initiative. These included:
1) Funds need to be guaranteed to the sewer project;
2) There needed to be a low income program included in the measure;
3) A Special Tax needed to be proposed in order to allow for lower “sewer assessments” (i.e. the State Water Board would count the sales tax as collateral);
4) The vote should require a Super Majority (i.e. SPECIAL TAX);
5) The plan should be fiscally responsible;
6) Funds should be lock boxed so they cannot be used for Town salary increases and “graft”;
7) The tax needed to be developed by residents;
8) The tax needed to make sense…
The Council has been provided a number of alternatives since the failure of Measure U. One such alternative — which Margo said could be a viable option on November 19, 2012 — would be a SPECIAL TAX between 0.5% – 1.0%(requiring super-majority passage) with funds earmarked to sewer for 30-years (1/2%) to lower the sewer assessment (including language for low income connection subsidy) and 1/4% EARMAKED for road maintenance and/or public safety for 10 years.
Since that time, a comprehensive road maintenance strategy has been put before the community that MAKES SENSE and clearly demonstrates that 1/4% sales taxes are needed for the long-term to maintain roads. These funds would be LOCK BOXED for the purposes called out in the Measure (namely sewer and roads).
A similar proposal was brought forward by a group of Citizens who have been meeting for months to examine alternatives. They have taken the information from the Town and HDWD and determined that 30 years of dedicated infrastructure funding is needed (1/2% sewer & 1/4% for roads).
This game of pin the tail on the donkey being played by Ms. Sturges is a disservice to the community. Both HDWD and the Town need resources NOW. The Town needs it NOW to start maintaining infrastructure and the HDWD needs it NOW to allow them to collateralize their state loan. The 3/4% proposal meets 90% of the “Citizens’ Initiative” mandate that was demanded (and promised) previously.
By the way, for those who want to read the minutes from the Town Council meeting, here is the link. The 30/10 year option was “Option #6″ … most of the speakers that night, including Margo, indicated that it appeared to address the issues of Measure U.
http://www.yucca-valley.org/pdf/mam/Town_Council/Minutes/2012/2012_11_20_towncouncil_minutes.pdf
@ Mark-A 5year or 10year road tax was proposed. You bumped it up to 30YEARS…that’s the problem.
This is what I said at that meeting, per the minutes:
Margo Sturges, Yucca Valley.
“It was the first time she had an opportunity to hear about the proposals.
Advised they came up with Citizen’s Initiative because the Town did not come up with a lease. (HDWD lease)
A 30 year 1/2 penny sewer tax has always been the mantra of the citizens and noted there are a lot of details missing from this presentation.
She feels Option 6 COULD BE a viable solution.” (Caps added for emphasis)
Here is the link to Nuaimi’s Powerpoint Presentation:
http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Measure_U__Town_of_Yucca_Valley_11_20_2012_10001.pdf
Here is the link to a favorite post: NO! NO! Nuaimi!
http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/42936
BTW: Citizens “meeting” were working on Collins Campaign…
City officials appear to be at it again with the statement: “The Town needs it NOW [a 30 year tax] to start maintaining infrastructure…”
Conjoining sewers with general fund expenses will not past the muster for a 2/3 vote. Getting any new tax passes in a hard sell unless you are a Jerry Brown. Rather city officials seem to want again act out the role of Sisyphus.
It’s something like Groundhog day all over down for town hall officials.
Attacking Margo by saying she “is a disservice to the community” is not something town manager wants to repeat. It didn’t work last time, and it makes town manager appear to be an amateur.
Seems when things don’t go well for town manager he reverts to his old Fontana ways by personal attacks on the public whom he has called “Urban idiots” and “Chamber monkeys”.
@Margo — the Town did not increase Option 6 to 30 years. The committee of citizens who met for several weeks brought that forward. So, if the road share was for only 10 years, you support a 3/4% wholeheartedly (assuming the 1/2% for sewer continues for the full 30 year term needed to bond against??).
@Benson — it would really help if you did some research before you opine. There is no “conjoining” the sewer with “general fund” expenses. The infrastructure is currently not being maintained adequately. Road maintenance is currently funded by a non-General fund source (Measure I) that is inadequate to maintain the roads. We need another DEDICATED source and our analysis shows that 1/4% does the trick. Also, the “chamber monkeys” quote I cannot take credit for. That was the Colton City Manager at the time. My “urban idiot” quote was also in reference to an opponent in Colton who was opposing a bike lane. But thanks for continuing to demonstrate how readily you parrot misinformation.
Mark, I understand the sewer project is important to the community. Don’t blow it again.
Good luck