Comments for Cactus Thorns

Comment on 29 Palms Sales Tax Shrink by 4.7% by michaelv

michaelv — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:24:04 +0000

Cronyism and special interests will plague the city until one of two things happen: 1. The City runs out of money or 2. There is no more City.
Sad to say but The City will never be a destination spot. It is to far out on 62. I am still trying to figure out why the Native Americans are putting the casino there. While they may pull some people from the Base and the City as well as yucca valley, with the number of casino’s down the hill, why would anyone drive up the hill? In fact, I know several people from 29, JT and Yucca that drive down the hill at least once a month to shop, go to a movie, have dinner at a restaurant or go to a casino. I am still trying to figure out what the game plan is as far as the City is concerned. Does anyone have numbers on the chalk fest held this year? Is there any indication that the Goat sign on National Park Drive has done anything to effect the Museum attendance? These questions should be asked because it will be a couple of months and they will be looking for a city backed chalk fest again. Finally, When the County takes over the fire department in June along with the City already paying the County sheriff to patrol the streets, why have a city? I know that this comment will not sit well with the City employees, but what good is a City if it cannot help finance its own fire department,? There are hard questions that need to be addressed and unfortunately the council that is presently seated cannot do that, They are to busy sitting behind closed doors listening to the suit.

Comment on City manager says he wasn’t pushed to resign by Branson Hunter

Branson Hunter — Thu, 23 May 2013 02:07:08 +0000

No the buck doesn’t stop with independent legal counsel, it stops with the five elected decision makers — and it’s hard to dismiss the fact that the city council is chronically dysfunctional in money management.

I’ know legal counsel is a nice guy. So are the city councilmen. So lets all close the front doorway to the ultimate truth and sing Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Comment on City manager says he wasn’t pushed to resign by Mark Clemons

Mark Clemons — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:47:20 +0000

If we have a problem with our city, what do intelligent folks do when they have a problem?

Not a fan of Munoz but I am not one to say the buck stops with him. In all the years he has been around I have not heard one setting city council person say one bad word about him. He does what his specialized profession does, extract as much as possible from their client city.

Hate to say it but the buck stops with not an individual but the small minority that has the intelligentsia means to put a stop to this insanity of cityhood.

I have a hard time with you all whining about fire department funding when the answer should be so clear. Fire the city and save a bundle for things other than special interest.

Comment on 29 Palms Sales Tax Shrink by 4.7% by Mark Clemons

Mark Clemons — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:22:00 +0000

come on “The Warne years were plagued with cronyism and special interest” please tell me what years of city hood that was absent cronyism and special interest gorging off taxpayer hard earned dollars.

Comment on Redevelopment Lawsuits hits 100 Mark by michaelv

michaelv — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:01:16 +0000

Maybe Mr. Harris would like to park one of the fire trucks no longer in use in his driveway and then he can respond to fires in his location??

Comment on Redevelopment Lawsuits hits 100 Mark by Branson Hunter

Branson Hunter — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:41:20 +0000

Nine days left and the village becomes a heedless fire trap. We have a city council utterly unconcerned about the consequences of their action and public safety.

Yet one councilman, Jimmy Harris, have the verve to show up at a water board public hearing — called to discuss the future of the TPFD — to proudly assert on record:

“I support the Fire Department .”

Well, Jimmy, of course you do. Come June 1 you will layoff half of the Department, close fire station 422 and retire others.
—-
Harris;
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”
“I support the Fire Department .”

Of course you do Jimmy ;-(

Comment on Redevelopment Lawsuits hits 100 Mark by Dan OBrien

Dan OBrien — Wed, 22 May 2013 02:17:11 +0000

Well go figure….. The council had the choice…. they felt it was a better investment to spend the $200,000 Windfall money they got in a settlement with the County, with Rutan and Tucker rather than the 29 Palms Fire Department.

Comment on Redevelopment Lawsuits hits 100 Mark by michaelv

michaelv — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:02:06 +0000

Right Dan, and the Attorneys, with their powerful firms have convinced the cities that they have the solution. If you just give us $XXXK, we will help you fight your parents (Legislature). Once the first round is over and the courts rule in favor of the State, the Attorneys will come back saying, for $XXXK, we can appeal this decision, and the cities will once again follow the all and powerful OZ, only to be left penny less with nothing to show for all their money except for the new cars at the law firms new office building.
In the mean time, there is less than 2 weeks before the fire department is gutted. Sometimes I just cannot figure out how people think

Comment on Redevelopment Lawsuits hits 100 Mark by Dan OBrien

Dan OBrien — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:52:27 +0000

The State Supreme Court already ruled on this issue. It said that RDAs were creatures of the State…. Created by the legislature. We also know that by logical deduction that Cities are also the same creatures of the State.

First since Rdas were by law and with the approval of the court dissolved and their assets taken from the cities, I do not see where the City itself would have any standing. Where is their dog in the hunt now?
The new successor agencies were given instructions by the State to close down the business of the old Redevelopment Agencies.

I got this feeling that the State is going to play hard ball with some of the less apt cities and scare the stuffings out of them by withholding their Tax allocations. This can be done by declaring that the monies that would have gone from the State to the Town are now part of a legal conflict and are put in a trust fund until there is a legal determination made by the court. Any lawyer worth his salt can keep the issue before the court for years.

How long do you figure the City of 29 or Yucca Valley can survive on their individual nest eggs?

The best trump card the State will continue to hold is the ability as the sovereign to dissolve the town or city itself….. Because remember when it is all said and done the City of Twentynine Palms and or the Town of Yucca Valley are semi-autonomous subdivisions of the sovereign State of California. The Legislature would have every right to dissolve the city and either transfer control back to the county or send in a Commissioner of its own choosing.

It has happened in the past. The City of Bell, or the Compton School District are good examples.

Comment on Redevelopment Lawsuits hits 100 Mark by michaelv

michaelv — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:08:15 +0000

The Law Firms will continue to rape and pillage the public funds until there is nothing left. The state will probably win a majority if not all of the cases and the citizens of Cities like 29 Palms will be standing with the deer in the headlights look.