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	<title>Cactus Thorns</title>
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	<link>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog</link>
	<description>Irreverent Barbs on Desert Politics</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Thu, 17 May 2012 04:56:12 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Its Over, The Rats are Jumping Ship over at RSG.inc.</title>
		<link>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36255</link>
		<comments>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36255#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 May 2012 04:54:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan OBrien</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[29 Palms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[La Quinta]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yucca Valley]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/?p=36255</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If this isn&#8217;t an indication that this is the End of Redevelopment, the founder of RSG, Inc the morons Consultants that have been telling our City Council to fight the State and sue the Department of Finance is Bailing out, jumping ship, and flying the coup.  No surer example of &#8230;. its over when its over&#8230; Hey Larry? La Quinta hires new city manager The La Quinta City Council hired a new city manager Tuesday night. Frank Spevacek, 58, begins the new job in June. He will make $195,000 annually over a three-year contract and $15,000 in moving expenses. The council had previously approved a salary range of $185,000 to $225,000. The vote to hire Spevacek was unanimous, 5-0. He was selected from a field of 70 California candidates, of which the council interviewed seven on May 4. A longtime consultant to the city of La Quinta, Spevacek is the founding partner of RSG, a consulting firm to California cities on finance, redevelopment and economic development. He has been a regular at council meetings. A resident of the unincorporated Julian, a former gold mining town in San Diego County, Spevacek said Tuesday he would move to La Quinta. More&#8230;&#8230;. No related [...]
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		<title>Did Nuaimi Make the Final Round? Chino City Council to select new Town Manager&#8230;.</title>
		<link>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36238</link>
		<comments>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36238#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 May 2012 01:56:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Margo Sturges</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yucca Valley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chino]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CORE Senior housing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fontana Mayor Mark Nuaimi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mark Nuaimi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RDA]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/?p=36238</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Yucca Valley, Ca..- Where is the book maker when you need him?  Odds are pretty good Town Manager, Mark Nuaimi, will be in the top pick for the final round based on his extensive resume and track record for the short time he has been employed by Yucca Valley. Hired less than two years ago at the height of the Great Recession, Nuaimi can tout a long list of his accomplishments for Yucca Valley. In order to reflect his actions in the best light possible and as a public service to the citizens of Yucca Valley, I will not go into all the details at this time. &#160; Okay, here’s a few off the top of my head: South Side Park 1A/Sky Harbor Dog Park, replacement Animal Shelter, Development Code update, General Plan update, In-and-Out Burger, $1 million dollar slurry seal of our roads, Super Walmart moving forward and streamlining Staff positions.  Of course the jury (aka: California Department of Finance) is still out regarding the CORE Senior Housing project due to the dissolving of the RDA Redevelopment Agency program and there will be Yucca Valley Town budget adjustments for Fiscal 12/13 to pay for all of this. Nuaimi’s track [...]
Related posts:<ol>
<li><a href='http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/20392' rel='bookmark' title='The John Tooker Connection: Richard Warne-Mark Nuaimi (Updated)'>The John Tooker Connection: Richard Warne-Mark Nuaimi (Updated)</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/27079' rel='bookmark' title='Nuaimi Alert! Manager Position Now Open-Indian Wells'>Nuaimi Alert! Manager Position Now Open-Indian Wells</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/23853' rel='bookmark' title='Seems Our Boy Has Done Sumpin&#8217; Rash&#8230;'>Seems Our Boy Has Done Sumpin&#8217; Rash&#8230;</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/22634' rel='bookmark' title='Breaking News! Luckino-Quits YV Town Council'>Breaking News! Luckino-Quits YV Town Council</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/16644' rel='bookmark' title='Ka-ching! Ka-ching! Yucca Valley Town Council Swipe Charity CDBG Funds'>Ka-ching! Ka-ching! Yucca Valley Town Council Swipe Charity CDBG Funds</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/16855' rel='bookmark' title='In this corner&#8230;weighing in at 185 lbs&#8230;wearing black trunks &#8211; Mark &#8220;NANO&#8221; Nuaimi!'>In this corner&#8230;weighing in at 185 lbs&#8230;wearing black trunks &#8211; Mark &#8220;NANO&#8221; Nuaimi!</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/24847' rel='bookmark' title='1% Yucca Valley Town Tax Rip-Off! HDWD survey promoting tax?'>1% Yucca Valley Town Tax Rip-Off! HDWD survey promoting tax?</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
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		<title>Seriously Mr. Welch&#8230;..?</title>
		<link>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36234</link>
		<comments>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36234#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 May 2012 01:07:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sergeant David Cardoza</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Riverside Co]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/?p=36234</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[On Monday, May 14, 2012, at approximately 3:30 PM, officers from the Temecula Police Department responded to the Serena Hills Park in the 40700 block of Walcott Lane regarding an indecent exposure. A female adult arrived at the park, along with her two pre-school-age children, and was sitting in her vehicle waiting for a friend to arrive when she noticed a white male adult sitting on a park bench. The white male adult saw the female driver sitting in her vehicle and exposed himself. The suspect then moved from the park bench to the children&#8217;s play area to be closer to the victim&#8217;s vehicle, and sat on the slide as he continued to expose himself. The victim was able to contact law enforcement utilizing a hands-free communication device in her vehicle, and directed officers to the suspect&#8217;s location. The suspect, who was identified as Michael Welch, 39 years old, from Temecula was arrested for indecent exposure. Welch was booked into the Southwest Detention Center. Anyone having further knowledge or information pertaining to this case, or who may have possibly been at the Serena Hills Park at the time of this incident should contact the Temecula Police Department at 951-696-3000. No related [...]
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		<title>State Scrutinizes Successor Agency Payment Requests &#124; CP &amp; DR</title>
		<link>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36225</link>
		<comments>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36225#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 16:59:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator> Josh Stephens</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/?p=36225</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Over the past month, California cities have been learning the fate of countless redevelopment projects—touching everything from graffiti-removal programs to nine-figure transit-oriented developments to billion-dollar stadiums. For many, the news is not good – especially now that the stern California Department of Finance has gotten into the act. April 15 was the deadline for successor agencies to submit Revised Obligation Payment Schedules (ROPS)—essentially lists of projects and assets that they believe should continued to be funded from the Redevelopment Property Tax Trust Fund even while the state appropriates the remainder of agencies’ former tax increments. ROPS replace Estimated Obligation Payment Schedules, which have prevailed since redevelopment agencies officially went out of business Feb. 1. In an effort to harvest as much funding as possible for the state and other taxing agencies—and, therefore, prevent cities from appropriating more than their fair share of trust fund monies—ROPS were to undergo several layers of scrutiny. By April 15 all ROPS were to have been approved by each successor agency’s seven-member Oversight Committee, made up of representatives from each respective RDAs’ major taxing entities and audited by their respective county auditor-controllers. The crucial step in the ROPS gauntlet is, however, the review by the [...]
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		<title>School officials challenged by post-redevelopment process : North County Times &#8211; Californian</title>
		<link>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36219</link>
		<comments>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36219#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 15:02:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kendall Taggart</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/?p=36219</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With billions of dollars at stake, school district representatives charged with overseeing the shutdown of about 400 redevelopment agencies may be underprepared. Seven-member local oversight boards consisting of representatives from K-14 districts, the county, the city and special districts are now responsible for vetting decisions about how the former agencies will be dismantled and how the property taxes that previously went to redevelopment will be spent. But some observers are concerned that many school district representatives are not well-equipped to review the complex contracts and financial arrangements left in redevelopment&#8217;s wake. In a report earlier this year, the Legislative Analyst&#8217;s Office suggested that the state provide $1 million to help train K-14 oversight board members, but no additional funds have been allocated. To fill the gap, the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team, which advises school districts on financial matters, has offered several workshops to help educate school officials. &#8220;Even a district staff person who is an experienced school finance person generally has very little background that is directly relevant to redevelopment agencies,&#8221; said Dante Gumucio, CEO of Public Economics Inc., an economic consultancy firm that specializes in helping school districts with redevelopment issues and has led the Fiscal Crisis [...]
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		<title>Arrested Redevelopment</title>
		<link>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36215</link>
		<comments>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36215#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 14:21:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christina Walsh</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/?p=36215</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; On February 1, after years of terrorizing property owners with the threat of condemnation for private development, redevelopment agencies were officially dissolved in California.  Home and small business owners across the state are finally free from the very real daily fear that their property would be next on the chopping block. Redevelopment in California has been a billion-dollar boondoggle that used eminent domain as its development tool of choice.  These agencies routinely took from those of modest means to give to rich developers for pipe-dream projects that rarely generated promised tax revenues or jobs. The Institute for Justice catalogued more than 200 projects that abused eminent domain across the Golden State during the past 10 years alone.  The elimination of redevelopment agencies is a historic victory for property owners, and we applaud the courageous, relentless local activists who stood steadfast on the frontlines against these avaricious and abusive institutions. In an effort to offset the state’s debt, Governor Jerry Brown proposed eliminating the nearly 400 redevelopment agencies, which, in addition to habitually abusing eminent domain, siphoned billions of dollars away from local public infrastructure, directing that money into redevelopment coffers instead.  In response to a lawsuit filed by the [...]
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		<title>One Step Closer</title>
		<link>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36205</link>
		<comments>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36205#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 13:39:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dan OBrien</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[29 Palms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[General Posts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/?p=36205</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A quick note to folks who have been backing the change to the Peddling and Vending laws in Twentynine Palms. After 7 Months and as many hearings and study sessions a new Ordnance was hammered out last night. The new tough law is now on to the Full Council for approval. I would like to thank those that have supported Fay and I through this. Maybe you will be able to see our food cart in town regularly and as a fixture of the business community. No related posts.
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		<title>29 Palms Volunteer Firefighters Make Big Sacrafice</title>
		<link>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36196</link>
		<comments>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36196#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 13:38:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Branson Hunter</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[29 Palms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[General Posts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[San Bernardino Co]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[29 palms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[29 palms fire department]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LAFCO]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/?p=36196</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Kyle McDermott My name is Kyle McDermott. I have been a volunteer firefighter with the Twentynine Palms Fire Department since December of 2007. As a volunteer firefighter I have been assigned between four and ten 24-hour shifts per month, depending on the scheduling needs to keep apparatus available for emergency response at all times. During my time here, I have had the opportunity to respond to an array of emergency incidents within the community. I have also had the privilege of attending specialized state fire marshal training courses which allow me to build upon my skills to better serve the community I work in and prepare myself for a career firefighter position. Currently, I travel 230 miles round trip to volunteer my spare time with the community. Though my travel time to and from Twentynine Palms can at times be strenuous, the satisfaction that I get from serving the Twentynine Palms community is well worth it. I take great pride in knowing that my role here is not only vital to the success of the department, but also to the health and well being of the community. Along with the gratification that comes from helping others, the department also offers [...]
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<li><a href='http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/25870' rel='bookmark' title='The “Deuce Nine” Fire Department'>The “Deuce Nine” Fire Department</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/23573' rel='bookmark' title='A case made for the 29 Palms Fire Department'>A case made for the 29 Palms Fire Department</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/35992' rel='bookmark' title='LAFCO gives Twentynine Palms its wakeup call!'>LAFCO gives Twentynine Palms its wakeup call!</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/15706' rel='bookmark' title='Speaking of volunteerism, here’s one that may save your life'>Speaking of volunteerism, here’s one that may save your life</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/22968' rel='bookmark' title='Twentynine Palms Fire Department running out of money!'>Twentynine Palms Fire Department running out of money!</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/22551' rel='bookmark' title='29 Palms Fire Department Always On Watch'>29 Palms Fire Department Always On Watch</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/7127' rel='bookmark' title='29 Palms man badly burned in Mobile Home Fire'>29 Palms man badly burned in Mobile Home Fire</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
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		<title>Assemblyman Cook Tells President and Congress to Reimburse California for Illegal Immigrant Prisoners</title>
		<link>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36197</link>
		<comments>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36197#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 13:09:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>John Sobel </dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Candidates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/?p=36197</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Assemblyman Paul Cook signed on as a co-author to AJR 38 urging the President Barack Obama and Congress to reimburse California for all costs of incarcerating illegal immigrant prisoners and to restore full funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program. Cook stated, &#8220;If the federal government won&#8217;t secure our border or deport criminals from other countries, California should be reimbursed for incarceration.&#8221; The State Criminal Alien Assistance Program requires the federal government to reimburse the states for the cost of incarcerating illegal immigrant prisoners. Over the past year alone, California paid almost $910 million to house 16,250 undocumented criminals, while the prison system was reimbursed for only $91 million. This has left California taxpayers on the hook for over $800 million. Cook continued, &#8220;It&#8217;s not right for the federal government to demand that states house illegal immigrant criminals in their prisons, without providing money to pay for it. We can&#8217;t allow the federal government to leave us holding the bag.&#8221; No related posts.
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		<title>Congressman Darrell Issa Endorses Cook For Congress</title>
		<link>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36192</link>
		<comments>http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/36192#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 May 2012 21:15:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jim Rissmiller</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Candidates]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/?p=36192</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[WASHINGTON DC – Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CD49) announced his endorsement of Colonel Paul Cook (ret.) for California’s 8th Congressional District race. Issa stated, “As the Congressman representing Camp Pendleton, I’ve come to know a good number of Marines. They exemplify bravery and tenacity. We can’t afford an unproven Congressman in office; we need a Marine Colonel. We need Paul Cook.” One of the most respected members of Congress, Issa is perhaps best known as the architect of the successful effort to recall former California Governor Gray Davis. Issa serves as Chairman of the Oversight &#38; Government Reform Committee. The committee is charged with protecting the interests of U.S. taxpayers and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal bureaucracy. In 2008, Congressman Issa was one of the conservative leaders who opposed federal bailouts, including the Troubled Assets Relief Program. A military veteran, Issa enlisted in the Army during his senior year in high school, later serving as a bomb disposal technician, tank platoon commander, and a computer R&#38;D specialist. He attained the rank of Captain. Cook stated, “I’m honored by Issa’s endorsement. He’s a leader in California’s Congressional Caucus and an independent thinker who does what he thinks is right by [...]
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