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Chris Norby (Fullerton) – the ONLY Republican Assemblyman
to vote to end the waste and abuse of Redevelopment Agencies.
Just now, up in Sacramento, Jerry Brown’s proposal to eliminate roughly 400 “Redevelopment Agencies” failed by only one vote. All Democrats voted to end these wasteful agencies which divert billions of dollars from schools, counties and public safety to local development projects, but the measure needed two Republican votes, and sadly it only got one – North OC’s Chris Norby.
Sadly? No, outrageously! For a Party which flounces about wearing the mantle of fiscal responsibility, you’d think they’d cough up more than one vote to end a boondoggle like this. We’ll be drilling Don Wagner, Diane Harkey, Jim Silva and Jeff Miller for their pretexts tomorrow. All we can guess for now is 1) they want to fuck up anything that happens to be Jerry Brown’s idea (much like Washington Repuglicans do to Obama) and/or 2) they got their hands in the cookie jar, or their friends do, or they hope to soon.
I can tell you my Republican Juice brothers Larry Gilbert and Tony Bushala are mighty disappointed in their Party right now. But at least our Norby looks good here; let me quote him from a recent Register article, responding to some apologist who claimed the issue of redevelopment is a very complex issue:
“Redevelopment is not a complex topic. It is very simple. Redevelopment proponents like to present it as something complex because that way the public has a hard time understanding it. Redevelopment is based on the notion that you can take public money, tax dollars, in this case 12 percent of all property taxes in the state annually, $6 billion a year, and with that subsidize private development in the hopes that it results in some kind of economic development. …
“The State Legislature and the voters created redevelopment over 60 years ago to end urban blight in California. It was a temporary fix to a temporary problem. It was never intended to be a permenant drain on the budget. That’s essentially why Governor Brown has proposed eliminating redevelopment agencies. He believes that the 12 percent of property tax revenue that’s currently diverted to redevelopment would be better spent on services like police protection and education.”
Best of all was Allan Mansoor (Costa Mesa) who’s always front and center when it’s time to decry the plague of Mexican immigration. Me and Bushala were glued to our computers watching the proceedings, wondering when is Allan gonna vote, and how?
He could have, would have been the deciding vote. I predicted to Tony that he’d vote NO, as, generally lacking much brain function, he jumps to lobbyist Scott Baugh’s commands … but secretly I hoped he would do the right thing.
As it turns out, he didn’t even bother voting. I wonder what his excuse will be.
A real profile in courage, that Allan. Go for it, girls…
Maybe more of you Republicans should have voted for Phu. And Melissa.
Very sorry to see this — I would have voted with Norby had I still been in office. Given the budget implications, I’d imagine this isn’t the last we’ve seen of this proposal.
I hope you are right that this will be coming back around Chuck.
Was there something in the bill that Republicans did not like – or are they generally supportive of redevelopment?
Supportive of Redevelopment? They smell the money!!!
CJ
Good morning Chuck.
As this debate continues in Sacramento today my sense is that the GOP holdouts may be looking for more concessions from the governor.
Folks. As a long time activist trying to abolish or alter our redevelopment agencies I can speak from personal knowledge of Chuck’s position on this topic. And he would not be jumping on the abolition train after the fact should he decide to go forward in running for Bill Campbell’s BOS seat. Chuck DeVore promoted reform or abolition while serving in Sacramento. Somewhere in this office are copies of his legislative efforts.
Chuck DeVore supported us with Prop 90. Check out the following story link
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=17747
By the way Vern. Where were the Dem’s when I testified before the Assembly Housing & Community Development Committee on April 29, 1998?
AB1677 McClintock, Voter Approval Required for Formation of Redevelopment Agencies and Issuance of Bonds. We were able to get every Republican to support us while chairman Torlakson and the other Dem’s shot us down.
So don’t lecture me on Republican support on abolition of RDA’s
“By the way Vern. Where were the Dem’s when I testified before the Assembly Housing & Community Development Committee on April 29, 1998?”
Dunno, Larry, I wasn’t there. Here’s my guess: Things were different in 1998 from now, the economic outlook was not as grim.
And I ain’t lecturing you, you are a bonafide Voice in the Wilderness, Juice Brother!
Brother Vern.
This is not personal. We are both on the same page as is Tony B and others
Vern. Just to show that I retain too many files the other Dem’s who voted NO, in addition to Tom Torlakson, were Dion Aroner, Denise Ducheny, Sally Havice, Lou Papan (who died in April of 07) Edward Vincent and Roderick Wright.
I wonder how they feel about this weeks redevelopment agency voting by a united Dem group .
Yo oldtimer. Haven’t heard of a single one of them, except Torlakson. It’s a whole new world…
Vern. Me thinks that Term Limits may have played a role in your not knowing who they are. You can thank power broker Willie Brown for that change
That’s interesting Chuck. Too bad you couldn’t have been the final aye vote to kill it. Maybe you “drive the idea train” better than Allan after all! Still, I wonder if you have any insight into why this happened – any way you can help the rest of us understand how your Party works would be highly appreciated!
The most impressive thing was the LOCKSTEP aspect – all Democrats for killing Redevelopment, all Republicans (except one) for saving it. Are all Republicans corrupt and all Dems as pure as uncut coke? I don’t really think so. It was some political decision from above.
We Dems now have what I believe to be a bold, honest leader in Jerry Brown, and decided in unison that the public would understand and support our getting rid of this anachronistic waste.
But who runs the California Republican Party now? Lobbyists like Scott Baugh, outsiders like Norquist and Nehring… and they convinced everyone but Norby to gamble that the public would cling to Redevelopment Agencies. Really, there should have been a dozen Norbies if they were using their own brains, but it looks like they were whipped.
And I imagine they’ll justify it with this – something I’d been meaning to post last week: Another Political Season, Another Deceptive Probosky Poll. Adam did what he always does, conducted a little poll with lengthy leading questions designed to yield exactly what he or his clients want … and this time it showed that, voila! Californians want to keep their redevelopment agencies! Read all about it here:
http://blogs.kqed.org/capitalnotes/2011/03/05/budget-journos-wooed-with-surveys/#more-8420
Also – now that we’ve heard from Chuck how HE would have voted, maybe we should hear from his Assembly opponent Spitzer. Hello, Todd?
Vern. After getting a copy of the Probolsky poll I called Adam to express my reaction to his “give them free candy” approach. I told him I would not be blogging his results.
I strongly believe in the old Bohemian cliché: “Everything bad is good for something.”
Lets just look forward to see what that good will be.
Once again, California Republicans show that they actually have no interest in governing or making real budgetary cuts.
These frauds are only in Sacramento to get the paycheck, pension, and per diem.
Jerry Brown is fighting the entire state political establishment going after the real waste and fraud of redevelopment with this example of real zero-based budgeting, and he can only get one Republican vote? Really? That’s the frigging Taxpayers’ Caucus?
“You can’t get up here and pound your fist about spending and then say these cuts are too hard,” said Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield, D-Woodland Hills, chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee.
And kudos to Chris Norby, who has been right about redevelopment as long as I can remember.
Typical, Republican thinking. Cut Education, services for the poor and seniors but leave my developer friends and contributors alone.
Redevelopment does work well in some cases, but the way it is structured here in California where most of the time cities are chasing each others sales tax revenue around is just counter productive. It should be focused on creating manufacturing jobs, affordable housing and real blight.
Redevelopment agencies need to be abolished, no doubt there. But it does NOT need to go to Police and Education.
“As it turns out, he didn’t even bother voting. I wonder what his excuse will be.” Is this akin to Obama voting “PRESENT” instead of “AYE” or “NAY”, or is it more akin to what the Wisconsin Loser Liberals did by leaving the state? If you are going to criticize Allan Mansoor for not voting, then you have to criticize the Wisconsin Legislatures for RUNNING AWAY from the vote. YES, Allan should have voted and the Wisconsin Democrats should have voted. That is why they were elected.
Why limit it to redevelopment agencies? Let’s abolish Public Unions, after all, who do they want to collective bargain against? There is no rich CEO, demanding stockholders or over greedy corporate owners to fight. They are fighting themselves and the rest of the California Taxpayers. How stupid is that? Let’s make sure every beneficiary of Government Help is a US citizen! Let’s make sure that teachers are actually teaching. Let’s make sure contractors are doing the job they claim to be doing. Wow could I go on and on!!
You’re boring, Just Mike. Everything tit-for-tat. Obama a decade ago in the Illinois legislature with their own rules and customs is totally different, and the heroic Wisconsin 14 is UTTERLY different. I saw you on Ron and Anna’s post going on about “Barack Hussein Obama” and “far-left McCain” whom you only voted for because of PALIN, so I don’t take you all that seriously.
Just a quick question, JM–any thought on the Republicans blocking Obama’s judicial (and other) appointees with their double secret fillibuster gameplaying? I thought you guys like a nice simple up and down vote.
Rapper. The last time I checked we were talking about CA which has enough issues without going off thread to Washington DC
Just Mike started it, Just Mike started it!
Allan Mansoor is too opportunistic to screw this one against his own political ambitions.
Who is upset here?…… Huh?
Only socialist Nelson on the left and Gilbert on the right.
Who is was the beneficiary?…… Huh?
Only socialist lead by the mother of all socialists – Brown.
It would be to easy for Brown to get tax increase and extra cash for his Union goons.
Real Allan Mansoor will show his colors when it comes to vote on actual Tax increase/extension.
Let Brown sweat little more so he is forced to cut from the prison/cop/fire/ unions pension plans first including the state pork for counties/cities.
I like it: The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Brilliant philosophy from someone who grew up with memories of both Hitler and Stalin.
Stalin was highly celebrated by Bohemians because he liberated Bohemia.
We called him simply “Josef”.
He never caused any harm to Bohemians neither did Hitler.
In contrast Roosevelt was siting on his ass in city of Plzen 150 Km west of Praha allowing Germans to slaughters the opposition same as Obama does today i Libia.
The American presidents are friends of my enemy.
Now you know.
Stanley. There is one area where you are consistent. Bash everyone who writes on the Juice be it from the left or the right as you are neither comrade.
Truth must be told and if it hurts then it is bashing…… good!
You know very well that I do believe in the coalition of the individualism not the coalition of unity a.k.a. socialism.
However, you will never grasp the beauty of an individual and free man.
I sat in on a panel (not as a discussant) yesterday about the demise of the “Responsible Republicans”, among the comments was a long time former democrat state politician (now retired) who praised the likes of Richard Nixon and Jerry Ford. Not to mention Ike.
He laughed at himself as he spoke of Nixon’s creation of the EPA and his support of workers rights. But with age comes some wisdom, and he was obviously dissapointed with the discourse in politics today, especially in Sacramento.
When asked about this weekends GOP convention he talked about how “young guns” jockeying for position and kissing ass will overshadow any meaningful discussion about the parties future.
As for bloggers, he said, they’ve been around for decades, he called them “Busybodies”.
Gotta love it.
And here I thought I had stumbled upon a site that would have intelligent political discourse. But, instead, all I get are bald headed old men calling me boring. Vern calls people who run away “heroes.” Sarah Palin should be your ultimate hero, along with Nixon, for not just running away but completely resigning their elected position.
Vern, it is a good thing that you don’t take me too seriously for if you did, you might have to actually think for yourself.
Rapscallion, I do want a UP AND DOWN vote, I don’t care what party it is. I will criticize any elected official who runs away from a vote, no matter what party they belong to. Allan Monsoor did not vote the way I wanted him to, BUT, at least he voted. Any politician who runs away from a vote is a COWARD, no matter how you slice it.
Although I am not a big Woody Allen fan, he does have a quote that is so appropo here, “Eighty percent of success is showing up!” Look up how many times Obama voted after he became the Senator from Illinois. Oh wait, that is asking the lazy liberals to actually do something, so here it is. Obama missed 314 votes out of 1300 since January 6, 2005 in the US Senate. How many of you could keep your job if you missed 24 percent of the days you were supposed to work?
As a final “boring” note, how do you know when a Liberal is defeated in a debate? They give answers like “whatever,” or “you’re boring,” or “you’re wrong,” or best of all, they say nothing.
I was in too much of a hurry to respond before, Just Mike, and so much of your comment was so off topic it irritated me. Sorry I called you boring, you’re not boring.
1. You’re wrong, Allan Mansoor did NOT vote, and he would have been the DECIDING vote on a very important issue if he had. I don’t know what his story is, but it’s a good guess that he avoided a vote that would have been controversial either way.
2. Okay, I’ll join you in ragging on Obama for spending so much of his short Senate career running for President. He’s been a bit of a disappointment to us Progressives on many fronts since he got into office anyway, and the only way to get excited about him is CONSIDERING THE ALTERNATIVES!
3. The Wisconsin 14 did the best they could do – the only thing they could do under their Constitution – to put off the day when workers’ rights would be eviscerated, and to allow public opinion to grow and people to realize what was going on. Best thing they could do. I know that most of them did NOT enjoy being away from their homes and families that long. If you’re so gung-ho on everyone voting because they’re “paid to,” then you should be really pissed off at the hundreds of bullshit filibusters Republican Senators have launched on nearly every Democratic initiative in recent years. (And pissed at Harry Reid, like I am, for allowing them to do that without having to get all Mr. Smith on the floor.)
Okay, I responded to you, because I have a few extra minutes this morning, and I’m probably procrastinating on something important. It’s still way off topic. Allan Mansoor should shit or get off the pot when it comes to RDA’s.
PS on the Democratic Wisconsin Senators filibustering by denying a quorum to the union-busters:
Polls show that they were doing what their constituents – the ones who voted for them and hired them – wanted them to do! Case closed.
Nelson, throughout my exiting life and experiences, I have learn that you must squeeze zit at right time otherwise you will have mess on your face.
The fall of the Soviet Union in late 80′ was my real eye opener. Although the idiots are giving credit to Reagan it was Rock ‘n’ Roll, Blue Jeans and Chewing Gum.
The history does repeat itself, so until young generation will again yearn for prohibited materialism there will be no change no mater what your or Gilbert’s activism will come up with.
Trust me!
“The history does repeat itself, so until young generation will again yearn for prohibited materialism there will be no change no mater what your or Gilbert’s activism will come up with.
Trust me!”
This sounds crazy, but I actually agree with the statement from Stanislav. The revolution will be not bewon by politicians, but with the people’s demand and yearning for the three Ps: Pornography, Pot and Prostitution.
Now that I think about it…it might catch on with the young ones.
“Pornography, Pot and Prostitution.”……. they already have that.
How about outlaw Cell phone?…… Face book?…… or Automobile?
How about outlaw Rock ‘n’ Roll?….. Blue Jeans?…… Chewing Gum? as it was in my old Czechoslovakian youth.
Stanislav:
Two out of three Ps (Prostitution and Pot) are still illegal under Federal Law. After watching the CNBC special on porn last night, I believe Max Hardcore got a raw deal by the Feds. The actress was of legal age and all the Federal agents/MENSA members were able to come up with (no pun intended) was a boogus obsciety charge that she was playing an underage character on film. A waste of taxpayer resources and taxpayer funded jail space that could be used for a real criminal who commits violent acts of abuse or fraud. But you won’t hear the Glenn Beck 9/12ers or Tea Party “Patriots” complain about that. Although it would have been cool to have him handing out his F*CK CENSORSHIP stickers at the July 4th Tea PArty in SJC.
The initials CFA (Cell Phone, Facebook, Automobile) doesn’t sound bad either. Add them up and you have the initials for Chick Fil A.
Let me give a quote from the current book I am reading, “Fall of Giants” by Ken Follett. On page 210, the quote is used twice, “The truth is not arrived at by majority vote.” You can spout all the polls you want, it is not always the truth. If it were, we would have Mob Rule, which suppresses more rights than any dictator.
Exactly!
That is why the USA was established as the representative republic rather than democracy.
Understanding the difference would put end to the rise of socialism and unionism in this country so the posterity could once again take over.
And ironically, we have WAY over a majority to get rid of RDA’s, we’re just one short of the necessary 2/3, thanks to the stoopid 2/3 rule, and thanks to Repuglicans.
OH! I see, you’re probably still talking about Wisconsin, and responding to the polls that support the Wisconsin 14. I’m sure you don’t like those polls. But let me speak a little more clearly for you… (Not sure I can…)
You were bitching that these 14 senators were not doing the job their constituents sent them to do. I am showing that they were doing exactly what their constituents wanted. Clear now?
And the Republicans in the Legislature are doing exactly what their constituents want them to do, oppose the unions trying to get in their pockets and force the state to cut out of control spending. Clear now?
Oh. Are you still talking about Wisconsin, not Sacramento and RDAs?
Yeah, sure, Mike, sure. The Republicans there are doing their job. I don’t remember ever saying they weren’t.