Staff / Council Book Not Complete: Vote NO Fix IT

Cynthia Bidney, GT Resident admonished the City Council Members once again. This time she asks something rather simple. She wants them to have all the facts before them prior to making a decision. This time it was regarding the Economic Agreement between the City RDA and Stater Brothers Market. Now mind you this is a BIG FINANCIAL AGREEMENT FOLKS. (See article in the GTCN Sept 30, 2010 ed.)

Lee Ann Garcia stated there were some exhibits that weren't included in the staff report. Joyce Powers the Community and Economic Development Director said "the documents were only a recommendation". They were not in final form.? And so forth.

The City Council went ahead and approve the agreement without full disclosure to the public or the City Council what was in the Final Agreement. Does this sound familiar folks?

Isn't this how we got Planning Commission Approved things past the City Council on "Staff" "Schwab/Berry" reports and representations?

Here is a short list of what has gotten through Mr Doug Wilson's Planning Commission and Schwab's Staff Recommendations.

Outdoor Adventure Center: Failed to provide real revenue study, and infrastructure requirement plan

Manhole Cover Manufacturing: Documents were copied for a Gas Station and Approved by Planning Department and Planning Commission and were in front of the City Council for final approval. Citizens Stopped that one.

Blue Mt. Senior Villas: The first Plan 3 story building for Seniors. No Commercial Kitchen for the Senior Center, and "reduced parking because seniors don't drive" yet no real plan for transportation requirements included in the Management of Facility Agreement. Oh yes, when Jim Miller objected to the City Council Approving the final sign off on the Senior Housing and Senior Center he noted, in the absence of a final copy of the financial contract and the post build management contract the City Council is asking for problems down the road. Well Jim Miller was right on that one. (This is where he began to get flack from City Management also.)

CVS: Storage Container in Parking Lot

Town Center/Jacobsen Development: Failed to require replacement of housing elements removed prior to demolition of said housing.

What we and the Seniors got was a building and management contract of horsetrading, removed furniture, and often described prison like environment for the residents. Bad plumbing and air conditioning units that have not lasted a full year prior to needing repair or services.

Then we have Ms Cortes who said, around the same time. She did not read the Council Book.
"I don't read the Council Book, I wait till the meeting to get the feel of the idea and the staff report... I like the spontaneity of it.... This should all indicate she is not only habitually ill prepared she lacks the general natural curiosity required for a City Council Member. Her Council Member Reports are often just the fliers she picks up on the counter at the Library or Information Desk on her way into the meeting.

Now for all the rest of you Council Members, You need to demand all the information prior to a vote. Let's stop letting half baked Planning Department and Planning Commission Plans get past the approval of the City Council. PLEASE.

See Sept 2, 2007 post for more on this subject.

The Citizens nor the City should have to suffer another Court Case brought on by poor management of contracts, plans and information. Much has improved under the new management. However, old habits of old staff, and commissions are difficult to remold. The City Council MUST demand a change and support the City Manager in making those needed changes.

Getting it right should be a requirement prior to an election. Even if you have to vote no and go on the record as a minority voice for better documents for better contracts and agreements.

We need to break the links of Schwab/Planning(Koonts in the past)/Wilson and keep them out of the future of Grand Terrace.

Sylvia Robles, tries to correct the political process in GT

Sylvia Robles a candidate for City Council has filed a complaint about the relationship between the City of Grand Terrace and the Chamber of Commerce and the Blue Mt. Outlook Publication.

This issue has been brought up and not resolved over many of the past years. No Council Member has as of yet had such determination to take the matter to the powers or authority that can actually adjudicate the matter. Rather than leave the issue unresolved she brought the situation to the attention of the Fair Political Practices Commission.

How the FPPC rules on the matter is now in their hands. Grand Terrace Citizens, City and Chamber of Commerce will finally have a legal answer to a long debated question.

Thanks to the actions of Sylvia Robles, as a Candidate she will have at least gotten one issue resolved by the proper methods and authorities.

Schwab Once Again Tries to Justify His "Accounting"

Former City Manager Tom Schwab, who said, "I borrowed 4.6 million from the RDA and gave it to the City with no intention to pay it back", was back at trying to explain or justify his management and accounting practices again.

Yes, it is true, that SOME administrative funds from the RDA are paid to the City. Those funds or transfers are LEGITIMATE. Those funds are what should finance some of the operations like the Planning Department, and so forth.

What Mr. Schwab can't grasp is that the City Council Members of the Past did not know that he was going beyond the legal use of the RDA money when he encouraged spending the funds that were as he characterized Loaned to never be paid back. The 4.6 Million that the City now has a plan to PAY BACK in spite of his malfeasance.

The Taxpayers pay it back one way or another Mr. Schwab that money will not be used for other purposes, it will come out of tax money some where some how... Unless it is coming out of your personal pension you were so happy to bloat up for yourself along with your car and house.

HOW you think you can justify your past actions and encourage the citizens to trust you in the future is just beyond comprehension. Voters should know, he will do what he did in the past. He will be horsetrading, making of loans from this fund to that fund for expediency, and he will cover up errors and violations of the law if it suits his personal agenda.

Grand Terrace does not need to continue his legacy of Miss Management nor do we need to Endorse His Past Actions by Electing Him to Office.

Is De De Sternberg Running for DOT or ANGEL?

De De Sternberg's article in this weeks GTCN was interesting to say the least. She is running for City Council, and what she writes about is traffic on a the 215 Interstate Freeway. She sort of has a Jimmy Carter Gas Rationing approach.. Split the traffic by what your name starts with. That may actually work but the problem is Ms. De De Sternberge that is not in the jurisdiction of a City Council Member. She may get on SanBag but it would take FEDERAL Law to change the traffic on the INTERSTATE FREEWAY SYSTEM.

She then goes on to say something that teeters on the Apocalyptic with the assurance that God makes all things "good" that man can keep the faith in. She believes in "last days, we will work together as a people of the United States." "Also I believe my petition for mayor of Grand Terrace is to help guide and to achieve in "our" United States of America, the best country the world and the best for our children."

WHAT CODE IS SHE SPEAKING THERE? Trying to understand this closing paragraph exceeds the responsibility, authority, and jurisdiction of the City's Mayor. I HOPE.

A person's religion or faith is or could be a projection on how they will fulfill the function of being a small town mayor. However, Ms. Sternberg's statement does not in any way demonstrate an understanding of the position or the tasks and local issues facing the next Mayor of Grand Terrace.

Doug Wilson's MONGERS FEAR to Block Political Speech in GT

In the GTCN Sept 30,20010 ed., Doug (I am running against Stankiewitz) Wilson, has noted correctly that a few campaign posters around town are showing up in peoples Yards. He is Mad... and is calling Walt Stanckiewits out for being in violation of the City's Code and Spirit of the Campaign Codes.

Mr. Wilson was in attendance at the meeting where our own City Attorney said that Citizens have the right to Political Speech and that if the City or State take action on trying to stop that speech the City will lose the court case. He went so far as to provide case law for the City Council and a revised code which would require signs be removed in an orderly way after an election.

Yes, Mr. Wilson, You and Bea Cortes, and Marretta Ferre and LeAnn Garcia chose to ignore the advise of our highly paid City Attorney, who no doubt by now is getting professionally ashamed of having represented GT in so many lost court cases he had to give some real advise on the issue. So let's get it right, YOU want to restrict the freedom of Political Speech in GT. YOU want to cause people problem if the city chooses to enforce its Illegal Code. YOU are making political hay because Mr. Stanckiewitz has signs up. And YOU Speculate that he will bring a court case if anything is done about it.

WHY Mr. Wilson have you not also mentioned that Meg Whitman has signs up in town, in vacant lots and on posts and fences. These don't have a date and are of the type that by design can be left up for ever until she actually wins perhaps. She has the funds to take legal action that Walt Stanckiewits and the City Attorney were trying to avoid in making a change in the local code to conform with State and Federal Court Rulings and Law. In addition those signs are put up by the likes of Steve Berry FORMER Acting City Manager who knows the City Code and has a BIG AXE to GRIND against the city. YOUR FEAR MONGERING IS MISS DIRECTED.

THE PUBLIC and MR. STANCKIEWITZ should not give up their RIGHTS because YOU HAVE A BASELESS FEAR.

GET OFF MY FRONT LAWN MR. WILSON... BACK OFF and BACK OFF NOW.

Mr. Stanckiewitz does have signs here and there, and all that I have seen are properly displayed in yards or on PRIVATE PROPERTY. IF they offend your eye perhaps you can ask DeDe Sternberg what the Bible says to do if thine eye offends thee, and do it.

Mr. Wilson lets face it with a name like Stanckiewitz it is wise to get the name out there and in people's mind early. Your name on the other hand are a character in a popular comic strip, and it is recognizable.

Debra Hurst Did it and is PROUD.

Debra Hurst said "I did it and I am Proud". She communicated with the blog answering the speculation as to who sent the mailers regarding Bea Cortes's fitness for the seat on the City Council.

Her personal action is a direct response to her feelings about Bea Cortes history of conduct on the council and in public. Simply put she has had enough.

In addition to the mailer she has made the following yard sign:

If you want a yard sign you can contact her at djhurst6658@att.net and she will meet with you to give you one until they are all gone.

Asked if additional mailers were planned she said "no I am not rich".

She declined to say who she supported in the election other than to offer she also did not support the former city manager.

One thing is for sure she is against the Re-election of Bea Cortes and is a woman of her word. She addressed the Council and Public during a City Council Meeting and said that she would work at seeing Bea Cortes is not re-elected to the City Council as a result of her conduct related to the Arrest of Former Council Member Jim Miller. The added thrust came when Bea Cortes had a citizen arrested and gagged by a Restraining Order, which was later dropped by Cortes at the advise of her lawyer.

Why RDA's are Sick and Twisted Economics

Herman Hilkey has taken upon his self to educate the Public and City Council/Redevelopment Agency Board, about the purpose and finances of a Redevelopment Agency. He is sticking to the facts. It is in fact the facts that are problematic.

The idea that the Tax Revenue above the base line or start year of the RDA is almost all given to the City or the RDA is a flawed idea. This freezes or attempts to freeze the operational funds provided of the State and County Governments. This would then assume that the City would provide all the related services. Ok lets look at that. The City of Grand Terrace does not have its own, School System, Health Department, Courts, Jail, Agriculture Department, College System, AQMD, or any of a number of services provided by the State of California and the County of San Bernardino. Yet the city having an RDA nearly freezes the contribution we make for those services to the levels of 30 years ago. Can you live off of the income you earned 30 years ago?

The idea that the RDA and City gets their funds on the taxes based on the "Increased Value" of property is also problematic. The City / RDA has gotten fat and happy with the Inflated Value of property and some members of the City / RDA have been personally involved in earning their incomes from that process. Because of Prop 13 Property Taxes are rather static, UNLESS you have people who encourage home buyers to think of homes as investments, to flip. More sales of homes feed inflated prices, mortgages that can't be afforded, and oh yes Fees/Commissions paid to Realtors.

The "Increased Value" was mostly all fiction in terms of the Value of Grand Terrace Property. A home built and initially sold for 40,000 then valued at 500,000 30 years later has not really "Increased in Value". That increase is an Inflated Speculation and shell game. All the leaders and business who support and champion this kind of fake measure of prosperity should be looked at with a very critical eye. They are con artists, picking your pockets, while they kill your community.

Yes, this need to inflate home prices and sell them on a regular basis kills community and the building of a sustainable community. Increased Value, should only be assessed when the property PRODUCES MORE, not when the price is artificially inflated . What has Grand Terrace done to increase the Gross National Product?

Grand Terrace has converted farm land to housing. Increasing the housing supply should have lowered or stabilized the housing costs. But, this was not the case in the suspect game of housing. In addition the City of Grand Terrace specifically demands that homes be large and expensive if built. Just try to build a 300 foot one bedroom stand alone home in Grand Terrace. Home size and design elements for businesses have contributed to the inflated value not the practical value of building in Grand Terrace.

In addition to the false economics the RDA System provides California and Grand Terrace it was further abused by the illegal transfer of funds to the City's General Fund. Mr. Hilkey tried to suggest that the funds transferred are or were called pass through funds, or overhead, or a loan. Was this to make his votes to spend RDA money by the City per Tom Schwab's or Staff Recommendations justified? He is dangerously treading on the old game of let me define the word and I'll win any argument.

The RDA can pay the city or fund the city for specific costs that the City Staff performs for the RDA. Those costs or payments are limited to a specific maximum amount. The Grand Terrace RDA nor the City under Tom Schwab's Management kept sufficient accurate accounting of the actual RDA costs vs the Cost of City Operations in relation to the Planning Department's dual function. In addition city projects were paid for by RDA funds that were "Loaned" to the City with the intent of never paying it back per Mr. Scwhab's own statements before the Citizens and the City Council. 4.6 MILLION Dollars of funds were improperly transferred and mysteriously spent. Some of these funds were spent during the time Herman Hilkey himself was on the City Council. Some of these funds were spent during the time Mr. Tom Schwab City Manager, RDA Director was provided a home for his personal use.

The facts are in. Redevelopment Agencies have not been successful in accomplishing their intended goal of revitalizing "Blighted" areas. Grand Terrace as a whole should not have been designated as the boundaries of a Redevelopment Area this was the first abuse. The second abuse was any use of RDA funds to convert property use from Agriculture or Housing to Commercial forcibly. The Redevelopment Agency should never have become a Development Agency. The third abuse was to champion the ever increasing property prices and inflated values as being a good thing, and increasing public expenditures based on this fictional increased valuation and resulting funding levels.

Mr. Hilkey can explain what an RDA is, and how it was intended to be abused by the City of Grand Terrace all he wants. The fact is that a City Dependent on the funding schemes of an Redevelopment Agency is a failing or failed city. The citizens of Grand Terrace should be looking for a real bottom line and a reset to a realistic and sustainable level of government and government services which are to be offered to the Grand Terrace Citizens, and pay the appropriate portion of our taxes to the County and State for the services provided by those government agencies.

Here is a simple logic check. We are happy when gas prices go down. We should be happy when housing prices go down or become more affordable. It is morally sick to support and cheer housing prices and cost inflation while the number of people in poverty or near poverty is increasing. There should be attention paid to the social, political and yes historical evidence of what happens when basics such as housing or a place to lay ones head are denied to the majority of a population.

Can this city continue as a city without an RDA? Yes. We can have one person Contract for Services we can afford. There are four basic services. Sewage, Trash, Law Enforcement and Fire Protection. The City Maintenance Crew for the parks can be reduced or contracted out as a fifth contract. The Planning and Building Department tasks should be done by PROFESSIONALS at the County, who know the requirements for things like a commercial kitchen in a new public facility such as the Senior Center. Then let the City Council have final approval of a plan or action.

The city should also increase the utilization and participation of community members and organizations. How many dog owners does it take to make a dog park? Come on folks, got a shovel, rake and some weekends? There are things we can do for ourselves and our community if in fact we want a community.

Stanckiewitz Protects Some Property Rights for GT

City Council Member and Mayor Candidate Walt Stanckiewitz made a motion to have a portion of the Staff Recommendation regarding Conversion of Rentals to Condominiums stricken from the proposed ordinance. The clause was not a mandated clause and he felt it was in effect a moral transgression of the property rights of individuals and businesses who own apartment rental units in Grand Terrace.

The staff recommendation was designed to save the City and the RDA from the inconvenience of the discovery that the RDA has not secured sufficient housing units in the Very Low, Low and Moderate Price Range. The exception for this is of course housing provided to Seniors at the Blue Mt Villas, and that came at a high cost. In addition rents are not "Low" if you happen to be in the Very Low income bracket.

Doug Jacobsen has not replaced the housing element removed by the destruction of Terrace Pines Mobile Home park, and there was a conversion from apartments to condominiums South of The Crest on Mt Vernon. So "Conversion" has taken place in GT... but neither the Staff nor Council Members could recall such an event. That Conversion did result in the displacement of families who could not afford the down payment or prices being asked for the units.

Council Member Garcia made a motion to have the approvals of plans and so forth remain as they are rather than accept the recommendation of the Planning Commission that they have approval responsibility over some issues and the City Council handling appeals only. The City Council retains the Approval of most items that come before the Planning Commission. The citizen already knows that even an appeal in front of the City Council prior or after approval of either the Planning Commission or the City Council can be made in a Court of Law if the issue was brought up in both places during public hearings.

Let's recount some of the real bone head things that have come out of the Planning Commission's Approved Basket.

The Outdoor Adventure Center and Manhole Cover Factory, and the Senior Center Non Commercial Kitchen top the list of Bad Bad Things that were passed by the Planning Commission on the basis of Schwab Staff Recommendations and Support. The Planning Commissioners serve as aids in review of plans. They should have limited powers to approve. Their function should be limited to review, and revisions and reconciliations between developer, code, and affected interested citizens. The development of an approved final plan should then go before the City Council for not a rubber stamp approval, but a full 2nd critical look and listen to the public regarding any issues still outstanding, prior to their approval.

The Planning Commissioners are appointed by the City Council, they are not accountable to the voters. Nor are they accountable legally for any bad decision they make even if they pass it on to the City Council. Their failures in the past suggest giving them more power and authority is not a good thing at all.

Grand Terrace rejects cap on rental units that can be converted to condominiums

Ryan Hagen, Staff Writer

Posted: 09/30/2010 04:48:42 PM PDT

GRAND TERRACE - A cap on rental units converted to condominiums and a change in how parcel maps are approved have been rejected by the City Council.

The council unanimously blocked these proposals Tuesday as it moved ahead on a revised subdivision ordinance.

By limiting conversions to no more than 5 percent of the city's rental stock per calendar year, the Planning Commission - which recommended these changes in September - aimed to preserve affordable housing, since low-income families usually can't afford condominiums.

But Councilman Walt Stanckiewitz said he was uncomfortable limiting property rights.

"I don't think the city has the moral authority to dictate to property owners (or) private businesses how they can utilize their land or buildings," he said. "If it's an issue that our low-income housing numbers are threatened, then that's a challenge that we have to deal with (other ways)."

The city needs 28 more affordable units to meet its state-mandated goal, according to Community Development Director Joyce Powers. She said that a proposed project would bring the city within "single digits."

The second defeated proposal would have brought the city's parcel map review process into line with nearby cities by giving the Planning Commission authority to approve or deny those maps.

Appeals would still have gone to the City Council, but members said council meetings were better attended and a more appropriate venue.

The remaining changes - which are posted on the city website - will have their final review Oct. 12

ryan.hagen@inlandnewspapers.com, 909-386-391

Could the Investigation Be Coming to GT?

Tom Schwab should be included in the Probe. His contracts were not negotiated in public, and the deals to include cars, gas, and a house were all done after he had a signed contract. In addition he managed to get his contract re-evaluated more often that was required. Was this because he was covering up something for some one? Add it all up he was paid more than $300,000.00 per year. Some one call the AG's Office and Let them know Grand Terrace needs a looking into also.

Probe targets city pay

AG to look at government salaries over $300,000

Michael J. Sorba and James Rufus Koren, Staff Writers

Posted: 09/26/2010 09:41:35 PM PDT

San Bernardino County's chief administrator and city managers in San Bernardino, Fontana and Rancho Cucamonga - all of whom make more than $300,000 per year in salary and benefits - could come under scrutiny from California Attorney General Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown.

Brown, also the Democratic candidate for governor in November's election, said last week he would start a statewide investigation of local governments that pay employees in excess of $300,000.

"We're looking at whatever is potentially excessive," said Jim Finefrock, a spokesman for the Attorney General's Office. "I guess $300,000 seemed like a pretty good place to start."

Finefrock indicated that $300,000 could include pay other than salary, meaning three local city managers - San Bernardino's Charles McNeely, Fontana's Ken Hunt and Rancho Cucamonga's Jack Lam - could be investigated by Brown's office. They all make less than $300,000 in base salary, but surpass that figure when car allowances and other compensation are included. County Administrative Officer Greg Devereaux makes more than $300,000 in base salary and could be investigated as well.

The city managers said they haven't been contacted by Brown's office. In statements, Brown has said the probe is aimed at ensuring abuses like those in the cities of Bell and Vernon - where administrators paid themselves humongous salaries at the expense of taxpayers - aren't happening elsewhere.

"I'm OK with it," McNeely said. "The contracts that I have are public documents that were discussed publicly by the council when they hired me, and there's been no changes since then."

Finefrock said the Attorney General's Office will look at more than the size of local officials' salaries. The investigation, he said, will take the size of local cities into account when judging whether salaries are excessive. Part of what made salaries in Bell so outrageous, Finefrock said, is that Bell is a relatively small town, home to about 36,000 residents.

The comparison of pay to population could open smaller cities to scrutiny.

Hunt, Lam and McNeely are the three highest-paid city managers in San Bernardino County, but they also manage the county's three largest cities and earn less per capita - that is, per city resident - than managers of smaller towns.

Lam, for instance, was paid $324,582 last year, according to data submitted by Rancho Cucamonga to the League of California Cities. Divide that amount by the city's population of 178,904, and Lam earns about $1.81 for every man, woman and child in town. By contrast, Big Bear Lake's city manager, Jeff Mathieu, earns $32.99 for each of the city's 6,700 residents, for a total 2009 payout of $221,000, according to data provided to the League of Cities.

Mathieu did not return calls for comment, but Eva Spiegel, a spokeswoman for the League of Cities, said comparing pay to population isn't fair to city managers.

"Different cities provide different services," she said, and population alone doesn't paint a good picture of the job's complexity.

"They have huge responsibilities, and their compensation should reflect that," Spiegel said.

But McNeely said larger cities tend to have more departments and a bigger bureaucracy and that managers of those cities typically draw correspondingly higher salaries.

"Generally speaking, (compensation) is in large part based on the size of the organization," McNeely said. "A bigger city means you've got a more complex organization. The smaller it is, the smaller the compensation."

Hunt said population is a factor in some cases, but not all.

"As you look across the board, I don't know that you'll see a lot of correlation between population levels and size of compensation," he said.

Lam said a city council will usually study the pay of top executives in cities that are similar - in terms of population, organizational size, and the level of economic activity - and use that study as a guide for their own city manager's pay.

"The key is to stay competitive within your marketplace so you can continue to attract the best talent you can in your jurisdiction," Lam said.

Devereaux, who was city manager in Fontana and Ontario before joining the county this year, said the organizational structure of cities varies, and some with lower populations could have several different agencies for which a city manager is responsible.

When he was with Fontana, it contracted for fire, water and trash services, Devereaux said. In less-populated Ontario, those departments were city-run and required direct oversight, he said.

Other factors, such as sports teams, convention centers and a booming economy, could mean a city has to offer more compensation to attract a quality manager, Devereaux said.

Big Bear Lake Councilman Darrell Mulvihill said he didn't want to defend or criticize Mathieu's pay - the highest, per capita, in San Bernardino County - but he also said Big Bear Lake is different from other local cities.

"We have something like 6,200 full-time residents, but I also know we get 3 million-plus visitors that a lot of places don't get," he said. "And we have different weather conditions that Rialto and Redlands and other places don't have. We had quite the challenge last winter."

Check Out This YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRr6D544aXU

Darth Schwab and his Zombies (Ferre, Garcia and Boo Hoo Cortez) a short feature

Residential Rental Property Owners ALERT:

The City Council has a plan before it to remove or restrict some of your property rights. Specifically if you are the owner of property that is currently rented out to individuals for housing, YOU MAY NOT freely decide to convert that property to condominiums to be purchased and owned by the people living in the units.

The document has much more in it this is just the One that HITS ME IN THE FACE the BOLDEST

Why would the City Council/Redevelopment Agency take such an action. Well with the miss use of 4.6 MILLION Dollars of the Redevelopment Agency Funds there is a lack of funds to build the much needed housing units for low and middle income families and individuals. The State Housing Authority was happy that the city build housing for Seniors, but ruled this was no sufficient to address the needs of low and middle income housing within Grand Terrace.

So that the City of Grand Terrace is not further penalized for the improper use of funds and the non provision of housing for individuals other than Seniors they have determined that the existing Privately Owned Buildings which are rental units shall not be converted from apartments into condominiums without great hardships placed on the property owner if at all. By increasing the difficulty of conversion, the City/RDA has once again manipulated the Rights of Property Owners to use, and dispose of their property as they see fit.

ALL Because Mr. Schwab could not use RDA DEBT Funded Money the WAY it was REQUIRED by the State and Bond Stipulations. Citizens tried to warn the Council/RDA Board. But the Majority (Ferre, Cortes, Garcia) would not vote against "Staff" or "Schwab Recommendation".

Also note that the Council Packet is much over 100 pages and it is posted on the City Web Site

http://www.cityofgrandterrace.org/archives/38/05252010%20Council%20Packet.PDF


IF the City Council wanted and directed it so the Tax Non Payment Report would also be published on line for all citizens to read without further expense.

Mr. Stanckiewitz the citizens deserve to have you at least make a motion to have the Tax Report Posted on the Web Site. Let the Citizens know where you really stand on an open government, and where Ferre, Cortes and Garcia stand on the issue of a Citizens right to information without having to Pay for it again. Citizens already paid for the legal opinion, it is only fair Citizens get to read it for free on line.

14,000. for 3 years... X a factor of 10 or 7 ??

The City of Grand Terrace failed to pay taxes for 32 years. Why has it offered to pay only 3 years? Why has the payment only been made to the IRS and not the Franchise Tax Board?

Does the 14,000 include tax and Interest and Penalties?

Will the City be asked to pay the other 29 years of taxes about $130,000 plus interest and penalties to the IRS and who knows how much to the Franchise Tax Board? What fund will they be robbing to pay this debt? Thanks Mr. Schwab you sure were "PROFESSIONAL" all those years you got over paid.

These details may be in the hard to obtain 80 page report that you have to pay for to get. What's up with that City Council. Post the Report or Document of the Tax Issue online just like you posted that Contract with Jack Brown. You know it CAN be done, you Chose NOT TO DO IT! You don't yet want to do things the RIGHT WAY.

VOTERS TAKE NOTE: You the Citizen and Voter should be better served by a Council and City Manager. This mess will take time and effort to clean up. Yes it may even take more sacrifice. BUT, it must be done. You don't build a new house on a rotten termite infested foundation.

The Grand Terrace City News has provided portions of the information. Apparently the IRS only will hold the city accountable for 3 years for back withholding. This does not answer the question about the Individual Council Member's and Commissioner's obligation to DECLARE the payments as Income and pay their portion of Social Security Taxes and the Income Taxes on the funds paid to them. We all know that the tax rates can be different with just a few more dollar's income.

Failure to declare income, and failure to pay taxes on income, can trigger an audit as far back as 7 years. Interest and Penalties often are greater than the amount of the unpaid taxes or the revenue that went unreported. A full audit by the IRS and Franchise Tax Board is in order, for each person being paid by the City of Grand Terrace.

This is the ice burg that is still out there for past City Council Members and all those who received non taxed stipends, and income from the City of Grand Terrace. No doubt this would include Mr. Schwab who clearly would not have declared his housing stipend, car stipend, and other payments he did not have to justify with an accounting for the actual expense being off set by the payments. Ok let's add Mr. Berry to the list of people who should be audited for the past 7 years.

NOW PE has something to say about GT.

Parallels with Bell

Press-Enterprise - Cassie MacDuff - ‎15 hours ago‎

But look at the mess in Grand Terrace. Its council and commission failed to pay federal payroll taxes on their monthly stipends for 32 years. ...

The Press-Enterpirse and Cassie MacDuff and all the reporters assigned to Grand Terrace have been pandering to the City Council and City Management in the past and not paying attention to the Citizens at the Podium at the City Council Meetings.

For YEARS, citizens have been alerting anyone who would listen to the graft and abuse that Mr. Schwab had the City Council support all those years. His "Staff Recommendation", bloated his Compensation and Retirement, including cars, a house and a real rich departure agreement. All this in spite of the numerous complaints and alerts voiced by citizens during their limited 3 minutes to address the City Council.

When complaints were advanced to the DA's Office nothing was done. Bea Cortez bragged that she had Friends in High Places in the DA's Office and an Investigative Reporter had better watch out.... as she wagged her finger at the reporter from the San Bernardino County Sentinel.

That magic finger wagging worked against the Press Enterprise and Sun Telegram Reporters and or their Management. Who were the News Paper Serving? Well we can conclude it was not the public. Was it Jack Brown, Developers, Contractors, or Tom Schwab and Steve Berry? Or is the lack of real investigative reporting a result of being cheap and lazy. The news papers would rather have the City phone in a story than come out and take the risk to write it for themselves, dig up the support documents and hold the Government in check. This is or was the function of the "Real Press"? It is a shame that small papers and blogs now must try with very limited funds to provide this service to the public.

GT is a Baby Bell, The City Council have been played like Ding A Lings, and the Citizens are the Clapper hitting their heads against the body of the bell. Question is are the Citizens and Voters listening YET? Or are Voters like some Council Members still wanting to cling to the excuse of Intentional Ignorance?

It is ok not to know. It is not ok to not know on purpose.

Walt's New Web & Email

Walt Stanckiewitz
Facebook Page has an easier link http://www.facebook.com/VoteWalt
Email: Waltformayor@hotmail.com
Phone is 909 783-6835

Tax Report: Still not on line

The City of Grand Terrace has made an 80 page report on the "Non Payment" of back taxes available at the desk for 16.00 per copy, but it can publish on line 100 page Council Packets...

WHY NOT include the document in the meeting minutes where the Council Voted to Release the Document.

Is this a desperate attempt to earn money, or an attempt to keep people less informed by making getting information more difficult. Some of us work during your office hours and we rely on the on line data.

The blog can not post a document that size, however if some one sends a pdf file of it we'd pass it along for free to ANYONE who wanted to read it.. As of yet don't have a copy of the document. Folks... a document please.

Attention GT Shoppers...

Some of the products at dollar tree are less costly than at Stater Brothers.
Cambles Soup, Larger can for a buck, where 99 c will buy a small can at Staters.
Potato Chips are cheaper by the ounce at Dollar Tree. Try out their cleaning products too, you will find they work.

Mongolian Bar B Que ... YUM... Great Service, and VERY FAMILY FRIENDLY.

Welcome these new businesses to Grand Terrace while supporting the other existing businesses in GT as much as you can.

BOO House on Minona and Mt. Vernon all ready spooked up...

Fund Fund Fund who has the Funds.

According to an article in The (Riverside, Calif.) Press-Enterprise, the city of Grand Terrace, Calif., last week borrowed more than $72,000 from fees collected from developers to pay the company that supplies and operates its red-light cameras. The city hasn't collected enough in fines to pay the company. The city is reconsidering whether to take out the cameras, undermining the premise that the cameras were installed purely to promote public safety.

What happened to the Money that was collected from the tickets? Where was it spent?

When and HOW will the money borrowed from the Development Fees be paid back to that fund?

These are the questions that need to be answered and learned from.

Clearly the City Council on the advise of Steve Berry and or Tom Schwab and the "Staff" spent the funds that should have been used to pay for the RedFlex Services. What were they thinking? What did they buy with RedFlex's money fund?

This practice of raiding this fund or that fund has got to stop some time. Perhaps the next one will come out of Mr. Schwabs Retirement Fund.

I am not impressed that the council voted to raid a fund with a specific obligation for its use. This will require some of those funds to be repaid, will the fund theft just continue and continue and we'll never know what was purchased with Redflex Money under Schwab and Berry?

Sylvia Robles Wants Things Done Right.. Leagle in GT

Complaint filed against Grand Terrace Chamber
Ryan Hagen, Staff Writer
Posted: 09/22/2010 04:51:55 PM PDT


GRAND TERRACE - City Council candidate Sylvia Robles has filed a complaint against the Grand Terrace Chamber of Commerce, alleging that the chamber newsletter illegally used city funds to influence the election.
"This is the kind of cronyism that has existed in Grand Terrace, and someone needs to investigate it," she said.

Robles said she mailed her complaint to the Fair Political Practices Commission on Monday, after all candidates were invited to submit a statement and one advertisement in the chamber newsletter.

Generally, the California Fair Political Practices Commission prohibits public-funded mass mailings from advertising for an elected official affiliated with the mailing.

The chamber's president, Sally McGuire, is running for mayor, and city council candidate Darcy McNaboe is on its board of directors.

Grand Terrace pays the chamber $10,320 per year for various programs, but city and chamber officials say the newsletter - the Blue Mountain Outlook - is funded entirely through advertisements.

Robles doubted that claim.

"We'll investigate," she said. "I want to verify those numbers."

McGuire and McNaboe abstained from last week's vote to seek candidate statements.

But McNaboe explained that it was meant to prepare readers for the candidate's forum that the chamber - like other chambers of commerce - traditionally holds before elections. She said she would have said the opportunity helped all candidates equally if Robles had asked.

"It's a small enough community, I hope we start asking ourselves the questions before we start making accusations," she said. "But I understand that it's an election and things get heated."

Robles called the chamber at noon Monday and left a message with the secretary. When she had not received a response by 5:30 p.m., she filed her complaint.

Robles said she didn't know the newsletter's deadline, so time was of the essence.

"I really felt badly that I had to do it, but the fact is that I felt they had me up against the wall," she said. "They're continuing to abuse what that newspaper's intent is ... and I thought it was important to stop them in their tracks, not just for me but for the entire environment."

Bruce Bebow, vice president of the chamber, said candidate statements were on hold as the group checked their legality.



Read more: http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_16146961#ixzz10JO3VSi7

GT Stop Looking to MILK REDLIGHT FUNDS

The City of Grand Terrace Finance Department and City Council need to get a grip on a basic fact. The Red Light Camera Money is not "Theirs" the fees or portion of the fees collect should be immediately paid to Redflex on a timely basis. Imagine collecting sales tax in your business and not paying it on time. You'd get a nasty gram from the Franchise Tax Board real quick.

If the City Council's plan was to make MONEY off of people running red lights, then their plan failed. IF it was to have enforcement at zero cost to the city then the contract should be welcome to its completion. If they wanted to see violations go down and thus safer streets then it is worth the excessive cost to violators.

If in fact the city only pays what it has collected, then get the darn pen out and pay up every month or every billing cycle. It is simple. Money in Money OUT. Avoid the fines and don't spend the money on some other project thinking there will be an excess of revenue in some future month. THAT is CRIMINAL miss use of funds.

California: Red Light Camera Company Gives City a Ticket
Grand Terrace, California forced to pay Australian red light camera company $72,204 to avoid late fees.

The Grand Terrace, California city council on Tuesday reluctantly voted to pay Redflex Traffic Systems $72,203.75 after the Australian company threatened to impose a $27,500 late fee on the city if it did not pay up immediately. Redflex operates the red light camera program at two intersections, and as of July 1 the company had mailed out 4283 fines worth $446 each. While Grand Terrace officials expected that the system would be a money-maker, the program to date has only enriched the county, the state, the courts and Redflex, which insisted on the additional cash payment.

"After the meeting between you and members of the Redflex Traffic Systems Team on August 8, 2010, to discuss demand of payment, we acknowledge those figures you have produced as revenues received from the San Bernardino County Court," Redflex Account Executive Jack Weaver wrote in an August 31 letter to the city's finance director. "...your city is delinquent in your payments in the amount of $73,570.32. Further, you are reminded that Exhibit D [of the contract] calls for payment to be made within 30 days, and the revenues due are subject to a late fee if payment is not received within 60 days."

When Grand Terrace entered into the contract with Redflex, the last thing officials expected to do was to make payments. The city has a "cost neutrality" arrangement designed to ensure the city could only make a profit or break even from ticketing operations.

"If the city does not collect enough cumulative fine revenue from red light camera tickets, then the city is not responsible for the difference between the Redflex invoiced amount and the fine revenue received," Finance Director Bernie Simon wrote in a memo to the council. "However, the city would pay Redflex the red light ticket fine revenue received. The Redflex contract states that the city does not owe more than what is collected."

Grand Terrace is only entitled to one-third of the ticket revenue with the state, San Bernardino County and the courts splitting the remaining two-thirds. Grand Terrace "owes" Redflex $12,513 per month out of its third, but the city's average share of the fines is only $7156 (the most ever collected in a month was $11,485 in December 2008). That means Redflex pockets 100 percent of the city's share of ticket revenue generated.

The delinquency problem arose because the city had "computational difficulties" in determining the amount of ticket revenue generated. Last year, the city made payments of $116,072.39 and $52,000 to Redflex from the same error. Officials had hoped to find ways to increase revenue from ticketing.

"Staff will then discuss with Redflex on how to make up the deficit from future vehicle fine revenues received from the court system," Simon wrote in an August 25, 2009 memo.

State law prohibits payments to red light camera contractors according to the number of fines generated or revenue collected. In 2008, the appellate division of the Orange County Superior Court ruled that cost neutral arrangements specifically violated this statute (view ruling). The contract between Grand Terrace and Redflex runs until April 2012.

Working To Keeping GT Honest

Reports are this idea to sell Candidate Ad Promotion Space has been reversed by the Blue Mt Outlook/ GT Chamber of Commerce. Fact is that the Chamber of Commerce recieves support to print and distribute the monthly news paper from the City of Grand Terrace.

PRESS RELEASE

Sylvia Robles to File Complaint Against GT Chamber for Violation of Fair Political Practices Laws

Sylvia Robles disclosed today she will file a sworn complaint against the Grand Terrace Chamber of Commerce with the State Fair Political Practices Commission after receiving this morning a hand-delivered document: “Entitled 2010 Candidate Ad Promotion.” With a footnote stating that, “This is a one-time only promotion and has been unanimously approved by the Grand Terrace Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

According to Robles she will ask the FPPC to investigate potential violations of FPPC Code 18901, this is part of the code in relation to the use of public funds to produce a mass mailing. The other parts of potential code violations is the fact that the President of the Chamber is running for Mayor and her opponent Darcy Mc Naboe serves as a director and voted to approve the mailing. Robles is unhappy with the contribution of taxpayer money to fund what is essentially a city funded newspaper.

The Grand Terrace Chamber “one-time” offer requests a photo and candidate statement. There are no limits on words nor is there a stated deadline.

What is Hilkey's RDA Point? Here is Mine

When the Former RDA Director/Former City Manager, Tom Schwab "Loaned Money He Never Intended to Pay Back" to the City of Grand Terrace, and the City Council/RDA Board approved the Loan and Spending the money, all should be held in contempt of the Debt Bond Holders, and the Insurance Policy which insured the Bonds. The list of who should be held accountable includes Mr. Herman Hilkey who is writing the RDA 101 articles in the Grand Terrace City News.

If you get into a car wreck and the insurance company, your own insurance company can prove you wrecked the car intentionally, I think you get in trouble for fraud, if you make a claim or intentional destruction of personal property even if it is your own even if you don't file a claim. There are laws against such conduct in our state. You don't have the right to destroy what you own, even if it is a CITY YOU MANAGE Mr. Schwab.

GT RDA Should Cause Us ALL Concern

The Property Owners, and Future Owners of Property in Grand Terrace should be concerned that the entire city is under the blanket of the Redevelopment Agency, and that it is the "Only Way" the City of Grand Terrace can function.

Being in a "Redevelopment Area" none of the property is then actually fully owned by the person holding the title. Once a property as the entire town of Grand Terrace was declared blighted it is never off the roles of property available for confiscation and re-use as the Redevelopment Agency might desire at any time.

Yes the Citizens demanded some rights for homes or residenticial zoned property. But, this is a flawed protection as the City Council can at any time change the zoning of your property to fit its desires to feed your property to the Redevelopment Agency.

Ok so the City gets more of the taxes this way. While the City is getting more of your tax dollars who is being short changed. Well, the answer is Your Child School, the Fire Departments, and other agencies that have their budgets frozen to the Prop 13 level base line.

There is another real problem that I don't think the population is yet to comprehend. The chearing of the ever increasing property values, or the increased amount of debt due to housing should be viewed as a unsustainable economic situation that can only cause tramadic hardship, massive homelessness, poverty. When the average home price is a half a million bucks and people cheer we should have all been saying NO that is too high.

Why is it we are happy when the price of gas goes down, the price of food is on sale, the price of a car is lowered? It means we are producing product or some one is in excess of demand, and prices fall. The technology of building a house has not changed much, yet the prices don't fall. Yet look at all that goes into building a computer and its price.

The City of Grand Terrace RDA does not produce sufficient product to generate sufficient jobs, income taxes, sales taxes and like others has been gambling on the property to be ever increasing in value. Not only city property but YOUR Property. Then they take loans on that hope, and insure the loan, and spend the money, and if it all goes bad, an insurance company will pay for the folly.

But, when the City of Grand Terrace RDA gets its bail out, and the economy crumbles around all its citizens, where will the new homeless and poor go in Grand Terrace?

It is time the Citizens of Grand Terrace really look into their being to ask the question is this way of financing the city sustainable for the community and the families in Grand Terrace. At what price does it come to each of us? Is it really how we think our government should be financed?

RDA TRY TO RAISE TAXES "Local Control" HA HA HA

If you want to know why the City of Concord, and other municipalities in California, are beating the drums for new taxes this fall, look no farther than Proposition 22. Proposition 22 and Concord’s Measure Q should both be soundly defeated. The pro-government growth measures are two sides of the same coin of government abuse of private property and tax revenue. The chief argument Measure Q proponents provide is, “Sacramento ate our Redevelopment money,” and Measure Q will protect new tax revenue from Sacramento. But what they don’t tell you is the handpicked local control panel cannot protect new monies from the gaping maw of the Concord Redevelopment agency nor the Concord Police Officers’ Association. Mismanaging Redevelopment Agencies over the past decades is a critical part of the fiscal imbalance California cities now face. You’ve heard every one say “They did this and they did that.” Well, If you ever wanted to know who “THEY” are, it’s the California Redevelopment Lobby pushing Proposition 22. If you want to know more about the impact California Redevelopment has had in the current crisis and how Proposition 22 will further institutionalize this government abuse, see Chris Norby’s article below, published recently at the FlashReport. You should also attend the 15th Annual Northern California Conference on Redevelopment Abuse, to be held at the Sacramento Sheraton, October 1, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Registration is $65. Join public officials, labor leaders, attorneys and community activists concerned about financial and propery rights abuses by California Redevelopment Agencies. REGISTER Proposition 22 is a power grab by California redevelopment agencies It protects agencies from legislative and voter oversight, allowing them to spend more tax dollars, seize more land and sell more bonds. Redevelopment agencies now control 30% of all urbanized land and spend 12% of all property taxes, starving local agencies of needed revenues for essential services. Proposition 22 would make the following big government abuses worse: EMINENT DOMAIN: All properties within a redevelopment areas are presumed to be blighted and can seized them by eminent domain. This has included small businesses, homes, churches and farmland. In the infamous Kelo vs. New London decision, a 5-4 liberal Supreme Court majority allowed a Connecticut redevelopment agency to take Suzette Kelo’s home for a private development—that was never built! All attempts to end eminent domain abuse have since been been fought by the California Redevelopment Association. GROWING PROPERTY TAX DIVERSIONS: Redevelopment’s share of property taxes continues to grow without voter approval. Fully 12% of local property taxes are now diverted into redevelopment schemes, a figure that has doubled since 1990. That’s $6 billion annually in funds diverted from counties, cities, school districts, special districts and fire service districts. IMPACT ON SERVICES: Counties have lost nearly $5 billion in the past 15 years. California’s 350 fire service district stand to lose millions more if Proposition 22 passes, which is why the California Professional Firefighters strongly opposes it. Local school districts are major losers, as tax dollars intended to build classrooms now build Costcos. Proposition 22 would make this revenue shift permanent, pressuring tax increases to make up the difference. CORPORATE WELFARE: Republicans believe in a free market that functions best without government controls or subsidies. Yet redevelopment agencies pour billions of tax dollars into private malls, auto plazas, movie multiplexes, hotels and stadiums —many of which now sit empty. Team owners shake down cities for public money for new stadiums and arenas. The Santa Clara Redevelopment agency is spending $14 million in public funds to lure the 49ers out of San Francisco and the Chargers are also eying public giveaways elsewhere. Proposition 22 locks in the wasteful spending and continues to enrich politically favored developers. DEBT: Redevelopment agencies have total statewide debt now topping $93 billion and continue to sell bonds without voter approval. Proposition 22 locks in this abuse, assuring that future debt will extend well above $100 billion. That’s why the National Tax Limitation Committee and Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association oppose Prop. 22. Proposition 22 makes it impossible for the legislature to reform the worst abuses of redevelopment agencies. Their big government powers of land use, eminent domain, subsidies and uncontrolled debt will be enshrined in our constitution. As a conservative elected official for 26 years, I have seen redevelopment abuses at all levels. As a Fullerton City Council Member I watched nearby Buena Park lure away our auto dealerships with lavish tax subsidies. As an Orange County Supervisor I saw the Santa Ana Redevelopment Agency demolish an entire neighborhood, then leave the fenced off lots vacant for years. I saw millions in property tax revenues diverted from public safety to redevelopment schemes. As a state legislator I seek controls on redevelopment spending, bond debt and property tax growth. Proposition 22 would prevent any and all such reforms. Based on my experience and research, I wrote the manual “Redevelopment: The Unknown Government” with the aid of conservative philanthropist Howard Ahmanson. Call 714-813-5899 for your copy. Redevelopment agencies were originally created to cure urban blight and then be abolished. They were never intended to be a permanent drain on public services, nor a cash cow for private interests. Proposition 22 will constitutionally guarantee the worst abuses of redevelopment agencies. Republicans support property rights, free enterprise, fiscal responsibility and public accountability. We must oppose Proposition 22. ~ Assemblyman Chris Norby represents the 72nd Assembly District. He also serves as State Chair of Municipal Officials for Redevelopment Reform (MORR) and moderates regional meetings seeking to curb abuses.

Blog Request for Document.

If some one would send a PDF file of the Tax Problem Behind Closed Door Document Dump We'll send it out to our Email List and make it available for Free... You know how the City Can't Do the same thing. NOT putting the Document ON LINE is not Acceptable.

Any specific individual SSN will of course be removed or redacted from the posting. However, People's Names and Addresses already appear in Public Records and Documents available online and will not be redacted.

Citizens speaking to the City Council are required to give their address for the record. For that they get 3 minutes of time. These folks got more than 3 minutes.

If You Hear "They have Political Ambitions"

In the upcoming weeks if you hear some one say, Yeah they are only bringing up these matters because they have "Political Ambitions", or they are "Politically Motivated", ask yourself a few questions before you agree or disagree with the speaker.

Regardless of the Messenger is the issue being raised related to the good governance of the community?

If the answer is yes, then you may want to ask:

Who's "Political Ambitions" or "Politically Motivated" not to have issues discussed in public or have an informed electorate.

If the answer is no, than you should investigate the issue and the motivation of the speaker at the same time. If your asked to vote for a person who ONLY has their own interests in mind of course you should not vote for that individual.

It should concern the voters more when a person says, that an issue is a non issue, or no big deal, it is the way we have been doing it for years. These are all phrases used to smooth over hidden problems. They are also ways to continue to hide problems and if elected cause future problems to be perpetuated within the governance of our city.

Meeting on Potential Lawsuit: A Violation of Brown Act

The person(s) responsible for listing the Tax Non Payment issue on the Agenda is in violation of the Brown Act. Classifying the discussion as a "Possible Litigation" is an over reach and a half. Would the city actually fight the IRS and or the Franchise Tax Board in Court. Only in Attorney Harper's Dreams. Now that may be a potential Law Suit, or is it a Criminal Act? An IRS Audit is an Audit, not a Law Suit, did they really think they would take it to a COURT?

A further violation of the Brown Act was not to report when the decision was made to pay for 3 years back taxes. This report of the decision should have been immediately after the closed door meeting, much before the check hit the check register. If the Closeted City Council had decided to not pay the IRS and Franchise Tax Boards the public may have never known about the pending tax problems or accounting practices error of the past.

The City Attorney, Mayor Ferre and City Manager Betsy Adams are responsible to see that the Agenda and the Reporting of Decisions of the Council complies with the Brown Act.

Once again the attempt to save "Embarrassment" has caused more harm than just being honest and open from the one set. Was this face saving action a political effort to hide Mr. Schwab's past managerial incompetence? Mr. Schwab's defence of his actions sure didn't hold water. First he said he disagreed with the IRS.. Well that's good logic... and an argument anyone should avoid in the course of an audit by the IRS. Second he said that the other two cities he worked for didn't report stipends as income to the recipients. This last statement was later found to be FALSE as the two places he worked in the Accounting Departments all said they payed taxes on stipends and reported the payments to the IRS and Franchise Tax Boards.

NOW they half open the file on the matter. It is available if you come in to look at it or it is $16.00 per copy if you want to take a copy home to read. When this may be the most important evidence a voter should be exposed to it should be posted on the City Web Page like all other Minutes, and City Council Packets. Who said what and how each city council member comported themselves behind closed doors is important tot he Citizens who will be asked to vote in the next few weeks. We need to know who had OUR best interest in mind.

Taxing Problem: Still Not Solved

For most businesses and individuals it isn't what taxes haven't been paid that becomes the issue. The IRS and Franchise Tax Board take a dim view of people and businesses who don't file taxes, or pay withholdings. SSI payments are both employer and employee contributions.

So here is the question we citizens should have for now. Has the IRS and the Franchise Tax Boards agreed to only three years of back taxes and withholding payments? Or is that what this city council is offering? It is noted that Doug Wilson discounted the issue by saying for Planning Commissioners the issue is pennies, no big deal. Mr. Wilson who will be paying the fines, and penalties? You were party to the non payment of taxes and withholding of SSI and SDI and Medicare. Are you facing pennies in taxes but Dollars in Fines and Penalties?

While $300 to $400 or even $ 500 may not reach the "Withholding Threshold" it does reach the REPORTING Threshold by an individual if their total income including their Stipend/and Wages or other income exceed $7000.00 per year. We can assume all have an income above 7,000.00 except for perhaps Ms. Cortes who reports not having sold a house in years. The failure to report the payments as income is a violation of the tax law on the part of the individuals and the city.

If the 60 page tax discussion document is for sale at City Hall for 16.00 for a paper copy, why isn't it posted as part of the City Council's Work Packet? A file of that size will fit on the City Web Page just fine. If the Taxing Agencies have agreed to a 3 year pay back and have forgiven the other years of non payment there should be a document or agreement shared with the public showing that agreement. It could just be the tip of the ice burg and the 3 years is what this council wants to pay and clear up. Which is it? If you don't show the documents we the citizens don't know what is lurking under the sea as we sail our little boats in rough seas.

Of course the blog will post it or make it available if some one were to send it to the blog masters.

The use of the Behind Closed Doors and the Agenda description was a clear attempt to mislead and miss inform the public and was a violation of the Brown Act. Clearly a decision was made and an action initiated that was not reported in a timely manor to the public. The Mayor knew this and so did the other council members. Which one of them requested a disclosure...? Well, we know how this is going to turn out or DO WE?

What else is lurking behind closed doors of City Hall?

Council Should Publish Report On LINE>>>

Grand Terrace releases tax report on stipends

Ryan Hagen, Staff Writer

Posted: 09/15/2010 06:05:47 PM PDT

Updated: 09/15/2010 06:17:57 PM PDT

GRAND TERRACE - The City Council voted unanimously to release the results of its closed session meeting about years of unpaid taxes by city employees, concluding that requiring them to refile taxes for the last three years would satisfy its legal obligation.

Members of Grand Terrace's City Council and Planning Commission had not reported their city stipends as pay since the city was incorporated in 1978, despite Internal Revenue Service requirements. City staff began investigating the issue when Councilman Walt Stanckiewitz asked about it during 2010 tax season.

The city attorney said in an e-mail that the closed session was labeled on the agenda as addressing potential litigation, which is an area exempt from the Brown Act's usual requirement that government meetings be open to the public.

Others criticized the decision to meet privately on an issue that would affect others.

"If the report is made public, people will be able to come to their own conclusions," City Council candidate Bernardo Sandoval said. "I would be horrified if I were a member of the Planning Commission."

Doug Wilson, chairman of the Planning Commission, reviewed the report and said Wednesday that it was ridiculous.

"While I committed myself as a volunteer for service, I don't really want to be an employee of the city," he said, noting that the report said commission members' stipends - $350 to $400 a year - were too low to meet the withholding requirements, but would be liable for Social Security and Medicare, "We're talking pennies overall, guys.

Council members earn $150 per month, in addition to as much as $120 per month as members of the Redevelopment Agency.

The 80-page document is free to view, but copies are $16 for anyone not directly affected.

If GT can't write a simple grant, some one needs to be FIRED.

Sunshine Law... gee if only some sun could reach behind the GT City Council's Closed Door. How many of the Lunches Paid for by the City are with contractors that ended up making large profits at the taxpayers expense...

Grand Terrace eyes consultant to handle grant

Ryan Hagen, Staff Writer

Posted: 09/13/2010 08:26:26 PM PDT

GRAND TERRACE - Public Works Director Richard Shields says the city could shave at least 20 percent off its lighting costs by installing more-efficient lights paid for with a federal grant, but he needs help to make it happen.

He's requesting $3,600 to hire a consultant to help handle the complex paperwork and other administrative tasks required to make sure the project complies with state and federal regulations.

The contract with Lynn Merrill, who has worked extensively with Grand Terrace and other local cities, would cover 40 hours of work at $90 per hour.

That's less than a quarter of the $15,000 the other bidder, Willdan Associates, requested to do the same job.

Like the rest of the project, Merrill's pay would come out of a $69,649 grant the California Energy Commission created to help small cities and counties reduce their energy consumption. The money for the fund came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Shields envisions putting in new ballasts and fluorescent lights in the City Hall annex, Public Works shop building, child-care center and fire station. If enough money is left, he also wants to replace air conditioners and heaters.

"Those are really old units, probably about 10 or 15 years," he said. "The new ones are a lot more efficient."

But all this work must be detailed in monthly reports and follow pages of regulations, which Shields said his three-person office is too busy to ensure.

You need an extra set of eyes, and all this takes time," he said.

The City Council will decide whether to approve the contract at 6 tonight.

and

Public Needs Sunshine Law

10:00 PM PDT on Monday, September 13, 2010

Cassie MacDuff

Even at the height of San Bernardino County's bribery/kickback scandal in the 1990s, its policies on releasing public records were better than they are today.

If they hadn't been, a brazen conflict of interest on the part of a top county official would never have been discovered. Let me explain.

A billboard company called Oakridge Corp. wanted to put up billboards on county flood-control land near the Interstate 10/215 interchange.

Few people knew that then-Real Estate Services Director Tim Kelly held stock in and was a director of Oakridge Corp. He even had meals at taxpayer expense with Oakridge President William McCook in 1992. Oakridge got the county lease in late 1994.

No one would have been the wiser if a public records request for Kelly's expense reports hadn't uncovered the meals on the county tab. (Unfortunately, they didn't come out till after the supes had approved the unpopular billboards.)

Fast forward 12 years. When public-records requests were made for San Bernardino County supervisors' credit-card receipts for 2006 and 2007, county counsel blacked out the names of the people they dined with.

Even the names of county officials were redacted!

To put an end to this kind of silliness, Supervisor Neil Derry has proposed a "sunshine ordinance" that would presume county records are public and require officials to justify withholding them when they do.

It has been in the works for six months. On Monday, for the second time in two weeks, Derry had to pull it off the Board of Supervisors agenda at the last minute, this time because he discovered a loophole that would have allowed supervisors to continue hiding their dining companions' names.

The loophole allows county "officers and officials" to claim names should be kept private as part of the "deliberative process," an exemption the courts carved out years ago allowing elected officials to keep some of their meetings secret.

Derry acknowledged there are times when a supervisor legitimately might want to keep secret who he has met with -- for example, when the person is a whistleblower-employee who fears retaliation if it becomes known that he or she spoke out.

The solution is simple, Derry said: Pay for your meal; don't put it on your county credit card.

With annual salaries over $144,000, the supes certainly can afford to pay for their own lunches when their companions genuinely need to remain anonymous.

Derry said he's not disappointed he's had to put off once again bringing the sunshine ordinance to a vote. He'd rather craft narrow guidelines for when the deliberative-process exemption can be claimed. "I want something as strong as we can make it," he said.

He'd like to get rid of the exemption altogether, as other jurisdictions have. But county counsel says he can't.

(If only county lawyers were on the public's side.)

When the ordinance does reach the supes, they should support it. They've been talking the openness talk. Now it's time to walk it.

Cassie MacDuff can be reached at 951-368-9470 or cmacduff@PE.com

State and Federal Taxes Unpaid Oh My...

The City of Grand Terrace, and all of its Past City Council Members, Planning Commissioners, and possibly the estate of Richard Rollins who received a 1000.00 per month Stipend to take care of his name sake park all face the inconvenience, and cost of paying back taxes. Income Taxes, Social Security Taxes and the Penalties for failure to report and to pay taxes. This is true for Federal and State taxes.

Mayor Ferre and her husband may have to face a double awaking as he receives a stipend from the Water Company and it may have not been included in their total income statement or tax calculations or she would have known that stipends are taxable.

Is it time to ask the Water Company if it has paid its contributions to FICA, SDI, and so forth and is it time to turn in the names of all members of the Water Company Board along with the City's Stipend Earners, to the IRS and Franchise Tax Board as being suspect of having not reported all their earned income.

Schwabistic Practices Hit Grand Terrace AGAIN

Tax Payers.... YOU have to PAY for Schwab/Berry AGAIN....

More of Tom Schwab's Accounting and Management comes to haunt Grand Terrace. Is the amount owed on this contract going to come out of his and the City Council's income? The Citizens are tired of paying for his errors in accounting and management practices even for those that his Mini Me Steve Berry just continued. Not knowing what to pay, would justify not spending money collected until all payments were made any intelligence above slime or mold spore would know this. To think Tom Schwab wants to be on the City Council, and that he thinks his "Managment of Grand Terrace" should be a source of professional pride is Sick. It is about time some one takes Mr. Schwab to court and tries to collect on his bad judgement and practices.

According to an article in the The Press-Enterprise, city manager Tom Schwab was quoted as stating that they estimate 30 drivers would run a red light, per day. The citations began September 2007. Under Schwab's Administration and carried forward under Steve I don't know how much to pay but I'll spend the Money Anyway's Administration. The Triad (Ferre, Cortez, Garcia), spent the money, on the recommendation of Schwab and Berry.

CITY OFFICIALS are not available to provide information because we have PAID SCHWAB to RETIRE and Berry to go away. Finance Director also should pay up as he should know how to fund a contract and pay it on time. This should come out of their PAY and RETIREMENT FUNDS. OR they should have been terminated with CAUSE and we would not be paying their RETIREMENTS

Grand Terrace owes red light fees

Error may cost city

Ryan Hagen, Staff Writer

Posted: 09/12/2010 08:35:12 PM PDT

Grand Terrace has until Oct. 2 to make up late payments of $72,203 stemming from a series of miscalculations or face an additional $27,500 in late fees.

City Council will decide Tuesday whether to borrow money from the city's facilities fund to repay Redflex Traffic Systems, which has operated two cameras each on two intersections in Grand Terrace since 2007.

Redflex charges $12,513 to maintain the cameras, which tape and ticket anyone breaking traffic laws. Various codes dictate that about 34percent of the revenue from those tickets goes to Grand Terrace. The county, the state and the courts also get a cut.

There are two cameras at Barton Road and Michigan Avenue and two cameras at Barton Road and Mount Vernon Avenue.

According to the city's contract with Redflex, if the city makes less than $12,513 in fines, it must pay all of that revenue to Redflex, but does not owe more than it collects.

"The city became delinquent in contractor payments due to reporting and computational difficulties to determine the amount due to the contractor," Finance Director Bernie Simon wrote in a report to the Council.

Unsure how much money it owed to Redflex, the city set aside too little in 2007, 2008 and 2009. The city realized the error in May 2009, then decided in September that it could break even by June 2010 because of anticipated increases in revenue from fines.

Instead, fine revenue decreased and debt increased.

City officials were not available to clarify how they misunderstood the amount owed to Redflex or why they expected fine revenue to increase.

Redflex initially waived the city's late fees, but when the city missed the June catch-up date, the company announced it would charge 1.5 percent interest on all payments, retroactive to when they first became overdue, if it did not receive payment by Oct. 2.