| Conference Impresses; Redevelopment Abuse Featured |
| FIRST PERSON Ziggy Kruse On Saturday , the Municipal Officials for Redevelopment Reform (M.O.R.R.) and Californians United for Redevelopment Education (CURE) held their 16th annual conference in Southern California regarding redevelopment abuse and the abuse of Eminent Domain that comes with it. The conference always focuses on issues that relate to those who have been through the Government abuse of eminent domain, but this time around it also focused on an additional issue: Governor Brown’s proposal to abolish redevelopment agencies statewide and how we all can help achieve this goal. Several guest speakers took a stand behind the podium at the Elks Lodge in Glendale, where this year’s event was hosted. Though the Elks Lodge was not the original location for the conference, it was the targeted luncheon spot for those attending it. However, it became the main hall for the event after the organizers had to “re-strategize” the meeting location. They had a deal with “then” owner Ray Patel to host the event at the Golden Key Hotel on Colorado Blvd., but due to some “legalities” with the newly announced owner (Rick Caruso) the group decided to move the event to the Lodge. While planning the event The Golden Key Hotel was considered the perfect location for it, especially since the threat of eminent domain was being used against Patel. Remember? Big time developer Caruso had the city of Glendale wrapped around his finger and got them to issue just the simple “threat” of eminent domain, which ultimately forced Patel to sell his property to Caruso. “Rumors” have it that Caruso had to shell out $16 Million large ones in order to obtain the desired property next to the Americana @ Brand. Now Caruso is “kind enough” to let Ray stay until December 31, 2011. With that said some believe that the case of Caruso vs. Patel (or David vs Goliath) in Glendale is yet another poster child of why the RDA’s have to be abolished. Nobody should ever have to be forced to negotiate “with a gun to the head”, but that’s exactly what those agencies and their eminent domain powers do. “Give me your property or else …” – A simple threat like that can turn ones life upside down. In the end Ray Patel spoke as the “guest speaker” during the luncheon program, sharing his ordeal with the attendees. He also answered questions about taxes, about him paving the way for Caruso to crush other properties around the Golden Key and if he was to continue to help fight the good fight and support those who are still going through the eminent domain process. Most of his answers were well thought through, precise and short. The particularly short one was in regard to the supporting others, which Patel answered with a simple “Yes, of course”. Many came for Saturday’s conference, some as near as Glendale itself and as one far away as Florida, yes, that’s right: Florida, just to participate in the talks of how to help Governor Brown achieve his plan to abolish these vicious agencies and to share experiences and educate one another on how to come out atop. Cherie Coccia traveled all the way from New Smyrna, FL (near Daytona Beach, FL) to share her experience with the RDA in Florida only because she had found the website that gave her hope that there are others in the USA who are facing the same problems as her community. Visit: www.redevelopment.com and www.redevelopment.us. As it turns out her county is being put through the ringer of the RDA, and nobody even knew what RDA stands for. – Kind of shows how little the government teaches regular people about the “unknown” government, doesn’t it? Other speakers on the agenda included a former Mayor of the city Carson, as well as people from the San Fernando Valley, Pasadena, Arcadia, Sacramento, South Gate, Temecula, Murrieta, Riverside, Rubidoux, Grand Terrace, Desert Hot Springs, Mission Viejo, Fresno, Fullerton, Hollywood, Los Angeles and Daytona Beach (FL). Though Los Angeles Council Member Jose Huizar was also listed as a speaker, he was a No-Show. One has to wonder if that had something to do with the fact that two of his constituents from Boyle Heights were at the conference and were able to share their experience with the CRA/LA Land Grab and the unresponsive office of CD 14? I guess we will never know. Free legal advice was also available through the attorneys, who attended. – Both attorneys-at-law talked about the negative impact RDA’s have on communities and how important it is to “get rid of them”. They stayed way after the conference was over to address concerns and questions, which is something one does not see all that often, especially since their advice came free of charge. One could think that experiencing the abused power of eminent domain is the only thing that connects these people with each other at these conferences, but one would be wrong. – The real connection behind it is Assembly Member Chris Norby (R) of the 72nd district. He’s been hosting the conferences all these years and he is been the most outspoken leader in Sacramento when it comes to abolishing the RDA’s. Norby knows that taking someone’s private property under the threat of eminent domain is wrong and then giving it to someone else for private gain is even worse and all of that that has to be stopped now. The best way to stop the abuse that redevelopment brings with it is by abolishing the redevelopment agencies statewide. The best way to do just that is by calling / faxing ANY State Representatives (Assembly & Senate) who has not signed on to support the Governor! As a last word I would like to add that I sincerely hope that this was the last of this type of conference and that the next time we can gather in celebrating the fact that the RDA’s are gone and gone for good. In that spirit please pick up your phones and call your officials or type up a letter and then fax it to them. Either way will be just fine, as long as you make your voice being heard. (Ziggy Kruse is an activist and reporter for www.HNN-TV.com . She is also a former Board Member of the Hollywood Studio District Neighborhood Council. Ziggy can be reached at ziggykruse@gmail.com) –cw CityWatch Vol 9 Issue 29 Pub: Apr 12, 2011 |
