The People are the City - Really?
Palm Springs, California. The City of Palm Springs motto is "The People are the City" and, according to their website, it represents a commitment to involve "all residents and citizens in the decisions that build the community". City mottos are nice but too often, as in Palm Springs, it is more in the saying than in the doing. Major decisions in Palm Springs are made or heavily influenced by downtown business interests and millionaire residents who use their money to get what they want. It really is their city and taxpayers are the worker bees. That may explain why residents are called taxpayers for they are the ones who seem to pay the bills big money interests incur.
The sad fact that money buys influence is all too evident in the current no-expense-spared campaign by city officials and downtown interests to extract $43 million in taxpayer dollars from the General Fund. That money is intended to provide funds for the Desert Fashion Plaza owner to use for his property improvements. This is not a Redevelopment Agency investment; it's an actual gift of taxpayer funds to a private citizen. The profits that will accrue to the Plaza owner will be his and the city will not share in the financial windfall he is expected to reap from the transaction.
"Citizens for Revitalizing Downtown" is the name of a new downtown-financed group created to persuade taxpayers to vote yes on Measure J - the 1% Sales Tax hike ordinance. There is no actual revitalization plan and the committee name is a smokescreen to hide its true intent. Revitalizing downtown leaders are only interested in a new sales tax levy to raise funds for use as local business property improvements and upgrades. The $43 million intended for the John Wessman interests represent the first in the planned giveaway of the $200 million expected from the 1% Sales Tax hike. City officials may protest or claim other uses are intended, but downtown interests call the shots in this community and their desires are the ones that have and will continue to prevail. If taxpayers vote yes on Measure J they will be sending City Hall a clear message that gifts of taxpayer funds to private property owners are acceptable actions.
Palm Springs Taxpayers is a new group of residents opposed to passage of Measure J. Their first meeting has been set for Tuesday, September 6th at 6:45 p.m. It will be hosted by former city council member Jim Jones, KNEWS radio's Elise Richmond will moderate the meeting, Barbara Beaty will be taking minutes, Bob Richmond, Bond Shands and others will be speaking. The meeting agenda will include hearing the views of others in attendance, creation of a No on Measure J committee and its name, fundraising plans, campaign strategy, identifying supporters, and recruiting active campaign participants.
All who are opposed to the 1% Sales Tax hike and gift of taxpayer funds for Desert Fashion Plaza are encouraged to attend. Send an email to pstaxpayer@gmail.com to indicate plans to attend. An email confirmation that includes the meeting address will be sent.
Please join your neighbors and fellow residents in this critical and important effort to defeat Measure J. Taxpayers need to send City Hall and downtown interests a strong message that financial responsibility does not include giving taxpayer funds to private developers - or anyone else!
Bond Shands
PLEASE FORWARD COPIES OF THIS MEETING INVITATION TO OTHERS.
Send requests for more information to the following:
The sad fact that money buys influence is all too evident in the current no-expense-spared campaign by city officials and downtown interests to extract $43 million in taxpayer dollars from the General Fund. That money is intended to provide funds for the Desert Fashion Plaza owner to use for his property improvements. This is not a Redevelopment Agency investment; it's an actual gift of taxpayer funds to a private citizen. The profits that will accrue to the Plaza owner will be his and the city will not share in the financial windfall he is expected to reap from the transaction.
"Citizens for Revitalizing Downtown" is the name of a new downtown-financed group created to persuade taxpayers to vote yes on Measure J - the 1% Sales Tax hike ordinance. There is no actual revitalization plan and the committee name is a smokescreen to hide its true intent. Revitalizing downtown leaders are only interested in a new sales tax levy to raise funds for use as local business property improvements and upgrades. The $43 million intended for the John Wessman interests represent the first in the planned giveaway of the $200 million expected from the 1% Sales Tax hike. City officials may protest or claim other uses are intended, but downtown interests call the shots in this community and their desires are the ones that have and will continue to prevail. If taxpayers vote yes on Measure J they will be sending City Hall a clear message that gifts of taxpayer funds to private property owners are acceptable actions.
Palm Springs Taxpayers is a new group of residents opposed to passage of Measure J. Their first meeting has been set for Tuesday, September 6th at 6:45 p.m. It will be hosted by former city council member Jim Jones, KNEWS radio's Elise Richmond will moderate the meeting, Barbara Beaty will be taking minutes, Bob Richmond, Bond Shands and others will be speaking. The meeting agenda will include hearing the views of others in attendance, creation of a No on Measure J committee and its name, fundraising plans, campaign strategy, identifying supporters, and recruiting active campaign participants.
All who are opposed to the 1% Sales Tax hike and gift of taxpayer funds for Desert Fashion Plaza are encouraged to attend. Send an email to pstaxpayer@gmail.com to indicate plans to attend. An email confirmation that includes the meeting address will be sent.
Please join your neighbors and fellow residents in this critical and important effort to defeat Measure J. Taxpayers need to send City Hall and downtown interests a strong message that financial responsibility does not include giving taxpayer funds to private developers - or anyone else!
Bond Shands
Palm Springs
September 1, 2011
- End -
Copies of this blog are available to all on the www.DesertObserver.com website
or to those on the Desert Politics & Elections email distribution list available by request from
politics@DesertObserver.com
or to those on the Desert Politics & Elections email distribution list available by request from
politics@DesertObserver.com
PLEASE FORWARD COPIES OF THIS MEETING INVITATION TO OTHERS.
Send requests for more information to the following:
Palm Springs Taxpayers
c/o Bond Shands - P.O. Box 4826 - Palm Springs, CA 92263
pstaxpayer@gmail.com
c/o Bond Shands - P.O. Box 4826 - Palm Springs, CA 92263
pstaxpayer@gmail.com
The Desert Observer Website www.DesertObserver.com
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Posted by Desert Observer at 9/1/2011 2:52 PM 
Categories: Opinion, Politics, City Council, Desert Fashion Plaza, Announcements
Tags: Palm Springs Taxpayers
Categories: Opinion, Politics, City Council, Desert Fashion Plaza, Announcements
Tags: Palm Springs Taxpayers
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