Council Blow by Blow for 6-23-08

OK.

A little late getting to this one.

Guess what? Madison's here in person. Looking tanned, dude!

Bogaard says the council was in budget deliberations before the meeting.
Ann Erdman does the pledge. Bogaard calls her the queen of the blogosphere.

PUBLIC COMMENT: John Walsh doesn't like that Tyler didn't vote on the landmark building a couple of weeks ago. Guess Walsh lost and thinks Tyler coulda won it for him.

CONSENT CALENDAR: They're spending a buncha millions on Crossing Guards, Power Plant retrofits and consultants. Melekian has them hold off on parking enforcement contract but spend the rest pretty quick.

ENERGY SAVINGS FOR PASADENA CONVENTION CENTER: They're putting incentives for the Convention Center project. It'll be energy efficient and cheaper. Sounds good. They're getting the money from PWP and it's going to the Convention Center. So, am I paying for this, too?

BOND TRANSACTION TO SAVE MONEY AND OTHER MONEY STUFF: Apparently the City's got $75 million in bond swapped for low interest rates with somebody who's basically broke. AMBACK can't pay their part, so Pasadena has to finance at a higher rate. They followed on with some quick financial stuff that amounts to millions and millions but didn't get explained at all. Madison says something about this being what sunk Orange County.

COUNCIL PAL CARMICHAEL GETS APPOINTED TO ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE. No surprises.

HADERLEIN GETS A CALL UP: He doesn't like something about a house that's getting a second story built on it in Hastings ranch. Can anybody say East Pasadena Surrender Monkey? Oh, I know he's not exactly Madison, but he's doing a fair amount of pandering.

THE BUDGET: Tyler says it's the City Manager's budget so he should present it. Tyler says the Finance Committee wants to hold Health Department money in some reserve account to use if they need it. Tyler says the electric company is paying for city hall. There's gonna be a Housing Department now and We get a real short presentation from Melekian. He talks about a couple things that got added and increasing the general fund reserve to 10%. They're doing zero based budgeting but I don't really know what's different about that.

Public Comment: Chamber guy Paul Little says the city shouldn't add to their reserve after asking people to vote for Measure D. He says if the city has $4,000,000 more to put in the bank they oughta give it back to everybody who pays the Utility Tax. He says something like "You promised you needed the money and now you're putting it in the bank. You need ta give it back." Tyler and Airheaderlein fall over themselves to justify fattening the city wallet instead of mine. Staff says other cities have more reserves so Pasadena should do it too. We gotta be Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach. Guess Truitt and wack job Wayne were right about all this. Too bad they did such a piss poor job fighting Measure D. Little's right and we all got suckered. Especially Little and the Chamber for supporting Measure D and his council pack of liars.

Holden asks Melekian to talk about unfunded priorities. He says they're having workshops about the general plan. He says Council's been compiling a list of $5,000,000 projects and Melekian's gonna talk about them on July 12th at a workshop. Holden wants to know what other cities do for public schools and says Pasadena should think about changing what they do. So my money's headed for PUSD. GREAT! Piss that away too.

Ashton Clark Rice: Altadena person wants money for neighborhood outreach program. She's a volunteer who likes the program and says the NOW workers are good workers.
Laura White: She likes the NOW program too.
El Centro de Action Social people: Randy Ertell says fund their program 'cause it helps the kids. They should pay for it. Mrs. DeLaTorre says in Spanish the oldsters need their money for Villa Parke English and computer classes. Mumbling woman says her English is improving 'cause of El Centro's classes. Dr. Barbara Goldstein PUSD school psychologist says give El Centro the money so the kids do better in school. John Transvena MALDEF guy says give El Centro the cash.

They stop the budget and do the block grant funding.

HOTEL AND MOTEL ASSESSMENTS FOR 2008-09: The hotels are paying for convention center work.

HUD FEDERAL GRANT ACTION PLAN: Melekian says this year was hard because 31 organizations fought over less money. Stephanie deWolf explains it. Holden asks about Human Services recommendation. Some of the money wasn't spent last year but it's in this year's.
Public comment: Human Services Commission Chair Jerod Marlot something says the recommendation is fair. He says they only got about $600,000 but got asked for two times that much. He says they were thorough, fair and objective. Greg Harrison former chair of Human Services Commission says they did everything right. Everybody deserves money but they don't have enough to pay for them. Doreen Garcia works for a non-profit and is on the commission and says they got it right. Christine Alvarado from Child Care Information Service says they should get money. Tim Peters from Door of Hope helps homeless families and deserves money.
Holden says there's not enoiugh money for everybody who deserves it. He kisses 'em and then tells 'em they're f*cked. McAustin says the process is thoughtful and thorough. Gordo says the staff recommendation is good but they should give Door of Hope money if any shows up. Gordo likes the El Centro senior program and wants Melekian or staff to help find the money for that one. Madison sticks up for El Centro too.

They do the staff recommendation and talk about how to help El Centro and Door of Hope. Yaking all around in circles does nothing much. Tyler wants to help and doesn't want to McAustin says they shouldn't micromanage it at all. They do the staff recommendation then say of there's more money the commission should look at Door of Hope and El Centro. Heysoos these people all talk with nowhere to go. By the end McAustin's confused. Madison says they're wasting more money in electricity than $13,000. McAustin says she has a right to understand the motion even though it's foolish. They're all effing stupid by now.

BACK TO THE BUDGET: They just pass it with nothing else to talk about. 45 minutes on $13K and 45 seconds on 500 million. Holden pats Melekian on the back.

WATER RATES ARE GOING UP thanks very much.

Madison says the city owns Del Mar parking spaces. Madison wants legislative committee to look at obese kids.

This meeting was foolish folly. Budget's done in a few seconds. We get f*cked completely on water rates and the budget. Am I supposed to be surprised when the politicos do exactly what they always do. Lie to get my money hen put it someplace that ain't gonna do me any good. You local tax dollars at work for your local councilmembers. What's different about this bunch? They gotta spend 45 minutes to go nowhere about $13,000 but take 45 seconds to take $4 million from me.

'nuff said.

D.