That $9M payoff to the owner of the Fun Factory became over $14M when it was financed. If you add in seven years of lost lease revenue, you are up to $17M-$19M. Just a few days later the same Council approved a lease commitment (called the ALPIF) with CenterCal despite the looming Measure C election results just 35 days away. Even the City Attorney warned the Council they did not need to approve the ALPIF that night. Now that has cost us $2M plus attorney fees to date. And we forfeited payback from CenterCal for the EIR that was voided by a judge.
In their blatant disregard for their constituents and their fiduciary responsibility to protect city revenues and finances, Emdee, Horvath, Barbee and Aspel cost us over $25M needlessly. We will be paying that bill for over a decade to come. The failed, illegal CenterCal mall-by-the-sea has got to be one of the most costly travesties in the history of Redondo Beach… what a great legacy for the that Council. This is why elections matter.
Last month's election turnout was an abysmal, record low 22.7%, even lower than the 23.2% from 2019, where Flinn and Witkin ran unopposed and therefore, combined, generated <50% of the votes.
School shootings...RBUSD had better follow Torrance's lead ASAP to secure our front doors with at least buzzers and a default locked position, let alone steel gates. Every single school site is a too open door policy ready to be exploited for any reason, let alone an active shooter.
I hear and get that feedback from others. I guess what I would say is:
(1) we keep our homes locked as a default, even when we're home;
(2) in fact, most homes I canvassed even blocked their windows with shades, film, etc. for zero visibility;
(3) Class A office buildings have security guards, access-only elevators, etc. I don't think they feel like fortresses at all;
(4) technology can easily enable pre-authorized folks. At my office, I can set my phones to unlock the doors just by approaching it. So for example, even non-staff like PTA/RBEF folks could come in/out without nary an inconvenience;
(5) 2A...we can't have our cake and eat it too, whichever side you sit on this issue.
That $9M payoff to the owner of the Fun Factory became over $14M when it was financed. If you add in seven years of lost lease revenue, you are up to $17M-$19M. Just a few days later the same Council approved a lease commitment (called the ALPIF) with CenterCal despite the looming Measure C election results just 35 days away. Even the City Attorney warned the Council they did not need to approve the ALPIF that night. Now that has cost us $2M plus attorney fees to date. And we forfeited payback from CenterCal for the EIR that was voided by a judge.
In their blatant disregard for their constituents and their fiduciary responsibility to protect city revenues and finances, Emdee, Horvath, Barbee and Aspel cost us over $25M needlessly. We will be paying that bill for over a decade to come. The failed, illegal CenterCal mall-by-the-sea has got to be one of the most costly travesties in the history of Redondo Beach… what a great legacy for the that Council. This is why elections matter.
Such an unbelievable waste of money and they never apologized.
Read the article in the Easy Reader. Bruning and Emdee are spinning and misrepresenting the facts. Infuriating.
I did see that. Crazy how much ink he gave Bruning to spout nonsense about Jim Crow etc.
Last month's election turnout was an abysmal, record low 22.7%, even lower than the 23.2% from 2019, where Flinn and Witkin ran unopposed and therefore, combined, generated <50% of the votes.
School shootings...RBUSD had better follow Torrance's lead ASAP to secure our front doors with at least buzzers and a default locked position, let alone steel gates. Every single school site is a too open door policy ready to be exploited for any reason, let alone an active shooter.
It's so sad we have to make our schools fortresses. That's not the way it was at Alta Vista in the 80s.
I hear and get that feedback from others. I guess what I would say is:
(1) we keep our homes locked as a default, even when we're home;
(2) in fact, most homes I canvassed even blocked their windows with shades, film, etc. for zero visibility;
(3) Class A office buildings have security guards, access-only elevators, etc. I don't think they feel like fortresses at all;
(4) technology can easily enable pre-authorized folks. At my office, I can set my phones to unlock the doors just by approaching it. So for example, even non-staff like PTA/RBEF folks could come in/out without nary an inconvenience;
(5) 2A...we can't have our cake and eat it too, whichever side you sit on this issue.
At this point it's the reality, we have to secure the schools. I totally agree. Still depressing though.
I love this newsletter -- thanks for writing it, David.