Dear Mayor Fargo, you have really done it now

This morning I opened up the Bee to find an article that has had me grinding my teeth for three hours. I am so mad I could spew! Thank you Mary Lynne Vellinga for getting out what I've been complaining about since we moved to North Natomas in 1999. The North Natomas community plan was a farce designed to make the city look like good planners. Don't believe me? Read the Grand Jury Report.

Somehow all the lies of Lennar and the promises of the city have slipped the councilmembers and the mayor's minds. I have ranted extensively about the lack of police substation, the unfinished parks, the rezoned school land that disappeared. But Mayor Fargo has outdone herself this time.

Quoting from the Bee article "While she frequently hears complaints about a lack of police services, Fargo said the area has much less violent crime than many other city neighborhoods."

Seriously North Natomas residents, your mayor just told you to stop whining because people don't die here.

I ran the crime stats myself this morning from 8/1/2007 to 9/30/2007. The area classified as North Natomas had 194 crimes, 22 assaults. East Sacramento had 240 crimes, 19 assaults and Land Park had 119 crimes, 10 assaults. Yes... the data suggests that we are faring better than Oak Park or Del Paso Heights.

But when I bought my house, I wasn't promised that it'd be better than Oak Park.

We bought our house in Natomas Park in 1999 on a PROMISE from the city that it would be the most amazing development in all of California and even maybe all of the west coast. We gave up a nice house in East Sac, near everything, including the light rail to work. We were promised regional parks, bike and walking trails, great schools, a light rail line, public transportation and walking commercial centers.

According to the article, planning director Carol Shearly says "We were cautious about overburdening the development with fees because we really wanted it to get started." So the city didn't bother to make sure that all the promises they and Lennar were selling, were actually funded. They didn't stop Lennar from publishing their fancy brochures with all the wonderful amenities. Mayor Fargo and Ray Tretheway talked up North Natomas like a new Disneyland- everything you could want and more.

Knowing full well that they were unfunded and that many things, like the police substation and community centers, had been taken off the table long long ago.

Councilman Tretheway says "I talk to a lot of average people. They love Natomas. They're going crazy over it." Seriously Mr. Tretheway, do they live here? I love my neighborhood but I wouldn't say that anyone I know is "going crazy over it." Afraid to walk to school? yes. Afraid to walk around at night? yes. Afraid of getting hit in one of the disastrous parking lots? yes. But going crazy? That's a major leap of faith.

Ms. Vellinga's article points out that the city decided the grand jury report used outdated information. That is correct, but that was the entire point of the grand jury report. The city did not follow the original community plan; they simply changed it at will. Many of us bought our houses based on "outdated information."

To Mayor Fargo:
Now I'm mad. You have a reelection campaign coming up. I'm throwing my money, time and energy behind someone else. I'll be knocking doors and ringing phones for another candidate who perhaps won't be so overburdened by the job. You are no Joe Serna.

Other tidbits from the Grand Jury Report

*Sacramento County currently pays its pharmacists for health clinics 10% less than neighboring counties and 25-35% less than area hospitals. Temporary pharmacists are actually paid anywhere between 30 and 50% more than permanent hires. This pay scale problem has left a shortage of pharmacists, according to the report.

* The City and County are continuing to allow development in areas that do not have 100-year flood protection. Potential flood depths in some areas are greater than 15 feet. The report recommends that all building in North Natomas stops immediately until at least 100 year flood protection is achieved.

*The Education committee toured several area high schools and listed several components of the programs at each school. None of these snapshots shows any critique of the schools or programs. It is simply a short summary of the committee's tour of the campus and a description of the programs. It reads more like a marketing brochure for each school.

Betrayal in the Kingdom- The Grand Jury Report

The next series of blogs will be about the Sacramento County Grand Jury report for 2006-2007. It's not a very exciting read but so much information is buried inside that I'll try to summarize the important pieces for you!

If you've been reading for a while, you know I hate the city's attempt at Measures Q and R- also known as "the arena deal." Evidently, I wasn't the only one with suspicions as November 7, 2006, the Grand Jury began investigating the city and county's dealings with the Kings.

The backstory is this: when the Kings moved in 1985 to Sacramento from Kansas City, the favors and backroom deals began. The owners then had difficulty finding someone to finance an arena in flood prone Natomas, so the Sacramento City Employees' Pension fund loaned them $8 million. In 1997, the city loaned the Kings another $78.5 million and discussion began for a "Partnership for Playing" where the city would commit $150 million to Arco Arena and commit infrastructure to a new arena. The Kings withdrew their proposal in 1997 but left a feeling that the city would be the personal financier of the Kings. There were other loans issued in 1997 but the details are not public, despite being made from public funds.

$700,000 of public funds were spent getting Measures Q and R on the ballot in 2006, including $300,000 for sports consultants. The Grand Jury report is scathing, including "All the election hype and analyses were bogus!" Clearly the Grand Jury believes that the taxpayers were misled, lied to and fed a story that was neither true or researched.

And so we end up with the railyard. Yippee for us!! The city has conceded that it paid $55 million for a building that it does not think is worth $55 million. The infrastructure in the area will take years to develop but the city has implied that we'll have a railyard development very soon. Nevermind that there have been no objective studies of the railyard development or Richards Blvd. development. We love the Kings... or at least some city politicians love them so much that the idea of losing them is too much to handle.

In summary, the Grand Jury believes that the 2006 ballot measures Q and R, the railyard development, the love affair with the Kings and the 1997 loans had a hint of scam and the city has not been forthright with the citizens. It's time to shed a little light on the process!