(Sept. 10, 2008) -- Terry Jensen, a former member of LB's Redevelopment Agency Board, has announced that he will speak in opposition to Measure I, the proposed property parcel tax at the Wrigley Association's next meeting on Oct. 6.
Mr. Jensen told LBReport.com that he opposes the measure as written, seeks a better measure and made his decision to speak out after hearing recent statements by Mayor Bob Foster to the NLB Community Action Group and Wrigley Association (the latter available with extended on-demand audio on LBReport.com).
Mr. Jensen said he believes Measure I deserves defeat in its present form and expressed opposition to statements by the Mayor (exact quote below) implying that if one cares about LB, they'd support the Mayor's measure.
"Well, I care deeply about this city and I don't think it should be borrowing almost three-quarters of a billion dollars in spite of our perilous financial condition," Mr. Jensen said. "It's very unfair for the Mayor to make the characterization that someone doesn't love this City because they don't approve of what he's proposed. He didn't get public input on the text of this measure before the night [the Council] put it on the ballot. He brought it forward without hearing from businesses and residents on its fiscal and taxpayer impacts and the Council [8-1, Schipske dissenting] put it on the ballot in one night. That's irresponsible."
On Sept. 8, Mayor Foster speaking at the Wrigley Association, used the technique of attributing views to unnamed opponents [who weren't able to rebut him]. Prior to saying it would take people "really spending time and caring about their community to get this done [to get the measure passed]," Mayor Foster said:
"[I]t's real easy to say "no" and be negative, very easy to say "no" and be negative. 'I just don't want to do it; I don't want to spend the money; all you guys in government stink; you can't do anything; we don't want to do anything' you know. If you believe that, what are you living in this community for?..." Mayor Foster said.
LB Taxpayers Association co-founders Kathy Ryan and Tom Stout are scheduled to speak at the Oct. 6 Wrigley Ass'n meeting in opposition to the measure (and separately at the NLB CAG). Mr. Jensen says his presentation in Wrigley will be independent and he's not affiliated with any group.
At the Wrigley Ass'n and NLB CAG meetings, Mayor Foster and City Manager Pat West spoke without an opposing speaker to challenge/rebut their claims and fielded Q & A, in which they provided the only answers.
Although the Wrigley Ass'n and NLB CAG have scheduled upcoming speakers to present the case against the measure, it's unclear if other neighborhood or business groups are doing likewise.
Mr. Jensen, a business consultant known for pressing Redevelopment Agency staff for answers (and dissenting if he received less than responsive responses), told LBReport.com this afternoon (Sept. 10):
Mr. Jensen: I oppose the measure in its present form. I believe a more comprehensive and fiscally responsible plan can be prepared.
It irritated me to hear the Mayor say [paraphrase] that if one cares about this City, they'll support his measure. Well, I care deeply about this City and I don't think it should be borrowing almost three-quarters of a billion dollars, especially in light of our perilous financial condition.
I'm not running for any office. I have nothing to gain. I don't think the measure proposed is prudent at this time.
As written, it lets five Council people decide what the infrastructure tax money will be spent on.
How tragically entertaining it would be if they get their hands on $571 million [the full cost of the debt bond is $638 million] when they can't even get together on their own Council office spending. They've spent us darn near into bankruptcy, and now they expect us to trust them again?
It's very unfair for the Mayor to make the characterization that someone doesn't love this City because they don't approve of what he's proposed. He didn't get public input on the text of this measure before the night [the Council] put it on the ballot. He brought it forward without hearing from businesses and residents on its fiscal and taxpayer impacts and the Council [8-1, Schipske dissenting] put it on the ballot in one night. That's irresponsible.
The infrastructure categories in the measure are very broad, subject to broad interpretation, and the measure basically lets them allocate the money in any darn way they please, which may or may not be for infrastructure we want.
The "advisory committee" is a joke. It has no decionmaking power, it's advisory only, and it's chosen by City Hall. Why should anybody believe they'd even listen to an advisory committee when they put this on the ballot without any public input on what the measure actually says?
There's nothing that stops the Council from seeing this $571 million as a pot of gold for fixing public works projects. Once they get their hands on the tax proceeds, they can cut the Public Works and Parks & Rec budgets down to nothing and spend it somewhere else, on anything they want, using the infrastructure tax money to backfill. That may be legal but I consider that a kind of budgetary money laundering.
I don't question the Mayor's honesty or integrity or love of this city. I just think he's come up with a bad plan.
As written, I don't think it's fiscally prudent. There's not adequate money set aside to replace components being constructed and repaired. The measure doesn't require setting money aside for reserves.
Unfortunately, what we're voting on is what's actually on the ballot. What's on the ballot is the Mayor's plan, but it's not our plan and as written I don't believe it's prudent.
I'm going to speak my mind at the Wrigley Association. People may or may not agree with me. All I can do is give my opinion and people are free to agree or disagree.
