"Try a little harder for sales tax
…Additional sales tax revenue could have helped pay the debt.
The sales tax offers a good way to spread the burden more evenly…
Commisioners can find good reasons to place another quarter–cent sales tax increase
on the November ballot.
…A tax hike won’t sell itself.
This time they’ll have to “Try of yeah, just a little bit harder.”"
Not online propaganda
Greensboro News & Record Editorial Board
Friday, July 30, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Newsbusted is New for 7-30-2010 Compliments of Newsbusters Enjoy the Embedded Video
Newsbusted is new for 7-30-2010 please enjoy the embedded video compliments of our friends at newsbusters CLICKHERE
Thursday, July 29, 2010
How can the Pulpit Forum rail against inequities at the GPD, but not lift a finger for RUCO?
Group wants delay in hiring a new police chief
Ryan Seals
.
Will any members of the Pulpit Forum attend the RUCO taskforce meeting
at TREBIC headquarters at 8:30am
Friday, July 30, 2010?
Task force members butt heads on curtailing rental inspections
Jordan Green
Yes Weekly
Friday, July 16, 2010
TREBIC 2009 City Council Candidate Questions:
Should Rental Unit Certificate of Occupancy (RUCO) taskforce meet at TREBIC’s headquarters? Thursday, July 15, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
TREBIC + RUCO = FOX GUARDING HEN HOUSE
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Does Robbie Perkins intend to speak for some of his constituants
at the RUCO meeting at TREBIC headquarters?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Does District 2's Jim Kee intend to speak for some of his constituants
at the RUCO meeting at TREBIC headquarters?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Why would Skip Alston say "$40 million debt service next year" when the estimate is $98,252,299?
plus the $9 million in operational expenses for the new county jail,” [Skip] Alston said.
Joe Killian
Greensboro News and Record, July 29, 2010
http://www.co.guilford.nc.us/11budgetpro/30%20-%20Debt.pdf
Page 3 of 8
Hat Tip Guarino
If Greensboro City Council Members and Guilford County Commissioners are Fiduciaries…?
"The fiduciary duty is a legal relationship of confidence or trust between two or more parties.
One party…acts in a fiduciary capacity to another, such as one whose funds are entrusted to it.
In a fiduciary relation, one person justifiably reposes confidence, good faith, reliance and trust in another whose aid, advice or protection is sought in some matter.
In such a relation, good conscience requires one to act at all times for the sole benefit and interests of another, with loyalty to those interests.
A fiduciary…must not put his personal interests before the duty, and must not profit from his position as a fiduciary, unless the principal consents.
A fiduciary cannot have a conflict of interest.
…A fiduciary must not profit from the fiduciary position.
This includes any benefits or profits which although unrelated to the fiduciary position,
came about because of an opportunity that the fiduciary position afforded.
Secret commissions, or bribes also come under the no profit rule.
Conduct by a fiduciary may be deemed constructive fraud,
when it is based on acts, omissions or concealments…that gives one an advantage."
Fiduciary
Wikipedia
One party…acts in a fiduciary capacity to another, such as one whose funds are entrusted to it.
In a fiduciary relation, one person justifiably reposes confidence, good faith, reliance and trust in another whose aid, advice or protection is sought in some matter.
In such a relation, good conscience requires one to act at all times for the sole benefit and interests of another, with loyalty to those interests.
A fiduciary…must not put his personal interests before the duty, and must not profit from his position as a fiduciary, unless the principal consents.
A fiduciary cannot have a conflict of interest.
…A fiduciary must not profit from the fiduciary position.
This includes any benefits or profits which although unrelated to the fiduciary position,
came about because of an opportunity that the fiduciary position afforded.
Secret commissions, or bribes also come under the no profit rule.
Conduct by a fiduciary may be deemed constructive fraud,
when it is based on acts, omissions or concealments…that gives one an advantage."
Fiduciary
Wikipedia
George Hartzman, born in Livermore, California, July 27, 1967
I believe in my family,
and for giving them the chance to succeed that my father gave me,
and his father gave him.
I believe in people being better off for having known me,
and in not doing to others what I would not have them do to me,
unless I need to.
Robert Guth
and in saying what I’ll do and doing what I say.
I believe in living in the moment.
I believe in simplicity
and that sometimes attachment is suffering.
I believe in doing the right thing when nobody is looking.
I believe in living my dreams
and in hope, charity and the goodness of others.
I believe we should not spend more than we make.
I believe in the achievement of excellence in what I do.
I believe that what I think is who I am.
I believe in love and forgiveness.
I believe that the future will be better than the past.
I believe in dying young at an old age
I believe in myself
and in laughing
and trying to be the human being I think my dogs think I am.
.
and for giving them the chance to succeed that my father gave me,
and his father gave him.
I believe in people being better off for having known me,
and in not doing to others what I would not have them do to me,
unless I need to.
…the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory,
the birthplace of some of the deadliest weapons known to man.
Robert Guth
The Wall Street Journal
I believe in telling the truth
and in saying what I’ll do and doing what I say.
I believe in living in the moment.
I believe in simplicity
and that sometimes attachment is suffering.
I believe in doing the right thing when nobody is looking.
I believe in living my dreams
and in hope, charity and the goodness of others.
I believe we should not spend more than we make.
I believe in the achievement of excellence in what I do.
I believe that what I think is who I am.
I believe in love and forgiveness.
I believe that the future will be better than the past.
I believe in dying young at an old age
I believe in myself
and in laughing
and trying to be the human being I think my dogs think I am.
.
I believe in not stealing from my kids.
.
George Hartzman
.
The true measure of a man
is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.
.
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Do City Council Members and/or County Commissioners get paid extra to serve on boards and commissions?
"...The [Bell County, California] council has increased its compensation by paying members for serving on a variety of city agencies, including the Community Redevelopment Agency, the Community Housing Authority, the Planning Commission, the Public Financing Authority, the Surplus Property Authority and the Solid Waste and Recycling Authority.
...city records show each council member receives $7,873.25 per month for sitting on those boards.
Records indicate that the boards of those agencies perform little work and that board meetings take place during council meetings, though the names of some of the agencies seldom appear.
In some years, the council would hold separate meetings for those agencies, and they would sometimes last no more than a minute. On July 31, 2006, four agencies each met for one minute.
On March 3, 2008, the redevelopment agency meeting was called to order at 7:21 p.m. and adjourned at 7:22 p.m.
Councilman Luis Artiga, who was appointed to the council 15 months ago to fill an unexpired term, said he had no idea how much he would be paid. When he received his first check, he thought it was "a miracle from God.""
Jeff Gottlieb and Ruben Vives
Los Angeles Times
...city records show each council member receives $7,873.25 per month for sitting on those boards.
Records indicate that the boards of those agencies perform little work and that board meetings take place during council meetings, though the names of some of the agencies seldom appear.
In some years, the council would hold separate meetings for those agencies, and they would sometimes last no more than a minute. On July 31, 2006, four agencies each met for one minute.
On March 3, 2008, the redevelopment agency meeting was called to order at 7:21 p.m. and adjourned at 7:22 p.m.
Councilman Luis Artiga, who was appointed to the council 15 months ago to fill an unexpired term, said he had no idea how much he would be paid. When he received his first check, he thought it was "a miracle from God.""
Jeff Gottlieb and Ruben Vives
Los Angeles Times
Questions for Yes Weekly's Brian Clarey on Greensboro Coliseum Trade/Barter Agreements
"...during a controversial discussion about various projects and concerns at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, Director Matt Brown mentioned that [Yes Weekly] had held a discussion about naming rights for the new — and again, controversial — amphitheater.
...everything involving the coliseum and its environs elicits controversy because it is owned by the city.
...we do business with the coliseum, just like every other print publication and most other media in town.
Just like we also do business with the Lawrence Joel in Winston-Salem, the High Point Theatre, the Carolina Theatre, Triad Stage, SECCA and every other arts and entertainment venue that wants access to the smartest and best-informed readers in the Triad. That’s how it works.
None of that has anything to do with our editorial content...
...Currently at issue is an ACC VIP lounge, approved by council last week, to be funded by a grant from Ovations as part of a deal for securing concession rights in the arena.
Some seem to feel that the money should have been used against the $1.8 million or so subsidy afforded the venue by the city.
But we see nothing wrong with using this grant to improve this city-owned facility.
...On this one, Matt Brown got it right, particularly since he was shrewd enough to allay much of the construction costs using tickets as trade. And we’re not saying that because he paid us to do so...
...these improvements are contractually linked to the grant..."
The nature of the business
Brian Clarey
Yes Weekly
...everything involving the coliseum and its environs elicits controversy because it is owned by the city.
...we do business with the coliseum, just like every other print publication and most other media in town.
What are the specifics of the trade/barter agreements
between the Greensboro News & Record, the Rhino Times and Yes Weekly?
Just like we also do business with the Lawrence Joel in Winston-Salem, the High Point Theatre, the Carolina Theatre, Triad Stage, SECCA and every other arts and entertainment venue that wants access to the smartest and best-informed readers in the Triad. That’s how it works.
Fair enough...
None of that has anything to do with our editorial content...
Have some mainstream media personalities criticized policy positions of some,
while receiving undisclosed and/or indirect compensation from others
interested in non-attributed dissention?
...Currently at issue is an ACC VIP lounge, approved by council last week, to be funded by a grant from Ovations as part of a deal for securing concession rights in the arena.
Some seem to feel that the money should have been used against the $1.8 million or so subsidy afforded the venue by the city.
Should "grant" money be considered a slush fund for the Coliseum,
if Greensboro's residents have to pay more for consessions
in order for Ovations to recoup the upfront payout
while the city's taxpayers are subsidizing operations for $1.8 million plus per year,
or is the deal is some kind of free lunch?
But we see nothing wrong with using this grant to improve this city-owned facility.
...On this one, Matt Brown got it right, particularly since he was shrewd enough to allay much of the construction costs using tickets as trade. And we’re not saying that because he paid us to do so...
Was the ticket trade for construction completed with no-bid contracts
without anyone else having a chance to bid for government work,
without the public being informed of the details?
...these improvements are contractually linked to the grant..."
Could “grants” from privately held vendors to a publicly owned entertainment venue
be considered by some to be a backdoor bribe,
locking in future profit at the expense of local non-taxpayer supported businesses?
Why not tell the vendor to use their kickback dollars
for whatever whoever tells them to allocate the money to,
or else tell them they are not the vendor anymore?
The nature of the business
Brian Clarey
Yes Weekly
If a few multinational corporations
own an overwhelming majority of newspapers, magazines, news channels,
radio stations, book publishers and business information sources,
what are the chances of an investigative journalist
publishing a negative story on a sister subsidiary
or on a subsidiary of another company that could retaliate in kind,
or for an author successfully marketing media criticisms?
George Hartzman
Why Greensboro’s, Guilford County’s and America’s Political System is Broken
In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.
In time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee
who is incompetent to carry out his duties.
Work is accomplished by those employees
who have not yet reached their level of incompetence.
Dr Laurence J Peter
"Market FailureIn time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee
who is incompetent to carry out his duties.
Work is accomplished by those employees
who have not yet reached their level of incompetence.
Dr Laurence J Peter
…market failure exists to the extent that innovation is blocked by incumbents. If innovators can succeed by out-competing incumbents, then the market is working. If incumbents have a self-reinforcing system that keeps out innovators, then we have market failure.
…Suppose that we have a group that wants enormous political power. The group rewards people who justify its power by calling them "experts." It punishes those who question its power by dismissing them as "hacks." If you want money and status, you want to be labeled as an expert. In order to be labeled as an expert, you produce analysis that justifies concentrated political power for the elite group.
This process is self-reinforcing...only "reliable" people are allowed to be CEO's or policymakers. A requirement for being "reliable" is sharing the views of other "reliable" people as to what constitutes reliability.
It is like the tenure system in academia. Who gets tenure? Above all, it is people who support the existing tenure system.
…Of course, incumbents never want to change the process, but markets can force change.
…There is a market failure in health care. Instead of innovation, what gets rewarded are ideas and policies that entrench the existing system.
…There is a market failure in education. Educational institutions are evaluated not on the basis of rigorous standards but instead on the basis of a system of credentialism that is self-referential. X is acceptable because X has been certified by Y, which is acceptable because it has been certified by Z, and so on. In order to climb the ladder in academia, you have to display allegiance to the credentialist ideology. You have to reinforce the incumbents and help snuff out innovation. Our program is accredited, and yours is not. So there.
…The key is whether a reputation system is reasonably open to innovation, or whether it serves primarily to maintain the status of incumbents.
The reputation system…serves the incumbents, who want to centralize political power. The relationship between politicians and experts is the most serious market failure of all. It is our version of what I have called the Moral Rot Factor.
...I think that there is still a high probability that we are on a path to a system in which a political elite ruthlessly rewards its friends and punishes its enemies, leading to a society with much less innovation and much more corruption. I do not foresee gulags and mass murders, but there is plenty of potential for moral rot in cronyism, and that I do fear lies ahead."
Arnold Kling
Library of Economics and Liberty
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Conflict of Interest Ethics Rule Proposals for Greensboro City Council Members and Guilford County Commissioners
Candidates and current Greensboro City Council members and Guilford County Commissioners should be prohibited from entering into for-profit enterprises dependent upon public support.
Candidates and current Greensboro City Council members and Guilford County Commissioners should be prohibited from making campaign contributions to entities who publicly endorse political candidates.
Candidates and current Greensboro City Council members and Guilford County Commissioners should be prohibited from accepting campaign contributions from those with conflicts of interests, including leading members of organizations receiving taxpayer money, and/or developers, contractors or their lawyers or agents, for 12 months before and after doing business with Greensboro and Guilford County’s governments.
Suggestions or Objections?
Candidates and current Greensboro City Council members and Guilford County Commissioners should be prohibited from making campaign contributions to entities who publicly endorse political candidates.
Candidates and current Greensboro City Council members and Guilford County Commissioners should be prohibited from accepting campaign contributions from those with conflicts of interests, including leading members of organizations receiving taxpayer money, and/or developers, contractors or their lawyers or agents, for 12 months before and after doing business with Greensboro and Guilford County’s governments.
Suggestions or Objections?
Greensboro Coliseum Bartering for Services ? for Matt Brown Video Embedded
Please check out embedded video below
During the business item section of the Greensboro City Council meeting on 7-20-2010 we had Coliseum Managing Director Matt Brown present this:
56. Resolution approving bid in the amount of $1,227,775 and authorizing Contract No. 2010-074 with RP Murray for the Coliseum VIP Building Construction Project. (Council District: all) (roll call vote) (Attachment #56 to Councilmembers)
As you can see from the above embedded video we have Coliseum Director Matt Brown in a bartering agreement for over $300,000 with local companies DH Griffin CLICKHERE with President David Griffin and Brady Trane HVAC Services CLICKHERE with Jim and Joe Brady.
What is bartering?
Barter is the trading of goods or services directly for other goods or services, without using money or any other similar unit of account or medium of exchange.
In the video it seems like Mike Perdue the Coliseum Maintenance Superintendent has worked out a trade agreement with these 2 companies.It would be interesting to see what this trade agreement has in it.
As we have seen in past the Greensboro Coliseum has trade agreements with the Greensboro News and Record, Yes Weekly, Rhino Times as seen in this post at Vie de Malchance CLICKHERE .
One glaring question, is this legal?
Should local governments get into the bartering of services or should it be bidded out to the lowest bidder?
Did any other companies get a chance to barter for services on this VIP room?
Just a few questions to ponder and let's see if our local newspaper or one of the weeklies will dig deeper into this bartering of services at the Greensboro Coliseum.
During the business item section of the Greensboro City Council meeting on 7-20-2010 we had Coliseum Managing Director Matt Brown present this:
56. Resolution approving bid in the amount of $1,227,775 and authorizing Contract No. 2010-074 with RP Murray for the Coliseum VIP Building Construction Project. (Council District: all) (roll call vote) (Attachment #56 to Councilmembers)
As you can see from the above embedded video we have Coliseum Director Matt Brown in a bartering agreement for over $300,000 with local companies DH Griffin CLICKHERE with President David Griffin and Brady Trane HVAC Services CLICKHERE with Jim and Joe Brady.
What is bartering?
Barter is the trading of goods or services directly for other goods or services, without using money or any other similar unit of account or medium of exchange.
In the video it seems like Mike Perdue the Coliseum Maintenance Superintendent has worked out a trade agreement with these 2 companies.It would be interesting to see what this trade agreement has in it.
As we have seen in past the Greensboro Coliseum has trade agreements with the Greensboro News and Record, Yes Weekly, Rhino Times as seen in this post at Vie de Malchance CLICKHERE .
One glaring question, is this legal?
Should local governments get into the bartering of services or should it be bidded out to the lowest bidder?
Did any other companies get a chance to barter for services on this VIP room?
Just a few questions to ponder and let's see if our local newspaper or one of the weeklies will dig deeper into this bartering of services at the Greensboro Coliseum.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Is an independent press essential to capitalistic democracy?
Freedom of the press
is guaranteed only to those who own one
A J Liebling
is guaranteed only to those who own one
A J Liebling
Why is journalism the only profession
explicitly protected by the US Constitution?
Not to transmit an experience
is to betray it
Elie Wiesel
Can some believe what isn't
or refuse to believe what is?
Are you certain
you’ve not been conditioned to think certain thoughts?
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy,
it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are,
the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.
The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm.
Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef,
but the wrod as a wlohe.
Is what you think others think
what they may be thinking,
or what they and/or some others want you to think they’re thinking?
Greensboro, Guilford County and a family of 5
If a family of 2 parents and 3 kids can’t afford a vacation,
and the parents decide on a family election, in which the 3 kids vote in favor,
who should accept responsibility when the parents can't pay the mortgage?
Bernard Baruch
who authorized about 77% more debt for voters to approve or not in 2008’s election?
Elias Root Beadle.
Guilford County Total Debt + City of Greensboro Total Debt as of June, 30 2008:
$562,827,364 + $584,713,000 = $1,147,540,364
Guilford County + City of Greensboro debt authorized for November, 2008’s election:
$676,930,000 + $205,000,000 = $881,930,000
Proportion of debt on November 2008’s ballot to 2008 Total Debt:
$881,930,000 / $1,147,540,364 = 0.768539415
The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure,
when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.
Patrick Henry
.
and the parents decide on a family election, in which the 3 kids vote in favor,
who should accept responsibility when the parents can't pay the mortgage?
Whatever failures I have known, whatever errors I have committed
whatever follies I have witnessed
…have been the consequence of action without thought.
Bernard Baruch
American financier and presidential advisor
.
What if the parents are Guilford County’s Commissioners and Greensboro’s City Council,.
who authorized about 77% more debt for voters to approve or not in 2008’s election?
Half the work that is done in this world
is to make things appear what they are not
Elias Root Beadle
Guilford County Total Debt + City of Greensboro Total Debt as of June, 30 2008:
$562,827,364 + $584,713,000 = $1,147,540,364
Guilford County + City of Greensboro debt authorized for November, 2008’s election:
$676,930,000 + $205,000,000 = $881,930,000
Proportion of debt on November 2008’s ballot to 2008 Total Debt:
$881,930,000 / $1,147,540,364 = 0.768539415
The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure,
when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.
Patrick Henry
.
Was Greensboro and Guilford County’s electorate provided enough relevant information
to determine whether a 77% debt increase, not including interest,
was in the best interests of the community?
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Should Greensboro’s City Council or Guilford County's Commissioners have the power to determine which local hotels succeed or fail?
The proposal of any new law or regulation which comes from [businessmen],
ought always to be listened to with great precaution, and ought never to be adopted
till after having been long and carefully examined,
not only with the most scrupulous, but with the most suspicious attention.
It comes from an order of men
ought always to be listened to with great precaution, and ought never to be adopted
till after having been long and carefully examined,
not only with the most scrupulous, but with the most suspicious attention.
It comes from an order of men
whose interest is never exactly the same with that of the public,
who have generally an interest to deceive and even to oppress the public,
and who accordingly have, upon many occasions both deceived and oppressed it.
Adam Smith
Moral philosopher and Father of Modern Economics
who have generally an interest to deceive and even to oppress the public,
and who accordingly have, upon many occasions both deceived and oppressed it.
Adam Smith
Moral philosopher and Father of Modern Economics
What if City Council and the Commissioners
have already been bought by the business interrests?
Don't
Don’t believe everything you think, criticize if it won’t help, confuse compassion with justice, say you can if you can’t, say you’re going to and not, boast, envy, obfuscate, conclude what you want because you want to, confuse effort with result, afflict inanimate objects with conjured meaning, tread on others unless they’re treading on you, cut what can be untied, consciously over-compensate for unconscious doubt, say more than do, catch falling knives, lose your temper, unless it would be bad to keep it, do what you don’t want to get what you don’t need, want what you can’t get, think you need want want more than you need, over-sacrifice need for want and vice versa, swim with the incontinent, do anything you don’t want done to you, unless you need to, say you’re going to do something and not do it, be a very good bad example, think more of what could have than what may be, be unloved, ask a barber if you need a haircut, hide confusion with obliqueness, let obsession with righteousness metastasize into hubris, let small mistakes become big ones by eliminating what’s not working, and by doing more of what is, sooner than later, lead without permission, rationalize faults by blaming others, over-adore wanted acquisition, think you know what you don’t, do guilt, sacrifice future unhappiness for an unnecessarily pleasant present, underestimate irrationality, offend many to benefit few, do what you don’t understand, let what you own, own you, lend need, owe more than you can easily repay, spend more than you make, build monuments, succeed at failure, over think or give up.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
If Greensboro’s City Council and the Greensboro News & Record can control information dissemination to benefit a select few instead of the many…?
Pontius Pilate was the first great censor,
and Jesus Christ the first great victim of censorship.
Ben Lindsey
Is it hard to get entrenched economic and political leadership to understand,
if relative legitimacy depends on not understanding?
When spider webs unite,
they can tie up a lion.
Ethiopian proverb
What if what you’ve been told to think isn’t?
A myth is a fixed way of looking at the world which cannot be destroyed,
because, looked at through the myth,
all evidence supports that myth.
Edward de Bono
Nothing doesn’t change
Don't steal from my kids
.
George Hartzman
Journalism Ethics
The world is ruled only by consideration of advantages
Friedrich von Schiller
Do the few who control the dissemination of most political information
enjoy relatively disproportionate levels of influence
than the many who don’t?
Can financial and/or political interests
negatively affect investigative journalism
by sheltering some from inhospitable exposure
while simultaneously disparaging opponents?
The partisan,
when engaged in a dispute,
cares nothing about the rights of the question,
but is anxious only to convince his hearers of his own assertions.
Plato
Should news stories
conceal correlations between medium owner and/or or advertiser profit?
Is rising economic growth in the best interests of the news industry?
Statements by high officials are practically always misleading
when they are designed to bolster a falling market
Gerald M Loeb
Is there a correlation between behavior
and information consumption?
Is an untruth disseminated as true a lie
if the truth remains unfound through incuriosity?
That an opinion has been widely held
is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd
Bertrand Russell
If media companies know how much capital political candidates raise,
could profit be enhanced by targeting news coverage
to influence campaign advertising money flows?
Can thought be controlled by repeating positive messages,
while underreporting negative,and vice versa?
Men… think in herds,
it will be seen that they go mad in herds,
while they only recover their senses slowly…one by one.
Charles Mackay
Should centralized information outlets lose influence,
as more independent internet based sources proliferate?
Friday, July 23, 2010
How is going from an inspection driven, to a complaint based system for RUCO, not killing more people?
It’s no secret that my constituency would like to see this program go away.
Marlene Sanford
TREBIC President
“Our inspection process [for commercial properties] is very proactive.
We do inspect 100 percent of commercial properties.
If we were to change our inspection process for commercial properties to a reactive,
complaint-based program, it would be a huge disaster for a number of reasons.
And I don’t think it would be successful
on account of tenants and people that work for business owners who would not come forward.
Like renters who won't come forward
for fear of higher monthly payments and eviction?
They would be fearful that they would lose their job,
their livelihood or whatever the case may be.
Seventy-eight percent of structure fires occur in single-family houses and duplexes..."
Greensboro Assistant Fire Marshal David Lindsay
[Koury's Lisa] Dellinger said,
“It’s also come to our attention that there is a movement on city council to….”
[Jeff Sims, who represents the RUCO Advisory Board on the task force] finished her sentence:
“Go to a complaint-based system, and even, in some quiet corners,
to do away with it altogether.”
Where is the Greensboro News and Record Editorial
supporting a strong RUCO policy?
.
Hypocrite - A person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.
.
.
If 78% of structure fires occur in residences,
doesn't it make sense to try to make sure they're safe?
.
If the chances of a residential fire occuring at a rental property
are most likely higher than at an owner occupied home, how is gutting a rental inspection regime
not killing more people than would otherwise die, if the program had been left alone?
.
Are we our brother's keepers, or not?
.
Where are the leaders of the affected communities?
Shameless cheerleading / propaganda without disclosing conflicts of interest, by Greensboro’s News & Record Editorial Board?
Should an Editorial Board with a News Editor
who profited from a taxpayer funded Coliseum real estate deal,
and with a publisher who serves on committees
whose objective is to promote taxpayer indebtedness through public works projects
while enjoying "trade/barter" agreements with the Coliseum,
advocate for Matt Brown's priorities
while riddled with unmentioned conflicts of interest?
“The show will go on
…the City Council allowed a stalled amphitheater project on the coliseum grounds to move forward and approved a new VIP lounge, both paid for almost entirely with private money.
Who’s going to pay to clean it?
Who’s going to pay the heating and air bills?
Who’s going to pay to repaint it?
Who's going to pay if it creates operating losses?
…even after [Matt Brown] made a good case for the amphitheater as a low-cost, low-maintenance revenue source paid for mostly with private funds, the council still had said no before reconsidering Tuesday night.
Who’s going to pay when something breaks?
…Brown prefers moving quickly to stay competitive in the cutthroat arena business.
...is there something wrong with swapping advertizing,
editorial support and an overemphasis on journalistic publicity,
like what many considered to be a propaganda campaign
before Tuesday’s coordinated Perkins/Brown spectacle,
and the inevitably forthcoming positively spun rectum kiss
by the Greensboro News & Record’s editorial board
without disclosing the specifics of the tickets for advertizing agreements?
George Hartzman
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
A separate governing board for the coliseum — a coliseum authority such as the one in Charlotte — would help. The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority has its own revenue stream from a prepared-foods and beverages tax.
.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
…the council should accept the reality that…the coliseum…will require periodic investments and expansions to stay competitive.
So the top brass at the News & Record
can enjoy more "bartered" entertainment at taxpayer expense without telling anybody?
The council also should at least acknowledge Brown’s creativity and resourcefulness.
The Greensboro Coliseum Complex has the following advertising trade agreements
in place for the 2010-11 Fiscal Year:
$90,000 with News & Record in exchange for Club Seats,
[and] Triad Best of Broadway season tickets...
Both the VIP lounge and the amphitheater will be built primarily without tax money.
Could “grants” from privately held vendors to a publicly owned entertainment venue
be considered by some to be a backdoor bribe,
locking in future profit at the expense of local non-taxpayer supported businesses?
…Meanwhile, ongoing construction at the coliseum also includes the new Aquatics Center and the ACC Hall of Champions (Brown’s brainchild), attractions that not only should enhance the coliseum but add new vitality to the struggling High Point Road area.
City to buy Canada Dry
The Canada Dry property is owned by Susan Robinson,
the wife of News & Record Editor John Robinson, and her brothers...
Amanda Lehmert
Greensboro News & Record, September 19, 2008
Even council members who may personally dislike Brown shouldn’t let it affect their responsible stewardship of the facility.”
The Greensboro News and Record Editorial Board
Friday, July 23, 2010
If the Greensboro News & Record's Publisher, Robin Saul, serves on the taxpayer funded
Downtown Area Consolidated Plan Committee Advisory Team,
and the Greensboro Partnership Board...?
"The [Downtown Area Consolidated Plan Committees]
will also serve to lead advocacy efforts to implement projects…
The [Downtown Area Consolidated Plan Committees] Advisory Team
will be…charged with communicating and engaging residents
from throughout the entire community about the planning effort. "
Downtown Area Consolidated Plan Committees
Should Greensboro News and Record employees
who can influence “unbiased” news reporting
serve on committees that advocate for increased taxpayer indebtedness
with registered lobbyists?
"The Greensboro Partnership works closely with business leaders
...to create a legislative agenda focused on key policy issues
directly affecting Greensboro, Guilford County and the Triad.
The Governmental Affairs department
advocates for these initiatives through direct staff lobbying
and by engaging every member of the Greensboro Partnership
and its affiliates as advocates.
Should the news industry be involved in lobbying?
Governmental Affairs staff members
are registered lobbyists with the State in compliance with Ethics law."
The Greensboro Partnership Legislative Agenda
Don't Steal From My Kids.
George Hartzman
Newsbusted is New for 7-23-2010 Enjoy The Embedded Video from Our Friends at Newsbusters
Newsbusted is new for July 23, 2010 please enjoy the embedded video from our friends at Newsbusters. CLICKHERE
Embedded Video on NC ABC Boards Take Conference Out of State to Myrtle Beach S.C.
HAT TIP: Mark Binker at Greensboro News and Record CLICKHERE
Local Channel WCNC in Charlotte has a investigative report on the out of state conference for the North Carolina Association of ABC Boards held in Myrtle Beach South Carolina . This issue was posted on TRIADWATCH last week CLICKHERE and it looks like other news organizations were thinking the same thing, enjoy the embedded video below and it looks like WCNC is also wanting to see just how much it cost the local taxpayers to attend this conference out of state.
Local Channel WCNC in Charlotte has a investigative report on the out of state conference for the North Carolina Association of ABC Boards held in Myrtle Beach South Carolina . This issue was posted on TRIADWATCH last week CLICKHERE and it looks like other news organizations were thinking the same thing, enjoy the embedded video below and it looks like WCNC is also wanting to see just how much it cost the local taxpayers to attend this conference out of state.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Editorial Cartoons of the Week Topics :Dem Hour Energy, Recovery Summer, Eric Holders Justice, Her Own Gavel and more
DEM HOUR ENERGY
RECOVERY SUMMER
ERIC HOLDERS BLACK PANTHER CASE
THE BERWICK VIRUS
ERIC HOLDERS JUSTICE
STILL MORE POPULAR
HER OWN GAVEL
ALG Editor's Note: William Warren's award-winning cartoons published at GetLiberty.org CLICKHERE are a free service of ALG News Bureau. They may be reused and redistributed free of charge.
Part #2 Free Tickets at the Greensboro Coliseum , Did Sitting Council Member Get a Free Pass To The ACC Tournament?
Let's start at the beginning of this journey when back on February 20, 2010, Triadwatch had a post titled "Free Tickets To The Circus Handed Out By Greensboro City Council Members, Is This Legal or Ethical of Conflicts of Interest" , CLICKHERE .
Now we have part #2, where Greensboro City Council member T. Dianne-Bellamy Small had this exchange with Greensboro Coliseum manager Matt Brown at the 7-20-2010 city council meeting. Below is a edited version of a exchange between the councilwomen and coliseum drector Matt Brown
Greensboro City Council member T. Dianne-Bellamy Small says she attended either the Women's ACC Tournament or the Men's ACC Tournament, and spoke with the "Little Guys" who are the non-skilled service workers working the event who otherwise would have been unemployed in March.
Now we have part #2, where Greensboro City Council member T. Dianne-Bellamy Small had this exchange with Greensboro Coliseum manager Matt Brown at the 7-20-2010 city council meeting. Below is a edited version of a exchange between the councilwomen and coliseum drector Matt Brown
Greensboro City Council member T. Dianne-Bellamy Small says she attended either the Women's ACC Tournament or the Men's ACC Tournament, and spoke with the "Little Guys" who are the non-skilled service workers working the event who otherwise would have been unemployed in March.
The "Little Guys" talked with T. Dianne-Bellamy Small and they thanked her for having the ACC tournament.
She also talked about the "little guys" who got the opportunity to see a national televised game at the coliseum both at the men's and womens ACC Tournament . These "little guys" were there but the councilwomen could not remember the name of the group of school aged children that came to the ACC Tournament wearing the same shirts. She knew that they were there at the coliseum because the councilmember said that "she was there" as the beggining of the video shows.
Then she asks Matt Brown about his records on giving away tickets to the coliseum at certain events like holiday on ice, or circus. This is where we look back at the ethical issues and conflicts of interest with giving away tickets to council members to give out as we talked about back in February as linked above in the post .
She also talked about the "little guys" who got the opportunity to see a national televised game at the coliseum both at the men's and womens ACC Tournament . These "little guys" were there but the councilwomen could not remember the name of the group of school aged children that came to the ACC Tournament wearing the same shirts. She knew that they were there at the coliseum because the councilmember said that "she was there" as the beggining of the video shows.
Then she asks Matt Brown about his records on giving away tickets to the coliseum at certain events like holiday on ice, or circus. This is where we look back at the ethical issues and conflicts of interest with giving away tickets to council members to give out as we talked about back in February as linked above in the post .
It is great that the Greensboro Coliseum gives away tickets to disadvantaged youths in the area, but are local politicians getting free passes along with them?
Now let's get to another issue in and of itself in that we know by the video above that the councilwomen was at the ACC Tournament, either the men's or women's or maybe both. You can also see that in the video she points to herself as being able to afford tickets to the coliseum. The Men's ACC tournament book for all the games will run you around $363 and women's around $99 or were there single game tickets available for sale? Did the councilwomen T. Dianne Bellamy-Small buy her tickets to the ACC Tournament? or Did someone give her free tickets to the event? Was she at both the men's and women's tournament? The issue of free tickets came up back in February and here is some discussion back then:
Below is from the N.C.Board of Ethics CLICKHERE
TICKETS
Should a Public Official accept free tickets from an agency vendor to a sporting event, play, or fundraising event?
Answer: Generally, no. It is generally not proper for Public Officials to accept gifts or services from someone whom the official regulates, contracts with, or otherwise does business with as part of his service as a Public Official. At a minimum, this can cause the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Does it make any difference if the tickets to a sporting event are season tickets or tickets the vendor received as part of its sponsorship of the event so that there was no purchase made specifically for the Public Official?
Answer: No. It does not matter how the vendor got the tickets.
Can a vendor take a Public Official to entertainment events when the Official has traveled to the vendor’s home city or when both vendor and Official are out of town (like at a non-vendor sponsored seminar)?
Answer: Not if it is otherwise prohibited. Ethics requirements do not end at the border.
Since T. Dianne Bellamy-Small states that she was at the tournament, it would be interesting to see if she really paid for her tickets, or did she accept free tickets?
Don't worry because the Charlotte area and their local elected officials have also had problems with tickets to tournaments as well CLICKHERE .
We also have the Greater Greensboro Open just around the corner, and knowing that free tickets are given out like candy for this event. Which councilmembers will we see in the corporate boxes eating for free?
If you would like to see the whole exchange between Matt Brown and Greensboro City Council member T. Dianne-Bellamy Small you can go to the city's web site CLICKHERE and it is around the 2 hour and 31 minute mark.
Please read Jordan Green’s post on RUCO’s Taskforce meeting………Please read, people are needlessly dying
Task force members butt heads on curtailing rental inspections Please Click to Read
Jordan Green
Yes Weekly
Friday, July 16, 2010
TREBIC 2009 City Council Candidate Questions:
Should Rental Unit Certificate of Occupancy (RUCO) taskforce meet at TREBIC’s headquarters?
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
TREBIC + RUCO = FOX GUARDING HEN HOUSE
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Does Robbie Perkins intend to speak for some of his constituants
at the RUCO meeting at TREBIC headquarters?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Does District 2's Jim Kee intend to speak for some of his constituants
at the RUCO meeting at TREBIC headquarters?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Jordan Green
Yes Weekly
Friday, July 16, 2010
TREBIC 2009 City Council Candidate Questions:
Should Rental Unit Certificate of Occupancy (RUCO) taskforce meet at TREBIC’s headquarters?
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
TREBIC + RUCO = FOX GUARDING HEN HOUSE
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Does Robbie Perkins intend to speak for some of his constituants
at the RUCO meeting at TREBIC headquarters?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Does District 2's Jim Kee intend to speak for some of his constituants
at the RUCO meeting at TREBIC headquarters?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Downtown Hotel Math Myths: If total Greensboro occupancy stays the same…
If total Greensboro hotel occupancy stays the same city wide,
and a new publicly subsidized 180 room downtown hotel
reaches a projected stabilized 60% occupancy rate at $188.68 per night;
180 x 60% = 108 occupied rooms / 365 days per year
108 rooms x 365 days = 19,440 rooms per year
19,440 rooms per year x $188.68 = $3,667,939.20 room revenue per year
Could Guilford County Commissioners vote to remove and transfer $3,667,939.20 of revenue
$127.88 (food) + $41.41 (beverage) = $169.29
$169.29 x 19,440 rooms per year = $3,290,997.60 food and beverage per year
Mark Twain
and a new publicly subsidized 180 room downtown hotel
reaches a projected stabilized 60% occupancy rate at $188.68 per night;
180 x 60% = 108 occupied rooms / 365 days per year
108 rooms x 365 days = 19,440 rooms per year
19,440 rooms per year x $188.68 = $3,667,939.20 room revenue per year
Could Guilford County Commissioners vote to remove and transfer $3,667,939.20 of revenue
directly out of the pockets of privately owned hotels
into the pockets of the "owners" of a publicly subsidized venture?
.
.
If expected food and beverage per occupied room;
$127.88 (food) + $41.41 (beverage) = $169.29
$169.29 x 19,440 rooms per year = $3,290,997.60 food and beverage per year
.
Will $3,290,997.60 of revenue
come directly out of the pockets of privately owned eateries and caterers
not counting new competition from the Greensboro Coliseum's soon to be publicly owned
VIP room?
Page 40 of 44
.
Are these numbers,
presented by the same company that rejected the hotel less than a month before,
even remotely based on any kind of reality?
.
How could an analysis recieved by the City of Greensboro on January 18, 2010
be so different from an analysis performed on February 16, 2010?
.
Should the the projected food and beverage revenues of of $115.93
in the January 18, 2010 analysis
be three times higher than the Downtown Marriott?
.
Page 29 of 53
.
If average food and beverage revenues in the January 18, 2010 analysis
for comparable downtown hotels in large cities ranged from $75.54 to $92.28,
how can the February 16, 2010 analysis project food and beverage revenues
of $169.29?
.
Page 26 of 53
How could projected food and beverage revenue rise
from $115.93 on February 16th,
to $169.29 on January 18th?
Page 23 of 53
.
How can HVS believably assert
that occupancy is now projected to rise %20 with %10 fewer rooms
inside of a month?
.
Page 20 of 53
.
Sometimes I wonder
whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on,
or by imbeciles who really mean it.
Mark Twain
VIP Room, Amphitheater and Hotel: Socialistic and/or Crony Capitalistic Wealth Redistribution in Greensboro and Guilford County?
D1 Councilwoman Dianne Bellamy-Small:
"You don’t actually provide beds at the coliseum, do you?"
Coliseum Director Matt Brown: "Not yet."
Jordan Green
Dear businesses looking to relocate or expand in Greensboro, NC:
Our elected leadership, of which some appear to have been “purchased” by entrenched special interests through campaign donations, and/or some government employees, some of whom control access to to our Coliseum Complex, may decide to retard your profitability in order to support “chosen” for-profit businesses who provide “grants” or campaign contributions in exchange for monopolistic government contracts and legislated benefits unavailable to the non-wheel greasing general public.
Disappointment may follow expectations of Greensboro’s paper of record defending free market capitalism and support for local for-profit businesses against socialistic government intervention, for the Editorial Board and news division editors appear to be indifferent to the entrepreneurial spirit that made America a great country.
Many may be coming to realize that an oligarchy of a majority of Greensboro’s elected leadership, news executives and top city and county employees, have set upon the course of transferring wealth out of the hands of taxpayers and businesses to a select chosen few, while the overwhelming majority of the population remains unaware.
George Hartzman
Triad Watch
A proposed downtown hotel is one step closer
to $26 million in federal recovery bond financing.
"It's a good start," said Bridget Chisholm,
whose Urban Hotel Group is one of the developers of the hotel.
.
Joe Killian
“Council approves 2 coliseum projects
…The City Council on Tuesday night approved a new $1.2 million VIP lounge, to be funded almost entirely with grant money provided by Ovations, the coliseum’s food vendor.
Grant money, which if asked for,
could probably have been used to reduce the Coliseum’s $1.8 million
annual taxpayer subsidization?
Grant money to build a publicly owned catering venue
that will literally take business from for-profit business in Greensboro
in the same way a publicly subsidized downtown hotel
intends to extract profits from non-taxpayer supported hotels?
And while they were at it, Perkins questioned whether the city could use those same funds to help finish work on an amphitheater at the coliseum, a project the City Council had quashed earlier.
Sure enough, Brown had already reached an agreement with Ovations to release $125,000 in September to help get the amphitheater operational.
Isn’t it an amazing coincidence
that after a Sunday High Point Road/Coliseum story and Editorial
and a follow up article in the Greensboro News and Record on Monday,
Robbie Perkins, Jim Kee, Bellamy Small and Nancy
authorized Carte Blanche for the Coliseum’s Matt Brown
after being informed of possible budget manipulation
and free perquisites to the Coliseum Complex for Council Members,
possibly involving Robbie Perkins, Jim Kee, Bellamy-Small and Nancy?
…Mayor Bill Knight and Councilwomen Mary Rakestraw and Trudy Wade voted against the amphitheater and the VIP lounge contract.
“This is so wrong on so many levels. I think it’s shame on us,” Rakestraw said of the vote on the amphitheater.
Councilwoman T. Dianne Bellamy-Small said…the city should complete projects such as the amphitheater because the new aquatics center will be added to the coliseum soon…
If Bellamy-Small said she talked to a lot of the “little people”
about how happy they were to be employed at the publicly owned Coliseum
while Bellamy-Small was attending the ACC Tournament,
and if the tickets she received were complimentary, should she,
and any other Council Members who have received free Coliseum passes and perks
have disclosed said “gifts” and recused themselves from voting
for Coliseum Complex appropriations and projects?
The VIP lounge will be built almost entirely with grants provided under the coliseum’s food contract with Ovations.
Who’s going to pay to clean it?
.
Who’s going to pay the heating and air bills?
.
Who’s going to pay for to repaint it?
.
Who’s going to pay when something breaks?
The coliseum also will give contractor D.H. Griffin and Brady/TRANE HVAC items such as memberships to the Carlyle Club and ACC Tournament tickets in exchange for performing some work on the new lounge.
If there’s nothing wrong with contractors swapping season tickets for work,
is there something wrong with swapping advertizing,
editorial support and an overemphasis on journalistic publicity,
like what many considered to be a propaganda campaign
before Tuesday’s coordinated Perkins/Brown spectacle,
and the inevitably forthcoming positively spun rectum kiss
by the Greensboro News & Record’s editorial board
without disclosing the specifics of the tickets for advertizing agreements?
…[Trudy] Wade questioned whether the money from the food vendor contract could be used for other things at the coliseum instead of adding a new amenity. “I am just concerned about adding another project at the coliseum,” Wade said. “We don’t maintain what we have.”
Brown said the vendor money could be used only to improve food service operations such as the new VIP lounge.
Why not tell the vendor to use their kickback dollars
for whatever whoever tells them to allocate the money to,
or else tell them they are not the vendor anymore?
.
Regarding the amphitheater, the coliseum staff already had begun work on the project last year when the council realized it was being built. …After Perkins raised the issue Tuesday night, Councilwoman Nancy Vaughan asked the council to reconsider its earlier vote on the amphitheater. Brown said the amphitheater could be operational by March with about $221,000 of grants from Ovations and other vendors.
Could “grants” from privately held vendors to a publicly owned entertainment venue
be considered by some to be a backdoor bribe,
locking in future profit at the expense of local non-taxpayer supported businesses?
“Now, we have a private investment,” Vaughan said. “And we are going to have a return on the investment.””
Amanda Lehmert
Greensboro News and Record
Oligarchy
A form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons
or in a dominant class or clique;
Government by the few.
Dictionary.com
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Deep Thoughts on Taxes, by the Rhino's Scott Yost and other thoughts
"County Talking Sales Tax Option
...the Guilford County commissioners have been bringing up the possibility of trying once again to persuade county residents that it would be in their best interest to vote themselves a sales tax increase.
...that is, put the option of a one-quarter of a cent (0.25¢) sales tax increase on the ballot and, if the voters approved it, the county would have an increased revenue stream.
On account of the County Commisioners need another $27,502,224 in FY 2011/12
Commissioner Carolyn Coleman...said her main concern has always been that it's a regressive tax that hits poor people harder than rich ones."
Scott D. Yost
Rhino Times
Friday, April 16, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
...the Guilford County commissioners have been bringing up the possibility of trying once again to persuade county residents that it would be in their best interest to vote themselves a sales tax increase.
...that is, put the option of a one-quarter of a cent (0.25¢) sales tax increase on the ballot and, if the voters approved it, the county would have an increased revenue stream.
On account of the County Commisioners need another $27,502,224 in FY 2011/12
on top of about $34 million of savings they intend to spend in FY 2010/11
after spending about $77 million over and above tax revenues in two years?
Commissioner Carolyn Coleman...said her main concern has always been that it's a regressive tax that hits poor people harder than rich ones."
Scott D. Yost
Rhino Times
Friday, April 16, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Newsbusted is New for July 20, 2010 Enjoy The Embedded Video Compliments of Newsbusters
Newsbusted is new for July 20, 2010 please enjoy the embedded video thanks to our friends at Newsbusters CLICKHERE
Murdered Blogger
I don't care if I follow your rules, if you can cheat, so can I
I won't let you beat me unfairly, I'll beat you unfairly first
Ender Wiggin
Fictional Military Strategist
.
"Gunmen murder Greek investigative journalist: Sect of Revolutionaries terror group blamed for killing of radio chief, who was shot 16 times on doorstep as pregnant wife looked onThe murder of a prominent investigative reporter on the doorstep of his home in Athens sent shockwaves through Greece...
...Giolas, who was also a frequent blogger, posting reports on popular online newsblog Troktiko, sought to illuminate Greece's seamier underside.
The shooting came days before he was due to release an investigative series on corruption, colleagues said.
If a nation expects to be ignorant and free...
it expects what never was and never will be
Thomas Jefferson
it expects what never was and never will be
Thomas Jefferson
"His cowardly murder is the work of people who wanted to silence a very good investigative reporter," said Panos Sobolos, head of the Athens journalists' union.
...Last year, after targeting the Athens premises of the Alter TV station, the Sect of Revolutionaries vowed to step up attacks on well-known journalists and media outlets, accusing both of helping corrupt business interests mislead public opinion.
Giolas was no newcomer to death threats, his lawyer said. "He had been getting them from different people for the last 15 years," said Giorgos Marangakis. "It is very likely that he had a good amount of information that will at least lead [authorities] in the right direction [of those behind the attack]."
Many Greeks wrote to the Troktiko blog to express their shock, with one describing the attack as a "political murder" the likes of which had not been seen in Greece for years.
Helena Smith
guardian.co.uk, Monday 19 July 2010
I must not fear
Fear is the mind-killer
I will face my fear, I will permit it to pass over me and through me,
and when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing
Only I will remain
Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear
Dune
If the Coliseum receives $1.8 million from Greensboro taxpayers per year, how many free tickets has the GN&R’s Editorial Board received from whom?
Sometimes people mistake the way I talkfor what I am thinking.
Idi Amin
Running the coliseum
…Matt Brown is a lot like the star basketball players…
…the coliseum's managing director, has a shooter's touch. And a shooter's memory.
Just because one Big Idea fails to draw iron doesn't mean the next one won't be anything but net.
…Brown has scored more hits than misses, and he's generally regarded as being very good at what he does.
…Brown makes a valid point.
…The coliseum is an important and precious local asset.
Greensboro News and Record Editorial Board
If Matt Brown underestimated the costs of the Coliseum amphitheater to begin construction without having to get permission…?
GSO amphitheater: half a million
"Note the lede — ‘construction on a $95,000 amphitheater.’ Now $130,000 has already spent, and when council member Robbie Perkins asked Brown point blank how much more money he needed to finish the job, Brown said $350,000, more than half of which would be so-called sponsorship dollars. So that brings the total to $480,000, which means you can go ahead and count on at least half a million."
SamH
Piedmont Publius, March 17th, 2010
Re: Amphitheater’s ever-evolving cost
SamH
Piedmont Pubic, March 19th, 2010
“The city manager has the authority to approve construction that costs less than $300,000, according to the city code.”
Gerald Witt
Greensboro News and Record, October 29, 2010
"Note the lede — ‘construction on a $95,000 amphitheater.’ Now $130,000 has already spent, and when council member Robbie Perkins asked Brown point blank how much more money he needed to finish the job, Brown said $350,000, more than half of which would be so-called sponsorship dollars. So that brings the total to $480,000, which means you can go ahead and count on at least half a million."
SamH
Piedmont Publius, March 17th, 2010
Re: Amphitheater’s ever-evolving cost
SamH
Piedmont Pubic, March 19th, 2010
“The city manager has the authority to approve construction that costs less than $300,000, according to the city code.”
Gerald Witt
Greensboro News and Record, October 29, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
John Hammer on the VIP Lounge on High Point Road's Greensboro Coliseum on City Council's Agenda
"Coliseum VIP Lounge Shocks Councilmembers
...Brown is now in the design phase of building an Atlantic Coast Conference VIP lounge between War Memorial Auditorium and the Arena.
...[Rashad] Young said he found out about the proposed new structure this week and said that the $1.25 million was not on the Coliseum budget that he had seen.
...Brown was just slapped down by the City Council on April 6 when the council ordered him to stop work on the outdoor amphitheater he had started, and on which he had spent over $95,000 on construction before the council found out about it.
...At that time Councilmember Nancy Vaughan asked that, in the future, the council be informed before, not after, any additional money was spent on the amphitheater.
...So the council said no to spending on the amphitheater and now Brown is going ahead with plans to build this VIP lounge without notifying the council or manager before starting the design process.
...According to Young it didn't show up in the Coliseum budget, so there was no way for him to question how it was to be spent, since he didn't know it existed.
...The Coliseum receives about $1.8 million a year from the city's general fund to cover operating costs.
...Young said he didn't know much about the structure that is under design other than it was going to be an "ACC VIP lounge." He did say that the contract would have to go to the City Council before moving forward and that he would have to sign any construction contracts.
...[Trudy] Wade said she found out about the whole project because she was looking for some money that she understood the Coliseum had received from their vendor contract that didn't show up on the books.
When asked about the fact that the design phase of this project had already started when the council had not even been told about the money Wade said, "I'm shocked that they would continue to do this after the lack of information that we had about the amphitheater and the problems that has caused."
Brown could not be reached for comment...
...[Mary] Rakestraw said..."it is disappointing that we have just been through the amphitheater deal and I was told Matt Brown said he was going to get his amphitheater. It seems he doesn't have any respect for the City Council at all or his boss, the city manager.""
John Hammer
Rhino Times, May 14, 2010
...Brown is now in the design phase of building an Atlantic Coast Conference VIP lounge between War Memorial Auditorium and the Arena.
...[Rashad] Young said he found out about the proposed new structure this week and said that the $1.25 million was not on the Coliseum budget that he had seen.
...Brown was just slapped down by the City Council on April 6 when the council ordered him to stop work on the outdoor amphitheater he had started, and on which he had spent over $95,000 on construction before the council found out about it.
...At that time Councilmember Nancy Vaughan asked that, in the future, the council be informed before, not after, any additional money was spent on the amphitheater.
...So the council said no to spending on the amphitheater and now Brown is going ahead with plans to build this VIP lounge without notifying the council or manager before starting the design process.
...According to Young it didn't show up in the Coliseum budget, so there was no way for him to question how it was to be spent, since he didn't know it existed.
...The Coliseum receives about $1.8 million a year from the city's general fund to cover operating costs.
...Young said he didn't know much about the structure that is under design other than it was going to be an "ACC VIP lounge." He did say that the contract would have to go to the City Council before moving forward and that he would have to sign any construction contracts.
...[Trudy] Wade said she found out about the whole project because she was looking for some money that she understood the Coliseum had received from their vendor contract that didn't show up on the books.
When asked about the fact that the design phase of this project had already started when the council had not even been told about the money Wade said, "I'm shocked that they would continue to do this after the lack of information that we had about the amphitheater and the problems that has caused."
Brown could not be reached for comment...
...[Mary] Rakestraw said..."it is disappointing that we have just been through the amphitheater deal and I was told Matt Brown said he was going to get his amphitheater. It seems he doesn't have any respect for the City Council at all or his boss, the city manager.""
John Hammer
Rhino Times, May 14, 2010
City of Greensboro Information Request
What were the City's total fund balances at the end of 2008/9,
and at the end of 2009/10,
and what are the anticipated year end balances for 2010/11?
What is the statutory minimums for the fund balances for 2010/11?
If the City of Greensboro appropriates fund balances of $30,464,269 during 2010/11,
will the city have appropriated $85,633,808 of fund balances since the beginning of 2008/9?
Page 13, Adopted 2010/11 budget
33,421,883 + 21,747,656 + 30,464,269 = $85,633,808
.
.
Was 2008/9's net revenues minus appropriated fund balances $410,080,337?
Was 2009/10's net revenues minus appropriated fund balances $401,020,748?
Are 2010/11's expected net revenues minus appropriated fund balances $393,327,363?
and at the end of 2009/10,
and what are the anticipated year end balances for 2010/11?
What is the statutory minimums for the fund balances for 2010/11?
If the City of Greensboro appropriates fund balances of $30,464,269 during 2010/11,
will the city have appropriated $85,633,808 of fund balances since the beginning of 2008/9?
Page 13, Adopted 2010/11 budget
33,421,883 + 21,747,656 + 30,464,269 = $85,633,808
.
.
Was 2008/9's net revenues minus appropriated fund balances $410,080,337?
Was 2009/10's net revenues minus appropriated fund balances $401,020,748?
Are 2010/11's expected net revenues minus appropriated fund balances $393,327,363?
Item 55 on Greensboro City Council Agenda
55. Ordinance amending in the amount of $1,227,775
the War Memorial Coliseum Capital Improvement Fund
for the VIP Reception Room Project.
.
http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/F5138D2C-3C25-42DB-9471-2F19728A83EA/0/100720ag.pdf
.
the War Memorial Coliseum Capital Improvement Fund
for the VIP Reception Room Project.
.
http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/F5138D2C-3C25-42DB-9471-2F19728A83EA/0/100720ag.pdf
.
Let's not spend more than we make on what we don't need.
George Hartzman
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