Saying Good Bye

Our Mayor Stocks - The End

All 285 posts will be available. There may be another blog devoted to the Encinitas City Council and other Encinitas political drama.  Time for a bit of a break.  Updates or redirects will be posted here if something new develops. 

A month ago a "Clean Slate" post announced the plan to end on Dec. 21.  Read here for some further explanation.

Screwed

Update 12/20/12, 5pm, 5:30pm
Despite what seemed like a victory for the middle class with the Nov. 6 election results, our Capitulator-in-Chief is rumored to be considering cuts to Social Security.

Today there is the story in Coast News about  Rancho Santa Fe individual campaign contributions being $4.1 million this year.

Why were campaign contributions higher this year?

In regards to Rancho Santa Fe, UC San Diego political science professor Gary Jacobson said the large percentage of high-income individuals in the area likely played a role. President Barack Obama has insisted taxes go up on this bracket, fueling their opposition.

“This election was framed along economic lines,” Jacobson said. “In a wealthy area like Rancho Santa Fe that’s historically voted Republican, there was even more reason to be active.”

99% from zip code 92091 and 90% from 92067 went to Republican-backed candidates and organizations according to the FEC (Federal Election Commission). That’s according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which runs opensecrets.org, a nonpartisan and nonprofit website dedicated to tracking money in politics.

Those in the "I've got mine, screw you" crowd didn't win as they planned. Even so, millions of people who believed that social security and other cuts would not be handed away are protesting. This list of Democrats from Moveon.org tracks your legislators' stands, and suggests you call if they are "Weak-kneed" or "Wavering" on cuts. With more from Esquire's Charles Pierce on "The Grand Sellout."

Our California Senators are on the Wavering List.  Give them a call.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (CA)

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (CA)

Via Common Dreams

Update Thurs., 5 pm:

Sen. Bernie Sanders Thursday on Senate Floor.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich on floor of House Thursday.

But of course, none of this is a big surprise for those of us who have been looking at President Obama's actions before the last campaign started. Senator DeFazio in June 2011.

Where, after all, do universal human rights begin?

“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt

Our New Mayor Teresa Barth and the rest of this new city council brought a flesh and blood example to Eleanor Roosevelt's quote to the Dec. 19th meeting. Starting with the mayor requesting a moment of silence for the women and children murdered in Sandy Hook School shootings and deliberating over safe walks to schools it felt very close to home.  In the planetary scheme of things, this little city council is a very small place close to home. But in item after item we got to hear conscientious regard for individuals and neighborhoods, schools, boards and community volunteer groups. The city clerk, city staff, city manager and city attorney were helpful and efficient. Yes, I'm gushing because I'd begun to think this simple reality might never be.

Concerted citizen action gave us this excellent opportunity of a council bent on dignity without discrimination. Even when this council disagreed with a public speaker, the speaker's ideas were regarded in discussions and future agenda suggestions. There is no clip because the entire meeting is worth a resident's time.

Golden Oldie - Developer vs Theatre

Tonight's city council meeting includes the agenda item for  General Plan Update (GPU) of the Kristin Gaspar construct, ERAC (pronounced erase here):

Council Discussion and Direction regarding the  regarding the Element Review Advisory Committee (ERAC) vacancy, attendance and quorum; and the Housing Policy Report presentation schedule.

This prompted thoughts of how deeply embedded key commercial development companies are in Encinitas city government.  (What Gaspar defines as the city stakeholders). The relationships are all intertwined with the past council majority.

And the dance that was the pretense of doing the public's business while actually serving these key players simply spells ERAC to this writer.

So Encinitas thought they were promised a theatre?  That was not going to happen with this crew.  Not ever . . .

Betrayal is part and parcel of so many city decisions over the years.  Remember this summer's cartoon from Mary Fleener, 2nd oldest profession?

Not for nothin', betrayal looms large in Washington, DC right now with lies that are the fiscal bluff.  

We Shouldn't Forget This Date

So It Begins . . .  On this auspicious date, our new Mayor Teresa Barth's very first agenda item invited open discussion of the much coveted, sometimes powerful, often lucrative regional board seats. This is shorthand for all city and regional committees and boards for calendar year 2013.

Confusing, mysterious, shrouded in power brokering and alliances that seemed weighted stronger than Encinitas public service responsibilities these regional board seats were ripe for discussion.

The public speakers offered practical, experiential advice and they were listened to as attested by the video clips of council members.

Mayor Barth explained her reasoning and facilitated a completely open discussion throughout. Notice how she doesn't dominate the discussion, censor or inhibit, but encourages full discussions. She follows through on details too. We note all of these as it is a refreshing change from past examples.  She will be making her selections at the next council meeting, Dec. 19th, the last meeting of 2012.



Deputy Mayor Lisa Shaffer offers a wealth of information and suggestions related to her perspective and that of the community and region in a couple of minutes.



Councilwoman Kristin Gaspar spoke quite a bit longer on her one choice for herself. She then offered her choices for the primary seats amongst the rest of the council.



Tony Kranz had one serious preference to be on NCTD board. His verbal gaffe (difficult to hear on the tape) "Mark's flop",rather than Mark's change, was laughed off for what it was - a goof.



Mark Muir presumes he will be first choice as both the water and fire or public safety guy.



You be the judge, the following high points from the three public speakers are included here. Do you think Mayor Barth and Deputy Shaffer and other council members were listening? In fairness, Mark made comments following the speakers that seemed to justify the status quo (not included in any clip here). He was essentially saying there were too many positions to effectively communicate to the public.

Magical Minute: Heads Up City Attorney

Like scratching and itch that had been just out of reach, the new Deputy Mayor Lisa Shaffer seized on a future agenda request that felt perfectly timely satisfying to this person watching.  It is time to assess the legal contracts within the City of Encinitas.

Boy Howdy! This is well overdue. Let the bright lights of open government shine on all of the legal services and effectiveness of these very highly paid services in house and outside. Glenn Sabine, not shown on camera, was said to have looked livid with eyes flashing and he began rocking back in his chair.  This is quite a different look from the face devoid of feeling, his regular demeanor.

Related News Update: Calaware has an article on government attorney billings being public.

An appellate court has concluded that bills submitted to state or local public agencies by attorneys for legal work are open to public review and copying and are not exempt from disclosure under the California Public Records Act’s protection for “records pertaining to pending litigation,” reports Kenneth Ofgang for the Metropolitan News-Enterprise in Los Angeles. The decision of the California Court of Appeal to that effect in County of Los Angeles v. Superior Court (Anderson-Barker) upheld the lower court’s ruling on the “records pertaining” exemption. The county chose not to appeal the lower court’s ruling that the billings were not protected by the attorney-client privilege either.

Our New Mayor Teresa Arballo Barth

Lisa Shaffer (new Deputy Mayor), Tony Kranz & Mark Muir with Kathy Hollywood, City Clerk. Patch

Photo via Dave Roberts Twitter. 

(Patch video removed because of autoplay feature.)

Update: encinitasyouneedus video clips and links to more local news stories. First, Stocks and Bond leave and the newly elected council members are sworn in and serenaded.

Teresa Barth addressed the old ways of disrespect and hurt and what the new approach will mean. Unlike the treatment of her where she was accused of not being a team player when she didn't vote with the majority, she spoke about the choice for someone to vote against the other four was a good thing.  It meant a person was willing to stand up to what he or she believes.  She speaks candidly about what she had thought this decision would be and turned to her colleagues for the nomination. The room erupted at the final unanimous vote.

UT-San Diego 

Coast News

Here Comes the Sun

The long cold winter of our voices, Teresa Barth's voice being frozen out is over. Tonight Stocks and Bond leave and Lisa Shaffer and Tony Kranz become our new city council members. Like Barth, they are committed to the sunshine of open government.

Thought it fitting to let Nina Simone's version be the song of the day.

Stocks Detox Continued

SANDAG Ex-Chairman Stocks & Executive Director Gallegos

Jerome Stocks is being removed from everything he controlled in Encinitas and the region.  Stocks falling from grace has come at a pretty steep price tag of misguided notions of legacy in his mayoral capacity and now in his chairmanship of the San Diego Association of Governments primary project.

The most recent failure relates to his trumpeted claims to fame with SANDAG's 250 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), the first of California's Regional Plans to address transportation over the next 40 years. This plan was supposed to comply with the state law requiring its transportation plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next 25 years.

On January 21, 2012 the governor's office and state Attorney General Kamala Harris said "the SANDAG plan didn't go far enough to get San Diego drivers off the road and into buses, trolleys or bike lanes." This reported in Voice of San Diego by Rob Davis.

Next, Senator Kehoe addressed the Attorney General's and the public's criticism in her bill which would have, among other things, put transportation budget monies into the mass transit first.  All of the Interstate 5 widening posts written for Our Mayor can be found here.  The final one from April 27, 2012 meeting speaks to the Kehoe bill opposition Stocks single-handedly muscled through the Encinitas city council via his compliant cronies.

Within a week and despite outdated, non-relevant information, no staff analysis and even after almost 20 public speakers who waited up to 5 hours, some with expert testimony delivered around midnight, the resolution he wrote passed. This whole five hour meeting is the Encinitas machine in motion.

Fast forward to this week's news that San Diego County Superior Court judge upheld a lawsuit challenging the SANDAG

Tuesday's ruling, which mirrored a tentative ruling issued before Thanksgiving, said Sandag’s plan failed to clearly define its effects on greenhouse gasses, how to mitigate them and didn't adequately explain decisions within the plan.

Specifically, Sandag’s environmental review didn’t conform to an executive order issued by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2005.

From KPBS

This is a vindication of the well informed Encinitas citizens who attended meetings and challenged Jerome Stocks and the SANDAG and CalTrans plans to ignore quality of life, community character, public health and climate change in order to maintain the status quo that serves Big Oil above all else.

50:10 alternative plan pdf 

Big Media Shouldn't Get Bigger

Douglas Manchester buying The San Diego Union Tribune a year ago and then the North County Times and then bragging about wanting to buy LA Times was bad news for Encinitas.  "This is a GOP donor who took a respected paper and turned it into a corporate shill." Media Matters posted this title for an article on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012.

We were fortunate to have a local publisher, Jim Kydd, who knows what is going on in our local government, within the local education system and in our business community.  He involved himself in this last election and was smeared for it by Mayor Stocks and his supporters. But, Kydd was honored at a local party this season.

No matter what one's political background, there is agreement that the FCC needs to do it's job to disallow monopoly ownership like we have now with Rupert Murdock or or local version, Douglas Manchester.

Flashback: Citizens comment on FCC proposal in 2007 from BillMoyers.com on Vimeo.

Yes, the video above is from 2007. It is a sad testimony to the complete and utter melding of corporate business and government that now, during President Obama's administration, the FCC is not even allowing any public hearings as it meets secretly regarding Murdock's expansion plans. Bernie Sanders, (I)Vermont, met with Bill Moyers to discuss this and the following appear Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012.  At this blog and at EYNU, we believe this garbage journalism issue is fundamental in our community's understanding of what is broken, what must be fixed for the sake of democracy.

"In 1983, 50 corporations controlled a majority of American media. Now that number is six. And Big Media may get even bigger, thanks to the FCC’s consideration of ending a rule preventing companies from owning a newspaper and radio and TV stations in the same city. On this week’s Moyers & Company, Senator Bernie Sanders, one of several Senators who have written FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski asking him to suspend the plan, joins Bill to discuss why Big Media is a threat to democracy and what citizens can do to fight back. Watch and share two preview clips below." [editor: emphasis mine as we are in the middle of an unfolding story]

In the first clip, Sanders explains how letting Big Media have its way would limit discussion of “the real issues that impact ordinary people.” Sanders also expresses his dismay that such a move would come from an Obama appointee. “Why the Obama Administration is doing something that the Bush Administration failed to do is beyond my understanding,” Sanders tells Bill. “And we’re gonna do everything we can to prevent it from happening.”

In this second clip, Senator Sanders shares his belief that, unlike previous attempts, the FCC is trying to suspend the rule more secretly and without much public input. Sanders also talks about the effect of this action on minority- and women-owned media in particular.

Watch the full interview this weekend on Moyers & Company. Click here to find show times and channels in your area. 

Check out our “Fight Media Monopoly” spotlight page for the latest interviews, insight, and information on Big Media’s power play.

© 2012 Bill Moyers Media copied in its entirety from Common Dreams.

Additionally, our local Patch Online includes this article, "Local Media 'Dropped the Ball' in Covering Judge Candidate, KPBS News Chief Says." 

KPBS Senior News Editor Mark Sauer says “far right-wing” hopeful Gary Kreep was overlooked. [ . . . ]

Sauer admitted “failure” in KPBS not telling its radio and TV audiences (and website readers) about Kreep’s background, which included representing the birther movement as it challenged President Obama’s U.S. citizenship. 

The San Diego County Bar Association gave Kreep, a Ramona lawyer, its lowest rating—“lacking qualifications,” Sauer noted. 

Kreep defeated deputy district attorney Garland Peed 50 percent to 49.6 percent for judge office 34—winning by 1,739 votes out of 407,209 cast.

Addressing the thrust of this post, this failure of Big Media to serve it's democratic duty to inform the electorate, Sauer could expand on the U-T failures as he was a reporter for 27 years.

Sauer noted that the U-T newsroom boasted 285 people at its peak about seven years ago. Today, he said, he’d be surprised if 80 worked in the newsroom.

 [ . . . ]

As a result of the “terrible loss” of many respected reporters such as environmental writer Mike Lee—now a “flak for the Water Authority”—the U-T can’t do the kind of reporting necessary to keep readers informed on democratic institutions, he said. 

He said the U-T under current publisher Doug Manchester probably wouldn’t expose the kind of bribery case that led to Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham being convicted—which won the paper a Pulitzer Prize. 

Sauer said he hasn’t watched U-T TV for more than 10 minutes at a time, and “they’re not doing an objective newscast.” 

KPBS—with an audience of 350,000 a day—has a half-dozen reporters who do investigations, Sauer said, and also teams with Investigative News Source run by former U-T editor Lorie Hearn. 

But “we don’t do nearly enough,” he said, calling broadcast news coverage “a mile wide and an inch deep.”

Today, it takes a real commitment for people to wade through and reject a lot of superficial and fact free pap to find news and information to trust.   Blogging is one way those of us who care about making more independent and first hand news available feel we can contribute.

Our Mayor Stocks, Sore Loser's Sour Grapes

Jerome Stocks just can't stop himself.  I guess it is no surprise that this politician who seems to struggle with self control and monitoring his own words and behavior would yet again embarrass himself days before his last official duty - to resign.

He once again sneered to his peeps at SD Rostra about Tony Kranz.  This time he couches a reasonable request from a newly elected council member for a 3D rendering of the community park.  He throws out a number without any sliver of a citation.

Reality is that this is not out of bounds in the universe of architectural or engineering design.  Moreover, the city's planning department has the requisite software (bought with taxpayer money at a pretty huge expense) which can accomplish this without extensive skill or time.  It simply hasn't been done.

And no, I'm not providing all the research for a change.  He or his cronies can provide facts to refute or back his hyperbolic claims - with their creepy threatening undertones no less.

Please, Jerome, be still.  Knock it off and show some modicum of good grace. You lost.

Switching Gears - End of an Era

The end of the year is a time to reflect on one's life and legacy.  It is a particularly compelling time, in view of climate change realities becoming more apparent every day, that what we say and do is shaping our immediate future, not just the distant future for grandchildren.

For this reason the end of Stocks & Bond majority reign over Encinitas city government make future plans and our legacy feel more urgent than past election years. This deserves thinking that rises above facile political maneuvering or infotainment or cheap shots borne out of a social culture of marketing. It's governing time, not campaigning time.

Having an arch nemesis like Jerome Stocks turned out to be a rallying point and organizing platform for many in the last election. Even though the new council members Lisa Shaffer and Tony Kranz did not campaign as anti-Stocks candidates, thousands of Encinitas voters were interested in removing Jerome Stocks above all other concerns. Our Mayor blog was created to acknowledge legitimate disgust with Jerome Stocks' behavior as a so-called public servant. The years of city council meetings contained enough clips of this behavior as evidence for the electorate. The idea was that more people needed to be able to witness first hand – via these clips and linked stories, commentaries and some background information – what critics of Stocks had been saying for years.

Whatever factors were involved it is a fait accompli now and time to switch gears. Is it possible we can still capture the motivation the anti-Stocks group had with a formidable problem we all can identify with versus a person or group of people? Can we cultivate an educated electorate unafraid to voice public opinions for fear of seeming stupid or simply wrong? Is it possible to encourage awareness and still identify as a savvy, social being?

It is easy to see from some of the current community voices reacting to the We Love Encinitas organization (and ethically dubious campaign fliers) in the online news posts and one blog's comments sections, Kristin Gaspar is a likely target to transfer anti-Stocks energy. We get it. Our Mayor blog has 3 or 4 dozen examples of Gaspar's behavior along with Stocks or solo that deserve condemnation. No doubt the new year will bring more.

But, this personality focus is really toxic stuff. It too easily morphs into character assassination, body policing, misogyny and other community-killing divisive words. This invites lazy thinking and other vitality sucking habits. Besides all that it brings out our worst rather than our best natures. Critical thinking asks more.

What if we instead switched gears to the three things that repeatedly come up in Encinitas politics as problems or omissions;
1. finance (economy, budget, pensions, etc.),
2. open government (sunshine ordinance, transparency, civility, accessibility, etc.)
3. environment (land use, community character, resources, climate change)
4 traffic (could fit in environment, but some very big issues ahead need deliberation)

Let's demand of this new council – so they in turn will demand it of city manager and city attorney and city staff – a clear direction of where we are going in any of these areas. Not only must we insist on this, we should demand comprehensive research, comparisons to other cities and emerging trends from our well paid staff. Let's demand that deliberations by the council be more than unsupported platitudes, rambling monologues, throwing out a bunch of buzz words, personal memories, rehearsed staff exchanges and other time-wasting talk.

They will make mistakes, council and staff alike. We will find some council members and city employees lacking at any given time. Hell, we'll continue to have community members who annoy us. We will disagree. This editor will try to catch the kinds of things that illustrate dissent and controversy. This isn't a good news, community events calendar, party line place. Our city government's corruption and incompetence demands vigilance. We don't have to make things up. Video clips, quotes, news coverage and the whole works will apply. The former super majority clearly served the few of their overlords. There is a new game in town. The mandate is genuinely from the majority of our community so there are more eyes watching.

And, if a blogger can be allowed to dream. Just imagine a city council becoming relevant to the disengaged, the young, the non-white people, the renters, the low income residents of Encinitas. It is a myth that when all people enjoy a higher quality of life and feel security and engagemed it means something is diminished from another's quality of life. If this new city council wants continuous improvement, they should think big.

Big Weekend Big Fun

The largest turnout in history some say. Great weather and a real desire to celebrate the surf culture too. Besides Council woman Barth going strong both Saturday at the parade and Sunday at Kringle Mingle in Cardiff, this was the first semi-official appearance of the newly elected Council Members Elect Lisa Shaffer and Tony Kranz and their spouses. Also included here are some enthusiastic bike riders and the Leucadia Town Council's giant rickshaw.

All photos from Facebook sources.

Serious Giving

Some opt out altogether from the historically recent custom of buying Christmas gifts. Some because their family and familiars have plenty of stuff, so the holiday has changed with the seasonal generous urge fulfilled with one of the hundreds of alternatives. This isn't a new concept.

Walking the Talk at the Holiday

It's a big weekend ahead for the people in Encinitas who celebrate the Holidays.
Parade
Saturday, December 1st. The Tree Lighting in the Lumberyard at 5 pm is the apparent kickoff. The parade itself begins at 5:30 at D Street and will end at J Street in downtown Encinitas.

Kringle Mingle in Cardiff.
Sunday, December 2nd, 1-5 pm at Cardiff Town Center.

Councilwoman Barth and her husband Don donated the tree she is standing beside here. Goodwill to all seems to be a theme with this couple with a special love of the coastal community where they live.

Update: For those who are confused, the point of this post is that Barth and her husband personally give of themselves and financially (like the donation of this tree) - outside of her elected role as a council member. I'd ask if anyone can name another council member who does the same, maybe even those who have severed for more than a decade?

Sadly, we have precious little donated by the very wealthy of this community for the goodwill of all beyond the requisite allotments for the CRC, Botanical Gardens, etc. This isn't meant to be critical of any donations of any amount by anyone at all. There are generous souls among us.

It is still an indictment of sorts to the scrooge-like history of the most wealthy.  There are individuals who are more than able to buy the Pacific View property (with money that wouldn't even be missed in the fiscal world they live in) and give it to the city.  Don't hold your breath.

12/1/12 Updates: Apologies for date, day confusing post.  Holiday PSA writing fail.

Next Move

Romney Spends $600 Million On Top-Tier 'Soul Searching' Team

Onion

I'm Bored, I'm Chairman of the Bored

Let's take this week's city council meeting scheduled today, Nov. 28, 2012.  There is nothing on the agenda.  Just as well to not have to sit through hours of Jim droning on, Mark mouthing catch phrases, Kristin moving forward (using hand gestures) and Jerome's sarcasm.

This very last meeting is really a lame duck meeting. Anything that is really outstanding for the agenda is best dealt with after Dec. 11, with the changing of the council members and selecting a new mayor and deputy mayor.

And James Bond will no doubt be fêted yet again.  Just how many of these is this town going to plan?  The image above represents the apathy cheerleader - fitting for this mood of boredom.  It also fits James Bond to a tee.  He had hundreds of ways to describe why people shouldn't bother to come to city council meetings, attend workshops or be engaged as a voter.  He could ramble on for 10 minutes or more about how he once bothered and learned it just didn't matter. Change is impossible and it's best to trust those on the dais.  Move along folks . . .

Sixteen years were already too long, James Bond knew this and decided not to run in 2008. Then at the last minute his vanity or some other bad influence led him back into election campaign mode. This was way past Bond's sell-by date and the community had to wait it out, as did staff and colleagues. 

Once or twice this year he did halt the juggernaut that Stocks and Gaspar created together with their leadership positions in running the meeting to serve their own ends. We can thank him for that. So, let the guy have his last bows tonight.

Boredom is from more than this meeting tonight.  Where is it written that the binge consumption - be it holiday foods, retail products or entertainment be practically the only news of the day?  It is a real feeling of drift to be secular, not participating in holiday and generally a non-consumer.  Possibly it is also the after effects of Manchester buying up NCT and Patch editor Marlena Medford turning over that role to Daniel Woolfolk. *Sigh*

Then there is the shitstorm of misinformation, hysteria, silliness and sex in the MSM that drives one to drink or otherwise shut down mental function to survive.  General's genital drama, Twinkies, Grand Bargain, War on Christmas, War on Men versus real undeclared and unaccountable Drone Wars and Murder of Gaza and Climate Change.  Maybe this backdrop of crazy and horror just exaggerates the dearth of local stories.

Lastly, it has been a reoccurring thought for some years now that we have got it totally wrong.  If you observe nature all around it's apparent that this is a time to turn inward and to slow down.  The days are short and the nights are long.  It is a time to conserve energy as it gets cooler.  It is a time for interactions to dramatically drop off, for sleeping longer hours and needing less to eat with the minimal energy expended.  These messages are everywhere in the trees, the birds, critters and waterways. 

So, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.  There will most likely be light posting from now until Our Mayor goes dark on Winter Solstice, something we all share whether we celebrate or not. 

h/t Iggy Pop for title

Guess Who Loves Encinitas?

The recent news of the Gaspars being the ones behind the We Love Encinitas fliers, using the taxpayer funded Citizen Satisfaction Survey as a campaign device to promote Jerome Stocks and Mark Muir (dismal failure) prompts another question.

Why was Teresa Barth left off the 2nd mailer? She obviously loves Encinitas too. The following clip is from the Sept. 12, 2012 meeting when the True North consultant responsible for the Citizen Survey was questioned about the results.  It is worth watching the entire meeting with the advantage of knowing that the intended use in the campaign was a foregone conclusion for the council majority, the consultant if not the city manager.

It was clear several days before the election that the clumsy attempt to sway voters with Gaspars' We Love Encinitas mailers was doomed to failure.  The fliers and the sneering comments against Candidates Shaffer and Kranz and their supporters being the 2% who didn't love Encinitas insulted people's intelligence and sense of basic ethical standards.  

Despite the above clip, we heard that Paul Gaspar claims Teresa Barth indicated she didn't love Encinitas.  This isn't a direct quote as this blogger had to hear it on the grapevine.  But, it was so patently a lie and downright slanderous something needed to be said.  These twisted kinds of defense will only continue to poison the council's environment.  And that is indefensible. The new majority won't stand for it. 

And just one more clip to remind us what the current majority had to say about the survey when it was proposed March 28 of this year.

Note how Barth attempts to follow through on Bond's critique of a survey in an election year and she is cut off by our Mayor Stocks.  Deputy Mayor Gaspar uses the city manager as fall guy technique to force the vote.  She has used this bullying before with Gus Vina here and here. (Hopefully, this blogger won't be the only one crying foul if she continues with this in the upcoming year.)

A word about the whole point of the Citizen Satisfaction Survey.  So, presumably it was for the new City Manager, Gus Vina, to get information.  He defends it after the fact in his November newsletter, dated the same day Marcos Gonzalez of Coastal Law Group released the search results for the We Love Encinitas records.

The irony du jour is that there is a 6 pm public meeting tonight, Nov. 27, at City Hall on the Hall Property Park with only the most vague description on the city website. News of this via Patch appeared early today or late last night only because Councilwoman Barth saw it on the city website and alerted the press.

Doesn't that perfectly illustrate Barth does love Encinitas and goes above and beyond without grandstanding?  If the city manager will check out the citizen responses to city communication in the now infamous Citizen Satisfaction Survey, it would be clear to him that posting on the website alone isn't very effective.  City Manager Vina, please try harder to be a real ally serving Encinitas citizenry.  Continuous improvement . . . amirite?

Quote of the Day - Philosophy of Futility

"The goal for the corporations is to maximize profit and market share. And they also have a goal for their target, namely the population. They have to be turned into completely mindless consumers of goods that they do not want. You have to develop what are called 'Created Wants'. So you have to create wants. You have to impose on people what's called a Philosophy of Futility. You have to focus them on the insignificant things of life, like fashionable consumption. I'm just basically quoting business literature. And it makes perfect sense. The ideal is to have individuals who are totally disassociated from one another. Whose conception of themselves, the sense of value is just, 'how many created wants can I satisfy?' We have huge industries, public relations industry, monstrous industry, advertising and so on, which are designed from infancy to mold people into this desired pattern."

-- Noam Chomsky

We Know About Bullies . . .

Art by Sarah Saldana

Art by Ricardo Levins Morales 

Black Friday

First Nation

Walmart - Thanks Stocks & Bond

Encinitas Walmart June 2012 Opening: Police, Politi-speak and Polite Activists

Why Big U.S. Retailers Can Afford to Increase Wages.
Why Walmart Workers Are Striking on Black Friday.

Videos of Walmart Workers on Thanksgiving Day orders to work.

Just in time for holidays, Brave New Films has a 5 year anniversary gift set of 10 dvds. Creator Robert Greenwald:

Since 2005, we've been fighting for a more just America with such films as Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism and Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. Have you seen them all? Do you know a passionate activist that would love our work? We have our first five years of videos compiled into one big box set including the ones mentioned above PLUS Iraq for Sale, Rethink Afghanistan and hundreds of shorts. And you get the full length doc Koch Brothers Exposed. This is the perfect gift for a like-minded friend or family member this holiday season!

Maybe activists could chip in and purchase a set for the Encinitas Planning Department.

Who was behind the We Love Encinitas Deceptive Mailer?

Last October 7th people were passing out this flyer at the annual Olivenhain Oktoberfest.   People were outraged that the taxpayer funded Citizen Satisfaction Survey had been manipulated to serve as propaganda for Stocks campaign.

On Oct. 12 Encinitas Undercover posted the background on the mailer after the widespread delivery of this piece to people's homes.  

"Think about that: Jerome Stocks' backers are getting tax deductions for sending out what are, for all practical purposes, campaign mailers.  I suspect the IRS will frown on this charade and those involved will face legal consequences.  But even if not, what was Stocks thinking?  On the heels of sign-gate, to serve up another prime example of cutting corners and bending or breaking rules for political gain?  How much more blatant could he be in validating the complaints of his harshest critics?"

Yesterday we learned that the person responsible for the mailers via the Secretary of State database thanks to Coastal Law Group responding to inquires for information.

Deputy Mayor Kristin Gaspar's Husband, Paul Gaspar!

Entity Name: WE LOVE ENCINITAS COMMUNITY ADVOCATES
Entity Number: C3515796
Date Filed: 10/22/2012
Status: ACTIVE
Jurisdiction: CALIFORNIA
Entity Address: 140 ENCINITAS BLVD STE 105
Entity City, State, Zip: ENCINITAS CA 92024
Agent for Service of Process: PAUL GASPAR
Agent Address: 140 ENCINITAS BLVD STE 105
Agent City, State, Zip: ENCINITAS CA 92024

So, it isn't listed here whether this a non-profit or 501(c)(3).  What is significant beyond the staggering arrogance of Paul Gaspar, Deputy Mayor Kristin Gaspar's husband, is the date of activation on Oct. 22 being two weeks after the date when the misleading campaign piece was widely distributed.

Is it stupidity, naiveté or as stated, staggering arrogance, to disregard laws so blatantly? It isn't like this family hasn't already been challenged and failed on this front.  Before it was the deceptive slate mailers.  Early in October Councilwoman Barth wrote a commentary reminding citizens to be ready for the October Surprise of hit pieces via the mail. This was cross posted at EYNY.

"Slate mailer companies are also used by various individuals to send out last minute "hit pieces" on candidates. By using a slate mailer the actual contributors can remain unknown until after the election when the contribution reports are filed with the FPPC. These companies also provide a means for contributors to, legally and illegally, circumvent local campaign contribution limits.

In the 2010 election, the Voter Education Group sent out a mailer endorsing candidates Kristin Gaspar and Dan Dalager and blasting me. The group was later fined more than $110,000 by the FPPC for various state-wide financial reporting violations.

It's not illegal to pay for a slate mailer endorsement but is it ethical?"

This is the pressing issue for Encinitas citizens and for the new City Council, what does Deputy Mayor Kristin Gaspar have to say about her husband's exploitive use of the taxpayer funded survey and corporation creation?  We don't know all of the legal issues or ramifications, but we can uncover right now what the ethical issues are.

A Word Against Demands for a Clean Slate

Remember these?  This is the primitive version of etch-a-sketch.  This particular graphic seemed apt for the outgoing Stocks and Bond.

Anyone who has been an observer, a student of the US political scene for the past 30 years is well aware of the phenomenon of induced amnesia.  Our gigantic corporate media have perfected the erasure process with the Romney campaign. The biggest slate clearing in the last decade?

Bush?  Bush who? (Locally, Dan? Dan who?)

Whatever is written or even video taped - rrrriiiiiiipppppppp - clear the page. Gone. Out of sight and out of mind.

Enough prologue, it is likely the level of awareness reached by voters this year will dissipate very quickly.

[Editor note: Missing portion in bold added late.]
I believe it is important remind ourselves what we consider corrupt, unfair, damaging or uncivil.  What should be exposed or punished?  We need to come to an agreement of who is accountable and how this might be made clear to the community. 

The new council can be trusted to begin the new business at hand with this backdrop of the past available to inform decision making. My own belief is that maintaining and growing a public sector; e.g., an informed and engaged electorate, is far more important for activists' energy than anything that this new city council will be doing this year.

Collective issues like climate change, economic implosion, unemployment, food and water safety, failing infrastructure all need citizens who can come together in decision making.  The market (speculation at the center) is the cause not the solution to so much that lies ahead. None of these issues will be well served by a crash course with frightened consumers who have been thrown in the civic engagement.

In reality it shouldn't be an either / or proposition, but with such tiny numbers of citizens with real knowledge of Encinitas political climate this is just a fact.  That said, this blog will serve as a resource like the Encinitas Undercover blog, Encinitas You Need Us blog and the encinitasyouneedus YouTube channel for this past year. As pointed out since the early days of this blog, Leucadia blog served this purpose for their early writing chronicling local political characters with several posts this past year.

Because there are almost 300 Our Mayor posts that chronicle this end of a political majority's lock on Encinitas City Council, the blog will allow access and may be referenced at EYNU.

So, Our Mayor Stocks will still exist, but will be inactive. The blog will be dormant around winter solstice, Dec. 21 this year and that's appropriate as it started around the winter solstice last year. Winter Solstice brings the longest night of the year.

It is with pleasure we leave this behind. It feels petty when reporting petty - and the same goes for bullying, outbursts, lying, etc.  Even when humor was injected and national stories interjected for some change, the negative approach to governing was an emotional energy suck. There is a toll it takes on the messenger. A long night indeed.

Petty to the Bitter End

   Update below - omitted clip added

Last Wednesday, Nov. 14, was the first council meeting since the election when our Mayor Stocks was voted out of office by Encinitas voters.

Was there a statement from the dais from Our Mayor Stocks? No congratulations for the new candidates or their campaigns or concession words were offered.  Nothing at the beginning of the meeting where he has often spoken off the cuff or at the end in a personal word while reporting on boards.  No, not even a statement following the several oral communications speakers whose comments contained election tactics, electorate reactions, compliments to the candidates, praise for Barth and chastising Stocks.  Of course it is ridiculous after 12 years to expect grace or the high moral ground from Jerome. Zero . . . beyond, Thank you for your comments.

Sadly, the criteria for success for Stocks has become whether or not he was rude, patronizing or dismissive.  By that standard this next to the last meeting was a success.

The rest of the meeting was devoted to financial housekeeping issues of no great importance for debate and discussion.  Someone from the public did pull item #5 from the consent calendar (meaning general administrative issue). This item was a request by Crown Castle to mount a telecomunications device on the utility pole on Blue Heron Ave. The agenda packet describes this, but it was presented as simply a contract issue of an additional device. This meant no discussion of technical or functioning was supposed to be allowed.  Although this makes sense in an efficient approach to addressing regular housekeeping chores; this kind of narrow agenda definition has been favored by the council majority for years to keep volatile public protest off limits.

The three clips that follow speak to the petitioning neighbors rejection of this staff recommendation for an added device.  Their concerns are clearly laid out and at the most basic level ask they their concerns be taken seriously.  As the Jennifer Brimley the last public speaker below so aptly states, "This is your community too and you represent us, not Crown Castle."

Jim Madaffer representing Crown Castle presents what is essentially an argument that says, this is inevitable so get used to it. Plus this rather specious claim that radiation is not the issue, the health and safety issue is having enough of these - for emergencies.

Finally in this lineup is the Jennifer Brimley clip that challenges the Crown Castle's dismissal of transmission concerns among other points. She cites "Full Signal" the documentary that exposes the underlying financial criteria for the proliferation of these devices under the guise of legitimate need. The documentary movie website states:

"Full Signal examines the contradiction between health and finance, one of the many ironies of the fight to regulate antenna placement."

Councilwoman Barth voted against this with the straightforward fact, "The need hasn't been demonstrated to me." She discussed the previous council discussions in Sept. concerning Castle Group and the reasoning for coverage. Her request for clarification from the expert brought the Catch 22 answer that you'll have to listen to yourself to decipher.

Update 11/18/12: The following clip was accidentally left off and has been embedded again.




The pettiness that the title of this post asserts is this. If the council majority would simply reject the recommendation, no dire consequences would follow beyond annoyance for the vendor and maybe the staff. There would be time for the new council to look at the petitioners' request regarding DAS in terms of views, property values and health concerns. A chance for staff and the Environmental Commission to review research and the documentary film Brimley cites.

Stocks and Bond had no compelling reason to disregard the public's request. They are finished. It was petty. And it typifies the 20 year history of voting against public will and public concerns on behalf of for-profit private sector interests.

Blog Note: The final days for Our Mayor Stocks and this blog using Jerome Stocks name and title will probably reflect his silent skulking. But, one never knows if the big shouty part of his demeanor will show itself in the next several weeks. There is no reason to believe Jerome will leave politics, so it's impossible to predict what's next.