VENTURA’S FINANCES – HEALTHY, OR NOT ? At the Ventura City Council meeting on February 23, 2015, our Mayor will discuss The State of the City. It is to be expected that she will praise the accomplishments of the City, such as creation of a Water Commission to address water shortage issues and the City […]
THE CHICKENS MAY HAVE COME HOME TO ROOST OVER WATER ISSUES [A STUDY IN PROCRASTINATION] We’re in the worst drought in 100 years. The State of California, the City of Ventura and everyone else is concerned about water. Lake Cachuma is almost dry, Santa Barbara decides to finance and build a desalinization plant and Montecito […]
https://www.vregventura.org/wp-content/uploads/Drought.jpg6671000VREG Editorshttps://www.vregventura.org/wp-content/uploads/vreg-logo-1.jpgVREG Editors2014-09-01 07:43:392017-02-13 17:43:38Ventura’s Water Crisis Is A Study In Procrastination
WATER – A PEARL OF GREAT PRICE [The Right to Protest and Need for a Water Commission] On March 12th the need for Ventura to create a Water Commission became clear. Ventura City Water/Wastewater Department mailed a notice to property owners advising that effective July 1, 2014, the rates that Venturans will pay for water […]
https://www.vregventura.org/wp-content/uploads/Water-Treatment—WP.jpg6661000VREG Editorshttps://www.vregventura.org/wp-content/uploads/vreg-logo-1.jpgVREG Editors2014-04-01 08:16:202017-02-13 17:51:20Now Is The Time To Appoint A Water Commission
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. THE ILLUSION OF FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY Ventura is holding a Budget Workshop on Monday, March 17, 2014. It may be a meaningless exercise, however, unless the City applies integrity and common sense to the process. Otherwise, the process is rife with budget manipulations owing […]
https://www.vregventura.org/wp-content/uploads/Budget—WP.jpg6661000VREG Editorshttps://www.vregventura.org/wp-content/uploads/vreg-logo-1.jpgVREG Editors2014-03-01 07:49:132017-02-13 17:51:51Don’t Let A Charade Fool You Into Believing Ventura’s Financial Transparency
PENSIONS BUST BUDGETS [Grappling with Money and Economic Reality] The City Council race concluded with the reelection of Councilmen Andrews, Monahan and Tracy plus a new councilman, Eric Nasarenko. Our new Councilman was elected as Deputy Mayor at the last Council meeting and will serve in that capacity next year. We congratulate each member of […]
DETROIT – A HAUNTING SPECTRE [The Consequences of Ignoring Economic Reality] Most people are now well aware of the economic news. The City of Detroit filed bankruptcy under a cloud of $18 billion in debt. Crippling problems with corruption, unfunded benefits and pension liabilities, nepotism, and cozy political relationships between public unions and elected officials […]
ELIMINATION OF THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE [A PRO-GROWTH PROPOSAL ] The Ventura City Council, at their meeting on Monday, July 15, 2013, will consider the recommendation of our new City Manager, Mark D. Watkins and Community Development Director, Jeffrey Lambert, “to eliminate (cancel) both the Citywide and Downtown Inclusionary Housing Ordinances (IHP)”. This ordinance was […]
PENSION OBLIGATIONS REVISITED On March 11th the City Council was informed that the $12 million reserve that we have had since 1992 isn’t available as we had been led to believe. Although the General Fund has about $28 million, including this $12 million dollar reserve, by the end of the 2012-13 fiscal year had been […]
STATE OF THE CITY TREASURY [TRANSPARENCY THROUGH FOUL AND FILTHY AIR] History continues to remind us that to get to the root of any act of wrongdoing, malfeasance or wrongdoing, you need only follow the money to find the culprit(s). Eventually the truth and they are revealed. That again proved true at the City Council […]
https://www.vregventura.org/wp-content/uploads/Playing-the-KPI-Shell-Game—WP.jpg6661000VREG Editorshttps://www.vregventura.org/wp-content/uploads/vreg-logo-1.jpgVREG Editors2013-02-01 08:12:152017-02-16 14:51:03Budget Manipulation Using Fiscal Sleight Of Hand
THE WAV CONDOS – A FAILED PIPE DREAM [The Proof is in the Pudding] Our former City Manager, Rick Cole and former Mayor, Bill Fulton, sought to implement their visions for Ventura. They have moved on but they left the citizens of Ventura with financial problems. Each arrived from the LA area with […]
Pension Liabilities Threaten Ventura’s Financial Health
/in Newsletters/by VREG EditorsVENTURA’S FINANCES – HEALTHY, OR NOT ? At the Ventura City Council meeting on February 23, 2015, our Mayor will discuss The State of the City. It is to be expected that she will praise the accomplishments of the City, such as creation of a Water Commission to address water shortage issues and the City […]
Ventura’s Water Crisis Is A Study In Procrastination
/in Newsletters/by VREG EditorsTHE CHICKENS MAY HAVE COME HOME TO ROOST OVER WATER ISSUES [A STUDY IN PROCRASTINATION] We’re in the worst drought in 100 years. The State of California, the City of Ventura and everyone else is concerned about water. Lake Cachuma is almost dry, Santa Barbara decides to finance and build a desalinization plant and Montecito […]
Now Is The Time To Appoint A Water Commission
/in Newsletters/by VREG EditorsWATER – A PEARL OF GREAT PRICE [The Right to Protest and Need for a Water Commission] On March 12th the need for Ventura to create a Water Commission became clear. Ventura City Water/Wastewater Department mailed a notice to property owners advising that effective July 1, 2014, the rates that Venturans will pay for water […]
Don’t Let A Charade Fool You Into Believing Ventura’s Financial Transparency
/in General News/by VREG EditorsFool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. THE ILLUSION OF FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY Ventura is holding a Budget Workshop on Monday, March 17, 2014. It may be a meaningless exercise, however, unless the City applies integrity and common sense to the process. Otherwise, the process is rife with budget manipulations owing […]
Busting Ventura’s Budget Myths And Fantasies
/in Newsletters/by VREG EditorsPENSIONS BUST BUDGETS [Grappling with Money and Economic Reality] The City Council race concluded with the reelection of Councilmen Andrews, Monahan and Tracy plus a new councilman, Eric Nasarenko. Our new Councilman was elected as Deputy Mayor at the last Council meeting and will serve in that capacity next year. We congratulate each member of […]
Economic Illiteracy, Indifference And Denial Plague Ventura Finances
/in Newsletters/by VREG EditorsDETROIT – A HAUNTING SPECTRE [The Consequences of Ignoring Economic Reality] Most people are now well aware of the economic news. The City of Detroit filed bankruptcy under a cloud of $18 billion in debt. Crippling problems with corruption, unfunded benefits and pension liabilities, nepotism, and cozy political relationships between public unions and elected officials […]
The Inclusionary Housing Mirage
/in Newsletters/by VREG EditorsELIMINATION OF THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE [A PRO-GROWTH PROPOSAL ] The Ventura City Council, at their meeting on Monday, July 15, 2013, will consider the recommendation of our new City Manager, Mark D. Watkins and Community Development Director, Jeffrey Lambert, “to eliminate (cancel) both the Citywide and Downtown Inclusionary Housing Ordinances (IHP)”. This ordinance was […]
Pension Redux
/in Newsletters/by VREG EditorsPENSION OBLIGATIONS REVISITED On March 11th the City Council was informed that the $12 million reserve that we have had since 1992 isn’t available as we had been led to believe. Although the General Fund has about $28 million, including this $12 million dollar reserve, by the end of the 2012-13 fiscal year had been […]
Budget Manipulation Using Fiscal Sleight Of Hand
/in Newsletters/by VREG EditorsSTATE OF THE CITY TREASURY [TRANSPARENCY THROUGH FOUL AND FILTHY AIR] History continues to remind us that to get to the root of any act of wrongdoing, malfeasance or wrongdoing, you need only follow the money to find the culprit(s). Eventually the truth and they are revealed. That again proved true at the City Council […]
A WAV Of Financial Trouble Traps Ventura
/in Newsletters/by VREG EditorsTHE WAV CONDOS – A FAILED PIPE DREAM [The Proof is in the Pudding] Our former City Manager, Rick Cole and former Mayor, Bill Fulton, sought to implement their visions for Ventura. They have moved on but they left the citizens of Ventura with financial problems. Each arrived from the LA area with […]