Experts Expound

“The redevelopment agency revolt that is spreading across the state: Is this limited to them or is this a harbinger of things to come in Brown’s budget plan?”

It is, unfortunately, a harbinger of things to come, I fear. Every target of Brown’s proposed budget cuts will attempt to hide the ball or spend the money. That’s why he needs a quick budget vote.

“Entrenched” isn’t just for breakfast anymore.

Redevelopment was the first big-gun, big-money special interest tossed over the side by Brown. I suspect as the governor works his way down the list, other revolts will flare up from those whose sense of the common good does not extend beyond the gate at the end of their driveway.

 Not sure it can get much bigger than this. And coupled with enterprise zones, what could be bigger?

No ox will stand there and be voluntarily gored. Except more of the same from other targets especially if polling finds Brown’s ballot proposal in trouble.

The good news is that Brown is trying to push responsibility and authority down to local governments. The bad news is that he will be giving them more taxing authority and most local politicos don’t have the political guts (and frequently the brains) to be able to hold down spending and taxing, or to control their employee unions and solve their pension problems. So let’s not forget that this Democrat is only temporarily acting like a Republican – and where’s Brown’s pension solution?

You will see more attempts to spend down potential state budget savings, but Brown is going to restructure state/ local government financial relationships. The more locals “save” out of this bucket, the greater the hit to them as the state passes off responsibility for other programs.

It is limited to redevelopment.  Other entities are planning cuts in tier 1 and 2 if the taxes are not extended.  The redevelopment piece is let’s get ours before the axe falls.  Voters are complimentary about Brown’s efforts, both big and small, to cut.  Those who have development interests see their revenue stream eroding.

Brown is picking and choosing his battles. This is an easy one to pick on.  Large amounts of money and voters don’t understand it.

Messing with people’s money always causes a stir, but the flack over redevelopment is stunted because voters are not directly affected.  The worse is yet to come.

Andrew Acosta, A.G. Block, Mark Bogetich, Barry Brokaw, J Dale Debber, Peter DeMarco, Mike Donovan, Jim Evans, Kathy Fairbanks, Jeff Fuller, Rex Frazier, Ken Gibson, Evan Goldberg, Deborah Gonzalez, Sandy Harrison, Bob Hertzberg, Jason Kinney, Greg Lucas, Mike Madrid, Nicole Mahrt, Steve Maviglio,  Adam Mendelsohn, Barbara O’Connor, Bill Packer, Kassy Perry, Jack Pitney, Adam Probolsky, Tony Quinn, Matt Rexroad, Matt Ross, Roger Salazar, Dan Schnur, Will Shuck, Ralph Simoni, Sam Sorich, Ray Sotero, Garry South, Kevin Spillane, Robin Swanson, Angie Wei, Rich Zeiger