Comments for Cal-Am settles over Felton water system at http://pressbanner.com , comment 1 to 26 out of 20 comments http://pressbanner.com Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:14:32 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1102 The WSJ got it wrong too. The bills are $140, not $180. It's every 2 months, not every month. Their comparision does not hold water. They also fail to mention the $50/month additional tax that Felton homeowners pay from the cost of the bond. All in all a disappointing article from a publication that should know better. They got all hung up on the false David and Goliath thing. - mya Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:26:44 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1095 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121364882337878663.html Wall Stree Journal has a story about it. - Art Funkel Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:20:23 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1069 That was brought before a judge. But that judge was a friend of Almquist the shady character who started this whole mess. So even though the residents who complained had a valid judicial argument, it was disregarded. It should be brought up again. But I don't know what statutes of limitation are in effect. Good point though. Oh, and Mr Patriot? If a group rises up again to fight these criminals...will you write about it...or ignore it. - Ira Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:09:44 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1068 No one has mentioned that the voting process in itself was absolutely shady. People exempt from paying for the bond (personal well water) were allowed to vote on the issue. How can you fight this? - Felton Homeowner Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:05:12 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1065 Patriot, there were several groups which opposed the measure, not just 1. I will contact people from every one of those groups and see if there is solid interest in raising concerns again. Unfortunately, many have thrown their hands up in the air. Many have also been threatened - physically and financially. In my opinion, there are several issues to fight - illegal rendering of the terms of the bond, questionable voting demographic, tax liens, Mello Roos district. Perhaps just exposing the injustice of the whole process. - Lynn Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:36:47 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1064 New group? Isn't there an exisiting one? What group fought it during the bond vote? That's probably what we should use. No sense in re-inventing the wheel. - Patriot Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:11:15 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1062 Well Patriot? Name for the new group? - Bryan Thu, 12 Jun 2008 06:55:49 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1058 Is there a group that organized to fight this? It sounds like just individuals raised their voices. - Patriot Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:19:56 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1057 Patriot, that was done extensively. It's a surprise that the measure passed as so many people seemed opposed to it. People were intimidated into voting for it, some were intimidated into not voting at all. There has been much speculation that the voting was rigged. I suppose there was a process for dealing with that at the time, I for one just got burnt out trying to battle the insurmountable cabal of the county, slvwd, flow and the press. Any groups that gained any headway were vandalized and...sound familiar...threatened with boycott. There is a contingent keeping an eye on flow and slvwd activities. Perhaps we/they should ramp up. - Lynn Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:14:53 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1056 When I was working for Ron Paul, we had a bunch of psuedo-Libertarians who'd want to talk and talk and talk, but just try to get them to go stand on a street corner with a sign or go door to door to get signatures. You don't rely on the press. Real grassroots groups talk to the people directly. Did you all do that? - Patriot Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:54:20 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1055 Patriot - what would you suggest? There's are numerous reasons that people are expressing frustration - tax liens, mello roos district, lack of honest press coverage, the characters running FLOW who are going to end up running SLVWD. Groups tried to organize to fight the measure, but were shot down by the press. What do you suggest? - Bryan Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:12:56 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1054 If we were serious about doing something, we'd organize. This is sounding like a bunch of bellyaching. - Patriot Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:28:04 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1053 It is my opinions that those 5 men are crooks who, along with Sprenger, the VWC and the county, orchestrated the biggest ripoff Felton has ever seen. - Lynn Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:18:07 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1047 >:( What ever happened to SLVWD using the $11 million from the Waterman's Gap sale to cover the $2.9 million shortage on the CAL Am deal? Oh, did they decide that a completely "free" water system sounded better than digging in their own pockets? By the way, when it comes to remembering these crook's names don't forget Jim Mosher who has been FLOW's (and apparantly Felton ratepayers) mouthpiece for the last few years. I would like to sock him in his mouthpiece about now!! FLOW kept harping on how "local control" would improve things but now you can see that you have five men making all the decisions for not only the Felton customers but all SLVWD ratepayers. It seems to me that FLOW made it even easier for your water company to do whatever it damn well pleases with "your" water system. The photo of these "good ol' boys" standing and clapping made me want to throw up. Boys, don't break your arms patting yourselves on the back!! - Ben Lomond Homeowner Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:57:27 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1044 First of all, Fred McPherson, Jim Rapoza, Terry Vierra, Larry Prather and James Nelson (as well as Barbara Springer) should be names to be remembered in the future. I've live it Felton since January 1996 and my water bills have averaged $59.20 per month for a large household and big yard. Flow as guaranteed that this has at least doubled! I opposed this from the beginning, but had no idea that the "one sided" town hall meetings and "pizza parties" actually worked in buying this vote. Additionally, people opposing FLOW were "booed" and "hissed" upon at the town meetings and those who displayed opposition got their cars and signs vandilized. Since we are now paying for a HUGE amount of land, I would hope that we all receive deeds for a portion of this land--just in case they decide to log this in the future or some other income producing proposition. Finally, the person that wrote this article and stated "Water rates for Felton residents will be significantly lower, Mueller said. Under Cal-Am, Felton customers pay about $180 per month" is definitely under the payroll of this paper. - Felton Homeowner Sun, 08 Jun 2008 19:12:29 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1043 Also, more clarification - Cal Am always made it clear from the beginning they would sell for $15 million. SLVWD knew this from the get go. SLVWD tried to value the system at $7 million. They paid double what they said the system was worth. Of course, we all knew SLVWD would end up paying whatever they had to. And we all knew Cal Am would get what they were asking form. This all played out between county government and corporate forces that had and have little to do with local ownership, rate relief and Felton residents. Somebody should write the real story about what happened. - mya Sun, 08 Jun 2008 18:13:25 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1042 The first thing we should do is get the tax liens reversed and remove the Mello Roos designation from our district. Then try to get an honest decent bunch of elected residents on the board. - mya Sun, 08 Jun 2008 12:29:02 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1036 I wasn't living here when they took the vote. I want to know what we can do now. Is there any organization that opposed this? What are they doing now. Maybe we lost the battle but we haven't lost the war. - Patriot Fri, 06 Jun 2008 19:34:52 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1035 Where the h*** were you all when we were hollering what a bad idea this stupid Measure W was? Although, in your defense, the press didn't cover it honestly. - mya Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:18:12 +0100 http://pressbanner.com/content/view/1338/42/#comment-1034 The Bonds floated for the purchase of the Cal/Am system were generated by a vote from a Mello-Roos Community Services District. These types of districts are different from run of the mill assessment districts. For example, in the REAL world, you can fail to pay your taxes for almost five years, including interest and penalties, and then pay up and redeem your property. That is more than fair. In a Mello-Roos District, the government can begin foreclosure on a property if property taxes are only 91 days delinquent. This is a special present from the County Counsel's Office and County Executive Susan Mauriello. Be sure and drop them both a line of thanks, as well as the Board of Supervisors. - Alfredo Vargas Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:00:15 +0100