The CRA announced Thursday morning that it was calling a special meeting of its commission for Friday morning to approve what seems like a stunning development: A cooperation agreement with the city for $885 million involving all its operations.
Is it a subterfuge to skirt Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to eliminate all redevelopment agencies? What could possibly be so urgent as to justify a special meeting without three days notice, without any documents or explanation?
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA
CRA/LA AGENDA FOR JANUARY 14, 2011
8:30 a.m.
Garland Center, 1200 W. 7th St., Los Angeles
AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE A COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH CITY OF LOS
ANGELES FOR PAYMENT OF APPROXIMATELY $885 MILLION FOR COSTS
ASSOCIATED WITH CERTAIN REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY FUNDED CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECTS LOCATED WITHIN THE CURRENTLY DESIGNATED 31
REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREAS.
ITS VERY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER IT COSTS ALOT OF MONEY IN CIVIL CASE PAYOUT EACH YEAR.
Our friend Ron makes an honest analysis of serious missteps that could land A Commissioner or two in the Hot Chair.
Hurry up make up a contract to commit money without Community Imput, amoungst other policies and procetures, nothing withstanding fraud waste and abuse; unfair business practices, the list goes on and on. We can compare this to the deceptive/strongarm policy as evil as the lottery for first amendment rights in venice beach.
Yours truely,
Funny thing, your fans over here at Hollywoodhighlands.org were just saying …why would they have such a rush, rush hush, hush meeting? Our conclusion – well great minds and all that. They must think Brown is serious to do this and do it so fast. Let’s hope they are right. Everyone, call, email, fax, tweet Brown and encourage him to stop the CRA in it’s tracks. John Walsh has vowed to show up at this meeting tomorrow. Even though John is always peaceful, loud – but peaceful, the City has lately doubled up on guarding him – so he wants them to know he’ll be there well in advance, in case they need to waste more money on guards to watch him obey the rules.
This “special agenda” item screams scam. I’m guessing they’re trying to “lock in” some kind of contract that will arguably be impervious to state-level cuts.
I don’t have time to figure it out, but the massive dollar amount and words “special meeting” set off all kinds of “scam alert” alarm bells and lights.
The City of Los Angeles under Tony Villar has become a den of thieves slapping each other on the back.
An $884 million transfer of wealth from the CRA to the City of Los Angeles, with the intent to evade a state budget action is simply a fraud on the people of California.
And a fraudulent transfer, or any transaction tainted with fraud, is subject to judicial invalidation.
Ron: You should send out an immediate alert on all email lists with a short form letter for people and community organizations to send to the email address of Christine Essel, the CRA Board President, and the CRA’s records manager, Diane Wren.