On Tom Carter: Never was heard a discouraging word. Thanks for all the good words on Tom – way cool guy. Got several from way far away, so somebody is forwarding these blog things or voiceofsandiego.org is being hit from outer space.
On the Po-Leeze: In case I wasn’t clear, I think we need to pay safety at the market rate. The police, and the other unions for that matter, need to start insisting on cash or cash equivalents. This deficit thing is not going away soon. And, I really do like the police. I do some tongue-in-cheek things sometimes, but you can usually tell. I like the folks out on the street doing the work.
On Kroll: I do like them, too. I mean it. I get exactly where they are coming from.
There is danger all around them, and no amount of money is worth getting in the middle of something as stinky as San Diego’s financial games if it does not right itself.
So, it’s no day at the beach for the auditors that have put themselves in harm’s way.
On the Port Getting Its Money Back from the Pension System: Well, good luck. I know lots of stuff goes on regarding this. Hope it all works out.
On Ann Smith’s Suggested Pension Tax: Look, you owe billions (thousands of millions). Sorry. You go in to Chapter 9 and adjust your debts to where you can pay them, or you raise your taxes, or you do massive debt bonding that pays this dog off over decades or centuries. Pick one. Ann Smith’s suggested pension tax is one option that would work in the sense that the money would come in. In my business, reality means a lot. If you have a better idea, roll it out. But it better have some real money or real debt relief in it. I’m not into “feelings” on this topic.
On the Airport: Yes, a substantial international airport would help our economy. I’m not against that. I tried to do an airport. My comments in the blog were just a sense of my experience, and the reality of this kind of project. I don’t see the stars lining up for this one. P.S., I think the comments of Commissioner Mary Sessom of Lemon Grove were among the most real and sane of the bunch.
On Heidi: If you do not know who Heidi Klum is, I really can’t help you interpret the blog intro. Skip to the bottom. The blog is about the Kroll presentation and report. (I’ll assume you did not know who Warren Zevon was either. That’s OK. Keep reading. I’ll get something in there you will recognize sometime soon.)
On Real Numbers: Yes, I’m one of those guys that plays golf at Torrey Pines.
On the Ballpark Financing: No I don’t know how much the “friction cost” of $39,000,000 breaks out per hour.
Thanks for all the interest.
– PAT SHEA