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Oh we got “T R O U B L E” ! ! !

Yes we’ve got real trouble – right here in River City!
That’s spelled “t r o u b l e” with a capital “T”!

“T” that rhymes with “C” that stands for “C o w l e s” – [oops sorry banned word in polite company] – AKA Citizens for Jobs Now !*
Protect your woman and children from these hustlers in our midst!Heed this warning before it’s too late!Watch for the tell-tale sign of corruption!Guard your pocket books from those fast talking politicians that will spend your hard earned money at a drop of a hat!Those same politicians in the pockets of those Downtown Boss Hoggs who roll the dice with your money on the line for their own benefit!

[OK protected free speech – political satire for your amusement only:-)]

More news to follow –

* http://www.citizensforjobsnow.com/ – Yeah alright – ASTROTURF. See WA PDC filing for this PAC click on button for “C1PC Report” at top of donor table –http://tinyurl.com/6mvb3yg

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I’ve expressed my views on Measure 1 in other posts. I rather doubt this expansion will bring the business touted by this expansion. Read the work of Mr. X at the Spokane Economics and Demographics Data blog:

Spokane Convention Center Expansion by the Numbers

The creation of the Spokane Public Facilities District (PFD) was for a worthwhile cause to replace the old Spokane Coliseum that had fallen into disrepair. The citizens of Spokane were very concerned about issuing any new City and or County bonds to fund a new facility.  Since that time the PFD has morphed through a series of actions and interlocal Machiavellian agreements that has subverted the original intent as approved by the voters.

Some of the usual suspects involved in the RPS bond frauds and the now failed Wenatchee PFD event center  (Bond Buyer) were involved in the creation and funding of the Spokane PFD.

Regarding the proposed Measure 1 by the PFD and as supported by the PAC, Citizens for Jobs Now, here are the critical questions yet unanswered in the PR and ad campaigns. Are the revenue projections based on reasonable assumptions? Has financial due diligence been done by the PFD  to ensure this is a good deal and the continuance of this funding authority will not go tilt when the projected revenue fails short of projections?

For an excellent account on the murky past on the formation of the PFD and the subsequent interlocal agreements involving the Arena, INB, Convention Center, Fair and Expo Center and Mirabeau Point read this four part series by Tim Connor and Larry Shook:


Part 1
THE GATE CRASHER (06-26-2003)
How the ghost of River Park Square haunts the convention center project

Part 2
The Note-Taker and the Wizard

Part 3
“Skullduggery”UPDATE I:

Part 4
Two Grumpy Old Men

UPDATE I:
A comment from Dick Adams, one of the, “Two Grumpy Old Men,” in the latest S-R thread on Measure 1:

Its noteworthy, District CEO Kevin Twohig said “the district has an obligation to inform the public about the projects”. Recently Twohig has been on Local TV selling?? I have seen Twohig several times the last few days and wonder who is paying the TV tab?? I posted what`s going on in Olympia once, and I will repeat it. I have noticed our legislators are resurrecting HB 2106 and have added a companion bill because of the stupids in Wentchee overspending on the convention center. My assessment of this crap concerns me because to allow Wentchee`s PFD to increase the amount of money they need to help out the huge debt, the companion bill provides the city a chance to sell muni nonvoter bonds. It must have sounded so good the legislators decided to include not only Wentchee to get more money, but every PFD in the state. Another guess on my part is, if the ballot fails the jerks will fast track the companion bill and to heck with the voters did turning it down. That shell game has been around for many years.

Here’s another comment from my friend Dick Adams in the S-R Editorial puff piece in support of Measure 1:

How dare the PFD sell nonvoter muni bonds, by non-elected officials sitting on the PFD board. For crying out loud, the first expansion of the convention center the members of the PFD had to pay off, in cash, $300,000.00 to pay off contaminated muni bonds before they could get approval of the financial package. And as usual, the Spokesman Review covered up the illegal muni bonds purchased that were paid off in cash for some unknown reason. It does not take much imagination to figure it out.