[quote=jpinpb]. . . I get very upset about discussion of lack of money in this state b/c people over the past decade of this bubble were paying 2 to 3 times the amount of property taxes due to the value of the properties doubling and the flipping going on.
Where did all the money go? I’ve said this before. It’s like being in Vegas at a magic show. The money disappears and the more you give, the more it vanishes into the black hole. . . [/quote]
jp, I can tell you that, in Chula Vista, the City government expanded *exponentially* between 2000 and 2008, in ALL Depts. The City was sitting fat and happy with all the new development fees and their share of the property taxes emanating from all those new developments.
Then in 2008, I believe, they did layoffs in non-essential positions and “slower depts” such as the planning dept permit counter, etc. During this time, they also “enhanced” their employees’ retirement system.
I just finished walking the dog and the Friday eve “Star-News” headlines in driveways reads “Firefighters Save Jobs – Cops Won’t Be Cut Yet.”
I didn’t read the article, but I’m sure they’re cutting every which way but loose, including non-essential employees, programs and supplies, to keep the safety workers on the payroll. For the last 18 mos., one longtime public pool has been closed and library hours cut by a third.
This is indirectly all due to reassessments, mostly on *newer* construction in those much-ballyhooed two newer zip-code annexations, 91914 and 91915, that the City was very much in favor of acquiring but now must serve :={
