Comments by Steven Hyman

Half Moon Bay negotiating its surrender in Sacramento

Rick-
I don’t believe that this was done in order to “stick it” or with “malice”.  AB 1991 was a clever way of getting out of a mess without having to pay a lot of money for the City wrongfully damaging someone’s property.

Appealing was a major gamble that we couldn’t afford if we lost so the settlement was the way to go.  And we reduced the size of the judgment so this accomplished what an appeal would have hoped to achieve.

As I said, this mess has spanned many administrations.  What’s equally stunning is that we keep doing stupid things like the Oak St. Park.  How many lawsuits are we going to get hit with till it sinks in that you can’t keep taking people’s property cause its there.

Maybe the real question is are we capable of governing ourselves?  15 years of doing nothing but spending money on lawyers and fighting everything might prove we are not.

Half Moon Bay negotiating its surrender in Sacramento

I am pleased to re-read what I wrote and I stand by my words today.  Sometimes things work and sometimes they don’t.  It would be a shame for all the residents in HMB if this bill is defeated.

The alternative of paying $18 million plus attorney fees and other City costs for this overpriced parcel will be a travesty.  It will end up as a lasting memorial to incompetent government and how failed policies from previous administrations can nearly bankrupt a little town.

And since we may end up paying for this mess for a long time, we will be constantly reminded of these failed policies.

Landowners sue HMB, saying Oak Avenue Park is on their property

Here we go again.  An easement is granted usually for access to land-locked property or for sidewalks or for utilities (above or below ground).  Easements are done with the approval of both the grantor and recipient of the easement.  An official map is prepared by a surveyor showing the exact size of the easement.  Then (doesn’t have to be but really should to protect the rights of the recipient) should be recorded with the County.

Either you have an easement or you don’t.  There’s no maybe.

Hopefully, getting out of this mess will only cost us a few hundred grand.  This is just another case of gross stupidity, arrogance and incompetence.  You can’t just keep taking peoples’ property illegally because you feel like it.

HMB’s AB1991 representative Lanny Davis joins Fox News

If we don’t get our news from cable outlets that have the time to devote more to segments, should we get the Weekly Reader?  In case you didn’t get it, Jon Stuart was a joke.

Fox is by far the best and balanced but I constantly flip between CNN, MSNBC, PBS and local news for humor.  Limbaugh, Dobbs and O’Reily are very informative than comes Hannity.  Savage, while entertaining, is over the top and Oberman is a jealous sore looser and is totally biased.

HMB’s AB1991 representative Lanny Davis joins Fox News

Glad to see that the contempt here isn’t just limited to brokers and local business people who try to point out the many great reasons to live here.

Its amusing to see the anger here towards democrats like Davis (and Clinton) who are shrewdly moving AB 1991 through Sacramento.  I can understand the contempt for Fox even though they are more balanced than many of the other stations.  People seem to be jealous of success.

I guess these blogs let people vent their frustrations.  And its cheaper than therapy.

HMB’s AB1991 representative Lanny Davis joins Fox News

Kevin,

Thanks for starting my day off with a smile. We are actually agreeing, first loyalty and now the Clintons.  Its only a matter of time till I convince you of the virtues of Fox and Beachwood with Fox being the easier sell.

Despite what you think of Davis’s former boss, these guys are the masters of spin and they are democrats so they took Sacramento by storm.  I don’t think Karl Rove would have been as effective.

And of course CBS and the NY Times aren’t credible either so maybe we should get our news from Jon Stuart.

HMB’s AB1991 representative Lanny Davis joins Fox News

At least Lanny Davis remains loyal to the people who made him famous.  That is a lot better than Dick Morris or George Stephanoplous who have sold out the Clintons. 

As far as biased news stations go, MS-NBC takes the cake.  Wow, Kevin are we ever going to agree on anything?

Pants on fire

Scott,

I was referring to the Mayor’s 5/6 letter to the CCC.  What I found most disingenious was the back-peddling that first the CCC would approve 19 homes and once AB1991 was submitted, they softened their position to maybe allow 30 homes.

I’m sure they view this bill as a wittling away of the grip they have on us.  All I can say is too little too late.

Let me first start out by saying that I think POST purchasing N Wavecrest was a good idea.  The City spent a lot of money on lawyers, reports, staff time over 10-15 years.  The endless foot dragging of this project softened up the buyer to where the offer from POST was better than more years of fighting.

What I was trying to say was what did the City get out of this multi-million expenditure on NW? No revenue, parks, Boys & Girls Club.  If I’m missing something, I would sincerely appreciate your comments.

To me this is a continuation of out of control spending on lawyers that is disproportionate to our income.  It is irresponsible, unacceptable and luckily, only because we are tapped out now, will stop.  Its too bad for us citizens that it comes million of dollars too late.

Pants on fire

I initially thought this bill was going to be easily defeated by the onslaught from all the environmental groups because they have historically been so creative/aggressive in pushing their agenda.

But it was really a stroke of genius by the City to take the tact they did with HIGH priced lobbyists.  Not only did they create a winning coalition but made sure everybody had to lay out their positions early so they couldn’t flip-flop later. 

This may set a new standard in how to do things here by aggressively throwing a lot of money and influence peddling at a problem.  This is a time tested method that works in Washington and it seems to be working in Sacramento too.

I do think that it will make it through the Senate but I its a long way off till the bulldozers start.  The lawyers will be happily busy and billing the City for a long time.  Lucky them to have latched on to the Beachwood gravy train. 

To think that both sides have spent now in excess of $10 million on just lawyers.  What a staggering waste of money.  And if you throw in the money we blew on lawyers on Pacific Ridge and N Wavecrest, there’s probably another $5-$10 million. Add to that City reports, time, G&A;and there’s $5 million more.

So if you want to know why people are getting fed-up, its because of this outrageous wasteful unproductive spending of our money with nothing to show except for the lawyers getting rich.

As to your other question about AB1991 Lite, it will be up to Keenan if he likes it.  Otherwise, he’ll take his $18 million plus interest and say a tearful goodbye to HMB.

Then we will have had the privilege of paying $25-$30 million for some worthless field of weeds that probably isn’t worth $3-5 million (depending on number of water connections).

Eventually someone will pick this up for cheap and bury HMB with more crushing legal fees and prevail. Just like the Oceano Hotel, it took 25-30 years but it got done.

Pants on fire

Don’t know how much the City is spending on its lobbying efforts but if it is successful, its well worth the investment.  And its much cheaper than writing an $18 million check too.

Time has a way of healing most wounds so hopefully our state agencies are staffed with mature adults and realize that this is business.

But I don’t hear any concern from you for our residents who are staring at this staggering debt.  Should this bill fail, we will be the ones holding the bag for the failures of our government.

Money versus hurt feelings, that’s an easy question to answer.

Pants on fire

Its always fun dealing with people who disagree with you.  And I realize my views are in a definite minority here but I do like the fact that I know whom I’m speaking to.

Most of the time things are civil.  There are a few who like to make disparaging comments and therefore the appropriate response.

Beachwood and 1991 are things we will never agree on.  So my guess is that we’ll be having these colorful conversations for years to come as this outrageously expensive comic opera or greek tragedy plays itself out.

HMB receives $5 million insurance settlement

Janet,

I can see a scenario if AB 1991 passes, it will be challenged in courts until the clock run out and then the City has to write the $18 million check.

That would be par for the course in doing business in HMB.  Very sad.  Its also starting to anger people with this fight everything mentality.

We want things done now, not blow millions on lawyers as project costs skyrocket.  Look we can’t even replace a old waterline without fighting for years.  What a joke.

I still believe that there is more local support for AB 1991, especially when you look at what we we are loosing, a weed filled lot by McDonads and our sewer plant.  I have pointed out this site to clients for over six months now, and almost all of them stare at it in total disbelief.  Most of the comments are not fit for writing here.  What a joke sums it up politely.

And the choice between the bill and writing a check, again most are in favor of getting out of this mess as cheaply as possible.  Common sense prevails, even if some cactus cooperative is unhappy. That’s too bad but they’ll get over it.

And as far as Lanny Davis goes, that was a stroke of genius.  He has shown how effective a savvy political lobbyist can be.  He knows how to work the corridors of power as is evident by the success we’ve seen with this bill so far.  And I’m still hoping to see Bill and Hillary here to.  Maybe we can get a great photo of Bill standing in front of Beachwood eating a Big Mac and fries.  Its the food that transcends party lines.

Pants on fire

Thanks for the idea.  But what’s wrong with 6%?  I don’t work cheap.

HMB releases financial analysis of Beachwood settlement

Appraisals are done for different reasons.

The most common is for purchases or refinances.  Its true that a house or anything for that matter is worth what someone is willing to pay and what someone is willing to sell.

Banks use appraisals to validate the value to protect their loan.

In divorces or deaths, different values are used for settlement or tax purposes. But appraisals will vary for even the same home because different comps can be used.

If there are 5 comps for a home and the bank wants only 3 comps, you can see how different homes will produce different results.

This is where a good realtor can work with an appraiser to get the best results for the client.  Hope that helps.

Local Government Committee passes AB1991—next stop: Appropriations Committee

The City was facing several ugly options.  I think the settlement was very creative and obviously favored Keenan, who was holding all the cards with a staggering size judgment.

I can understand the concern from many here about the law being tweeked to save HMB.  What I disagree with is this specific site.  It is an unimpressive infill lot.

What’s more important to me and many others is the over-riding interest in not paying $18 million.  That trumps the consequenses to other people elsewhere of this special bill.

I wish I could take a more macro view but I don’t have the time to worry about everybodys’ problems throughout the state. And with the real estate recession worse in other places, there must be plenty of problems.

Its obvious that we are just as divided now as ever before and aren’t willing to learn from our past mistakes.  That means more fighting with the area held hostage to endless appeals and nothing getting done. 

Looks like AB 1991 will get through the Senate.  What happens afterwards is probably more legal fighting.

There’s also taking place a big shift in the people’s attitudes here.  The anti-growth forces are loosing influence as the results of their actions are coming home to roost.

People aren’t going to tolerate the stalling tactics that have dominated politics in the past.  We want things done quickly.  Why am I saying that, we are talking about government and they don’t understand that concept.

HMB receives $5 million insurance settlement

A better solution would be to have AB 1991 passed and then maybe the City could actually spend this money on something useful for the residents.  And I don’t mean more lawyers.

We can always dream.

Pants on fire

Ken,

I’m really getting worried about you.  Either you are suffering from an acute case of LLD (liberal learning disability) or your prescription is off on your weed colored glasses.  In either case, it seems to interfere with your processing of simple statements from people who disagree with you.

Let me call Sylvan for you on Monday.  We’ll get you signed up for summer school.  Then we can play.

Pants on fire

Barry,

Let me try and say this as simply and clearly as I can.  When I made the remark about the CCC, I was referring to the quote made by the Mayor about false and misleading statements. PERIOD.

If that isn’t clear enough, I think we should get the group rate at Sylvan cause obviously there are several posters who had a difficult time reading.

I’ll contribute $100 for Ken

Pants on fire

Ken, we need to get you to the Sylvan Learning Center pronto.  Its actually embarrassing to think there are public officials here who have a hard time reading English.

I’ll put this in caps so it will be easier for you to read.  The Mayor said about the CCC “INTENTIONALLY MISLEADING AND SPREADING FALSE STATEMENTS TO MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE.”

Maybe the Bill Clinton dictionary has a different meaning for FALSE STATEMENT.

I realize complex or compound sentences are difficult for you to grasp.  You really only know one word and that’s NO.  Like can I have a permit for my home or traffic light or Boys & Girls Club.  You say NO so often that most of us think that’s the only word that comes out of your mouth.

These must be trying times for you because most of us are tuning you out.  We are tired of the Chicken Little whining.  The sky won’t fall when they bulldoze Beachwood.

You had your day in the sun and now you’re being relegated to the scrapheap of irrelevancy.  Get used to it.

Pants on fire

Look at what our Mayor and our high priced lawyers said.  If you can’t read or understand that, maybe I should help contribute to a Sylvan reading course for you.

Of course its hard seeing the truth when you only look at life through weed colored glasses.

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