Will Stockton Try Doing a Massive Gang Sweep Soon?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD0W5DrHTBg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Stockton's Mayor suffers from Amnesia due to her Helium Addiction

Does anyone else feel that Ann Johnston has something serious? She can only work one 40 hour work week. Just imagine how many "hours" aside from her Mayor's duty? The correct answer is none, because being Stockton's Mayor, is actually a full-time position. This is why it doesn't make any sense the way she "runs" her business, instead of "running" our city. Maybe this is truely the reason that our city is in shambles? Nothing personal Mrs. Johnston, but I am fairly certain that your lack of commitment, may be the root cause for our many issues.

We have had enough!

No longer can 'We the people' put up with a wrong answer. Recently Ann has said that she was mis-lead, along with the other 6 council members. Her panel of who? Who were on that council? It's supposed to be the citizens! Not the former Senators, Congressmen, nor Big Whigs of the Special Interest groups. Listen to the people that pay your entire public salary, because you must not forget you need our votes to get elected... yet, you've been ignoring the fact, that we are all in danger of being the next victim of these violent crimes that have plagued the city for too long!

No more Balloons, Mrs. Johnston!

Even after you had received an extra +/-$45,000 which to this day has still not been paid back, going against the courts order... But she has experience of what exactly? The only things I've seen since moving here in 2008, was her lack of drive for the city's well being. I can attest to anybody that says anything besides, "It has gotten a lot worse in the last four years!"

If the court rules in favor of Ralph and I in February, at which point we feel, you personally will be responsible for all legal fees, and running for an Office for which you are termed out, Is also known as Tyranny against the public! Knowing you could be ineligible before you officially announced your candidacy, can be considered as attacking the foundation of our democracy, and accepting votes for an office you cannot fill, Is pointless, and borderline shameful.

Ann before it's too late, do the Right-thing, and push back voting to elect our Mayor to Christmas Eve, then withdraw yourself from the race, and allow Jimmie Rishwain to rightfully challange Anthony Silva. These two Men actually converse with the people of Stockton, they ask and they listen!

Michael Fitzgerald bringing the Truth to the Table

1 Dead, Several wounded in a Stockton Gun Battle

STOCKTON (CBS13) – Suspects wanted in connection with a freeway chase and brazen gun battle with police overnight surrendered in Stockton early Thursday morning.

SWAT officers stormed a home on Monte Diablo Avenue and took the suspects into custody.

The incident began on Wednesday night after someone was shot in the area of North Plymouth Road. A short time later, more shots were reported a few blocks away between two vehicles at an ARCO gas station, say police.

Darance Leave, 19, is a documented gang member.

“We’re in a residential neighborhood, and bullets have no names,” Officer Joe Silva said. “One of those bullets could have gone into a residence and caused some harm, and we’re very fortunate that didn’t happen here.”

Officers located one of the vehicles, a van, believed to be involved in the shootings and chased it up and down Interstate 5 as passengers fired multiple shots at police, hitting a patrol car.

The chase ended in a shootout. One of the suspects was shot and killed, and a second was hit by gunfire and taken to the hospital. He was later released and was being questioned by police Thursday. A third suspect tried to run from police but was tracked down and arrested.

Darold Jarvis, 34, is a wanted felon.
Police seized an assault rifle and two handguns.

The suspect killed was later identified as Joseph Brooks, 27. Police identified the two suspects at the scene as Darold Jarvis, 34, a wanted felon, and Darance Leave, 19, a documented gang member. Three suspects arrested at the house were still be questioned.

The Plymouth Road shooting victim is expected to survive.

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Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: "They" Have all of us confident, but weary!: Ron Paul and Mitt and Mitt Romney will be splitting california's delegates. Each picking up 53 delegates. So Let's Review the total count...

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: What Can Ron Paul Accomplish in Tampa at the Conve...

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: What Can Ron Paul Accomplish in Tampa at the Conve...: Tom Mullen’s latest Washington Timescolumn speculates on different ways Ron Paul delegates could possibly influence the Republican Party pl...

Stockton makes Bob Deis the Authority to go through with Bankruptcy

Stockton isn’t giving up on AB 506, but should the confidential mediation fail to realize significant savings by June 25, the city will have just three business days until it is general fund balances reach zero and the city becomes insolvent.

That’s why at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, a majority of the council authorized the city manager to file for Chapter 9 Bankruptcy protection if AB 506 does fail. It wasn’t a vote for bankruptcy, it was a vote to prepare for a potential bankruptcy.

“We remain hopeful that we can reach an agreement with a sufficient number of our creditors to get our fiscal house in order,” said Mayor Ann Johnston. “However, we must have a plan for any possible outcome to protect the health, safety and welfare of our community and maintain basic services. Without significant fiscal relief, the General Fund will be out of money by June 30, 2012.”

While immediate deficits pose the greatest threat to the city’s solvency, the long-term implications of the city’s structural deficit continue to drive the city’s aggressive approach to cutting costs. According to the staff report produced by the city manager’s office, the “long term obligations approach $1 billion. Relief from such obligations can greatly improve the City’s viability.”

Contributing to that long-term imbalance are costs associated with personnel, including pension and retiree health benefits.






Over the past three years, the city has trimmed $90 million from its budget to ensure a balanced ledger. However, this year the deficit is pegged at another $23 million, $26 million if the city takes certain actions to stabilize its accounts and rebuild a responsible reserve. The annual deficits will continue for the next decade, reaching $46 million by 2015/16 and $56 million in 2020/21. That number could reach $88 million by 20/21, if salaries and benefits are restored to pre-concession levels.

Even as the confidential negotiations of AB 506 continue behind closed doors, , a very public debate continues in Stockton.

Those who supported moving into the AB 506 process – including the city’s mayor and city manager – continue to assert that further cuts to services will endanger public health and safety. Citing recent crime statistics in the staff report, city manager Bob Deis says that violent and gun crime has risen in recent years as a result of cuts to police.

“In 2011, there were 58 homicides in Stockton, an all time record,” reads the staff report. “At this time last year, there had been seven homicides, but as of May 4, 2012 we were already up to 23 for the year. We are also experiencing a 30% increase in gun violence from last year.”

Much of the blame for the current financial trouble has been placed on the city’s retirees and the cost of their healthcare.

In late 2011, those retirees formally incorporated their own association, the Association of Retired Employees of the City of Stockton. They are working to protect the benefits promised to retirees and are preparing to defend those benefits in bankruptcy court.

“While mediation is proceeding, I am no more optimistic today than on the day the City was required to begin the Mediation Process because the City Manager and the City Council (with the exception of Dale Fritchen) continue to publicly attack retiree medical,” writes the Association in a newsletter to members dated June 1.



“As a result of what has been reported to the Board of Directors concerning the real content of the mediation sessions… We are accelerating the process of preparing for a legal defense in bankruptcy,” continued the report to members.

The Association has retained the services of Felderstein, Fitzgerald, Willoughby & Pascuzzi LLP, the same firm that represented CalPERS in Vallejo’s bankruptcy case.

With the 6-1 vote, the city has opened the door to a potential bankruptcy filing.

“We will come through the AB 506 process or chapter 9 with a financially sustainable future,” said Mayor Johnson. “Even though we have inherited this mess, we are committed to doing everything in our power to leave this City better, stronger and healthier.”




Ron Paul asks the RIGHT Questions!

Stockton Councilman exposes plan to get out of Bankruptcy

Dale Fritchen

By Scott Smith
Record Staff Writer
June 02, 2012 12:00 AM
STOCKTON - Councilman Dale Fritchen on Friday unveiled his plan to rescue Stockton from bankruptcy, a plan he said will balance the city's deficit budget without laying off any police officers.

Fritchen's plan - delivered to The Record - trims $20.5 million from the projected $26 million deficit to Stockton's general fund.

Fritchen drew criticism from Vice Mayor Kathy Miller for using Stockton's dire finances for political gain. Fritchen waited until the weekend before his Tuesday primary race against challenger Michael Tubbs, Miller said.

Coming sunday

The eyes of Wall Street and finance offices across the country are on Stockton as mediation plays out and the city tries to avoid bankruptcy. The bond market viewpoint: Play hardball, wait and see and look for any advantage.


"I think this is too serious of an issue to be used for politics," said Miller, accusing Fritchen of grandstanding. "I'm really disappointed."

Fritchen proposes reducing or cutting several areas of the budget. Among his ideas:

» A 5 percent cut across city employees' pay and benefits for a $7.6 million saving.

» Modify the city's retiree health care by $4.5 million.

» City Hall should be able to negotiate its way out of $1.1 million in annual payments to itself from the settlement of a Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association lawsuit.

» Rein in payments to outside lawyers and consultants, which could net another $1 million.

Stockton has until June 30 to pass a balanced budget.

City Manager Bob Deis has said the deadline for success in mediation is June 25, or bankruptcy will follow the next day.

Bankruptcy, Fritchen said, will cost Stockton up to $20 million in lawyers' fees.

"There's going to have to be cuts if we go into bankruptcy or not," Fritchen said. "Outside of bankruptcy, there are no attorneys' fees."



Miller declined to comment on Fritchen's numbers because she hadn't seen them, but she said the city's retirees have not yet agreed to reduced benefits in mediation. She didn't see a way to execute that part of Fritchen's plan.

She added that Fritchen and the other council members have been privy to Stockton's financial data for months, yet only now did he present his options to the newspaper.

"I can't tell you they are legitimate savings," Miller said. "It's easy to throw numbers out there from 50,000 feet."

Fritchen said he plans to present his proposal to the city, but it was too late Friday to get them on Tuesday's agenda. He also plans to post them on his website at vote4dale.com.

"There will always be those who want to criticize others' intentions," he said. "My motivation is, and always has been, to save Stockton from the misery of bankruptcy."

Contact reporter Scott Smith at (209) 546-8296 or ssmith@recordnet.com. Visit his blog at recordnet.com/smithblog.



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Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: Oh Zee's Quote of the day

Oh Zee's Words of Wisdom: Oh Zee's Quote of the day: "Do as you have been taught, and the world will change a whole lot." -- Oh Zee May 8th Only in America!






Ron Paul has started the revolution, help me finish it!