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From a letter to the editor in the Martinez News Gazette from Bill Mechling

After reading the article by Greta Mart, titled ‘RDA funds: Where is the money going?’ I followed it up by going to the website listed at the end of the article. www3.senate.ca.gov/portal/site/senoversight under the ‘Reports’ tab. The Executive Summary of the report “Where Does the Affordable Housing Money Go?” lists seven ‘findings’ that have the lead words of: No assurance, Lax records, Loose law, Messy data, Questionable spending, Unreliable audits and Code enforcement. They also list recommendations for stronger oversight of RDAs. Until those are implemented, Martinez voters need to elect candidates who oppose the creation of an RDA. While at that website, please click on the report: “Redevelopment Fund Estimates Create Billion-Dollar Confusion for Policymakers”. The ‘Table of Contents ‘ page is a real eyebrow raiser all by its self, but the complete report needs to be read to see just what RDAs are really about.

Looking at the election fliers or video of Mayor Schroder, council members Mike Menesini and Lara DeLaney, a voter will not see or hear any mention of a Redevelopment Agency, let alone the creation of one. It was but a few months ago that these three, along with the other two council members, were totally committed to creating an RDA! Did they have a change of heart, perhaps took a closer look at the negative findings of various government agencies and officials or had read, seen or heard something from the news media. Nah, in my opinion it just the old political ploy: deception by omission! Do not re-elect these three! JUST SAY NO TO AN RDA!

Some say that the challengers to the incumbents in our city government are no-growth and will only bring stagnation. Why do memories of the movie “The Music Man” pop into my mind when I hear that? Kathi McLaughlin and Gay Gerlack don’t agree on everything, but both promise to listen to, and get approval from the voters first, before allowing the city to assume more debt. With the creation of an RDA, decisions such as, where the redevelopment areas are and how many tens of millions dollar debt is to be taken on, will be made by five people. The only recourse then will be expensive and effort intensive referendums

RE-ELECT NO ONE!
ELECT Kathi McLaughlin AND Gay Gerlack!
JUST SAY NO TO AN RDA!