Comments on: The Public’s Right to Know? … Not in Vancouver. http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/the-publics-right-to-know-not-in-vancouver/ Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:35:28 -0800 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: LP http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/the-publics-right-to-know-not-in-vancouver/comment-page-1/#comment-3835 LP Sun, 09 Nov 2008 18:10:42 +0000 http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/?p=118#comment-3835 I just don't understand how these politicians can look at themselves in the mirror and then shake hands with the very people who elected them to office. Where does this sense of entitlement come from? They make me sick to my stomach. I can't wait until the next election for us to do it all over again. I just don’t understand how these politicians can look at themselves in the mirror and then shake hands with the very people who elected them to office. Where does this sense of entitlement come from? They make me sick to my stomach. I can’t wait until the next election for us to do it all over again.

]]> By: bob http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/the-publics-right-to-know-not-in-vancouver/comment-page-1/#comment-3774 bob Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:22:14 +0000 http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/?p=118#comment-3774 NPA mayoral candidate Peter Ladner went on record Friday promising: "There is nothing in this plan that will result in this [the cost of the athletes' village] going on property taxes. It'll never come to be paid by Vancouver taxpayers." Hmm... sounds like a new version of 'men having babies' to me. @RS: i wish we had all the #s & contract details as well as full background detail on the players (Fortress Credit Corporation & Millennium Development especially) - the above 'Grant g' <a href="http://bettysearlyedition.blogspot.com/2008/02/for-love-of-olympics.html" rel="nofollow">link</a> is intriguing. NPA mayoral candidate Peter Ladner went on record Friday promising: “There is nothing in this plan that will result in this [the cost of the athletes' village] going on property taxes. It’ll never come to be paid by Vancouver taxpayers.” Hmm… sounds like a new version of ‘men having babies’ to me.

@RS: i wish we had all the #s & contract details as well as full background detail on the players (Fortress Credit Corporation & Millennium Development especially) – the above ‘Grant g’ link is intriguing.

]]> By: RS http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/the-publics-right-to-know-not-in-vancouver/comment-page-1/#comment-3769 RS Sat, 08 Nov 2008 15:11:07 +0000 http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/?p=118#comment-3769 Don't understand math Bob. ( $683m to build 1100 units = $629k/unit 1.4m square feet = $488/ft^2 build cost) I no rocket surgeon, but don't we need to know the square footage of each unit to do this calculation? Do you have that figure? Sure would be nice to know the accurate cost per sq.ft for this project. I've heard the some politicos involved say there was minimal risk, and it's a good deal for the city. If it's that low risk 'n' such a good deal, why is (was) it so secret? Don’t understand math Bob.
( $683m to build 1100 units = $629k/unit
1.4m square feet = $488/ft^2 build cost)
I no rocket surgeon, but don’t we need to know the square footage of each unit to do this calculation? Do you have that figure? Sure would be nice to know the accurate cost per sq.ft for this project.

I’ve heard the some politicos involved say there was minimal risk, and it’s a good deal for the city. If it’s that low risk ‘n’ such a good deal, why is (was) it so secret?

]]> By: Ron http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/the-publics-right-to-know-not-in-vancouver/comment-page-1/#comment-3755 Ron Sat, 08 Nov 2008 09:11:15 +0000 http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/?p=118#comment-3755 I just read Don Cayo's bit in the Vancouver Sun about how much big business is going to save on their frozen assessments, likely seven figures on most of their properties, while homeowners are lucky to get a miniscule tax break, if at all. Campbell keeps shoveling it out the door to his buddies. Disgusting!!! I just read Don Cayo’s bit in the Vancouver Sun about how much big business is going to save on their frozen assessments, likely seven figures on most of their properties, while homeowners are lucky to get a miniscule tax break, if at all. Campbell keeps shoveling it out the door to his buddies. Disgusting!!!

]]> By: Ron http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/the-publics-right-to-know-not-in-vancouver/comment-page-1/#comment-3754 Ron Sat, 08 Nov 2008 09:03:49 +0000 http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/?p=118#comment-3754 Harv, Just another feather in Sullivan, Ladner and Campbell's hat. Great job boys! Campbell's announcement to freeze home assessments was a ploy to keep assessments high so they could keep the mill rate low next year, so they could say that taxes weren't rising so high, yet still pocketing more money. Nice scam that got thwarted thanks to reporter (Bob Mason???). The Peter Ladner whitewash with his appearance on Bill Good this morning on AM980 was eerily like Colin Hansen's "deer in the headlights" look when he was questioned about the Winter Olympics security budget figures by Vaughn Palmer on Voice Of BC a week ago, Thursday October 30th. They just keep stepping in it, don't they? Harv,
Just another feather in Sullivan, Ladner and Campbell’s hat. Great job boys!
Campbell’s announcement to freeze home assessments was a ploy to keep assessments high so they could keep the mill rate low next year, so they could say that taxes weren’t rising so high, yet still pocketing more money. Nice scam that got thwarted thanks to reporter (Bob Mason???). The Peter Ladner whitewash with his appearance on Bill Good this morning on AM980 was eerily like Colin Hansen’s “deer in the headlights” look when he was questioned about the Winter Olympics security budget figures by Vaughn Palmer on Voice Of BC a week ago, Thursday October 30th. They just keep stepping in it, don’t they?

]]> By: Westcoast Indie News http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/the-publics-right-to-know-not-in-vancouver/comment-page-1/#comment-3749 Westcoast Indie News Sat, 08 Nov 2008 06:43:02 +0000 http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/?p=118#comment-3749 This is just another BC Liberal cluster f$@*. We should start to get used to them, we're going to be seeing a lot of them. P3's do not work for citizens and taxpayers. Follow the trail of our money out the door, often into American hands. They've already advanced nearly $30-million to Fortress Investment Group (New York based hedge funds firm) now they're loaning Millennium "up to $100-million" AND they have to spend up to "$450,000 to bring in a third party to oversee management of the project being built by Millennium Development Corp." because they're "Details of the city's involvement in bailing out the project's cash-strapped developer have until now been kept secret. Councillors are under a publication ban and have been told they face serious repercussions if they discuss publicly the decisions taken at the in camera meeting(Gary Mason)." Who told our councillors, who are elected by the citizens of Vancouver, they face "serious repercussions" (and what are those?) if they tell said citizens what they hell they're doing with our money, or rather more accurately, our debt. From Millenium's page: We build dreams. Dreams that are based on sober and painstaking research. Dreams that are founded on financial solidity. And backed by a track record of more than half a century of absolute success. Doesn't anyone else find it suspicious the kind of public and taxpayer money that is being transferred over to these bloated, ill managed, sieves of corporations right now? How much more will they be wanting, will we get to even find out? It's time for a serious butt kicking at city hall, they've got the WRONG idea. They don't tell us WE don't get to know how they're spending OUR money and running OUR show. Now, what some enterprising researcher and scribe needs to do is pull together a history of meetings, discussions, motions and decisions made on Millenium AND the voting record for each city councillor on approving more money. That would be very enlightening and might make up a few minds on our next election day. As would a peek at the names of the people who were lobbying city hall on behalf of the corp's. As to Millenium, I'm far from being an economist, but if you look at how many big projects they're currently doing, one has to wonder whether how many other projects they're having financing problems on. As we've seen, there is a certain domino effect these days. All I know is, this is an election issue and those running should disclose how they voted on giving more money out to a project their own chief financial officer told them was too high-risk for taxpayers. If they don't listen to their own expert, they should not be governing or making decisions on our behalf. This is just another BC Liberal cluster f$@*. We should start to get used to them, we’re going to be seeing a lot of them. P3′s do not work for citizens and taxpayers. Follow the trail of our money out the door, often into American hands.

They’ve already advanced nearly $30-million to Fortress Investment Group (New York based hedge funds firm) now they’re loaning Millennium “up to $100-million” AND they have to spend up to “$450,000 to bring in a third party to oversee management of the project being built by Millennium Development Corp.” because they’re

“Details of the city’s involvement in bailing out the project’s cash-strapped developer have until now been kept secret. Councillors are under a publication ban and have been told they face serious repercussions if they discuss publicly the decisions taken at the in camera meeting(Gary Mason).”

Who told our councillors, who are elected by the citizens of Vancouver, they face “serious repercussions” (and what are those?) if they tell said citizens what they hell they’re doing with our money, or rather more accurately, our debt.

From Millenium’s page:

We build dreams. Dreams that are based on sober and painstaking research. Dreams that are founded on financial solidity. And backed by a track record of more than half a century of absolute success.

Doesn’t anyone else find it suspicious the kind of public and taxpayer money that is being transferred over to these bloated, ill managed, sieves of corporations right now? How much more will they be wanting, will we get to even find out? It’s time for a serious butt kicking at city hall, they’ve got the WRONG idea. They don’t tell us WE don’t get to know how they’re spending OUR money and running OUR show.

Now, what some enterprising researcher and scribe needs to do is pull together a history of meetings, discussions, motions and decisions made on Millenium AND the voting record for each city councillor on approving more money.
That would be very enlightening and might make up a few minds on our next election day. As would a peek at the names of the people who were lobbying city hall on behalf of the corp’s.

As to Millenium, I’m far from being an economist, but if you look at how many big projects they’re currently doing, one has to wonder whether how many other projects they’re having financing problems on. As we’ve seen, there is a certain domino effect these days.

All I know is, this is an election issue and those running should disclose how they voted on giving more money out to a project their own chief financial officer told them was too high-risk for taxpayers. If they don’t listen to their own expert, they should not be governing or making decisions on our behalf.

]]> By: Grant g http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/the-publics-right-to-know-not-in-vancouver/comment-page-1/#comment-3742 Grant g Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:28:18 +0000 http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/?p=118#comment-3742 The story gets better http://bettysearlyedition.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html Check out the date of this story The story gets better

http://bettysearlyedition.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html

Check out the date of this story

]]> By: George Orr http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/the-publics-right-to-know-not-in-vancouver/comment-page-1/#comment-3726 George Orr Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:57:22 +0000 http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/?p=118#comment-3726 This breeds the suspicion that they only tell us what they think we want to hear... what else do they do about which we are not informed? If they did not want us to know about this, what else do they wish to keep quiet? Ask yourself why the voting numbers next weekend are so low? Here is the answer... we cannot trust them. We can only believe that when they say they are telling the truth that they are actually pulling wool. This gives the democratic process a very bad smell, and if ANY of them had any integrity, they'd own up to that. This breeds the suspicion that they only tell us what they think we want to hear… what else do they do about which we are not informed? If they did not want us to know about this, what else do they wish to keep quiet?
Ask yourself why the voting numbers next weekend are so low? Here is the answer… we cannot trust them. We can only believe that when they say they are telling the truth that they are actually pulling wool.
This gives the democratic process a very bad smell, and if ANY of them had any integrity, they’d own up to that.

]]> By: bob http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/the-publics-right-to-know-not-in-vancouver/comment-page-1/#comment-3666 bob Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:37:13 +0000 http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/?p=118#comment-3666 $683m to build 1100 units = $629k/unit 1.4m square feet = $488/ft^2 build cost I'm just a small town boy, but that seems a little out of whack to me. Anybody with some local knowledge who is able to chime in with reasonable build costs for Big City condos? Are there any other recent condo projects that have come to market? at what price? Why wasn't this project bid out on a 'fixed price' basis? Didn't these high priced geniuses learn anything from the gordo's botched Trade & Convention Centre fiasco? PS - Anyone seen the fully costed Olympic plan that VANOC and the BC government promised us years ago? $683m to build 1100 units = $629k/unit
1.4m square feet = $488/ft^2 build cost

I’m just a small town boy, but that seems a little out of whack to me.

Anybody with some local knowledge who is able to chime in with reasonable build costs for Big City condos? Are there any other recent condo projects that have come to market? at what price?

Why wasn’t this project bid out on a ‘fixed price’ basis? Didn’t these high priced geniuses learn anything from the gordo’s botched Trade & Convention Centre fiasco?

PS – Anyone seen the fully costed Olympic plan that VANOC and the BC government promised us years ago?

]]> By: Romeogolf http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/the-publics-right-to-know-not-in-vancouver/comment-page-1/#comment-3663 Romeogolf Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:46:50 +0000 http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/?p=118#comment-3663 You can manufacture consent when you play to the people's love of spectacles. How easily people are duped! Know your limit, blow it, and mortgage a new one. You can manufacture consent when you play to the people’s love of spectacles. How easily people are duped! Know your limit, blow it, and mortgage a new one.

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