Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Rich Millionaires! Thousands of 'Em! Yeah, That's the Ticket!

Even by the oh-so-low standards of Port Angeles ideas and Peninsula Daily News coverage, there was an article in today's PDN that literally made me laugh and snort out loud with disbelief. It's a small article headlined thusly:

Port Angeles planners consider comprehensive plan update

Sounds pretty boring, right? Kind of the same old, same old. But it's worth a read if you want a good laugh. Here are some highlights...

City Planning Commission members focused on the economic development aspects of a comprehensive plan update last week. Urban and regional planner Bill Grimes of Spokane, a consultant with Studio Cascade Inc., led the presentation.

So far, so good. You've got your disinterested local commission, and your expensive out of town consultant. Ready...Set...Go!

Grimes said the comprehensive plan should lay the groundwork over 20 years for accommodating an increase of 4,000 in the city's population, which was 19,038 in the 2010 Census.

WOW! Port Angeles must be doing something right if it's going to have 4,000 people moving there in the next twenty years. Right?

Well, maybe. If. Maybe. Let's look at the flow of the grow, shall we? In the 2000 Census, the population was 18,397. The rate of population growth between the 2000 and 2010 Censuses was 3.5%. The rate of growth since the 2010 Census? An anemic 1.1%. Now, that could get you to that higher number, but, given all the underlying and very public problems facing Port Angeles (debt, drug abuse, remoteness, debt, decaying infrastructure, poor schools, debt, expensive utility rates, debt, political corruption, debt, lack of quality of life, etc.) it seems overly hopeful to count on it.

Anyway, given that extremely low rate of population growth, what sort of people do you think are or should be moving to Port Angeles?

Planning Commissioner Elwyn Gee said Port Angeles should attract more wealthy people. "We need that fellow who makes a million dollars a year to support the economy."

Made millions on Wall Street and moved to Port Angeles, or...

Talk about a problem solver! Why didn't anyone else think of that before? Just "attract" wealthy people. Or, if that doesn't work, maybe go out and bag a few with the tranquilizer darts. Whatever.

Won a million in the lottery and blew through it in a year in Port Angeles.

Anything else for our reality-based comprehensive plan update discussion?

Ed Chadd told Commissioners the plan should address projected climate change impacts.

Sure, no problem, Ed. We can put some lip service language in about that. We've been real good about that - the lip service part, that is. Now, in the meantime, have you been down to our fake beach recently?

37 comments:

  1. C'mon CK, lighten up. You know as long as we talk about it we don't have to do anything about it. Take a look at the other laugh out loud story in today's daily fish wrap. Young Johnson is going to lead the downtown association out of its doldrums by putting Edna Petersen on the board. You remember Edna. She is the one who convinced the other downtown brainiacs to lower their prices by 27% FOR TOURIST ONLY. Now that will certainly create loyalty from the locals. Now the locals know what their downtown merchants think of them. The locals support the downtown all year long but get no discounts while tourist come over and buy for one/fourth less than the merchant's neighbors. Yep, Edna thought that one up. Young Johnson, owner of an overpriced hamburger stand downtown is the new president of PADA. She who cannot pay her bills on time seems to think all the merchants have to do is will the work to be done and voila it is done. By the time Johnson gets through with the downtown association business and the business association business she has no time to sit down and write checks to vendors. She has no time to clean up the sewer standing in her basement. She has no time to recognize that LOCALS are her bread and butter and cannot afford a $17 hamburger. Where do they get these people. Josh came in, saw the lay of the land, and got out quick "for professional reasons."
    With the money they have left in the bank they should write a letter to everyone in town and apologize for the "parity" scheme and promise everyone in town the same benefit--27% discount. Call it Port Angeles residents appreciation sale.

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    1. Young Johnson + Old Edna = Business as usual.

      Business as usual = Death for Port Angeles.

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    2. I thought PADA was supposed to be Josh's springboard to bigger, better and more lucrative offices. Aside from the generic reasons he gave, anyone know the real story behind his departure?

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    3. Besides the obvious reality that Port Angeles has nothing, and no future?

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    4. Josh's springboard to bigger....hahahaha.
      Why did he depart?
      You mean something besides the obvious?
      That he had risen to a level of incompetence that was insurmountable?
      1.) He couldn't do a budget or financials (which the city still wants).
      2.) He couldn't return phone calls, even for the most benign of things.
      3.) He couldn't be civil in his exchanges, but abrupt and rude. ("No no, please enough about you, what do you think about me? Lets talk about ME.")
      The position, for him, was like his bad suit that he trotted out for the few times he came to City Council meetings -- cheap and ill fitting.
      But, I'll wager $$ that he will run for city council in a year. He wants the attention, just like Cherie.
      Gimme gimme gimme.

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  2. And people wonder why the streets and sidewalks downtown are so empty?

    I did notice an answer to a curious circumstance. During the week, the parking spaces downtown seem to have a lot more cars in them, than you see on Sunday. It was pointed out to me that it is merchants parking. Oh, right.

    If you're going to baby sit a store with no patrons all day long, why walk not park downtown?

    Yeah, I read the PADA story. Even the PDN couldn't put much more of a positive twist on it, other than to be sure Lyin' Cherie was highlighted as being so impressed.

    And the Comprehensive plan update? 20 years? I guess the last time we did that, 10 years ago, wasn't good enough. Didn't stick for the suggested 20 years, hunh?

    But Grant Munro got the rezoning changed to favor his former employer, Rayonier. Completely contrary to what all the public input wanted, in all the public hearings and public comment sessions. Hmmm. I see a pattern here.

    If I had a million dollars, would I move to Port Angeles, when anywhere in the world is possible? Yeah, if I were completely crazy and irresponsible. In which case, I wouldn't be a millionaire.

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  3. Ed Chadd, part of the civility police here. More concerned about appearances than reality. His "testimony" here is just more evidence of that. Hey, Ed: THEY DON'T CARE.

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  4. Un-frickin-believable. Millionaires? And exceedingly stupid millionaires willing to make donations to the local good-ol-boys? Computer says...nah.

    How about attracting people to this place with HALF a brain? That would be many, many times the current capacity.

    One can only assume from what goes on that the current state of affairs is what the majority here want. Well folks, hate to tell ya but Mayberry was only on television. This corruption is ruining you and your family. Yes, you.

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  5. Decrepit buildings.
    Way too many junkies.
    Aging streets and utilities.
    Totally corrupt elected officials.
    The overwhelming sense that the world has passed you by.

    Port Angeles is like the Detroit of Washington state. How many millionaires are moving to Detroit? How many to Port Angeles?

    One final question. What are these idiots smoking to even say such things? This is beyond ridiculous.

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    Replies
    1. "Port Angeles: The Detroit of Washington." What do you think folks? Do we have a new slogan here?

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    2. Ding Ding Ding...we have a winner!

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    3. Detroit at least made stuff. Port Angeles kills things (trees, fish, totally poisoned harbor, opioid addiction, economy, hope). 3 Mile Island of Washington.

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    4. Detroit is actually bouncing back. Port Angeles is more like Flint.

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    5. Maybe we can get Chernobyl as our sister city?

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  6. "Commissioner" Gee seems to be putting the "Gee" into "Gee whiz!"

    Someone needs to tell him that the people who can afford expensive yachts don't usually want to live in the down-market towns they're built in.

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  7. Meanwhile, the only comment on the article at the PDN itself is this:

    "Same old stuff...no leadership and no direction. This is a good example of why Port Angeles remains mired in the past and continues to deteriorate."

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  8. If I hit the lottery I'd publish daily...
    Port O Call

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    Replies
    1. How much do you need to publish weekly?

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    2. No, this is the internet....the last thing I need in this godforsaken little bit of hell, is to show an open wallet. The vultures would pick my bones dry.
      just throw out a dollar amount, and see what happens.

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    3. Minimum 3K per week

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  9. Dear ck;
    How is it that when you and the minions disagree with an article in PDN it is all wrong, but when you can cherry pick items that speak to your bias it is suddenly golden? And given that these commissioners participate without any compensation why label them "disinterested"? The 6 commissioners and dozen public in attendance seem to me to be the only ones caring about the process from their real involvement. Throwing cutely worded negative darts from a computer screen may satisfy some "I am so cool" infantilism, but slogging through the pages of the Comprehensive Plan update to provide constructive criticism seems to me to be more worthwhile endeavor. The City has requested your input. Throw this opportunity away if you will, but then you are falling into the same trap as you criticize the City, that is, "We'd like to do something, but doing is tough. In Port Angeles it's easier to let others do stuff..."

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    Replies
    1. First, thanks for writing, Ed. Second, a small correction: The PDN is NEVER golden.

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    2. Golden as in "golden age home"? Golden as in moldy "golden oldies"? Golden as in "golden shower"?
      Could be one of those.

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    3. Ed Chadd has done more damage to this town than most of the people we criticize here.

      Most recently, we remember he and Norma Turner circulating that petition supporting the Fluoride Four. Which like him, accomplished nothing.

      He is such a loser.

      No wonder he showed up at the Comprehensive Plan hearings.

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    4. @4:07, let me suggest this as nicely as possible.
      The "infantile" "negative darts" here are because what occurs regularly at city hall is in other places known as white-collar CRIME.

      So to even suggest that citizen participation in a "comprehensive" development plan (which is only there because it is mandated by state law - RCW Chapter 36.70) is "caring about the process" or "real involvement" in that crime is utter nonsense. It is the CRIME that we disdain. The skimming of public funds by private citizens. The abuse of grant money. The theft of public resources. All of which seems to be S.O.P. here for some crazy reason.

      The only "opportunity" the citizens need is (a) wait for the next council election, and (b) prosecutorial interest. The election will happen. But the city slush funds and theft of property and non-profit charity abuse (think CTRC) always go unprosecuted.

      We oppose the theft and abuse of public funds. participating in that process only further ingrains and attempts to legitimize it, when the whole outfit (Port included) ought to be investigated as a RICO enterprise.

      We know this, that is why it is useless to pretend that such things are "real involvement". The only thing "real" is the reality of never, ever, doing anything correctly (lack of public hearings, procedures, tax avoidance, etc.) on their deals, and always, always sweeping the s#%& under the rug.

      It is hardly infantile to demand accountability and vision. Rather, it is infantile to particpate in hiding what goes on.

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    5. Wow! Nicely said, Anonymous 7:11. Thank you.

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    6. No, CK, thank YOU for this forum. Despite posting anon, what's important is the exchange of ideas that are the basis for shared community values. Towns can and do get past eras of corruption, and the future influx of new people will help us. I truly believe the vast majority of folks here want the same things, even if it's tough as hell to dis-empower the relatively few but incredibly bad apples. A few strategicly-placed lawsuits wouldn't hurt either. LOL

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  10. Ed Chadd cribbed someone else's grant application and put his name on it and got hired by the county as a "stream-keeper." This he has ridden like a banshee pretending he is doing some ecological wonder by taking trash out of the stream channel--using lots of mush-minded volunteers I might add. Then he self-appoints himself as some kind of professional environmentalist. Check out how the family made the money now supporting him via a family trust fund. Also, notice whenever he and Norma are in the same room Norma cannot drink water while Ed is talking--no ventriloquist can.

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    Replies
    1. Let's not forget Ed's equally trust-funded sister suing the National Park Service...

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  11. Divert some rich Chinese real estate seekers from Victoria so the Canadian residents can regain a reasonable chance to buy a home. The overseas speculators are paying millions for tear downs.

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    1. Exactly. Only 17 miles away, but they won't touch anything in Port Angeles.

      The Chinese billionaires fly over areas in Canada, and just tell their agents to buy what they see. Here? Even though the prices are pennies on the dollar, they don't even consider wasting their time looking.

      I know. I tried to draw them to Prt Angeles two years ago.

      But in Vancouver (right, BC, not Washington), they will spend over a million on a single family house that is only slated to be torn down.

      Here, prime downtown real estate sits unsold for years.

      But yes, let's dream about millionaires moving here, and saving us from ourselves.

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    2. "Saving us from ourselves."

      Indeed.

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  12. Why do so many people in town think they have to be politically polite while their pocket is picked?

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    Replies
    1. Because the working class only takes orders, even when against their own interests.

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  13. Support the economy? I presume by economy they mean those employed by the city of Port Angeles and the County of Clallam. I'm hurt. I thought that was the job of us property tax paying utility consuming home owners.I thought we were doing a bang up job! I realize a few of us have died from old age and a larger percentage of us are now low fixed income but come on. Surely with all of this grant money we shouldn't need 4,000 millionaires to cover any short falls.

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  14. The Bill Gates of the world don't have to go overseas to spread their philanthropy. We have homegrown issues that could use their money.

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