With 'our' RDA gone, how can 'we' go on? - Poem of Audible Karma - for a Wise Voter to Ponder

When Governor Jerry Brown took office two years ago, he immediately launched an attack on California's fiscal crisis. Quickly, and without opposition from the general public, the newly elected Governor began to eradicate redevelopment agencies (a.k.a. RDA's) throughout the state, including 'our' RDA in Imperial Beach. 

RDA's are commonly referred to as “boondoggles” for private developers, by those who oppose them.

Similar to the lack of public support banks received when the feds placed moratoriums on foreclosures - as a way to reduce the housing crisis - so goes local redevelopment agencies, whose main supporters are not the citizenry - or the public at large, but are elected officials, acting like multimillionaire commercial land owner/developers with no oversight - unleashing the ultimate power of imminent domain on private property owners.

So goes the Miracle Shopping Plaza. 

During our local RDA's reign over the last two city council regimes, a local pet store owner was reportedly told; "a local pet store would only be granted a lease at the new plaza - if Petco, said no."

Since the age of a multimillionaire-developer-city-council with an aims of growing 'bigger than thou' - is over, I believe the time has come to replace the status quo. It's time for new clear thinking, without the divisiveness and complacency that plagues our current city council.

Erika Lowery offers the type of community led redevelopment plan that is needed for Imperial Beach to move forward in today's reality.  Although Lowery is an underdog in the race for city council, the candidate has exhibited a clear understanding of the city's issues, and is not afraid to express them. 

Lowery is not holding on to the good'ol days of the corporate lead RDA spending spree!

Jim King is the incumbent corporate contractor/developer, Bobby Patten has been tapped by city officials for a council seat in this election.  Both King and Patten represent the current regime - and the good'ol days of the multimillionaire-developer-city-council controlled RDA - which offered little, if any transparency to the public.

Pat Bilbray has shown some willingness to stand against the status quo, but not firmly - Bilbray's positions are floppy at best - and his background roots are firmly in corporate, not community, redevelopment.

The rest of the city council candidates have shown little to no interest in winning a seat.

Here's a poem, for a wise voter to ponder...

We in IB
Need tranquility - in our little town
Politicians should be maintaining
The things that we have now
Maintain them the best that we can
And the best that we know how

From Miracle, to karma 
a Plaza, into a dirt lawn
Politicians spraying water - all day long 
Keeping clouds of dust - and residents calm

But with dreams dashing 
Of hiding what's gone wrong
There at 9th and Palm
Sits karma's little mud pond
That is our City Council's
Little ticking time-bomb

As the months fly by 
Muddy rain waters flow high 
Once calm residents - now cry why

Then, and when the mud drys
Wind kicks it up - and makes it fly
Into the sky's, and into the eyes
Of voters who would be wise
To see through the political lies
To no longer be fooled 
By a watered down disguise

A smart voter never listens
To divisive, hate-filled politicians
Whose gool'ol days have past
Left'em with developer sized heads 
Stuck all the way up their  - - -

As election day draws near
Politicians want you to fear
A medicine that many sick and dying 
who live here -- hold dear

Vote with compassion this year.
Vote Yes on S 
And elect Erika Lowery to City Council on November 6th!

Speaking to you from a blog post on the Imperial Beach Patch local voices, I'm not a pot-shop, I'm not the pot lobby, and I'm not a carpetbagger - I am Marcus Boyd - at 1233 Palm Avenue - and I approve of this message.