This past Wednesday I shared an internet story from the Independent about a Gang Injunction target who spoke out and defended himself. So yesterday I went to get the new weekly printed issue of the Independent only to find out the internet story did not make it in the issue and that bothers me. It just appears to me we treat a situation one way and the next similar situation a different way. That bothers me in the way this Santa Barbara City Mortgage program is probably bothering a lot of you. I also reported that a week ago the purposed Gang Injunction was front page on a daily basis, an the retrial of the Corey Lyons double murder was buried on page A-6. So during this past week I made a daily effort to pick up a Santa Barbara news press and just see where the Lyons story was being placed. Funny thing is I did not find any new coverage all week for the trial. So while researching for this posting I performed a few Google searches and I could still not find any current news about the trial for last week. Not one to quit I went to the Santa Barbara Superior Court Calendaring page and look what I found. Mr. Lyons was indeed scheduled to appear three times in court. Two where for his Jury Trial, and March 24 & 25th were those dates. Yet I could find no media updates anywhere about what transpired in court on those dates. The real surprise was the third court date I found for Mr. Lyons which is scheduled for 04/06/11 and is a preliminary hearing setting? What the heck is that all about, have we not already started the second trial? I would pass on some information to you but so far no media source has reported anything in the case at all this week.
http://www.sbcourts.org/pubcal/CRIMcal.php
HEARING
DATE/TIMECASE#DEFT NAMEHEARINGJUDICIAL OFFICERDEPT
DATE/TIMECASE#DEFT NAMEHEARINGJUDICIAL OFFICERDEPT
03/24/2011 - 8:30 am 1296724 Corey John Lyons Trial: Jury Trial Brian E Hill
SB2 03/25/2011 - 8:30 am 1296247 Corey John Lyons Trial: Jury Trial Brian E Hill
SB2 04/06/2011 - 8:30 am 1332725 Corey John Lyons Preliminary Hearing Setting Brian E Hill SB2
Judge Brian Hill has already brought clouds of doubt over how the first murder trial was handled when he declared a mistrial so that as he put it “Corey could get a fair trial.” I guess we will all have to wait and see when the media will update us?
I must admit at times I worry that I simply bring too many concerns forward and that it can be a bit overwhelming for everyone. Than when I least expect it I run into one of my friends or followers at the store or I get a phone call and they ease my mind. Even after saying that here I go again getting ready to comment on a new situation before I can finish my thoughts from the last three weeks.
I am confused as to why if one is challenged or questioned the issue is simply not addressed so everyone can move forward. If you are accused of cheating or withholding data on your financials for a divorce why not just supply the documents in question? If you have an open investigation from the City Administrator, force him to present his findings and clear your name Mr. Sanchez. I have never said that the investigation would find you guilty of anything; I am just upset public funds have been used with nothing to show for it. If you have taken action based on the wants of the community, than allow them the public forum to show there support for the actions you have taken on those wants.
The math just never seems to add up on anything in Santa Barbara and far too often the media would like us to believe it does Recently the new Santa Barbara Grand Jury report was released and in my mind the media sugar coated the contents of the report. The Noozhawk article mainly focused on the salaries of our local City and County employees for comparisons. There was so much more that the report could be used for. Like comparing reported County Department budgets against the Grand Jury’s findings which is what I did. If you had done that you too would find huge discrepancies between the two figures. The Noozhawk than made a point to mention that “Santa Barbara Police Chief Cam Sanchez, is the only department head to be issued a car”. Which was not only unfair to Mr. Sanchez but it just does not represent the facts they had right in front of them. If you look further into the Grand Jury report you will find that they also report on car allowances received between all the County and City officials. So yes it is true Mr. Sanchez is issued a car. But if you review the report closer you find that 29 County employees like our District Attorney or Clerk-Recorder receive a car allowance. That sum roughly averages 5746.00 a year. Now our Santa Barbara city administer and city attorney both receive car allowances also of 539, 00 a month but wait there’s more. The City of Santa Maria, Lompoc, Goleta, Buellton, County Board of Education, County association of Government, City College and the City of Santa Barbara all have employees that receive a car allowance and I found most to average over 500.00 a month.
Today I am here to challenge the quality of the media and how they report there story’s. People are extremely upset with the City of Santa Barbara and the “Home Loan “ program .So I will use the reporting of that subject by 4 media sources to make my point. Based on all the contradictions and facts that don’t add up in these four articles, how can we as a community make informed decision?
I pulled select sentences or facts from the four media sources that put a story out about the mortgage situation with the city of Santa Barbara. The selected text is in bold lettering. I than used all the other media story’s facts to challenge each pulled text. It may sound off right now but in about 5 minutes you too will be wondering what or where the truth is to be found.
The city says the program began in 2002 and 47 loans have been issued
(47 loans or 37?)
Of the 47 loans issued, only 9 have been paid back. The loans must be paid back in full within 15 years of being issued.
(The loans have performed better than expected since not one note or balloon payment should be due, if the term is 15 years.)
City is owed about $4 million from those loans
(4 Million or 4.4 Million or 5.3 Million?)
Santa Barbara has loaned about $4.4 million to city employees to help them buy homes. Those employees have only paid back a combined $188,000. (Does that mean the nine loans that have already been repaid only totaled 188,000?)The city loaned millions of dollars to 37 city employees to help them buy houses near the city of Santa Barbara. ( I thought it was 47?)
The money came from the city’s near-depleted budget reserves. About 17 of the employees have not paid back any money yet. (That means a Notice of Default should already be filed on 17 homes. This should be extremely alarming since the last loan issued is being reported as March of 09 or two years ago. )
Santa Barbara City employees are entitled to a number of perks, including the Employee Mortgage Loan Assistance Program (EMLAP).
The City has provided 37 employee home loans, initially totaling $5.3 million, and the total amount repaid to date is $948,237. ( 37 or 47 loans, 4.3 Million or 5.3 Million funds used, almost 1 million repaid or 188,000?)
Six of the individuals who obtained one of these home loans are no longer employed by the City; one of the loans is in arrears. (Since they are no longer employees the loans actually become a more profitable venture since there should be no forgiveness?)
The loans are interest only for the first 5 years; (the payments are as if the loan was a 30 year time period which is a double benefit for the employees. The interest only payment is lower and there is no negative amortization affect either.)
The average loan amount is $100,888. (X 47 = about 4.7 Million loaned out. Or only 3.7 Million loaned out, so how is one media source reporting a cost of 5.3 Million for the program?)
Here is where I pulled the above text from. You should be able to find everything in the order that it appeared above here. Please be honest with me how can any one who reads all 4 story’s know the truth?
http://www.keyt.com/internal?st=print&id=118612299&path=/news/local
http://www.keyt.com/internal?st=print&id=118612299&path=/news/local
City Employee Mortgage Loan Program Under Fire
Originally printed at http://www.keyt.com/news/local/City--118612299.html
By KEYT Assignment Desk
March 24, 2011 Santa Barbara's Employee Mortgage Loan Program has critics of the program speaking out. They say the city should not lend money to employees for home purchases, when service levels are down and jobs are being cut.
The city says the program began in 2002 and 47 loans have been issued since then.
The loans were made under a state investment program with interest rates that range from .5-percent to about 6- percent.
The last loan issued was in March of 2009.
Of the 47 loans issued, only 9 have been paid back. The loans must be paid back in full within 15 years of being issued.
In 2001, the city assisted Police Chief Cam Sanchez with a home loan of $500,000 as part of his contract.
March 24, 2011 Santa Barbara's Employee Mortgage Loan Program has critics of the program speaking out. They say the city should not lend money to employees for home purchases, when service levels are down and jobs are being cut.
The city says the program began in 2002 and 47 loans have been issued since then.
The loans were made under a state investment program with interest rates that range from .5-percent to about 6- percent.
The last loan issued was in March of 2009.
Of the 47 loans issued, only 9 have been paid back. The loans must be paid back in full within 15 years of being issued.
In 2001, the city assisted Police Chief Cam Sanchez with a home loan of $500,000 as part of his contract.
Now Look on page 14 of the recently Grand Jury Compensation report found @ http://www.sbcgj.org/2011/CompensationSurvey.pdf
(I also attached the Grand Jury report for your viewing )Under the heading "Amount of home or other loans outstanding at 12//31/09" only 3 current home loans show up on page 14. Now in the story Noozhawk put out about the grand jury report they also mentioned the home loans http://www.noozhawk.com/article/030911_santa_barbara_county_compensation_report
(I also attached the Grand Jury report for your viewing )Under the heading "Amount of home or other loans outstanding at 12//31/09" only 3 current home loans show up on page 14. Now in the story Noozhawk put out about the grand jury report they also mentioned the home loans http://www.noozhawk.com/article/030911_santa_barbara_county_compensation_report
Grand Jury Report Reveals Santa Barbara County’s Highest-Paid Government Officials
Santa Barbara Police Chief Cam Sanchez, the only department head to be issued a car, had $81,850 paid by the city into his pension in 2010
Library director Irene Macias owes $115,575 and Public Works director Christine Anderson owes $94,650. Sanchez is shown to owe $402,904 because he was given primary financing from the city for his home as a recruitment incentive.
http://www.thedailysound.com/032411-SANTA-BARBARA-MORTGAGE-LOAN-PROGRAM-MILLIONS
DAILY SOUND REPORT: Amid budget shortfalls, Santa Barbara loaned $4.4 million from general fund reserves to employees to buy homes
It started with a $500,000 loan to Santa Barbara Police Chief Cam Sanchez in 2001.Then three more loans in 2002, to a police officer, a city planner and a waterfront department employee.
In 2003, the number of city loans crept up to 4.Two more police officers and two additional waterfront employees were the recipients.
Slowly, the number grew. Every year the city loaned more money.
And now, today, Santa Barbara has loaned about $4.4 million to city employees to help them buy homes.
Those employees have only paid back a combined $188,000.
At a time when the city is facing a severe budget crisis, choosing to close libraries and pools on some days, the city loaned millions of dollars to 37 city employees to help them buy houses near the city of Santa Barbara.
The money came from the city’s near-depleted budget reserves. About 17 of the employees have not paid back any money yet.
http://www.santabarbaraview.com/index.php/2011/03/the-first-bank-of-the-city-of-santa-barbara-home-loan-division/
The First Bank of the City of Santa Barbara, Home Loan Division
Santa Barbara View Staff ReportSanta Barbara City employees are entitled to a number of perks, including the Employee Mortgage Loan Assistance Program (EMLAP).
According to a document, “City of Santa Barbara Summary of EMLAP Loans,” since 2001, the City has provided 37 employee home loans, initially totaling $5.3 million, and the total amount repaid to date is $948,237. Six of the individuals who obtained one of these home loans are no longer employed by the City; one of the loans is in arrears.
The loans are interest only for the first 5 years; after 5 years, the loans are repaid based on a 30-year amortized period. At year 15, however, the full amount of the loan is due in a balloon payment.
No loans have been made since March, 2009; according to Finance Director Robert Samario, “The Program has been suspended primarily because the authority granted by City Council for loans has been reached.”
The initial amount of the loans range from a high of $500,000 (of which $118,512 has been paid) to a low of $24,086 (of which $505 has been paid). The average loan amount is $100,888.
My condolences to the Cordero family who lost there Grand Mother Grace today.
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