With all the postings and subject matter I have shared it has become painfully obvious the greatest displeasure and concern comes from the abuse and fraud in the handling by our County Officials of the Santa Barbara County Pension Fund. I must be honest here even though I share these concerns it is the disregard for all laws and procedures that truly amazes me. Yet I also know that with out the interest and support of a community I will never obtain what I am after. So in this posting I hope to truly make a statement with the efforts of my research in regards to what seams to be on the minds of our county residents. In one portion of this posting we will deal with the accountability over several years of the Pension Fund. Now what I start with seldom resembles what I finish with. The reason I mentioned the responsibilities and power of a jury yesterday was to set up my next review in regards to our Superior Court and several controversial out comes by local jury trials, but that will have just have to wait. So than what can one person really do about any of the corruption we are trying to expose? What effect can one really hope to have in creating lasting change? What should one consider right or what is wrong, legal, illegal. What is to be considered moral or unmoral and just who is to judge all this for us? Well I will tell you who it is not. Not now nor will it ever be our Federal Government, no that responsibility and duty belongs to all of us. I am so committed as to what I am doing here right now today and in moving forward knowing that I truly have the opportunity to make a difference. Is this what one must go through in order to achieve the unachievable? I have said many times before who is to say my goals cannot reach the same effects on every day society the same as a soldier, a school teacher or policeman true hero’s that influence our daily life. Just 6 short years ago I was a married man with two sons that I was and am still so proud of. I loved there mother an thought us to be blessed. I have never been a man to be jealous of others success or there possessions. Yet regardless of all that I hold true and in my heart it was taken away from me and here I sit confused. I would much rather my blog and postings were done as a proud parent and shared the accomplishments of my children.
“McDONALD’S® ANNOUNCES GLOBAL OLYMPIC CHAMPION CREW TEAM
FOR 2004 ATHENS OLYMPIC GAMES
McDonald’s today released the roster of top-performing crew who will represent their countries as part of the 2004 McDonald’s Olympic Champion Crew Team. They were selected from 1.5 million employees worldwide for delivering “i’m loving’ it™” service and exemplifying the Olympic ideals of teamwork, excellence and being the best. Manny Mendoza, 18, training manager from Santa Barbara, California –survivor of life threatening tumor who credits his McDonald’s co-workers as aiding in his recovery”
“Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table
http://www.zoominfo.com/people/Rempe_George_732782126.aspx?PersonID=732782126&lastName=Rempe&firstName=George&id=732782126&searchSource=page&page=2
Santa Barbara High assistant baseball coach George Rempe presented four seniors at the Athletic Round Table's weekly press luncheon on Monday to honor them for "tearing the cover off balls." Rempe wanted to recognize the four players for their hard work, which includes, literally, tearing the covers off of baseballs. Rempe added: "These four Dons are the types of players that coaches look forward to seeing every day because they work so hard on both on their skills and on the maintenance of the field. . . . They're also the type of people a coach looks forward to giving strong references to in the future because of their strong work ethic and sense of responsibility” End of Story.
Well as you can see my ex- wife and I have so much to be thankful for and proud of. This posting is being cut short because while doing further research on the auditing firm used by our County in the past I found a news story that seams to have some relevance to our current situation. I will try and continue my review of the Santa Barbara County Pension Fund tomorrow and I wonder are criminal charges an option? The concerns seam similar to what was described by Mr. Torell in an article I had previously shared, he was formerly the auditor for Santa Barbara County for 12 years.
“The investigations led to criminal indictments by the district attorney's office of five former members of the city's retirement board in May. On Jan. 6, the U.S. attorney's office announced grand jury felony indictments of three former pension board members, its former attorney and its chief administrator. Three of the recently charged were also indicted in the state case.”
Read the full article at
www.santbarbaracriminalcourtcorruption.blogspot.com
or @
http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices-government/10581680-1.html
Accounting For A Crisis: City Auditor Leads Overhaul Of Outdated Financial System
Here is the new development I wish to share today.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-07/countrywide-kpmg-may-pay-624-million-to-settle-dinapoli-says.html
Countrywide, KPMG May Pay $624 Million to Settle,
May 07, 2010, 3:48 PM EDT
By Henry Goldman
May 7 (Bloomberg) -- Countrywide Financial and KPMG LLP have agreed to pay $624 million to settle a lawsuit that accused the mortgage lender of securities fraud, New York Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said.
The settlement, if approved by U.S. District Judge Mariana Pfaelzer in Los Angeles, would provide as much as $15 million to pensions covering state and New York City workers, fund representatives said today. The funds led the class-action lawsuit against the mortgage lender.
Countrywide exposed investors to “excessive, undisclosed risk” and “violated securities laws by making misstatements and omitting material facts about its policies and procedures” for lending, according to a statement from DiNapoli’s office. The lender is now part of Bank of America Corp.
The New York State Common Retirement Fund, with $129.4 billion in assets, may recover as much as $10 million, said Robert Whalen, a DiNapoli spokesman. Five separate city pension funds, which hold assets of $105 billion, stand to get about $5 million, said Kate Ahlers of the city Law Department.
Countrywide has agreed to pay $600 million and KPMG, an accounting firm, would pay $24 million, DiNapoli said. He is the sole trustee of the state’s pension fund.
Countrywide’s settlement was reported in Bank of America’s quarterly financial report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission today, according to Shirley Norton, a bank spokeswoman. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank bought Calabasas, California-based Countrywide in 2008 for about $2.5 billion, Bloomberg data show.
Countrywide Denies Wrongdoing
“Countrywide denies all allegations of wrongdoing and any liability under the federal securities laws,” Norton said in a statement. Information “that plaintiffs contended was not disclosed to investors had in fact been disclosed in multiple ways, including through regular investor forums,” Norton said. She said the lender agreed to settle to avoid further costs.
Countrywide disclosed the “credit risk attributes of the loans it originated and later securitized,” Norton said. The lender attributed declines in the value of its securities to the “collapse of national home prices” and “the crisis in U.S. capital markets in 2007,” she said.
“The settlement concludes the securities class action,” said George Ledwith, a KPMG spokesman.
Judge Pfaelzer may hold a final hearing to approve the proposed settlement in September, according to DiNapoli’s office. The agreement would be the 13th-largest securities class-action settlement in the 15-year history of the Private Securities Litigation Act, DiNapoli’s office said.
Labaton Sucharow LLP, a New York City-based law firm, was the lead counsel for the pension funds. The firm probably would receive about $10 million to cover expenses and about 8 percent of the net settlement amount, Whalen said.
--Editors: Ted Bunker, Pete Young.
To contact the reporter on this story: Henry Goldman in New York at hgoldman@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Mark Tannenbaum at mtannen@bloomberg.net
Todays searches and web pages visited by me.
santa barbara pension fund and Wilshire search
http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/tg65.htm
more wilshire
http://www.top1000funds.com/index.php?option=com_ijoomla_archive
kpmg corruption in U.S. pension funds search
sbbt
http://www.neurosoftware.ro/finance/insurance/stock-market/the-downside-of-keynesian-economics-santa-barbara-bank-trust/
kpmg corruption in U.S. pension funds search
http://politifi.com/news/NY-Funds-Reach-Settlement-With-Countrywide-KPMG-604314.html
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
Pension problems: Does the Santa Barbara public need to know?
Pension problems: Does the public need to know?
By Ed Mendel
Anyone with Internet access can watch an unusual meeting of officials in Santa Barbara County, where rising public employee pension costs have already forced a 5 percent budget cut.
Now the stock market crash could force much deeper budget cuts, if the county has to make a big increase in pension contributions to meet its projected retirement obligations in the future.
The Santa Barbara County supervisors held a rare joint meeting last week with the board of the county employees retirement system. Each side brought their own actuaries, the crucial forecasters of future pension needs.
There were minor theatrical moments. A well-spoken fiduciary counsel, perhaps droning on a little too officiously, seemed to get on the nerves of Supervisor Salud Carbajal at one point.
But the county’s pension predicament was plainly presented. Its annual pension contribution, already 10 percent of general fund spending, could double or more in the next few years.
An assistant county executive, Jason Stilwell, told the meeting that the pension contribution in the current fiscal year that began last July is an 18 percent increase from the previous year.
As a result, said Stilwell, the current county budget cut spending 5 percent or nearly $14 million, an across-the-board reduction for all departments and the elimination of 83 full-time jobs.
“Nearly all of the reductions in services in this year’s budget are related to the increased cost of pensions,” Stilwell said.
The budget for the new fiscal year beginning in July contains a 10 percent cut, mainly due to tax revenue lost in the recession. The impact of the stock market crash will not hit until next year, when pension contributions could nearly double.
“It’s almost double the cuts we had to take for the last two years, and we would have all of those in the one year,” Stillwell said of the spending shift from public services to pensions projected for July 2010.
The chairwoman of the retirement board, Shawn Terris, told the supervisors the projection was probably a “worst-case scenario.” She said the board may be able to “adjust” the rate while observing its constitutional duty to protect benefit payments.
The joint meeting of the two boards was televised on two cable systems, Comcast and Cox, the usual airing for Santa Barbara supervisors. But it’s the Internet webcast that allows continuing access to the meeting on April 7.
The meetings of the Santa Barbara supervisors are archived. Anyone with Internet access, and some time on their hands, can view the video of the meeting. It’s a primer on the problem facing many California public employee retirement systems.
The dueling actuaries explain their complicated forecasting methods. The supervisors are told that 70 percent of future pension payments are expected to be paid by investment earnings, not employer and employee contributions.
The joint meeting, billed as an educational session, is a good look at what some say is a slow-motion crisis, now accelerated by the stock market crash: Overly generous public employee retirement benefits are straining government budgets.
An obvious omission in the discussion of the pension problems surfaces in the public comment session. Why did the supervisors approve pension benefits that are eating up the county budget?
A man who sounds like a regular at the supervisors meetings, Andy Caldwell of the Coalition of Labor, Agriculture and Business, calculates that a $100 million increase in retirement benefits was approved over a four-year period.
It’s all there on the Internet. But so is that old question: If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?
The joint board meeting, lasting about four hours, is sandwiched in the middle of a marathon supervisors meeting of more than nine hours. Internet viewers can click on a slide button and move quickly about in the meeting, using a time readout as a marker.
But would viewers know what they are looking for and where to find it? The joint board meeting starts at about 2 hours and 7 minutes into the meeting. Stilwell begins his presentation at about 5 hours and 33 minutes.
The Santa Barbara County cable TV manager, Sylvio Motta, said the county began streaming its television coverage of supervisors meetings over the Internet two years ago, hiring one of several firms that provide the service.
He said webcast viewership “fluctuates.” Some of the viewers are county employees and others with business before the board, waiting to see when their item comes up.
“It’s not just Santa Barbara County,” Motta said. “There are many government agencies doing that. It’s definitely a service to the public, especially the people who can’t attend the meeting or don’t have cable (TV).”
Not among the webcasting government agencies are the two statewide public employee pension systems headquartered in Sacramento, the California Public Employees Retirement system and the California State Teachers Retirement System.
CalSTRS spends about $4,900 to make video recordings of its multi-day board meetings, which are available to the public on DVD discs. There have only been two requests for the recordings since 2006.
Later this year CalSTRS plans to move into a new building (see Calpensions 5 Jan 09: “CalSTRS moving on up”) that will webcast video of board meetings to desktop computers inside the sleek tower alongside the Sacramento River.
The CalSTRS board voted 8-to-3 in February to reject video webcasts to the public and other options, choosing instead to stream only the audio of board meetings to the public via the Internet.
Some CalSTRS board members seemed concerned that live video might inhibit board discussions.
CalPERS has an in-house staff that produces educational videos streamed to members on the Internet. A spokeswoman, Pat Macht, said CalPERS is concerned about the cost of a video webcast of board meetings and is analyzing an audiocast.
When it comes to putting oneself forward to the public, CalSTRS is clearly the branding leader. In recent weeks a “CalSTRS” sign was placed atop the new building, visible from southbound I-5.
The main entrance to the massive four-block CalPERS complex, two of the most expensive buildings ever erected in Sacramento, only says “Lincoln Plaza,” as if no introduction is needed.
Reporter Ed Mendel covered the Capitol in Sacramento for nearly three decades, most recently for the San Diego Union-Tribune. More stories are at http://calpensions.com/ Posted 12 Apr 09
By Ed Mendel
Anyone with Internet access can watch an unusual meeting of officials in Santa Barbara County, where rising public employee pension costs have already forced a 5 percent budget cut.
Now the stock market crash could force much deeper budget cuts, if the county has to make a big increase in pension contributions to meet its projected retirement obligations in the future.
The Santa Barbara County supervisors held a rare joint meeting last week with the board of the county employees retirement system. Each side brought their own actuaries, the crucial forecasters of future pension needs.
There were minor theatrical moments. A well-spoken fiduciary counsel, perhaps droning on a little too officiously, seemed to get on the nerves of Supervisor Salud Carbajal at one point.
But the county’s pension predicament was plainly presented. Its annual pension contribution, already 10 percent of general fund spending, could double or more in the next few years.
An assistant county executive, Jason Stilwell, told the meeting that the pension contribution in the current fiscal year that began last July is an 18 percent increase from the previous year.
As a result, said Stilwell, the current county budget cut spending 5 percent or nearly $14 million, an across-the-board reduction for all departments and the elimination of 83 full-time jobs.
“Nearly all of the reductions in services in this year’s budget are related to the increased cost of pensions,” Stilwell said.
The budget for the new fiscal year beginning in July contains a 10 percent cut, mainly due to tax revenue lost in the recession. The impact of the stock market crash will not hit until next year, when pension contributions could nearly double.
“It’s almost double the cuts we had to take for the last two years, and we would have all of those in the one year,” Stillwell said of the spending shift from public services to pensions projected for July 2010.
The chairwoman of the retirement board, Shawn Terris, told the supervisors the projection was probably a “worst-case scenario.” She said the board may be able to “adjust” the rate while observing its constitutional duty to protect benefit payments.
The joint meeting of the two boards was televised on two cable systems, Comcast and Cox, the usual airing for Santa Barbara supervisors. But it’s the Internet webcast that allows continuing access to the meeting on April 7.
The meetings of the Santa Barbara supervisors are archived. Anyone with Internet access, and some time on their hands, can view the video of the meeting. It’s a primer on the problem facing many California public employee retirement systems.
The dueling actuaries explain their complicated forecasting methods. The supervisors are told that 70 percent of future pension payments are expected to be paid by investment earnings, not employer and employee contributions.
The joint meeting, billed as an educational session, is a good look at what some say is a slow-motion crisis, now accelerated by the stock market crash: Overly generous public employee retirement benefits are straining government budgets.
An obvious omission in the discussion of the pension problems surfaces in the public comment session. Why did the supervisors approve pension benefits that are eating up the county budget?
A man who sounds like a regular at the supervisors meetings, Andy Caldwell of the Coalition of Labor, Agriculture and Business, calculates that a $100 million increase in retirement benefits was approved over a four-year period.
It’s all there on the Internet. But so is that old question: If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?
The joint board meeting, lasting about four hours, is sandwiched in the middle of a marathon supervisors meeting of more than nine hours. Internet viewers can click on a slide button and move quickly about in the meeting, using a time readout as a marker.
But would viewers know what they are looking for and where to find it? The joint board meeting starts at about 2 hours and 7 minutes into the meeting. Stilwell begins his presentation at about 5 hours and 33 minutes.
The Santa Barbara County cable TV manager, Sylvio Motta, said the county began streaming its television coverage of supervisors meetings over the Internet two years ago, hiring one of several firms that provide the service.
He said webcast viewership “fluctuates.” Some of the viewers are county employees and others with business before the board, waiting to see when their item comes up.
“It’s not just Santa Barbara County,” Motta said. “There are many government agencies doing that. It’s definitely a service to the public, especially the people who can’t attend the meeting or don’t have cable (TV).”
Not among the webcasting government agencies are the two statewide public employee pension systems headquartered in Sacramento, the California Public Employees Retirement system and the California State Teachers Retirement System.
CalSTRS spends about $4,900 to make video recordings of its multi-day board meetings, which are available to the public on DVD discs. There have only been two requests for the recordings since 2006.
Later this year CalSTRS plans to move into a new building (see Calpensions 5 Jan 09: “CalSTRS moving on up”) that will webcast video of board meetings to desktop computers inside the sleek tower alongside the Sacramento River.
The CalSTRS board voted 8-to-3 in February to reject video webcasts to the public and other options, choosing instead to stream only the audio of board meetings to the public via the Internet.
Some CalSTRS board members seemed concerned that live video might inhibit board discussions.
CalPERS has an in-house staff that produces educational videos streamed to members on the Internet. A spokeswoman, Pat Macht, said CalPERS is concerned about the cost of a video webcast of board meetings and is analyzing an audiocast.
When it comes to putting oneself forward to the public, CalSTRS is clearly the branding leader. In recent weeks a “CalSTRS” sign was placed atop the new building, visible from southbound I-5.
The main entrance to the massive four-block CalPERS complex, two of the most expensive buildings ever erected in Sacramento, only says “Lincoln Plaza,” as if no introduction is needed.
Reporter Ed Mendel covered the Capitol in Sacramento for nearly three decades, most recently for the San Diego Union-Tribune. More stories are at http://calpensions.com/ Posted 12 Apr 09
Portecting all innocent Americans, and there is more we can do with Santa Barbara's Eastside!
I have so many thoughts to cover today and am really struggling within myself about all my efforts. Sadly some one called me a coward to a few select people and that was a disappointment. You see no matter how flat out bluntly I present any type of corruption I feel I owe no apology for that nor should I. If that was all I accomplished some might consider that enough but not me. With out an effort to work on the corrections of that corruption all I would simply be doing is a whole lot of bitching. No we have far too many positive things to be thankful for and living in this Country might be at or near the top of the list maybe only behind Family. I really try to make my concerns American issues and create an understanding why what I share should be important to all our county residents. I know my stories might be about alleged “Gang’ issues or trials like what I am working on for later today, yet another might be about a non Hispanic victim. The whole while I hope that when I create a posting in regards to any issue I do so with the same passion I show for my own. While doing some of my research I came across a document that spoke of the power of the Jury in regards to Civil and Criminal trials and I found this; http://deoxy.org/juryrite.htm
“So you see, as a juror, you are one of a panel of twelve judges with the responsibility of protecting all innocent Americans from unjust laws and practices.”
I hope you can see the correlation I am trying to make here. Be it a black alleged rapist such as Eric Frimpong, or a white murder trial such as Jesse James Hollywood, or a assistant to a Santa Barbara Board of Supervisor like Gil Armijo or just a nobody like me who lost everything unjustly. Our Courts are the final protection from unjust for All Americans and we must fight to keep that so. We cannot allow even the smallest of laws or procedures to be abused. I practice the freedom to report corruption while praising the Men and Woman who protect society the right way and wear a badge, is that wrong of me? I do so with heart felt sincerity I hope, you all are the Judge of that?
Well to get this posting moving forward I found an old News Paper clipping and thought what an upbeat positive story about our Eastside. To those that get my email direct I am including the original news press story, but I did retype the clipping below for all to see.
“Milpas Fiesta offers alternative
Customized automobiles and bicycles, hoping lowriders , music, dance, and food were featured at the first Milpas Street Fiesta on Saturday.
Although not an official Old Spanish Days activity, the six hour festival and car show offered citizens the chance to spread the Fiesta sprit to the Eastside.
Nearly 1000 people turned out to view 18 shined and primed cars that vied for trophies, sample tasty delicacies from booths and dance to the sounds provided by a local disc jockey and two bands.
At the car show, Gabe Carbajal won the best all around award; George Navarrez won the most original category; Gullermo Aguilar won for best interior and Michael Carrillo won the lowrider hopping contest. Jorge Trejo took honors for the best custom bicycle and Raul Requeso had the best semi-custom bike.
The event sponsored by the Greater Eastside Merchants (GEMS) and the Eastside Youth Company. The event was held on Milpas Street, between Gutierrez and Haley Streets, which was blocked off to through traffic during the afternoon and evening.
The Eastside Youth Company is a group whose intent is to get Eastside youth “away from drugs, alcohol, vandalism, knife and gunplay” and into positive activities, according to Vince Mandese ( rest in piece my friend you are not forgotten) one of the organizers of the event.
Mandese who is a Milpas Street merchant and head of the GEMS said the members of the company organized the event, built the booths and cleaned up the area afterward.
Members of the group include Jaime Maldonado, Larry Mendoza, Mike Salazar, Anthony Lopez, Norma Torres, Tina Torres and Joe Velez.” The End and by the way that was accomplished with a minimum of law enforcement presence!
Is it just me or does that sound like just a great time had for our citizens on the Eastside, I might add none of that could have come about with out the help and support of non Hispanic’s. I personally had the assistance of the than Police chief since our first request we denied. So what can I hope to bring about by sharing this today? How about this thought for you all to ponder over. We need help from society with our youth problems and yet you alienated the Hispanic community with so many back handed racist attitudes and actions. This may seam a simple idea to you but I feel it would have a great impact in the community it is meant for. Simply allow cruising on Sundays as in times past. I belong to the late 70’ and early 80’s era and I never remember a shot fired or a knife pulled. So why do I think this would have an impact? Because the men and woman who would enjoy the privilege being given back would also have to participate in the protection of not losing that right. Do you not think if graffiti would take that cruising day away there would not be some type of self policing? It would give our youth something that they, maybe not you could relate to. To own a car requires a job, credit and being a good productive citizen. It requires maintaining employment all the things we are currently trying to instill in our youth. In a perfect world maybe some of our older community would learn the impact they could have in our community as well. The above mentioned values are they not exactly what Josh Lynn or Cam Sanchez have failed to create in there half hearted efforts in dealing with our young ones? I am wondering what would it hurt to contact local car clubs and share this idea with them and ask what they would be willing to do? In a news story on KEYT this morning about someone pulling a knife out at a local Westside park the police man interviewed had this to say; ‘ we do not have a problem on the Westside with youth or Gang members pulling out knifes in the day time in fact no where in Santa Barbara is that a problem’. Wow what a contrasting statement than those repeatedly made by recent losing District Attorney Candidate Josh Lynn.
Well as always I am in the middle of about 40 postings so I will go for now and all I ask is please keep an open mind. As I have said before we are the guardians of our freedoms, please do not pass that responsibility on to those that don’t care.
Larry Mendoza
“So you see, as a juror, you are one of a panel of twelve judges with the responsibility of protecting all innocent Americans from unjust laws and practices.”
I hope you can see the correlation I am trying to make here. Be it a black alleged rapist such as Eric Frimpong, or a white murder trial such as Jesse James Hollywood, or a assistant to a Santa Barbara Board of Supervisor like Gil Armijo or just a nobody like me who lost everything unjustly. Our Courts are the final protection from unjust for All Americans and we must fight to keep that so. We cannot allow even the smallest of laws or procedures to be abused. I practice the freedom to report corruption while praising the Men and Woman who protect society the right way and wear a badge, is that wrong of me? I do so with heart felt sincerity I hope, you all are the Judge of that?
Well to get this posting moving forward I found an old News Paper clipping and thought what an upbeat positive story about our Eastside. To those that get my email direct I am including the original news press story, but I did retype the clipping below for all to see.
“Milpas Fiesta offers alternative
Customized automobiles and bicycles, hoping lowriders , music, dance, and food were featured at the first Milpas Street Fiesta on Saturday.
Although not an official Old Spanish Days activity, the six hour festival and car show offered citizens the chance to spread the Fiesta sprit to the Eastside.
Nearly 1000 people turned out to view 18 shined and primed cars that vied for trophies, sample tasty delicacies from booths and dance to the sounds provided by a local disc jockey and two bands.
At the car show, Gabe Carbajal won the best all around award; George Navarrez won the most original category; Gullermo Aguilar won for best interior and Michael Carrillo won the lowrider hopping contest. Jorge Trejo took honors for the best custom bicycle and Raul Requeso had the best semi-custom bike.
The event sponsored by the Greater Eastside Merchants (GEMS) and the Eastside Youth Company. The event was held on Milpas Street, between Gutierrez and Haley Streets, which was blocked off to through traffic during the afternoon and evening.
The Eastside Youth Company is a group whose intent is to get Eastside youth “away from drugs, alcohol, vandalism, knife and gunplay” and into positive activities, according to Vince Mandese ( rest in piece my friend you are not forgotten) one of the organizers of the event.
Mandese who is a Milpas Street merchant and head of the GEMS said the members of the company organized the event, built the booths and cleaned up the area afterward.
Members of the group include Jaime Maldonado, Larry Mendoza, Mike Salazar, Anthony Lopez, Norma Torres, Tina Torres and Joe Velez.” The End and by the way that was accomplished with a minimum of law enforcement presence!
Is it just me or does that sound like just a great time had for our citizens on the Eastside, I might add none of that could have come about with out the help and support of non Hispanic’s. I personally had the assistance of the than Police chief since our first request we denied. So what can I hope to bring about by sharing this today? How about this thought for you all to ponder over. We need help from society with our youth problems and yet you alienated the Hispanic community with so many back handed racist attitudes and actions. This may seam a simple idea to you but I feel it would have a great impact in the community it is meant for. Simply allow cruising on Sundays as in times past. I belong to the late 70’ and early 80’s era and I never remember a shot fired or a knife pulled. So why do I think this would have an impact? Because the men and woman who would enjoy the privilege being given back would also have to participate in the protection of not losing that right. Do you not think if graffiti would take that cruising day away there would not be some type of self policing? It would give our youth something that they, maybe not you could relate to. To own a car requires a job, credit and being a good productive citizen. It requires maintaining employment all the things we are currently trying to instill in our youth. In a perfect world maybe some of our older community would learn the impact they could have in our community as well. The above mentioned values are they not exactly what Josh Lynn or Cam Sanchez have failed to create in there half hearted efforts in dealing with our young ones? I am wondering what would it hurt to contact local car clubs and share this idea with them and ask what they would be willing to do? In a news story on KEYT this morning about someone pulling a knife out at a local Westside park the police man interviewed had this to say; ‘ we do not have a problem on the Westside with youth or Gang members pulling out knifes in the day time in fact no where in Santa Barbara is that a problem’. Wow what a contrasting statement than those repeatedly made by recent losing District Attorney Candidate Josh Lynn.
Well as always I am in the middle of about 40 postings so I will go for now and all I ask is please keep an open mind. As I have said before we are the guardians of our freedoms, please do not pass that responsibility on to those that don’t care.
Larry Mendoza
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Random Thoughts from Santa Barbara County Pension fund FRAUD to Wall Street to Trade Mark Issues!
Well this coming October it will have been 5 years since my nightmare began and those involved began there attempt of my demise and they were sadly mistaken that they could destroy me. We have so many issues on the table still here in Santa Barbara. Is or was a select few in local law enforcement and District Attorneys office available for hire or was there misconduct just for there amusement in my case and others like me? Is Superior Court Judge C. Sterne due to be removed from the bench voluntarily during the first week of the New Year for her lack of running in this past June primary? What of County Auditor Robert Geis and his attempt to defraud our county residence and law enforcement with his handlings of the pension fund auditing reports? Oh before I forget some one might want to call the Santa Barbara news press and have them correct today’s new “Gang “story because Judge Anderson is presiding over the trial and not Judge Brian(hang man)Hill as we have become accustom to.
Having shared that with you all how can I tie in my personal issues with family and the law into the equation? “SilPac.net contains copyrighted material, trademarks and other proprietary information, including, but not limited to”. No you will not find that legal warning on my brother’s webpage because of his fear that I might learn that I have rights in regards to our past and still present business relationship which would bring into play his fiduciary obligation to me in all matters.
Some people and sadly I am talking mostly about my family would have you believe I do not know what I am talking about in any subject matter that I chose to share with you all. Yet today I challenge myself to share with you all some new Ideas an thoughts that should not only have an effect on just my readers but should create an uproar and reaction in us all.
A fiduciary duty[2] is the highest standard of care at either equity or law!
There is much more to the definition of Fiduciary Obligation but for today let’s keep it short and on equity as it relates to this County and there “alleged” investments on Wall Street
Now do you all remember my Wall Street posting and my analogy that Wall Street is nothing more than an exotic sports book? Really do you still think that Wall Street is a financial institution with laws and regulations that protect us? Now before I get on some long winded reason why I am correct re-take a look at this web page than get back to me. www.intrade.com go ahead and check it out I’ll wait.
Copied from www.intrade.com
Conservatives to win next UK General Election
Last Price 80.0 down 5.0
You can buy
This at 80.9
You can sell
This at 80.0
All that gambling in the form of investment trading how incredible is that and where you surprised? I use this web page as a dramatization to show the relationship of Wall Street to Las Vegas. Now if you noticed there was a buy and sell price on all there lines and a difference in between those two quotes. Normally on a trade (investment device you chose to purchase) there is only the trade price but this exaggeration makes it easier to understand. So if 3 weeks ago I bought a credit default certificate because I expected the sell price to be 2 dollars higher than it shows on this date one would think I lost. However no not at all I could win and win huge. Yes indeed regardless of the trade price or the fact that I do not own any units I can for a small fee gamble on the action of any price fluctuation up or down with the purchase of a cdc (credit default) certificates. Again if on this day I had an option on x units and that trade price was a plus or minus from my option I either would have owed or cashed out the difference. So than why not just buy CDC’s on the action of the commodity and never risk my assets as a whole? What is the one golden rule with money and who will be your best partner? O.P.M. is the only rule to live by and the government with its limitless resources of creating cash and criminals to help you make it and pretend to lose it. Other Peoples Money O.P.M. never never never use your liquid assets (cash) to invest in if you can avoid it and credit default swap is exactly how you risk just a very limited portion of your assets with the unbelievable opportunity for enormous gains. Let other people buy and sell while you live of the ying and yang of every action as it affects the stock market.
Now honestly I am not smart enough to pretend to educate anyone on the ways of Wall Street but what I can do is ask the falling questions.
Since hedge funds are able to mask who is participating in them what business does the County have investing in those funds thus creating a cloak of stealth in as far as following investments? Remember now A fiduciary duty[2] is the highest standard of care at either equity or law! I did notice where on several audits of the pension fund they were indeed involved and invested in Credit Default Certificates. Although with the lack of transparency that the Mercer document mentions, what exactly was bought and what happen to those certificates no one can tell from the audits in there present form? The reason I ask is this; let us say for example we lost 10 million dollars in a huge fund such as a Charles Schwab but our 42,000 dollars invested in default certificates produced an astronomical return of 6 million dollars. That could open the door for an unethical use of funds to cover up some poor decision making. Which would than brings is us to smoothing as it applies to accounting used in the Santa Barbara county pension fund.
With the use of New Pension math lets review the use of the term “SMOOTHING” in regards to pension funds. Below is a portion of a letter by Robert W. Geis CPA in Santa Barbara as he explains MAGICAL Pension math allowed by our Government. It reflects a form of Dollar cost averaging but how is that beneficial? “Asset Smoothing: Under current retirement board policy the Actuarial Value of assets is a smoothed market value in which unexpected investment returns (gains or losses) are recognized over a 5-year period. The purpose is to smooth out the impact of volatile investment returns with respect to County contribution rates. The downside of using the actuarial method is a distortion of when the investment losses were actually incurred.” How can a non factual portrait of value and a lack of carry over sheets ever reflect a true and accurate account value?
Which leads back to the term we all must understand when dealing with any account balancing sheet and our pension fund deficits? The term is “Netting’ or as I call it this for that and give it back. It is the deceptive practice of having and investment appear as a benefit on a previous year and taken off as a cost the following year thus never having a measurable effect on the accounting in question, best as I can describe it. Usually shown on a side by side comparison so as to confuse the investor.
Why bring into question A fiduciary duty[2] is the highest standard of care at either equity or law! Because the untitled Mercer document brings up this issue several times through out there 31 pages. So enclosing of this posting I ask 1 final question. What happen to the newly formed pension review committee by our Santa Barbara board of supervisors and why is this still happening behind closed doors, have we learned nothing?
As always if you found some usefulness in my posting I ask that you please share it with others.
Regards
Larry Mendoza
Something you might find interesting
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/3/49/41218144.pdf
Pension Fund Performance
Having shared that with you all how can I tie in my personal issues with family and the law into the equation? “SilPac.net contains copyrighted material, trademarks and other proprietary information, including, but not limited to”. No you will not find that legal warning on my brother’s webpage because of his fear that I might learn that I have rights in regards to our past and still present business relationship which would bring into play his fiduciary obligation to me in all matters.
Some people and sadly I am talking mostly about my family would have you believe I do not know what I am talking about in any subject matter that I chose to share with you all. Yet today I challenge myself to share with you all some new Ideas an thoughts that should not only have an effect on just my readers but should create an uproar and reaction in us all.
A fiduciary duty[2] is the highest standard of care at either equity or law!
There is much more to the definition of Fiduciary Obligation but for today let’s keep it short and on equity as it relates to this County and there “alleged” investments on Wall Street
Now do you all remember my Wall Street posting and my analogy that Wall Street is nothing more than an exotic sports book? Really do you still think that Wall Street is a financial institution with laws and regulations that protect us? Now before I get on some long winded reason why I am correct re-take a look at this web page than get back to me. www.intrade.com go ahead and check it out I’ll wait.
Copied from www.intrade.com
Conservatives to win next UK General Election
Last Price 80.0 down 5.0
You can buy
This at 80.9
You can sell
This at 80.0
All that gambling in the form of investment trading how incredible is that and where you surprised? I use this web page as a dramatization to show the relationship of Wall Street to Las Vegas. Now if you noticed there was a buy and sell price on all there lines and a difference in between those two quotes. Normally on a trade (investment device you chose to purchase) there is only the trade price but this exaggeration makes it easier to understand. So if 3 weeks ago I bought a credit default certificate because I expected the sell price to be 2 dollars higher than it shows on this date one would think I lost. However no not at all I could win and win huge. Yes indeed regardless of the trade price or the fact that I do not own any units I can for a small fee gamble on the action of any price fluctuation up or down with the purchase of a cdc (credit default) certificates. Again if on this day I had an option on x units and that trade price was a plus or minus from my option I either would have owed or cashed out the difference. So than why not just buy CDC’s on the action of the commodity and never risk my assets as a whole? What is the one golden rule with money and who will be your best partner? O.P.M. is the only rule to live by and the government with its limitless resources of creating cash and criminals to help you make it and pretend to lose it. Other Peoples Money O.P.M. never never never use your liquid assets (cash) to invest in if you can avoid it and credit default swap is exactly how you risk just a very limited portion of your assets with the unbelievable opportunity for enormous gains. Let other people buy and sell while you live of the ying and yang of every action as it affects the stock market.
Now honestly I am not smart enough to pretend to educate anyone on the ways of Wall Street but what I can do is ask the falling questions.
Since hedge funds are able to mask who is participating in them what business does the County have investing in those funds thus creating a cloak of stealth in as far as following investments? Remember now A fiduciary duty[2] is the highest standard of care at either equity or law! I did notice where on several audits of the pension fund they were indeed involved and invested in Credit Default Certificates. Although with the lack of transparency that the Mercer document mentions, what exactly was bought and what happen to those certificates no one can tell from the audits in there present form? The reason I ask is this; let us say for example we lost 10 million dollars in a huge fund such as a Charles Schwab but our 42,000 dollars invested in default certificates produced an astronomical return of 6 million dollars. That could open the door for an unethical use of funds to cover up some poor decision making. Which would than brings is us to smoothing as it applies to accounting used in the Santa Barbara county pension fund.
With the use of New Pension math lets review the use of the term “SMOOTHING” in regards to pension funds. Below is a portion of a letter by Robert W. Geis CPA in Santa Barbara as he explains MAGICAL Pension math allowed by our Government. It reflects a form of Dollar cost averaging but how is that beneficial? “Asset Smoothing: Under current retirement board policy the Actuarial Value of assets is a smoothed market value in which unexpected investment returns (gains or losses) are recognized over a 5-year period. The purpose is to smooth out the impact of volatile investment returns with respect to County contribution rates. The downside of using the actuarial method is a distortion of when the investment losses were actually incurred.” How can a non factual portrait of value and a lack of carry over sheets ever reflect a true and accurate account value?
Which leads back to the term we all must understand when dealing with any account balancing sheet and our pension fund deficits? The term is “Netting’ or as I call it this for that and give it back. It is the deceptive practice of having and investment appear as a benefit on a previous year and taken off as a cost the following year thus never having a measurable effect on the accounting in question, best as I can describe it. Usually shown on a side by side comparison so as to confuse the investor.
Why bring into question A fiduciary duty[2] is the highest standard of care at either equity or law! Because the untitled Mercer document brings up this issue several times through out there 31 pages. So enclosing of this posting I ask 1 final question. What happen to the newly formed pension review committee by our Santa Barbara board of supervisors and why is this still happening behind closed doors, have we learned nothing?
As always if you found some usefulness in my posting I ask that you please share it with others.
Regards
Larry Mendoza
Something you might find interesting
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/3/49/41218144.pdf
Pension Fund Performance
Monday, July 5, 2010
Fraud in new Santa Barbara Grand Jury report in regards to "Alleged Gang Crime"!
This posting will just be some random information on illegal acts in regards to Superior Court and or Data. It will also cover the recent Grand Jury report into “Alleged Gang Crime” and there statistics they use to come to there fraudulent conclusions. Now because of what I have been through my interest in criminal court corruption was born nearly 5 years ago. An no matter the length in which this posting goes into you can be sure it is merely the tip of the ice berg not only for me but others like me who have had there life as they knew it taken away. I do have a quick question for starters. Are a select few local law enforcement for sale in a divorce, probate, real estate or to drug dealers? Because after everything I have been through I feel that it is the case. Did any one happen to see the very small story in our news press stating that Governor Swarchenegger appointed another new Santa Barbara Superior court Judge? What does that make 5 appointed to our county and yet not one has been challenged or elected by the people of this county, something is very wrong there. So the story claims that there was a commissioner spot converted to a judicial spot which cost us about an additional 60k a year. Now add another 60k to that total because Judge Sterne is performing the very same duties she did as a commissioner at the additional cost. Now in review of Judge Sterne’s comments from her January 29th S.B.N.P. story about being appointed a Superior Court Judge she than claimed she must run in 2012. That comment will contradict her later claim that it was a six year appointment she was given. As we have all come to know only in the Higher State courts , the Appellate and Supreme are 6 year terms assigned which brings me to this question. When judge Sterne did not appear on the June Ballot what happens to all the Superior court proceedings she is involved with after the first Monday in the new year when her appointment should legally end as explained by me and the law earlier? Can we really afford to wait and find out? Moving on guess what, have any of you noticed the Lyon’s double murder case is scheduled to begin tomorrow the 6th of July? I guess the media forgot to cover that story in advance since our Hispanic youth are not involved. Did anyone also notice the current “alleged Gang” trial has taken twice as long as first thought? HOLD THE PRESS A NEW GRAND JURY REPORT IS OUT IN REGARDS TO “ ALLEGED GANG CRIME”. I am not a math genius but let us review the numbers in the new Grand Jury report. 16% of all crimes that are committed in Santa Barbara County can be related or called “Alleged Gang Crimes”. Which if were true means 84% of the crime is still committed by the general population and those crimes and story’s should appear in the media 6 times greater than the “Alleged Gang” Non issues. Let me give you an example of “Gang Crime Math”. Let us say for example my son Manuel has lived next door to Magic since both were in first grade and Magic is now unconstitutionally labeled an ‘Alleged Gang member”. Since the police can currently exploit this area guess what, now my son Manuel can be considered an ‘Alleged Gang associate” with no change in his behavior or actions since first grade. Now if we use my son Manuel’s academic history that means the Hispanic Student of the year at Santa Barbara High school can get in a car accident and because of his ‘alleged associate Gang “ label that car accident an log it under a “Gang crime”. How much manure must we accept in the request for funding of a non issue here in Santa Barbara? So let me correct the Grand Jury and there numbers about the “Alleged Gang Crimes”. 16% actually reflects the percentage average state wide of crimes committed by juveniles and DOES NOT REFLECT ACTUAL LOCAL NUMBERS AT ALL since are numbers are 50% lower than the state average for juveniles. If you recall in my earlier research and report I proved the Santa Barbara County Gang Task force fraudulently creates there charts, graphs and numbers to soot there needs. In fact I looked at the years of 2007 and 2008 and proved this to be so. Even with us knowing there numbers are inflated I will prove with inflated numbers the Grand Jury report cannot be taken seriously by anyone.
Santa Barbara County
Juvenile Justice
Crime Prevention Act
2008 – 2009 Addendum
To
2007 Comprehensive Multiagency
Juvenile Justice Plan
(JJCPA Local Action Plan)
Below is taken from page 2 of the above titled report.
Sustained Petitions for Violent Offenses:
While the overall number of juvenile referrals to probation has declined over the past two
years, 2006 marked the highest number of sustained petitions for violent offenses in the
prior ten years, 381; while in 2007 numbers declined to 305; 2008 sustained petitions for
felony offenses rose to 338, an 11% increase.
PLEASE DEVI DE 338 INTO ANY OF THE FELONY CATEGORIES BELOW AND YOU WILL NEVER EXCEED 2%. SO HOW CAN THE GRAND JURY ALLEGE 16% OF CRIME COMMIT ED OR RELATED TO “GANGS”. WHEN YOU ADD MISDEMEANOR DATA YOU WILL NEVER EXCEED .05 OF 1 PERCENT!
NOW PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THESE ARE ALL NUMBERS AND DATA I RETRIEVED FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCY’S AS REPORTED BY OUR OWN SANTA BARBARA DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE. IF THEY WILL LIE TO THE GOVERNMENT THERE IS A SERIOUS ETHICAL ISSUE HERE. MIND YOU DURING THE BUDGET FELONY NUMBERS WERE MORE THAN DOUBLED IN THE EFFORTS TO DEFRAUD SANTA BARBARA COUNTY TAX PAYERS MUCH LIKE COUNTY AUDITOR ROBERT GEIS HAS DONE OVER AN OVER!
http://www.countyofsb.org/ceo/budgetresearch/documents/ccpp0809/010-011%20021%20DA%20FY%2008-09%20CCPP.pdf
In this report below no actual numbers are used only percentages, why is that? This report was done by the former district attorney.
Maximize efficient use of Criminal Justice System (CJS)
resources by resolving 55% of felony cases before filing
information in Superior Court.
100%% 2300%% 4500%% 6700%% 8900%% 100%
2000-2001 80%
2001-2002 70?%
2002-2003 60%
2003-2004 70%
2004-2005 60%
2005-2006 60%
2006-2007 60%
2007-2008 80%
2008-2009 60%
Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Adopted
http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/reference/documents/csr2008.pdf
In the report below I give actual data as provided by:
2008 Court Statistics Report
Statewide Caseload Trends
1997–1998 Through 2006–2007
Judicial Council of California
Total Criminal Dispositions by County and Case Type Superior Courts
Fiscal Year 2006–07
Felonies Misdemeanors
SANTA BARBARA 2,722 8,341
Felonies—Filings and Dispositions by Outcome Superior Courts and County Table 8b
Fiscal Year 2006–07
Filing Dispositions
SANTA BARBARA 3,160 2,722
SANTA CLARA 10,811 10,575
Nontraffic Infractions—Filings and Method of Superior Courts
Disposition by County
Filing Dispositions
SANTA BARBARA 8,730 9,499
SANTA CLARA 9,599 7,963
Juvenile Delinquency Filings and Dispositions by County Superior Courts
Table 11a Fiscal Year 2006–07
COUNTY Total Original Subsequent Total Original Subsequent Total Hearing Hearing
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F) (G) (H) (I)
SAN MATEO 3,578 1,581 1,997 4,392 1,482 2,910 4,392 743 3,649
SANTA BARBARA 1,782 1,197 585 1,779 1,187 592 1,779 2 1,777
SANTA CLARA 2,555 1,737 818 2,729 1,869 860 2,729 79 2,650
You must admit that brings the Grand Jury's true intentions into question, but lets move on.
So when is a real crime acted on My God a Billion dollars worth of accounting missing from the very document created to explain ACCOUNTING and nothing has been printed or reported in local media? Furthermore what idiot names a letter to explain his corruption and cover up of pension fund? County Retirement Costs: White Paper by Robert W. Geis, CPA (Through June, 30, 2006) That’s who and you may view this letter in its entirety at 1 of 2 places. My blog @ www.santabarbaracriminalcourtcorruption.blogspot.com or @ http://www.countyofsb.org/auditor/Publications/CountyRetirementCosts.pdf
Yet there still has been no action taken by anyone other than the warning I received not to speak about the pension fund abuse before the Board of supervisors this week as I had planned. Well the bad guys win because I will not speak this week before the Board of supervisors but that is not because of I lack in support from local law enforcement. Let me close with this posting with some up beat notes about our local law enforcement.
An armed robbery recently occurred in a Goleta convince store the same as I am employed at, How ever my location is in Ellwood not Goleta. While law enforcement was responding to the robbery and securing the safety of those involved another officer asked to be dispatched to my location and make sure I was safe as well. You see in the middle of this situation local personnel thought of me, I just want to say thank you to that officer and his co-workers for that blessing.
In another interaction with the Goleta sheriffs some young kids were caught shop lifting from my store location. I arrived at work just as the parents of the very young kids the Sheriff were meeting. You could see the unpleasant look on the family’s face and I felt terrible for the kids. The Sheriff was firm but never lost his positive attitude and seamed to really be trying to reach out to the kids and parents. Every one went to review video and I was feeling down, that was until they came back out. Now because of the incredible work by this Sheriff everyone had a smile on there face and were working together to teach a lesson as a unit with the kids keeping the best interest of the children at heart. This Sheriff was positive smiling an so were those who just a few minutes ago appeared unhappy. Now as a parent we all now it is almost insulting to claim our child have done anything wrong much less shop lifting. I just want to praise that Sheriff for his great work.
I lied because there is more still. This next part is what I enjoy most and you may all be a bit confused by my writing here. If you beat me, illegally or illegally charge a crime against me I will fight you with all my heart. But theses past few weeks have been a bit special in regards to the interaction of law enforcement and children in my store. In one instance it was a Sheriff in another it was a U.C.S.B. police officer and the time they spent greeting and talking with kids in our store. You guys still carry Magic with your badges and the children respond to you. When one of the officers left he lit up his lights and you should have seen the joy and surprise that child showed. He was made to feel special by our law enforcement and that is pure magic, I just wanted to say thank you to these men and women that serve this community.
Santa Barbara County
Juvenile Justice
Crime Prevention Act
2008 – 2009 Addendum
To
2007 Comprehensive Multiagency
Juvenile Justice Plan
(JJCPA Local Action Plan)
Below is taken from page 2 of the above titled report.
Sustained Petitions for Violent Offenses:
While the overall number of juvenile referrals to probation has declined over the past two
years, 2006 marked the highest number of sustained petitions for violent offenses in the
prior ten years, 381; while in 2007 numbers declined to 305; 2008 sustained petitions for
felony offenses rose to 338, an 11% increase.
PLEASE DEVI DE 338 INTO ANY OF THE FELONY CATEGORIES BELOW AND YOU WILL NEVER EXCEED 2%. SO HOW CAN THE GRAND JURY ALLEGE 16% OF CRIME COMMIT ED OR RELATED TO “GANGS”. WHEN YOU ADD MISDEMEANOR DATA YOU WILL NEVER EXCEED .05 OF 1 PERCENT!
NOW PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THESE ARE ALL NUMBERS AND DATA I RETRIEVED FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCY’S AS REPORTED BY OUR OWN SANTA BARBARA DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE. IF THEY WILL LIE TO THE GOVERNMENT THERE IS A SERIOUS ETHICAL ISSUE HERE. MIND YOU DURING THE BUDGET FELONY NUMBERS WERE MORE THAN DOUBLED IN THE EFFORTS TO DEFRAUD SANTA BARBARA COUNTY TAX PAYERS MUCH LIKE COUNTY AUDITOR ROBERT GEIS HAS DONE OVER AN OVER!
http://www.countyofsb.org/ceo/budgetresearch/documents/ccpp0809/010-011%20021%20DA%20FY%2008-09%20CCPP.pdf
In this report below no actual numbers are used only percentages, why is that? This report was done by the former district attorney.
Maximize efficient use of Criminal Justice System (CJS)
resources by resolving 55% of felony cases before filing
information in Superior Court.
100%% 2300%% 4500%% 6700%% 8900%% 100%
2000-2001 80%
2001-2002 70?%
2002-2003 60%
2003-2004 70%
2004-2005 60%
2005-2006 60%
2006-2007 60%
2007-2008 80%
2008-2009 60%
Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Adopted
http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/reference/documents/csr2008.pdf
In the report below I give actual data as provided by:
2008 Court Statistics Report
Statewide Caseload Trends
1997–1998 Through 2006–2007
Judicial Council of California
Total Criminal Dispositions by County and Case Type Superior Courts
Fiscal Year 2006–07
Felonies Misdemeanors
SANTA BARBARA 2,722 8,341
Felonies—Filings and Dispositions by Outcome Superior Courts and County Table 8b
Fiscal Year 2006–07
Filing Dispositions
SANTA BARBARA 3,160 2,722
SANTA CLARA 10,811 10,575
Nontraffic Infractions—Filings and Method of Superior Courts
Disposition by County
Filing Dispositions
SANTA BARBARA 8,730 9,499
SANTA CLARA 9,599 7,963
Juvenile Delinquency Filings and Dispositions by County Superior Courts
Table 11a Fiscal Year 2006–07
COUNTY Total Original Subsequent Total Original Subsequent Total Hearing Hearing
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F) (G) (H) (I)
SAN MATEO 3,578 1,581 1,997 4,392 1,482 2,910 4,392 743 3,649
SANTA BARBARA 1,782 1,197 585 1,779 1,187 592 1,779 2 1,777
SANTA CLARA 2,555 1,737 818 2,729 1,869 860 2,729 79 2,650
You must admit that brings the Grand Jury's true intentions into question, but lets move on.
So when is a real crime acted on My God a Billion dollars worth of accounting missing from the very document created to explain ACCOUNTING and nothing has been printed or reported in local media? Furthermore what idiot names a letter to explain his corruption and cover up of pension fund? County Retirement Costs: White Paper by Robert W. Geis, CPA (Through June, 30, 2006) That’s who and you may view this letter in its entirety at 1 of 2 places. My blog @ www.santabarbaracriminalcourtcorruption.blogspot.com or @ http://www.countyofsb.org/auditor/Publications/CountyRetirementCosts.pdf
Yet there still has been no action taken by anyone other than the warning I received not to speak about the pension fund abuse before the Board of supervisors this week as I had planned. Well the bad guys win because I will not speak this week before the Board of supervisors but that is not because of I lack in support from local law enforcement. Let me close with this posting with some up beat notes about our local law enforcement.
An armed robbery recently occurred in a Goleta convince store the same as I am employed at, How ever my location is in Ellwood not Goleta. While law enforcement was responding to the robbery and securing the safety of those involved another officer asked to be dispatched to my location and make sure I was safe as well. You see in the middle of this situation local personnel thought of me, I just want to say thank you to that officer and his co-workers for that blessing.
In another interaction with the Goleta sheriffs some young kids were caught shop lifting from my store location. I arrived at work just as the parents of the very young kids the Sheriff were meeting. You could see the unpleasant look on the family’s face and I felt terrible for the kids. The Sheriff was firm but never lost his positive attitude and seamed to really be trying to reach out to the kids and parents. Every one went to review video and I was feeling down, that was until they came back out. Now because of the incredible work by this Sheriff everyone had a smile on there face and were working together to teach a lesson as a unit with the kids keeping the best interest of the children at heart. This Sheriff was positive smiling an so were those who just a few minutes ago appeared unhappy. Now as a parent we all now it is almost insulting to claim our child have done anything wrong much less shop lifting. I just want to praise that Sheriff for his great work.
I lied because there is more still. This next part is what I enjoy most and you may all be a bit confused by my writing here. If you beat me, illegally or illegally charge a crime against me I will fight you with all my heart. But theses past few weeks have been a bit special in regards to the interaction of law enforcement and children in my store. In one instance it was a Sheriff in another it was a U.C.S.B. police officer and the time they spent greeting and talking with kids in our store. You guys still carry Magic with your badges and the children respond to you. When one of the officers left he lit up his lights and you should have seen the joy and surprise that child showed. He was made to feel special by our law enforcement and that is pure magic, I just wanted to say thank you to these men and women that serve this community.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
REPost The Best and Worst at the same Time, what to do?
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The Best and Worst at the Same Time
Once again I am at odds with myself in regards to sharing what concerns that rise up from a simple review of the daily media be it the press or video. Have you every had some thing in your life be the worst and best experience at the same time. I find myself there almost on a daily basis. Right now today I am so lost as to what is right, or what is wrong, to have faith or have I lost my faith? I wonder how many apologizes I owe for my selfishness which is why all these postings began in the first place. Now when I say my selfishness you might also view it as my self preservation through our Santa Barbara criminal court corruption. I often worry what if my postings have over stepped there place with the families that live the nightmare I describe and to them I am truly sorry and do at this time again offer my Heart felt apologies. As I reflect back to my first experiences with the courts here in Santa Barbara. It was more than just my personal violations but the violations of our Country that started my writing. I never claim to be smarter than or some sort of know it all, in fact my claims are just the opposite. I feel that for the most part I am just simply sharing situations or data that make no sense to me and I wonder if it is the same for you? Now my need to make sense of my life is why I write (best) yet my fear I may never get my life back (worst) is why I can hate writing. Does that make sense to anyone? I love my Country and yet hate what I see and I feel a responsibility greater than my own needs to keep writing. Than the question comes can words really inspire others into concern or action? Will people raise there head from the grazing on manure that we do on a daily basis without thought and respect for the needs of complete strangers as we would our own? Time will tell but I have faith that when the ugly of what has really transpired right here in Santa Barbara to our youth the best of people will show up.
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish the Constitution for the United States of America. “
These words not only inspire me but our veterans live and die to ensure they are never abused. Most people have respect for these values far greater than what has been shown here in Santa Barbara. Well here I go getting long winded again so I better stop. What I am going to try and accomplish right now is some simple short thoughts, concerns, questions and data. Than I will leave it up to you if my work can really make a difference? If you find this posting has intrigued you all I ask is that you share it with others so the good work can begin. There can be no greater core value than family and the destruction of this unit and is a crime against our selves. Our fore fathers took into account that we would be a bi cultural Country at birth thus the reason why our freedoms were regardless of our orgin to always be protected. We must be able to embrace where we came from and where we are with out prejudice to either.
Real quickly did any one catch the episode of “On Patrol” the REALITY show of the Santa Barbara police? Well if that’s REALITY it is no wonder that Cam Sanchez is in the mess that he is. In the episode I saw a week or so ago Saturday the police were following up on a call to 7-11 on Castillo Street. Once there they found a white man who was under the influence of alcohol and they thought he had been driving and with a child and yet he was only given a warning and allowed to take a taxi home! Please remember his vehicle is in the parking lot, did the security cameras not have the man driving onto the property? Now the officer involved I have concerns with but please, he let him go scott free? At the very least a field report should have been taken and a referral to social services at the very least. Oh that’s right it was not an “ALlEGED GANG CRIME’ my bad. Now the very next scene is the Santa Barbra police stopping some one who is walking under the influence of alcohol. After a very polite interview they end up taking the person to a sober center. I agree with how the second situation was handled the officers were great, very polite and showed genuine concern for the well fair of the person and the law….BRAVO . Just tell me who is the idiot that edits this show and thinks that the first situation gave a good view of our police. Now get this straight I have nothing but love and respect for all law enforcement but corruption will never sit well with me. You see when you use a car to run over and kill two Mexicans and all they get is 5 years in prison with special circumstances, it makes me wonder? Now the woman leaves behind 4 children. So where is the justice for them I ask? Now did anyone else besides me notice the ‘ON PATROL” being advertised on the Super Bowl channel prior to the game? That must have cost? I wonder Cam Sanchez do you have an image problem? If you would like I could preview the show so that you stop disrespecting the men and woman who serve under you.
I have a question for Mr. Sanchez, Did the Sheriff Officer you and the D.A. Dozer put on the stand for the Juarez whisper tape. Was that officer made a ware before he took the stand that the F.B.I. had enhanced the audio, because his testimony sure did not reflect any such knowledge. Now during the Juarez trial why was this F.B.I. version never used? Mr. Sanchez you don’t USE fellow law enforcement officers as it appears you did in the Juarez trial. I have the court motion requesting the release of such a tape.
Regards
Larry Mendoza
The Best and Worst at the Same Time
Once again I am at odds with myself in regards to sharing what concerns that rise up from a simple review of the daily media be it the press or video. Have you every had some thing in your life be the worst and best experience at the same time. I find myself there almost on a daily basis. Right now today I am so lost as to what is right, or what is wrong, to have faith or have I lost my faith? I wonder how many apologizes I owe for my selfishness which is why all these postings began in the first place. Now when I say my selfishness you might also view it as my self preservation through our Santa Barbara criminal court corruption. I often worry what if my postings have over stepped there place with the families that live the nightmare I describe and to them I am truly sorry and do at this time again offer my Heart felt apologies. As I reflect back to my first experiences with the courts here in Santa Barbara. It was more than just my personal violations but the violations of our Country that started my writing. I never claim to be smarter than or some sort of know it all, in fact my claims are just the opposite. I feel that for the most part I am just simply sharing situations or data that make no sense to me and I wonder if it is the same for you? Now my need to make sense of my life is why I write (best) yet my fear I may never get my life back (worst) is why I can hate writing. Does that make sense to anyone? I love my Country and yet hate what I see and I feel a responsibility greater than my own needs to keep writing. Than the question comes can words really inspire others into concern or action? Will people raise there head from the grazing on manure that we do on a daily basis without thought and respect for the needs of complete strangers as we would our own? Time will tell but I have faith that when the ugly of what has really transpired right here in Santa Barbara to our youth the best of people will show up.
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish the Constitution for the United States of America. “
These words not only inspire me but our veterans live and die to ensure they are never abused. Most people have respect for these values far greater than what has been shown here in Santa Barbara. Well here I go getting long winded again so I better stop. What I am going to try and accomplish right now is some simple short thoughts, concerns, questions and data. Than I will leave it up to you if my work can really make a difference? If you find this posting has intrigued you all I ask is that you share it with others so the good work can begin. There can be no greater core value than family and the destruction of this unit and is a crime against our selves. Our fore fathers took into account that we would be a bi cultural Country at birth thus the reason why our freedoms were regardless of our orgin to always be protected. We must be able to embrace where we came from and where we are with out prejudice to either.
Real quickly did any one catch the episode of “On Patrol” the REALITY show of the Santa Barbara police? Well if that’s REALITY it is no wonder that Cam Sanchez is in the mess that he is. In the episode I saw a week or so ago Saturday the police were following up on a call to 7-11 on Castillo Street. Once there they found a white man who was under the influence of alcohol and they thought he had been driving and with a child and yet he was only given a warning and allowed to take a taxi home! Please remember his vehicle is in the parking lot, did the security cameras not have the man driving onto the property? Now the officer involved I have concerns with but please, he let him go scott free? At the very least a field report should have been taken and a referral to social services at the very least. Oh that’s right it was not an “ALlEGED GANG CRIME’ my bad. Now the very next scene is the Santa Barbra police stopping some one who is walking under the influence of alcohol. After a very polite interview they end up taking the person to a sober center. I agree with how the second situation was handled the officers were great, very polite and showed genuine concern for the well fair of the person and the law….BRAVO . Just tell me who is the idiot that edits this show and thinks that the first situation gave a good view of our police. Now get this straight I have nothing but love and respect for all law enforcement but corruption will never sit well with me. You see when you use a car to run over and kill two Mexicans and all they get is 5 years in prison with special circumstances, it makes me wonder? Now the woman leaves behind 4 children. So where is the justice for them I ask? Now did anyone else besides me notice the ‘ON PATROL” being advertised on the Super Bowl channel prior to the game? That must have cost? I wonder Cam Sanchez do you have an image problem? If you would like I could preview the show so that you stop disrespecting the men and woman who serve under you.
I have a question for Mr. Sanchez, Did the Sheriff Officer you and the D.A. Dozer put on the stand for the Juarez whisper tape. Was that officer made a ware before he took the stand that the F.B.I. had enhanced the audio, because his testimony sure did not reflect any such knowledge. Now during the Juarez trial why was this F.B.I. version never used? Mr. Sanchez you don’t USE fellow law enforcement officers as it appears you did in the Juarez trial. I have the court motion requesting the release of such a tape.
Regards
Larry Mendoza
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Pension Fund warnings that Mr. Geis Santa Barbara County auditor choose to Ignore!
http://www.countyofsb.org/auditor/publications/SantaBarbaraReportFinal.pdf
Summary and Recommendations That our whole County Government choose to Ignore.
In summary, we have a number of concerns about how the retirement system is managed. Our report focuses on the areas of concern, but is not meant to imply that the system is currently in a crisis. The issues raised are intended to help the County better understand and manage the retirement system in the future. SBCERS is currently reasonably well funded and the primary underlying methodologies used are sound and lead to a fully funded system. However, there are complex interactions embedded in the retirement program that may affect the future soundness of the system if they are not well understood by all parties. The current structure is not transparent in how the system operates which may lead to poor decisions in the future. There are also some technical issues that should be addressed immediately in order to limit their potential impact.
In particular, we have the following concerns:
The mechanism for paying retiree healthcare benefits does not appear to be consistent with our understanding of federal law potentially jeopardizing the tax qualification of SBCERS and tax returns for all retirees receiving healthcare benefits.
The proposal to establish a 401(h) account appears to vest benefits that are not currently vested and may contravene Section 401(a).
There may be an implicit retiree healthcare subsidy that should be valued under GASB 45.
The SBCERS policy for using Excess Earnings appears to be independent of fiduciary responsibilities for protecting pension benefits and creates an asymmetrical risk distribution for the County.
SBCERS appears to view benefits that are fully funded through Excess Earnings as creating no additional cost to the County. Any benefit improvement has a cost.
The number of different reserve accounts established by SBCERS and the discretionary transactions between those reserve accounts make the system less transparent than it should be.
Mercer Human Resource Consulting 26
Retirement System Evaluation County of Santa Barbara
The practice of crediting reserves with the assumed rate of earnings each year instead of the actual rate of earnings distorts funding levels, is not transparent and may prevent the recognition of those assets for purposes of GASB 43 and 45.
The practice of establishing reserves as both assets and liabilities under GASB 25 distorts the reported funded status and makes benefit improvements appear less costly than they really are.
The analysis used to grant benefit improvements failed to test the sensitivity of assumptions and may have underestimated the cost of those benefit improvements.
When actuarial assumptions are next reviewed, particular attention should be paid to the following:
• – retiree mortality,
• – rates of retirement for public safety,
• – salary increases in year of retirement, and
• – inflation and wage growth.
With each of these concerns, we recommend that the County work with the Retirement Board to take appropriate corrective action or to investigate alternatives and develop appropriate policies. The overriding objectives of any changes should be:
to confirm compliance with applicable laws and regulations,
to improve the stability of the retirement system, and
to improve the transparency of the retirement system.
Mercer
Summary and Recommendations That our whole County Government choose to Ignore.
In summary, we have a number of concerns about how the retirement system is managed. Our report focuses on the areas of concern, but is not meant to imply that the system is currently in a crisis. The issues raised are intended to help the County better understand and manage the retirement system in the future. SBCERS is currently reasonably well funded and the primary underlying methodologies used are sound and lead to a fully funded system. However, there are complex interactions embedded in the retirement program that may affect the future soundness of the system if they are not well understood by all parties. The current structure is not transparent in how the system operates which may lead to poor decisions in the future. There are also some technical issues that should be addressed immediately in order to limit their potential impact.
In particular, we have the following concerns:
The mechanism for paying retiree healthcare benefits does not appear to be consistent with our understanding of federal law potentially jeopardizing the tax qualification of SBCERS and tax returns for all retirees receiving healthcare benefits.
The proposal to establish a 401(h) account appears to vest benefits that are not currently vested and may contravene Section 401(a).
There may be an implicit retiree healthcare subsidy that should be valued under GASB 45.
The SBCERS policy for using Excess Earnings appears to be independent of fiduciary responsibilities for protecting pension benefits and creates an asymmetrical risk distribution for the County.
SBCERS appears to view benefits that are fully funded through Excess Earnings as creating no additional cost to the County. Any benefit improvement has a cost.
The number of different reserve accounts established by SBCERS and the discretionary transactions between those reserve accounts make the system less transparent than it should be.
Mercer Human Resource Consulting 26
Retirement System Evaluation County of Santa Barbara
The practice of crediting reserves with the assumed rate of earnings each year instead of the actual rate of earnings distorts funding levels, is not transparent and may prevent the recognition of those assets for purposes of GASB 43 and 45.
The practice of establishing reserves as both assets and liabilities under GASB 25 distorts the reported funded status and makes benefit improvements appear less costly than they really are.
The analysis used to grant benefit improvements failed to test the sensitivity of assumptions and may have underestimated the cost of those benefit improvements.
When actuarial assumptions are next reviewed, particular attention should be paid to the following:
• – retiree mortality,
• – rates of retirement for public safety,
• – salary increases in year of retirement, and
• – inflation and wage growth.
With each of these concerns, we recommend that the County work with the Retirement Board to take appropriate corrective action or to investigate alternatives and develop appropriate policies. The overriding objectives of any changes should be:
to confirm compliance with applicable laws and regulations,
to improve the stability of the retirement system, and
to improve the transparency of the retirement system.
Mercer
Santa Barbara Pension fund criminal act's and cover up my County Auditor Robert Geis!
The letter reflecting a cover up involving the Santa Barbara County Pension fund, look no further than the charts on page 2.
http://www.countyofsb.org/auditor/Publications/CountyRetirementCosts.pdf
County of Santa Barbara
Office of the Auditor-Controller
County Retirement Costs: White Paper by Robert W. Geis, CPA
(Through June, 30, 2006)Page 1 of 7
County of Santa Barbara
Office of the Auditor-Controller
County Retirement Costs: White Paper by Robert W. Geis, CPA
(Through June, 30, 2006)
The County Retirement plan and underlying systems can be difficult to understand due to the
complexities of the benefit, investment and funding policies. The benefit system is a multi-employer
plan that includes the County, Courts, Air Pollution Control, Santa Barbara Association of
Governments and six Special Districts. There are nine different benefit plans. The funding policy is
driven by a complex array of actuarial science, federal tax laws, state legislative code and
governmental accounting policies. Losses on investment returns of $464 million between December 31, 1999 and December 31, 2002 had a dominant impact on the fund. This white paper explains some actuarial and accounting concepts to help the reader better understand the financial condition
and dynamics of the pension fund as they relate to the current funded status of the system.
For an in-depth analysis, the County hired an independent third party (Kroll/Mercer) who issued an
evaluation of the system dated November 7, 2006 (http://www.countyofsb.org/auditor/home.asp).
They identified a number of concerns that should be addressed regarding retiree health benefits, the
policy of using “excess earnings,” improving the methods to measure the cost of proposed new
benefits, making the system more transparent (it is difficult to understand), confirm compliance with
applicable laws and improve the stability of the system. To address these concerns, the County hired
tax attorneys Ice Miller to guide us towards assuring the Retirement Plan is in compliance with IRS
federal tax laws. The County and Retirement system are currently compiling a legal plan document to
aid in this effort.
The County has also established a working team to address issues. We are trying to inform and train
the BOS and BOR of the fiscal implications of the fund and its practices. We believe the BOS and BOR
should establish a funding agreement that addresses the basic pension plan, retiree health and
benefit improvements to improve long-term stability. Finally, the County and BOR are addressing and
incorporating GASB 43 and GASB 45 implementation requirements for reporting Other Post
Employment Benefits (OPEB).
Submitted by:
Robert W. Geis, CPA
Auditor-Controller
(805) 568-2101
Page 2 of 7
Financial Status of Retirement Fund
The County’s retirement fund is in good overall financial condition, but maintaining this level is a
stress on the County budget. At 6/30/2006 the fund was 86% funded using the actuarial value
method of measuring the plan assets available to pay for current and future retirement liabilities, and
90% funded using the market value method. In addition, the County has no outstanding pension
obligation bonds. We believe that to be considered in excellent financial condition, the fund should
ideally maintain a funded ratio of 125% or more for a consistent period of time. Superior earnings
above the system-expected investment earnings rate of 8% would contribute to this excellent overall
funding status.
The following two tables demonstrate the financial status of the plan over the last seven years. They
will also be used to show the volatility of investment returns within the system that can occur within
an economic cycle. It is important that retirement systems and decision makers look at longer
planning cycles. Benefits can accumulate over 30 years or longer while an employee works and be
paid out for periods over 30 years after they retire.
Asset Smoothing: Under current retirement board policy the Actuarial Value of assets is a smoothed
market value in which unexpected investment returns (gains or losses) are recognized over a 5-year
period. The purpose is to smooth out the impact of volatile investment returns with respect to County
contribution rates. The downside of using the actuarial method is a distortion of when the investment
losses were actually incurred.
Actuarial Value (Market Gains/Losses Smoothed over 5-Years to Delay or Soften Impact to Contribution Rates)
In Chart below what happen to the accounting for the year 2001?
(in millions) 12/31/99 12/31/00 12/31/02 06/30/03 06/30/04 06/30/05 06/30/06
Plan Assets 1,068 1,171 1,296 1,347 1,379 1,444 1,553
Accrued Liability (Cost) 1,067 1,145 1,364 1,455 1,579 1,688 1,810
Percent Funded 100% 102% 95% 93% 87% 86% 86%
Over(Under) Funded Amount 1 26 (68) (108) (200) (244) (257)
No Asset Smoothing: The Market Value of assets is the true picture.
Market Value (No Smoothing)
In Chart below what happen to the accounting for the year 2001?
(in millions) 12/31/99 12/31/00 12/31/02 06/30/03 06/30/04 06/30/05 06/30/06
Plan Assets 1,247 1,183 1,080 1,169 1,347 1,476 1,629
Accrued Liability (Cost) 1,067 1,145 1,364 1,455 1,579 1,688 1,810
Percent Funded 117% 103% 79% 80% 85% 87% 90%
Over(Under) Funded Amount 180 38 (284) (286) (232) (212) (181)
Case in point: In 1999 the County was 100% funded per the actuarial value method and 117% funded ($180 million surplus) per the market value method. In our opinion, this was just short of excellent.
At that point decision makers decided to improve both active member and retired member benefits
using surplus earnings to pay the benefits (a part of the $180 million surplus). The cost of these
benefits created new liabilities for past service estimated by the actuaries to cost $87 million. During
the implementation of the new benefits the market lost $142 million by 12/31/00. Therefore, the
surplus to pay the benefits was wiped out and new liabilities were created that had not been paid for
Page 3 of 7
over time. The next year the fund lost an additional $322 million.( How is a reference to this huge loss in 2oo1 made here but missing from Mr. Geis's Charts above on page 2?) The market value unfunded liability went from a surplus of $180 million to a deficit of $284 million. As discussed later, the plan sponsors
(County) are required to payoff the deficit through increases in contribution rates (see UAAL in table
below). The point is that even with 117% funding, because of market volatility any change in benefits
has to be carefully planned, especially in the area of using surplus earnings to fund benefit increases.
A better fiscal policy would be to build a reserve to the 125% or greater funding level with the surplus
maintained to guard against market downturns.
Page 4 of 7
County Retirement Contribution Rates, Pensionable Salaries & Basic Cost
The County’s cost for the basic pension benefit is represented by contribution rates, which have been
growing significantly over the last several years. The table below shows blended rates for all plans.
Each separate plan (i.e., General and Safety) has its own rate. For example, in FY 2005/06, the
General Plan rates averaged 17%, while the Safety Plan rates averaged 32%. In addition to the
Retirement System rate, the County also must pay Social Security of 6.2% for General members.
County rates are developed to pay for the annual normal cost of basic pension benefits and to pay for
the unfunded liability over 15 years. Over time, the County has also bargained to pick-up a portion of
the required employee contribution.
History of Blended Rates
12/31/99 12/31/00 12/31/02 06/30/03 06/30/04 06/30/05 06/30/06
Normal Cost 12.09% 11.87% 11.63% 11.56% 11.48% 11.38% 11.61%
UAAL -0.09% 0.08% 2.29% 3.65% 6.63% 8.40% 9.29%
Total Blended Rate 12.00% 11.95% 13.92% 15.21% 18.11% 19.78% 20.90%
History of Pensionable Salaries and Basic Pension Cost
Estimated
(in thousands) FY 00/01 FY 01/02 FY 02/03 FY 03/04 FY 04/05 FY 05/06 FY 06/07
Pensionable Salaries 197,458 215,715 227,431 238,879 243,379 250,133 264,732
x County Blended Rate 12.00% 11.95% 11.95% 13.92% 15.21% 18.11% 19.78%
= County Basic Pension Cost 23,695 25,778 27,178 33,252 37,018 45,299 52,364
Without actuarial smoothing County contributions rates would have doubled to about 22% in one year
starting FY 02-03 and doubling the employer contributions from $31 million to $60 million. With the
smoothing method, five years later in FY 06-07 contribution rates have now hit 21% with
contributions approaching $57 million.
History of Basic Pension, Employee Pick-up & FICA (Social Security) Cost
Estimated
(in thousands) FY 00/01 FY 01/02 FY 02/03 FY 03/04 FY 04/05 FY 05/06 FY 06/07
County Pension Cost 23,695 25,778 27,178 33,252 37,018 45,299 52,364
Employee Contribution Pick-up 3,418 3,591 4,013 4,208 4,176 4,230 4,300
FICA (Social Security) 8,553 9,349 9,639 9,835 10,001 10,234 11,025
Total Basic Pension 35,666 38,718 40,830 47,295 51,195 59,763 67,689
With FICA (Social Security), the County paid almost $68 million for basic retirement in FY 2005/06.
Almost 10% of the County total budget and 23% of basic salary costs.
To be used
in
FY 07/08
Page 5 of 7
Funding Retirement Benefits
• The accrued liability represents the liability attributable to
prior service by the cost method.
• The normal cost represents the increase in liability
attributable to an additional year of service.
• The unfunded actuarial accrued liability is amortized over
15 years as a level percentage of payrolls.
• Actuarial assets must earn at least 8.16% in order to keep
unfunded actuarial accrued liability from growing.
This is a pictorial representation of the theoretical overview of retirement funding. Assets must earn
8.16% over the long-term to keep the unfunded actuarial accrued liability (see amortization above)
from growing. A lower return due to underperforming investments will cause the unfunded liability to
grow. The investment return is the single most important component of the long-term stability of a
pension fund.
$1.810 B $1.553 B
$31.5 M $30.1 M (11.38% of Pensionable Salaries)
$25.2 M (8.40% of Pensionable Salaries)
$52.4 M
(19.78% of Pensionable Salaries)
Page 6 of 7
Funding Retiree Health and Other Benefit Costs
Currently, retirees receive health and other benefits outside of the basic pension benefit. These other
benefits are not officially or explicitly paid for through the normal method described above. The
method used to pay for these other benefits is a complicated process that takes a portion (50%) of the
investment earnings above the expected rate of return (“excess earnings”) and sets it aside for these
other benefits. This is not an actuarially sound practice because “excess earnings” are not equivalent
to surplus earnings. Effectively, this practice diverts assets from the basic pension and increases the
unfunded liability. The table below shows the fiscal impact of this practice on the unfunded liability.
With the current practice, the unfunded liability is $257 million. If the practice was not followed, all
assets would be available for the basic pension benefit and there is no additional liability outside of
the basic pension benefit, the unfunded liability would be reduced by $138 million to $119 million.
Each time there is a distribution of “excess earnings,” the unfunded liability will increase. For
example, at 6/30/06, “excess earnings” totaled $86 million. If these are distributed, 50% or $43
million will go towards increasing the retiree health or other benefits and the unfunded liability will
increase by $43 million to $300 million. The associated County UAAL rate will then increase from
9.29% to 11.31% to pay for the increase in the unfunded liability increasing County costs by an
additional $5 million annually. In addition, the plan sponsor does not contribute the additional cost of
the retiree health benefit on an annual basis creating additional unfunded liabilities.
Without Impact of
Current Current "Excess"
(in millions - based on FYE 6/30/06) Practice Practice Distribution
Assets Available - Basic Pension Benefits 1,415 1,553 1,372
Assets Available - Other Retiree Benefits 138 - 181
Total Assets Available 1,553 1,553 1,553
Liability (future cost) - Basic Pension Benefits 1,672 1,672 1672
Liability (future cost) - Other Retiree Benefits 138 - 181
Total Liability 1,810 1,672 1,853
Difference (Assets less Costs = "Unfunded Liability") (257) (119) (300)
History of Costs for Retiree Health & Other Benefits
Estimated
(in thousands) FY 99/00 FY 00/01 FY 01/02 FY 02/03 FY 03/04 FY 04/05 FY 05/06 FY 06/07
Retiree Health Costs 3,272 3,676 3,876 4,834 5,202 5,740 6,005 6,250
Cash In-Lieu of Health 273 284 350 520 549 435 449 450
Ad Hoc COLA Costs 2,333 2,321 3,397 2,382 2,334 2,304 2,256 2,300
Total Other Benefits 5,878 6,281 7,623 7,736 8,085 8,479 8,710 9,000
The costs of these external benefits have grown 48% from FY 1999/00 to FY 2005/06. The
Mercer/Kroll report states that “a long-term return of 9.6% would result in the distribution of over $3
billion in additional retiree benefits over the next 50 years,” which is two times our current assets of
$1.553 billion available for basic pension benefits. The nature of these benefit increases is
unsustainable by the plan sponsor.
Page 7 of 7
Conclusion
Decision makers should be concerned with the complexities of the benefit, investment and funding
policies. What follows are a few concerns:
The system has a 50% chance that it will earn more than 8.16% over the long-term and a 50% chance
that it will not earn 8.16%. The volatility of investment returns should always be the first thing
considered in any system decision.
The County budget is under stress from the requirement to increase contributions. Actuarial
smoothing helps with contribution rates but increases long-term costs. Each decision maker on the
Board of Supervisors and Retirement Board should strive to eliminate the UAAL. The goal should be to
pay only the next year’s normal cost and all normal costs should be paid annually.
The retirement trustees are contemplating continuing the practice of distributing “excess earnings”
for new retiree health benefits. It may be argued that it is not prudent to do so if the pension benefits
are not fully funded and perhaps more than fully funded.
The County is not funding the additional annual cost of retiree health benefits on an annual basis.
To be competitive with other public safety agencies the County granted the 3% at 50 benefit for
public safety members (Sheriff). This cost is not yet reflected in the normal rate or the UAAL rate
currently being paid by the County.
The need to provide competitive benefits for general members both for benefit formula and employee
contributions continues to be an issue. The County needs to carefully consider and understand the
costs associated with any change in benefits.
CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT
The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded a Certificate
of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to Santa Barbara County Employees’ Retirement System
for its comprehensive annual financial report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2005. This was the fifth
consecutive year that SBCERS submitted the report for consideration and received this prestigious award.
End of
http://www.countyofsb.org/auditor/Publications/CountyRetirementCosts.pdf
Pension Fund Data Web Site
http://www.countyofsb.org/sbcers/default.aspx?id=19040&ekmensel=e2f22c9a_608_622_btnlink
http://www.countyofsb.org/uploadedFiles/sbcers/ActuarialValuation20090630.pdf
http://www.countyofsb.org/sbcers/fnp/2007FinalValuation.pdf
http://www.allianceresourceconsulting.com/Profiles/460.pdf
http://www.hfmweek.com/news/526392/santa-barbara-pension-looks-to-replace-arden.thtml
Santa Barbara pension looks to replace Arden
The $1.7bn Santa Barbara County Employees’ Retirement System (SBCERS) has terminated its only hedge fund manager, Arden Asset Management, but will look to replace the investment this summer.
Money Management Letter
http://www.moneymanagementletter.com/Search.aspx?SearchStr=Santa%20Barbara%20County%20Employees%20Retirement%20System
http://www.ipe.com/realestate/santa-barbara-county-opens-separate-account-search_34572.php
Santa Barbara County opens separate account search
1 April 2010 17:04:
UNITED STATES - Santa Barbara County Employees Retirement System has approved a Request for Information to hire a discretionary separate account real estate manager.
http://www.independent.com/news/2009/mar/12/county-budget-bloodbath/
Sounds like bankruptcy is in the county’s future. Seriously. Under Chapter 9 of the Federal Bankruptcy Act a local government can declare bankruptcy, void all of its contracts including pension obligations, and start fresh. No government has been so lavish with pension and benefits than our local pols. Easy for them: buy off the unions, get votes, get termed out, and leave the taxpayers to deal with the problems. So my vote is for bankruptcy, the recall of all Supes, and a new election to replace them with leaders and problems solvers.
Read this letter is she really serious?
http://www.sec.gov/rules/proposed/s70306/s70306-574.pdf
http://www.sbcgj.org/2009/responses/SBCERS_Response.pdf
Below is a partial response to the Grand Jury report from 2009.
In there response the B.O.S. claims a17.2% return and yet the Pension fund reflects 143 million dollar loss
Pension association
http://www.sacrs.org/mc/page.do?sitePageId=20260&orgId=slgs
Pension Watch
http://pensiontsunami.com/blog/?p=85
Read the numbers in this story
http://www.kcoy.com/Global/story.asp?S=12192053
Is it 2 Billion as listed below or 1.2 Billion on the next page?
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-137823402/deadline-participant-sues-avon.html
Santa Barbara Hires for Int’l Equity.
Magazine article from: Investment Management Weekly Sorondo, Marc October 24, 2005 700+ words ...2 billion Santa Barbara County Employees’ Retirement System (SBCERS) has hired New Star Asset Management to manage an active international...Street Global Advisors, but Peters said that New Star was selected because of its investment style
http://www.sec.gov/litigation/litreleases/2008/lr20471.htm
“SEC Distributes Nearly $50 Million to Defrauded Xerox Investors
The Xerox Fair Fund resulted from SEC actions brought in 2002 and 2003 against Xerox Corporation, five of its officers, Xerox’s independent audit firm (KPMG, LLP) and five KPMG accountants who held senior positions on the Xerox engagement. Among them, the defendants paid more than $46 million to settle SEC charges that they caused Xerox to make materially false and misleading statements in SEC filings. (Ten million dollars of the total amount was paid by Xerox to the U.S. Treasury before the Fair Fund provisions were enacted.)” Please go to the above web page for full version of the S.E.C. report
http://www.countyofsb.org/auditor/Publications/CountyRetirementCosts.pdf
County of Santa Barbara
Office of the Auditor-Controller
County Retirement Costs: White Paper by Robert W. Geis, CPA
(Through June, 30, 2006)Page 1 of 7
County of Santa Barbara
Office of the Auditor-Controller
County Retirement Costs: White Paper by Robert W. Geis, CPA
(Through June, 30, 2006)
The County Retirement plan and underlying systems can be difficult to understand due to the
complexities of the benefit, investment and funding policies. The benefit system is a multi-employer
plan that includes the County, Courts, Air Pollution Control, Santa Barbara Association of
Governments and six Special Districts. There are nine different benefit plans. The funding policy is
driven by a complex array of actuarial science, federal tax laws, state legislative code and
governmental accounting policies. Losses on investment returns of $464 million between December 31, 1999 and December 31, 2002 had a dominant impact on the fund. This white paper explains some actuarial and accounting concepts to help the reader better understand the financial condition
and dynamics of the pension fund as they relate to the current funded status of the system.
For an in-depth analysis, the County hired an independent third party (Kroll/Mercer) who issued an
evaluation of the system dated November 7, 2006 (http://www.countyofsb.org/auditor/home.asp).
They identified a number of concerns that should be addressed regarding retiree health benefits, the
policy of using “excess earnings,” improving the methods to measure the cost of proposed new
benefits, making the system more transparent (it is difficult to understand), confirm compliance with
applicable laws and improve the stability of the system. To address these concerns, the County hired
tax attorneys Ice Miller to guide us towards assuring the Retirement Plan is in compliance with IRS
federal tax laws. The County and Retirement system are currently compiling a legal plan document to
aid in this effort.
The County has also established a working team to address issues. We are trying to inform and train
the BOS and BOR of the fiscal implications of the fund and its practices. We believe the BOS and BOR
should establish a funding agreement that addresses the basic pension plan, retiree health and
benefit improvements to improve long-term stability. Finally, the County and BOR are addressing and
incorporating GASB 43 and GASB 45 implementation requirements for reporting Other Post
Employment Benefits (OPEB).
Submitted by:
Robert W. Geis, CPA
Auditor-Controller
(805) 568-2101
Page 2 of 7
Financial Status of Retirement Fund
The County’s retirement fund is in good overall financial condition, but maintaining this level is a
stress on the County budget. At 6/30/2006 the fund was 86% funded using the actuarial value
method of measuring the plan assets available to pay for current and future retirement liabilities, and
90% funded using the market value method. In addition, the County has no outstanding pension
obligation bonds. We believe that to be considered in excellent financial condition, the fund should
ideally maintain a funded ratio of 125% or more for a consistent period of time. Superior earnings
above the system-expected investment earnings rate of 8% would contribute to this excellent overall
funding status.
The following two tables demonstrate the financial status of the plan over the last seven years. They
will also be used to show the volatility of investment returns within the system that can occur within
an economic cycle. It is important that retirement systems and decision makers look at longer
planning cycles. Benefits can accumulate over 30 years or longer while an employee works and be
paid out for periods over 30 years after they retire.
Asset Smoothing: Under current retirement board policy the Actuarial Value of assets is a smoothed
market value in which unexpected investment returns (gains or losses) are recognized over a 5-year
period. The purpose is to smooth out the impact of volatile investment returns with respect to County
contribution rates. The downside of using the actuarial method is a distortion of when the investment
losses were actually incurred.
Actuarial Value (Market Gains/Losses Smoothed over 5-Years to Delay or Soften Impact to Contribution Rates)
In Chart below what happen to the accounting for the year 2001?
(in millions) 12/31/99 12/31/00 12/31/02 06/30/03 06/30/04 06/30/05 06/30/06
Plan Assets 1,068 1,171 1,296 1,347 1,379 1,444 1,553
Accrued Liability (Cost) 1,067 1,145 1,364 1,455 1,579 1,688 1,810
Percent Funded 100% 102% 95% 93% 87% 86% 86%
Over(Under) Funded Amount 1 26 (68) (108) (200) (244) (257)
No Asset Smoothing: The Market Value of assets is the true picture.
Market Value (No Smoothing)
In Chart below what happen to the accounting for the year 2001?
(in millions) 12/31/99 12/31/00 12/31/02 06/30/03 06/30/04 06/30/05 06/30/06
Plan Assets 1,247 1,183 1,080 1,169 1,347 1,476 1,629
Accrued Liability (Cost) 1,067 1,145 1,364 1,455 1,579 1,688 1,810
Percent Funded 117% 103% 79% 80% 85% 87% 90%
Over(Under) Funded Amount 180 38 (284) (286) (232) (212) (181)
Case in point: In 1999 the County was 100% funded per the actuarial value method and 117% funded ($180 million surplus) per the market value method. In our opinion, this was just short of excellent.
At that point decision makers decided to improve both active member and retired member benefits
using surplus earnings to pay the benefits (a part of the $180 million surplus). The cost of these
benefits created new liabilities for past service estimated by the actuaries to cost $87 million. During
the implementation of the new benefits the market lost $142 million by 12/31/00. Therefore, the
surplus to pay the benefits was wiped out and new liabilities were created that had not been paid for
Page 3 of 7
over time. The next year the fund lost an additional $322 million.( How is a reference to this huge loss in 2oo1 made here but missing from Mr. Geis's Charts above on page 2?) The market value unfunded liability went from a surplus of $180 million to a deficit of $284 million. As discussed later, the plan sponsors
(County) are required to payoff the deficit through increases in contribution rates (see UAAL in table
below). The point is that even with 117% funding, because of market volatility any change in benefits
has to be carefully planned, especially in the area of using surplus earnings to fund benefit increases.
A better fiscal policy would be to build a reserve to the 125% or greater funding level with the surplus
maintained to guard against market downturns.
Page 4 of 7
County Retirement Contribution Rates, Pensionable Salaries & Basic Cost
The County’s cost for the basic pension benefit is represented by contribution rates, which have been
growing significantly over the last several years. The table below shows blended rates for all plans.
Each separate plan (i.e., General and Safety) has its own rate. For example, in FY 2005/06, the
General Plan rates averaged 17%, while the Safety Plan rates averaged 32%. In addition to the
Retirement System rate, the County also must pay Social Security of 6.2% for General members.
County rates are developed to pay for the annual normal cost of basic pension benefits and to pay for
the unfunded liability over 15 years. Over time, the County has also bargained to pick-up a portion of
the required employee contribution.
History of Blended Rates
12/31/99 12/31/00 12/31/02 06/30/03 06/30/04 06/30/05 06/30/06
Normal Cost 12.09% 11.87% 11.63% 11.56% 11.48% 11.38% 11.61%
UAAL -0.09% 0.08% 2.29% 3.65% 6.63% 8.40% 9.29%
Total Blended Rate 12.00% 11.95% 13.92% 15.21% 18.11% 19.78% 20.90%
History of Pensionable Salaries and Basic Pension Cost
Estimated
(in thousands) FY 00/01 FY 01/02 FY 02/03 FY 03/04 FY 04/05 FY 05/06 FY 06/07
Pensionable Salaries 197,458 215,715 227,431 238,879 243,379 250,133 264,732
x County Blended Rate 12.00% 11.95% 11.95% 13.92% 15.21% 18.11% 19.78%
= County Basic Pension Cost 23,695 25,778 27,178 33,252 37,018 45,299 52,364
Without actuarial smoothing County contributions rates would have doubled to about 22% in one year
starting FY 02-03 and doubling the employer contributions from $31 million to $60 million. With the
smoothing method, five years later in FY 06-07 contribution rates have now hit 21% with
contributions approaching $57 million.
History of Basic Pension, Employee Pick-up & FICA (Social Security) Cost
Estimated
(in thousands) FY 00/01 FY 01/02 FY 02/03 FY 03/04 FY 04/05 FY 05/06 FY 06/07
County Pension Cost 23,695 25,778 27,178 33,252 37,018 45,299 52,364
Employee Contribution Pick-up 3,418 3,591 4,013 4,208 4,176 4,230 4,300
FICA (Social Security) 8,553 9,349 9,639 9,835 10,001 10,234 11,025
Total Basic Pension 35,666 38,718 40,830 47,295 51,195 59,763 67,689
With FICA (Social Security), the County paid almost $68 million for basic retirement in FY 2005/06.
Almost 10% of the County total budget and 23% of basic salary costs.
To be used
in
FY 07/08
Page 5 of 7
Funding Retirement Benefits
• The accrued liability represents the liability attributable to
prior service by the cost method.
• The normal cost represents the increase in liability
attributable to an additional year of service.
• The unfunded actuarial accrued liability is amortized over
15 years as a level percentage of payrolls.
• Actuarial assets must earn at least 8.16% in order to keep
unfunded actuarial accrued liability from growing.
This is a pictorial representation of the theoretical overview of retirement funding. Assets must earn
8.16% over the long-term to keep the unfunded actuarial accrued liability (see amortization above)
from growing. A lower return due to underperforming investments will cause the unfunded liability to
grow. The investment return is the single most important component of the long-term stability of a
pension fund.
$1.810 B $1.553 B
$31.5 M $30.1 M (11.38% of Pensionable Salaries)
$25.2 M (8.40% of Pensionable Salaries)
$52.4 M
(19.78% of Pensionable Salaries)
Page 6 of 7
Funding Retiree Health and Other Benefit Costs
Currently, retirees receive health and other benefits outside of the basic pension benefit. These other
benefits are not officially or explicitly paid for through the normal method described above. The
method used to pay for these other benefits is a complicated process that takes a portion (50%) of the
investment earnings above the expected rate of return (“excess earnings”) and sets it aside for these
other benefits. This is not an actuarially sound practice because “excess earnings” are not equivalent
to surplus earnings. Effectively, this practice diverts assets from the basic pension and increases the
unfunded liability. The table below shows the fiscal impact of this practice on the unfunded liability.
With the current practice, the unfunded liability is $257 million. If the practice was not followed, all
assets would be available for the basic pension benefit and there is no additional liability outside of
the basic pension benefit, the unfunded liability would be reduced by $138 million to $119 million.
Each time there is a distribution of “excess earnings,” the unfunded liability will increase. For
example, at 6/30/06, “excess earnings” totaled $86 million. If these are distributed, 50% or $43
million will go towards increasing the retiree health or other benefits and the unfunded liability will
increase by $43 million to $300 million. The associated County UAAL rate will then increase from
9.29% to 11.31% to pay for the increase in the unfunded liability increasing County costs by an
additional $5 million annually. In addition, the plan sponsor does not contribute the additional cost of
the retiree health benefit on an annual basis creating additional unfunded liabilities.
Without Impact of
Current Current "Excess"
(in millions - based on FYE 6/30/06) Practice Practice Distribution
Assets Available - Basic Pension Benefits 1,415 1,553 1,372
Assets Available - Other Retiree Benefits 138 - 181
Total Assets Available 1,553 1,553 1,553
Liability (future cost) - Basic Pension Benefits 1,672 1,672 1672
Liability (future cost) - Other Retiree Benefits 138 - 181
Total Liability 1,810 1,672 1,853
Difference (Assets less Costs = "Unfunded Liability") (257) (119) (300)
History of Costs for Retiree Health & Other Benefits
Estimated
(in thousands) FY 99/00 FY 00/01 FY 01/02 FY 02/03 FY 03/04 FY 04/05 FY 05/06 FY 06/07
Retiree Health Costs 3,272 3,676 3,876 4,834 5,202 5,740 6,005 6,250
Cash In-Lieu of Health 273 284 350 520 549 435 449 450
Ad Hoc COLA Costs 2,333 2,321 3,397 2,382 2,334 2,304 2,256 2,300
Total Other Benefits 5,878 6,281 7,623 7,736 8,085 8,479 8,710 9,000
The costs of these external benefits have grown 48% from FY 1999/00 to FY 2005/06. The
Mercer/Kroll report states that “a long-term return of 9.6% would result in the distribution of over $3
billion in additional retiree benefits over the next 50 years,” which is two times our current assets of
$1.553 billion available for basic pension benefits. The nature of these benefit increases is
unsustainable by the plan sponsor.
Page 7 of 7
Conclusion
Decision makers should be concerned with the complexities of the benefit, investment and funding
policies. What follows are a few concerns:
The system has a 50% chance that it will earn more than 8.16% over the long-term and a 50% chance
that it will not earn 8.16%. The volatility of investment returns should always be the first thing
considered in any system decision.
The County budget is under stress from the requirement to increase contributions. Actuarial
smoothing helps with contribution rates but increases long-term costs. Each decision maker on the
Board of Supervisors and Retirement Board should strive to eliminate the UAAL. The goal should be to
pay only the next year’s normal cost and all normal costs should be paid annually.
The retirement trustees are contemplating continuing the practice of distributing “excess earnings”
for new retiree health benefits. It may be argued that it is not prudent to do so if the pension benefits
are not fully funded and perhaps more than fully funded.
The County is not funding the additional annual cost of retiree health benefits on an annual basis.
To be competitive with other public safety agencies the County granted the 3% at 50 benefit for
public safety members (Sheriff). This cost is not yet reflected in the normal rate or the UAAL rate
currently being paid by the County.
The need to provide competitive benefits for general members both for benefit formula and employee
contributions continues to be an issue. The County needs to carefully consider and understand the
costs associated with any change in benefits.
CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT
The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded a Certificate
of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to Santa Barbara County Employees’ Retirement System
for its comprehensive annual financial report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2005. This was the fifth
consecutive year that SBCERS submitted the report for consideration and received this prestigious award.
End of
http://www.countyofsb.org/auditor/Publications/CountyRetirementCosts.pdf
Pension Fund Data Web Site
http://www.countyofsb.org/sbcers/default.aspx?id=19040&ekmensel=e2f22c9a_608_622_btnlink
http://www.countyofsb.org/uploadedFiles/sbcers/ActuarialValuation20090630.pdf
http://www.countyofsb.org/sbcers/fnp/2007FinalValuation.pdf
http://www.allianceresourceconsulting.com/Profiles/460.pdf
http://www.hfmweek.com/news/526392/santa-barbara-pension-looks-to-replace-arden.thtml
Santa Barbara pension looks to replace Arden
The $1.7bn Santa Barbara County Employees’ Retirement System (SBCERS) has terminated its only hedge fund manager, Arden Asset Management, but will look to replace the investment this summer.
Money Management Letter
http://www.moneymanagementletter.com/Search.aspx?SearchStr=Santa%20Barbara%20County%20Employees%20Retirement%20System
http://www.ipe.com/realestate/santa-barbara-county-opens-separate-account-search_34572.php
Santa Barbara County opens separate account search
1 April 2010 17:04:
UNITED STATES - Santa Barbara County Employees Retirement System has approved a Request for Information to hire a discretionary separate account real estate manager.
http://www.independent.com/news/2009/mar/12/county-budget-bloodbath/
Sounds like bankruptcy is in the county’s future. Seriously. Under Chapter 9 of the Federal Bankruptcy Act a local government can declare bankruptcy, void all of its contracts including pension obligations, and start fresh. No government has been so lavish with pension and benefits than our local pols. Easy for them: buy off the unions, get votes, get termed out, and leave the taxpayers to deal with the problems. So my vote is for bankruptcy, the recall of all Supes, and a new election to replace them with leaders and problems solvers.
Read this letter is she really serious?
http://www.sec.gov/rules/proposed/s70306/s70306-574.pdf
http://www.sbcgj.org/2009/responses/SBCERS_Response.pdf
Below is a partial response to the Grand Jury report from 2009.
In there response the B.O.S. claims a17.2% return and yet the Pension fund reflects 143 million dollar loss
Pension association
http://www.sacrs.org/mc/page.do?sitePageId=20260&orgId=slgs
Pension Watch
http://pensiontsunami.com/blog/?p=85
Read the numbers in this story
http://www.kcoy.com/Global/story.asp?S=12192053
Is it 2 Billion as listed below or 1.2 Billion on the next page?
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-137823402/deadline-participant-sues-avon.html
Santa Barbara Hires for Int’l Equity.
Magazine article from: Investment Management Weekly Sorondo, Marc October 24, 2005 700+ words ...2 billion Santa Barbara County Employees’ Retirement System (SBCERS) has hired New Star Asset Management to manage an active international...Street Global Advisors, but Peters said that New Star was selected because of its investment style
http://www.sec.gov/litigation/litreleases/2008/lr20471.htm
“SEC Distributes Nearly $50 Million to Defrauded Xerox Investors
The Xerox Fair Fund resulted from SEC actions brought in 2002 and 2003 against Xerox Corporation, five of its officers, Xerox’s independent audit firm (KPMG, LLP) and five KPMG accountants who held senior positions on the Xerox engagement. Among them, the defendants paid more than $46 million to settle SEC charges that they caused Xerox to make materially false and misleading statements in SEC filings. (Ten million dollars of the total amount was paid by Xerox to the U.S. Treasury before the Fair Fund provisions were enacted.)” Please go to the above web page for full version of the S.E.C. report
The Cause of Corruption in Pension Funds and Corporate America. Failure to provide Accurate Financial information is Criminal
Read JohnTorell's comments,Mr Torell was formerly the auditor for Santa Barbara County for 12 years before coming here.
http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices-government/10581680-1.html
Accounting For A Crisis: City Auditor Leads Overhaul Of Outdated Financial System
By Allen, Mike
Publication: San Diego Business Journal
Date: Monday, January 16 2006
You are viewing page 1
While the spotlight on San Diego's ongoing financial crisis remains on the city's pension deficit of some $1.4 billion, the underlying cause for the city's problems stems from a systemic failure to fully disclose its financial information, said City Auditor and Comptroller John Torell.
Appointed in March to replace former Auditor Ed Ryan, who resigned in February 2004, Torell is spearheading an overhaul of a financial reporting system he called chaotic and antiquated.
"What got us into trouble was not because of a large pension deficit. A lot of organizations have large pension deficits. It was because we didn't tell the truth in our financial statements," Torell said.
"We didn't give full, adequate disclosure about the financial bind that we're in. We glossed over it."
At the center of the non-disclosure is the city's 2003 consolidated annual financial report. The annual report must be filed as a requirement of the city's issuing municipal bonds that investors advance in return for annual interest payments.
Errors And Omissions
In January 2004, the city disclosed to a number of national securities information repositories a series of errors and omissions in its 2003 fiscal year report for the year ended June 30, 2003.
The documents essentially admitted that earlier disclosed liabilities of its employee pension fund and its wastewater system were not accurate. Because of changes in the city's contributions (as a result of two under-funding decisions by the City Council and the retirement board) to its employee pension fund, the city's unfunded liability could fall to 65 percent and total as much as $2.4 billion in the coming years, according to disclosure documents dated Jan. 27, 2004.
Shortly after the disclosures were filed, investigations by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. attorney's office, and the district attorney's office were launched. Two bond rating agencies downgraded ratings on outstanding city bonds, and a third agency, Standard & Poor's, halted any review of its debt until the city delivered audited annual financial reports.
The investigations led to criminal indictments by the district attorney's office of five former members of the city's retirement board in May. On Jan. 6, the U.S. attorney's office announced grand jury felony indictments of three former pension board members, its former attorney and its chief administrator. Three of the recently charged were also indicted in the state case.
Federal officials said the investigation into the pension debacle is continuing, which some interpret as meaning additional indictments will follow.
The arcane language contained in the city's disclosure documents make it difficult to ascertain the scope of the past errors, but Torell estimated the net total in the 2003 report to be $600 million
Help Wanted
Faced with an inability to issue new debt, mainly because of the lack of current annual financial reports, the city has attempted to rectify the situation by hiring a host of accounting and legal consultants. Through last month, the cost for these consultants had risen to $26 million, according to the city auditor's office.
As part of its remediation effort, the city
adopted an ordinance in October 2004 to go beyond merely providing financial reports, but to achieve a higher standard in its financial disclosures, including requiring an annual evaluation of the city's internal control system.
The City Council adopted a law that was like a "mini-SarbanesOxley," the accounting reform law passed in 2002 in response to some high-profile corporate accounting scandals, to
show regulators its intention to create a more transparent accounting of its financials, said Torell, who was the auditor for Santa Barbara County for 12 years before coming here.
"What they want to do is assure that the processes and controls that we have in place will ensure that we have accurate and timely financial statements," he said.
Based on Torell's report released Jan. 1,
the city has a lot of work to do.
The report states that the current controls over its financial reporting are inadequate; that its outdated business processes are manually intensive and prone to error, its staff is not sufficiently trained; and the financial reporting system needs automating.
The most important aspect of resolving the problem rests with the city's elected officials and top managers to foster a more open environment for staffers to do their jobs, Torell said.
The city should eliminate an "authoritarian control environment" in managing its staffers so they won't hesitate in speaking out when they feel something isn't being done correctly, the report states.
"The people around here have been told to 'sit down and shut up.' That's been the general rule," he said.
Among the steps Torell has already implemented is setting up a computerized financial reporting system at a cost of about $75,000.
Other remediation steps proposed in the report are establishing a new position of chief accountant; providing ongoing professional training for managers and clerical staff, in addition to biannual ethics training for all staffers; and establishing an employee hot line for staffers to provide anonymous input on perceived problems.
Fred Sainz, a spokesman for Mayor Jerry Sanders, said Sanders read Torell's report and is aware of his proposed solutions.
Once newly hired CFO Jay Goldstone begins his job, he will conduct an assessment of all the departments that report to him, including the auditor's office, and implement steps to improve operations, Sainz said.
Torell, who oversees a staff of 97 and an annual budget of $9.8 million this year, wasn't sure of the total cost for all the planned steps, but said he's already cut I I positions from his department's payroll resulting in an annual saving of about $1.6 million.
http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices-government/10581680-1.html
Accounting For A Crisis: City Auditor Leads Overhaul Of Outdated Financial System
By Allen, Mike
Publication: San Diego Business Journal
Date: Monday, January 16 2006
You are viewing page 1
While the spotlight on San Diego's ongoing financial crisis remains on the city's pension deficit of some $1.4 billion, the underlying cause for the city's problems stems from a systemic failure to fully disclose its financial information, said City Auditor and Comptroller John Torell.
Appointed in March to replace former Auditor Ed Ryan, who resigned in February 2004, Torell is spearheading an overhaul of a financial reporting system he called chaotic and antiquated.
"What got us into trouble was not because of a large pension deficit. A lot of organizations have large pension deficits. It was because we didn't tell the truth in our financial statements," Torell said.
"We didn't give full, adequate disclosure about the financial bind that we're in. We glossed over it."
At the center of the non-disclosure is the city's 2003 consolidated annual financial report. The annual report must be filed as a requirement of the city's issuing municipal bonds that investors advance in return for annual interest payments.
Errors And Omissions
In January 2004, the city disclosed to a number of national securities information repositories a series of errors and omissions in its 2003 fiscal year report for the year ended June 30, 2003.
The documents essentially admitted that earlier disclosed liabilities of its employee pension fund and its wastewater system were not accurate. Because of changes in the city's contributions (as a result of two under-funding decisions by the City Council and the retirement board) to its employee pension fund, the city's unfunded liability could fall to 65 percent and total as much as $2.4 billion in the coming years, according to disclosure documents dated Jan. 27, 2004.
Shortly after the disclosures were filed, investigations by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. attorney's office, and the district attorney's office were launched. Two bond rating agencies downgraded ratings on outstanding city bonds, and a third agency, Standard & Poor's, halted any review of its debt until the city delivered audited annual financial reports.
The investigations led to criminal indictments by the district attorney's office of five former members of the city's retirement board in May. On Jan. 6, the U.S. attorney's office announced grand jury felony indictments of three former pension board members, its former attorney and its chief administrator. Three of the recently charged were also indicted in the state case.
Federal officials said the investigation into the pension debacle is continuing, which some interpret as meaning additional indictments will follow.
The arcane language contained in the city's disclosure documents make it difficult to ascertain the scope of the past errors, but Torell estimated the net total in the 2003 report to be $600 million
Help Wanted
Faced with an inability to issue new debt, mainly because of the lack of current annual financial reports, the city has attempted to rectify the situation by hiring a host of accounting and legal consultants. Through last month, the cost for these consultants had risen to $26 million, according to the city auditor's office.
As part of its remediation effort, the city
adopted an ordinance in October 2004 to go beyond merely providing financial reports, but to achieve a higher standard in its financial disclosures, including requiring an annual evaluation of the city's internal control system.
The City Council adopted a law that was like a "mini-SarbanesOxley," the accounting reform law passed in 2002 in response to some high-profile corporate accounting scandals, to
show regulators its intention to create a more transparent accounting of its financials, said Torell, who was the auditor for Santa Barbara County for 12 years before coming here.
"What they want to do is assure that the processes and controls that we have in place will ensure that we have accurate and timely financial statements," he said.
Based on Torell's report released Jan. 1,
the city has a lot of work to do.
The report states that the current controls over its financial reporting are inadequate; that its outdated business processes are manually intensive and prone to error, its staff is not sufficiently trained; and the financial reporting system needs automating.
The most important aspect of resolving the problem rests with the city's elected officials and top managers to foster a more open environment for staffers to do their jobs, Torell said.
The city should eliminate an "authoritarian control environment" in managing its staffers so they won't hesitate in speaking out when they feel something isn't being done correctly, the report states.
"The people around here have been told to 'sit down and shut up.' That's been the general rule," he said.
Among the steps Torell has already implemented is setting up a computerized financial reporting system at a cost of about $75,000.
Other remediation steps proposed in the report are establishing a new position of chief accountant; providing ongoing professional training for managers and clerical staff, in addition to biannual ethics training for all staffers; and establishing an employee hot line for staffers to provide anonymous input on perceived problems.
Fred Sainz, a spokesman for Mayor Jerry Sanders, said Sanders read Torell's report and is aware of his proposed solutions.
Once newly hired CFO Jay Goldstone begins his job, he will conduct an assessment of all the departments that report to him, including the auditor's office, and implement steps to improve operations, Sainz said.
Torell, who oversees a staff of 97 and an annual budget of $9.8 million this year, wasn't sure of the total cost for all the planned steps, but said he's already cut I I positions from his department's payroll resulting in an annual saving of about $1.6 million.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Concern over Santa Barbara District Attorney candidate Josh Lynn's firing, who cares?
My Response to “Law and disorder in D.A.’s Office ( A story in Thursdays news press).
Ever since last Monday I am stunned by the double standard a select few wish to exercise in regards to recently fired Deputy District Attorney Josh Lynn. To show concern for only is civil rights with all the outrage in this community over corruption and abuse in our local courts. My feeling is that Josh Lynn should be ashamed of himself complaining his rights were violated. Try being a 12 or 14 year old boy and only getting referred to as either an alleged or a Gang member every time Mr. Lynn spoke. What about there civil rights? In the needless death of Angel Linares reports of over 100 kids were at the scene, yet over half were not involved in the fighting. They showed the intelligence an respect to the law and got the hell out of there. Yet we never reach out to that portion of our youth, why is that? Just yesterday 06/24/10 in the Santa Barbara News press under the classification of Guest Opinion Terry Tyler a retired Certified Public Accountant made several bold statements in support of the “alleged” victim Josh Lynn. I agree with his opening statement;” Something has gone terribly wrong at the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s office and no amount of spin can hide it.” Mr. Tyler may I make one small suggestion; something HAS been terribly wrong in the Santa Barbara District Attorneys office. I stand corrected though because after a second viewing of your opinions I agree with more than I thought.
1- Mr. Lynn ran an attack campaign making accusations of corruption.. Thus possibly upsetting and possibly exposing many of his colleagues in the D.A.’s office to the same unwanted scrutiny.
2- As information comes out Mr. Lynn went to the press and a story was run without verifying the facts first as to why the 1 day leave. The story appeared in the Sunday press almost as if a favor to Mr. Lynn since everything he was claiming was to have happen Friday after hours. Any responsible journalist would have held the story giving some professional courtesy by contacting Ms. Bramsen when she became available. Than and only after factoring in her comments an reasoning would a story be released instead of shooting from the hip for cheap theatrics.
3- Mr. Tyler feels this was a punishment handed down to Mr. Lynn after the election. I feel that maybe some people not in the know should let a sleeping dog lie. I have come across several people who claim Josh Lynn was there marijuana dealer in years gone by. In a reply I received to one of my postings the person raised several questions regarding contributors to the Josh Lynn campaign. The contributors claimed to be D.B.A. xxxx and donated 5000.00. However upon reviewing the D.B.A. the names of the donors and the business did not match. I must admit I have not verified that fact but there is more. The person than went on to say that in fact the donors had just purchased 100 acres in Santa Maria for illegal marijuana crops. I am not sure how to digest this except to say did that act represent some type of election fraud? If indeed the donors are not as they claimed and should the District Attorneys office investigate that?
4- Are you kidding me Mr. Tyler, “what a horrible message this action sends to others, who will now dare to run for office”. Can you Say TOM SNEDDON one of the most vindictive S.O.B.’s every to falsely claim he was a public servant.
5- Mr. Tyler also adds” What about freedom of speech, what about Josh Lynn’s civil rights.”? Mr. Lynn has the right to free speech he just does not have the right to lie about what was actually happen in order to seek public sympathy. As for his civil rights, I will get back to that subject in just a moment.
6- Mr. Tyler than goes onto say ‘With all the problems the District Attorneys Office has had throughout these last few years, this is exactly what the office doesn’t need.”. I again find myself agreeing with Mr. Tyler. What if the firing of Mr. Lynn is in fact addressing your brilliant observation?
7- Thank god a C.P.A. brings up our County Budget problems. Mr. Tyler did you know that over 1 billion dollars goes of the radar for a whole year? That’s right Mr. Geis our County Auditor-Controller goes so far as to draft a letter clearing up concerns some appeared to be having mid 2000’s. With our county pension fund. The odd thing is in the attempt to clear things up Mr. Geis shows accounting in that letter for 2000,2002,2003,2004,but not 2001. So I than check all the yearly reports and almost 99.9% of 2001 data on any yearly report is absent including 2001 altogether. I than look into who was the auditing company used by the County. Santa Barbara was using KPMG, so take a peek at there lack of credibility below. An one more note I think they are still in service to our county Pension fund.
http://www.sec.gov/litigation/litreleases/2008/lr20471.htm
“SEC Distributes Nearly $50 Million to Defrauded Xerox Investors
The Xerox Fair Fund resulted from SEC actions brought in 2002 and 2003 against Xerox Corporation, five of its officers, Xerox's independent audit firm (KPMG, LLP) and five KPMG accountants who held senior positions on the Xerox engagement. Among them, the defendants paid more than $46 million to settle SEC charges that they caused Xerox to make materially false and misleading statements in SEC filings. (Ten million dollars of the total amount was paid by Xerox to the U.S. Treasury before the Fair Fund provisions were enacted.)”
My point is this Mr. Tyler, while Josh Lynn was in control of the office, did he investigate any of my findings I forwarded him?
8- Mr. Tyler you question the level of service we can expect from our elected law enforcement officials and the actions of Ms. Bramsen and newly elected District Attorney Joyce Dudley.
I question the motive behind concerns being put out Josh Lynn’s way. I feel the good old boys are upset there hand picked successor failed to meet the objective assigned to him. When Joyce Dudley was publicly pulled off her case load in inner office politics and was replaced by corrupt Mary Barron were you worried about her Civil Rights, or disrespect she was forced to face in public? When Judge Ochoa sentenced Peter Jeschke for 2 counts of having sex with a minor in the lightest possible fashion did her acting supervisor Josh Lynn publicly support her? An by the way why was there no suspended sentence for Mr. jeschke since he had a second trial coming up. To be honest we have not heard anything about that outcome either. Hell Josh Lynn could not even concede the election in a professional manner allowing Joyce Dudley a victory speech.
More than that Mr. Tyler what about my civil rights with 7 false strike-able felonies? How about the civil rights of those falsely accused with a felony from the old Santa Barbara district attorney’s office. The only thing you can call it is malicious prosecution when 30% of those originally charged with a felony are dismissed? However not until they are forced to pay the higher felony bail and attorney fees. I feel if Josh Lynn has had his rights violated he is entitled to his day in court. If that day in court is in Santa Barbara he will need more than good luck just ask the 14 year old boy framed for murder, Ricardo Juarez.
If we do not care about those we are sworn to protect what right do we have to complain when our own rights receive the same unjust treatment?
Mr. Tyler I keep a blog @ www.santabarbaracriminalcourtcorruption.blogspot.com
Please review some of the many other concerns I have in this County.
Sincerely
Larry Mendoza
Ever since last Monday I am stunned by the double standard a select few wish to exercise in regards to recently fired Deputy District Attorney Josh Lynn. To show concern for only is civil rights with all the outrage in this community over corruption and abuse in our local courts. My feeling is that Josh Lynn should be ashamed of himself complaining his rights were violated. Try being a 12 or 14 year old boy and only getting referred to as either an alleged or a Gang member every time Mr. Lynn spoke. What about there civil rights? In the needless death of Angel Linares reports of over 100 kids were at the scene, yet over half were not involved in the fighting. They showed the intelligence an respect to the law and got the hell out of there. Yet we never reach out to that portion of our youth, why is that? Just yesterday 06/24/10 in the Santa Barbara News press under the classification of Guest Opinion Terry Tyler a retired Certified Public Accountant made several bold statements in support of the “alleged” victim Josh Lynn. I agree with his opening statement;” Something has gone terribly wrong at the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s office and no amount of spin can hide it.” Mr. Tyler may I make one small suggestion; something HAS been terribly wrong in the Santa Barbara District Attorneys office. I stand corrected though because after a second viewing of your opinions I agree with more than I thought.
1- Mr. Lynn ran an attack campaign making accusations of corruption.. Thus possibly upsetting and possibly exposing many of his colleagues in the D.A.’s office to the same unwanted scrutiny.
2- As information comes out Mr. Lynn went to the press and a story was run without verifying the facts first as to why the 1 day leave. The story appeared in the Sunday press almost as if a favor to Mr. Lynn since everything he was claiming was to have happen Friday after hours. Any responsible journalist would have held the story giving some professional courtesy by contacting Ms. Bramsen when she became available. Than and only after factoring in her comments an reasoning would a story be released instead of shooting from the hip for cheap theatrics.
3- Mr. Tyler feels this was a punishment handed down to Mr. Lynn after the election. I feel that maybe some people not in the know should let a sleeping dog lie. I have come across several people who claim Josh Lynn was there marijuana dealer in years gone by. In a reply I received to one of my postings the person raised several questions regarding contributors to the Josh Lynn campaign. The contributors claimed to be D.B.A. xxxx and donated 5000.00. However upon reviewing the D.B.A. the names of the donors and the business did not match. I must admit I have not verified that fact but there is more. The person than went on to say that in fact the donors had just purchased 100 acres in Santa Maria for illegal marijuana crops. I am not sure how to digest this except to say did that act represent some type of election fraud? If indeed the donors are not as they claimed and should the District Attorneys office investigate that?
4- Are you kidding me Mr. Tyler, “what a horrible message this action sends to others, who will now dare to run for office”. Can you Say TOM SNEDDON one of the most vindictive S.O.B.’s every to falsely claim he was a public servant.
5- Mr. Tyler also adds” What about freedom of speech, what about Josh Lynn’s civil rights.”? Mr. Lynn has the right to free speech he just does not have the right to lie about what was actually happen in order to seek public sympathy. As for his civil rights, I will get back to that subject in just a moment.
6- Mr. Tyler than goes onto say ‘With all the problems the District Attorneys Office has had throughout these last few years, this is exactly what the office doesn’t need.”. I again find myself agreeing with Mr. Tyler. What if the firing of Mr. Lynn is in fact addressing your brilliant observation?
7- Thank god a C.P.A. brings up our County Budget problems. Mr. Tyler did you know that over 1 billion dollars goes of the radar for a whole year? That’s right Mr. Geis our County Auditor-Controller goes so far as to draft a letter clearing up concerns some appeared to be having mid 2000’s. With our county pension fund. The odd thing is in the attempt to clear things up Mr. Geis shows accounting in that letter for 2000,2002,2003,2004,but not 2001. So I than check all the yearly reports and almost 99.9% of 2001 data on any yearly report is absent including 2001 altogether. I than look into who was the auditing company used by the County. Santa Barbara was using KPMG, so take a peek at there lack of credibility below. An one more note I think they are still in service to our county Pension fund.
http://www.sec.gov/litigation/litreleases/2008/lr20471.htm
“SEC Distributes Nearly $50 Million to Defrauded Xerox Investors
The Xerox Fair Fund resulted from SEC actions brought in 2002 and 2003 against Xerox Corporation, five of its officers, Xerox's independent audit firm (KPMG, LLP) and five KPMG accountants who held senior positions on the Xerox engagement. Among them, the defendants paid more than $46 million to settle SEC charges that they caused Xerox to make materially false and misleading statements in SEC filings. (Ten million dollars of the total amount was paid by Xerox to the U.S. Treasury before the Fair Fund provisions were enacted.)”
My point is this Mr. Tyler, while Josh Lynn was in control of the office, did he investigate any of my findings I forwarded him?
8- Mr. Tyler you question the level of service we can expect from our elected law enforcement officials and the actions of Ms. Bramsen and newly elected District Attorney Joyce Dudley.
I question the motive behind concerns being put out Josh Lynn’s way. I feel the good old boys are upset there hand picked successor failed to meet the objective assigned to him. When Joyce Dudley was publicly pulled off her case load in inner office politics and was replaced by corrupt Mary Barron were you worried about her Civil Rights, or disrespect she was forced to face in public? When Judge Ochoa sentenced Peter Jeschke for 2 counts of having sex with a minor in the lightest possible fashion did her acting supervisor Josh Lynn publicly support her? An by the way why was there no suspended sentence for Mr. jeschke since he had a second trial coming up. To be honest we have not heard anything about that outcome either. Hell Josh Lynn could not even concede the election in a professional manner allowing Joyce Dudley a victory speech.
More than that Mr. Tyler what about my civil rights with 7 false strike-able felonies? How about the civil rights of those falsely accused with a felony from the old Santa Barbara district attorney’s office. The only thing you can call it is malicious prosecution when 30% of those originally charged with a felony are dismissed? However not until they are forced to pay the higher felony bail and attorney fees. I feel if Josh Lynn has had his rights violated he is entitled to his day in court. If that day in court is in Santa Barbara he will need more than good luck just ask the 14 year old boy framed for murder, Ricardo Juarez.
If we do not care about those we are sworn to protect what right do we have to complain when our own rights receive the same unjust treatment?
Mr. Tyler I keep a blog @ www.santabarbaracriminalcourtcorruption.blogspot.com
Please review some of the many other concerns I have in this County.
Sincerely
Larry Mendoza
Monday, June 21, 2010
Santa Barbara news storys that seam to get pushed under. The Death at our Mental Health Facility.
METH Bust or Death at the M.H.F
You can always tell when things are being hidden in Santa Barbara and corruption is involved, do you now how? Because the media stops reporting on the issue, story, arrest what ever the subject in question is and you are forced to keep track yourself. What has happen with the following?
1- Still no mention of arraignments or acts to seize real estate located 2078 Las Canoas 93105 as allowed by federal law in the big METH bust? The bust in question is the one that our local Santa Barbara news press has yet to report on. The information below was taken from Sheriff’s web page in regards to the drug bust and is in the middle of posting.
“William Paxson – 11550(a) H&S – Under the influence of a controlled substance, 11364 H&S – Possession of drug paraphernalia, 11366 H&S – Maintaining a dwelling for drug use/sales. Bail was set at $2,500.”
View the home at the link below
http://www.phototoursidx.com/sb/details.php?mlsid=20090818193919423244000000&index=19&propClass=Res&cid=25
Now when I put my house up for sale back in June of 06 because I was being told prison was in my future a certain Santa Barbara Police officer took it upon himself to advise the Realtor to pull my home off the market. After he arrested me of course and get this Mary Barron from the D.a’s office than charged me with 3 strike-able felonies. The big one being for vandalism that resulted in a flat tire with all leads exhausted according to the investigation documents. Actually there was a disagreement between my roommate and I but with no one else present what type of case could she have had? I than later that summer sat in jail for no legal reason and that lasted almost 3 months. I lost the house in an illegal foreclosure 12 of 06.
2- Again still no report in the Santa Barbara new press about the sudden death at our mental health facility, why is that? Are Hector and Efren mental health employees up to there old tricks again?
3- The Lyons double murder case and the “Whisper tape” I thought this trial was ready to start over a month ago?
It closing I find it hard to believe that our Superior Court can have any kind of back log since there is no news from the Court House being reported in print other than the youth murder trial. Now here is a scary thought. The Santa Barbara news press has already commented in there paper that they felt the District Attorneys office has not made there case, humm.
You can always tell when things are being hidden in Santa Barbara and corruption is involved, do you now how? Because the media stops reporting on the issue, story, arrest what ever the subject in question is and you are forced to keep track yourself. What has happen with the following?
1- Still no mention of arraignments or acts to seize real estate located 2078 Las Canoas 93105 as allowed by federal law in the big METH bust? The bust in question is the one that our local Santa Barbara news press has yet to report on. The information below was taken from Sheriff’s web page in regards to the drug bust and is in the middle of posting.
“William Paxson – 11550(a) H&S – Under the influence of a controlled substance, 11364 H&S – Possession of drug paraphernalia, 11366 H&S – Maintaining a dwelling for drug use/sales. Bail was set at $2,500.”
View the home at the link below
http://www.phototoursidx.com/sb/details.php?mlsid=20090818193919423244000000&index=19&propClass=Res&cid=25
Now when I put my house up for sale back in June of 06 because I was being told prison was in my future a certain Santa Barbara Police officer took it upon himself to advise the Realtor to pull my home off the market. After he arrested me of course and get this Mary Barron from the D.a’s office than charged me with 3 strike-able felonies. The big one being for vandalism that resulted in a flat tire with all leads exhausted according to the investigation documents. Actually there was a disagreement between my roommate and I but with no one else present what type of case could she have had? I than later that summer sat in jail for no legal reason and that lasted almost 3 months. I lost the house in an illegal foreclosure 12 of 06.
2- Again still no report in the Santa Barbara new press about the sudden death at our mental health facility, why is that? Are Hector and Efren mental health employees up to there old tricks again?
3- The Lyons double murder case and the “Whisper tape” I thought this trial was ready to start over a month ago?
It closing I find it hard to believe that our Superior Court can have any kind of back log since there is no news from the Court House being reported in print other than the youth murder trial. Now here is a scary thought. The Santa Barbara news press has already commented in there paper that they felt the District Attorneys office has not made there case, humm.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Morgan Hill, Drug Dealers and the Santa Barbara Police what is the Illegal tie in. This stuff is calling Hollywood!
Just random info on case's that were handled illegally, the tip of the ice berg. F.Y.I.
I do have a a question is local law enforcement for sale in a divorce or to drug dealers. SBPD followed me back from an extend stay in Morgan Hill just before my sister the probation officers wedding back in 10/05. I have to go to work right now but my next posting will start at the beginning, I am sure many of you are wondering how this all started. There is only one question to ask that I still cannot answer WHY, why did all this happen. Probably starts and ends with the Golden Rule Money! Larry R. Vega will have a role, sorry to hear his father just past way in Morgan Hill in April.
I am asking you all to keep an open mind with me please. This recording was made the week before I left Morgan Hill, and I felt like I was being chased out by Larry R. Vega and possable friend Oscar Flores locals to Morgan Hill(more on them later) and I could hear this very faint sound in my hotel room. Now I switched rooms 3 times in two months and Larry R. Vega always ended up in the room next to me, why is that? I am in an extended stay monthly rental because my than wife has agreed(she was lying)to try and work on our marriage and move up north. So in my last room I would wake up in the middle of the night and as soon as I opened my eyes this faint noise would start to play as if thy could see inmy room. So i did what any sane person would do I recorded the sound with my cell phone and emailed it to myself. At about 20 seconds into the tape you can hear the word nothing, this will be made important later on today. This recording can be extended by changing pitch thus my interest and knowledge why the "Whisper tape" is pure manure.
So here is my question. Does it not seam possible my illegal detention by SBPD maybe be tied into what they do not want exposed about them being in Morgan Hill? At the time it may have seamed odd but look back now, listen to what they say on the recording, you might want head phones. I have about 10 different lengths and contents from this recording, you will be amazed what I can do with a recording that our Police dept claims they cannot with the "whisper tape". Within 4 weeks I am locked up and the key is thrown away in an effort to ruin my creditability. I hope that has not happen.
So much more to share. Now keep in mind at that time I was 45 years old and never arrested or had as much as a parking ticket. My alleged crime wave lasted 6 months and since being placed on illegal felony probation has never happen again.
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I have re-contacted the family of the patient that died in the Santa Barbara Mental Health facility to keep myself I the loop. I have also contacted the detective in the case to see what I can do about my beating. Any how the stuff below is taking me longer than I thought sorry. Please let me know what you want or don’t want ok.
Larry
I started on my Mental health superior court case complaint , but is this to long winded?
My complaints of criminal civil rights violations by the Santa Barbara District attorneys office will cover several Santa Barbara Superior court cases. Although there will violations from other local law enforcement agencies over lapping with these complaints, we will only deal with the Santa Barbara District attorneys office and the illegal actions by there personnel in this document.
Superior Court Case # 1187044 Mental Health 5150 evaluation and treatment. Since when does mental health care include beatings while being extremely over medicated so as to fog my reporting and or recording the illegal acts?
On Thursday Morning November 18th 2005 the Santa Barbara Police department took custody of me and placed me in the County Mental Health facility as a Danger to Self and Danger to others after a visit to Cottage Hospital and clean drug test. The Santa Barbara police department did this with no documentation or investigation into there claims of any kind in regards to why these actions were being taken in the first place and against my will. The first responding officer informed me that I had threatened to harm my wife and her brother at some recent point in time. I immediately disputed these facts. Upon my eventual release I spoke to my wife and she confirmed no such action had ever taken place by me and neither her nor her brother had ever made such false claims. Further more in a later dated investigation by a district attorney staff no such allegations were every investigated or confirmed by the investigator. I will later in my complaint show why the District Attorneys actions will be challenged on many levels for corruption and the repeated violations of my Constitutional rights. However for now I would like to stay on point with the Mental Health beating I was forced to endure. My Confidential Superior Court Case #1187044 file is virtually empty of any documentation. The file contains only 2 documents with the first one dated 11/21/2005. Neither document in the file can be traced to the date I was first placed under the County care on 11/18/05 The first fax to the local courts is 4 days later 11/21/05 at 12:15pm and is the “ Notice of Certification”. The second document is dated 5 days later on 11/22 and faxed on 11/23 at 8:16 am and is the “Certification review” form from 11/22. Immediately from day one of my being placed under care I requested a Writ of Habeas Corpus be completed on my behalf acting on my Constitutional right to demand an audience with the local magistrate. I did not completely understand the process and wanted counsel to protect me. At no time were public defender services offered to assist me with these matters. On the certification review I was found not D.T.O. or D.T.S. and this time it is noted on the document that I again request a judicial review and Writ be filed on my behalf. Please keep in mind I was not released until 12/01/05 a full 14 days of illegal detention. I was never brought before the Court nor was a writ ever completed or filed on my behalf so that I could petition for my release as allowed by law. Thus I was being held against my will and my Constitutional rights to Due Process were being violated. While being held against my will I was transported 11/23/05 under an emergency situation to the local hospital. While I was in the care of Santa Barbara County at there mental health facility I was being physically abused by being hit in my kidney area while I was also subject to extreme medication. I was returned to the Mental Health facility later that evening of 11/23/05 by ambulance the same way I had left. I must have been cleared of something only after having some type of test by the Cottage hospital emergency staff run and completed. At no time beyond that evening did facility personal at the County Mental health make reference to or act as if emergency medical treatment had been needed by me. It took me 3.5 years to track down the emergency medical transportation and treatment billing for the night of 11/23/05. Upon review of all treatment files the Mental Health Facility kept on me from 11/18 through 12/01/05 they show no such medical treatment. I have requested an investigation of the emergency treatment I received by the following agencies, Public defender, probation, district attorneys, and to date no one will comment or start an investigation in a any kind.
In a letter sent to Mr. Allan Kaplan of the local District attorneys office 06/08/08 I address all the above concerns and he refuses to investigate that matter as well others shared in that correspondence.
Superior Court case # 1188728 filed 01/25/06
The People of California vs. Lawrence Andrew Mendoza
I am charged with a complaint of felony 422 criminal threats by Senior Deputy District attorney Vicki Johnson.
I am falsely charged by the District attorneys office as further abuse continues from case #1187044. The dispatch log report clearly shows the call was considered minor and went out as a disturbing the peace call. Further more at no time in the transcripts is there any claim of any kind of threat being issued and no mention of fear of safety. There was no merit for not only the false charge against me but there actions that followed. For 5 months that followed I was told how grave the felony strike-able charge and situation against me was. The fact that a newly filed divorce was behind these false charges the district attorneys office should have been well aware it was merely a common and illegal divorce tactic and my right should have been protected.
Superior Court case # 1189598 fled 02/07/06 3MORE CASES TO REVIEW
The People of California vs. Lawrence Andrew Mendoza
February 4th 2008
The People vs. Ricardo Juarez Case# 1218867
D.A. argues the issue regarding whisper tape. States that no substantial right of he defendant has been impacted.
The exact same scenario came up in the Lyons double murder and tape was not allowed
On this date Judge Ochoa finds that due to late filing of informational by D.A. Dozer
Case # 1218867 OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANT MOTION TO SET ASIDE THE INFORMATION. DATED 01/22/08 Filed by the Santa Barbara District Attorneys and signed by Deputy Franklin. I am only providing you with 4 sheets of the 30 that make up this motion. On page 19 Mr. Franklin makes reference the earlier granting of use immunity for the prosecutions witness Ricardo R. in order to testify against the against the defendant for murder Ricardo Juarez. In line 9 of page 19 of this motion and I quote” Ricardo R. was granted immunity from prosecution for the murder and than testified”. Since the murder charge was singular to Mr. Juarez it seams the Santa Barbara District Attorneys office had proven the defense’s case that reasonable doubt did in fact exist as to the defendants charges and this was done prior to a trial. Now when you go back and examine the circumstances as to how Mr. Juarez was charged in the first place. One can see the Prosecutorial Misconduct
I have a second serious concern of prosecutorial misconduct by the Santa Barbara District attorneys office in this same motion and that starts on page 27. On page 27 starting with line four and I quote “which simply re-alleges the charge alleged in the felony complaint, upon which defendant was held to answer after a six day preliminary examination.’. While yes it is true that after these matters had been concluded and Mr. Juarez’s charges were dropped a second preliminary hearing would be later held and that proceeding did last 6 days. What I would like investigated is how the District attorney could make a reference to that proceeding which had not taken place for at least 2 months into the future. They only way there could be any reference to that hearing would be if this motion had been prepared and post dated after the event in question Thus filling a need for the courts to continue there criminal ways and cover up against the defendant.
It is a bit complicated but the charges were thrown out on 02/05/08 for Mr Juarez’s first case but he was recharged with a new case number # 1257189 in Santa Barbara Superior Court. On 07/18/08 a MOTION RENEWING REQUEST FOR MISTRIAL AND A CITATION FOR PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT is Filed against both prosecutors Hilary Dozer and M. Franklin
I do have a a question is local law enforcement for sale in a divorce or to drug dealers. SBPD followed me back from an extend stay in Morgan Hill just before my sister the probation officers wedding back in 10/05. I have to go to work right now but my next posting will start at the beginning, I am sure many of you are wondering how this all started. There is only one question to ask that I still cannot answer WHY, why did all this happen. Probably starts and ends with the Golden Rule Money! Larry R. Vega will have a role, sorry to hear his father just past way in Morgan Hill in April.
I am asking you all to keep an open mind with me please. This recording was made the week before I left Morgan Hill, and I felt like I was being chased out by Larry R. Vega and possable friend Oscar Flores locals to Morgan Hill(more on them later) and I could hear this very faint sound in my hotel room. Now I switched rooms 3 times in two months and Larry R. Vega always ended up in the room next to me, why is that? I am in an extended stay monthly rental because my than wife has agreed(she was lying)to try and work on our marriage and move up north. So in my last room I would wake up in the middle of the night and as soon as I opened my eyes this faint noise would start to play as if thy could see inmy room. So i did what any sane person would do I recorded the sound with my cell phone and emailed it to myself. At about 20 seconds into the tape you can hear the word nothing, this will be made important later on today. This recording can be extended by changing pitch thus my interest and knowledge why the "Whisper tape" is pure manure.
So here is my question. Does it not seam possible my illegal detention by SBPD maybe be tied into what they do not want exposed about them being in Morgan Hill? At the time it may have seamed odd but look back now, listen to what they say on the recording, you might want head phones. I have about 10 different lengths and contents from this recording, you will be amazed what I can do with a recording that our Police dept claims they cannot with the "whisper tape". Within 4 weeks I am locked up and the key is thrown away in an effort to ruin my creditability. I hope that has not happen.
So much more to share. Now keep in mind at that time I was 45 years old and never arrested or had as much as a parking ticket. My alleged crime wave lasted 6 months and since being placed on illegal felony probation has never happen again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have re-contacted the family of the patient that died in the Santa Barbara Mental Health facility to keep myself I the loop. I have also contacted the detective in the case to see what I can do about my beating. Any how the stuff below is taking me longer than I thought sorry. Please let me know what you want or don’t want ok.
Larry
I started on my Mental health superior court case complaint , but is this to long winded?
My complaints of criminal civil rights violations by the Santa Barbara District attorneys office will cover several Santa Barbara Superior court cases. Although there will violations from other local law enforcement agencies over lapping with these complaints, we will only deal with the Santa Barbara District attorneys office and the illegal actions by there personnel in this document.
Superior Court Case # 1187044 Mental Health 5150 evaluation and treatment. Since when does mental health care include beatings while being extremely over medicated so as to fog my reporting and or recording the illegal acts?
On Thursday Morning November 18th 2005 the Santa Barbara Police department took custody of me and placed me in the County Mental Health facility as a Danger to Self and Danger to others after a visit to Cottage Hospital and clean drug test. The Santa Barbara police department did this with no documentation or investigation into there claims of any kind in regards to why these actions were being taken in the first place and against my will. The first responding officer informed me that I had threatened to harm my wife and her brother at some recent point in time. I immediately disputed these facts. Upon my eventual release I spoke to my wife and she confirmed no such action had ever taken place by me and neither her nor her brother had ever made such false claims. Further more in a later dated investigation by a district attorney staff no such allegations were every investigated or confirmed by the investigator. I will later in my complaint show why the District Attorneys actions will be challenged on many levels for corruption and the repeated violations of my Constitutional rights. However for now I would like to stay on point with the Mental Health beating I was forced to endure. My Confidential Superior Court Case #1187044 file is virtually empty of any documentation. The file contains only 2 documents with the first one dated 11/21/2005. Neither document in the file can be traced to the date I was first placed under the County care on 11/18/05 The first fax to the local courts is 4 days later 11/21/05 at 12:15pm and is the “ Notice of Certification”. The second document is dated 5 days later on 11/22 and faxed on 11/23 at 8:16 am and is the “Certification review” form from 11/22. Immediately from day one of my being placed under care I requested a Writ of Habeas Corpus be completed on my behalf acting on my Constitutional right to demand an audience with the local magistrate. I did not completely understand the process and wanted counsel to protect me. At no time were public defender services offered to assist me with these matters. On the certification review I was found not D.T.O. or D.T.S. and this time it is noted on the document that I again request a judicial review and Writ be filed on my behalf. Please keep in mind I was not released until 12/01/05 a full 14 days of illegal detention. I was never brought before the Court nor was a writ ever completed or filed on my behalf so that I could petition for my release as allowed by law. Thus I was being held against my will and my Constitutional rights to Due Process were being violated. While being held against my will I was transported 11/23/05 under an emergency situation to the local hospital. While I was in the care of Santa Barbara County at there mental health facility I was being physically abused by being hit in my kidney area while I was also subject to extreme medication. I was returned to the Mental Health facility later that evening of 11/23/05 by ambulance the same way I had left. I must have been cleared of something only after having some type of test by the Cottage hospital emergency staff run and completed. At no time beyond that evening did facility personal at the County Mental health make reference to or act as if emergency medical treatment had been needed by me. It took me 3.5 years to track down the emergency medical transportation and treatment billing for the night of 11/23/05. Upon review of all treatment files the Mental Health Facility kept on me from 11/18 through 12/01/05 they show no such medical treatment. I have requested an investigation of the emergency treatment I received by the following agencies, Public defender, probation, district attorneys, and to date no one will comment or start an investigation in a any kind.
In a letter sent to Mr. Allan Kaplan of the local District attorneys office 06/08/08 I address all the above concerns and he refuses to investigate that matter as well others shared in that correspondence.
Superior Court case # 1188728 filed 01/25/06
The People of California vs. Lawrence Andrew Mendoza
I am charged with a complaint of felony 422 criminal threats by Senior Deputy District attorney Vicki Johnson.
I am falsely charged by the District attorneys office as further abuse continues from case #1187044. The dispatch log report clearly shows the call was considered minor and went out as a disturbing the peace call. Further more at no time in the transcripts is there any claim of any kind of threat being issued and no mention of fear of safety. There was no merit for not only the false charge against me but there actions that followed. For 5 months that followed I was told how grave the felony strike-able charge and situation against me was. The fact that a newly filed divorce was behind these false charges the district attorneys office should have been well aware it was merely a common and illegal divorce tactic and my right should have been protected.
Superior Court case # 1189598 fled 02/07/06 3MORE CASES TO REVIEW
The People of California vs. Lawrence Andrew Mendoza
February 4th 2008
The People vs. Ricardo Juarez Case# 1218867
D.A. argues the issue regarding whisper tape. States that no substantial right of he defendant has been impacted.
The exact same scenario came up in the Lyons double murder and tape was not allowed
On this date Judge Ochoa finds that due to late filing of informational by D.A. Dozer
Case # 1218867 OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANT MOTION TO SET ASIDE THE INFORMATION. DATED 01/22/08 Filed by the Santa Barbara District Attorneys and signed by Deputy Franklin. I am only providing you with 4 sheets of the 30 that make up this motion. On page 19 Mr. Franklin makes reference the earlier granting of use immunity for the prosecutions witness Ricardo R. in order to testify against the against the defendant for murder Ricardo Juarez. In line 9 of page 19 of this motion and I quote” Ricardo R. was granted immunity from prosecution for the murder and than testified”. Since the murder charge was singular to Mr. Juarez it seams the Santa Barbara District Attorneys office had proven the defense’s case that reasonable doubt did in fact exist as to the defendants charges and this was done prior to a trial. Now when you go back and examine the circumstances as to how Mr. Juarez was charged in the first place. One can see the Prosecutorial Misconduct
I have a second serious concern of prosecutorial misconduct by the Santa Barbara District attorneys office in this same motion and that starts on page 27. On page 27 starting with line four and I quote “which simply re-alleges the charge alleged in the felony complaint, upon which defendant was held to answer after a six day preliminary examination.’. While yes it is true that after these matters had been concluded and Mr. Juarez’s charges were dropped a second preliminary hearing would be later held and that proceeding did last 6 days. What I would like investigated is how the District attorney could make a reference to that proceeding which had not taken place for at least 2 months into the future. They only way there could be any reference to that hearing would be if this motion had been prepared and post dated after the event in question Thus filling a need for the courts to continue there criminal ways and cover up against the defendant.
It is a bit complicated but the charges were thrown out on 02/05/08 for Mr Juarez’s first case but he was recharged with a new case number # 1257189 in Santa Barbara Superior Court. On 07/18/08 a MOTION RENEWING REQUEST FOR MISTRIAL AND A CITATION FOR PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT is Filed against both prosecutors Hilary Dozer and M. Franklin
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