When Ray’s proposal first hit the email circuit, I observed multiple email threads where community activists swore they would foil ol’ Ray’s plans. The fun culminated at a city hall meeting where  Natomas School Board Trustee Lisa Kaplan and others read long statements essentially dissing Ray’s proposal. It worked–at least for a minute or two.

But you can’t keep a good tree planter down, and before long Ray’s quil pen was dippin’ and scribblin’ again and one day, viola: A new plan, and a green light from the council to proceed. One fire house, one community center and some road projects coming right up? Want a good Mexican restaurant with that? Hey don’t get cocky.

I’m sure folks will correct me on the sequence of events, but really they aren’t important. What’s important is that Ray got his (tweaked) proposal passed tonight, and you can rest assured he’s going to hammer that point home ad nauseam when election season rolls around next year. But lest we forget, all the stuff that Ray is suddenly interested in doing should have been done a loooong time ago. The firestation should already be built.. same with the community center… and the road projects.. and hell, the regional park.

A newcomer to the city might think Ray’s got his stuff together; but those of us who bought homes in the Natomas bathtub back in 2000 know better. Ray is reactive.  He only gets off his butt and does something after something happens, or the noise floor becomes so loud he can’t tolerate it any longer. Make no mistake about it: If Ray had his druthers, he would be planting trees and building tree forts.. in South Natomas.

I know, I know. Some of you will write me and say, “Joe, Ray is a nice old man and you suck for dissing him on your gay web site.” And who am I to argue? Maybe Ray’s really shaking things up! I heard he recently staged some sort of auction-contest at city hall where the highest bidder won a lunch with Ray. Kevin Johnson won. Lucky! :\

Got Jolt? Can you even imagine? Why not just take an hour nap and save some money? Apparently Ray says he will take KJ to Bella Bru in North Natomas. I can’t help but wonder how he will pull that off;  Ray doesn’t even know where North Natomas is… and we know he doesn’t know how to use a computer to look it up so…. plan on picking him up at Sac Tree headquarters KJ.. and if he’s not there just cruise South Natomas for a bit until you see an old guy in a white gown wandering around aimlessly babbling about “the good old days when Heather was running the show!!”

Anyways, what was I saying? Oh yeah. So Ray got his whole plan passed tonight. Apparently within two years the fire station will be operational. No word whatsoever on whether it will be shared with the police–something Ray haphazardly  proposed during a crime meeting with residents last year when the Natomas area was under criminal siege. (Yes, this was the same meeting in which ol’ Tree Fort Ray tried to empathize with home invasion victims by saying he too was once a victim of home invasion when a 13 year old boy broke into his garage and stole some household items. Ray said he felt so….. violated…  )

But what do I care? I’ve got my popcorn and I’m watching a much more exicting flick. It’s a real nail-biter. It’s called  “grand-jury-says-Natomas-school-district-should-be-investigated-for-shady-land-deal.” It stars Superintendent Steve Farrar, the Natomas School District Board, and a guy we will call “Developer Don” (who happens to be a good buddy of Mayor Johnson).   We are talking early Oscar nod on this one.

Oh I know, I know:  Don is a philanthropist who I should be thanking, not berating.  I know, I know Don has given more to charity than I will  make in my lifetime. Blah blah blah. So what. The bottom line is that the district bought 41 acres of useless farmland (land that will probably never be annexed), for $13.5 MILLION DOLLARS of OUR (low life taxpayers) money and Mr. Money Bags Developer Don and his homeys shoveled every dollar into their coffers and giggled and grinned all the way to the bank.

At a time when teachers are being laid off and the Natomas School District is running out of money, and given the “bridge in New Jersey” nature of this snake oil land deal that will penalize students and teachers of the school district for years to come,  I find it appalling no one has called on these millionaires to void the deal completely and return any money that has been transferred. I find it even more appalling that the ones who took the loot haven’t called it off themselves. What about you KJ? Maybe make a few phone calls to get that money back?  What do you say? Put Natomas kids on the map dude!

Then again, what do I know? I just write here.

:munching on popcorn:

Source: http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1893291.html?mi_rss=Top%20Stories