$100 million buys'ya a state park?

9/29/07

If you haven't already read, you're gonna read:

TCA's offered a $100-million,
to in effect, buy-off State Parks.

This comes hot on the heals of San Diego saying NO
to a toll road thru Sano - as Coastal Commission Staff
recommend the same -

NO to a toll road wrecking San Onofre.

Never let it be said TCA (failing toll roads and all)
doesn't have a bucket of money stashed away
from 22-years of collecting 'Development Fees'
on every new house sold in OC since 1985.
Gotta be gazillions.

Supe Campbell, two years ago stated publicly,

"We don't need no stinking Bond money to pave
the 241-extension. We can pay cash for it right now.
Out of pocket!"

Boy, wouldn't ya'want to be a fly on the wall of TCA's
emergency closed-session meeting room yesterday,
with all them panicky Directors squealing their tires
to get there - to figure out,

"Whaadowedonow Chief?"

Chief,

"Simple, we buy the damn state park.
What county is it anyway?"

(remember, he's a new Chief)

Directors,

"buut, ahh, ca,ca,can we do that???"

Chief,

"Here! - that's a $100-mill (ker-plunk). Watch
all'em little surfy-dudes paddle for the horizon
when they get a load of what TCA-green buys..."

Now let's imagine how they decided on $100-million?

Did they check Comps:

There's a 2,500 sg. ft. house in Laguna, on the
water, asking $45-million - on a regular sized lot.

In Bev Hills, the ol'grand Hearst estate - maybe
14-acres - asking a cool $164-mill
(nowhere near the water).

With the proposed toll road's projected cost
close to a $Billion - and we know that's low,
as projects that size are essentially blank-check
projects - so double it and it's still probably not
enough. So, ahh, $100 mill buys a $2Billion
construction contract? That's a steal.

Obviously TCA doesn't think Sano's worth much.
But we've always known that.
Which OC assembly gal referred to Sano as,

"a bunch of dirt and weeds"

So. Sorry Chief. Not enough.

Not even close.

Let's suggest they deposit their $100-mill back
in TCA's secret spot - where the sun don't shine.

Save Trestles, and we save everything good.

Onward