Update 1/20 12:15 AM – Governor Brown spoke at League of California Cities event, indicating that the recent moves by cities and RDAs to protect and assign redevelopment funds may be illegal.
Brown characterized the difficulty the state faces this way:
“I have to tell you, none of the choices are easy,” Brown said at a hotel across from the Capitol. “We haven’t got the votes on the budget. And you might win on redevelopment.
“But then we take something else away. And then the wheels come off. We don’t know exactly how this is all going to unfold,” the new Democratic governor said. He invited local officials to suggest alternatives.
Wonder if Brown will listen to multiple voices calling for oil severance (drilling) fees.
San Jose’s Redevelopment Agency Board (the City Council/Mayor) have pushed the big item – how to protect RDA funds – out to next Tuesday (1/25). A new co-op agreement to be written by the City Attorney should be available by then, and they will be able to vote on how RDA responsibilities will continue.
RDA head Harry Mavrogenes hinted that the co-op agreement would allow all existing and under contract projects under the control of the RDA would be transferred to the City. He didn’t say anything beyond that. I take that to mean that San Jose will take a page out of Los Angeles’ book and allow for the creation for a successor agency (which Gov. Brown has said would be allowed).
Mayor Reed mentioned that he and the other mayors of the 10 largest cities in the state would meet with Brown on January 26. Whether this means they’d be throwing their weight around or groveling isn’t clear. One person in the crowd mentioned that the City’s lobbyist in the Capitol has been keeping tabs on whether any new legislation that would affect RDAs is in motion. So far no dice, but anything could happen at any time after this week. Whatever bill the legislature and the governor approve could stop RDA activities immediately, it could stop things retroactive to a specific date. They’re that scared. Reed laid out the City’s position:
(The state) Taking money this year and promising to give it back next year is one of the oldest tricks in the budget gimmick book. And I can’t put any faith that if they take redevelopment funds that we’ll ever get a nickel of it back, that Santa Clara County will ever see a nickel of it back, because the legislature doesn’t have a great track record of doing that even though they have promised it.
The upshot is that Tuesday is the day of reckoning and will be followed by the regular City Council hearing to approve the new co-op agreement. So far I so no dissension among the ranks, leading me to believe that it’ll be approved. Tuesday also happens to be the date of the Good Neighbor session, so the Council Chambers should be full of RDA “supporters” and detractors.
As far as the ballpark goes, the RDA and/or City would have to be under contract with the A’s really really soon to be able to escape the raid. As much as the cities are talking about taking legal action to stop the raids, getting an injunction is not exactly a viable short or long term strategy, so they can’t assume that they’ll be able to get a lengthy enough delay to complete certain projects. They need to plan for several years from now.
I wonder how often Selig is getting calls from Wolff about this. Selig is not known for reacting well under pressure.
newballpark.org 
Had to laugh at the irony of your statement that BS doesn’t operate well under pressure- completely agree but how bizzare that nearly 2 years into this he still is scratching his ass- my biggest fear is this is playing out where he won’t have to make a decision. I can hear Him now proclaiming that there is no longer a viable home for the A’s in nor cal and therefore they will be allowed to re-locate to whatever city will invest public dollars- I have a hard time finding anything about the man to respect-right now he appears to be Neukom’s puppy
Well, at least the 2011 team looks solid.
In related news, the national media seem to be talking, and favoring, an A’s move to SJ today. Heard Gammons on the MLB network talking about it, and now I just saw this article by Ken Rosenthal. Lot’s of great tidbits in there, especially comments from the new A’s to SJ cheerleader, Scott Boras.
Counting down until the comment where Tony D. praises Boras.
Good one R.M.! If I praise Boras enough you think he’d pay off my mortgage for me?
re: Mayor Reed mentioned that he and the other mayors of the 10 largest cities in the state would meet with Brown on January 26.
So San Jose’s mayor will be there but not Frisco’s or Oakland’s. Sorry Frisco – you don’t rate.
Oh wait a sec – I was thinking largest cities in the country, which would leave Frisco out and San Jose in. I guess Frisco will be at this meeting but I’m guessing Oakland won’t make the cut.
@pjk – Oakland’s #8 in the state. So I assume that Jean Quan will be there. Do you really need to bash on other cities like that?
At #15 Fremont is, once again, on the outside looking in. Maybe it would have made more sense to meet with cities that have the largest Redevelopment Agencies.
@pjk–FYI, the 10 biggest cities IN THE STATE are:
1.Los Angeles-4.094 mill
2.San Diego–1.376 mill
3.San Jose–1.023 mill
4.San Fran (no one from the BA calls it “Frisco”)–856k
5.Fresno–505k (wow!)
6.Long Beach–501k
7.Sacramento–500k
8. Oakland–430k
9.Santa Ana–357
10. Anaheim–353k
Sorry to say, but the mayors of Bakersfield (#11), Riverside (#12), and Stockton (#13) will have to stay home.
*Figures based on California Department of Finance (CDF) estimates for January 1, 2010.
…#14–Chula Vista, #15–Fremont (thanks goJohn10), #16–Irvine, #17–Modesto, #18–Glendale, #19–San Bernadino,and #20–Huntington Beach.
I don’t know of many Bay Area people who use the term San Fran either. At least when I was growing up, it was either San Francisco, or The City. Or in my circles, Dai Fow (Big City).
Haha, it’s so naively suburban to think that nobody says “Frisco.”
Haha. I say “Frisco” a lot. In fact it apparently led to me be being banned from a certain A’s-related website.
I too grew up in the Bay Area, and depending on my mood in descending order of happiness it’s either “the City”, “Frisco’, or simply “up.” With the Giants having won the series it’ll be Frisco or Up for a long time…
Brown speaking with reporters yesterday after a luncheon with the League of CA cities:
Sorry, for the repost. I didn’t see the update in the story.
I’m just waiting for the day someone calls it, “Frisco Field.”
Recently, I was back east and somebody remarked that I live “in Frisco.” No, I live in San Jose. It’s Frisco taking so much offense with being called Frisco that makes it so much fun to call Frisco Frisco. Want to know what the New York Daily News headline was the day after the Giants announced their departure from New York? “Giants to Frisco.” And anybody who calls Frisco “The City” has obviously never been to New York.
Funny to watch Brown shut down RDAs and potentially kill ballpark chances in both San Jose and Oakland when I’ll bet most ballpark proponents in both places voted for the guy. You wanted Jerry Brown? You got him.
I’ve lived in the bay area for most of my 49 years, (college years on Coast), and me, my family and my friends never say Frisco. It’s the City, San Fran, Ess Eff, or San Francisco.
How about “The City that is Full of Itself?” Or “The Bay Area’s Second-Largest City?” Or :”California’s Fourth-Largest City?” “America’s 12th-largest city?”
The reason that “Frisco” is used by some of us is because it seems to irritate SF hipsters (who are mostly newcomers — oldtimers don’t care so much).
Steve hit on the very reason I love calling it Frisco.