As part of an effort to control upwardly spiraling pensions, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed has called for the City to declare a state of fiscal emergency. This comes after months of ongoing negotiations with several public employee unions, which have yielded mixed results. Should this action pass with the City Council, in November voters would be allowed to approve or deny a major overhaul of existing benefits.
San Jose is not alone in facing increasing pension costs, as shown by recent statements by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and Oakland Mayor Jean Quan. Reed is taking what could be regarded as the most radical step by throwing his hands in the air and taking it to the voters. There’s some degree of negotiation tactics in doing this move, whether it yields results is another thing altogether. While it’s clear steps need to be taken, I’m not a fan of this tactic since it follows the pattern of “legislation by vote” that has turned Sacramento into gridlock. Internal struggles should have internal solutions, whether through collective bargaining negotiations or mediation. It’ll be interesting to see if this goes on the ballot, since it will set a precedent many cities may follow in short order.
It’s possible that a ballpark measure could be on the November ballot, though MLB has not given any suggestion that it would allow that to occur. Without polling, it’s hard to tell what impact a pension reform ballot measure would have on a ballpark measure. You’d have fiscal conservatives and union backers coming out in droves and in opposition. If I were in the group backing the ballpark, I’d seriously consider redoing polling during the summer to see how this fiscal issue impacts the ballpark. If a ballpark vote were to be held in the following primary (February or June), then it might be a different story. Then again, fiscal conservatives may be out en masse again because it is the presidential primary. Either way, the pulse taken last summer loses weight with each passing month.
newballpark.org 
given the success of measure v and w in the last ballot, this is a not a veiled threat. I bet you this is causing a huge shockwave through the unions…
Dave Zirin did an interview with KCBS radio yesterday. He talked about his book, “Bad Sports: How Owners Are Ruining The Games We Love” and the related stuff, like economics and fan affordability, as well as the 49ers, A’s and King’s moving.
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The article doesn’t go into nearly as much as they discuss on the audio.
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/05/15/kcbs-in-depth-the-business-of-sports/
@ML-curious if you have any thoughts on Mayor Reed’s letter to bs….?
I sincerely apologize that I am way off topic but the system didn’t allow me to post this on the previous “Wolff on Monty Show” thread as a response to some debate over the Dolich situation. It told me comments were closed. This is what I was trying to post.
According to a Sports Business Journal Daily article from Sept 21, 1999 entitled “A’s Deadline Passes; Will Schott and Hofmann Extend Lease?” Dolich was quoted as being “perplexed” by the MLB decision. He further states that he heard rumors that the owners were concerned about the group’s finances but explicitly says that their group’s new worth was over $1.2 billion in 1999. He also says that he was never told that they were short on money. Someone on here (I don’t remember who) has said numerous times that SJ only represents a fraction, i.e. 2% of the Giants fan base. According to the article, the actual ticket sales showed otherwise, at least at that time.
Here are some excerpts:
Dolich
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DOLICH GROUP? Dolich said he was
“perplexed” when his group’s offer for the A’s was tabled
last week. Dolich: “We knew about the [MLB Blue Ribbon
Economic] committee, but we were never told that its work
would defer our attempt to buy the team. … I just don’t
think our group fit into their plans.” But a “top” MLB
official told Ross Newhan of the L.A. TIMES that there “was
concern that their pockets might not be deep enough” (L.A.
TIMES, 9/19). But Dolich said, “Our group’s net worth is
over $1.2 billion. We were never told we were short on
money” (CONTRA COSTA TIMES, 9/18).
South Bay Fan Base – Giants
THE WAY TO SAN JOSE? In San Jose, Barry Witt reported
on speculation that the A’s could look to the San Jose area.
Santa Clara County residents “historically have bought about
a quarter of the tickets to Giants games and represent a
comparable share of season ticket sales at the team’s new
Pac Bell Park.” Santa Clara County Assessor and leader of
the effort to bring the A’s to San Jose Larry Stone “has
heard from friends” that Giants Managing General Partner
Peter Magowan has declared that an AL franchise would get to
San Jose “over my dead body” (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 9/20).
Perhaps Dolich was lying about the net worth issue. I don’t know. I don’t think we’ll ever know.
@Columbo – That thread was closed because it went WAY off-topic with a subject matter that has never gone anywhere. Please don’t make me start deleting comments or closing other threads too.
@ML – No problem. Sorry for the intrusion.
@ML — that’s unfortunate because … I believe S
I believe Selig has been playing games for years. Dolich wanted to keep the A’s in Oakland and Selig doesn’t want that (Wolff doesn’t too!)
@ML – without a general, open forum, type of thread, all of these circular discussions will go on and on …
@David – Two years ago I implemented a forum but no one used it. If you want to complain about Selig and Wolff until the cows come home, it’s not like BBO’s posts have a ton of comments. Litter their threads with that stuff.
My focus has always been on the here and now. To focus on something that happened over a decade ago in a different economic climate with little real information is such a waste of time that I am ashamed that you (on both sides of the debate) keep bringing it up. Let it go, already. Let it go.
Are you asking me to leave? If this isn’t an open place to share opinions, then maybe I should … I read BBO and LGO on Facebook. They rock. If y’all (pro-SJ) want to just talk to each other … that’s fine too …
The past does matter. You and all the Pro-SJ folks, routinely, bring up the A’s past attendance. Can you tell me when the past is “ok” to bring up and when it isn’t??
@David – I will be happy to have discussions about Dolich and Piccinini when there is actual news about them. If there isn’t news it’s a waste of time and is just a another rehashing of rumors. If you want to do that, do it somewhere else. If you want to talk about things that are actually happening, this is the place to do it. Interpret that however you like.
I believe there is “something rotten in Denmark”. Others seem to smell the same stench… “if you want to talk about things that are actually happening …”. Dawg, there ain’t nothing happening. Everyone is waiting. You have advertisers. They want traffic. You should too! Asking me to post my opinions elsewhere, is not good business.
Peace
@David – I can’t help you with that stench. I have never been a linkbaiter and try as much as I can not to incur flamewar after flamewar. You like that? I don’t. If you don’t want to comment or read this site over my perspective on that subject, I’m not worried about it.
If you don’t think there is news affecting the A’s and the cities, you haven’t been reading this site closely enough.
David,
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Attendance is relevant to the current situation. Part of privately financing a new stadium is presales of future tickets. The past is a predictor of future results.
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I am pro anywhere in the Bay Area and I am probably the person who writes the most about attendance, because ti has a direct affect on the ability to privately finance a stadium, today/tomorrow/next year and so on…
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Andy Dolich’s group isn’t coming back. It isn’t part of paying for anything. It has zero relevance to moving forward.
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If there is something rotten in Denmark, nobody here knows about it.
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Last… What does any of this have to do with rising pension costs?
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Peace Out, yo!
@ML – you do a good job of not being over the top in your support of having a stadium in SJ. But, you let pro-SJ folks say the same tired stuff … over and over. That stuff should be shut down, just like when someone tries to hijack a thread (like i just did). Anyway, if you don’t care about the traffic that’s fine, i guess… saying you’re “ashamed” for me, is a little confusing. Yes, there is news out there. But we all know what the BIG news is. Your site dawg, do as you see fit! And the here and now is: “your Oakland Athletics!”
@Jeffrey – Dolich and the Safeway guy might put up some money for Victory Court. Lew may be headed for LA (did you notice him not closing the door?). So, future investors may be relevant. And no, my rant has nothing to do with rising pension costs. But, pjk can come say the same thing over and over and over and over and over …..
@David – I’ve had to delete pjk’s and Sid’s comments on multiple occasions. I don’t recall ever doing that with yours. When interested parties actually step and make proclamations about owning the A’s then I can start to take it seriously. If not it’s just some people daydreaming and is only slightly more realistic than resurrecting Wally Haas to have him take over the team.
cool.
Go A’s!!!