High Desert Perspective

Posted By Staff Reporter on March 2, 2010

I just finished reading two stories in the Daily Press about Victorville and it left me scratching my head. One of the stories had to do with the annexation of an additional 32 square miles of unincorporated county land into Victorville’s sphere of influence. The second story was about the forensic audit of the city’s finances requested by council member Ryan McEachron of the City of Victorville. Same paper, two stories, but no commentary relating to the two?

As I pointed out in the original piece that was written, Victorville no doubt covets the tax revenue from TXI Riverside property taxes, which would now fall under not the county but the control of the City of Victorville. Supervisor Mitzelfelt has concerns about the mining interests with respect to the mineral rights in the area and has suggested a smaller division and sphere of influence. Anybody have a map handy to look at what each party is fighting over? It was interesting to me that the Daily Press did report that council member Caldwell made a comment about the city always being supportive of the mining industry- but didn’t include the contents within the letter of objections presented by Mr. Mark Ostoich of TXI Riverside, to the proposed annexation and inclusion into Victorville’s sphere of influence. What possible reasons did TXI Riverside cite for not wanting to be part of Victorville? You can listen to TXI’s position at about minute 50 of the audio portion of the January 5, 2010 meeting. See how helpful and informative that was? This is what was discussed:
If the Northern triangle is completely developed into Terry Caldwell’s greatest achievement to date and fulfillment of all Buck Johns desires…I mean his own desires, for the people of Victorville of course, then TXI Riverside has just one concern beyond the city loving them. What happens when somebody that moves into one of the planned 80,000 homes starts to complain about the dust from the plant? Well Terry loves you babe, but of course you will be on your own when it comes to potential lawsuits like the one you folks with TXI Riverside (Rubidoux) are dealing with. Some other dumb city or county planner allowed residential to be built on that plants doorstep. Terry only loves so far, being an attorney it’s about liability, and the city is up to it’s eyeballs right now. What was it Shakespeare said about attorneys?

At this same council meeting, dated January 5, 2010 council member Caldwell ( who is the Chair for the new nation he and Buck Johns are forming at SCLA) got the council to approve a waiver for conflict of interest issues between the city attorney ( Green, de Bortnowsky, and Quintanilla) so they can now represent all things and all agencies at SCLA. Let’s list them: Southern California Logistics Airport Authority, Southern California Logistics Rail Authority, Victorville Redevelopment Authority, and the best for last, the Regional Center of Victorville Development Inc. Who now watchs out for the interests of the people of Victorville? The last agency, RCVD is selling citizenship to Chinese investors in exchange for monetary contributions. If you happen to work for the Chinese Intelligence community and you need a cover, your friends in Victorville are here to help. The contract I read makes no stipulations about who or what type of Chinese national is allowed citizenship- it’s strictly about the money. Just for fun, Google the EB-5 program and find out what the rules are. Each investor must create 10 jobs under USCIS rules. This means Mr. Caldwell, your little waste water endeavor needs to create 1100 jobs at the plant to remain within the confines of U.S. Immigration laws for the EB-5 program. That’s 10 jobs per $500,000, or if it is $1 million invested per individual, it is 550 jobs. I know right now that you aren’t going to create that many full time jobs at the plant.

Does anyone think that Mr. Caldwell will be able to tell his investors to remain uninvolved in their investments? Would you simply hand over a million dollars and walk away? Caldwell obviously doesn’t know the Chinese very well. They will want to know that their money is safe and will actually return the promised 5% interest rate. You don’t mind having foreign nationals involved in your City’s business do you Victorville? In fact, Mr. Buck Johns, who is listed as the Lender who coordinates with the RCVD EB-5 visa program, makes $50,000 for each $500,000 loan he secures if I’m reading the contract correctly. This is the advance amount identified on the contract: $550, 000. Is that $2.5 million for servicing the needed $25 million in loans through the program? Johns isn’t doing this for free. What is his cut on this deal if my interpretation is incorrect? The Daily Press reported on March 14, 2009 that Johns has been paid anywhere from $83,288 to $330,201 since 2006. That is a pretty wide spread Victorville. How much is this man and Inland Energy making exactly? Adding more confusion to this is that the Authority will loan the proceeds from the foreign investors to the Victor Valley Water District so that the Water District can re-finance its construction debt for the new sewer. This allows the Water District to convert intermediate debt into long term debt against its sewer enterprise. Huh???Oh , I get it, we are going to borrow, so we can repay borrowed money by converting it into longer term borrowed money. Clear as mud.

According to a Daily Press story dated April 28, 2008 the waste water plant is going to cost $30 million to construct. I thought the Daily Press said the plant would cost $54 million to construct?, not just $25 million that is being floated for EB-5 investments? How much is that plant going to cost exactly? The entire development of SCLA is over $1.5 billion, with money being blown on VV2 at a loss of over $100 million because of contracts with GE. Johns company Inland Energy made $13 million. Johns is so deep in the pockets of our esteemed elected officials that he owns their brains and is going to continue to get very rich on your backs. The new city manager, Mr. Jim Cox- well all right, he isn’t new, he is in for second helpings, is listed as the Executive Director for all of the above agencies. Doesn’t Mr. Cox have enough to do just running the City of Victorville? When everyone is all in the pot together like this bunch is, you better watch them VERY CLOSE.

This brings me back full circle to council member Ryan McEachron and his request for an audit of Victorville finances by the County of San Bernardino Grand Jury. There seems to be a pattern of fraud and misrepresentations about what EXACTLY is going on in Victorville’s City Council, its finances and with SCLA. My impressions of McEachron and Almond is that they still care about the City of Victorville. The other three amigos need to go- and take the Calpers retirement king Cox with them. I would take this investigation a step further. I’d ask the FBI to look into the personal finances of the people in question- all of them. When anyone looks at the list of failures perpetrated by this crew: Foxborough, VV2, AFG glass, Nutro products and perhaps the worst of all selling citizenship to build a waste water treatment plant to support the Snapple Group development and give away our groundwater- it is impossible to tell me that they are this dumb. GE made out like bandits on VV2 and Foxborough was scrapped for parts!! Now Snapple is offered a treatment plant and our groundwater? Was it Mr. Caldwell who was bragging on the audio of the minutes that this project is the only large development going on in the County of San Bernardino? Little wonder you moron, you gave away the farm to get them. I hope you are brought to justice before Judge Ochoa for fraud and put behind bars.

Categories: Politics, Victorville
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