Tuesday, December 19th, 2006
Daytona’s Budget Lies Continue!
A contributor to Real Daytona has been having the budget analyzed by a ‘forensic accountant’ and the misdirection and outright fraud are unreal! Here’s just a few of examples: The city collects over $33 million from residents for water and sewage treatment but it only costs $21 million to operate our publically owned treatment plants. They use the other $12 million as a ‘slush fund,’ spending it wherever they want with virtually no accountability! They over charge us by almost 35% for a public utility service that we own! The average increase in city salaries between 2004-2006 was 30%! Amazing and totally unacceptable since most Americans only received 3%-5% increases in their wages during that same time! The average department budget increased by 30% over the last two years! Amazing again! Daytona has had no population growth over the last ten years but city staff were still able to convince our elected officials to increase spending by double digits. As many of you know the city’s budget doubled over seven years climbing from $100 million to $200 million in spending of out hard earned money! Guess we shouldn’t be too surprised though. Our fearless leaders have never been held accountable for their tax, spend and steal mentality, most recently admitting the ’loss’ of $60 million in city redevelopment area funds (CRA’) collected over the last twenty years. The noose is slowly closing on these ‘scumbags’ and we predict job loss and legal action against them right around the 2007election.

Tuesday, December 19th, 2006
ISC Dumps Ex-Employee Into City Hall!
It appears International Speedway Corporation (ISC) is insuring the protection of it’s influence peddling status by convincing City Manager Chisolm to hire past ISC employee Hardy Smith. Smith held the title of Government Relations Representative at ISC for years, then resigned in early 2006 to start a ‘consulting’ firm. Smith will be paid $90,000 to coordinate city activities with the county and state as well as lobby on behalf of the city. He’s actually an internal lobbyist spying for ISC and protecting the France family’s investment in their bought and paid for city commission. ‘Yee-Haa again!’. ‘Red-Neck Riviera part two!’

Monday, December 18th-2006
Brian France Admits To Drinking And Driving!
Brian France, CEO of NASCAR admitted to drinking alcohol and driving when interviewed recently by Daytona Police. France was recently accused of driving erratically, hitting a parked care and leaving the scene of an accident by a local woman that witnessed the incident and followed him to his condo. France initially told officers he spilled a soft drink in his car and of course, they believed him. As you might expect, Daytona Police Chief Chitwood and State’s Attorney Tanner both investigated the incident and claimed the officers performed correctly. Of course if you or I left the scene of an accident, lied to a police officer and later admitted to drinking alcohol and driving we’d still be in jail. But apparently the law is suspended when you’re a France or elected official like Yvonne Scarlet-Golden, who rear ended a car causing personal injury of their passenger and was never issued a citation. France was observed on his boat over the weekend with a number of his friends, hoisting the ‘beer flag’ and consuming alcohol while driving, this time on water instead of land. Can you say ‘arrogant asshole?!’ That’s business as usual in the ‘Red Neck Riviera-Yee-Haa!’

Thursday, December 14th, 2006
News-Journal’s Owner Hospitalized!
As typical of the Daytona Beach News-Journal, they haven’t bothered reporting that owner Tippen Davidson has been hospitalized for nearly two weeks. Davis had triple bypass surgery ten days ago and was finally moved from intensive care on Wednesday. Looks like it was too much for Davidson’s heart to have to deal with the loss of the federal lawsuit and potential to have to raise millions to buy out Cox Publishing, if he loses the legal appeal. As we’ve said before, it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy!

Friday, December 8th, 2006
The Real Mayor Golden...
‘Public servants’ usually never really serve the public. They serve themselves and whomever gives the most in campaign contributions. Golden was no exception! While the News-Journal babbles about how much Golden did for Daytona Beach, let us not forget how sound a screwing she gave residents for eight years running!
Politician Golden voted for every property tax and budget increase proposed while in office. Property taxes rose by 118% and the cities budget more than doubled to over $200 million dollars during the past seven years!
Golden gave International Speedway Corporation $2 million of city owned streets for $150,000 which convinced most employees in the city’s Planning Department to quit their jobs. She voted to give ISC unlimited zoning that allows consumption of alcohol outside at anytime, for the drunken street party they call Speed Weeks.
She voted for elimination of Temporary Permits on streets surrounding the Speedway so no vendors could compete with the ‘Big Bill’ cash machine during Speed Weeks. She voted against a condominium project near the new ‘Yacht Club’ because it was next to property the France family owns, and they didn’t want a condo. there.
She voted for every money losing project suggested in Daytona Beach including the Daytona Tennis Club (Lost $10 million), Columbia Plaza (Lost millions and still under leased), the News-Journal Lively Arts Center (Costing millions in additional underground utility work and residents will have to pick up all the additional the debt when the News-Journal gets sold and can’t afford the naming rights anymore) She supported the de-funk Daytona City Store and water bottle business. Golden thoroughly ignored the mismanagement of the Community Redevelopment Area’s and the loss or theft of $60 million in CRA tax dollars! She accepted influence peddling from ISC such as free jet rides with publically paid police escorts and took no responsibility for an auto accidents when she ran into the back of another car and sent a person to the hospital while rumored to be intoxicated. Most recently Golden demonstrated her disdain for residents protesting yet another property tax increase at a city commission meeting by actually sticking her tongue out at them. Never forget, that’s the Real Yvonne Scarlet-Golden! We thought Daytona could never have a worse Mayor than Bud Asher. Surprise! We were wrong!

Wednesday, December 12th, 2006
ISC Gets Ready To Choose Another Daytona Mayor After Golden’s Death!
With the death of Yvonne Scarlet-Golden Tuesday, it’s time again for International Speedway Corporation (ISC) and the France family, to select whom they want to be Mayor for our fair city. Zone 4 Commissioner Robert Gilliland is the current Deputy Mayor and will most likely be chosen to serve out the remainder of Golden’s term. The City Commission will make that choice as well as whom will be appointed to replace Gilliland by a simple majority vote. Gilliland’s wife works for ISC so it’s a safe bet for the France family to ‘let’ Bob be Mayor until the 2007 election. Local mega-car dealer owner Glenn Ritchie’s name has been mentioned numerous times as a potential candidate for Mayor, but he’s super busy and would prefer not to be appointed right now. He’ll definitely run in 2007 though. He’s one of the ‘Good Old Boys’ and will do whatever he’s told by ISC. In 2007 we predict Mike (Conspiracy and Criminal) Shallow will run yet another losing campaign. ISC will back Darlene (Queen of Mean) Yordon in order to split the beachside vote and eliminate Shallow. Gwen Azama-Edwards will also run for Mayor along with Dwayne Taylor. Taylor will get strong backing from ISC in order to insure Edwards loses. Glenn Ritchie will throw his hat in the ring and either he or Taylor will eventually win the race. We also predict ISC and condominium developers will make this the most expensive election in Daytona’s history, contributing upwards of $1 million together, so they can continue to get the sweetheart deals and use their influence peddling as they have the last eight years. Looks like it will be business as usual for the ‘Redneck Riviera!

Tuesday, December 5th, 2006
ISC Drops Staten Island Race Track Project!
Looks like the France family finally met their match. No matter how much they begged and bribed they couldn’t come up with a deal that New York politicians were interested in. A major miscalculation by the France’s was their lack of interest in supporting Senator Hillary Clinton during her fund raising and campaign swing through Florida a number of months ago. Guess they didn’t believe she had any clout to get things done, after all, she’s only a woman!
It’s refreshing to see someone successfully give the finger to ISC since they’re a bunch of spoiled children always getting what they want on the cheap, here in Daytona.

Sunday, December 3rd, 2006
City Management Loses $60 Million CRA Tax Dollars!
Community redevelopment areas (CRA’s) are supposed to be a funding tool used by city management to help make over blighted areas. Tax money generated in areas classified as CRA’s are supposed to be utilized to clean up neighborhoods, fund grants or entice developers to build in the area. In Daytona’s case $60 million dollars have been ‘misplaced’ over a twenty year period that was derived from and supposed to be spent in the CRA zone it came from. City management blamed ‘turnover’ in the redevelopment department for the errors and plans an immediate internal audit. While that may be part of the reason, our concern is the internal city accountant that ‘certifies’ where our tax money is being used as well as the external auditor we pay every year that’s supposed to do the same thing. How can they say everything is fine from an audit perspective, then come up $60 million short?
This is a much bigger issue than city management has stated. Daytona has to report to both the State and Federal government regarding the creation of CRA’s and the use of tax dollars derived from them. The law states they must keep accurate track of all deposits and checks written. By not doing so, they have committed tax fraud.
It’s time for a thorough accounting of all the city’s CRA’s to evaluate the obvious misappropriation of funds. If city management and elected officials have illegally misspent our tax dollars they should be held accountable in both civil and criminal courts. The City Commission and staff argue that they can’t cut spending and we should trust them, since they know what they’re doing. In Yiddish, ‘Trust Me’ means ‘Screw You!’ Taxpayers have been screwed by these people way too long.

Friday, December 1st, 2006
News-Journal’s Hasterok Whines Some More!
Pamela Hasterok is at it again, taking the Daytona Beach City Commission to task because they allowed Main Street Merchants an additional weeks sales during Special Events. She threw in everything she could think of this time from blaming the departure of the previous city manager to the bitterness generated during the past four elections, because of residents feelings towards Special Events. As usual, Hasterok is clueless. Special Events are the only major economic engine Daytona Beach has. The City Commission, under the influence of International Speedway Corporation and condominium developers, have screwed up all types of local tourism so that we’re in worse economic shape now than eight years ago. Doubling spending by over $100 million and raising property taxes by 118% have virtually killed any economic development, guaranteeing no major manufacturer will move here. Add the ridiculous levels of property and workman’s compensation insurance and there’s no way for this city to see serious economic growth at this time. City government has failed numerous times with it’s ‘build it and they will come’ attitude, while wasting millions of tax dollars in the process. Yet, Hasterok still believes a few boutique style dress shops and restaurants will make it all better. Local business owners are much more realistic and pragmatic. They do what they have to earn an income and Special Events is the only major way to do so at this time.
As we’ve said before Hasterok should put her money where her mouth is, open the type of business she wants in our city and risk everything she has financially to make it work. That’ll never happen. She’s always worked for someone else and never had to live or die because of her business. Hasterok doesn’t even own a home in Daytona or pay the ridiculous levels of property tax to live here. In short, she’s just another opinionated, clueless bitch with no real understanding of local economics and what it takes to operate a small business and survive here.
Hopefully the new owners of the News-Journal will recognize her lack of intellect and dump her after Davidson is gone.

Wednesday, November 8th, 2006
Beach Street Becoming ‘Meat’ Street
Remember the old Woolworth’s building near Bay Street and Beach Street? It’s quietly becoming the center of ‘gay’ adult entertainment in our city. A ‘gay’ adult club named Zebra, recently opened it’s doors there and is doing well. Rumor has it that as many as three more ‘gay’ adult clubs will be opening in the same general area, over the next six months! We’re not homophobic and have always supported adult entertainment, however we believe that four new ‘gay’ clubs in the heart of a major redevelopment area in downtown Daytona Beach is just too many.
City Staff and elected officials treat ‘gay’ clubs much differently than regular adult entertainment facilities. They’re afraid of politically organized ‘gay’ groups and don’t want to be labeled ‘gay bashers’, because it could cost them votes. So, they selectively enforce laws and zoning as well as virtually ignore the sexual misconduct that goes on in ‘gay’ clubs. If city officials would settle the federal lawsuits filed by Lollipops Gentlemen’s Club, Daytona Beach would immediately be in compliance with federal law requiring enough sites for adult entertainment as related to population. They could then legally prohibit any new adult clubs from opening (‘gay’ or ‘straight’) and win any legal challenge in state or federal court. However, Deputy City Attorney Marie Hartman continues her vendetta against ‘straight’ adult clubs, lying to the City Commission, while spending hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars on a subject the majority of residents just don’t care about. This issue needs to be settled so our tax dollars can be better utilized.

Friday, December 1st, 2006
News-Journal’s Hasterok Whines Some More!
Pamela Hasterok is at it again, taking the Daytona Beach City Commission to task because they allowed Main Street Merchants an additional weeks sales during Special Events. She threw in everything she could think of this time from blaming the departure of the previous city manager to the bitterness generated during the past four elections, because of residents feelings towards Special Events. As usual, Hasterok is clueless.
Special Events are the only major economic engine Daytona Beach has. The City Commission, under the influence of International Speedway Corporation and condominium developers, have screwed up all types of local tourism so that we’re in worse economic shape now than eight years ago. Doubling spending by over $100 million and raising property taxes by 118% have virtually killed any economic development, guaranteeing no major manufacturer will move here. Add the ridiculous levels of property and workman’s compensation insurance and there’s no way for this city to see serious economic growth at this time. City government has failed numerous times with it’s ‘build it and they will come’ attitude, while wasting millions of tax dollars in the process. Yet, Hasterok still believes a few boutique style dress shops and restaurants will make it all better. Local business owners are much more realistic and pragmatic. They do what they have to earn an income and Special Events is the only major way to do so at this time.
As we’ve said before Hasterok should put her money where her mouth is, open the type of business she wants in our city and risk everything she has financially to make it work. That’ll never happen. She’s always worked for someone else and never had to live or die because of her business. Hasterok doesn’t even own a home in Daytona or pay the ridiculous levels of property tax to live here. In short, she’s just another opinionated, clueless bitch with no real understanding of local economics and what it takes to operate a small business and survive here.
Hopefully the new owners of the News-Journal will recognize her lack of intellect and dump her after Davidson is gone.