When Eurekans go to vote on the Balloon Track ballot measure in November, they will say yes or no to a 10-year ban on “Discount Superstores” as part of the zoning change for the property.
Several people have asked for the definition of “Discount Superstore” so here it is, copied from the measure passed at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
“Discount Superstore” shall mean a discount retail store that also contains a full service grocery department under the same roof that shares entrances and exits with the discount store area. Such retail stores exceed one hundred thousand (100,000) square feet of gross floor area and devote at least five (5%) percent of the total sales floor area to the sale of non-taxable merchandise. ”Sales floor area” means only interior building space devoted to the sale of merchandise, and does not include restrooms, office space, storage space, automobile service areas or open-air garden sales space. ”Nontaxable merchandise” means products, commodities, or items the sale of which is not subject to California State sales tax. These stores usually offer a variety of customer services, centralized cashing, and a wide range of products. They usually maintain long store hours seven (7) day a week. The stores are often the only ones on the site, but they can also be found in mutual operation with a related or unrelated garden center or service station. Discount superstores are also sometimes found as separate parcels within a retail complex with their own dedicated parking.
This ban does not stop a Wal-Mart from replacing the (at this point, mythical) Home Depot. Rather, it would be limited to a non-supercenter WalMart, the kind that doesn’t include a grocery section that consumes 5% of the sales floor area.
OOH nice new facade. Does ours come with the palm tree in bondage too?
Quite likely. There is no ban on binding palm trees with cheap twine made in China. Thankfully the quality of twine is low and will rot away to free the tree in 6-8 months.
KINS just reported that Eureka fire chief Eric Smith will accept an early retirement package with the city and step down.
Good to know H, I prefer my Palms free. I guess that makes it OK.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they went with palm trees, but they’re a poor choice IMHO. Look at how ridiculous the jail/county courthouse building looks with those palm trees. Of course that building is already the poster child for clashing architectural styles, so the palm trees are probably the least of it problems. Still, palm trees in the land of redwoods are pretty tacky, not to mention that they just don’t look very good after a few years in our climate.
But more to the point,
No to WalMart,
No to Home Depot,
NO to Big Box by the Bay!
“Mythical” is right…what evidence is there that HD is still committed or even interested. Without HD, it’s hard to figure out how the Marina Center can ever come to be, given Arkley’s inability to meet his current financial obligations.
Bring in flat tops that sell the biggest Asian coconuts.
I don’t think the palm trees look so bad outside the movie theater, but I’d have to agree about the courthouse. And some of the Canary Island palms in front of the Victorians have held up quite well.
So, who’s going to turn out the lights at City Hall?
Food Retailing Glossary (usda.gov)
“Superstore. A larger version of the conventional supermarket, with at least 40,000 square feet in total selling area and 25,000 items. Superstores offer an expanded selection of nonfood items, including health and beauty products and general merchandise.”
Regular WalMart is a mass-merchandise store.
“Mass-merchandise store. A large store that primarily sells household items, electronic goods, sporting goods, and apparel, but also offers packaged food products, typically at discount prices.”
So, bullshit Security National. Fuck your “discount superstore” made-up definition.
It annoys me that the Times-Standard continues to use the phrase “which would include a Home Depot…” when there is no guarantee whatsoever that it would be Home Depot filling that Big Box spot, and not WalMart or ome of the other monstrosities.
This is really irresponsible reporting on their part, implying that voters will be choosing a particular retailer when in fact they won’t. It could be any Big Box that meets the requirements.
you sound very reasonable.
So the Marina Center sweatshirt crowd rolled their eyes and hemmed and hawed whenever the word “WalMart” was uttered at the council meeting a month ago to discuss the ballot measure. Now, the measure has been skillfully written to permit a regular-sized WalMart in Home Depot’s place. And, they snookered Times-Standard city beat writer Allison White, too, with all their fancy language. Read her story today: she writes: “(Sidnie Olson) added that section after many raised concerns at the last meeting that a Wal-Mart superstore or other discount superstore would be able to come in without other approval after the zoning was changed.” Earth to Allison: were you listening when Larry Glass asked the question, “Does this ballot measure prohibit a regular-sized WalMart?” (He was told “no.”)
So Sidnie, who told you to craft the language to allow a regular-sized WalMart, and prohibit only the largest of the WalMart supercenters? My money’s on Tyson, after getting a phone call from Boss Rob or Randy Gans telling him to “make it so.” Kinda like the bank lobbyists on Capitol Hill writing their own regulation.
These guys are such liars that when they say something on record, you can reasonably bet that pretty much the exact opposite is the case. Cherie Arkley said in November 2004 “No Big Box.” Like six months later, they roll out the Marina Center proposal. Mike Casey and Randy were there a month ago sneering at the suggestion that this whole ballot measure was a Trojan Horse for WalMart. Now we know it to be so.
How do they keep selling this bullshit to Eureka voters? Oh yeah, they’ve spent $6 million… Guess that buys a lot of opinion in this town.
They should at least qualify it to “could” include a HD. I have serious doubts about HD and then they could be desperate to fill the space.
FYI
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Best-places-to-shop-for-conreps-2904135702.html?x=0
What’s the difference between a small Walmart and a BigK or Target?? Is it just the name “WalMart” that has everyone’s panties in a bunch?
I don’t like Big K or Target either. Vinyl junk.
WalMart has a well-deserved reputation for mistreating employees and using predatory pricing practices (where they lower their prices for a while to drive the local competition out of business and then jack up the prices later, when there is little or no competition left). That’s not to say that other large retailers are perfect, but WalMart is rightly seen as one of the worst of the worst.
NO SUPERSIZED RETAIL ON OUR WATERFRONT! Stop push to become another Anytown, USA.
I agree with the sentiment, but I do think that “No supersized retail on our waterfront” isn’t quite as catchy a slogan as “No Big Box by the Bay.”
“Someone”, whoever that might be, needs to come up with a solid alternative Real Soon Now, so that those opposing this corrupt idiocy can offer something positive instead of just saying “No.” I liked the industrial park idea that was mentioned some posts ago myself. Something to encourage local people to start their own businesses. Does that make too much sense? Needs a catchy slogan, though.
Here’s the difficulty, Reynard. Arkley bought the property (and the contamination) and the City Council nixed the study of alternatives that they were going to do. We can propose anything we want, but our proposals aren’t going to go anywhere unless Arkley sells it to a more cooperative developer, or the city seizes the land by eminent domain (and pay Arkley “fair market value,” whatever THAT would be) and either re-sells it or uses city funds to clean it up and develop it. I don’t think any of those scenarios are likely at all.
I think it’s fine to point out what some better ideas might be — light industrial, mixed use without big box, a park, an academic campus of some kind, or whatever — but Arkley’s still the owner so unless you convince him to drop the Big Box idea and go with your idea (don’t hold your breath) all our great ideas aren’t really going to go anywhere.
..aren’t really going to go anywhere *anytime soon.*
But I suppose it makes sense to think ahead about what we WOULD want to pursue in the event that Arkley’s Big Box by the Bay Boondoggle fails either with voters, or in court, or at the Coastal Commission. Because it seems pretty likely that this may happen eventually. So it would be good to have some kind of Plan B. Of course Arkley probably has his own Plans B, C, and D, none of which are likely to have anything to do with what is best for the city, and all of which are going to be aimed at salvaging as much profit as possible from his Balloon Track investment, whether by selling out to WalMart or someone else, or by holding the property — and the clean-up — hostage until the city or some private party pays his asking price. I don’t think the endgame is at all clear at this point, so while it’s a good idea to gather ideas on alternatives, I wouldn’t hold my breath as far as those alternatives happening anytime soon.
“What evidence is there that Home Depot is still interested?”
Only a thousand times more evidence than there is that Wal Mart is interested.
But neither one will come if the people aren’t interested. Not because of some noble democratic cause, but because they won’t come where the customers aren’t.
But HD & Wal Mart people and the lefties all know the customers are here and the people want them here. You still have no right to tell your neighbors they aren’t allowed to shop anywhere except where you guys dictate.
This is still a free country.
Good points all, of course.
Since there is some chance, though, that Arkley is looking for an exit strategy anyway, hence the stonewalling of the Coastal Commission and the possibility that the ballot measure to change the zoning is to try to make the property more attractive to a possible buyer, it still seems to me that putting some effort into a coherent alternative plan for that parcel would not be time wasted. I nominate Heraldo to head the committee ;0).
A fair amount of support for the current Balloon Track project seems to be along the lines of “anything is better than the nothing that has been there for umpty-ump years.” Would those people be open to something specific that would help provide good jobs and a long-term community benefit? The idea is to provide a reason to vote against the zoning change.
I don’t personally get my knickers in a twist over Home Depot coming to town per se, but Walmart? I was a Eureka Main Street volunteer when that issue came up. We were briefed at the time on what Walmart was doing to other communities. I don’t believe any other big box retailer comes close as far as predatory practices.
I’d like to say that I can’t believe that the Eureka City Council was stupid enough to leave the door open for Walmart to come in, but I’ve been reading this blog just long enough to know better.
Good points, RA at 7:40.
The bypass for 101 through the marsh seems to be
forgotten. Think how much Arkley and friends will
make off that deal. It was a very nouveau riche act
for Arkley’s wife to come prancing into the meeting
before last with that check. Those two are a no class act. I am just shallow enough to vote no on the
zoning change because of their arrogance. I vote
for an industrial park.
“This is still a free country.”
We’re free to buy what we’re told to buy, from an outfit that insists its suppliers make their stuff in China, thus costing American jobs. We’re free to eat and work at McDonald’s. We’re free to vote for who they tell us to vote for, and file for bankruptcy when we’ve lost our savings to the Health Care Industry. Best of all, we’re free to shoot each other!! Is this a great country or what?
Ah, the return of HiFi’s “right to shop anywhere you want,” and it’s unspoken corrolary the “right to build any Big Box anyplace you want.” I’m still waiting to hear where those rights are enshrined in the state or federal constitution or statutes.
But assuming for the moment that there really is such a “right to shop / right to build Big Box stores,” then I’d like you to be the first to know of my plans to set up an open-air fishmarket, fresh fertilizer depot, hog entrails emporium and and live poultry superstore next to your house, HiFi. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to interfere with anyone’s “right” to shop there by opposing a zoning change to allow that. See ya soon, neighbor!
Check WalMartSubsidyWatch.org’s. $1.2 billion in tax money from well-known cases. WalMart brings in sales tax and then steals the money back.
Oh, I was going to open a 24/7 doggy daycare place next door to him with a raw pet food market. After all, people will need a place to leave their pets while they go to work at Walmart. But we’ll look after your customers, too, RA!
Their dogs, anyway.
Sweet, it’s a deal foxstudio. Hey, this “right to shop” thing is a blast! I think I’ll add raw sulphur, limburger cheese, and howler monkeys to my product line. Still on board for all this, HiFi?
Thank you, Walt.
don’t forget right to build anywhere you want.
Chickens. Including roosters. Always popular with the neighbors.
“Chickens. Including roosters…”
Hey I’ve already got that one as part of my original “open air fishmarket, fresh fertilizer depot, hog entrails emporium and live poultry superstore.” But hey, more competition is always better, so HiFi should be pleased with a few hundred rooster on either side. In fact I’ll give you some of my howler monkeys on consignment if you’re interested, foxstudio.
Don’t change any language except for pulling out the grocery store (HALF PART of a 2 Parter) of the “Discount Superstore” definition anf what CAN OCCUR?
Yep, Atkins and Glass need to teach the other council members how to trim a little of that brain cell fat off.
The language is “molded” to deceive.
Jeffrey Lytle
McKinleyville – 5th District
Thanks Walt too,
“Were free to be stupid!”
JL
RA,
the rust and mold and algae on the cheap stucco courthouse building looks much worse than the Palm Trees. At least trees are life – well, I must admit, so is rust, mold and algae too.
JL
Yeah, that would work. Maybe the monkeys can teach the dogs how to really howl.
Somewhat ironic in the posts again-
We ‘need’ a WalMart like we ‘need’ palm trees here.
Palm trees do not normally grow up here. They dont like it and they look silly.
Wal-Mart would only add one more crap-quality joint that seems to attract whitetrash loons who Hate China yet buy the stuff.
Home depot would probably do a good business around here.
Neither idea makes nearly as much sense as an industrial park however.
TRA made the critical point – Arkley does own the property, contamination and all. The CC will have much to say about what happens there though. Someone else made the point that Arkley may be looking for an exit strategy. That is not far-fetched. He is strapped for money and may not even be in a position to move forward with the Marina Center. He may be looking for a more graceful way out.
Canary Island date palms thrive in Eureka. Just sayin.
I’m building an industrial rendering plant next door to HiFi’s mansion. Keep them steer corpses comin’, guys!
“Wal-Mart would only add one more crap-quality joint that seems to attract whitetrash loons who Hate China yet buy the stuff.”
Could these be the same white trash loons who say how blessed we are with the natural beauty of the area and believe that Walmart will improve the view.? Forget the palm trees, line it with redwoods. After a few years, no one will even know Walmart is there.
TURNING OUT THE LIGHTS AT CITY HALL, let us all hope that a clean sweep will turn the lights back on, after a long and unsettling hiatus. One wonders what is so ingrained in the history of Eureka politics that we are still known for a failure of doing the city’s business with integrity. Those who have it seem to always be in the minority. Maybe this time we will get a council, mayor, city manager, etc, who have the city’s best interests at heart. Eureka deserves it.
It seems like only yesterday when Jeff Leonard’s very first city council campaign included support for limiting the size of big box retailers…then he fought tooth and nail against it once elected. Who can forget the shocked look on Chris Kerrigan’s face?
Same old butter…different bread…
A ban tied to a time limit as part of a zoning change sounds like a condition of approval of the zoning change. My understanding of state planning and zoning law is that a zone change cannot be conditional. The zone either includes or excludes discount superstores.
The bottom line for RA is, as always, the bottom line: get the zoning change, line up the council and citizens as a “mandate” to pressure the CC to give their blessing to a minimal cleanup, then sell the whole mess to somebody with lots of Other People’s Money. They will then build a toxic waste dump. . .or a SmallMart (TM).
Clean it UP, U.P!
I will be curious what “the people” vote for. I think here is an instance where the people need to be heard.
HiFi is at it again, making up facts. show us one bit of proof……. Home Depot has not expressed any interest since the removal of the CEO that got them in so much trouble. Wal-Mart continues to have Eureka on the list of Cities for expansion. When contacted on the phone in Bentonville they’re property acquisitions manager said they we’re aware of the propose Zoning Change and they would consider the site again if it passes.
Wouldn’t an adult toy/movie/bookstore/tattoo parlor be nice on the other side of HiFi’s house?
Laughing AT anon 950pm, regardless of any debt owed ‘he’ will never be ‘strapped for cash’ this is america,the rich don’t go broke,their company might but as individuals,not going to happen(unfortunately)
PJ- or a medical marijuana dispensary?
An MJ dispensary included in the adult shop would be highly compatible.
With a methadone dispensary on the side. :P
Smokemonster: the kind of cash and loans required for the Marina Center will be hard to get at this time, even for RA. IMO!
Probably would want a check cashing shop, too.
Might as well ad a payday loan counter.
And a warehouse commercial 215 grow too so the product doesn’t need to be transported.
24/7 drive-through coffee place, a corporate chain of course. With a loud speaker system.
We’ll need the plans to HiFi’s house to figure out the best locations for all the new businesses.
Should be able to get a set from the Planning Dept., assuming anyone still works there.
walt,reasonable,et al-
i believe that highly fried is referring to those noble freedoms enshrined in the pentatuch (the 1st 5 books of the “old testament”;
“a deal is a deal”,
“never smarten up a chump”,
“it’s mine-i can blow it up,crap on it or dispose of it as i wish”,
“just try and prove it”,
and
“nanner nanner”.
we have created entire prfessions of parasites in real estate,banking,law,and several other fields by virtue of adherence to these priciples.
it all culminates in that that most ancient of extant title deeds,the book of “exodus”.
you know-the transaction whereby someone,without witnesses, claimed that a burning pile of foliage was a combination benefactor and title company.
that same hook and crook mentality has and is reflected in most of the world today.
run ashore yelling “it’s ours,we discovered it”, wipe out the previous inhabitants by any means,divide it up on paper and use the courts to render their stamp of approval on where and how you dump the refuse,treat the wage earners and snooker “the free”.
Hell yea, I’m glad to hear this check cashing spot and burrito truck proposal is in motion. And a tattoo parlor… fuck, throw in a hydro store and a head shop too. Maybe that store that sells the Purple Kush hoodies will move in. I’ll drive up to this Ghetto Center to shop if it’s like that.
hadn’t heard about that proposal,mr. nice!
it could be advertised as a living diorama of humboldt counter culture.
what a brilliant idea!
Unfortunatly (for all of you) you could not afford my neighborhood.
Oh, look everyone! A rich blogger walks among us!
The zoning in HiFi’s neighborhood surely prohibits check cashing shops. Those places prey on the poor.
No WAY would he live somewhere that would prohibit anyone doing anything they want with their property, H, ESPECIALLY if it was a business because people have the right to shop where ever they want! That would be ummmmm hypocritical.
Additional note, if HiFi has lived in Cutten since Anna Sparks was supervisor, he doesn’t live in one of the gated communities or one of the newer upscale developments like by Winship or Beechwood, so I’m guessing Greenbriar. BFD!
“It all culminates in that most ancient of extant title deeds,the book of ‘Exodus’.
You know-the transaction whereby someone,without witnesses, claimed that a burning pile of foliage was a combination benefactor and title company.”
I LOVE this! All without a burn permit, too!
Hifi has sick gold trim detail and shit on his suspenders.
He COULD live in the Madsen subdivision off Home Drive, but he surely wouldn’t live some place with codicils restricting what he can do with his OWN property, so that’s out too.
I got the blues so bad, my rich friends left when the heater on my swimming pool went on the blink.
And I’m down to Freiexnet and Coors too.
I got the down to Freiexnet and Coors blues.
I hear suspenders, plaid shirts, and Mike’s garlic fries means big bank money in Eureka, right up there with Arkley.
I gotta admit, class war is funny.
If the concentration of wealth at the top tiers continues, we’ll be wishing for the days of humorous class war. It is funny, sort of, that the ultra wealthy were waging economic war on the working classes while screaming about class warfare. Even now with the lowest tax rates in modern history and the greatest concentration of wealth, they are still whining that taxes are too high and threatening to move. GTF OUT already!
from highly fried:
“Unfortunatly (for all of you) you could not afford my neighborhood.”
yeah!
right on!
but we get to eat cake!
until the uprising,anyway.
viva la revalucion!
I agree, PJ. My favorite part of the Tea Party was all those retired dentists being ‘Populists.’
It’s truly bizarre that a generation gleefully accepted lower wages and higher debts as long as they could keep spending more. I guess millions of people banked on dying deep in debt, so they’d have no problem. Or did they think that far ahead?
Gated communities FIRST! :P
Matt Taibi did a really insightful essay on the peasant mentality, Longwind.
http://trueslant.com/matttaibbi/2009/04/14/americas-peasant-mentality/
“supply side” is the horse
that rich folks ride.
just take one guess
at which end ‘s our supply side.
if i was a parasite
with gold in the vault
i’d steal all the wealth
and claim it’s all of yorn’s fault.
All I got is a salvaged powder-coated gate with a cheap ass Mighty Mule opener. Fortunately, y’all (that goes for alls y’all) could probably afford this and then live in a “gated community” too.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m rich as fuck. I got all the luxury items: Matching Yamaha ATV and generator, pimp SunDanzer fridge, I even got running water from my water ram. I always know what time it is from my ballin’ ass timepiece courtesy of Casio. Y’all can’t tell me nothin’. Get out and get yours, maybe someday you too could have some high roller shit like my green Pontiac. Haters.
Cool piece, thanks PJ. I didn’t know there was so much Taibbi to get out there.
He notes that, across American history, “when the excesses of business interests and their political proteges in Washington leave the regular guy broke and screwed, the response is always for the lower and middle classes to split down the middle and find reasons to get pissed off not at their greedy bosses but at each other.”
Good peasants don’t eat the rich, whether they saddle up Fords or Mercurys.
It’s true Longwind, when it really starts to hurt, I like to take it out on middle management. After all, that’s what they’re for.
HiFi 12:17- Don’t bet on it.
mr. nice @ 2:18-
i salute you!
you got class, dude!
i’m envious!
you have set a standard that i could never aspire to and i weep at my impoverished surroundings.
it ain’t the same here in manila with the white and turquoise trailer attached to the goat shed,leech line into the bay and splicing electricity off of my neighbors.
but it’s ocean front property!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Mr Nice-
yep-
Im rich as hell, too. Got a place thats beautiful, and a woman who puts up with my crap.
Only have a part time job now and the bills are always there, but I STILL dont need a WalMart.
All you have to do is disagree with liberals & they quickly descend to the level of the Humboldt Mirror posters.
Sorry guys, but the truth hurts & you just need to think outside your prejudices.
“All you have to do is disagree with liberals & they quickly descend to the level of the Humboldt Mirror posters.
Sometimes they do- but at least they dont always START
at that level.
(and why does everyone think everything has to do with libs and repubs nowadays?
Jesus couldnt we leave all that out of it for once?
“The truth hurts…”
Would that be the “truth” about the Right to Shop Anywhere / Right to Build a Big Box Anywhere (except in HiFi’s neighborhood, of course)
OR
The “truth” that “everything was better back then all the way around”(for middle-class white people)?
I want to choose to go to a Wal-Mart or a Home Depot in Eureka or Fortuna.
Stop using the system to ruin free enterprise, you goons.
Don’t like it don’t go in.
Smokemonster @ 7:53 If Arkley isn’t strapped for cash, how do you (or does he) explain not paying his debts? Does he just not want to? Personally, I think there is more to it than that. Thus, I think the Marina Center is not a definite, even if they get approval from the Coastal Commission.
H.F. @ 12:17,
boasting about personal finances???
Ok, how about a money laundering casino operation next to your house? High rollers like to gamble, fondle women before traveling to Peru, cater to kickin’ down $5000.00 to campaign contribution war chests, etc….
Anyhow, there always exist another with more wealth.
Jeffrey Lytle
McKinleyville – 5th District
Trinner,
Do you re-collect the election ballot this election with that special question about whether you were a repub or democrat or independent. Now, I can’t ever remember this in prior elections. SO, when politics is mainstreamed as exclusively repubs and demos. (tea party a little bit now), then yes, repubs. and demos. is mostly what people will be brainwashed with!!
JL
With all the commercial space popping up empty in the eureka area now would be the right time to offer arkley an exit plan…
Maybe he’s just looking forward to the bitter battle, but at the moment the returns are questionable in the short to mid-term…
Articulate the alternative…
Arkley wants to win the battle, no doubt. But does he really want to pay the price? I think an exit strategy could be welcome at this point, depending on way it plays out and how it reflects upon him. The Coastal Commission or voting public could be cast as the villains in not moving the project forward. Having someone else to blame would be key and present the opportunity for a more graceful exit.
Uh, I don’t think he’ll be looking for an “exit strategy” unless he loses the ballot measure in November. Then he MAY want an “exit strategy,” or he MAY be content to punish all of us by holding onto the property but doing nothing with it, other than any clean-up he might be forced to do after maybe a decade of litigation.
On the one hand, he’s a smart enough businessman, and likes to make money, but on the other hand, especially in local politics, he seems to have a rather immature revenge-oriented streak.
I can definitely see the potential for him to petulantly decide to just hold the property so that no one else will be allowed to succeed where he fails, and stall the clean-up as long as possible, even if it costs him considerably in fines or judgements.
I don’t think he has the funds to develop and may just sit on it unless someone like HD commits and he is able to secure financing with mitigated liability. I don’t think he can afford clean-up without $$. As you say, he could just hold the property and stall – but it could eat him up (more) financially. That’s why I think he would welcome a way out.
He supposedly had a net worth of about a billion dollars a few years back. I doubt he’s hurting all that bad. If he DID manage to lose most of a billion dollars in just a few years, he must have lost his business mojo.
When corporations conspire to better centralize and expand their financial interests, they use many terms like interlocking directorates, vertical integration, shell companies, the revolving door to D.C….among many others…
When the poor conspire in their financial interests…it’s usually derided as communistic.
The class war was won long ago through fundamentally communist principles, hell, they even belong to the same clubs, live in the same communities, marry each other and headquarter on the Island of Tortola.
A centralization Stalin would have marveled at.
How very kind of the Arkleys, to leave a grocery store out of their zoning purchase. ‘Course, they do already own the grocery store next door.
If he isn’t hurting, he’s conducting business as though he is – not paying his debts. Seems to me there’s a cash flow problem at the least. I doubt it’s by choice.
Entitlement, same as Dimmick, you have to shame them into giving up every penny owed.
Entitlement is part of it, no doubt. He resents being in the position where money is tight and he’s still expected to shell it out, even though it’s owed. He doesn’t appear to be personally suffering (financially), but he’s angry about his situation. If he’s in a bind, he feels others should suffer along with him.
Blather on. I am sure he will pay his debts if he is able. His pride simply would not allow him to owe others if he is eventually able to pay. I just wish he would pay the locals he owes. It would help his reputation here too. Of course, this group at the HH will never accept anything RA does as positive.
People keep talking about his personal billions. What is the truth? Does he have plenty of dough, is “able” to pay his debts but is choosing not to. Is he hurting, juggling cash flow, not paying all he owes and hoping things will improve? I hope you’re correct that his pride would not allow him to owe others if he is eventually able to pay. It would also be nice if he would pay everyone, not just the locals. People outside of Humboldt County are struggling with this problem too.
People like Rob operate on huge debt all the time. Debt is the name of the game and one can’t function in finance without it. His usual sources aren’t delivering and his holdings aren’t paying off. The balloon tract is just another albatross. He’ll let it go when he finds a way to save face. That’s the why for the measure in November.
I think you may be right about saving face with the Marina Center. Also, I realize Arkley’s business is based on debt. But, he is his business, especially when he signs personally. So, if he has this vast personal wealth, he has the ability to pay his debts. He probably is looking for a settlement with Bank of America but has lesser obligations to small businesses, service providers, etc. and he should do his best to honor those.
What I heard is that he is living a frugal life now, not traveling as much and tending to matters at the home office.
Not true, unfortunately, though that may be the message he wants to be out there.
“…he is living a frugal life now…”
I have a feeling that his idea of frugality would be most people’s idea of pretty luxurious living. When I see him presenting coupons and buying generics in the Winco checkout line, I’ll reconsider.
That is true, TRA. He has a very different frame of reference. For example, taking off for vacation in a personal jet is not a luxury most of enjoy. Paying his debts first would be an excellent way to show he is “tending to matters at the home office.”