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Susan Luzzaro
Susan Luzzaro
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Comments
Votes
Sweetwater Union High School District & Realty Co.
Below is an excerpt from a 2004 UT article called "Complex plan may yield school HQ" It explains, (though the deal is not something that could be clarified), how the deal was supposed to go down. As you can read, the deal is missing quite a few elements now--redevelopment $$ for one. Sweetwater builds its new headquarters, adult school and corporate yard at L Street. Meanwhile, developers lease the three plots of land that the district owns and build homes on them. Sweetwater moves into the L Street property owned by the trust. Then there's a swap: The trust gives the L Street property to the school district in exchange for the three pieces of now-developed land. The trust then sells the three pieces of land to the developer for $77 million, gets an additional $25 million in homes sales profits and uses it to help pay off the mortgage and construction bills for the L Street complex. This, combined with the negotiated tax-increment money and money the district already gets from the city redevelopment agency, leaves Sweetwater without any net costs. Husson estimates the deal will generate $847 million in new taxes and property value. That figure is based on the value of the new district headquarters ($122 million), the value of the 1,002 homes ($451 million) he projects will be built and the property taxes paid over 42 years ($274 million) that would not be generated without the project.
— March 6, 2013 8:45 a.m.
Southwestern College trustee resigns in protest
Serafin Zasueta. Thank you oskidoll. It's good to know that people remember and give context to what has happened at Southwestern.
— March 2, 2013 7:11 p.m.
Southwestern College may trim faculty to reduce costs
Eugene, Pretty catchy lyrics. I want to say thanks to commenters and also to the people, both classified and faculty, who have contacted me through my gmail listed on the Reader website. Quite a surprising outcry. There seems to be quite a bit more backstory regarding what has been going on at Southwestern.
— February 25, 2013 8:47 a.m.
Southwestern College may trim faculty to reduce costs
Eric Maag, the president of the SCEA, contributed this comment after the story had been filed. "The Southwestern College Education Association Rep Council passed the February 14 resolution prompted by frustration over years of class cutbacks and salary reduction." Maag also said the district has failed to provide the negotiating team with complete and accurate information.
— February 21, 2013 8:46 a.m.
Sweetwater school district’s weird, failed real estate deals
I believe this article is not an end in itself, but a beginning into an inquiry. If a district, any district, has surplus or real estate property--should voters have been asked to approve a construction bond? What are the limits of tax payer monies? Should district financial resources go to making property shovel ready for condos?
— February 14, 2013 8:02 p.m.
Sweetwater school district’s weird, failed real estate deals
Fred Williams, Slow to respond, but a compliment from you is a badge I can wear. Thank you. Susan
— February 14, 2013 7:51 p.m.
Sweetwater school district’s weird, failed real estate deals
While I hate to emote, I feel privileged to be part of promoting public dialogue with content...
— February 10, 2013 5:56 p.m.
Sweetwater school district’s weird, failed real estate deals
The L Street property was receiving $800,000 a year from redevelopment until that folded and $300,000 from rentals on the property.
— February 9, 2013 7:28 p.m.
Sweetwater school district’s weird, failed real estate deals
mko, and so the district's expenditure in 2004 was predicated on a buy in from the city? In any case the purchase sagged under the variable bonds and then $6mill in expenditures to maintain the odd deal. There are still questions to be answered. And the weight of behaviour begins to accumulate. Don't know if I agree that a soccer field has merit though there are those in my house that are fanaticos. The district and transportation center should have a solid tract of land... alternately western CV needs to be upgraded. A quality development with a view. Not as many apartments as the land would bare.
— February 8, 2013 10:38 p.m.
Alleged pay-to-play cases remain in South Bay
Bubbletoes, I have never followed cases like these closely--all the way through. It will be a learning lesson for me but it does seem clear that powerful forces are at work here.
— February 6, 2013 7:46 a.m.
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Eva Knott
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Ken Leighton
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Bob McPhail
Walter Mencken
Joseph O'Brien
Sheila Pell
Ian Pike
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H.G. Reza
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This Week’s
Reader
This Week’s
Reader
Sweetwater Union High School District & Realty Co.
Below is an excerpt from a 2004 UT article called "Complex plan may yield school HQ" It explains, (though the deal is not something that could be clarified), how the deal was supposed to go down. As you can read, the deal is missing quite a few elements now--redevelopment $$ for one. Sweetwater builds its new headquarters, adult school and corporate yard at L Street. Meanwhile, developers lease the three plots of land that the district owns and build homes on them. Sweetwater moves into the L Street property owned by the trust. Then there's a swap: The trust gives the L Street property to the school district in exchange for the three pieces of now-developed land. The trust then sells the three pieces of land to the developer for $77 million, gets an additional $25 million in homes sales profits and uses it to help pay off the mortgage and construction bills for the L Street complex. This, combined with the negotiated tax-increment money and money the district already gets from the city redevelopment agency, leaves Sweetwater without any net costs. Husson estimates the deal will generate $847 million in new taxes and property value. That figure is based on the value of the new district headquarters ($122 million), the value of the 1,002 homes ($451 million) he projects will be built and the property taxes paid over 42 years ($274 million) that would not be generated without the project.— March 6, 2013 8:45 a.m.
Southwestern College trustee resigns in protest
Serafin Zasueta. Thank you oskidoll. It's good to know that people remember and give context to what has happened at Southwestern.— March 2, 2013 7:11 p.m.
Southwestern College may trim faculty to reduce costs
Eugene, Pretty catchy lyrics. I want to say thanks to commenters and also to the people, both classified and faculty, who have contacted me through my gmail listed on the Reader website. Quite a surprising outcry. There seems to be quite a bit more backstory regarding what has been going on at Southwestern.— February 25, 2013 8:47 a.m.
Southwestern College may trim faculty to reduce costs
Eric Maag, the president of the SCEA, contributed this comment after the story had been filed. "The Southwestern College Education Association Rep Council passed the February 14 resolution prompted by frustration over years of class cutbacks and salary reduction." Maag also said the district has failed to provide the negotiating team with complete and accurate information.— February 21, 2013 8:46 a.m.
Sweetwater school district’s weird, failed real estate deals
I believe this article is not an end in itself, but a beginning into an inquiry. If a district, any district, has surplus or real estate property--should voters have been asked to approve a construction bond? What are the limits of tax payer monies? Should district financial resources go to making property shovel ready for condos?— February 14, 2013 8:02 p.m.
Sweetwater school district’s weird, failed real estate deals
Fred Williams, Slow to respond, but a compliment from you is a badge I can wear. Thank you. Susan— February 14, 2013 7:51 p.m.
Sweetwater school district’s weird, failed real estate deals
While I hate to emote, I feel privileged to be part of promoting public dialogue with content...— February 10, 2013 5:56 p.m.
Sweetwater school district’s weird, failed real estate deals
The L Street property was receiving $800,000 a year from redevelopment until that folded and $300,000 from rentals on the property.— February 9, 2013 7:28 p.m.
Sweetwater school district’s weird, failed real estate deals
mko, and so the district's expenditure in 2004 was predicated on a buy in from the city? In any case the purchase sagged under the variable bonds and then $6mill in expenditures to maintain the odd deal. There are still questions to be answered. And the weight of behaviour begins to accumulate. Don't know if I agree that a soccer field has merit though there are those in my house that are fanaticos. The district and transportation center should have a solid tract of land... alternately western CV needs to be upgraded. A quality development with a view. Not as many apartments as the land would bare.— February 8, 2013 10:38 p.m.
Alleged pay-to-play cases remain in South Bay
Bubbletoes, I have never followed cases like these closely--all the way through. It will be a learning lesson for me but it does seem clear that powerful forces are at work here.— February 6, 2013 7:46 a.m.