Berkeley City Govt. has high credit rating - actually quite effective

[cmac2012]

Who would'a thought?

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/18/EDKJV3P2P.DTL&hw=""=001&sc=1000

[cmac2012]

What's this, unlimited appetite for dumping on the Berkeley city govt. but when it turns out that they govern better than most city govts., it's all ho-hum?

[Medmech]

time to sober up.

http://www.allcountries.org/uscensus/509_bond_ratings_for_city_governments_by.html

[Botnst]

Barkeley is only useful when zingers need humming.

[PaulC]

I just don't understand why so many Berkeley officials were so eager to placate those who threatened to take away $1.34 in government grants when they could have used that spiffy bond rating to float a bond to replace it.

[Matt SD300]

Berkeley............... Sorry bunch........................

[Jim B.]

Originally Posted by Matt SD300

Berkeley............... Sorry bunch........................

^^^^^That is the typical facile and ignorant reaction. You know NOTHING about the city and continue to trade in stereotypes and florid, gross over generalizations, same as you do about San Francisco.




Here is what some of the Berkeley residents themselves said about this article:


(in the "comments" section)

Anything good about Berkeley's government is quickly lost to the "PC posturing and political mischief-making" of it's self absorbed elected officials. There is a far better way forward, i.e. elected officials that put the city before their own self aggrandizement.




Posted 2/19/2008 9:44:46 AM

Abuseberkeleytruth wrote:

The city, and this article, are a joke. Prof. Kirp has embarrased his profession, his school and himself. He has offered no explanation of HOW the city achieved these things because virtually all of them are the result of national and local trends, and of Berkeley's gentrification - not the intelligence of the city's stewards. Berkeley's credit rating is due to the wealth of its citizenry and its highest-in-the-state taxes. Reduced teen pregnancies and higher life expantancies come with a wealthier people. Check the city's income levels - the poor are being pushed out. Where is the mention of the horrible violent crime and drug problems that infest the city? Of the homeless plague? Of the dirty, disgusting streets and parks, and the shuttered buildings and fleeing businesses? THESE are the things Tom Bates and the City Council should be measured against - not things over which they had no control. Berkeley's leaders should be scorned for their ineptitude and run out of town. Wake up!

Posted 2/20/2008 11:09:42 AM

Abuseintegrity007 wrote:

I am a homeowner in Berkeley and I am pissed! They charge us so much money in taxes and then the stupied mayor and city council friggen piss our hard earned money and blow it on the UC athletic center lawsuit, Marine recruiting, and other lame pet projects. In a city of about 120,000 there are about 50-100 crusty old hippies leftover and rotting from the 1960's whom don't know that Viet Nam is over (they were yelling "BabyKillers" at the Marine recruiters. These crusty hippies practically live at city hall while the rest of us Berkeley residents are hard at work to pay the taxes that these old prop.13 benefactors don't pay (public records show some of my neighbor pay a few hundred dollars in property taxes while my household (which takes 4 adult incomes to afford) pay Tens of thousands of dollars in property taxes, so basically, my household is subsidizing these jackashes to hang out and waste my money! We have potholes, crackheads, and other garbage and nothing is being fixed! F-COB!

Posted 2/21/2008 12:27:37 AM

Abuseintegrity007 wrote:

Plus, many of these "Protesters" don't even live in Berkeley! Most, if not all of those treesitters are from other cities and/or states! Why should they be allowed to hold UC hostage on UC land?! The person called "ayr" is a 39 year old bum! Not a student. Get those fools off UC property and in jail where they belong! I'm sick and tired of these outsiders using my city for their entertainment and fun. GO HOME ALREADY! Go cash in your trustfund and move back in with your parents to SOCAL!

[Matt SD300]

Let me clarify myself....Berkeley is.....A SORRY BUNCH OF UN-AMERICAN LIBS, that don't have a clue of what peace means!!

Peace.... comes from Superior power/force.............Thats just the way it is...

Freedom comes at great price...And those SO-B's are a disgrace too America..

I will never spend a dime in that town that is filled with... RED DIPPER DOPER BABY'S,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Ara T.]

Well there are many people who'd think you and your bible thumping friends are a disgrace to America too.

[Jim B.]

Originally Posted by Matt SD300

Let me clarify myself....Berkeley is.....A SORRY BUNCH OF UN-AMERICAN LIBS, that don't have a clue of what peace means!!

Peace.... comes from Superior power/force.............Thats just the way it is...

Freedom comes at great price...And those SO-B's are a disgrace too America..

I will never spend a dime in that town that is filled with... RED DIPPER DOPER BABY'S,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

^^^^^ Now truly, that post absolutely takes the cake, right down to the misspellings and grammatical and punctuation errors contained within.

It is without a scintilla of a doubt, the most utterly retarded post I have EVER observed on this forum since May 2006 when I joined Mercedesshop.

Absolutely UFB.

[Matt SD300]

Originally Posted by Ara T.

Well there are many people who'd think you and your bible thumping friends are a disgrace to America too.

Shut up!.....Do some research on our founding fathers...........

Then report back..........

Or would you like me to show/expose... "YOUR" ignorince/liberal/anti-American veiws?..............................

[Matt SD300]

Originally Posted by Jim B.

^^^^^ Now truly, that post absolutely takes the cake, right down to the misspellings and grammatical and punctuation errors contained within.

It is without a scintilla of a doubt, the most utterly retarded post I have EVER observed on this forum since May 2006 when I joined Mercedesshop.

Absolutely UFB.

Hey Jimbo....I agree, my grammer/writing...well sucks....

That said, your reaction speaks, volumes...The truth hurts.. No?....

Sorry bro...had to say it..................

[Ara T.]

The founding fathers held slaves, does that mean I should too?

Of course they were religious, the people electing them were religious.

How many politicians today pretend to be religious so some of the nuts in this country won't overlook them on the pamphlet I wonder.

[Matt SD300]

Originally Posted by Ara T.

The founding fathers held slaves, does that mean I should too?

Of course they were religious, the people electing them were religious.

How many politicians today pretend to be religious so some of the nuts in this country won't overlook them on the pamphlet I wonder.

Good post!!!...

[TMAllison]

Matt - You dont know much about Berkeley, its history or culture. Pretty progressive place; usually 10 or 15 years ahead of the middle of the country.

Ps: Don't ever visit Santa Cruz....ya wouldn't like it.