Tacoma News Tribune today January 2nd, 2009 page B1 "Casino owner offers to settle".
After four mayors in about four months who is in charge? Who makes decisions on the town's behalf? Under whose direction is the town's $4.2 million trust fund being laundered and squandered?
The new Dan Albertson picked town attorney David Britton appears to operating for his own benefit outside of any town direction? The latest mayor Bruce Hopkins in his short time in office has been totally immersed in the budget. It appears he listens only to Dan Albertson, council person and neighbor, or he is operating on his own and outside of the town's interests?
Refusing to stipulate yes as to a 3-1 council vote on imposing the 12 percent gambling tax on the Point Defiance Cafe and Casino injunction request cost the town about $1,700 legal fees and costs (not including any costs for attorney Dan Albertson who was at the hearing for over an hour). Filing a motion for Summary Judgment cost an additional $1,700 dollars. Not returning calls from the opposing attorney just prolongs the town's lawsuit and keeps adding to the costs. Again with little or no benefit for the town of Ruston, WA.
Going to trial and refusing to settle out of court will greatly increase the town's legal costs. Win or lose David Britton comes out smelling like a rose, with large legal fees incurred. For Ruston the $20,000 a year they received previously from the more reasonable 3 percent floating gambling tax is gone forever. There is absolutely no benefit to the Town of Ruston for not allowing the Casino to operate until the case could be heard on its merits.
This from a town whose only mantra is "cry poor and apply for grants". This from a town running a $500,000 yearly deficit financed through the proceeds of a land sale to the Commencement condominium project. Previous grants have been misused or turned down after being approved.
To summarize:
.Running a $500,000 deficit.
.Losing $100,000 gambling tax five years (see SCROOGE TOWN Ruston Insider Dec. 7, 2008)
.Losing $100,000 not imposing utility taxes on residents. (BALANCING ACT TWO Ruston Insider Dec. 3, 2008)
.Losing $90,000 on a ill advised lawsuit vs. the Commencement to kick them out of their sales room on which they had a 500 year lease so ballet classes could be held there.
.Losing $125,000 town's half of chief Reinhold lawsuit settlement.
.running TOTAL so far: $415,000
Wow, the Tacoma gang has broken open the town Piggy Bank! There is more but you get the idea.
Do you get a feeling that the people currently running the town would rather see it dead and buried, merged into Tacoma or more likely Pierce County?
Town of Ruston officials:
Mayor, Bruce Hopkins
Council, Bradley Huson
Council, Jim Hedrick
Council, Wayne Stebner
Council, Dan Albertson
Council, Jane Hunt
Attorney, David Britton
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1 comment:
Jim, Jim, Jim you forget so much. Check out how much you spent on attorney fees in 2008 (Transue term). Look what Reinhold got paid (Transue term). Look how much you paid for a Chief of Police in 2008, Reese who had to be babysat by Kunkel (Transue term). If you tally these up, I believe you'll come close to $500,000. $500,000. That number rings a bell. Oh, that's the deficit!
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