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"DOWNTOWN THEATRE
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The Oxnard Journal wishes to remind the city that there are two theatres currently within the downtown radius. One being El Teatro (Boulevard) on Oxnard Blvd. betwixt 6th & 7th Streets is a Real DownTown Theatre and should be our shinning example of what our new proposed downtown theatre has as a future. And, the Channel Islands Cinema @ Carriage Square is an Open / Active Movie House. They are just making it as far as attendance goes - stay tuned for more on this.....
DOWNTOWN THEATRE DEBAUCLE...
The following was e-mailed to VC (Red) Star Press and the LAXitive Times.... most assuredly, neither will print it....The Oxnard Journal WILL!
Proposed Oxnard Downtown Theater Project by Peter Apanel
It's apparent from today's article in the Star that the city is still taking the position that it is going to apply for HUD Section 108 funding.
However, as Martin Jones pointed out in a statement he read to the city council in July, the project is ineligible for this type of funding.
Here is the main issue.
There is a mandatory HUD requirement that projects receiving this type of funding must create a certain number of full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs, and the maximum amount that can be spent on any given business is $50,000 per FTE job.
The city claims the theater alone would create 83 FTE jobs. So, if $10 million of the loan guarantee is spent on the theater, that would work out to more than $120,000 per FTE job.
The number of FTE jobs is calculated by adding up all of the hours worked by all employees during the course of a year, and dividing that number by 2,080 hours. So, if there actually were 83 FTE jobs, and the theater was open, on average, 14 hours per day, 365 days per year, that would work out to 33 people, on average, being on duty at any given time the theater is open for business.
Clearly, that's not realistic.
In fact, a theater project of this size would probably generate fewer than 30 FTE jobs, which would work out to more than $333,000 per FTE job -- more than six times the maximum allowed!
Here is the latest development.
Yesterday, I received a letter from HUD's Washington, D.C., office, in response to a letter I mailed on July 13, 2001, concerning the issue of eligibility. HUD's response indicates that my letter has been forwarded to the city, and that HUD has requested that the city send its response directly to me, with copies to HUD, within 15 working days.
So, that should finally put an official end to the possibility of HUD funding for this project, sometime around September 10, because there is no remedy for the project's basic ineligibility.
Also, the Ventura County District Attorney is investigating 13 separate violations of the Brown Act which took place in connection with this project over the past two years when the city council held closed session meetings without identifying, as required by law, all of the parties involved in negotiations; specifically, David Augustine and OREC, LLC. The contact person at the district attorney's office is Tom Harris.
And the state's Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating Victor Georgino's wife, Susan Georgino, the redevelopment director for the City of Burbank, for failing to report all of her husband's business interests in connection with this project. The contact person at the FPPC is Shirley Fong.
Peter Apanel
[[[----- Original Message ----- ]]] From: Peter Apanel
To: Hernandez, Raul Cc: William.Overend@latimes.com
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2001 2:24 PM
Subject: Proposed Oxnard Downtown Theater Project
(Editor's Note: Mr. Apanel is a former Oxnard City Employee who worked on Downtown Issues and was aware of the City's early plans for pushing through a Theater Project.)
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The OxJo is receiving several interesting E-mails regarding our Downtown Theatre Article. Here is one example:
Bill,
I am beside myself at this time after viewing your article on the theatre scheduled for downtown. Is that where all of our money goes? Why can't we stop this bullying that the council has done to the real residents that have lived her for years and years? and keep paying their taxes for what. Have they forgotten who really supports this city us not them. They need to be replaced. Are there any plans for next year when we get to vote these bozos out?
Another thing how much did the city spend on the Cowboys?
We as an Online News Journal are making a Difference..... Please Spread the Word we are here for Oxnard.
Bill Winter - Editor
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