By Andrew Edwards
Created: 08/16/2012 11:44:52 AM PDT
The special agency that helped start a national debate over a controversial eminent domain-for-mortgages plan aimed at helping San Bernardino County’s underwater homeowners soon will be able to accept formal proposals.
The agency’s board voted on Thursday to direct staffers to draft a request for proposals aimed at creating some policy that would help homeowners whose mortgage debt exceeds the market value of their home.
The broadly worded order does not include the phrase “eminent domain,” and county CEO Greg Devereaux, who also chairs the special agency, sought to allay concerns that officials already have decided that eminent domain is the way to go.
“We’re not here to look for any one approach,” he said. “We’re here to look for ideas.”
The special agency’s official name is Homeownership Protection Program Joint Powers Authority. It consists of the county, Ontario and Fontana.
Although Thursday wasn’t the first time Devereaux has said the agency hasn’t settled on eminent domain, opponents of that idea dominated the public comment portions at Thursday’s meeting.
“I’m 110 percent against the county’s effort to use eminent domain,” said Brenda Meyer of Cozy Cabins Realty in Crestline.
Devereaux said in response to her concerns that taxpayer dollars weren’t paying for opinion polling and that the county did not commission any phone surveys on the issue.
The eminent domain proposal comes from San Francisco investment firm Mortgage Resolution Partners.
The company’s founders say they can raise private dollars to help government agencies use eminent domain to buy mortgages that have been packaged into private-label mortgage backed securities.
To read entire story, click here.
Does SBCo really think it is smarter than private mortgage lenders? Who in county govt has the brains to stop this stupid idea?
What happens when a homeowner can’t make his/her payments and then shows up at a BOS meeting crying about a foreclosure and its on the front page on the Sun? Will the BOS have the guts to say; too bad – we’re foreclosing anyway?
Wasn’t Devereaux on the jet of a Colonies partner who was a mortgage broker and a banker?
repairman, stupidest comment ever on this site, figure out which is your ass and wich is your mouth.
uknow on:
Meant something to you.
uknow on:
By the way it wasn’t a comment, it is fact.
Repairman:
Didn’t the “Colonies partner” who owned the jet sell his Mortgage Banking business many years prior to the trip to West Virginia with Greg Devereaux?
Also, most Mortgage Bankers do not like to be referred to as “mortgage brokers.” That’s kind of like referring to the owner of an automobile dealership as a “car salesman.”
Observer, aren’t still sticking-up for John Doe “Colonies Cat-burglar” No. 2, and former-Chair of the State Fish and Wildlife Board Dan “God’s Gift” Richards, are we?
Deveraux is behind this scheme to help his friends? Tell me it aint so. This cancer belongs in federal prison.
Little Stevie Wonder:
Since your above comment #7 was short, I disinclined my instincts and decided to read it.
Initially, I noted that the adolescent name calling that has characterized the prior comments of yours that I have read remains an important element.
That trend notwithstanding, can you please explain how my Comment #6 could possibly be construed as my “sticking-up” for Dan Richards?
OOF…,..Little Stevie Wonder is right, his comment looks like it struck a cord with you.
Anonymous:
Regarding Comment #10, how was Little Stevie Wonder “right?”
Repairman’s Comment #2 twists the facts to make the trip to West Virginia for a football game seem even more sinister. That trip is old news, and if there was anything remotely inappropriate about it, Mike Ramos would have jumped all over it years ago.
Since Little Stevie Wonder is remaining silent, perhaps you can explain how my Comment #6 could possibly be construed as my “sticking-up” for Dan Richards. Can you do so?
Now you are acting like DA Mikey doesn’t selectively prostitute his authority and the public resources at his disposal?!
Observer, everybody knows that these these good olde boyz all run in the same gang or circle-o-thieves together… JB, DR, Devilreaux, Ovitt, Biane, Kirk, PonTell (the same names keep coming-up), and of course (wait for it) DA Mikey is the gang leader, that is why he isn’t prosecuting the Colonies Settlement conspirators in a fashion that would be expected to result in any convictions. Basically that’s what the San Berdoo doo government and the state government have in common, they’re all incompetent, willfully negligent in doing the business of the people (so we need them more), and at the same time, totally self-serving in protecting their own political interests.
Little Stevie Wonder:
As I read Comment #12, you are claiming that Mike Ramos is the “gang leader” of a group that includes Jeff Burum, and is not prosecuting The Colonies in a manner that would lead to convictions. On that basis, when the prosecution is not able to convict them, a distinct possibility given their results so far, you can claim that Mike Ramos did not really try to do so since he is part of the “gang.”
Do you have any clue how preposterous that sounds?
Much more likely is the theory that Mike Ramos never had a legitimate case, and is wasting millions of dollars of taxpayer money in a selective prosecution to retaliate against The Colonies for successfully suing the county.
OOF……LSW is right because you rush to defend the indefensible actions of Richards. Those politicos had no business on that plane together. In fact the whole episode is unethical. There is a time and a place for everything and the vetting of a prospective county official is best done in official surroundings and not in the presence of corrupt developers in a private jet while sipping champagne. It might be old news, but it is still relevant news.
Anonymous:
Regarding Comment #14, how do you know what was discussed on the West Virginia trip? Greg Devereaux didn’t even work for the county at the time. My guess is there was a lot of talk about visiting West Virginia, the state where both Dan Richards and Greg Devereaux come from, as well as Mountaineer football.
In my opinion, if they flew commercial, nobody would have even known about it. The private jet angle has been played up to demonstrate that these are affluent people.
One person’s “relevant” news is another’s “old” news; this continues to be old news to me.
PS: Speaking of “corrupt,” Mike Ramos could not find one thing to charge Dan Richards with in The Colonies prosecution. Do you think for one second that he did not look long and hard?
OOF…….Biane admitted to using the time spent on the jet to talk about the position Devereaux currently holds. This information was in the original article when the news broke. This is why I made the comment about these politicos having no business on this private jet discussing county business in front of a developer. You are right when you say that we do not know what they talked about, but we also do not know what they didn’t talk about and this is why boundaries need to be set and respected. In this case they weren’t and now the perception of scandal exists. Now if one mans relevant news is another’s old news, at the very least it records a pattern of behavior for Richards that the public can refer back to and it also casts a shadow of doubt on any proposal (good or bad) that Devereaux may suggest because the public can never trust that his plans do not involve the ulterior motives of enriching his friends on the tax payer dime.
#17 YOU SAY…”In my opinion, if they flew commercial, nobody would have even known about it. The private jet angle has been played up to demonstrate that these are affluent people.”
You words are so true!
Why do others here spew much HOSTILITY and hate towards the affluent people in our communities? I say GOOD FOR THE AFFLUENT PEOPLE! Enjoy what you have! If they want to spread the JOY and invite a few friends to a vacation MORE POWER TO THEM! AT LEAST THEY ARE SPREADING HAPPINESS AND JOY, UNLIKE JAMES RAMOS, SPREADING FEAR, DRUGS, AND VIOLENCE BY OPENING HIS RESERVATION TO THE MEXICAN CARTELS!
Anonymous #16:
I was not aware that Paul Biane said that they talked about the position that Greg Devereaux currently holds. I will agree that this was perhaps inappropriate if the discussions included Dan Richards.
However, as I have said before, I believe that if there was anything done on this trip that was illegal or could have given rise to charges being filed against Dan Richards or Paul Biane, Mike Ramos would have found it.
In my opinion, Mr. Ramos wasting of millions of dollars on a selective and politically motivated prosecution is a far more egregious event than a possible inappropriate conversation between a developer, a county supervisor, and a future county employee.
Anon#17….The anger displayed is not over their affluence, but over the fact that their affluence came about through corrupt means and this jet ride is a snap shot into the unethical methods that have cost the taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars over the years. This is a far cry from the few million that is being spent by DA Ramos in an effort to put an end to this dangerous assault against the tax payer coffers.
“dangerous assault”
but it’s over Red.
So we all agree, Devilreaux is a dangerous asshole, I mean, asset to this County in it’s future economic turnaround?!
Anon#20 what do you mean it’s over? Do you mean it’s over as in a beaming smile- wink-wink the fix is in over? Because if so then this is further indication of just how dangerous these crooks are to the tax paying public.
No, not over as in, simply a temporary flash of a “beaming smile”-that was just a little teaser treat for us.
For them, “it’s over clowning around” with serious issues that impact the taxpayers, or anybody else for that matter.
The “danger,” which you pointed out, was very real, but has been replaced with a sense of responsibility. I guess one could say that a disaster has been averted for San Bernardino County.
Well, the key word here is “a” (disaster).
Becasue in the process of averting this danger, we have uncovered chilling evidence of much greater dangers; the abuse of power, ill intended influence, and INDIFFERENCE throughout San Bernardino County.
There are many more fires that need to be put out, some smoldering fiercely, some gaining ground, some ready to consume us. But you were not wrong about the danger, you just need to let this one go-it’s over, look up now- there are dark clouds in the horizon to tackle.
Ya, nice try in trying to divert attention. You are right about all these problems. All of the unstable and unpredictability is complements of Mr Burum who subverted and divided county government so bad that it can’t function. This isn’t over by a long shot especially considering that even if Burum bought his way out of this mess there are still three others that will not be so lucky.
Anonymous #24:
Wow, Jeff Burum sure is a powerful guy. In addition to successfully corrupting a bunch of judges, he “subverted and divided county government so bad that it can’t function.”
If Mr. Burum had so much power and influence, why didn’t he use it to get the county to install the detention basin in the first place?
If that would have occurred, The Colonies lawsuit against the county would have never been filed, the “most appalling corruption case in decades, certainly in the history of San Bernardino County and maybe California itself” would not have occurred, and the county would have an extra $100 million or so to help balance the budget.
Why don’t you observe the project conditions of approval instead of participating in this conjecture?
Fact is, JB and DR pulled strings as necessary to maximize their development dollar investment… observer calls that doing business as usual in San Berdoo doo County!
RED!
What?
LOL – You say it was Burum, “who subverted and divided county government so bad that it can’t function.”
Wrong, too complicated and time consuming for him to care, he had his own businesses to run…IT WAS JIM BRULTE WHO RAN THAT SHOW, THAT WAS HIS CUP OF TEA- GOVERNMENT AND POWER AND HOW HE AND HIS PAL’S COULD PROFIT AND CONTROL!
Little Stevie Wonder:
What “project condition of approval” do you want me to “observe?” Is there one that The Colonies did not comply with? Be specific; I would really like to know.
Also, I’m not sure what you mean by “pulling strings,” but isn’t taking steps to “maximize” a “dollar investment” prudent business that is regularly practiced all over the country, not just in “San Berdoo doo county?”
Anonymous#27
What your saying is if you can buy brulte you can buy the county. Wasn’t brulte in the room when judge parcell settled the case?
BRULTE BRULTE, COME OUT COME OUT WHEREVER YOU ARE!
Repairman:
Retired Supreme Court Justice Edward Panelli did not “settle the case,” the parties did. Mr. Panelli served as a mediator.
The settlement agreement was signed by the applicable parties, including Mr. Panelli, on November 28, 2006.
Was Mr. Brulte present on that date when the agreement was signed?
Observer of Facts :
Your splitting hairs. brulte was involved that is why he was included in the F.B.I. raid.
Repairman:
There is a big difference between being in “in the room” when the judge “settled the case,” and being “involved.”
Do you have any insight into how Mr. Brulte was “involved?”
OOF….Brulte was stalking Supervisor Gonzalez in a Chinese hotel lobby with Burum in the background. This was the same trip that found Burum flipping the bill for Supervisor Postmus’ shopping and dining after which Postmus returned to San Berdnardino eager to rush a settlement. Apparently blackmail and bribery are an ethical way to maximize a dollar investment in your book, but not mine.
Anon#27……………Politicians come and go. Their imagined power is only as good as the length of their term and the strength of their relationships. Relationships are reciprocal and so if a politician doesn’t stay relevant they wane. Just ask Erwin who has waned so badly that he has crashed Neil Derry’s chances of being re-elected. The real power is money and as demonstrated, Burum has made enough to behave in a politically destructive way and has justified these actions by letting the bottom line of his investments be his conscience and dictate his ethics. Apperantly, you and observer of Facts have given up on any moral sense and followed suit..
Observer of Facts:
If he wasn’t involved, why was he there? And why do you suppose he was included in the F.B.I. raid?
Anonymous #34:
No, I do not consider “blackmail and bribery” as an “ethical way to maximize a dollar investment.” I have said on the record many times that if the prosecution can prove their case, I support the maximum possible penalties for the defendants.
However, so far they have been going backwards, and everything I have seen suggests that this entire prosecution is nothing more than DA Mike Ramos retaliating against The Colonies for fighting back against the county, and winning.
Do you believe that it is “ethical” for a District Attorney to use taxpayer money to selectively prosecute political adversaries?
OOf….Selective prosecution? Is that what it’s called when a wealthy individual gets caught in unethical practices and is brought under legal charges? I call it protecting the tax paying public. The argument of a DA wasting tax payer money is the most common argument given by organized crime figures from Capone to Gotti and now by proxy through you, Burum.
OOF….BTW, why would Ramos even care if a developer won a case against the county or not, especially when there are so many other fish to fry and even more so if Burum is such a stellar supporter of local politicians? Your theory just doesn’t hold water. It’s more likely that so many complaints came across Ramos’ desk that revolved around Erwin bullying on behalf of Burum, blatant PAC payoff and bragadocious behavior on the part of colonies partners and friendly politicians like Rex, Pomierski, and Postmus that he was put in a position where he had to act. Jeff Burum has established a pattern of shady business dealings and questionable ethics and the tax payers are the ones that always wind up ensuring his profits.
#37
Well said!
Case Closed!
Anonymous # 38:
Have you been paying attention as this prosecution has moved forward?
Since “the most appalling corruption case in decades, certainly in the history of San Bernardino County and maybe California itself” was announced at the ostentatious press conference, all the bribery charges against Jeff Burum have been dismissed, bail that was set at $10 Million was reduced to $0, & the prosecutions key witness has told the F.B.I that he was not bribed.
Let’s all remember that you are calling Mr. Ramos actions “protecting the tax paying public” when he finally has to tell us how much of our money he has spent on this prosecution.
oof….Yes I have been paying attention. I was even paying attention when Burum got a methed up Postmus to use tax payer money and pay top dollar for the county building on Haven when the real estate market was crashing. Then another $700,000. dollars for the used furniture to boot. You know, that’s the same Postmus that you claim is unreliable. Apparently even Burum knew he could take advantage of this guys addiction, not to mention forcing Postmus to give Rex a job in the assessors office. We all know how that turned out. All of this activity was jammed down the public’s throat as well, just like the corrupt settlement that had all the same players.
Anon#40….What are you getting out of it this time, another Rolex? which one will it be, the yacht master, the gmt, or the submariner? I’m partial to Breitling myself, but I don’t think they are going to let you take that into the big house.
Anonymous # 42:
Did you consult with Mike Ramos and Joe Nelson prior to making that comment? Your comment includes the following insight:
1) Jeff “Burum got a methed up Postmus to use tax payer money and pay top dollar for the county building.”
2) Jeff “Burum knew he could take advantage of this guys addiction.”
3) “Not to mention forcing Postmus to give Rex a job”
These statements are right out of the sensationalism file. Of course, they are all unproven allegations, but why let the facts get in the way?
Speaking of facts, a Superior Court Judge has stated on the record that Bill Postmus, the prosecutions key witness in their case against The Colonies, has a credibility problem. Were you paying attention then?
Burum DID NOT force Postmus to give Rex a job.
Postmus gave ALL his pal’s a job; Rex, Greg, Adam, Ted,etc.
In that same time period, Postmus was already constantly high on, among other drugs, highly addictive Methamphetamine, resulting in abuse of power and position- and all the crazy behavior and judgments of a full blown drug addict.
“According to a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) report, 1.2 million Americans abused methamphetamine in 2009. Chronic meth use has been shown to alter brain structure and function, creating emotional, cognitive and physical impairments to motor skills, memory and learning. The greater the meth abuse, the more the symptoms appear. These may include:
Insomnia
Violent behavior
Paranoia
Hallucinations
Meth mouth
Skin eruptions
OOF is correct, the Judge was just in his ruling!
“Superior Court Judge has stated on the record that Bill Postmus, the prosecutions key witness in their case against The Colonies, has a credibility problem.”
OOF……Please take note of anon#45′s comment because it is starting to run perpendicular to yours. Where you argue my comment to be unproven allegations, anon#45 points out that Postmus was heavily on meth while in office. Now you, anon#45, and a superior court judge all agree with me in that Postmus was on drugs, but more than this, it is a matter of record that the county bought a building at top dollar from Burum at the time the real estate market tanked and that Postmus led the charge, as he did with the colonies settlement. Now if Postmus has a credibility problem it is not some new development, the point being that he had a credibility problem all along and Burum used this problem for personal gain while everyone else on the board either covered for him or leveraged his demons for their gain.
Anon#45…..Rex and Burum are pals, Rex lost his job and was hurting and it just so happened that at the time Burum needed Rex because he wanted that Development near Los Osos HS. So he leveraged Postmus for a job for his councilman buddy Rex. In fact, Rex and Postmus were never buddies. The bigger question is, Why didn’t Rex ring the alarm and alert the public to what was going on in the assessors office? The answer is Because he is as crooked as a three dollar bill. That much was proven by a jury of his peers. Everyone knew the assessor’s office was a den of drugs and homosexual activity, especially Burum, who just took advantage of the situation instead of taking a moral stand. There is no excuse for any of them, especially Erwin who is neck deep in this whole mess. So if all of these politicians can be compromised, it’s not to far fetched to believe judges can also be compromised.
Red, if Rex did not sound the alarms, because as you say quite accurately, he is as crooked as a three dollar bill, then, with all due respect-where were you? You seem to know a lot about their inside dealings, was it you were, at one time, quite close and personal with these fellows- and is it that YOU have now changed and are now being judgmental? What makes you think they have not done so as well.
Anonymous #46:
I have never suggested that Bill Postmus was not a drug abuser, or defended him in any way. In my opinion, he had no business being the Assessor or a County Supervisor. He was removed, and is now being prosecuted for, among other things, being high on meth during a search of his home.
Instead of focusing on that prosecution, Mike Ramos is focusing on Jeff Burum, who’s “crime” appears to be successfully suing the county.
In order to try to convict Mr. Burum for bribery, Mr. Ramos cut a deal with Bill Postmus by offering to reduce the amount of time he will spend in prison in exchange for his truthful testimony. Unfortunately for Mr. Ramos (as well as the taxpayers funding the prosecution), Mr. Postmus testimony is that he was never bribed.
There are two separate prosecutions here, Bill Postmus and The Colonies group. People seem to be comingling them, aided by the stories in the Sun and Daily Bulletin.
Anonymous #46:
What is the basis for your opinion that the “county bought a building at top dollar from Burum?”
How much did the county pay for the building? What were similar buildings selling for at the time?
And what is the source of the claim the “Postmus led the charge?” Wasn’t he gone from the Board of Supervisors when that transaction took place?
Observer, the Fact is that BIlly Bob RESIGNED under threat of RECALL by ET SNELL and the CLOWN PATROL, to include Sam, Sharon, Barb, Mark… (and anyone else crazy enough to fight against corruption in San Berdoo doo County).
The Board of Stupidvisors were sitting back and watching the ET the Clown Show (just like LSW was on TV), the Board didn’t have the gumption to REMOVE Postmus, that took THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE… THANK YOU CLOWN PATROL!
And as far as the Burum/ Richards (DP?) building purchase goes on Haven in RC, Postmus was off the BOS (still ASSe$$or), but a couple of his Colonies Conspirator buddies were still on the Board to see that “sweetheart deal” come to fruition, since both former-Chairs Pauley “Pretty Boy” Biane and Gary “Oh not Me” Ovitt voted to make those scandalous transactions for the County taxpayers.
Little Stevie Wonder:
I read comment #50 three times to be sure I understood what you were trying to say.
Once I got past the adolescent name calling, I concluded that you believe that the Haven building transaction was a bad deal for the buyers and a good deal for the sellers.
However, just like Anonymous # 46, you have provided no facts to support this claim. Do you know what the purchase price was? The terms? The market value of similar properties at the time?
Just like the West Virginia plane trip, I feel that if this transaction had even a hint of impropriety, Mike Ramos would have been all over it.
Mike Ramos had always wanted to go to Virginia, and he got pissed off when he was “left out” of that Virginia vacation–so he let them know who had the last word!
Here’s what I think of W.V.
http://www.greaseman.org/sounds/irvins/02-01%20-%20W.%20Va..mp3
The slow one’s won’t understand this…..
Sgt Milstar:
I must be one of the “slow one’s;” the closest this guy every got to West Virginia in his career was Washington D.C. Most of his career seems to have been spent in New York. Please explain.
Also, I’m sure it’s fine with West Virginia natives for Californian’s to stereotype them. I suspect that they have a stereotype of Californian’s as well.
Sgt. I am more than “slow,” I am flat out lame, please enlighten me.
I remember the Greaseman used to come on KLOS at night back in the early 90s.
Don’t you guys have a sense of humor? Lighten up…
Steal over a billion, still walking on the streets… Appear before congress get addressed as honorable… Jon Corzine.
Steal with your family $100,000 get ten years… May get out after serving 4 years with good behavior… DPSS worker SB County…
Back on topic…
Link: http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2012/09/here-are-some-interesting-stats.html
Red, regarding your # 43 comment-what was THAT all about?
When have I ever given the impression I can be bought with any expensive item?
You are making a big mistake in assuming what that comment was, indirectly, leading to!