Racketeering

My letter to the City of Blaine today:

You seem to go in circles with the unlawful zoning text amendments for building heights and privatized parking on Peace Portal, a State of Washington thoroughfare. This expedited scheme--hatched by Community Development Services (CDS)--did not consider the economic impacts to downtown commerce, nor to the city as a whole which is in a state of financial desperation. The collusion between downtown developers and Blaine Community Development Services (on instruction of the city council) to facilitate self-dealing by developers while eliminating public participation invalidates the entire process. As an example of the widespread corruption involving the mayor and CDS director Wenger, Councilman Hill—a downtown developer--did not recuse himself in the process.

For two years, I have implored you to involve the public in creating a civic center master plan for public holdings around the library downtown as a means of tourism development for economic recovery. A master plan including a new library, art center and city museum would be competitive for state and federal grants and generate revenue for our city. A wall of view-blocking condos on Peace Portal combined with no on-street public parking will kill downtown economic recovery propelling our city toward bankruptcy.

Had you chosen to abide by the law regarding public participation--holding town halls to discuss the developers' proposals and alternative community visions for downtown redevelopment—you might have learned the 2024 comprehensive plan update and city work plan to implement it​ are inconsistent with the city's goals of tourism development and violated SEPA in not considering impacts to the economy, environment and community of Blaine.

The widespread corrupt practices by CDS with the support of the city council make a mockery of the Appearance of Fairness Doctrine, and trample on the rights of Blaine citizens under the Growth Management Act, State Environmental Policy Act, Civil Rights Act, Clean Water Act, and even Blaine's Central Business District Project Charter regarding public participation. Proceeding with this unlawful charade exposes the City of Blaine to significant liability.

Official misconduct by the City of Blaine over the last year is analogous to racketeering by a criminal enterprise, manipulating the public process on behalf of crooked developers at the expense of public participation and a hopeful future. How can we believe in the rule of law when it doesn't exist in our community?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Letter to County Prosecutor

To Mr. Eric J. Richey, Whatcom Prosecuting Attorney, 311 Grand, Ste. 201, Bellingham WA 98225 I write to you as Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney in hope you will protect the rights of the people of Blaine from a city government that--due to embedded corruption--is unable to effectively govern and is putting our health and prosperity at risk by their unlawful acts. Your reply requested.  I am told you have the authority to empanel a grand jury to investigate official misconduct and encourage you to do so. I copy my most recent letter to the City of Blaine below. This is the tip of the iceberg, and we have abundant evidence of widespread intentional wrongdoing.   To Blaine City Council, Planning Commission, and Community Development Services As you proceed with the downtown rezone/development regulation items of parking and building heights this month, I remind you that this process was corrupted at the outset when on 3/24/2023 Blaine City Council ordered the Blaine City Manager to in
Read more

Reckless Bigotry

In his Northern Light candidate interview , Cliff Freeman said the following:  "Stop the woke agenda that is poisoning the minds of our kids. Be it diversity training, CRT, social and emotional learning, inappropriate sex education, reducing parent’s rights, this transgender contagion, the list goes on. I will take a hard look at the curriculum. I need to understand the state requirements that promote this craziness as well as any district policies, if any, that contribute to it. And make adjustments if needed. The curriculum needs to reflect the values of the community." It is shameful that Blaine School District voters elected someone who openly opposes diversity and learning about the history of American racism that led to slavery and genocide. Putting the lives of transgender and other LGBTQ+ students at risk is not leadership; it is reckless bigotry.  [related articles: Whatcom Hate Groups  and Duties of Citizenship ] [note: I am using Freeman's own words to facilita
Read more

Culture of Exclusion

BLAINE COMMUNITY FORUM Ending the Culture of Exclusion at Blaine City Hall As the city of Blaine experienced unprecedented growth over the last couple of years, citizens from Semiahmoo, Salishan and East Blaine contributed ideas on how to protect critical areas (city aquifer, Cain Creek, Drayton Harbor), how to kickstart prosperity at our civic center (new library, art center), and how to facilitate meaningful public participation in planning our future. As these citizens soon discovered, corruption by Blaine officials of the planning process required under the Washington State Growth Management Act put critical areas, prosperity, and public participation at risk. When these citizens asked questions concerning conflicts of interest, self-dealing, and the city conspiring to violate the Growth Management Act, the city council retaliated. Now that the City of Blaine has closed public comment at their meetings—making Blaine the only city in Whatcom County that excludes public participation
Read more