The city forfeits $600K. Heinick says one thing. Augustine says another thing (wrong, apparently). Rojas says "ask Carol". Is anyone else worried when Carol Augustine says she's "pretty confindent" the city's got its act together regarding planning services costs?

How can the city council make good decisions if they're not given good information? There seem to be some real problems with staff competence, and I don't mean the rank and file staff. Shouldn't the council demand better? Shouldn't we?

So we find out that we taxpayers have been subsidizing the development activities that concern us: major projects that defy the city's general plan and zoning codes but proceed anyway, and McMansions that are being built by spec developers who have no intention of becoming part of our neighborhoods but want to profit from their greed while squandering resources and changing the character of our community forever. And no, I am not criticizing either renovation or all development. I just don't like that the city has knowingly subsidized development activities that many of us oppose - with our own money!

I'm sure that there are subtleties to the job of municipal finance director that we regular people can't fathom, but it sure seems like MP has put its money in the wrong hands.