Excerpts from : JAMES POWELL EMAIL TO TENANT LEADERS
REF: Analysis of email received 3/9/14 from Sabur Guy, Chief of Staff for Councilman Anibal Ramos
to the tenant team (no regulatory authorities):
the email does not only pass the smell test, but parts of it stink to high heaven.
paragraph 2 is a long-winded, completely rationalized 'neutral' way of saying "remove yourselves from the process, you are amateurs, trust us." that is always a huge red flag. under the guise of smoothly saying, "let us handle it," it asks us to buy into the idea that we dont know whats best for us.
paragraphs 3 and 4: translation of obfucating legislative-ese:
"Put your faith in it."
= Don't question us on reason.
"...we have been working diligently to ensure that we get the best results for the tenants of 380-402 Mt. Prospect."
= why not all the tenants of Newark?? hmm.
what diligence? what have you done?? when even a simple example is not included, it makes me think someone's hiding something.
"So far we are getting the job done."
Details, examples, anything to back up a completely vague claim? By their own words, exactly WHAT job IS being done??
"It is not mainstream but it is happening."
= we are not going to tell you what we're doing.
"The Councilman doesn't believe in grandstanding."
= we're not going to make our process public; it's behind closed doors.
"However, you have to give us some room to operate."
= Go away and do not question us. (Implied: until its too late.)
"It is important that we do not let our emotions cloud our judgement and do things as a knee jerk reaction."
= (Real smarmy condescention [sp?]) You are emotional, your plan is not rational.
"More importantly, you have to be very careful not to undermine our efforts."
= If you insist on asking what you want the way you want it, and question the opacity of our actions before it's a fait accompli, here's a veiled threat that we'll throw you under the bus.
"I have been working very hard behind the scenes. While I am not at liberty to speak to the details of our strategy..."
= We have already put a process in motion for our agenda, won't tell you who we're already in league with, and we sure as hell arent' sharing it with you.
"I am optimistic that your organization will be satisfied with the Rent Control Board's determinations on both properties."
= You will definitely not be satisfied with the compromise solution that we will only let you know about after it's a done deal.
"That's all I can speak to at the moment."
= You're not getting jack in the way of any info.
"We have to do things step by step. One victory at a time."
= Expect nothing. Or at the most, one token crumb thrown our way with the promise of more to be done later which we have absolutely no intention of doing.
paragraph 4, code words explained, continued:
"March 19th is out of the question. Like I said previously, it is important that we do this the right way, and doing this the right way requires patience. I have much experience dealing with ordinances and I am not comfortable with the march 19th deadline....We have to really look at this and see what makes sense for the city. Simply taking your proposed amendments and putting it on the agenda to meet a March 19th deadline is not very responsible. It is true that we want to support and give a voice to your ideas, but we have to due our due diligence at the same time."
=We are going to make sure the landlords have way more notice to review this, bring their legal artillery to shred it, and then lead you into the fray like sheep.
"We are talking about changing the law, which will affect every part of the city. That's a fiduciary duty that Councilman Ramos takes very seriously."
= We are going to as much advance notice to the landlords as they need to formulate a well funded response.
"Trust me when I say that we have time."
= Your proposal to have it passed in two reading doesn't allow for the landlords mobilization, which takes time.
"I am privy to more information than you realize."
= But that fact that I'm not sharing it with you is an indicator that I'm holding out on you.
"We don't have to rush this through."
WHY WAIT / STALL / DELAY?? QUI BONO??
Frankly, this extended essay on why we should give up all our momentum, goals, and ideas to a rabbit hole of secret political machination over which we have no information, control, or input is flat on the face of it, in a word: bad.