Lavishing Lucas paid 1.4 MILLION dollars for a bankrupt movie theater

[5Reasons]

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1096866701185340.xml

I mean is this really neccessary? This is 1.4 MILLION dollars that could have used to improve the quality of life in the housing authority complexes. The movie complexes in Newark are arcane and frankly, have probably lost all of their market share to the new AND BETTER movie complex in Elizabeth.

Perhaps Lavishing Lucas will consult with the owners of the Little Theater on how to make a profit in the movie business in Newark. :rolleyes:

Lavishing Lucas is clearly inside the bubble. He has lost all touch with reality.

[black4rob2]

I would definitely lose reality if I was giving such a large budget, especially since I've shown nothing for it...

This guy is going crazy, but at the same time....he is ALLOWED!.

[John Sharpe James, J.D.]

It amazes me that in one breath the SL and media outlets consistantly BASH City Hall and NHA employees as reasons why services within the city are bad, YET act as if Harold has done something CRIMINAL in letting some go. Private industry lays off, fires, reorganizes, and cuts employee positions on a REGULAR basis, and none of this is projected as illegal or improper.

Isn't the current SL rant that "new blood is needed in City Hall/City Council and Mayor's office"

My problem is that there are NEVER layoffs on the Federal or State level. Folks up there are hired FOR LIFE, with the Federal government presently a TRILLION dollars OVER BUDGET. Why is it that only local Municipalities and LOCAL agencies get the blame 200% of the time?

Why is it that state and federal agencies LOVE to try to take over local agencies/administrations?

Lastly, why do we Newarkers settle for blaming only the people we see for situations like at the NHA which aren't even criminal or improper? I wish I could find a 42inch plasma TV for $2,830! THATS CHEAP. Any decent regular projection TV runs at least $2000.

Why the hysterics by the SL? Lucas's salary is PUBLIC RECORD. According to the SL Blacks don't even deserve salaries. Maybe we should go back to slavery and work for free? The media didn't have a problem back then!

Long term business investment opportunities are NOT based on current payroll and all investments are a risk. The fact that the investors expect an 8-10% return AS THE CITY GROWS makes sense. None of this is "Under the Table" it was a legal legitimate investment, so why does the SL now say it feels sorry for the people? THESE ARE THE SAME EMPLOYEES THE SL HAS CONSISTANTLY BASHED FOR NOT PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL SERVICE FOR YEARS.

The reason is simple ---SPIN---- and the SL thinks this will sell papers. If Booker happens to get into City Hall and lays off hundreds (In the name of efficiency) I'd love to see what the SL writes about their Golden Boy! They will write that he is "Streamlining" government and making it more professional!

SL is a joke! :mad:

[bqribs]

This guy is going crazy, but at the same time....he is ALLOWED![/COLOR][/B][/I][/U].

Correction, I do not believe Lucas is going crazy, I believe he is crazy.

Who was, or should have been monitoring Lucas' activities?

[bqribs]

It amazes me that in one breath the SL and media outlets consistantly BASH City Hall and NHA employees as reasons why services within the city are bad, YET act as if Harold has done something CRIMINAL in letting some go. Private industry lays off, fires, reorganizes, and cuts employee positions on a REGULAR basis, and none of this is projected as illegal or improper.




Don't miss the point. The problem seems to be crystal clear. Had not the NHA, under Lucas's leadership, spent "government money" wastefully there is a strong possibility that the lay offs could have been prevented or the number of people laid off reduced. I can not believe that everyone laid off was either a no show or a goof off.

How do you justify the salary disparity? Lucas's wife making more than a professional with a college degree. What does she do beside making sure the garbage man comes on time?

What about Charlie Bell's salary, Director of Affirmative Action, in charge of a small handful of people making six figures. At the same time how many Newark youths obtained jobs at the Townhouse construction projects? Which is one of a few of his responsibilites.

The truth of the matter is the lay offs shed light on all of the crap at NHA!

[John Sharpe James, J.D.]

Compare what Lucas did to the State spending $1.2 billion dollars on Xanadudu! A project the city of CARLSTAD is fighting NOW!

Paying a couple of expensive salaries is NOTHING compared to $1.2 BIllion dollars spent to build a high tech mall! ON TOP OF THAT THE STATE BORROWED BILLIONS TO COVER THIS YEARS BUDGET!. So I guess, the state wouldn't have to BORROW, at a significant interest rate, which I and my children will have to pay, if they didn't promote this deal?

When have the State and Feds done layoffs?...NEVER. BBQ, please don't tell me there is no dead wood up there!

Again, where is the outrage when the Meadowlands loses $52 million dollars in PUBLIC money ANNUALLY for the last 20 YEARS? Where?

Now its FRONT PAGE NEWS because a FEW black folks have high salaries? No comparison!

Please respond! Why is it that everything Newarkers do is WRONG? If we don't try to build the city we're alleged to have let it fall apart with no planning for the future, and when we attempt to invest; the money should be spent elsewhere! Are we too "Uppity" for non-Newarkers? :cool:

Spare me!

[5Reasons]

but you don't have to shill for Lucas.

I believe the grand point everyone is making is that Lucas is spending money in a haphazard fashion and NOT based on any needs analysis. The point of the 'plasma tv' is to show how disconnected he is with reality and what's going on on the ground.

Now don't get me wrong - is the purchase of a 1.4 million dollar movie theater wrong? Not neccessarily. However, when you have budget cutbacks and still so many pressing needs from Bradley Court to Elizabeth Ave, it's just hard to stomach. And frankly, 8 to 10% profit is irrelevant. First, government shouldn't be IN THE BUSINESS of producing profit. Second, even at that rate, it will take years to repay for that kind of investment.

Lucas, like most of you guys in the bubble, just don't understand what is happening on the ground. I bet you - if your a$$ had to live a week in Bradley Court-like conditions, you wouldn't be so blaze over this matter.

(Please note: I also blast the Faux Ledger for their reporting. It is CLEAR they have an agenda. However, their agenda and what's right and wrong are not mutually exclusive categories. You know that John. It's time for Lucas to play golf FULL TIME.)

[black4rob2]

But at the same token you have got to see where his spending habits ar suspect. I can without a doubt understand why he would want to renovate the movie theatres on springfield ave, especially after Jersey Gardens came about. The only thing that I don't understand is that as a business person, you have to see whether or not their is atually a legitimate market for your plans. There's a the multiplex down at the neck, there's jersey gardens, and now you wanted to have newark screens, and its cool to have it with allthe bright lights and new feel to it, but in midst of a huge layoff...I DON'T THINK SO.

With the exeption of the first two years when it was Sony and then Loews theatre, it has always been a red line business. Either Mr.Lucas has bad advisors or is just not business savvy, but anyway you look at it...it was a bad business choice to invest that type of money into that place for the results he got.

I can see a million other projects for that particular location that could have done the city some good.

To be perfectly honest, once loews moved out, I thought that the city should have gone in a different direction, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt...Now amidst all the layoffs, all the unnecessary spending...I don't think anyone can convince at this point that my man lucas is not suspect. (His name don't even deserve capital letters) :p

[5Reasons]

Why would you go to a movie theater in Newark, when you can go to Jersey Gardens?

The Springfield Ave theater has been in the red for a while. I'm glad Sharpe brought back movie theaters to Newark but it's just not working out. So unless that theater is going to partner with the NPS to do some special showing to carve out a niche market that will help it break even, I just don't see the point.

1.4 million dollars for Lucas's Little Theater is just a bad business decision. We should help Harold work on his golf game.

[black4rob2]

Um? If you guys don't mind, I'll teach him how to play golf...Maybe he can give me some pointers on how to spend other's people money and still get paid doing it....
;)

[MrTim1955]

Um? If you guys don't mind, I'll teach him how to play golf...Maybe he can give me some pointers on how to spend other's people money and still get paid doing it....
;)

the knowledge with the rest of us. We'd all like to be able to do that and not worry about the repercussions of getting caught.

[myhomenewark]

but who's perspective? In fact, I'm probably more angry at the fact that the Lucas administration didn't contest cuts to the NHA, or seek all financial resources available, rather than the crowning glory of a $3000 plasma television. Anyway, we as black people, descendants of the outcast, slaves, the bottom of the barrel, have always had a charge to Do Better. This charge continues with making the decisions that you know will Benefit Our People and not casting any further doubt on our ability to excel. It stinks, it's unfortunate, it's a double standard, and it's fodder for tabloid-style reportage, but Better Choices need to be made by those who are in a Far Better Position than Most of the poor blacks and browns of this city. it's the difference between right and wrong--whether grey shades of legality exist or otherwise.

[jazzyken]

would agree that the problem is NOT the spending... It is the time and manner of the spending. If my rent was due I would not go out and spend my paycheck on frivilous items that could wait until the next go paycheck. I would pay my rent to make sure I have a place to live. That is the equivilent of the spending at the NHA. I have lived in housing and know off hand that repairs are not done because they do not have the manpower to maintain the units. Security is almost non existent. NHA properties are clearly the most unsafe housings in the Northern NJ area. Drugs, assaults, gun fights plague the NHA and lucas is worrying about theaters, plasma tv's and garbage cans. I would congratulate lucas if he reduced layoffs and increased security and repaired his almost demolished townhouse units. But he has not done those things. No one should live in conditions that some residents live in and to hear (regardless of the source) that he brought a theater. It is clearly not business savvy to do those things. I balance budgets everyday. It makes no sense.

[bqribs]

Compare what Lucas did to the State spending $1.2 billion dollars on Xanadudu! A project the city of CARLSTAD is fighting NOW!

Please respond!

Spare me!

Xanadudu is not the topic here, although it should be considered.

Isn't one responsible to have his house clean before worrying about another person's home. Clean up what is closest to you, than venture out with a clear conscience while casting stones.

Your thinking reminds me of the little boy who saw Johnny steal a box of candy so he thought it was ok for him to steal a candy bar.

[John Sharpe James, J.D.]

Newarkers get crapped on everyday, yet supposedly can't comment on "Inequities" of Taxpayer money used throughout the State which all ultimately affect Newark.

Name one illegal act Lucas committed and THEN I'll say he should go!

[black4rob2]

Newarkers get crapped on everyday, yet supposedly can't comment on "Inequities" of Taxpayer money used throughout the State which all ultimately affect Newark.

Name one illegal act Lucas committed and THEN I'll say he should go!

John:

I agree with you when you say he has committed an illegal act, but since when was that the only grounds for someone to get fired.

Are you telling me that if he was to get fired...do you think he would have the right to sue for wrongful termination. The courts would laugh at him...hell he wouldn't be able to convince a public defender to get this case even with a promise of another plasma tv.

John you are starting to make me wonder if you are related to this buster.

He should be let go for not doing the job he was hired to do. He was hired to protect poor newark residents from thugs in the hallway, he was hired to assist the less fortunate with some means of government subsidy to pay help their rent, he was hired to bring newark public housing to the next level.

MY dear friend John...he has not done thus far, and had no more money to get it done in the immediate future.

I thank GOD everyday that I don't have to live in the conditions that most Newark residents have to deal with on a daily basis, and I can't even imagine how bad things are going to get for them once the winter comes around, and this buster is still doing what he is doing.

Why can't he drive a ford escort...that's what most municipal housing authority employees drive anyway? Why must he be any different from all the other municipalities in that respect.

Your boy should go and I believe deep down inside you know it..

Holla!

[John Sharpe James, J.D.]

as the School Superintendent, and she came in with a surplus, yet left with a double - digit million dollar deficit, did the State appologize? Did they say they made an error in appointing her? No. They promoted her and sent her down to run the Atlanta school system where I believe she may still be.

It is cute to say throw the bum out, but I fear what we get will be worse!

Again, I ask you. Did anyone take the blame for the MISSING money on the state level during the HALL tenure? Just name one person...you probably can't.

In other words a non-Newarker, supposedly a professional, whom nobody knew, was supposed to come in and straighten the school system out, yet stole, had sloppy records keeping, et al.

Unpopular decisions are a far cry from corruption and I think the SL is blowing this out of proportion because Harold has been an ally of the Mayor.

[bqribs]

Name one illegal act Lucas committed and THEN I'll say he should go!

Name one illegal act the laid off employees committed and I will say it was just to let them go!

[John Sharpe James, J.D.]

And he's a BILLIONAIRE!

[bqribs]

Bloomberg laid off NYC 2,600 workers last summer...was that illegal?



Please John, will you give me a break. It is plain and clear that if Lucas and company were on top of the ball the lay off could have been minimized or eliminated.

I am not trying to get into political stuff and comparisions with other cities or projects.

My point has always been some folk got laid off at NHA who really needed their job. Possibly it could have been prevented.

Why wasn't Sharpe at the news conference with Lucas? Maybe he knows the real deal.

[John Sharpe James, J.D.]

Lets say Lucas kept the $1.4 mill used for theater (and $2,800 for TV)

And lets say the average laid off employee made $30,000 with an additional $10,000 for medical and other benefits for a total of $40,000.

Lucas would have only been able to pay 35 out of the 99 laid off so 64 would still have to go. And with less expected revenue next year the layoffs would continue.

Have you been reading the NEWS where the state is BORROWING $2.9 million/billion to cover next years budget? And where the Feds have a trillion dollar deficit? I'm telling you the budget crisis will only get worse on the FED, State, and local level including the NHA. But as usual the only folks who get laid off are on the local level!