Wait — L.A. Spent How Much in Stimulus Cash to ‘Renovate’ a VIP Yacht?
- Posted on February 11, 2012 at 1:19am by
Becket Adams
- Print »
- Email »
As mentioned several times on The Blaze, California is broke. In fact, it has one of the worst economies of any state in the nation. Nevertheless, politicians in some of its biggest cities continue to spend money at a reckless, breakneck pace.
Take, for instance, the decision by Los Angeles’ port authority to pour hundreds of thousands of stimulus dollars into renovating a “VIP” yacht.
Wait. What?
Yep. Los Angeles is going to invest “hundreds of thousands of dollars” to renovate a million dollar “VIP” yacht used for, among other things, taking high school students on free tours of the harbor.
The planned upgrades involve swapping out the ship’s diesel engines (because they don’t meet California emissions standards) and replacing them with low-emission hybrid motors (i.e. “green” technology).
Big deal. Let L.A. squander its money!
It’s not their money.
“The port is using $489,000 in federal taxpayer stimulus money that is supposed to go create jobs, plus another $200,000 coming from the port — totaling $689,000 for new engines [emphasis added],” CBS Los Angeles reports.
“It’s not helping to create any real jobs,” said Tom Schatz with Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW).
“It’s a big waste of money both for taxpayers across the country and for Los Angeles residents, who clearly aren’t all going to benefit from this and are spending money at a time when the city is more than $70 million in the red,” Schatz said.
See the CBS news brief:
Who has benefited from the yacht? That is to say, who has been going on these cruises? Just about everyone, according to the ship’s passenger records.
“We found members of the Morongo Indian Tribe, screenwriters from Universal Studios, a YWCA cruise, people from the exclusive Jonathan Club, UCLA students and dozens of the mayor’s interns,” CBS reports.
When asked about some of the people being given taxpayer-funded tours, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa swore up and down that it’s strictly business.
“They’ve gone to see why the port is such an important part of this administration’s priorities. We have got to promote trade. That’s why I was in China, Japan and Korea,” Mayor Villaraigosa said.
“It’s not a perk to get them out on the water,” CBS asked.
“No. No,” he replied.
Later on Fox News, Greta Van Susteren asked the Washington Examiner’s Byron York about L.A.’s decision to allocate stimulus cash into what some critics have called an outlandish waste of taxpayer money.
“Byron, why was this money spent?” Van Susteren asked.
“Well, it was spent because they had the stimulus money to spend it,” York laughed.
Van Susteren noted that “upgrading” the yacht comes at such a high cost because the new engines have to be hybrid engines – as opposed to the much cheaper diesel engines.
“This is part of the whole president’s ‘green energy’ program that goes all the way from Solyndra to things like this. You have to remember the stimulus money that was spent was not just to create jobs; it was also to enact the president’s agenda and to enact the Congress’ agenda at the time it was passed,” York said. “And green energy was a big part of that.”
Mr. York went on to cite an important memo written in December 2008 that claimed that the “imperative of the stimulus was to identify as many campaign promises or high-profile items…[and that] the stimulus package is a key tool for advancing clean energy goals and fulfilling a number of campaign commitments.”
“So, if you look at it that way,” York explained, “Swapping out these old diesel engines for hybrid engines is exactly in line with what the stimulus intended.”
Watch Greta Van Susteren and Byron York discuss the pricey yacht upgrades via oversightandreform:
Popular Stories
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 591 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 415 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 415 Comments
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 379 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 376 Comments
Faith
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 415 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 415 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 379 Comments
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 151 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know 100 Comments- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 303 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 415 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (142)
Deepdiver58
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 8:29amthere is a reason it is called the LEFT Coast.
Report Post »Seneca264
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 8:23amI hate to say it, but it is things like this that gives the OWS movement some credibility. I am so sick of this day to day massive theft of our tax dollars that I am going to join the OWS folks. Maybe I have been wrong about their message and platform. I think that the seeds of revolution have been planted and are starting to sprout. It is time that the govenment is brought into check.
Report Post »hidden_lion
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 8:43amWhen you mingle among the enemy, you will become a target. OWS isn’t for anything except freebies.
Report Post »Better keep your nose plugged, the smell is horrific.
SFsuper49er
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 9:42amThis isn’t OWS or Fat cats …. This is local Government
Report Post »oneshiner
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 9:53amStimulus money being spent how? Kinda like giving a homeless person money to go buy food and they spend it on booze and cigarettes. No priorities with our big bloated government officials. They are all alike, spend, spend, spend with no concerns for the economy in the toilet. As long as they get theirs and keep getting a payroll and retirement, they don’t really give a dam about the little people. ha!
Report Post »Caniac Steve
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 10:14amtoo bad the news report wasn’t able to find out which department and who physically “authorized” the work done and then investigate that even further to see if any “fraud” or mis-appropriation” of funds was involved..and who did they get the engines from ? a sweetheart deal of a legitvbidding process ?? see more questions to be or needs to be asked huh ?
Report Post »SgtB
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 11:26amOWS is not against these kinds of things. They are FOR MORE GOV’T! That fact could not be more clear. They blame business for ALL of our problems instead of government. If they had control, this would be the norm in every county in the nation.
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 11:46am.
Report Post »I’ll bet Greece did the same thing.
They think the free money will never end.
Everyone has their hand out, and California fills all of them.
Say NO to any bailouts. Fire politicians who want a bailout.
It‘s YOUR money they’re wasting.
LibertyGoddess
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 12:10pmSorry Seneca, you’ve got the wrong group. It’s the Tea Party, not OWS that is against spending like this. Stick around you can learn something from these posts.
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 12:29pmI thought Mexifornia was BROKE?
Kickback anyone?
OMG in 2012
Report Post »Patferr
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 1:16pmDude, do you even REALIZE what OWS is about? You think they are protesting GOVERNMENT? Heck no, they are against capitalism and anybody who makes money without GOVERNMENT help/aid. They hate people who RISK their money in the STOCK market, and come out ahead. I got into APPLE stock when it went down around $100 per share, now it’s up to $500 per share. I used already TAXED dollars to risk with Apple, and had I got in at $200 before it went down to $100, and gotten out, I would have lost a lot of money. I stayed in and am now doing much better, but am I “RICH”? The OWS movement is against anybody who lives the American Dream. The TEA PARTY is the group against Government overspending. I don’t get why you would want to join OWS when you obviously have not idea what they stand for.
Report Post »83plus
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 1:19pmFirst Solyndra, then a battery manufacturer, (I think there was a third company that went the same way, I don’t remember) and now this. If anyone is still wondering why the stimulus bill didn‘t work here’s your answer.
Report Post »rienheart
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 1:34pmOWS has NO Credibility. If they actually went after the Real Enemy of FREEDOM, rather than play into Class Warfare they might be seen in a better Light. Right now they are just a water boy caring water for the Big Government to Separate us and keep us at each others throats, both Rich and Poor. Better to Join the TEA Party and really fight the Enemy instead of a Straw Man.
Report Post »FormerLib
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 1:49pmCredibility? OWS is against corporate profit. TARP and stimulus money was to cover the asses of government bureaucrats who interfered with the market and artificially created a housing bubble. And most stimulus money did not go to private enterprise to create jobs or anything else. It went to state and local governments to cover public employees’ pensions and maintain their jobs.This whole yacht deal (“yacht” might be a stretch, more like a large boat) has nothing to do with OWS. This is government excess, not corporate.
Report Post »smartass
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 2:00pmOWS isn’t for anything except freebies.
I guess ignorance is bliss. Occupy Wall Street (OWS) was started by those that were fed up with corporate America (Wall Street), their destruction of the American economy and ther abandonment of middle class working Americans. This is something that rank and file Tea Party supporters know in their hearts, but their passion has been misdirected by the wealthy elite working through Libertarians and ultra conservatives in the GOP.
Report Post »4truth2all
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 2:09pmJust when you think these people can’t get any dumber …
Report Post »Silversmith
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 4:15pmSeneca – OWS has missed the point and so have you. The outrage is real and most of us have it. But business has, and always will, operate within (mostly) the parameters that the government allows. The problem is not with Wall Street, as they are not a self governing entity. The problem is Federal and State corruption in the government. THEY are charged with keep business in check and keeping people protected from fraud.
OWS should be on the lawn of the white house and congress. – capitals omitted intentionally.
Silversmith
Report Post »ProbIemSoIver
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 7:47pmLos Angeles port Authority is a private Company just like the City of Los Angeles is.
So they can do whatever they want with your money.
http://www.manta.com/mb?search=Port++Authority+Los+Angeles
The United States Government is a PRIVATE COMPANY, so they can distribute or spend Your Money on whatever they want.
http://www.manta.com/mb_41_ALL_09/district_of_columbia?search=United+States+Government
Allen West will tell you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN0PlOXCJLc
Think it was a Metaphor?
She will tell you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOixE2ZFYtE
Want some literature regarding this:
Report Post »http://www.teamlaw.net/history.htm
&
http://www.barefootsworld.net/usfraud.html
pavepaws
Posted on February 12, 2012 at 8:20pmKill the project, sell the boat. If you want to run it, charge for its use. Make it self sustaining.
Report Post »cvanrijn
Posted on February 12, 2012 at 8:46pmWhat does Wall Street Have to do with Mayor Tony Raigosa? (BTW Villar was added from his ex-wife while he was campaigning for mayor early on – she dumped him for his affair with a newscaster here in LA). Just your typical at Cat California politician who has no problems trying to get us to pay for all his perks. If you want to join OWS, you might want to understand what they are trying to do first
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on February 13, 2012 at 4:18pmSomeone stealing The port is using $489,000 in federal taxpayer stimulus money that is supposed to go create jobs, plus another $200,000 coming from the port — totaling $689,000 for new engines
Report Post »New engines for a yatch that size should running about $35,000-40,000 installed somone stealing about 450,000 in stimulus cash on this project.
Baddoggy
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 8:13amWe need to be locking up these people for THEFT!
Report Post »Wayne
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 8:48amAmen:
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 9:08amI think BADDOGGY is onto something. Beyond that…I’m flustered just reading the story and watching the video. How can I add anything to this…it would be nothing more than overstating the obvious. Other than to quote the Mayor, “It’s strictly (funny) business.”
Report Post »arx
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 11:54amLocking them up?? So we can add more debt to my children’s backs? How about dragging them out by their hair, stripping them of their clothes, using an old mop to spread hot tar over their bodies, and breaking a pillow over them. Either that or a good public horse whipping.
Report Post »oldguy49
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 12:14pmflat tax and term limits………….
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 12:55pmyes locked away for good I am tired of this I honestly think we are living in a banana republic
Report Post »I_can't_believe_this_stuff
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 7:56amWhen you were young, didn’t your parents tell you to stop giving money to fools. I guess our government leaders didn’t have any parents? Oh, right, they didn’t … they’re called bastards I believe … well we should all learn something from this.
Report Post »cassandra
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 7:37amthis is typical Ca. thinking just like when they spent millions of tax dollars building a new high school when they had to lay of teachers because of budget cuts are they ALL on drugs over there
Report Post »Msgt Ret
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 7:22amCalifornians deserve this!
Report Post »000degrees
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 7:33amThey don’t deserve my money!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »SoupSandwich
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 9:04amCorrect. They deserve Pelosi, Moon Bat, Boxer, and all the taxes that come with them and their ilk. Oakland brought up and raised those fun little OWSer Oakland types that pee and poop on everything. LA can keep it’s no ball beaches. San Diego can keep it’s cheap illegal labor and gang fun. Eat it California, eat it. You bought it, may as well enjoy it.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 9:12amThey should be spending their own money before it’s devalued to the point where the rich are the middle class and the middle class are the poor and the poor become the middle class through handouts.
Report Post »mercenarygrip
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 3:30pmYou shouldn’t lump all Californians together that way. If you look at an electoral map of California, it’s actually a lot like the map of the U.S., where the majority is red (Republican), but the population centers (L.A., S.D., S.F.) are blue (Democrat). I live in Kern County, where we consistently vote Republican, and support conservative issues. As a matter of fact, my Congressman is Kevin McCarthy. Believe me when I say, I try to stay away from the liberal loons to the North & South of me, both literally & figuratively.
Report Post »Mr.Fitnah
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 7:00amOh god its a plywood chris craft connie.
Report Post »California will not join my Quo Tam law suit to recover millions stolen because its to much trouble, but they will waste money like this.?
scrapadapolis
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 6:47amI don’t know much about the goings on in California,except from fox news.But I fear NYS will be next on the list for even more taxpayer waste.Like people NY is Cali east.
Report Post »wboehmer
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 6:39amGo Issa! Can you believe anyone actually defending this waste of taxpayer money – let ‘em defend it in court!
C’mon folks, when we gonna purge the whole “hope & change” nonsense.
How ’bout this coming November!
Report Post »old white guy
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 6:53amdoesn’t every city on the water have a yacht??? we have privately run tour boats in our city on the water.
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 6:21amAll jokes aside, (and there were some good ones lol:)….) This is such BS. I wish someone would keep a tally of all this. I bet the total would be staggering. There is no humor in that…:(….!
Report Post »80mesh
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 5:47ammaybe that ship should desert its sinking rats
all line handlers forward lay aft
all line handlers aft lay forward
all line handlers amidships prepare to direct traffic forward and aft
that is all
Report Post »DD313
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 10:48amGood one! The only change I’d suggest would be ” ‘rats“ for ”rats”.
Report Post »Bill Rowland
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 5:30amThe government is welcome to renovate my fishing boat. They can do it for a lot less money and it would being pleasure to my friends and I. With the money left over I wouldn’t have to by gasoline for years (or maybe not with the price of gas going up and up).
OMG
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 6:16amBill ROWLAND……Lol ! That was funny, I like it.
Report Post »Pro-Palin
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 3:26amthe frisby and football citations issued on the beaches are the provider for these new renovations.
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 6:18amPRO-PALIN, you all are on a roll with this LOL……..!
Report Post »HisStoryUn
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 3:26amYou can have Obama
Report Post »or you can have America
but, you can’t have both
pamela kay
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 6:17amHISSTORYUN, Well said. Is catchy, I like it.
Report Post »scout n ambush
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 3:14amMayors interns ,hmmm sounds so clintonesque = ()
Report Post »Mtroom
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 10:20amThey get a good view of Al Gore’s new beach front property …It’s a nice cruise.
Report Post »cookcountypatriot
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 2:30ammodern day sodom and gomorrah
Report Post »Montereyzman
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 2:17amI used to be proud to say that i’m a Californian … of course it’s been about 20 years since. : (
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 2:07amWhere is that Idiot Commenter… whe was defending California’s spending… while crying that they get little from the Feds for their Taxes?
Report Post »abseas
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 2:05amThere‘s probably NOTHING wrong with the engines it has now that an inexpensive tune up or rebuild wouldn’t fix. What an absolute crock! I mean as if changing out these engines for hybrids is going to make any difference at all? There are tens of thousands of boats in the area and they all have regular engines running day in and day out. This is a HUGE WASTE of TAXPAYER money. Someone needs to be held accountable for this! Unfortunatelly, this is just a drop in the bucket when it comes to government waste.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 9:17amPretty soon they will be forcing all Americans to buy hybrid cars, and giving an incentive to do so. Socialists are idealists, they believe their system will work, and if you don‘t think so they’ll make you comply. All socialists end up being fascists, because no one wants their change.
Report Post »Lakewoodbob
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 1:56amWell Stupid is as Stupid Does, and California and LA certainly know how to do that! Cheers!
Report Post »garylee123
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 12:00pmMore ammo for the 51st state!! Been trying to get the State of Jefferson (look it up) going since 1940
Report Post »Slowman101
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 1:55amTypical waste of money by politicians in California! But, then again, they elected good old “moon beam” again for their governor. So, you get what you vote for!
No Obama 2012!
Report Post »Tomfang
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 1:47amWhat did they do with the “old diesel engines”? I could use them in the tank I am building to help end all of this BS with.
Report Post »RightThinking1
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 3:35pmLol
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 1:46amWell even the crooks who are stealing our money need a break from time to time .
Report Post »Ask the crooks in DC how exhausting it is to steal .
MetalPatriot
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 2:02am[When asked about some of the people being given taxpayer-funded tours, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa swore up and down that it’s strictly business.
“They’ve gone to see why the port is such an important part of this administration’s priorities. We have got to promote trade. That’s why I was in China, Japan and Korea,” Mayor Villaraigosa said.]
Yes indeed…if your business if raping the country (i.e. – taxpayers). I hate this man passionately. He’s racist, a womanizer, dishonest, & disloyal to our country. He loves the Venezuelan dictator too. No wonder we can’t get our borders (and now our towns) clean of drugs & gangs. Nothing much going on here in L.A. that’s having any effect on gangs or their activities. They have free reign & they know it.
How DO you get drugs & spray paint in prison unless it’s being allowed at certain levels?
I watched a Little House on the Prairie (i know, silly, right?). Two thugs bullied the girls, the mom, the dad, lied to the preacher, scammed businesses. It wasn’t until they all stood together that they rousted them out of town.
I’d rather stand together like Wyatt Earp. At least my daughter would know we actually tried to take care of this. Nobody will though. Pretty sure I’m alone.
Report Post »taxed
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 1:35amThis is just unreal. California is beyond help anyway, but this liberal sickness spreads all over. Shame on the losers who put these people in office.
http://conservativepoliticalforum.com/political-discussion-1/
Report Post »MDDAWG
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 1:29amI wish I had a yacht down there that they could help renovate!
If Obummer gets re-elected, we will undoubtedly go broke funding projects like this.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 1:34amObama = TYRANNY!
OMG 2012!
Report Post »cja23
Posted on February 11, 2012 at 10:00amJust more Solyndra like projects the liberals will force down our throats, more tyranny – boot he Dictator Obama out, save our country.
Report Post »