Monday, December 26, 2011

2011-12-26 "Port of Oakland looks to prevent another shutdown" by Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross from "San Francisco Chronicle"
[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/12/26/BA511MG2U1.DTL]
There's a big reason why the Port of Oakland is worried about the potential business losses from another Occupied shutdown - they're on the hook for $1.2 billion.
That's how much the port spent on all of those new big white cranes and other improvements that were part of an ambitious Vision 2000 program instituted by the port a few years back.
Next year, annual payments on the loan will be at $115 million.
And that's one of the reasons port First Vice President Gilda Gonzales tells us they plan to have "very frank and clear" discussions with Mayor Jean Quan about what "federal, state and local" options are available to keep the port's gates open.
 "Businesses are not happy about what has happened," Gonzales said. "They are asking what is our plan? And I think that is a legitimate question."
Gonzales' comments came on the heels of Quan telling Chronicle editors that the city could not guarantee keeping the port open.
 Gonzales said she had spoken to the mayor about the comment and that Quan said she had been misquoted.
 FYI, Quan's comments were taped.

No comments:

Post a Comment