MY OPINION

\"MY OPINION\" by Lynda Carson...8/2/01

Tribune Opinion of Greg McConnel 8/2/01

http://www.oaklandtribune.com/ Left side column- \"Opinion\"

At the time of writing this, the \"McConnel\" Oakland Tribune-Opinion is still
not online, even though I have already read it in news print with the blackened fingertips from the ink as a reminder.

I find it disheartening to find this opinion of McConnel\'s after eagerly seeking an expected story by Laura Counts telling us all about the slick attempt by the Mayor to strong arm pro-tenant Board Member-Andrew Wolff
off of the Rent Board before his term expires. The Mayor and landlords are after dear Brother Wolff with a vengance. A sacrifice to the Gods of the Land Barons? It appears that the powers to be buried that story.

Instead I find, that the Tribune decided to disrespect Oaklands Renters with this (in my opinion) despicable pig ranting about the wonders of; as he puts it,
\"Owners,tenants find agreement.\" Greg McConnel is the one many renters face
in the Rent Board when trying to fight rent-increases. McConnel is ( my opinion)
a notorius pig, working for the landlords, making big money, to help the landlords ripp off the renters to the extremes. If lightning bolts ever strike this fellow, you just might find me dancing in the streets.....

Mr. McConnel praises the Task Force proposals of Dick Spees that ends the 3% rent cap on annual rent increases in Oakland. Could one expect less? It shall cost Oakland renters millions and millions of dollars down the road, with no end in sight to future rent increases. Dear Greg McConnel was part of the Task Force. Hallelujah!

Mr. McConnel goes on to praise the New Rent Program plan, the sole intent is to speed up rent increases. Hallelujah!

Mr. McConnel then praises the $1.5 million budget for the New Rent Program that is to be financed by a yearly $24.00 fee split by landlords and tenants. Really? And where do landlords get their money from? He forgot to mention that rent registration does not exist, and no one has a list of those that
do or do not have to pay...Hallelujah!

Lastly, our dear brother Greg McConnel quietly drives a stake into the heart of a Just Cause Evictions Measure, claiming that it was traded in for more promises of tenant protections against landlords that evict and raise the rents. Sounds just like the so-called 2 Year Moratorium on rent increases after certain evictions that never did snag even one landlord in over a year of it\'s existance. Imagine that. They have\'nt yet tried to catch even one landlord for failure to comply with the Moratorium, and we are supposed to believe that
something has changed? Indeed it has, they now just got a deal worth many
millions in further legal rent increases! No wonder Mr. McConnel is praising
this event for all it worth$$$$$$

Is it wonderful to hear the virtues of a collaboration effort that totally
screwed the renters of Oakland for years ahead? Greg McConnel believes it, and if we all were retarded then perhaps we should also. Lets all give a big hand to the parties involved in the Task Force for taking us all to the cleaners.

Don\'t believe me...Read it for yourself...Theres even more to come ahead,
as the collaborators meet later to work out some more wonderful surprises for the renters of Oakland. It\'s in the Trib.... My Opinion.... Lynda Carson

Time passed enough that the Opinion finally showed up online below...
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Article last updated:
Thursday, August 02, 2001