116 replies to this topic

[mylo]

Beyond calling the city and being fed the their hands are tied and potential lawsuit explanation, what else can we do?

Silent protests? Terrorists threats? Tie yourself and your family to the train tracks and refuse to move until Mr. Gold is allowed to operate for cheap!

[Dave Burrell]

Silent protests? Terrorists threats? Tie yourself and your family to the train tracks and refuse to move until Mr. Gold is allowed to operate for cheap!

[mylo]

Right! Or something along the lines of boarding the train and threatening to roast city council with some space weapon!

[Chad Vander Veen]

It sounds like the train is staying, they're looking for competitive bids to run it.

A better statement would be: I hope everyone who wants the train rides to continue to be cheap plans on doing something about it.

People in this town hire contractors to replace light bulbs - I'm sure they'd have no problem paying $5 for a train ride instead of $2.

[Robert Giacometti]

Here are some interesting bits of information that some may find helpful in forming your opinion about this issue.

Mr Gold reported his revenue to the city for last year to be about $140,000. These numbers are the numbers HE reports for his cash box business and I don't believe they are audited.

The City has pumped Millions of Dollars into the park & Zoo. The City has built the library, which has the largest circulation in all of Sacramento County. These facilities are a built magnet for riders for the train.

The City has paid for all repairs ( New Roof) on the snack bar that the concessionaire operates.

The City is now proposing the new annual rent base to be about $17,300 after being static for almost 10 years. The new rent includes a mechanism that raises rents if the zoo attendance increases and lowers his rent if the Zoo attendance decreases.

I don't see much marketing costs involved in this business.

I suspect if the concessionaire wants to walk away there will be plenty of others willing to jump at this opportunity.

[Bill Z]

My question is as nothing I've read answers it. Who owns the train & tracks? I read somewhere that he has invested his money into repairing and maintaining the train. If the train is owned by him, I don't see how the city can go out for Bid for someone else to operate it.

Does anyone know the answer to my question?


Who owns the train itself & the tracks?


BTW, it's on youtube

[ducky]

Here are some interesting bits of information that some may find helpful in forming your opinion about this issue.

Mr Gold reported his revenue to the city for last year to be about $140,000. These numbers are the numbers HE reports for his cash box business and I don't believe they are audited.

The City has pumped Millions of Dollars into the park & Zoo. The City has built the library, which has the largest circulation in all of Sacramento County. These facilities are a built magnet for riders for the train.

The City has paid for all repairs ( New Roof) on the snack bar that the concessionaire operates.

The City is now proposing the new annual rent base to be about $17,300 after being static for almost 10 years. The new rent includes a mechanism that raises rents if the zoo attendance increases and lowers his rent if the Zoo attendance decreases.

I don't see much marketing costs involved in this business.

I suspect if the concessionaire wants to walk away there will be plenty of others willing to jump at this opportunity.

Nope, doesn't change my opinion one bit.

So what he's not audited. That's between him and the IRS. Just because you don't see a register doesn't make him any less honest than anyone else.

So what the city made improvements to the park and zoo. They weren't done specifically to help out the train. I don't see why his rent should be tied to zoo attendance. Only the children ride the train.

So what they put on a new roof. Glad to hear the city isn't a slum lord. That building doesn't belong to the concessionaires. Why should they pay for maintenance?

I doubt Mr. Goss would trade his salary and medical for Mr. Gold's "sweetheart" deal. Is that $140,000 after paying for his own medical, liability insurance, operation costs, etc? Even if it is, good for him. He's worked hard for it.

[Bill Z]

Nope, doesn't change my opinion one bit.

So what he's not audited. That's between him and the IRS. Just because you don't see a register doesn't make him any less honest than anyone else.

So what the city made improvements to the park and zoo. They weren't done specifically to help out the train. I don't see why his rent should be tied to zoo attendance. Only the children ride the train.

So what they put on a new roof. Glad to hear the city isn't a slum lord. That building doesn't belong to the concessionaires. Why should they pay for maintenance?

I doubt Mr. Goss would trade his salary and medical for Mr. Gold's "sweetheart" deal. Is that $140,000 after paying for his own medical, liability insurance, operation costs, etc? Even if it is, good for him. He's worked hard for it.

What he needs to report to the city for his business license is gross receipts. That is the total cash he collected. that's before paying the city it's cut, paying Uncle Sam, any of his operating expenses (fuel/maintenance/rolls of tickets etc) any of his insurance coverage etc. and what ever the ghost guy charges for setting up the ghost train ride stuff.

[ducky]

Does anyone know the answer to my question?
Who owns the train itself & the tracks?
BTW, it's on youtube

That's a good question. Didn't Mr. Gold operate the train at the California State Fair one year not too far back? I would suppose if he could move it like that that he at least owns the train.

I wonder if he was given a break in rent while the library was being built and all those improvements were being made when his ridership must have certainly gone down.

[MSgt]

or how about everyone who wants the train to stay - get out and bring your kids there to ride it to support the guy's biz?

Finally a common sense approach
I mean... I wish I had said that

[Bill Z]

Finally a common sense approach
I mean... I wish I had said that

I have on several occasions supported his biz, and when all 3 of us rode the train, I gave him a $5 and told him to keep the change. At the new price, I may do that if I give him $6.

[granto]

Does anyone know the answer to my question?
Who owns the train itself & the tracks?
BTW, it's on youtube

he owns the train, city owns the track and buildings.

[asbestoshills]

First of all, what wasted time and money?

Second of all, feel free to start another topic about economic development if you are so intensely interested.

Sincerely,

Small-minded (correctly hyphenated) Folsomite

Ducky (correctly capitalized) because I know you didn't know any better...How condescending of you to correct small-minded when you don't even capitalize the first letter in your name...You are using it as a proper noun?!!!!


Every time you use city personnel to create insignificant proposals on non-issues, you are wasting money that could be used to discuss and plan for real issues.........

[ducky]

Ducky (correctly capitalized) because I know you didn't know any better...How condescending of you to correct small-minded when you don't even capitalize the first letter in your name...You are using it as a proper noun?!!!!
Every time you use city personnel to create insignificant proposals on non-issues, you are wasting money that could be used to discuss and plan for real issues.........

asbestoshills, you haven't capitalized your moniker either so welcome to the small-minded club.

City personnel are already paid to negotiate contracts. It's part of city business.

[Bill Z]

he owns the train, city owns the track and buildings.

Thanks

then it seems to me unless the city can find someone else with a train, they aren't going to get any competitive bids. While emminent domain (which I strongly disagree with) allows governemnts to seize real estate, I don't think the city can seize his train.