Facts about Victorville's investments
美国移民局曾于2009年六月批准维克多维尔市作为EB-5地区中心的申请，允许该市从外籍居民求贷50万美元，条件是这些款项能帮助当地创造10个工作岗位。作为交换，申请人将能获得移民签证。
维克多维尔市授予开发商“内地能源”独家签约权，通过该计划集资2千5百万美元。尽管该总部设于新港滩的公司官员承诺，在五月中以前筹资2千5百万元，但至今仅有3百万元转入维克多维尔的名下。
5月底，当这些官员被问及为何“内地能源”公司未能实现承诺，以及为何六家投资申请人没有一家获得完全批准时，他们拒绝对此作任何解释。
最近，每日新闻(“Daily Press”)获悉，美国移民局于5月4日罕见地发布了对维克多维尔地区中心“中止意向”通知，该通知限该市于7月27前对该方案感到忧虑的众多问题作出回答，并暂停审批所有移民申请。
维克多维尔市已给移民局Laguna Niguel分局发送数千页文件解释该局所担忧的问题。目前，正处等待状态。移民局女发言人玛丽安娜.吉特摩Marina Gitmore说，该局经济学家将对新材料进行研究再决定，是否其中止维克多维尔计划。这需要一两月的时间。
移民局原先允许维克多维尔市为南加州后勤机场(SCLA)四个项目筹措EB-5资金。这四个项目是：城市污水处理厂，维克多维尔第二发电厂，多式联运轨道项目，以及为今后服务于南加州后勤机场用户的大量基础设施。
目前，所有这四个项目都列在宣传该地区中心的小册子以及网站上。
然而，移民局在审阅有关纪录文件后，在其给维市律师的信件中说，后三个项目可能“不具竞争性，但该事实已在计划获批前即为”该市地区中心“宣传者所知悉”。移民局信件还说，该地区中心代表们似乎“目前仍然宣传所有四个项目，尽管这些项目对于外籍EB-5投资者是否具有竞争性仍未确定。
移民局对于这三个项目的忧虑逐一作以下表述：
*该市未能履行其对拟议中VV2发电厂所需设备的诺言，造成该项目5千万美元损失。该市还达成协议试图出售这块颇有价值的土地。有关计划以及许可证目前仍然有效，但已无法执行。
*维克多维尔市已支付3千万美元用于施工前期场地清理，并将南加州后勤机场与BNSF铁路支线相连接。此举是在与BNSF铁路公司一份协议失效以后所采取。该协议旨在使BNSF铁路公司探讨其线路延伸至维克多维尔市。此举也发生在BNSF铁路公司给该市官员发出信件以后。信件表示，公司“不支持维克多维尔市建造内陆港口的概念。”该信件还说，移民局已给BNSF去电话，证实计划被“无限期搁置”。
*与英镑资本投资(Sterling Capital Investments)合伙无法取得资金使计划进一步执行，因为移民局还要求证明今后两到三个月中会有进展。
经济开发主任Keith Metzler在该市对移民局的回复中告诉移民局，这些项目“全都有效，该市继续对此进行研究”。他坚持说，VV2, 铁路设备以及基础设施“并未失效”，而仅仅是延误而已。
该市的回应还说，VV2将被搁置直到金融市场反弹以及电力需求恢复上升；BNSF铁路公司已经说过多式联运计划或于2015年恢复生机；而基础设施工程“可指望于五年内开发”。
该市仍然坚持说，仅污水处理工厂一项正在建设中，用于Dr Pepper Snapple装瓶业务。该项目已为投资人制定营销计划。包括总裁威廉.约翰在内的内陆能源官员签发担保书誓言他们仅宣传了将污水处理工厂列为有效投资项目。
然而，移民局对此项目也提出质疑。它说，有关污水处理厂何时完工以及如何融资的商业计划书尚未提交。自从2009年六月该项目正式提出以来，这两个问题曾经历数次更改。
该厂房原先计划定于一月份联线，当时Dr Pepper开始测试其生产线。由于维克多维尔的工厂预计十月份完工，现在Dr Pepper的流水已被转接到地区污水处理厂VVWRA。
该市最初计划用其债券收益来支付工厂建设开支，然而目前为止， 由于其信用评级暂时被中止，债券收益难以保证。该市只好从其几年以前接管的用水区域预留基金中借贷大量资金，并从机场借款。此举造成总共达约一亿美元缺口。Metzle还说，EB-5贷款是目前市政府拥有的能迅速填补现金预留额的“唯一来源”。
维克多维尔市从三月份以来一直在研究使VVWRA购买其污水厂。这一点在移民局的信件中并未提及。该话题将在星期四举行闭门会议时重被列入议事日程。
What’s next?
Members of the Victor Valley Economic Development Authority said the following options are on the table in response to concerns over Victorville’s handling of Southern California Logistics Airport and pooled resources:
• Sue Victorville to recover any regional funds diverted to private city projects. Paul Bosacki, Hesperia councilman and VVEDA commissioner, said the option of a lawsuit has been mentioned. But Bosacki said it’s clear to him VVEDA wouldn’t have the three votes needed to initiate it, with Apple Valley, Adelanto and, obviously, Victorville against the idea. “There’s got to be a way to conflicts without having to go to court over them,” Apple Valley Mayor Peter Allan said. • Transfer control of SCLA from Victorville to VVEDA.
“What I really think should happen, and this is just me, instead of the City Council of Victorville running the base, the VVEDA commissioners should be running the base,” said Gene Piehe, Adelanto councilman and VVEDA commissioner. “All five of us should have the power and the authority to make all of the decisions out there, instead of just the few we do now.”
First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt said in an e-mailed response that he’s looking into that option, but said he would need the cooperation of the o t h e r m e m b e rs to m ove forward. “I do believe VVEDA needs to become independent of the city of Victorville, which is partially why I proposed removing the treasurer function and moving our meetings to SCLA from City Hall,” Mitzelfelt said. “And with all due respect to Victorville , VVEDA should get its own separate offices, executive director and attorney as well. There would be a price tag to this, so we would need valley-wide buy-in.
• Wait on the outcome of ongoing audits and investigations under way by county and federal agencies.
“A determination as to the appropriate use of bond proceeds can be a complicated issue that requires analysis of the bond transaction documents,” Mitzelfelt said. “The county and VVEDA are not currently in a position to secondguess bond expenditures that are based on the bond documents. It is my understanding that the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) may be investigating in that area. I will wait to see if the SEC makes any findings and at that time, the county and VVEDA would consider whether there are any appropriate actions to take.”
Hesperia Mayor Thurston “Smitty” Smith said he’s also waiting on the investigations to wrap up before making any decisions.
“We don’t know for sure how they’ve spent their funds,” Smith said. “... Until it is confirmed or audited and we find out, I don’t want to speculate how they’ve used the funds or if they’ve used ours.” Paul Bosacki
美国移民局曾于2009年六月批准维克多维尔市作为EB-5地区中心的申请，允许该市从外籍居民求贷50万美元，条件是这些款项能帮助当地创造10个工作岗位。作为交换，申请人将能获得移民签证。
维克多维尔市授予开发商“内地能源”独家签约权，通过该计划集资2千5百万美元。尽管该总部设于新港滩的公司官员承诺，在五月中以前筹资2千5百万元，但至今仅有3百万元转入维克多维尔的名下。
5月底，当这些官员被问及为何“内地能源”公司未能实现承诺，以及为何六家投资申请人没有一家获得完全批准时，他们拒绝对此作任何解释。
最近，每日新闻(“Daily Press”)获悉，美国移民局于5月4日罕见地发布了对维克多维尔地区中心“中止意向”通知，该通知限该市于7月27前对该方案感到忧虑的众多问题作出回答，并暂停审批所有移民申请。
维克多维尔市已给移民局Laguna Niguel分局发送数千页文件解释该局所担忧的问题。目前，正处等待状态。移民局女发言人玛丽安娜.吉特摩Marina Gitmore说，该局经济学家将对新材料进行研究再决定，是否其中止维克多维尔计划。这需要一两月的时间。
移民局原先允许维克多维尔市为南加州后勤机场(SCLA)四个项目筹措EB-5资金。这四个项目是：城市污水处理厂，维克多维尔第二发电厂，多式联运轨道项目，以及为今后服务于南加州后勤机场用户的大量基础设施。
目前，所有这四个项目都列在宣传该地区中心的小册子以及网站上。
然而，移民局在审阅有关纪录文件后，在其给维市律师的信件中说，后三个项目可能“不具竞争性，但该事实已在计划获批前即为”该市地区中心“宣传者所知悉”。移民局信件还说，该地区中心代表们似乎“目前仍然宣传所有四个项目，尽管这些项目对于外籍EB-5投资者是否具有竞争性仍未确定。
移民局对于这三个项目的忧虑逐一作以下表述：
*该市未能履行其对拟议中VV2发电厂所需设备的诺言，造成该项目5千万美元损失。该市还达成协议试图出售这块颇有价值的土地。有关计划以及许可证目前仍然有效，但已无法执行。
*维克多维尔市已支付3千万美元用于施工前期场地清理，并将南加州后勤机场与BNSF铁路支线相连接。此举是在与BNSF铁路公司一份协议失效以后所采取。该协议旨在使BNSF铁路公司探讨其线路延伸至维克多维尔市。此举也发生在BNSF铁路公司给该市官员发出信件以后。信件表示，公司“不支持维克多维尔市建造内陆港口的概念。”该信件还说，移民局已给BNSF去电话，证实计划被“无限期搁置”。
*与英镑资本投资(Sterling Capital Investments)合伙无法取得资金使计划进一步执行，因为移民局还要求证明今后两到三个月中会有进展。
经济开发主任Keith Metzler在该市对移民局的回复中告诉移民局，这些项目“全都有效，该市继续对此进行研究”。他坚持说，VV2, 铁路设备以及基础设施“并未失效”，而仅仅是延误而已。
该市的回应还说，VV2将被搁置直到金融市场反弹以及电力需求恢复上升；BNSF铁路公司已经说过多式联运计划或于2015年恢复生机；而基础设施工程“可指望于五年内开发”。
该市仍然坚持说，仅污水处理工厂一项正在建设中，用于Dr Pepper Snapple装瓶业务。该项目已为投资人制定营销计划。包括总裁威廉.约翰在内的内陆能源官员签发担保书誓言他们仅宣传了将污水处理工厂列为有效投资项目。
然而，移民局对此项目也提出质疑。它说，有关污水处理厂何时完工以及如何融资的商业计划书尚未提交。自从2009年六月该项目正式提出以来，这两个问题曾经历数次更改。
该厂房原先计划定于一月份联线，当时Dr Pepper开始测试其生产线。由于维克多维尔的工厂预计十月份完工，现在Dr Pepper的流水已被转接到地区污水处理厂VVWRA。
该市最初计划用其债券收益来支付工厂建设开支，然而目前为止， 由于其信用评级暂时被中止，债券收益难以保证。该市只好从其几年以前接管的用水区域预留基金中借贷大量资金，并从机场借款。此举造成总共达约一亿美元缺口。Metzle还说，EB-5贷款是目前市政府拥有的能迅速填补现金预留额的“唯一来源”。
维克多维尔市从三月份以来一直在研究使VVWRA购买其污水厂。这一点在移民局的信件中并未提及。该话题将在星期四举行闭门会议时重被列入议事日程。
What’s next?
Members of the Victor Valley Economic Development Authority said the following options are on the table in response to concerns over Victorville’s handling of Southern California Logistics Airport and pooled resources:
• Sue Victorville to recover any regional funds diverted to private city projects. Paul Bosacki, Hesperia councilman and VVEDA commissioner, said the option of a lawsuit has been mentioned. But Bosacki said it’s clear to him VVEDA wouldn’t have the three votes needed to initiate it, with Apple Valley, Adelanto and, obviously, Victorville against the idea. “There’s got to be a way to conflicts without having to go to court over them,” Apple Valley Mayor Peter Allan said. • Transfer control of SCLA from Victorville to VVEDA.
“What I really think should happen, and this is just me, instead of the City Council of Victorville running the base, the VVEDA commissioners should be running the base,” said Gene Piehe, Adelanto councilman and VVEDA commissioner. “All five of us should have the power and the authority to make all of the decisions out there, instead of just the few we do now.”
First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt said in an e-mailed response that he’s looking into that option, but said he would need the cooperation of the o t h e r m e m b e rs to m ove forward. “I do believe VVEDA needs to become independent of the city of Victorville, which is partially why I proposed removing the treasurer function and moving our meetings to SCLA from City Hall,” Mitzelfelt said. “And with all due respect to Victorville , VVEDA should get its own separate offices, executive director and attorney as well. There would be a price tag to this, so we would need valley-wide buy-in.
• Wait on the outcome of ongoing audits and investigations under way by county and federal agencies.
“A determination as to the appropriate use of bond proceeds can be a complicated issue that requires analysis of the bond transaction documents,” Mitzelfelt said. “The county and VVEDA are not currently in a position to secondguess bond expenditures that are based on the bond documents. It is my understanding that the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) may be investigating in that area. I will wait to see if the SEC makes any findings and at that time, the county and VVEDA would consider whether there are any appropriate actions to take.”
Hesperia Mayor Thurston “Smitty” Smith said he’s also waiting on the investigations to wrap up before making any decisions.
“We don’t know for sure how they’ve spent their funds,” Smith said. “... Until it is confirmed or audited and we find out, I don’t want to speculate how they’ve used the funds or if they’ve used ours.” Paul Bosacki
