Richmond councilman goes after free rent deal for WWII vessel
By Robert Rogers
Contra Costa Times
Posted:   07/02/2012 12:00:00 AM PDT

To thousands of residents and visitors, the USS Red Oak Victory is a priceless artifact of Richmond's history.
Councilman Corky Booze says he values the World War II-era ship, too, but thinks it ought to pay rent for its slot in a city berth.
"The bottom line is we have a budget shortfall," Booze said. "This is not the time to be giving free rent."
The city is grappling with a $2.9 million deficit. The council Tuesday directed Finance Department staff to prepare a plan to narrow the gap with cost-cutting measures like employee salary and benefit reductions and suspending the practice of providing city cars to non-public safety city officials.
But even with those cuts, the city could still be more than $1 million in the red.
Booze wants the city to consider a new rent agreement with the popular tourist attraction. He thinks it could bring in $10,000 per month.
Booze's newfound focus on the ship has drawn intense criticism from council colleagues and others. The Richmond Museum of History on Thursday distributed an email to members urging them to show up in force at the July 10 council meeting to oppose Booze.
"What a selfish, misguided concept, clearly indicating a lack of appreciation for the museum's commitment to the project and the city's commitment as well," read the letter, signed only "Richmond Museum of History."
"Even the suggestion that the council consider such a grievous breech of a 13-year agreement between one of its citizen groups and its government is the height of immorality."
Councilman Jeff Ritterman said the move smacked of politics rather than good policy.
"The reality is there is a fiscal problem in this city, but charging rent wouldn't make much difference," Ritterman said. "At this point, everything seems so politically motivated and mean-spirited that it is really hard on the council to have a productive discussion. Corky just wants to attack (Councilman) Tom Butt."
Butt, who has a reputation for pushing for restoration and preservation of historic landmarks in the city, has been at odds with Booze over several issues, most recently Butt's successful bid to steer port security grant funds to a building near the Red Oak.
"This is dead on arrival," Butt said of Booze's efforts. "The port has thousands of feet of empty piers, and Corky wants to hit the Red Oak for rent and go back on the city's commitment to the national park."
The SS Red Oak Victory was launched in Richmond's Kaiser Shipyards in late 1944. The cargo ship saw service in World War II, Korea and Vietnam and serves as a keystone of the popular tours of Richmond's Rosie the Riveter/World War II National Historical Park.
In his agenda item for the July 10 council meeting, Booze cites minutes from a 1999 meeting in which the council authorized a six-month extension of the free- rent agreement with the Richmond Museum Association. Booze estimates the city has lost out on more than $1 million over the past decade by not charging rent.
His opponents say the Red Oak Victory is a key portion of a park that has and will continue to generate millions in local economic activity. Booze says he isn't backing off.
"(This is) not an attack on the Richmond Museum Association or the hard work of the volunteers and supporters of the Red Oak Victory, but an attempt to collect needed revenue for the port and city of Richmond," Booze wrote in his council agenda brief.