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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem No. 9 - Handan Cirit - Open Session- Agenda Item 9- Public Comment-- 2nd CIRIT Submittal Response to Applicant (BIOLIFE)_sanitizedFrom:Handan Cirit To:Public Comments Cc:Elizabeth Mora-Rodriguez Subject:Fw: 10/7/2020- Open Session- Agenda Item 9- Public Comment-- 2nd CIRIT Submittal Response to Applicant (BIOLIFE) Date:Wednesday, October 7, 2020 12:21:35 PM Attachments:CIRIT RESPONSE TO BIOLIFE 10-7-20.pdf Attached is a new letter (dated October 7, 2020) providing response to the Applicant's (Biolife) Responses. Please Title this as CIRIT RESPONSE TO BIOLIFE RESPONSES 10-7-20. This is for online posting and distribution to the Mayor and the City Council Members. Thank you. Handan Cirit Handan Cirit’s Response to Applicant’s (BIOLIFE) Response for October 7, 2020, RE: Project (Agenda Item No.9) Original Comment by Handan Cirit Applicant’s Response Handan Cirit Response to Applicant Response (10-7-20) BIOLIFE, the stated operator for the PROFIT BLOOD BANK, is owned by a Japanese Pharmaceutical Company (Takeda) operating in 70 countries worldwide. Currently BIOLIFE is NOT licensed in the State. BIOLIFE will harvest local blood supply by paying $25 for each blood donation and selling it worldwide after processing at a substantial markup for $350 to $575. State Licensing requirements or the City CUP has no requirements restricting where the harvested blood can be sold by BIOLIFE. Applicant is collecting plasma, not blood. BioLife is a subsidiary of Takeda. Takeda employs hundreds in Southern CA. BioLife will be licensed in CA prior to opening first location. We have already completed an application for a business license in Moreno Valley, CA and will continue doing so at each location as they raise. Compensation amount is inaccurate. No BioLife Plasma is “sold”. BioLife Plasma is sent to a parent company, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, for treatments already cited for use around the world. Thank you for clarifying that BioLife collects plasma, not blood. BIOLIFE collects plasma from the blood with their advanced methods of harvesting a donor twice a week and then collected plasma would be SENT OUT of the Community, State and USA to be used WORLDWIDE to make medicine. This further depletes the blood we need here for use and medicines. USA does not need to EXPORT blood/plasma. We need it HERE. What is the donor compensation amount since it is stated as inaccurate? Can BIOLIFE pay whatever they see fit to the market? Who regulates what can be paid by BIOLIFE? Any government agency or is BIOLIFE free to market price as a business? BIOLIFE will become a competitor to the non-profit blood bank of the American Red Cross and LifeStream, each of which is located in San Bernardino. LifeStream provides blood to 80 California Hospitals and Medical Facilities in six Counties. Their website states local blood supply is very low, and they are in desperate need for blood. BIOLIFE will become a competitor to Red Cross and LifeStream, with the ability to “Pay”, fiercely harvesting blood locally and selling it for PROFIT worldwide. BIOLIFE must provide a study of their impacts to existing NON PROFIT BLOOD BANKS and to the local blood supply critical to this Community and the State. Approval of this CUP has major health impacts to the Community by reducing blood availability. Not a competitor to blood banks because BioLife does not collect blood. Furthermore, BioLife, unlike blood banks, cannot collect plasma via “Bloodmobiles” or at churches or high schools. Donors must come to a BioLife facility. BIOLIFE is a competitor to NON PROFIT BLOOD BANKS. BIOLIFE draws blood from donors just like American Red Cross and LifeStream and processes it to plasma. American Red Cross and LifeStream they both had very well established buildings in the City for many years. Go to their websites for their building addresses. LifeStream has many buildings throughout the County. They provide apps for appointments just like BIOLIFE. Donors can go to their Facilities just like BIOLIFE. They don’t just operate from “Bloodmobiles” at churches and high schools. Only difference is BIOLIFE can pay whatever the market bears to attract donors. Please correct if this is not the case. Handan Cirit’s Response to Applicant’s (BIOLIFE) Response for October 7, 2020, RE: Project (Agenda Item No.9) BIOLIFE is a big and FOR PROFIT business. Currently BLOOD BANKS such as BIOLIFE are EXEMPT from paying SALES TAXES to the City and the State. Sales Tax provides revenue for City services, community schools etc. benefiting the Community. As a business in the City, BIOLIFE will receive City services including Police, Fire, Code Enforcement etc. without paying for any of these services and will not contribute to any Community facilities for betterment of the Community including schools, parks, street maintenance, etc. Local TAXPAYERS will be subsidizing BIOLIFE. This financial burden and impact should be reviewed by BIOLIOFE. CUP does not address these impacts. BioLife does not sell anything at its centers. Therefore, it cannot collect sales tax. BioLife pays donors who in turn pay sales tax on monies that are generated by the BioLife facility (approximately $3M), most of which will be spent in the local economy. Also, BioLife will pay property taxes per Lease terms. Finally, the employee of BioLife will be making purchases and paying sales taxes. It is anticipated that they will generate a large amount of sales within Shopping Center since employees typically shop and solicit local businesses and restaurants. Those sales will generate tax revenue for the City. Exactly the point that BIOLIFE pays no SALES TAX or any other form of contribution to this City and to this Community for all the FREE CITY services they will receive including Police, Fire, Code enforcement etc. Everyone owning a property in the City pays property taxes. This property will pay property tax no matter if BioLife occupies it or not. This CUP should include conditions to ensure BIOLIFE pays for their fair share of SERVICES and contribute to this COMMUNITY beyond the pennies they pay to harvest the local blood to make millions in medicines they sell. Where is in this Community’s share from BIOLIFE profits? I am only asking BIOLIFE to be fair and equitable to these Communities they are moving in that has many needs with very limited resources. BIOLIFE states that they will be providing jobs and donor compensation of $ 3 million annually. After processing the blood at an unspecified facility, BIOLIFE would generate a sale of $42 million to $69 million annually from selling the blood that is harvested for $3 million at the City. NO SALES TAX will be paid to the City from the sale of the processed blood. How does this substantial profit benefit the Community? Again, BioLife does not collect blood nor does it sell plasma. BIOLIFE claim of $3million paid to the donors to be spent in the community as the “benefit” to the City is misleading. Every City resident pays sales tax. Hard working City residents and other City businesses will be subsidizing BIOLIFE for the City services. BIOLIFE will get a FREE ride. City needs to make sure BIOLIFE pays their fair share for the City services and will contributes to this Community beyond “purchases” done by their payees. CUP Applicant is not BIOLIFE. There is no guarantee that this BLOOD BANK will be operated by BIOLIFE. Applicants are the property owner and a construction company from Wisconsin. Once this CUP is approved this space can be marketed to anyone to operate as a BLOOD BANK. Many Communities do not want for PROFIT BLOOD BANKS due to their competition with NON- PROFIT blood banks for scarce BioLife has an executed Lease to operate at this location. What is on web site as a Lease dated September 2019 version and only first page provided. Public has no idea how long this lease is for. This CUP worth a lot to a property owner. CUP does not limit BIOLIFE as the only operator. THEREFORE, I AM REQUESTING CITY COUNCIL TO DENY THIS CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION AND THE CUP FOR PERMITING A FOR PROFIT BLOOD BANK. BIOLIFE NEEDS TO DISCLOSE Handan Cirit’s Response to Applicant’s (BIOLIFE) Response for October 7, 2020, RE: Project (Agenda Item No.9) resources which will be sold outside of their community and the financial burdens they bring that would be borne by the Community. FOR PROFIT BLOOD BANKS are free to stipulate what they would pay to donors to buy the blood and can decrease or increase the payment as they see fit to maximize their profits. With an approved CUP this space can be marketed to anyone for an extensive profit ALL THEIR IMPACTS TO THIS COMMUNITY AND COMMIT TO PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE. IT IS THE LAW.