Posts Tagged ‘Jerome Stocks’
ObamaCare / Covered California update
This landed in my email inbox today:
Covered California to release list of health plans, rates
Sacramento Business Journal by Kathy Robertson -
Monday, May 20, 2013:
Covered California, the new state health benefit exchange, will release a tentative list of health plans and rates for the program at a board meeting in Sacramento Thursday.
The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the auditorium at the Office of the Secretary of State, 1500 11th Street in Sacramento. The open session is expected to begin about 12:30.
Deeply flawed initiative up for a Special Election in Encinitas
Some residents of Encinitas, working with a Carlsbad based activist/NIMBY group, have used the initiative process to force the City of Encinitas to spend at least $350,000 on a special election to be held in June of 2013. Nice.
This ill-conceived measure:
A) Won’t correct or address state mandated forced planning for additional housing units,
B) Will actually replace steep-slope local 12 ft building height limits currently in place with its blanket 30ft limit which would be very destructive to the impacted neighborhoods and their views,
Out With the Old, in With the New
Newly elected Encinitas City Councilman-elect, Tony Kranz, has indicated via email to the City that he is having “trouble” grasping the grading required for the Encinitas Community Park, a 43 acre $18 million dollar project, 12 years and countless public meetings as well as hearings and litigation, in the making.
He seems to want a 3D model built for this project (already under construction) which would cost about $56,000 to create.
Dang! $56,000 because this guy can’t visualize grade changes?
Seems extreme, but hey, the voters selected him to represent them…
I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Encinitas: Silly Season Mail call
As a Smiling Spotlight I get plenty of campaign mail, as we all do this time of year. My informants tell me that retiring Councilman/Mayor/Elder Statesman James Bond of Encinitas coined the phrase, “the silly season” which it is, and he nailed it with that moniker.
Mr. Bond also served as Board Chair of the San Diego County Water Authority, an honor never before bestowed upon a representative from the San Dieguito Water District whose Board consists of Encinitas City Council Members.
Today I’m looking at mailers I received from Jerome Stocks, city councilman and current Encinitas mayor, as well as a mail piece from Lisa Shaffer, a candidate for City Council.
Taking Action Matters! — San Diego Job Creators
Third District candidate for County Supervisor Steve Danon, the presumptive front runner, chose not to wait until being inaugurated to begin helping our fellow San Diego County residents!
After a lunch meeting with the owner of a a newly opened Encinitas business and me, he realized that people needed a way to better navigate the bureaucracy inherent in each city as well as the county.
Steve took action and created www.sandiegojobcreators.com, which at no cost will help any budding, hopeful, or even experienced entrepreneur get through the process needed to create business and the jobs we so badly need.
The Steve Danon Race for Supervisor – Restoring The Public Trust
During the past few years, public trust in government has deteriorated—and rightfully so. Leaders at all levels of government have thrown fiscal restraint out the window and prioritized their own political interests above the public good. And frankly it makes the job much harder for those of us who haven’t!
Now, more than ever, we need candidates for office who promise to restore public confidence in our elected officials.
Fortunately, the voters of the Third District in the race for County Board of Supervisors have the opportunity to vote for such a candidate this November.
The California Farm Bureau has endorsed Rocky Chavez
As Joe Biden might say, this is a big “F@#%&in deal”!
The California Farm Bureau has endorsed Rocky Chavez.
Sept. 25, 2012
FARM BUREAU ENDORSES CHAVEZ FOR STATE ASSEMBLY
A candidate with a history of service and a commitment to economic development, Rocky Chavez, has earned the endorsement of the state’s largest farming organization in his bid for the state Assembly. Chavez, R-Oceanside, seeks election in the 76th Assembly District, representing northern San Diego County.
“San Diego County is a unique and important agricultural region, and Rocky Chavez has the background and experience to represent the area well in the Assembly,” California Farm Bureau President Paul Wenger said.
Do Sun Glasses “Sit on your Face”?
A recently placed, then fairly quickly removed, “SPY” sunglass company billboard in Encinitas caused some buzz this week. Some thought it was funny or clever, others not so much. The Outdoor Advertizing Company which owns the billboard claims to have received complaints, but my office did not. So, does this fall under the 1st Amendment, or is it prurient in nature and therefore not in keeping with community standards? I suppose it matters little because other than the photos, it’s gone. Spy is based in Carlsbad … they don’t have billboards in Carlsbad? SPY couldn’t post clever ads on the front of their building in Carlsbad? One wonders…
North County Coastal update
The North County Coastal region will be bidding farewell to some local elected leaders who have chosen to step aside rather than run for re-election. In all the cities where one or more incumbents have failed to file papers for re-election, non-incumbents folks have until August 15 to file and become a candidate instead of the normal cut-off which is today, August 10. So come on folks, don’t just criticize, get out there and get in the race! You have until Wednesday!!!
To all the incumbents, I say thank you for your service to our region and wish you well with your future endeavors and adventures..
Happy Ending for Surfing Madonna?
The SDUT published an editorial today that was mostly correct re: Encinitas and the “Surfing Madonna”. It was indeed a piece of art which was illegally and anonymously affixed to public property and subsequently removed by the artist to prevent it from being destroyed.
The artist then went through the permit process to gift the piece to the city, but the site he selected was owned by the CA State Parks Dept and merely leased by Encinitas. The Encinitas Arts Commission recommended approval and the City Council voted 5-0 for its placement on the parcel, but the state Attorney General Kamala Harris opined that it would be illegal due to its religious imagery.
Encinitas Mayor Jerome Stocks Endorses Rocky Chavez in AD 76
This press release was issued today…
June 27, 2012
ENCINITAS MAYOR ENDORSES ROCKY
Mayor Jerome Stocks backs Rocky, further uniting District 76
ENCINITAS – The people of Assembly District 76 are uniting in support of Rocky Chavez.
Today, Encinitas Mayor Jerome Stocks announced his endorsement of Rocky for California Assembly. With his support, Stocks joins dozens of elected and former elected officials from Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas and Vista.
Mayor Jerome Stocks:
“Rocky is a fighter who will stand up for the people of District 76,” said Stocks. “We need a strong leader in Sacramento who will build support for fiscal reform and government accountability.”
June 2012 Primary: N. County Perspective on Supe D-3
The District 3 County Supervisor’s race race looked early on like a battle between Steve Danon, the challenger, and Pam Slater-Price, the 20 year incumbent. After Danon racked up a serious list of endorsements and accumulated a respectable war chest, indicating he was serious about “bringing it,” the incumbent folded her tent, said “no mas,” and withdrew from the re-election bid leaving Danon all alone. When I was interviewed regarding this sudden development I said that there was no way Danon was going to walk unopposed into that seat… I was more right than I knew… A little while later Dave Roberts (D) of Solana Beach and then Carl Hilliard (R) of Del Mar entered the race and between their self-funding and their fundraising they made sure it was a very competitive contest.
Crime is down In San Diego County
Public safety routinely consumes 50% or more of municipal budgets and crime rates are very much associated with the perception and reality related to “quality of life” issues. Is your local park an amenity or a menace? Additionally, property crimes have a direct effect on the cost of your area’s property Insurance. The attached annual SANDAG Crime Report indicates that in 2011, both the violent and property crime rates for the San Diego region decreased and were again at new 30-year lows. Good job people!
Annual CrimeReport 2011
NCTD Press release going out today!
This press release came across my inbox this morning and I thought I would share it:
Electric vehicle charging stations abuzz at
Oceanside Transit Center
OCEANSIDE,Calif.—Electric car charging stations are now live and available for customers to use for free in the Oceanside Transit Center (OTC) parking lot.
The North County Transit District is offering the charging equipment as part of a nationwide test program with the U.S. Department of Energy. Solar panels in the OTC parking lot cover the top of a carport structure built over seven parking spots designated for transit customers who want to charge their electric vehicles (EV).
Encinitas Mayoral Process Changes
Since incorporation of Encinitas in 1986 the positions of Mayor and Deputy Mayor have been held by a member of the City Council, selected each December by a majority vote of their peers on the City Council to serve for the next year.
This is not an unusual method for new cities to select their Mayor and Deputy Mayor; However, over the years many attempts at changing the system have been proposed, but none have succeeded in garnering a majority vote.
North Korea’s Kim Jong-il has nothing on Encinitas!
If a fairly creepy “Cult of Personality” is what you’re into, there’s no need to go to North Korea because we have our own right here in San Diego County. Just look to Encinitas where some artists want to plaster 101 banners with the likeness of a recently deceased city council woman and hang them on light posts along public right of way on Hwy 101.
Respect for the dead is appropriate, but should any official anywhere in this country, living or deceased, be emblazoned throughout their community? Saddam Hussein, Kim Jong il, Adolf Hitler, and Josef Stalin couldn’t be more proud!
Recent Encinitas Council Drama
Somewhat newly minted Council Woman Kristin Gaspar (November 2010 first place vote getter) has been a real worker on the Encinitas City Council. In addition to her other obligations she agreed to serve on a Sub-Committee with Council Woman Barth along with some other folks (Barth came in 2nd behind Gaspar in 2010 even though she was the incumbent…) dealing with our ongoing General Plan 2035 update. The meetings were tough but productive until the last meeting when it appears Barth had unilaterally imposed her opinion on staff between meetings, altering the direction the committee was headed. This Hi-Jacking of the sub-committee process was not well received by Gaspar, and at Wednesday’s City Council meeting Gaspar read this into the record as a report to the Council which authorized the Sub-Committee and gave them their charge:
Encinitas City Council Appoints Mark Muir to Maggie Houlihan Vacancy
Tonight the Encinitas City Council voted 3-1 to appoint Encinitas Fire Chief Mark Muir as the candidate to fill the City Council vacancy created by the death of Council Member Maggie Houlihan.
Encinitas is blessed with a very involved and active electorate and as such pulled 13 great applicants for this position during the two week window when people could apply. Had the Council not been able to agree on an appointee, a special election would have cost over $300,000 to conduct and the results would not have been certified prior to March 2012 for an interim term which expires in November 2012. Thank goodness three votes and common sense prevailed!
Steve Danon for 3rd District S.D. Board of Supes: “The Steamroller” says John Dadian!
This from the North County Times today:
…The strong start may have kept some potential candidates from running, observers said.
“I’m calling him the steamroller,” said John Dadian, a San Diego political consultant who has known Danon for 20 years. “I can’t understand why nobody’s jumped in yet. I think they’re afraid of Steve. I think (they’re afraid) with good cause.”…
Read the whole story here.
You want to plant a lawn and let people play on it? That’ll cost you!
The following is an update on the status of Encinitas Community Park, formerly known as “The Hall Property”…
It’s about 43 acres just west of the I-5 freeway and south of Santa Fe Drive. Encinitas purchased this former greenhouse property from the Hall family to make into a park in 2001. The purchase was one of my first votes as a City Councilman, and at roughly 20 million dollars it was an attention grabber!
Big Sister Christine Kehoe is Watching You… Sit in Traffic on the I-5 and Loves It!
When State Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego)
is not plucking the petals from a rose a to determine whether or not she should run for Mayor, she seems content to bungle up traffic on the 5 freeway in north San Diego City and County. Car accidents are proving to be the old-fashioned way to mess up traffic. Nowadays you can hold up the expansion of a freeway by introducing a bill in the State Senate–thus further marring traffic in the area you claim to represent. Six more lanes on the 5 freeway from La Jolla to Oceanside would sure be nice, but Kehoe doesn’t think so.
Gettin’ Hot in the 2012 Kitchen
So, it’s only January 2011 and already, we’re seeing some folks filing papers to run for office. Good thing, ’cause some of us just can’t stand a breather.
[See full list of candidates who have filed so far at the County Registrar of Voters for 2012]
Of course, tongues were wagging last week when Republican San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio filed papers to run for termed-out Republican Mayor Jerry Sanders in 2012.
The SDUT announcement included a quote from Republican political consultant John Dadian, who said the early filing technically means little. But he also concluded that the “media hound” will continue building on his name ID.
Sheffo Responds to Stocks
Let’s make it very clear we are not about to allow a never-ending tête-à-tête every time a couple of individuals happen to have a difference of opinion on this blog, but when it comes to political differences, as opposed to personality issues, a fair debate is warranted.
So, in response to Encinitas Councilman Jerome Stocks’ post of yesterday, in which he takes past city council candidate Joe Sheffo to task, we are allowing Mr. Sheffo some “equal time.” Obviously, an elected official putting a strong opinion in the public “rostra” cannot be expected to pass quietly or go unnoticed. To a reasonable extent, that’s the purpose of this weblog.
Recent Comments