As we close in on the June 5 primary that will most likely determine the two candidates to compete in November for mayor of San Diego, media interest is heating up. My complaint? Lack of focus on the key issues for the campaign; how will we reform pensions and in general control spending in the city. Here on Rostra, most of the recent posts have been about the race, but in my view only peripherally. Instead the discussion has been dominated by “insider” discussion about who is working for whom, the role of SD GOP chair Tony Krvaric and the education plans of the would-be mayors. A reminder to San Diego residents: The mayor has no voice over the school system. All the polling I have seen, leads one to conclude that we are headed for a run off in November between Republican Carl DeMaio and Democrat Bob Filner, in the officially non-partisan race. So a little about the race as I see it.
DeMaio was an early and vocal opponent of Proposition D, the half cent sales tax increase that lost last year. His issues web page features the budget and pension and jobs as his top two priorities, matching my own. With regards to jobs, he correctly makes the connection between tax and fee increases and job losses. He has been a consistent supporter of streamlined processes to allow businesses to get started.
Bob Filner’s website calls out his first three priorities as Jobs, Education and Neighborhoods. Of course he trots out the “green jobs” agenda that is already a failed joke nationally. Also, Filner is against the pension reform initiative, calling it fraudulent. Richard Rider commented that Filner will release his plan as soon as the union’s tell him what it is. Electing Filner will give us more of the same on pensions and the budget. Filner, as the only Democrat in the race, will get the enthusiastic support of the workers’ unions, but as I have previously discussed, I think the interests of the workers and their unions diverge.
Fletcher and Dumanis have yet to provide me with compelling reasons to consider their candidacy. Their past views on Prop D form my litmus test for today. Those who supported the initiative have been proven spectacularly wrong. Dumanis’ and Fletcher’s failure to vigorously oppose the initiative should be considered disqualifying by conservatives and libertarians and even moderates.
Comments 2
B-Daddy,
You say that those who supported Prop D have been proven “spectacularly wrong.” I assume that is because the City is now projecting a budget surplus and got there without the need for a tax increase. The same can be said of the Pension Reform Act; it hasn’t yet passed, yet the City has corrected it’s structural deficit and has a projected budget surplus. Are those supporting this initiative also “spectacularly wrong?”
Author
If the surplus is even better after pension reform, I will look forward to my tax rebate. Keeping the lid on pension expenses will turn out to be prudent I am certain.
The federal government has done a good job in this area. They have shifted a big part of the pension obligation onto a 401(k) style plan, called the Thrift Savings Plan. I am a participant and much happier than if I was on a defined benefits plan. I can manage the categories of my investments, and even if I take an early retirement, the money is mine. As a worker, I think its much better for me; I don’t get the howling from the unions. Wait I remembered, they lose power when individuals get choice.