Viewing the San Diego Mayor’s Race Through Klout’s Lens Shows Fletcher On Top If San Diego’s mayoral race was based solely on social media influence the winner would be Nathan Fletcher. That’s not going to sit well with some people, so allow me to explain. In the past, one’s social media influence was measured by the number of “friends” on …
Hall to Lynch: ‘Oh no you didn’t!’
These are not easy times for the people who remain at The San Diego Union-Tribune. They know as much as we do about the newspaper’s new ownership, hotelier Doug Manchester and former local radio executive John Lynch, and their plans for a product that is a shell of what it used to be. The smart money says Manchester is interested in …
What should Rostra 2.0 to look like?
One of the great things about San Diego Rostra is its ability to attract a variety of voices with different political views. Rostra is a center-right site, but local journalists and some well-known Democrats are regular readers and commentators. With monthly hits by unique visitors as high as 20,000, Rostra has become a must read for numerous San Diegans. Where …
Fabiani: This is ‘perhaps our last and best chance’ to keep Chargers in San Diego
I published a blog post Friday that questioned Mark Fabiani’s criticism of Mayor Jerry Sanders’ Convention Center expansion plan. Fabiani, who serves as special counsel to the San Diego Chargers and is the team’s point man on stadium talks, sent me a response on Saturday. Here it is: Tony, thank you for the opportunity to weigh in on your latest …
Fabiani’s Fight, Manchester Eyes the Union-Tribune and Occupy’s Great Flaw
Some Friday thoughts for your weekend… Mark Fabiani is clearly the toughest man on the San Diego Chargers payroll. While he’s been going around town taking shots at Mayor Jerry Sanders, the guys who suit up on Sundays continue to play like a bunch of Lotus Eaters. Fabiani’s latest jab arrived this morning in Tom Blair’s column. Fabiani once again says …
DeMaio teams up with Virtual Carl
San Diego Mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio now has a virtual version of himself. Virtual Carl is in a virtual office taking your questions. They’re actually his questions. In other words, if you don’t ask a question from a pre-set list Virtual Carl stands there and stares at you. I asked Virtual Carl who came up with this idea? No response. …
‘Operation Intimidation’ Aims to Sink Comprehensive Pension Reform
Union Campaign Built On Intimidation, Desperation, Lies There are few certainties in politics, but pension reform is quickly becoming one of those rare slam dunks. In the City of San Diego, 70 percent of voters said they would vote for the Comprehensive Pension Reform (CPR) ballot measure, according to a poll conducted by Competitive Edge Research & Communication. Twenty …
Pension Reform Measure Would Save San Diego Taxpayers up to $2 Billion
A groundbreaking pension reform ballot measure would save San Diego taxpayers up to $2.1 billion, according to a comprehensive financial analysis released today. “Taxpayers simply can’t afford to keep paying the staggering pension costs of city workers year after year, decade after decade,” Mayor Jerry Sanders said. “This ballot measure will restore us to fiscal sanity, creating a system in …
Comprehensive Pension Reform kicks off
You’re invited… Who: Mayor Jerry Sanders, Council President Pro Tem Kevin Faulconer, Councilmember Carl DeMaio, Lincoln Club of San Diego County and the San Diego County Taxpayers Association What: Comprehensive Pension Reform Campaign Kick-off Reception When: Thursday, June 30 Time: 5 to 7 p.m. Where: Trellises Restaurant at the Town & Country Hotel (500 Hotel Circle, San Diego CA 92108) …
Early Impressions of 2012 Mayor’s Race
Donna is San Diego’s political rock star. She is John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen and Eminem rolled into one. San Diego’s mayoral primary is a year away but it comes up just about every day. So please bear with me as I share a few thoughts. Let’s call it, “Early Impressions.” Early Impression No. 1: Too many people have written off …
Deep Thoughts….By People Who May Be Your Mayor Someday
In the spirit of election season, which officially kicks off Sunday, here are some deep thoughts by people who may be San Diego’s Mayor someday: “San Diegans want an app that routes all of their complaints to an intern in my office.” ~Carl DeMaio “San Diegans are tired of drinking at the beach.” ~Kevin Faulconer “San Diegans want a new Chargers …
City Attorney: Retiree Health Agreement ‘Achieves an excellent result for City’
Historic agreement helps San Diego avoid years of costly legal battles City Attorney Jan Goldsmith lauded the agreement the City reached today with labor unions to drastically reduce retiree health costs — a move that will save San Diego taxpayers more than $700 million. “This settlement … achieves an excellent result for the City,” Goldsmith said today at a joint news conference …
Would You Vote To Reform Public Employee Compensation?
Election results show city employees wouldn’t I recently told you about a vote employees at City Hall were taking. City workers, including myself, were asked if they wanted to eliminate a controversial and costly employee benefit – the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP). Who in their right mind would vote to eliminate a retirement benefit, especially one that allows participants to …
A Q&A: Cuts to libraries and rec centers
I received an email Thursday from Voice of San Diego’s City Hall reporter asking for the councilman’s position on proposed cuts to libraries and rec centers. I had written a blog post a day earlier on San Diego Rostra that said some local reporters weren’t giving the City Council much of a say in stories about the proposed cuts. The email from Liam Dillon at the Voice …
Councilman pitches bright idea for street lights
From 760KFMB: Posted: Apr 21, 2011 1:45 PM PDT SAN DIEGO (CNS) – The City of San Diego could save taxpayer money by installing solar panels on as many as 33,000 street lights due to be replaced, a councilman said Thursday. The panels would provide enough electricity to run the lights, and any excess could be sold to San Diego …
Odds of saving libraries and rec centers better than Lions making playoffs
Stories about budget cuts are easy to tell and reaction is fierce, but the coverage is often misleading Just about every media outlet has recently and repeatedly told San Diegans the news isn’t good – massive cuts to your libraries and rec centers are coming. It’s a great story for the overworked journalist. Easy to report. Easy to write. Readers, …
Faulconer: ‘Now it’s the Council’s turn’
Good and bad news in Mayor’s budget Faulconer commits to protecting core services, furthering reform San Diego City Council President Pro Tem Kevin Faulconer issued the following statement today in response to Mayor Jerry Sanders’ budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2012, which begins July 1: There’s clearly some good news in the Mayor’s budget proposal, and there’s clearly some bad …
Comprehensive pension reform proposal combines best ideas
From San Diego City Council President Pro Tem Kevin Faulconer: I was extremely proud to announce yesterday that I was able to help bring together a range of ideas from San Diego leaders, policy experts and businesses. The result is the Comprehensive Pension Reform Initiative for San Diego. Today’s Union-Tribune calls it a grand compromise at City Hall. It not …
Faulconer, Sanders propose sweeping pension and payroll changes
The following is from San Diego City Council President Pro Tem Kevin Faulconer: Faulconer on KUSI discussing 401(k) ballot measure Hello: Mayor Jerry Sanders and I announced the details of our groundbreaking pension reform ballot measure today at a news conference. I sincerely hope you will join us in support of these very important and necessary changes. Below are my …
In San Diego: Employees vote; taxpayers don’t
Starting today, an important election involving city finances is taking place in San Diego, but taxpayers won’t be casting the votes. Nope, this election rests with city employees, who have a week to vote on whether to eliminate a controversial and costly employee benefit – the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP). Yes, in San Diego, employees have the final say …
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