$228 million of debt transferred from General Fund to Redevelopment By a vote of 7 to 1, a proposal by Councilmember Carl DeMaio was approved today to transfer 30 years of debt service on the Convention Center from the General Fund to the Redevelopment Agency. The action saves taxpayers $228 Million over 30 years. “In these difficult times when we …
At 18-Months-Old, Will Rostra’s 5,000th Comment be Yours?
Since August of 2009, when SD Rostra launched, the site has been blessed with over 1,700 individual blog entries from our more than 50 contributors, covering a host of issues, opinions, rumors and breaking political news stories. At this writing, exactly 4,976 comments have been posted as a result … and that’s just the legit ones, mind you. We don’t …
Fool Us Once, Shame on You; Fool Us Twice and It’s Called Governing
Taxpayers in San Diego County and beyond have made their anger crystal clear over unsustainable public employee benefits and pensions that threaten to decimate municipal budgets. There can’t possibly be an elected official within cyber-shouting distance of San Diego Rostra who’s unaware of this. So when pay and benefit increases are approved without a bit of public discussion, is it …
President Obama’s Clear Position On Libya
“America cannot stand by and watch evil happen to innocent people without taking action, but we must do it in such a way that it doesn’t commit us to a war, so yes we plan to stop Muammar Gaddafi from killing more people, but no, we do not intend to remove him from power, however, (And this is very important) …
Is Fletcher In or Out?
Is Nathan Fletcher in or out for Mayor? This is the question it seems everyone is asking downtown, and the view is growing (downtown) that Fletcher may not take the risk. But over and over again, Fletcher insists that in fact he is running. He’s told numerous people that he will declare for the Mayor’s race in March. According to …
Man Behind Internet Technology Passes Away
It must be a sad day for Al Gore, since this gentleman had to have partnered with him when they worked together as inventors: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20110328/D9M8957G0.html
Follow Up — Reaction to Elvira Vargas succeeding Cathy Glaser in key Registrar of Voters’ post — Major Kudos to Deborah Seiler
The reaction of San Diego’s political community to the Vargas promotion is a Collective Sigh of Relief since Ms. Vargas commands the same respect and trust [on both sides of the political aisle] as enjoyed by Cathy Glaser, her longtime predecessor. Contacted today, Cathy Glaser told SD Rostra, “I’m very happy about Elvira’s promotion. She certainly is worthy and has the right …
Elvira Vargas Selected as ROV Elections Processing Supervisor
SD Rostra contributors have previously gushed on these pages about the great work of the San Diego County Registrar of Voters office (rightfully so), in particular noting the long public service of Cathy Glaser following her retirement as Elections Processing Supervisor late last year. Candidates and campaign workers of all parties and stripes know how much easier things go for …
Self-Congratulations? Among California Republicans?
Yesterday, Jim Sills congratulated Tony Krvaric on his election to the Vice Chairmanship of the California Republican party. I do not dispute that San Diego will have more influence in the state party as a result, but I take exception to the self-congratulatory description of the 2010 election results in San Diego. Many of the touted successes were officially non-partisan. …
Is E-Verify Unnecessary?
According to today’s North County Times editorial, the use of E-Verify by cities or local businesses is unnecessary and a “political” act unless it is mandated by the State or Feds. Along those same lines then, do cities need to wait on the State and Feds for every other decision they make? This argument doesn’t hold water, especially when …
Tony Krvaric elected Vice Chairman of the California GOP — a Vote of Confidence from fellow Republican Delegates
San Diego’s Ron Nehring stepped down as State GOP Chairman last week, owing to term limits, but Tony Krvaric was elected CA-GOP Vice Chairman at the same convention of 1,000 delegates in Sacramento. Tony succeeds Jon Fleischman of Orange County, the publisher of Rostra’s media partner, The Flash Report. Krvaric’s win is seen as a state Vote of Confidence, reflecting the San Diego GOP’s …
Santa Barbara loans $4.4 million to employees to buy homes
In an ultimate case of government gone wild, the city of Santa Barbara has given “teacher’s pet” employees money to purchase homes in the expensive seaside community. The down-payment for home program began in 2001 when the city gave Santa Barbara Police Chief Cam Sanchez a $500,000 loan. Over the years and multiple employees later the city has given city …
News reactions to a Jewish Family Murdered: Has The Pen Become Mightier Than The Sword?
Written by Bob Siegel and originally published by The Washington Times, 3-24-11. Used by permission. SAN DIEGO, March 24, 2011 —On March 13, a 12-year-old Israeli girl living in the West Bank settlement of Itamar returned home from a youth event only to walk into unparalleled horror by discovering five members of her family had been ruthlessly murdered in their …
HJTA Invites Rostra Readers as “Friends of the Court” to Oppose the Hiding of Pension Payments
Help the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association fight costly abuses of government pensions San Diego County Employees Retirement Association refuses to comply Pension costs are a rapidly increasing expense for both local and state governments. In San Diego, the Little Hoover Commission estimates government pension costs could reach 50% as soon as 2025. This means less resources for services that make …
The Barkeep Goes to the Republican Convention
I had a few with The Barkeep tonight. Downtown. The normal place. If I ramble you can figure out why. I took notes though. He went to the Republican Convention this week at the Capitol. Here’s my version of what he said: The big fight was about whether or not the GOP would endorse. That’s all anyone flapped their gums …
Light versus Right
The debate is now a question of pension reform light versus pension reform right. The Mayor said just a year ago that the pension system was already fixed. Now he’s admitting that there is still a problem and asking us to put another cosmetic band-aide on it. Enough is enough. We need a system that provides city employees with benefits …
Environmental Land Grab? Constituent Accuses Michael Beck of Conflict of Interest
While it’s a bit old, I still found this video testimony about a possible conflict of interest by Director of the Endangered Habitats League (EHL), president of the Endangered Habitats Conservancy (EHC), and San Diego County Planning Commissioner Michael Beck worth noting. A North County resident, Ginger Perkins, provided the San Diego County Board of Supervisors testimony in this video …
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 …
San Diego Watchdogging
Dave Maass, at CityBeat, gets in on the local watchdog action with his report of how County Supervisor Ron Roberts and Carlsbad City Councilwoman Ann Kulchin treat the San Diego Service Authority for Freeway Emergencies (SAFE) like their own personal slush fund. (My words, not Dave’s). The fund was established in the 1990s to build out and maintain the system …
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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