DeMaio Celebrates Another Victory for Taxpayers; CCDC To Assume Payments on Petco Park Debt

Carl DeMaioCarl DeMaio Leave a Comment

On the heels of the City Council action today to transfer debt service for Petco Park from the City’s General Fund to the Redevelopment Agency, City Councilmember Carl DeMaio released the following statement: “Five years ago, I proposed that the City protect the General Fund by transferring annual debt service payments for Petco Park to the Redevelopment Agency and Centre City Development …

Hodges First to Announce in Garrick’s Term-Limited 74th Assembly District — Are there Other Possible Contenders?

Barry JantzBarry Jantz 3 Comments

As hi-lited in Monday’s FlashReport, with some updated information here… Hodges First to Announce in Garrick’s Term-Limited 74th Assembly District — Are there Other Possible Contenders? by Barry Jantz The geographic boundaries of a redrawn 74th Assembly District are yet to be determined, but a buzz is quietly building among political watchers regarding the likely field of Republican candidates next year, …

Labor Council’s Rugged Runoff Ride — 7 Defeats, 1 Win — Revealed for S.D. elections, in New finance reports

Jim SillsJim Sills 4 Comments

“Fasten Your Seatbelts,”  actress Bette Davis famously said in All About Eve,  “It’s going to be a bumpy night.” Perhaps Labor Council head Lorena Gonzalez felt the same way last Election Night as, one-by-one, her favored local candidates went down in flames. [We had those feelings on our side in 2008 as we were losing]. In a new report received late last  week by the Registrar of …

Excessive CEO Pay vs. Overcompensated Public Employees

Richard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax FightersRichard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax Fighters 8 Comments

Excessive CEO Pay vs. Overcompensated Public Employees by Richard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax Fighters 4 February, 2011 Phone: 858-530-3027 Whenever there is a discussion of the overcompensation of government employees, the public labor union defenders go to their playbook for retorts. Each response is based on a grain of truth – or rather a grain of half-truth. Let’s take …

Local GOP Turpitude

B-DaddyB-Daddy

As much as I loathe the California Democratic party, I have not been impressed of late with its Republican opposition. Temple of Mut has the goods on the latest move by the county GOP, and quite the move it was. Tony Krvaric appears to be the quintessential self-serving ethically challenged businessman type that often gives the Republican party a bad …

San Diego County General Plan Update is Fatally Flawed

Guest ColumnGuest Column 4 Comments

Guest Commentary by Hon. Scott Barnett and Dr. Richard Parker Like anything in life, there’s no use doing something quickly if it’s not going to be done right. The adage couldn’t be more relevant to the current effort to update San Diego County’s General Plan. The Board of Supervisors will soon meet again on the plan, and after years of …

Drug smugglers caught on tape 35 miles north of U.S. border

Kimberly DvorakKimberly Dvorak Leave a Comment

A weekend video clip posted by Arizona Border Defenders shows six drug cartel mules (lackeys that transport drug-laden backpacks) carrying loads of marijuana more than 35 miles north of the U.S./Mexico border. Arizona Border Defenders is a patriot group dedicated to exposing the porous southern borders by using hidden video cams throughout the region in order to document the hoards …

The envelope, please…

The Libertarian Lass, Gayle FalkenthalThe Libertarian Lass, Gayle Falkenthal Leave a Comment

The winner of the Rostra Caption Contest champion and the winner of a ticket to the annual San Diego County Taxpayers Golden Fleece and Golden Watchdog Award on May 25 is… Royce Sullivan, for “I’ll outgrow the shirt… But not the taxes.” The competition was clever and it was a tough call for judges Chris Cate of SDCTA, Kelly Davis …

PETA protests new Shamu show at SD Sea World, but leaves question unanswered

Ryan PurdyRyan Purdy 14 Comments

Four members of PETA who dressed up in Orca whale costumes were arrested yesterday at San Diego’s Sea World when they laid in the middle of Sea World Drive for at least an hour blocking traffic. Protest aside, PETA leaves a key question unanswered: where else is an orca whale going to get a job?  Shamu is gainfully employed in …

Top 10 Reagan Achievements — Winning Cold War and Reaganomics top list by ‘Human Events’, his favorite newspaper

Jim SillsJim Sills 3 Comments

‘Human Events’ has covered Washington D.C.  since 1944,  taking great pride that  Ronald Reagan was a subscriber, and a weekly reader during his White House years.  Grudging acceptance came from Newsweek, which called Human Events, “The tough little Tabloid of Capitol Hill.”   No one knew Reagan’s mind and heart better, so it’s fitting they compile the definitive “Top 10” list for Ronald …

Rostra Should Not Require Real Identities

Bradley J. FikesBradley J. Fikes 1 Comment

This is a reply to Richard Rider’s post, urging SD Rostra to consider requiring commenters to use their real names. Some people have legitimate reasons not to use their real names, and have worthwhile information. We lose if they don’t comment. I suggest Rostra, if it does anything, simply require pseudonymous commenters to choose one nym and stick with it. …

‘You’ve Been Hosed!’

Bradley J. FikesBradley J. Fikes Leave a Comment

Those three words got Carl DeMaio appreciative laughs toward the end of the crusading San Diego councilman’s talk before the Grantville Action Group the evening of Thursday, Feb. 3. For the context, go to 8:00 in the new YouTube video clip below, which I uploaded Saturday afternoon. Earlier, DeMaio talked about the harmful effects that would ensue if State Sen. …

UPDATE… SD mail named “No. 1 in the USA” last Night by Campaigns & Elections magazine— ‘Tax Man’ piece aided Bill Horn’s North County Victory

Jim SillsJim Sills 6 Comments

At a Gala dinner last night in Our Nation’s Capitol, the “Tax Man” mailer conceived by San Diego consultant John Wainio was named Best in the Nation (!) by the prestigious Campaigns & Elections magazine.  It took home the trophy in the Direct Mail, Republican Advocacy category. Mr. Wainio was aided by Tish Sjoberg of Planet Grafix (Graphic design), and Jim Sills …

Escondido’s ‘Joint Effort’ Ousts Criminal Illegals

Assemblymember Marie WaldronAssemblymember Marie Waldron 1 Comment

This just in via the Los Angeles Times: Escondido’s city-federal effort to oust illegal immigrants draws praise, criticism Los Angeles Times article Escondido police and ICE agents join to snag and deport people with deportation orders or criminal records.   Federal ICE agents are housed at the Escondido police department with the support of a majority of the city council …

Should Rostra require revealed identities?

Richard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax FightersRichard Rider, Chairman, San Diego Tax Fighters 15 Comments

I know I’m in the minority on this issue (a new experience!), but what is wrong with requiring people to post on SDRostra using their real Planet Earth names? Rostra is a private (as opposed to govt) blog, so the rules of engagement can be set by Thor ET AL. Apparently the NORTH COUNTY TIMES has gone to this policy …

Alternate Weekend News Links

Jim SillsJim Sills

Here are some added info sources for SD Rostra fans. Batting lead-off is Matt Potter, the best investigative reporter in San Diego… and the best this town has seen since the immortal Harold Keen in the 1960s and 1970s on Channel 8 and San Diego magazine. SAN DIEGO READER – Matt Potter http://www.sandiegoreader.com/staff/matt-potter/stories/ NATIONAL REVIEW http://www.nationalreview.com/ CHANNEL 10 NEWS http://www.10news.com/news/index.html HUMAN …

Carl DeMaio Presents San Diego’s Roadmap To Recovery

Bradley J. FikesBradley J. Fikes 3 Comments

San Diego City Councilman and mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio presented the “Roadmap to Recovery” fiscal recovery package for San Diego Feb 3, at a meeting of the Grantville Action Group. Since I live in Grantville, I stopped by to hear his pitch. I also recorded video of his talk and questions and answers with the audience of about 30.  I …

Faulconer: Audit recommendations reflect 14 changes to improve management of street repairs

Thor's AssistantRostra Administrator (Thor's Assistant) Leave a Comment

From Tony Manolatos at SD Councilmember Kevin Faulconer’s office… Here is a link to a document highlighting City Auditor Eduardo Luna’s street maintenance audit, which is scheduled to be heard at Monday’s Audit Committee Meeting (Feb 7 at 9 a.m.). San Diego City Council President Pro Tem Kevin Faulconer, who chairs the Audit Committee, believes this is one of the …

Reagan Day? More than 60% of Americans Just Say No

Erica HollowayErica Holloway 5 Comments

Feb. 4, 2011 – SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Happy Dutch Day? Nope, most Americans say they’d rather work. More than 60 percent of Americans reject the idea of denoting 40th President Ronald Reagan’s birthday, February 6, as a federal public holiday. The survey of 504 American adults was conducted between February 1-3, 2011 by Competitive Edge Research & Communication. SEE …

Border Patrol foils dive-scooter coastal “invasion” by illegal aliens

Kimberly DvorakKimberly Dvorak Leave a Comment

Border Patrol agents nabbed a pair of Mexican nationals trying to enter the U.S. illegally using jet-propelled dive scooters. The two were apprehended in Imperial Beach, Calif. and processed for illegally entering the country. The agents arrested two male Mexican nationals after they illegally landed on U.S. shores. The dive scooters used by the illegal aliens are self-propelled underwater devices …