Sales tax affected by weekend highway closures
Weekend morning closures of Highway 101 may benefit a designated charity but not merchants that are affected when these occur in their vicinity. Employees sit around until traffic resumes. There’s no revenue being generated by these establishments and consequently no sales tax for the city. So who benefits besides the charity and the promoter who recruits volunteers to do the heavy lifting?
Phony inspectors
San Dieguito Water District is warning that it has received reports of persons posing as water inspectors who have attempted to gain entrance into homes on the ruse they are water testers. They aren’t. The district suggests you call it at (760) 633-2709 or law enforcement at (760) 966-3500.
Neighborhoods vying for hosted block party
Nine Surfside City neighborhoods are vying to win an all-inclusive block party in a unique Paint The Town Yellow competition. It’s an effort to gain additional financial support for the purchase of the Shores school site on 9th Street. When a resident makes a contribution, a yellow yard sign is issued and the neighborhood displaying the most signs by Sept. 18 will be declared the block party winner and will be recognized at a Septemberfest on the 20th of September. Neighborhood boundaries and other information is available by calling (858) 481-4201 or online www.delmarshores.org
Rail funds
San Diego Assn. of Governments has applied for $352 million in stimulus funds for a second coastal rail track. Seems like prime time for Flower Capital electeds to campaign to have the tracks placed below grade. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
O’side recall
A recall vote is scheduled at the end of the year on whether Councilman Jerry Kern will be allowed to complete his term next November. Report is it will cost upwards of 450 grand for the caper. What a colossal waste of taxpayers’ dough of which the city duzzn’t have a lot of.
Energy decision
Harbor City council electeds have OK’d San Diego Gas & Electric’s decision to pull the plug on back country households during dangerous wildfire conditions. Councilor Marti Emerald carried the torch for the electric company and was heavily supported by her colleague Ben Hueso. Both were recent recipients of campaign contributions but emphasize that had no bearing on their decision. Folks are asking how shut-ins who may be on life support machines will cope when their juice is cut off. SDG&E has been blamed for being responsible for some of their lines causing the wildfires last year.
Constitutional convention
The need for a constitutional convention (mandated every 10 years) was clearly evident following the recent budget mess. The two-thirds majority vote was blamed for not being able to pass elements of it. Prop. 13 also came under fire. It is a major source of government’s operating revenue and before Prop. 13 was overwhelmingly approved in 1978 by the voters the property tax rate had no cap. It was set after it was determined how much money was going to be spent and tied to that figure. A constitutional convention will be beneficial only if it is not stacked with lobbyists and special interest groups who could actually make conditions worse than they are now.
Crime stats
According to stats recently released for the first six months period, violent crime was up in some North County cities and down in others. Property crimes were down generally. C’bad recorded an increase in violent crimes and drop in property crimes. O’side was down in both categories. Encinitas had an increase in violent crimes but a decrease in the property classification. Most significant increase in violent crimes was in C’bad — from 98 to 155.
Waste management board
The Governator has finally succeeded in axing the Integrated Waste Management Board that he contends duplicates functions carried out by other state agencies and is a waste of tax $$$$$. He notes that termed out politicos serve on the board for which they receive $132,178 annually. The agency was eliminated during the budget process. Its 450 employees were transferred to other departments.
Festive but not noisy
Congressional candidate Francine Busby held a grand opening of her Cardiff campaign headquarters recently and it was a festive but quiet affair that did not reach the noise decible or at least no one complained. There was no watchful helicopter hovering above, not even a squad car in the vicinity, the cop dog had the day off, and there was no fire apparatus standing by in case conversations became heated and burst into flames. None of the ladies were hauled off to the clink and there were no reports of any attendees being pepper sprayed. The candidate did not use a bull horn to address the crowd. It was indeed festive and a good time was had by all.
Restoration to proceed
The Fletcher Cove community building in Solbeach is due for a complete refurbishing and is now on the high priority list. The building dates back to World War II when it was a barracks for soldiers stationed at Camp Callan on Torrey Pines mesa. Following the war many of these buildings were donated and moved to communities through the County Board of Supervisors. Plans call for the kitchen and restrooms to be relocated. Sliding glass doors on the west wall will open into an outdoor patio. This area will provide a panoramic view of the ocean. Stephen Dalton Architects is assisting city staff in the redesign process.
One-liners
Movers & shakers of the recently restored and popular San Dieguito Lagoon report growing populations of fish and wildlife that can be viewed from a former bridge that has been turned into an overlook … The big noise about a balanced state budget should have a footnote included indicating it’s only a temporary fix and the Golden State will be in the same financial mess come the first of the year … Target in the Encinitas Ranch shopping center has started the expansion process by filing preliminary documents … Preview reception for An American Dream will be held Aug. 29 at O’side Museum of Art … And whatever happened to the Cardiff specific plan initiated eight years ago?
Hasta la Vista
