Saturday, July 9, 2011
Councilmember Gloria Announces Funding for Sunday Library and Gym Hours
PRESS RELEASE
Councilmember Announces Funding for Sunday Library and Gym Hours
City Heights Library, Performance Annex, and Mid-City Gym Now Open Sundays
SAN DIEGO, CA (July 8, 2011) – Councilmember Todd Gloria today announced that several City Heights facilities will once again be open on Sundays thanks to newly secured funding. The community will now benefit from additional hours at the City Heights/Weingart Branch Library and Performance Annex and the Mid-City Gymnasium.
The Price Family Charitable Fund provided a $40,000 grant to open the City Heights/Weingart Branch Library and Performance Annex on Sundays from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. starting this Sunday, July 10, 2011. Sunday hours were eliminated in March 2010 due to the City’s financial hardships.
“Libraries are essential to every community,” said Councilmember Gloria. “By helping bridge the divide between those who have access to information and those who do not, library services are critical, particularly to the community of City Heights where there is a high concentration of lower income households and small businesses.”
In addition to the library grant, the Price Family Charitable Fund contributed $2,430 to the City to fund summer Sunday hours of operation and programming at the Mid-City Gymnasium. The donation will open the gym to the public for three hours each Sunday from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. from June 24 through September 4, 2011.
Councilmember Gloria will extend the hours through June 2012 with a contribution of $8,694 generated through his office budget.
“With budgetary savings produced by my Council office in the previous fiscal year, I am able to direct additional resources to this grossly park-deficient community. This $8,694 contribution will sustain the programming proposed by Price through June 24, 2012,” said Councilmember Gloria.
The Mid-City Gym opened in 1996 as a result of strong community organization and effort. It was part of the first phase of City Heights Urban Village, bringing together in one location a number of opportunities in recreation and education. The additional gym hours and programming will provide individuals of all ages the opportunity to practice good health and fitness in a safe environment.
“Since 1994, the Price Family has contributed to the renaissance of City Heights. I applaud their focus to continually improve housing, shopping options, healthcare, education, social services, public safety, and job opportunities for this diverse neighborhood,” said Councilmember Gloria. “I am thankful and honored to have them as a true partner in the community.”
Councilmember Announces Funding for Sunday Library and Gym Hours
City Heights Library, Performance Annex, and Mid-City Gym Now Open Sundays
SAN DIEGO, CA (July 8, 2011) – Councilmember Todd Gloria today announced that several City Heights facilities will once again be open on Sundays thanks to newly secured funding. The community will now benefit from additional hours at the City Heights/Weingart Branch Library and Performance Annex and the Mid-City Gymnasium.
The Price Family Charitable Fund provided a $40,000 grant to open the City Heights/Weingart Branch Library and Performance Annex on Sundays from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. starting this Sunday, July 10, 2011. Sunday hours were eliminated in March 2010 due to the City’s financial hardships.
“Libraries are essential to every community,” said Councilmember Gloria. “By helping bridge the divide between those who have access to information and those who do not, library services are critical, particularly to the community of City Heights where there is a high concentration of lower income households and small businesses.”
In addition to the library grant, the Price Family Charitable Fund contributed $2,430 to the City to fund summer Sunday hours of operation and programming at the Mid-City Gymnasium. The donation will open the gym to the public for three hours each Sunday from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. from June 24 through September 4, 2011.
Councilmember Gloria will extend the hours through June 2012 with a contribution of $8,694 generated through his office budget.
“With budgetary savings produced by my Council office in the previous fiscal year, I am able to direct additional resources to this grossly park-deficient community. This $8,694 contribution will sustain the programming proposed by Price through June 24, 2012,” said Councilmember Gloria.
The Mid-City Gym opened in 1996 as a result of strong community organization and effort. It was part of the first phase of City Heights Urban Village, bringing together in one location a number of opportunities in recreation and education. The additional gym hours and programming will provide individuals of all ages the opportunity to practice good health and fitness in a safe environment.
“Since 1994, the Price Family has contributed to the renaissance of City Heights. I applaud their focus to continually improve housing, shopping options, healthcare, education, social services, public safety, and job opportunities for this diverse neighborhood,” said Councilmember Gloria. “I am thankful and honored to have them as a true partner in the community.”
###
Reorganizing the San Diego Redevelopment Agency by Marti Emerald
San Diego’s Redevelopment Agency has much to be proud about. We’ve won awards for projects in City Heights and Barrio Logan, and national recognition of the Centre City Development Corporation’s revitalization of downtown. Our Agency staff is professional and committed, and residents are actively involved in project planning.
Yet, we have problems. I have heard from the public that we adopted redevelopment project areas that are not truly blighted; that blight in downtown has been eliminated but we keep collecting redevelopment dollars to enhance City revenue; that we just build shopping center, not projects that truly benefit low-income residents; that we select developers who are connected, rather than most qualified; that redevelopment is not used to create new jobs; that funds have been improperly transferred among project areas; that Agency debts to the City have not been repaid; and that we have not built enough affordable housing. And we all remember the scandals uncovered by the Voice of San Diego at the Southeastern Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and at CCDC.
I don’t agree with all these criticisms. But I do think the public criticisms reflect problems we have with the Agency’s effectiveness, efficiency, accountability, and transparency. To understand these problems, I want to clarify how the San Diego Redevelopment Agency is organized.
Just as a business is the sum of its parts – its buildings, employees, assets, and liabilities, the San Diego Redevelopment Agency is seventeen project areas spread throughout the City, hundreds of revitalization projects, millions of dollars in bond debt, and numerous contracts. Redevelopment agencies are state agencies, not a part of the City, and are governed by state law, not the City Charter. The Board of Directors of the San Diego Agency, by state law, is the City Council. As currently organized, the San Diego Agency carries out redevelopment through a contract with CCDC for two downtown project areas, a contract with SEDC for four project areas, and a third contract with the City for the other eleven project areas. (That’s right, the City is a contractor to the Agency.) CCDC and SEDC are both nonprofit corporations chartered by the City.
Our effectiveness problem is that not all project areas get their proportionate share of resources and expertise. Our efficiency problem is that redevelopment work and expenses are duplicated among the three operating components of the Agency. Our accountability problem is that everyone who does work for the Agency really works for another employer and so has a built-in conflict of interest. The best example of this is last year’s State budget deal that lifted the cap on collecting downtown tax increment. Agency board members – the City Council members with the duty under State law to be responsible for redevelopment – were kept out of the loop on this important decision. Our transparency problem is that our complicated organization structure, coupled with gray areas about what information is public and what is not, make it difficult for the public to understand the redevelopment decision process.
We can fix these problems. My reorganization plan eliminates duplicated functions and leverages our strengths and successes by merging CCDC, SEDC, and the City’s Redevelopment Department into a single San Diego Development Corporation,
and centralizes all affordable housing responsibility and funding in the Housing Commission. My plan gives the Agency Board the resources to be accountable by making the Agency Executive Director, Finance Manager, and Legal Counsel direct employees of the Board. And my plan simplifies the Agency decision process. Take a quick look at the organization charts of our current Agency structure and of my proposed structure – you will see that the difference is striking. I believe that my plan has the elements necessary to be effective.
Governor Brown has proposed that redevelopment agencies should be eliminated. I disagree. Redevelopment is a critical tool to revitalize older neighborhoods, as we have proved in our downtown and in other parts of our city. We must restore public confidence in how San Diego manages redevelopment, and prove to Governor Brown and our state representatives that redevelopment is too important to de-fund. We can do that by building a new redevelopment model in San Diego: lean, smart, effective, transparent, and capable of generating new tax revenues where none previously existed.
Yet, we have problems. I have heard from the public that we adopted redevelopment project areas that are not truly blighted; that blight in downtown has been eliminated but we keep collecting redevelopment dollars to enhance City revenue; that we just build shopping center, not projects that truly benefit low-income residents; that we select developers who are connected, rather than most qualified; that redevelopment is not used to create new jobs; that funds have been improperly transferred among project areas; that Agency debts to the City have not been repaid; and that we have not built enough affordable housing. And we all remember the scandals uncovered by the Voice of San Diego at the Southeastern Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and at CCDC.
I don’t agree with all these criticisms. But I do think the public criticisms reflect problems we have with the Agency’s effectiveness, efficiency, accountability, and transparency. To understand these problems, I want to clarify how the San Diego Redevelopment Agency is organized.
Just as a business is the sum of its parts – its buildings, employees, assets, and liabilities, the San Diego Redevelopment Agency is seventeen project areas spread throughout the City, hundreds of revitalization projects, millions of dollars in bond debt, and numerous contracts. Redevelopment agencies are state agencies, not a part of the City, and are governed by state law, not the City Charter. The Board of Directors of the San Diego Agency, by state law, is the City Council. As currently organized, the San Diego Agency carries out redevelopment through a contract with CCDC for two downtown project areas, a contract with SEDC for four project areas, and a third contract with the City for the other eleven project areas. (That’s right, the City is a contractor to the Agency.) CCDC and SEDC are both nonprofit corporations chartered by the City.
Our effectiveness problem is that not all project areas get their proportionate share of resources and expertise. Our efficiency problem is that redevelopment work and expenses are duplicated among the three operating components of the Agency. Our accountability problem is that everyone who does work for the Agency really works for another employer and so has a built-in conflict of interest. The best example of this is last year’s State budget deal that lifted the cap on collecting downtown tax increment. Agency board members – the City Council members with the duty under State law to be responsible for redevelopment – were kept out of the loop on this important decision. Our transparency problem is that our complicated organization structure, coupled with gray areas about what information is public and what is not, make it difficult for the public to understand the redevelopment decision process.
We can fix these problems. My reorganization plan eliminates duplicated functions and leverages our strengths and successes by merging CCDC, SEDC, and the City’s Redevelopment Department into a single San Diego Development Corporation,
and centralizes all affordable housing responsibility and funding in the Housing Commission. My plan gives the Agency Board the resources to be accountable by making the Agency Executive Director, Finance Manager, and Legal Counsel direct employees of the Board. And my plan simplifies the Agency decision process. Take a quick look at the organization charts of our current Agency structure and of my proposed structure – you will see that the difference is striking. I believe that my plan has the elements necessary to be effective.
Governor Brown has proposed that redevelopment agencies should be eliminated. I disagree. Redevelopment is a critical tool to revitalize older neighborhoods, as we have proved in our downtown and in other parts of our city. We must restore public confidence in how San Diego manages redevelopment, and prove to Governor Brown and our state representatives that redevelopment is too important to de-fund. We can do that by building a new redevelopment model in San Diego: lean, smart, effective, transparent, and capable of generating new tax revenues where none previously existed.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
VoSD: Fletcher Nets $300K
We know Bonnie was burning up the phone lines because of this. And where will Carl end up?
The story here.
The story here.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Note to the Fletcher Campaign re: Lorem Ipsum
Check out this press release from the Fletcher campaign.
Here's the first paragraph:
In an unsurprising turn of events, Activate Direct showed very well in its demonstration with the League of CA Cities on Wednesday. One official was heard to say "we all knew it was coming. It's not surprising in the least when you think about it." Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce iaculis, risus mollis facilisis sodales, sapien risus vulputate odio, eu lobortis nisl erat ut nisi. Nunc sit amet arcu nec dui fringilla rutrum et at nisl. Cras vitae lectus vitae quam rutrum sodales vitae non diam. Ut ut nisi enim. Ut volutpat dolor non enim porta tristique. Curabitur a eleifend mi. Morbi sed nulla id dolor eleifend tincidunt. Nullam pulvinar, massa vel varius facilisis, lorem risus consequat massa, non posuere neque mi et justo. Vivamus lacus magna, facilisis vitae vulputate et, tincidunt quis nibh. Vivamus nec felis nibh, ut scelerisque dui.
Did you get all that? Here's what you need to know about "Lorem Ipsum." Not a big deal but just a note to watch your typesetting.
Here's the first paragraph:
In an unsurprising turn of events, Activate Direct showed very well in its demonstration with the League of CA Cities on Wednesday. One official was heard to say "we all knew it was coming. It's not surprising in the least when you think about it." Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce iaculis, risus mollis facilisis sodales, sapien risus vulputate odio, eu lobortis nisl erat ut nisi. Nunc sit amet arcu nec dui fringilla rutrum et at nisl. Cras vitae lectus vitae quam rutrum sodales vitae non diam. Ut ut nisi enim. Ut volutpat dolor non enim porta tristique. Curabitur a eleifend mi. Morbi sed nulla id dolor eleifend tincidunt. Nullam pulvinar, massa vel varius facilisis, lorem risus consequat massa, non posuere neque mi et justo. Vivamus lacus magna, facilisis vitae vulputate et, tincidunt quis nibh. Vivamus nec felis nibh, ut scelerisque dui.
Did you get all that? Here's what you need to know about "Lorem Ipsum." Not a big deal but just a note to watch your typesetting.
Campaigns For GOP Ballot Measures Lure Voters With Phony Petition To “Lower Gas Prices”
From the Labor Council
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Campaigns For GOP Ballot Measures Lure Voters
With Phony Petition To “Lower Gas Prices”
With Phony Petition To “Lower Gas Prices”
New Video Footage of Bait-and-Switch Illustrates Latest Deceit
by Pension and Government Contractor Campaigns
by Pension and Government Contractor Campaigns
SAN DIEGO – (Wednesday, July 6, 2011) – The “Just Say No, San Diego” Public Education Campaign released video today of Republican-controlled ballot measure campaigns using a phony petition to supposedly “lower gas prices” as a bait-and-switch in order to have voters sign ballot measures that eliminate a retirement safety net for city employees, abolish collective bargaining for construction workers and silence the voices of workers in politics.
A paid operative of the Republican ballot measure campaigns are seen luring voters to a booth with colorful posters stating “Lower Gas Prices” while representing that the ballot measure they are signing will put a question on the ballot that forces Congress to “drill here, drill now.” In fact, there is no such ballot measure registered for circulation at the Secretary of State’s office and no actual federal initiative-by-petition process.
A paid operative of the Republican ballot measure campaigns are seen luring voters to a booth with colorful posters stating “Lower Gas Prices” while representing that the ballot measure they are signing will put a question on the ballot that forces Congress to “drill here, drill now.” In fact, there is no such ballot measure registered for circulation at the Secretary of State’s office and no actual federal initiative-by-petition process.
After talking up the phony gas prices initiative, the signature gatherer asks the voter to sign the petition in order to put it on the ballot.
But, in fact, the paid signature gatherer flips the top page about gas prices over to have the voter sign a petition for one of the Republican ballot measures being circulated by government contractors, developers, corporate lobbyists and other far-right special interests.
“This is a very deceitful tactic, even by the low standards of the underground industry of paid signature gathering,” said Kyle Haverback, spokesman for the “Just Say No, San Diego” Public Education Campaign. “In the video, you can clearly see that the paid signature gatherer is preying on people’s desire to lower gasoline prices. It’s very cynical of these campaigns to employ a bait-and-switch where you tell the public they’re signing one thing when it’s really another.”
Watch the Video here!
Only when the paid signature gatherer is prompted in the video does she then describe that she is collecting signatures for other petitions besides the phony “gas prices” campaign. When describing those ballot measures, the paid signature gatherer makes several misleading and inaccurate statements about what the measures do.
The paid signature gatherer claims the pension ballot measure “better defines what they’re giving the employees” when the measure actually creates more uncertainty about the benefits city employees receive. When describing the government contracting ballot measure to stop collective bargaining agreements on public projects, the paid signature gatherer said the measure allows non-union firms the right to bid on city contracts, when in fact non-union firms already have the right, regardless of whether there’s a project labor agreement or not.
But, in fact, the paid signature gatherer flips the top page about gas prices over to have the voter sign a petition for one of the Republican ballot measures being circulated by government contractors, developers, corporate lobbyists and other far-right special interests.
“This is a very deceitful tactic, even by the low standards of the underground industry of paid signature gathering,” said Kyle Haverback, spokesman for the “Just Say No, San Diego” Public Education Campaign. “In the video, you can clearly see that the paid signature gatherer is preying on people’s desire to lower gasoline prices. It’s very cynical of these campaigns to employ a bait-and-switch where you tell the public they’re signing one thing when it’s really another.”
Watch the Video here!
Only when the paid signature gatherer is prompted in the video does she then describe that she is collecting signatures for other petitions besides the phony “gas prices” campaign. When describing those ballot measures, the paid signature gatherer makes several misleading and inaccurate statements about what the measures do.
The paid signature gatherer claims the pension ballot measure “better defines what they’re giving the employees” when the measure actually creates more uncertainty about the benefits city employees receive. When describing the government contracting ballot measure to stop collective bargaining agreements on public projects, the paid signature gatherer said the measure allows non-union firms the right to bid on city contracts, when in fact non-union firms already have the right, regardless of whether there’s a project labor agreement or not.
# # #
Friday, July 1, 2011
Two Cathedrals: Building a base is not a vice.
Lucas O'Conner nails it.
This boils down to the collision of principle vs pragmatism: Whether aspiring to the supposed ideal of post-partisan governance trumps the pragmatism of trying to actually enact beneficial policy. The trick is, the policy is the principle. It can be easy to lose sight of the actual point of politics, but ultimately the goal is to improve people’s lives. And the mechanism is policy. Everything else is the sausage-making. Aspire to as much righteousness as you want in the process of making that sausage, but at the end of the day all that matters is what gets made.
Here is the post.
This boils down to the collision of principle vs pragmatism: Whether aspiring to the supposed ideal of post-partisan governance trumps the pragmatism of trying to actually enact beneficial policy. The trick is, the policy is the principle. It can be easy to lose sight of the actual point of politics, but ultimately the goal is to improve people’s lives. And the mechanism is policy. Everything else is the sausage-making. Aspire to as much righteousness as you want in the process of making that sausage, but at the end of the day all that matters is what gets made.
Here is the post.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
SD CityBeat: Vargas raising cash for state Senate, but running for Congress
CityBeat has the story here.
GOP Ballot Measure Relies on Illegal Maneuvers, Resulting in Higher Costs, Phantom Savings and No Safety Net for Workers
Press Release from San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO
Mayor’s Proposition Depends on Breaking State Law In Order To Achieve Lion’s Share of Projected Savings
SAN DIEGO – (Thursday, June 30, 2011) – The Republican ballot measure to leave city workers without Social Security or any other retirement safety net includes a maneuver that Mayor Sanders claimed was illegal just a few months ago in order to achieve be
According to the ballot measure’s supporters, the section of the proposition requiring the city to freeze pensionable pay for 5 years accounts for up to 87 % (or $1.1 billion) of the savings heralded by supporters. It is against California state law to impose a pay freeze for that long without bargaining in good faith with employees first.
“They’re counting chicks that will never hatch under state law,” said Lorena Gonzalez, the San Diego Labor Council’s Secretary-Treasurer. “This proposition leave workers without Social Security or any retirement safety net and assures the City will find itself back in expensive courtroom battles like in the Mike Aguirre days. Those are steep prices to pay for what appears to be minimal savings compared to the status quo.”
Other reasons why this ballot measure is BAD for San Diego:
BAD FOR THE LONG TERM: Additionally, it appears to be a better deal for the city to keep the employees in the pension system. In year 27 of the lower scenario, the costs of the 401-K begin to outpace the savings from reduced payments to the pension system. This begs the question of why the Republican campaign cut off the chart at year 27 instead of going further, because it is clear that this measure has the potential to end up costing more in the long run.
BAD FOR THE SHORT TERM: The supporters are admitting that the short-term costs outweigh the savings even if the measure is found to be legal. The San Diego City Employees Retirement System said that moving to a 401-K will cost the City $94 million over the first six years because money for new employees will not regularly be directed to the retirement system. That’s the last thing San Diego needs as police, fire and other city services have been cut during this recession.
BAD MATH: The ballot measure uses an apples-to-oranges comparison in assumptions, assuming that salaries are going to grow 4 percent annually in the current pension plan and only 2 percent annually in the proposed 401-K plan. This is a dishonest comparison.
TAKING CREDIT FOR WHAT’S ALREADY HAPPENED: The Republican campaign is taking credit for the pick-up savings, even though that has already been eliminated through collective bargaining between the City and its employees.
Mayor’s Proposition Depends on Breaking State Law In Order To Achieve Lion’s Share of Projected Savings
SAN DIEGO – (Thursday, June 30, 2011) – The Republican ballot measure to leave city workers without Social Security or any other retirement safety net includes a maneuver that Mayor Sanders claimed was illegal just a few months ago in order to achieve be
According to the ballot measure’s supporters, the section of the proposition requiring the city to freeze pensionable pay for 5 years accounts for up to 87 % (or $1.1 billion) of the savings heralded by supporters. It is against California state law to impose a pay freeze for that long without bargaining in good faith with employees first.
“They’re counting chicks that will never hatch under state law,” said Lorena Gonzalez, the San Diego Labor Council’s Secretary-Treasurer. “This proposition leave workers without Social Security or any retirement safety net and assures the City will find itself back in expensive courtroom battles like in the Mike Aguirre days. Those are steep prices to pay for what appears to be minimal savings compared to the status quo.”
Other reasons why this ballot measure is BAD for San Diego:
BAD FOR THE LONG TERM: Additionally, it appears to be a better deal for the city to keep the employees in the pension system. In year 27 of the lower scenario, the costs of the 401-K begin to outpace the savings from reduced payments to the pension system. This begs the question of why the Republican campaign cut off the chart at year 27 instead of going further, because it is clear that this measure has the potential to end up costing more in the long run.
BAD FOR THE SHORT TERM: The supporters are admitting that the short-term costs outweigh the savings even if the measure is found to be legal. The San Diego City Employees Retirement System said that moving to a 401-K will cost the City $94 million over the first six years because money for new employees will not regularly be directed to the retirement system. That’s the last thing San Diego needs as police, fire and other city services have been cut during this recession.
BAD MATH: The ballot measure uses an apples-to-oranges comparison in assumptions, assuming that salaries are going to grow 4 percent annually in the current pension plan and only 2 percent annually in the proposed 401-K plan. This is a dishonest comparison.
TAKING CREDIT FOR WHAT’S ALREADY HAPPENED: The Republican campaign is taking credit for the pick-up savings, even though that has already been eliminated through collective bargaining between the City and its employees.
###
SDUT: Supervisors’ shameless self-preservation
If a UT editorial can see the problem, why can't the Board of Supervisors? Maybe they can but won't do anything until challenged.
We don’t see these decisions as driven by racism. Instead, they’re fueled by politicians’ desire for self-preservation. That distinction, however, hardly insulates the board from a Voting Rights Act challenge. Such a challenge now seems inevitable – and welcome.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
DeMaio signature gatherers lying!
I, for one, am shocked, shocked at such shenanigans. It is here on this YouTube clip.
SD CityBeat: Murder at the courthouse!
CityBeat rounds out their political hat trick this week reviewing Tony Kvaric's losing streak here.
SD CityBeat: Durfee's a thug
To be fair, Durfee’s Republican counterpart, Tony Krvaric, has the same policy: no support for Republicans who dare to endorse Democrats, whether or not the office is partisan. Durfee and Krvaric both are political hacks who’d fit in nicely as party operatives in some fascist foreign regime. They make things worse, not better. America should aspire to something loftier than these two knuckleheads.
CityBeat editorial here.
CityBeat editorial here.
SDUT: No Mayor Kehoe: State senator decides not to run
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
About Those Democratic Endorsements of Non-Democrats
As I said previously, Bonnie Dumanis (and to a lesser extent, Nathan Fletcher) is the establishment candidate for mayor. So its not at all surprising that members of the San Diego political establishment would give her money and support. Lynne Schenk and Murray Galinson fall into that establishment category, and even with Bonnie Dumanis being a Republican, they're going to support her.
Additionally, there is a bit going on behind the scenes. Specifically, it appears that Kehoe is staying out of the Mayor's race (for now), so the sole remaining Democrat is Bob Filner. The Congressman is a tireless campaigner, a brilliant mind, someone who cares deeply about his constituents, and is actually passionate about his job. If Filner becomes mayor, he's going to work his ass off. As a progressive, I'm pretty pumped at the idea of Filner, also a progressive, being mayor.
That said, Filner has a reputation of being prickly. Or, in less polite terms, Filner has a reputation of being an asshole, particularly by his enemies. One particular enemy is Juan Vargas, who ran against Filner in two epic bloodbaths (and one completely disappointing campaign) that left both men scarred for life.* Galinson and Schenk are current and former Vargas supporters, and so its not at all surprising that they are backing Dumanis.
I have no idea if Sessom comes from the Vargas camp or not, but I wouldn't be surprised if she was. As far as her line about Jess Durfee, I find it somewhat surprising that a mayor who has asked for and received the Democratic Party endorsement time and time again doesn't know who the Democratic Party Chair is. In this respect, Lucas over at Two Cathedrals is right.
Nonetheless, for the Democratic Party insiders who haven't been on the lines of the Filner-Vargas war, Bob Filner is their guy. Note that both Kehoe and Frye both slightly backed away from running for mayor when they heard Bob was in. They didn't do that out of fear, they did it out of respect. And not only will the Dem insiders back up Durfee's statement that the endorsement of non-Dems in this race will be punished, they'll cheer him all the way.
And this is a big, big problem for Dumanis. She's gay, she's pro-union, not fiscally conservative, and completely out of touch with the Republican Party. With the DeMaio in the race, Dumanis' only hope is gather enough support from Democrats and independents. But if Filner is in the race, and is strongly supported by Democrats, Dumanis is toast. She knows that, Bob knows that, and that's why the endorsement thing is a big issue.
*I'm not even remotely joking about this, and no I can't tell you how I know.
Additionally, there is a bit going on behind the scenes. Specifically, it appears that Kehoe is staying out of the Mayor's race (for now), so the sole remaining Democrat is Bob Filner. The Congressman is a tireless campaigner, a brilliant mind, someone who cares deeply about his constituents, and is actually passionate about his job. If Filner becomes mayor, he's going to work his ass off. As a progressive, I'm pretty pumped at the idea of Filner, also a progressive, being mayor.
That said, Filner has a reputation of being prickly. Or, in less polite terms, Filner has a reputation of being an asshole, particularly by his enemies. One particular enemy is Juan Vargas, who ran against Filner in two epic bloodbaths (and one completely disappointing campaign) that left both men scarred for life.* Galinson and Schenk are current and former Vargas supporters, and so its not at all surprising that they are backing Dumanis.
I have no idea if Sessom comes from the Vargas camp or not, but I wouldn't be surprised if she was. As far as her line about Jess Durfee, I find it somewhat surprising that a mayor who has asked for and received the Democratic Party endorsement time and time again doesn't know who the Democratic Party Chair is. In this respect, Lucas over at Two Cathedrals is right.
Nonetheless, for the Democratic Party insiders who haven't been on the lines of the Filner-Vargas war, Bob Filner is their guy. Note that both Kehoe and Frye both slightly backed away from running for mayor when they heard Bob was in. They didn't do that out of fear, they did it out of respect. And not only will the Dem insiders back up Durfee's statement that the endorsement of non-Dems in this race will be punished, they'll cheer him all the way.
And this is a big, big problem for Dumanis. She's gay, she's pro-union, not fiscally conservative, and completely out of touch with the Republican Party. With the DeMaio in the race, Dumanis' only hope is gather enough support from Democrats and independents. But if Filner is in the race, and is strongly supported by Democrats, Dumanis is toast. She knows that, Bob knows that, and that's why the endorsement thing is a big issue.
*I'm not even remotely joking about this, and no I can't tell you how I know.
NewsFlash: The election is 16 months away...
So with the election only 16 months away we already have a winner in the San Diego Mayor's race. Even though there have been no mailers, no commercials, no precient walks, no debates, no anything. The situation is so dire that only Donna can save us! 16 months is an eternity in politics. Especially in this City. I mean in December 2002, this guy was saying he owned city hall and that Dick Murphy and Michael Uberuaga had to go through him to get anything done in Council and what happened more than a year later? Please see link above.
This is going to be a hard long slog and we don't know what will happen and those saying who has a lock and who doesn't all have a short term memory. I mean look at Mark Penn and the national political establishment who 16 months before the election were already talking about who Hillary would put in her Cabinet. Last time I checked, this guy won.
VoSD: Dem Mayor to Dem Leader: Who Are You Again?
Lemon Grove Mayor Mary Sessom calls out SDCDP Chair Durfee. The Voice has the story here.
VoSD: Hell to Pay for Dems Who Endorse GOP
"I will do everything in my power to see that any Democratic elected official or candidate in the county who endorses a Republican for mayor will not receive the endorsement or support of the Democratic Party in the future," Durfee wrote in a letter to local Democratic elected officials.
The Voice of San Diego has the story here.
The Voice of San Diego has the story here.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Pension Mess: Former Mayor Says She's Not to Blame
The Voice of San Diego has the story about Susan Golding refusing to accept responsibility for decisions made under her watch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)