Scott- As a downtown resident I could not agree more. The focus needs to be on quality of life issues and infrastructure. The agency has many of these things in the program, many qualified people to make them happen, and shockingly money. It needs leadership. It needs someone who comes from a BIG city, not a small, seaside community in Florida that is famous for a stucco mall. Bring someone in from Portland, Vancouver, Denver, Boston, etc. These people know cities and we San Diegan's need one. And where is Jerry Sanders on this.. He needs to step up and show some vision. Jerry try to be a big city mayor and follow the lead from your colleagues in other cities... I am really surpised they would allow Ms LeSar head a committee to pick another one.

Posted by Another Joe | reply to this comment
September 5, 2008 2:49 pm

Jennifer is either paranoid or there is some truth in the idea that some CCDC Board members enriched themselves at the expense of the public. I don't necessarily mean wads of dollars bills, but Jennifer herself seems to have parlayed her tenure on the CCDC Board into a new profession. Once I have figured out how to convert DSS audio files into a more useable format I will be sending the Voice an interesting 5 minutes of audio from a CCDC meeting. Proud LeSar Naysayer

Posted by Ian Trowbridge | reply to this comment
September 5, 2008 8:38 pm

Good for you, Scott Lewis, for highlighting the horrific use of language by city "redevelopment" insider Jennifer LeSar (fiancee of City Councilwoman Toni Atkins who VOTES on redevelopment matters) -- intended to blur the edges of her responsibility for scandals now being exposed at Center City Development Corporation and the Southeast Development Corporation. In a related matter, take a look at accountant/civic watchdog Mel Shapiro 's letter today, Saturday, (buried in the "Our San Diego' section of today's Union Tribune) detailing everybody's failure to oversee runaway spending on inflated salaries at SEDC. Overall, I'd say we are "trending" down the drain.

Posted by Frances O'Neill Zimmerman | reply to this comment
September 6, 2008 9:47 am

The City Attorney need to look more closely at the financials of each of the CCDC board members to determine if they too have conflicts of interest. All board members who are found to have a conflict must be removed from the board BEFORE a new president is selected. When Union Bank is financing downtown condo projects, how can Union Bank VP Robert McNeeley sit on the CCDC board without being conflicted? That might be a good place to start investigating. That said, the board and the new president should continue to focus on creating new public spaces, better transit and fixing the infrastructure downtown. CCDC surplus funds should be used to repave G Street. Its so full of potholes that its making it hard to drive downtown. It reflects the fact that CCDC is not requiring enough development fees from condo developers.

Posted by Watcher | reply to this comment
September 6, 2008 11:04 am

Sounds like LaSar is part of the problem not part of the solution. Another one needs to bite the dust!

Posted by Norman | reply to this comment
September 8, 2008 6:32 am

Typical CCDC hubris. LeSar claims to want public input, but when we take time off work, go downtown, pay for parking, and actually participate, we are pointedly ignored. It's not just the Graham scandal. It's the way CCDC considers itself above any criticism or accountability. Closed-door deals predominate, and the public good is an after thought at best. CCDC has real problems, but anyone who points this out is dismissed as a "naysayer". Time to abolish CCDC.

Posted by Fred Williams | reply to this comment
September 8, 2008 6:52 am

Jennifer LeSar was a member of the CCDC board which selected Nancy Graham as CEO. Jennifer LeSar's appointment to the CCDC board was voted upon by a City Council that included her long-time partner (now spouse), Toni Atkins. Jennifer LeSar is a real estate consultant whose clients are developers. As a member of the Redevelopment Agency board that directly oversees CCDC and approves its annual budget, Toni Atkins has voted upon numerous CCDC development deals. Why, in the light of the City's stated concern with ethics and the avoidance of even the appearance of conflicts of interest, has this arrangement been not been questioned, and why is Jennifer LeSar involved in the recruitment and selection of a new CEO?

Posted by Hank Cunningham | reply to this comment
September 8, 2008 6:02 pm

Jennifer LeSar was a member of the CCDC board which selected Nancy Graham as CEO. Jennifer LeSar's appointment to the CCDC board was voted upon by a City Council that included her long-time partner (now spouse), Toni Atkins. Jennifer LeSar is a real estate consultant whose clients are developers. As a member of the Redevelopment Agency board that directly oversees CCDC and approves its annual budget, Toni Atkins has voted upon numerous CCDC development deals. Why, in the light of the City's stated concern with ethics and the avoidance of even the appearance of conflicts of interest, has this arrangement not been questioned, and why is Jennifer LeSar involved in the recruitment and selection of a new CEO?

Posted by Hank Cunningham | reply to this comment
September 8, 2008 6:02 pm

I was hoping that maybe naivete played a part...maybe they were trading real estate deals for favors for the gay community......but with the North Park High rise debaucle...And Jennifers invitation to LA, I think we the voters have been screwd again...

Posted by Joyce Bartyzel | reply to this comment
September 20, 2008 12:56 pm

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