Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008 | Watching the City Council appoint members to the Unified Port of San Diego’s board calls into question the characters of elected officials. Many boards and commissions remain outdated because the mayor did not view these appointments as critical.
Tomorrow the same august body of “deciders” will seal the fate of two parks and a library in Bay Park.
The mayor is asking all to “feel the pain” of his budget cuts. However, three core community facilities within a 3-mile area is more like putting this area in the ICU.
Tecolote Park serves over 500 youth league baseball families. The center staff is critical to making the fields safe and the park run smoothly. Without staff the homeless problem at this park can only increase.
As a long term member of the Tecolote Recreation Council, I can attest to our generosity in sponsoring and volunteering well-loved community events — Family Day, Lunch with Santa, and the Spring Egg Hunt. We made sure these events were usually free so children and parents of all economic means could participate.
Now our efforts and those of other volunteers in other parks are being threatened by the mayor. It is worth noting that this same mayor recently created a position (director of special projects) for former San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Gerry Braun, which pays $140,000 per year. I guess he is worth more to the mayor than families.