Sunday, March 1, 2009 | There are some very obvious solutions to the fiscal problems of the city of San Diego in my opinion.
1. Stop any planning about the downtown library and put it up for sale. Let the smaller libraries remain open as they are used constantly. And the employees from the main library can go to those smaller ones.
This would save a lot of money in city worker engineer efforts and time. That money could be contributed to the pension fund. That is why the city is in the shape it’s in. The city made deals with the unions to not give raises, etc. to the employees and contribute more to their pensions. The city just decided not to hold up their end of the deal it appears. It seems they thought the market would take care of that. (bad planning)
2. Sell the houses and apartment buildings the city owns. There are several.
3. Charge a penny more in sales tax. Just face it, we have to go there.
4. Increase the hotel tax, another reality we have to face.
5. Perhaps the city should look at benefit packages and wages. Compare them to other cities and be realistic about the future. But that should not apply to current 100 percent vested employees. They have made deals that were to last their employment. Those deals should be adhered to.
6. Every city employee should have to take a furlough. I think 12 days is a little steep, especially for those marriages that consist of two city workers supporting the household. Perhaps six furlough days. Every city employee means the mayor and his staff. I don’t mean to exclude elected officials. They are city employees.
There are many ways to get the money the city needs. However, before taking it away from current or retired employees is not the way when the city has so many assets that they can sell off first.
7. Sell Torrey Pines.
8. Charge more rent for the places the city does rent to public entities.
9. Stop so much in house political fighting. It’s a waste of city time and money and does nothing but upset the current flow of business.
10. Stop catering to the Chargers. I am a fan but I feel they have the money to build their own stadium and should. They have many loyal fans here but money does make the world go ’round.