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Good morning from University Heights.
I missed The Agenda yesterday. Too many meetings to attend and old financial reports to read. I’ll catch up on everything today so get ready for lots of links.
- We start, as we usually do, with the city of San Diego’s budget. Remember those 24 percent across the board cuts the Mayor’s Office was proposing? Try 27 percent. The U-T has linked to the memo from city COO Jay Goldstone on the issue as well.
- The big infrastructure news from yesterday was a council rules committee moving along the schoobrary project. The U-T says the library received a boost from Councilwoman Donna Frye, who wants to see new bids. Opinions on the library ranged from the U-T’s editorial page saying it should be done to CityBeat calling out the U-T.
- Second big infrastructure news from yesterday. The state Legislature passed a bill that exempts the L.A.-area city of Industry from environmental rules in building a new football stadium. The stadium project is targeting the Chargers among other teams and San Diego-area politicos blasted the decision.
The North County Times reports on the hurdles faced by what appears to be the Chargers’ top local option, a proposal in Escondido.
Meantime, indications are that a Chula Vista power plant is beginning to be decommissioned. The plant is a former target site for the Chargers stadium.
- I report on a new opinion from San Diego’s city attorney that expands the authority the mayor was thought to have to outsource city services. Reaction on the opinion to come from me today.
In other outsourcing news, San Diego County agreed this week to outsource almost 200 health and human service jobs.
- The city of San Diego’s temporary winter homeless shelter will be downtown again after months of dithering by City Council. Our own Adrian Florido reports on the scene.
- Here are a few quick hits on other city of San Diego news. San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders introduced a former fire department deputy as the new fire chief. He’s ready to face budget cuts. Former mayoral candidate Steve Francis opines on the city’s budget crisis. And CityBeat looksat recent Sanders slips of the tongue.
- In news from other cities around San Diego County, Escondido is battling over management of its performing arts center. Poway residents can begin collecting signatures in an effort to recall a City Councilwoman. Oceanside’s City Council rejected a plan to raise water and sewer rates, perhaps putting water and sewer bond payments at risk. Encinitas will move forward on proposals for a railroad underpass.
- Here are a few quick hits on other county of San Diego news. The U-T runs an interview with Supervisor Dianne Jacob that focuses on a rural power shutoff plan. And I report that endorsements for supervisor elections are coming in early.
- Finally, CityBeat columnist Carl Luna backtracks on some of his opinions on a pension study published by the San Diego County Taxpayers Association.
One more programming note. I’ll be in L.A. tomorrow so no Agenda. Go Phillies!