Good morning from Point Loma.
- San Diego City Councilwoman Marti Emerald faces an up to $10,000 fine from the city’s Ethics Commission for failing to report debt from her 2008 campaign. Emerald’s lawyer accuses the commission of not negotiating with him.
- The Chargers special counsel argues in an op-ed why the team needs public dollars for a new stadium downtown.
- The U-T details more of what the city’s budget cuts mean.
- The paper also continues its coverage of state Rep. Joel Anderson, R-La Mesa, with a profile after the representative was forced to repay campaign contributions.
- If you missed it on Friday, we have a wide-ranging Q&A with former city councilman and current white-collar union head Michael Zucchet. We also have an update on the fate of the union’s former leader, Judie Italiano.
- The city’s former pension administrator, David Wescoe, was in the news this weekend as he heads up to a new job in the Los Angeles area. Wescoe was engaged in a back-and-forth with City Councilman Carl DeMaio over a mailer DeMaio sent to his constituents. Wescoe contends DeMaio misrepresented pension facts; DeMaio begs to differ. The U-T’s Dianne Bell held a Q&A with Wescoe.
- The fallout from the failed recall attempt of a city councilman in Oceanside continues. The North County Times takes a long look at the council’s future direction. The Times’ editorial page says the organized labor-backed recall effort spotlights the need for city employees to live within city boundaries. The council’s thin majority could push through charter city powers, which would give the city more say over its own affairs. The U-T’s Logan Jenkins has some good nuggets about Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood’s on-again, off-again push to take on county Supervisor Bill Horn in June’s election.
- Two interesting stories from Escondido. A city councilman wants to create a technology park where the Chargers and the city had discussed a possible stadium. Also, the city has formed a task force to study rising pension payments.
— LIAM DILLON