Good morning from Hillcrest.
- We’ll start the day with news about a boost for proponents of a large oval park at the end of San Diego’s Broadway Pier. California Coastal Commission staff opinion said the Port of San Diego broke from its master plan when it replaced the 79,000-square-foot park in its plans with a 16,000-square-foot plaza. The Coastal Commission will weigh in Feb. 11 in Oceanside.
- I have yet to link to KPBS’ multimedia series on downtown San Diego. The nonprofit takes a look at downtown’s past, present and future.
- San Diego Councilman Carl DeMaio and Mayor Jerry Sanders aren’t on the best of terms, but DeMaio’s chief of staff decided to take a pay cut to work for the mayor.
- Funding levels for California’s largest pension systems are dropping. The California Public Employees Retirement System pension plan is about 60 percent funded. The California State Teachers Retirement System plan has dropped to 77 percent. The city’s pension plan dropped to 66.5 percent funded, the lowest ratio since 2004.
- Three San Diego City Council members promoted free rides on a developer-funded bus line hoping to increase ridership.
- Former San Diego City Council President and current Port Commissioner Scott Peters will not be an alternate on the California Coastal Commission after state lawyers said he couldn’t serve on both panels.
- And the New York Times weighs in on the proposed football stadium for the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara. Proponents of the deal are well-funded and organized. Opponents have a scant e-mail list. For those wanting to compare the 49ers deal to what may come out of talks with the Chargers, here’s the breakdown of the $114 million in public money likely on the June ballot:
Without tapping its general fund or raising a citywide tax, Santa Clara would contribute $114 million — $42 million from its redevelopment agency, $20 million from the city’s electric utility to move a substation, $17 million in bonds for a parking garage and $35 million from an increase in the room tax at neighborhood hotels.
- It’s worth noting that San Diego’s stadium consultant said in a presentation this week that Santa Clara’s plan could not be compared to San Diego because the Oakland Raiders might occupy the stadium with the 49ers, changing the funding situations.
— LIAM DILLON