Here’s the latest roundup highlighting the discussion from the week:
• Bob Stein on “Attempt to Block the Convention Center Vote Is Rejected“:
The most honest solution is not to have a tax but for hoteliers to donate a portion of their revenue to building the new convention center. This donation could be a fixed cost tied to the most predictable expansion cost like construction bonds.
But our hoteliers don’t want this, as any charge paid directly by them raises their cost of business and lowers their profits. Better they should figure a way for a third party to pay. This is troubling and suggests we are standing on quicksand.
• James Kistner on “Police Response Times Increasing: Graphic“:
Calls for service and reported crimes are not necessarily related. 911 calls and injury accident calls are just two examples of high priority calls that often do not have any relationship to reported crime. A huge number of 911 calls end up being nothing at all. Conversely, many crime reports come in as low priority calls because the crime has already occurred and the criminal is long gone. Many of those calls sit for hours or even days before an officer responds.
• Hank Pfeffer on “How DeMaio Plays Defense“:
Character is a key issue in the race for mayor. I don’t think many folks have any illusions about who is in whose pocket.
Do we pick a mayor who won’t get caught? Or should we pick one who will?
• Emmett McMahon on “Utility Watchdog Hounded by FBI, Whistleblowers“:
I think it would be a shame to lose UCAN from the rank of San Diego citizen saviors. They have done so much for us and I am not aware of another group to fill in. There are some folks in high places in the utility business that are laughing and hoping that UCAN will fold up and disappear. That way they can make a lot of money off of us and get bigger bonuses.
• Rick Johnson on “District: Hey Charters, We Might Want You Back“:
…The idea of charging the charters an admin fee is long overdue and they need to put that fee into their budgets.
It would seem abundantly fair to me that per capita funding rates at charters equal those at traditional schools, and if it’s not enough to run a run school, than the charters would need to raise the difference.
If you look at the charter system in SDUSD fairly, one could conclude that although it was well intended, we didn’t manage it very well.
Statements have been lightly edited to fix spelling errors.
Want to contribute to discussion? Submit a suggestion to Fix San Diego.
Dagny Salas is the web editor at voiceofsandiego.org. You can contact her directly at dagny.salas@voiceofsandiego.org or 619.550.5669.
Like VOSD on Facebook.