Election Worries Arts Orgs That Depend on Local Government: County Supervisor Pam Slater-Price helped direct millions of dollars in county taxes to local arts organizations (note the chart we’ve created). She’s not running for re-election and one of the candidates who has advanced to the runoff, Steve Danon, is determined to change the programs she used forever. One arts leader said plainly he and his counterparts have to make sure Danon doesn’t win.
As Kelly Bennett chronicled, arts organizations and leaders became a part of Slater-Price’s life and it’s been mutually beneficial. Even Danon’s rival, though, won’t promise them everything.
• Also, losing Mayor Jerry Sanders is not exactly appealing to arts orgs either. Though, mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio has promised to double funding for the arts if he wins and his plans are implemented.
The DA Is Disappointed: Bonnie Dumanis came in fourth place in the mayoral race and offered some acidic assessments of her rivals in a candid interview. She said she was disappointed with Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher. He was a “shiny penny,” he had told her he would not run (he denied this), he was the spoiler and he got too political in the political campaign. Other than that, she’s fine.
DeMaio’s Excited to Work with Ally’s Rival: Councilman DeMaio and Congressman Bob Filner squared off this week in their first debate since advancing to the final election for mayor. During it, DeMaio made a surprising comment.
He praised his colleagues Councilwomen Lorie Zapf and Sherri Lightner for their work on “efforts to keep water rates low.” Lightner has also led on creating a tiered water pricing structure that would incentivize conservation and punish waste.
DeMaio went on:
“Both of those councilmembers in my administration will take the point on water policy, working together to advance our water program,” he said, according to the Daily Transcript.
But DeMaio has endorsed and supported Ray Ellis, who’s trying to unseat Lightner. If Ellis wins, Lightner’s not leading any water policy effort. Perhaps DeMaio’s not optimistic about Ellis’ chances?
Top Comments of the Week
Reader Erik Hanson leads our list of the Top Comments of the week with one questioning whether DeMaio, who’s made his campaign about fixing potholes, really knows that much about roads. The candidate chose, for our portrait, a road that would illustrate the problem with maintaining infrastructure. “That street he is standing on (in Emerald’s district, I believe) seems to me to be structurally sound and only aesthetically challenged,” Hanson wrote.
• In commentary, state Sen. Christine Kehoe and Sunne Wright McPeak co-wrote a piece about the need for universal access to the internet.
“For those who think the digital divide is all but closed, the fact remains that home broadband adoption rates for Californians earning under $40,000 hover below 60 percent,” they write.
Teacher Layoffs to Hit City Heights Hard
In our weekly roundup of news out of City Heights, we had to focus on potential layoffs of teachers. Will Carless spent much of the week cataloguing the impacts of layoffs.
The stories were tough ones to read. This particularly got me.
Desal Plant Getting Pricey
The U-T San Diego reports that the desalination plant that for years has been in the works adjacent to the Encina Power Station will cost $1 billion, not $300 million as it was originally proposed.
Quick News Hits
• KPBS’ Adrian Florido did an emotional interview on camera of a young person affected by President Obama’s decision to stop deporting young undocumented immigrants.
• The Reader had a piece recently on lax practices of local mail carriers and now an audit says the agency has some problems.
• KPBS reports that the notorious Richard Tuite case, in the murder of Stephanie Crowe, may reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
Quote of the Week
“Whatever revenue we may gain, we will lose in public trust and I don’t think that’s worthwhile.”
— Councilman Todd Gloria on a proposed fee for public records requested by the public and delivered electronically.
Quote of the Week II
“It’s a way to mark our moments on this earth as opposed to just filling potholes.”
— Hugh Davies, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, on arts and culture as attractions for new businesses and education.
I’m Scott Lewis, the CEO of Voice of San Diego. You can contact me directly at scott.lewis@voiceofsandiego.org or 619.325.0527 and follow me on Twitter (it’s a blast!): twitter.com/vosdscott.