Two years after he unveiled “A Roadmap to Recovery,” Councilman Carl DeMaio still holds up the glossy plan as evidence he knows what he’d do upon taking office.
But in those two years, many of the things he wanted done have been done.
That leaves the plan as mostly a series of proposed pay cuts for city employees.
Or does it? DeMaio told Liam Dillon he wants to unwind the deals the city’s already done, and re-fight several battles, including over health care for retired city employees and the Miramar Landfill.
There are roadblocks:
“Many of the same council members who made all the money-saving deals over the past two years will have to unwind them and push for more. And DeMaio already faces resistance from even his closest ally on the council, Republican Lorie Zapf, on multiple reforms in the Roadmap,” Dillon wrote.
Verdict Is In: Candidate’s Endorsements Are Fishy
Jim Miller, a Tea Party favorite and candidate for San Diego County Superior Court judge, had some impressive names on the list of endorsers on his website. There’s just one problem: several of them don’t think they belong there.
According to our story, both a local assemblyman and a Republican activist say they haven’t endorsed Miller for this election. Both of their names have been removed from the website.
Miller has already been in hot water over endorsements. A local pro-business organization reversed its endorsement of Miller after hearing about his removal from the county’s list of fill-in judges.
Understanding How Polls Work
In 2009, a poll found that 64 percent of voters surveyed were open to get behind a kind of property tax hike to support San Diego schools. Another poll said 70 percent liked it once they heard details.
The tax hike ended up on the ballot in November 2010, buoyed by hopes that it would get past the required two-thirds and pass.
Nope. It fell far short, garnering 50.77 percent.
But how do all these surveys work in the first place? In the latest edition of San Diego Explained, our Scott Lewis and NBC 7 San Diego’s Catherine Garcia dig into the ways that pollsters try to gauge our opinions and examine the data that exists about you.
The Legacy of ‘Silent Spring’
We’re partnering with the Silent Spring Project, which will host a series of events examining topics ranging from research ethics to gender in academics. On our site, we’re starting with an essay about protecting the environment by Tate Hurvitz, project director for the San Diego Center for Ethics in Science and Technology.
Everybody’s Doing It
In a recent editorial, the U-T was hopping mad about a “legal but shameful scam.” It roasted Rep. Bob Filner over paying his now-ex-wife with campaign funds. The newspaper’s publisher even mentioned his disgust in an interview with one of his own reporters.
But two prominent politicians supported by the U-T — Rep. Brian Bilbray and Councilman Carl DeMaio — kept campaign money at home too.
Now there’s another one to add to the list: Rep. Duncan D. Hunter. The Reader finds that he’s been giving campaign money to his wife — $2,000 a month plus transportation reimbursements for campaign management services.
Manchester, Navy Get Big Win on Navy Broadway Project
Speaking of the U-T publisher, Doug Manchester and the Navy got a huge win from a federal judge Wednesday. The Navy and Manchester have deal to redevelop the Navy Broadway Complex, the dilapidated stretch of buildings along Harbor Drive and Broadway, which many call San Diego’s front porch.
That doesn’t mean the project is a go. As we noted earlier this year, Manchester needs investors and the California Coastal Commission thinks the project needs to start all over again.
Quick News Hits
• Some amusing coverage of Sunday’s mayoral debate from the students at UCSD.
• The San Diego School District laid out its proposed repairs to schools in a long ballot guide. U-T San Diego reports on a man who found that some of the proposed repairs were to facilities that don’t exist. KPBS says construction bonds are glutting ballots.
• Sing it! The California Voter Foundation has produced a song to teach voters about the 11 propositions on the state ballot: “let’s all be singing along, cuz the ballot is so darn long!” (What? No opera?)
Meanwhile, up in Encinitas, a local musician has posted a song about two local City Council candidates who were reportedly caught putting up campaign signs too early. Patch.com has the details.
• You know how the county provides free defense attorneys for accused criminals who can’t afford them? Well, make that sort-of free. The defendants will have to pay $50 unless they can convince a judge to waive the fee. (CityBeat)
• In the music world, everything is coming up resignations.
Amid a labor dispute, the artistic director of Orchestra Nova has quit and concerts have been cancelled. (KPBS)
For background about Orchestra Nova’s troubles, check our story.
Meanwhile, Mainly Mozart’s founding conductor David Atherton says he’ll resign next year. He expects to spent more time in Europe. (U-T)
• Not too long ago, the U-T called me and offered to boost my four-day-a-week subscription to the print paper to seven at just 25 cents more a week. A good deal? Well, maybe not.
As part of a fundraiser, an East County high school is offering five-day-a-week subscriptions for the U-T for the grand total of five cents.
Maybe next the newspaper will start paying people to subscribe. You know where to find me, U-T! But I don’t come cheap.
Please contact Randy Dotinga directly at randydotinga@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter: twitter.com/rdotinga.