Many outlets, including this one, reported earlier this week on the mayor’s last-minute deal to move some city workers to a new building at a much cheaper price.
But Scott Lewis explains (with pictures!) an important caveat: Thanks to the state of the local market, the city would have saved money if it had stayed put.
If we really want to evaluate the savings, we shouldn’t compare the new deal to the expiring one. We should compare it to the option the city was offered to stay put.
When you crunch those numbers, the city still saved a lot of money — but about half as much as the mayor touted. Now the question is, what are other public agencies paying on their leases?
• Filner’s eyeing another potential deal for the city. The details are unclear, but Filner is feeling out a possible city purchase of a prime piece of land in Mission Beach that the school district is trying to unload. Remember, this is the land sale the school district backed out of, then got another, better offer for.
Little Movement on Federal Homelessness Funding
It may shock you to learn that a group of politicians is having a hard time translating their tough talk into action. This time, it involves the discrepancy in federal homelessness funding that we outlined in March. Plenty of legislators expressed outrage, but it’s been a few months so we checked back in with them. Mostly, they’re all waiting to hear back from federal officials in D.C. for some answers.
What We Learned This Week
Community Planning Boards Aren’t Pillars of Democracy: Case in point: a mini coup within the Uptown Planners that Andy Keatts chronicled this week.
Bob Filner Loves Task Forces:: He’s initiated several already and keeps forming more. Something less dear to his heart: Jan Goldsmith.
Twerking Isn’t Harassment: Scripps Ranch High administrators and Superintendent Bill Kowba made a bizarre choice in deciding that a dance video made by a group of students was worthy of punishment for sexual harassment.
D4 Candidates Both Have Strong Allies: Our handy endorsement scorecard chronicles some of the big names and groups that have weighed in on the City Council race between Myrtle Cole and Dwayne Crenshaw.
Quick News Hits
• The media frenzy surrounding new Charger Manti Te’o isn’t over yet. There was a huge press crowd on hand to see Te’o at Friday’s Rookie Mini Camp, John Gennaro writes in our weekly Sports Report.
• The video skits featuring local politicos at Thursday night’s Taxpayers Association dinner are worth a look. Here take part in our exploration of the city’s streetlights.
• The Huffington Post included Balboa Park on its list of the best urban parks in the country. “The Post got it right,” said Mayor Filner in a characteristic exclamation point-heavy press release. “This park is our oasis from the stress of urban living.” For the record: No one calls HuffPo “The Post.”
• San Diego water officials have approved strict new rules for storm water runoff, reports KPBS.
Quote of the Week
“He will be an adviser to our bid. He has graciously talked about it. I will tell the Republicans on the council, if I had seen him the way I saw this guy yesterday, incredibly down-to-earth and friendly and creative, he would have been president. He didn’t come across that way on television and stuff, but I will tell you he’s an incredibly creative and interesting guy. He wants to help us.”
— Mayor Bob Filner’s backhanded compliment to would-be Olympics adviser Mitt Romney, as reported by UT-San Diego.
Sara Libby is VOSD’s managing editor. She oversees VOSD’s newsroom and its content. You can reach her at sara.libby@voiceofsandiego.org or 619.325.0526.
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