These were the most popular Voice of San Diego stories for the week of June 2-9.
1. Bombshell Appraisal Puts Qualcomm Stadium Land at $110 Million as Is
The SoccerCity Initiative would require investors pay “fair market value” for the land. A new appraisal puts the value at $110 million. If the investors agree to pay a sum in that ballpark, it could be a game-changer for the politics of the situation. (Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts)
2. There’s Still No San Diego Housing Bubble Yet
Rising home prices have sparked concerns of another housing bubble. But while San Diego housing is unusually expensive, it hasn’t reached bubble-like extremes in two key areas. (Rich Toscano)
3. A Newly Feisty Labor Movement Deals Brutal Blow to Special Election
A coalition of labor leaders may have killed SoccerCity and upended the mayor’s carefully laid out plan for a November election that would have shaped his legacy and the city for decades. (Scott Lewis)
4. City Hall Startled by Revelation the Mayor ‘Can Change Whatever He Wants’ in the Budget
Monday, members of the City Council found out that to change the city budget the mayor proposes each year, they ultimately need a supermajority of six votes, not just a simple majority. (Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts)
5. A Latina Student’s Plea: Please Stop Talking About ‘Stand and Deliver’
Recently, educators in San Diego have had the 1988 movie on their minds. But continuing to show the film and trump its lessons confirms students’ worst fears: that their teachers think less of them and define them by the struggles they face. (Adriana Heldiz)
6. San Diegans Want to Rock the Vote; Their Leaders Want to Block the Vote
Just a few months after Measure L passed, the City Council and mayor are considering holding a special election that will go directly against the will of the voters. This will undermine our democracy and turn a blind eye to the very reason we needed Measure L in the first place. (Andrea Guerrero)
7. SoccerCity Will Reinvigorate the San Diego Sports Scene
It’s time the world’s most popular sport is welcomed to San Diego, and SoccerCity will do just that. (
8. Special Election Opponents Are the Ones Doing Voters a Disservice
If a handful of members on the City Council do not allow a special election, they’ll take the decision away from thousands of San Diegans who said they wanted a chance to consider it — effectively killing the project with five votes. (Scott Sherman)
9. SoccerCity Is Not the Only Option for Mission Valley
It would be a calamity to approve SoccerCity because we were swindled into believing it is our only option. (Barbara Bry)
10. With the Drought Waning, the Future of Desalination Is Murkier
The recent rain and snow across much of the state seem to have given water agencies breathing room to think long and hard about one oft-floated solution that came up a lot during the drought: desalination. (Ry Rivard)