In a politics roundup, Scott Lewis highlights some stories in San Diego we should keep an eye on. The first is the clearest sign yet of how local and state policies will clash with President Donald Trump’s crackdown on Sanctuary City policies.
This week, Attorney General Jeff Sessions released rules saying any place that keeps immigration officers out of jails won’t be eligible for grants from the Department of Justice. There’s a pending state Senate bill that would do that very thing – keep immigration officers out of California jails. Last year, San Diego police and sheriff received more than half a million from those grants and now, that money may be at risk.
Lewis also compiled his first list of who may run for mayor in 2020 after City Councilman Mark Kersey’s announcement this week that he is running for the state Senate seat held by Joel Anderson.
Finally, Lewis advises us to watch for stories on the burgeoning marijuana industry in San Diego, and specifically “the people trying to make money on something that has gotten a lot of people in trouble for a long time.” Many of them want to invest in everything but the actual cannabis.
Sacramento Report: Pension Wars Continue
This week the California Supreme Court announced it would take up the case over San Diego’s Proposition B, the pension reform initiative approved by voters in 2012. Prop. B froze pensionable salaries for five years for city employees, except police officers, and shifted new city hires from getting pension plans to getting 401ks.
In this week’s Sacramento Report, VOSD’s Andrew Keatts gives us the rundown on the case history.
Also in the state politics round-up, Lisa Halverstadt writes about the $3.3 million in nati-poverty funds that San Diego County is poised to receive – if state lawmakers sign off.
VOSD Podcast: #WaitForSD
After the plan to hold a special election over the future of Qualcomm Stadium was shut down by the City Council in November, developers behind the SoccerCity initiative came up with a new slogan to keep MLS interested until November 2018. It turns out the slogan, #WaitforSD, may be the best motto for all things San Diego – not just SoccerCity.
On this week’s podcast, Lewis and Keatts talk about why #WaitForSD is the perfect San Diego slogan. City Councilwoman Georgette Gomez also joins to discuss her housing plan, which would increase the affordable housing stock in the city and put together an affordable housing tax measure for the November 2018 ballot.
Quick News Hits
• There are more schools in San Diego testing for lead in drinking water than elsewhere in the state. (Union-Tribune)
• The Citizens Law Enforcement Review board found misconduct when reviewing one of the 15 suicides in San Diego County jails last year. (Union-Tribune) VOSD contributor Kelly Davis wrote about the board raising questions about other suicides in jails in the county earlier this year.
• Salk and UC San Diego researchers made a discovery about DNA in living human cells that could help scientists develop more effective drugs. (KPBS)
• Eight people have died as a result of the county’s Hepatitis A outbreak. (NBC7)
• A lawsuit is alleging that Civic San Diego retaliated against a whistleblower who said the organization was misusing taxpayer funds. (Union-Tribune)
Top Stories of the Week
These were the top five most popular Voice of San Diego stories for the week of July 21-28. View the full top 10 list here.
1. Southeastern San Diego Leaders Worry They’ll Trade Old Empty Storefronts for New Empty Storefronts
More development is on the way to southeastern San Diego, but leaders are concerned the retail and commercial sections of new mixed-use projects will sit empty. (Kinsee Morlan)
2. Contractor With Financial Issues Blew Past Budget and Deadline on Encanto Elementary Project
Unforeseen issues drove the cost to overhaul Encanto Elementary 30 percent over budget. The project’s contractor was facing financial problems at the same time of the costincreases; but the district is adamant that there’s no link between the company’s issues and the cost overruns. (Maya Srikrishnan)
3. City Hopes Residents Won’t Participate Too Much in Costly Styrofoam Recycling Plan
The city of San Diego is starting a program to recycle Styrofoam, but unlike other recycling programs, it’ll actually lose money. But officials worry people will recycle too much foam – because the more the program works, the more money the city loses. A company that makes Styrofoam has spent thousands lobbying the city to start the recycling program. (Ry Rivard)
4. When it Comes to Gifted Programs, the GATE Doesn’t Open as Widely for Minority Students
In 2016-2017, although Latinos make up more than 44 percent of the overall enrollment at San Diego Unified, they made up only 33 percent of the GATE program. For black students, the disproportionality is even worse, with an 8 percent overall enrollment rate, but only a 3 percent enrollment in the GATE program. (Maya Srikrishnan)
5. Power Brokers, City Councilman Call for Immediate Homelessness Solutions
Two businessmen and the city councilman who represents downtown are calling on the mayor and fellow city leaders to pursue immediate steps to stem the city’s growing homeless crisis. (Lisa Halverstadt)