1. The Decisions That Led to the Spectacular Failure of the Mayor’s Biggest Pursuit
The decade-long push to expand the Convention Center has failed once again. Funding for homeless services is not on the way. Likely more than a million dollars of donations and union dues put into the campaign was lit on fire. Along the way, even as warning signs emerged, several decisions were made to keep going forward. (Scott Lewis)
2. A Developer Paid Civic San Diego Official $100K, Then He Voted to Give Them $5.8M in City Funds
The city’s Ethics Commission fined Phil Rath, board chair of Civic San Diego, $11,000 for his failure to disclose his financial relationship with a developer that won a competition to build a $47 million project in southeastern San Diego, and a $5.8 million loan from city affordable housing funds. Rath also failed to recuse himself from two votes related to the project. Rath received $100,000 from the developer 10 months earlier. (Andrew Keatts)
3. An Urban Wildfire Could Happen in San Diego
Urban San Diego may seem like an unlikely place for an out-of-control wildfire. After all, the city’s many canyons are small and cut-through with street networks, and close to city fire stations to ensure a quick response. But San Diego’s unique topography sets the stage for what could actually be a damaging wildfire. (Diana Leonard)
4. The Airport Is Sticking by Charles Lindbergh
Over the last several years, the Airport Authority dropped the Lindbergh Field name and removed a large mural of Charles Lindbergh, suggesting it was moving away from the aviation hero, who had a history of anti-Semitic and racist views. But it’s more complicated than that. (Kinsee Morlan)
5. Politics Report: Behind the Scenes of the Big Vote
One labor leader broke with his colleagues before a crucial City Council vote Thursday on the Convention Center initiative before breaking back. Plus: Rep. Juan Vargas says he gave away private prison company donations, and San Diego City Council candidate Vivian Moreno talks about housing. (Scott Lewis and Andrew Keatts)
6. The Death of the Convention Center Measure Brings on Two Big Questions
City officials are grappling with a potential $5 million bill and whether a waterfront Convention Center expansion is still possible in the wake of a failed effort to get a measure to pay for it on the November ballot. (Lisa Halverstadt)
7. Opinion: It’s Time for the City to Get Over the Waterfront Convention Center Obsession
Right now, city leaders are trying to make a decision about whether to pay off a couple guys who hold the land needed for a bayfront Convention Center expansion. If city leaders stiffs them, they’d better be ready to abandon that long-held vision in favor of something that would expand the Convention Center in the opposite direction and connect it better with downtown. (Scott Lewis)
8. Opinion: There’s an Obvious Clientele for the Glut of Empty Apartments Downtown
In recent years, downtown San Diego has become an epicenter of a lot of that new construction at the high end of the market. But there’s a big problem: We need people to start living in those new apartments. The Navy’s presence provides for a mutually beneficial solution. (Andy Kopp)
9. Judge Puts Major Change to County Elections on the Ballot
A Superior Court judge ruled late Friday that the county must give voters a chance to weigh in on an election reform measure that would boost Democrats’ chances of winning county races. (Andrew Keatts)
10. Opinion: Future Taxpayers and Public Employees Are Paying for Past Pension Mistakes
Public sector unions are displeased at proposals to make the full cost of their pensions known. But as the experience of San Diego County so aptly demonstrates, the damage caused by overpromising is often borne by government workers themselves, particularly future hires. (Robert Fellner)