The battle between County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and former San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer to represent most of the county’s coastal communities is perhaps the highest stakes race this election cycle.
If Faulconer wins, he’ll tip the balance of the Board of Supervisors back to a Republican majority after years of Democratic rule and efforts to move the county in a more progressive direction. Lawson-Remer is rallying to keep the job and continue that work.
Faulconer’s record on homelessness has quickly become one of the hot topics in the race. Faulconer has touted his record while Lawson-Remer has sharply criticized it.
So did homelessness decrease or increase on the former mayor’s watch?
Our Lisa Halverstadt dug into the conflicting claims over homelessness numbers and the limitations tied to them.
Two More Homelessness Claims in the D3 Race
There have been lots of homelessness-related claims in the District 3 race. Halverstadt decided to check on two others.
First up: Faulconer and his supporters have declared that Lawson-Remer hasn’t attended a single meeting of the organization that coordinates the regional response to homelessness despite serving as vice chair. Read the fact check here.
Next up: Faulconer has claimed the state pulled funding from the county due to a lack of progress on homelessness and pinned the blame on Lawson-Remer. Read the fact check here.
The New Juice in the Mayor’s Race
Local political observers were still abuzz Thursday about the unexpected $1 million infusion into the campaign to support Larry Turner for mayor over incumbent Mayor Todd Gloria.
The money is going to the Lincoln Club, which is working to set up an independent committee to compile even more funds to support Turner.
We checked in with David Malcolm, who has long been a prominent member of the Lincoln Club. He said he didn’t personally support Turner.
“My single most important issue is opposing Proposition 33 (rent control). When your livelihood is real estate, property rights is your No. 1 issue and Todd is as close to perfect on that as someone can be,” Malcolm said.
Malcolm, who has supported Voice of San Diego’s Parents Guide to San Diego Schools, said he was also impressed with Gloria’s push for tourism. “As much as people want to laugh when I bring it up, I think getting the pandas was a great win for the mayor,” he said.
“I don’t like the state of my roads in San Diego and I don’t like homelessness but I can’t tell you one thing about Turner other than he was in the military and a police officer,” Malcolm said.
In Other News
- Republicans spent more on political ads than Democrats in local San Diego races, which bucks the national trend. (Axios)
- Americans can get free Covid tests from the feds again. Any household can order up to four at-home nasal swab test kits through covidtests.gov.
- Twenty new electric vehicle charging stations at Fashion Valley mall parking lots can power-up a battery to 80 percent in under 30 minutes. (Union-Tribune)
- Encinitas could rename “Hippie Hill” or Surfer’s Point by an indigenous title, Panáa’o, what the Kumeyaay and Payómkawichum tribes once called the Encinitas and Carlsbad area. (Union-Tribune)
- Contractors may lose their ability to install battery storage systems if California’s Contractors State License Board has their way. They’re plaintiffs in a San Diego court case set to be heard Oct. 1 and claim solar contractors would be performing a skill outside their scope by installing batteries. Opponents of the change say the change would hurt solar energy customers with warranties from their contractors to maintain batteries. And that there’s no difference between how a solar contractor and a licensed electrician do the job. (KPBS)
- A flamingo chick born in August has been adopted into a two-dad household, according to the San Diego Zoo. (NBC 7)
Clarification: The top section of the “Morning Report:The ‘Good Old Boy Network’ of South Bay Water” section was updated on Thursday to clarify the nature of the ties between the former Sweetwater Authority employee and current board members.
Correction: The story “Critics Allege ‘Good Old Boy Network’ at Sweetwater Authority” incorrectly stated that Ron Morrison voted against raises for board members. The only no vote came from Josie Calderon-Scott.
The Morning Report was written by Lisa Halverstadt, Scott Lewis and MacKenzie Elmer. It was edited by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña.