When the San Diego City Council decided to sue the San Diego Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCO, Councilmembers Stephen Whitburn and Marni von Wilpert did not vote. They are both on LAFCO’s board (Whitburn is chair and von Wilpert is an alternate). Councilmember Raul Campillo was not present.
The rest of the members of the Council supported the lawsuit, including Council President Joe LaCava, who represents La Jolla.
Background: The lawsuit challenges LAFCO’s decision to accept the petition La Jollans submitted to start the process of making the neighborhood its own city apart from San Diego. The city argues LAFCO should not have accepted hundreds of signatures on the petition because the registrar of voters determined they did not match voters on official voter rolls.
LAFCO leaders argue that they hired the registrar to help with the process but they have the final say on whether a signature can be readily ascertained to match a voter who exists.
Still a question: We asked LaCava if his support of the lawsuit, which would effectively end La Jolla’s latest push for independence, indicated he was now against the movement. He said his position remains the same: He has no position.
“I support the integrity of the process, recent actions called for initiating litigation as a necessary step. All stakeholders deserve transparency and compliance with the governing rules,” he said in a written statement.
South County Report: A Big Opening
The grand opening of the Gaylord Pacific Hotel and Convention Center last week was a dream come true for many in South County.
Our Jim Hinch writes that the new arrival on the Chula Vista shoreline represents many things for residents and local leaders.
“It’s a massive change in a region that has always resented being looked down on by glitzier parts of San Diego. What will it mean for South County to have some glitz of its own?” writes Hinch.
Read more in the South County Report here.
Despite County Vote, Midway Shelter’s Future Still Shaky
County supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to direct $800,000 in federal stimulus funds to a Midway shelter with a still-uncertain future.
Refresher: As our Lisa Halverstadt reported last week, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria decided against including nearly $5 million for the shelter as he sought to close a $258 million budget shortfall, arguing that the county with a large reserve account should take over expenses for the shelter next to its health complex. Gloria has said a planned March demo of the next-door county building will also trigger at least $1 million in charges to establish new utilities and be untenable for next-door shelter residents.
Tuesday’s vote: County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, who has argued the shelter can remain open during the project, sought to help address one of Gloria’s concerns by successfully urging fellow supervisors to reallocate unspent stimulus funds to the project – if the city keeps the shelter open. Lawson-Remer said she hoped the city and county could come to an agreement to keep the shelter open together – and that philanthropists could help.
“We can’t dance alone,” Lawson-Remer said. “Not on this.”
What’s next: The City Council will vote next month on a budget – and will ultimately decide whether to add cash for the shelter. Supervisors will also vote on their budget.
Upon hearing of the supervisors’ vote at a Tuesday City Council meeting, Council President Joe LaCava deemed the county’s $800,000 allocation “woefully short.” Councilmember Jennifer Campbell, whose district includes the shelter, later urged the city to keep the shelter open until the demo.
Reminder: Democratic Supervisors Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe recently tried and failed to persuade board Republicans to update the county’s reserve policy so more cash is available to address potential federal cuts and economic calamities. The future of the reserve policy appears to rest on the outcome of the District 1 supervisors’ race, which will tip the board’s political majority.
Song of the Week
birthdayboy, “Witherby”: The band’s latest single is both magnetic and delicate. It’s a song that inspires you to bounce along but to do so with your eyes closed. Listening to it gives you a sense of nostalgia. It’s bittersweet, but serenely hopeful.
Read more about the Song of the Week here.
Like what you hear? Check out birthdayboy on Sunday, May 25, at Sodar Bar.
Do you have a “Song of the Week” suggestion? Shoot us an email and a sentence or two about why you’ve been bumping this song lately. Friendly reminder: all songs should be by local artists.
In Other News
- Del Mar’s City Council voted unanimously to open the door to building ADUs on single-family lots. (CBS 8)
- Five San Diego residents have taken the city of San Diego to court over the yet-to-be-implemented trash collection fee, arguing that the fee violates a 30-year-old law that prohibits California cities from charging residents more than it costs to deliver services. (Union-Tribune)
- The Trump administration’s large-scale revocations of student visas could throw a serious wrench in the works of a 2024 state law that allows people living just south of the Mexican border to pay in-state tuition at community colleges in San Diego or Imperial County. (KPBS)
- Surprise! San Diego is slowly sinking. (Axios)
- Did you know that even if you refill your meter after it runs out, you could still be risking a ticket? (NBC 7)
- County supervisors also unanimously approved updates to the county’s existing camping ban focused on decreasing fire risk in unincorporated areas. (Union-Tribune)
- County supervisors also voted Tuesday to redirect funding to support a planned tiny home shelter project in Lemon Grove. (Fox 5 San Diego)
- The San Diego City Council signed off on nonprofit Father Joe’s Villages’ plan to buy a city-owned former indoor skydiving facility that now serves as a homeless service hub. The homeless-serving nonprofit plans to convert the facility into a 164-unit affordable housing project. CBS 8 has more details on Father Joe’s plans – and if you’re wondering how the city ended up buying a former skydiving facility, check out this classic Voice story.
The Morning Report was written by Jakob McWhinney and Lisa Halverstadt. It was edited by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña.