Fourteen years ago, San Diego Unified School District’s approval of bond Measure Z seemed destined to upgrade plumbing at the School of Creative and Performing Arts in Paradise Hills.
Yet 14 years and two more school bonds later, plumbing issues continue at the magnet school. Our Jakob McWhinney reports the school faced a half dozen full or partial water shutoffs in February and March, requiring the district to cart in porta-potties and bottled water.
So what’s the deal? Though the school’s plumbing issues have been cited in multiple successful campaigns to raise taxes, the district doesn’t plan to do comprehensive work on the school’s plumbing until at least late 2028, when the school is set for a full renovation. Officials told McWhinney that uncertainty over whether to move the high school downtown and the long list of schools in need of a full renovation have contributed to the wait.
Oh, and did we mention the district is eyeing another possible bond measure this November?
San Diego Sells More Water to Riverside County
Nearly three years after two water districts in Northern San Diego county left the San Diego County Water Authority, the agency they signed up with has agreed to buy water from the San Diego County Water Authority.
The Riverside County-based Eastern Municipal Water District signed a deal Thursday with its San Diego counterpart to purchase water for 21 years — enough to serve about 25,000 homes per year.
In 2023, the Rainbow Municipal Water District and Fallbrook Public Utility District left the Water Authority because its rates were too high. But now Eastern, the district that welcomed them, is buying some of that water. Those high rates are mostly due to the massive investments San Diego leaders made in water supplies over the last 25 years and it all led to us having more water than we use. The Water Authority’s leaders have been under intense pressure to relieve the burden on local rate payers and they promise deals like this will provide some relief.
How much relief: The deal will deliver about $14 million to San Diego every year and, with other payments, about $74 million over the first five years. It’s not clear if it will prevent future rate increases for San Diegans or just keep them in check a bit.
South County Report: A Mall Overhaul
The Chula Vista Center is likely getting a makeover.
In his latest South County Report, our Jim Hinch previews the plans for the 32-acre mall, which was purchased by a Los Angeles firm last year.
Among them: a grocery store, a redeveloped east side, restaurants and fixes to a theater escalator that’s often broken (finally).
A spokesperson for new owner/developer Primestor says the firm’s goal is to match Chula Vista’s community needs and noted it’s already started hosting community events such as the Gran Posada celebration in December.
Read the South County Report here.
After Issa Bails, Dems Duel
Some Democrats who cheered after Republican Rep. Darrell Issa decided not to run for re-election are now worried about their prospects in a district that covers northern and eastern parts of the county.
Our Nadia Lathan and Deborah Brennan with CalMatters write that some political insiders view challenger Jim Desmond, now a county supervisor, as a tougher challenger than Issa – and there’s a crowded Democratic field competing for one of two general election slots. Desmond’s expected to secure one of them, leaving Dems to duke it out.
In Other News
- A Superior Court judge ruled Thursday that a lawsuit challenging city trash fees must go on, The Union-Tribune reports.
- KPBS reports that the county has appointed two new leaders for its embattled Animal Services Department after a series of stories highlighted issues at county-run shelters.
- Amid criticism of a spike in middle managers as the city faces a budget crisis, The Union-Tribune reports that the city’s chief financial officer is arguing concerns about those posts are overblown. Not sure what a middle manager does? The mayor explained in a video on social media. (He’s coming for your crown, Bella Ross.)
- A controversial proposed Escondido battery storage facility is now off, City News Service and KPBS report.
- The Union-Tribune reports that the Oceanside City Council voted earlier this week to give itself a raise.
- Times of San Diego reports that a prominent preservationist group is legally challenging the city’s recent approval of reforms to its historic preservation program.
The Morning Report was written by Lisa Halverstadt. It was edited by Andrea Sanchez-Villafaña.