In this newsletter I wanted to update you on three very
important issues. One is about public safety, one is about
quality of life in our community and one is about honoring
heroes: Retaining our police officers, ridding our neighborhoods
of ugly utility line poles and saving the Mt. Soledad cross. I’ve
written about these topics in the past and now there are some
recent developments you should know about.
As I type this eNewsletter, I’m returning from Sacramento where
I’ve been the last couple of days in my role with the League of
California Cities. The Governor met with City officials from
throughout the state on Wednesday and he signed legislation for
some very important infrastructure bond measures coming to our
ballot this November. Propositions 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D and 1E are very
important and I’ll be sure and discuss these in a future
eNewsletter.
And speaking of ballot measures, on the June ballot in just 16
days is Proposition 81 – the Library Bond Act of 2006. The City
of San Diego and our region as a whole has already benefited from
the last Library Bond Act – and Prop 81 will pick up where that
left off. I encourage you to support Proposition 81.
You can visit their website by clicking on this link.
Saving Our Police
Public safety remains of utmost priority and even though crime
rates are low today, our police department is being stretched
beyond belief. The job market for police officers is very
competitive right now nationwide. San Diego has been losing our
public safety personnel to other cities and counties because of
high demand and the City’s inability to compete. From the wage
freezes to pension issues, compared with other jurisdictions, San
Diego is not offering the attractive salaries and benefits other
agencies are – thus contributing to the losses we are
experiencing. In addition, because of the high price of homes in
the San Diego region, many of our officers must live in distant
places like Riverside County and Imperial County. When a position
becomes available in Hemet and an officer already lives in
Temecula, he or she will usually go for the 10 minute commute
instead of the hour each-way commute they have while working for
San Diego.
Our focus now has been to hold the line on this year’s budget
and restore our City’s fiscal health. Part of a multi-year
process, restoring fiscal stability in our City and making fixes
to our pension system is priority one. We are on our way toward
fiscal recovery with an eye on providing the very best of services
to the people of San Diego.
Among my recommendations for the FY2007 proposed budget was a
plan to move 30 sworn/uniformed police officers doing desk-type
jobs back into the field where they are needed.
Sometimes it’s important we think outside the box to create
solutions that help reward and retain our officers while giving
them other ways to increase their take home pay.
In an effort to retain our valued San Diego Police Department
employees, Councilmember Tony Young joined me in offering some
solutions to help both retain our existing officers and to give
them more opportunities while improving public safety in our
City. Click here to
view our Police staffing memo. The plan gives
officers an opportunity to earn more money while at the same time
increasing public safety in our neighborhoods and communities –
without raising taxes. In fact, what this plan does is to allow
police officers an opportunity to earn more money on their off
hours and to reward those who have been with the police department
in an effort to keep them from leaving.
Our May 5th memo
offers three cost effective proposals to help the police
department’s budget. Essentially, they are: 1) to move 30 sworn
police officers out of civilian jobs and into active
patrol/investigation duty to be replaced by civilian personnel; 2)
to create a police officer retention program and; 3) to allow
officers to work off-hours to supplement their income.
Councilmember Young and I urge our colleagues to insist on
these proposals as a minimum for our police department.
On Friday, Mayor Jerry Sanders held a press conference to
discuss our recommendation of transferring sworn police officers
from desk jobs to patrolling the streets and hiring 30 civilian
staff as their replacement for the desk jobs. My visit to
Sacramento on City business precluded my being there to personally
thank Mayor Sanders and show my support.
I am pleased that Mayor Sanders supports this recommendation
and applaud him for wanting to see this suggestion implemented.
It is a sound fiscal decision that protects the public,
strengthens public safety and helps the department. I support his
position and his proposed budget in general. We, along with our
colleagues, share the goal of restoring the City’s financial
health.
Click on this link to view an article that appeared in the
Union-Tribune on the topic. You can also view a fact
sheet produced by the Mayor’s office for additional information
by clicking on this link.
Save Our Neighborhoods
Tour
many of the neighborhoods in my district and throughout the City
and you see the ugly utility lines that have been moved
underground. While we still have a ways to go for the entire City,
in the neighborhoods where the work has been done, it looks
wonderful. No more overhead wires. No more ugly poles. Everything
looks great - except for one thing. There still are ugly, chopped
off utility poles on streets where the City’s undergrounding
program has been completed. Residents ask why. Sometimes the
work has been done for a year or two and yet the lines and
chopped-off poles remain. The lines you see belong to the phone
company – SBC (now known as AT&T).
The good news is that the City has an undergrounding program. We
should have been moving those overhead utility wires underground a
long time ago. The bad news is that AT&T/SBC is behind in working
with the City in undergrounding their lines.
In
many areas such as on Twain Avenue in Allied Gardens, the City,
SDG&E, Cox Cable and Time Warner have finished their work. The
lines are underground and the conduits have operational wires in
place. But the hacked off poles strung with wires are still there
and the phone company’s conduits are empty because AT&T/SBC won’t
complete the job.
Who wants to look at ugly poles and lines? There is no doubt
that it takes away from all that I and my colleagues on the City
Council have been doing to improve our communities. New medians,
traffic improvements, community entrance signs, street lights,
landscaping – these wonderful additions will be enhanced even more
once all the lines and poles are removed.
The
City and phone company reached an agreement last January.
AT&T/SBC is waiting for the state Public Utilities Commission to
approve their application for a rate increase sometime this
spring. It seems that the phone company doesn’t want to do any
work until they have a rate increase approved. That means you, the
customer, will have a surcharge to pay for the work. What’s been
frustrating for me is you’d think AT&T/SBC has enough money to pay
for the cost to finish these projects until the time the Public
Utilities Commission makes their decision. It’s very frustrating
for residents, community leaders, the City and for me as an
elected official.
I
may not be very popular with the folks at AT&T/SBC but I have to
stand up for my constituents. SBC/AT&T should make plans now to
finish these projects that have become blights in our
neighborhoods. And San Diego is not the only place this is
happening. Throughout the State of California, it’s time we move
from the overhead wires of the 1800’s to the modern era of the
21st century and underground all the utilities in our residential
neighborhoods.
Save Our Cross and War
Memorial
The Mt. Soledad cross story continues. On May 3rd a federal
judge (U.S. District Judge Gordon Thompson Jr.) ruled that the
City of San Diego must remove the cross from City property on top
of Mt. Soledad. This issue has been tied up in the courts for way
too long. Last year the voters spoke loud and clear with a 75
percent margin that they want to keep the cross and war memorial.
There is no question in my mind that the City should appeal the
judge’s decision. This is what the people want and I continue in
my unwavering support.
In addition to the judicial process, our Mayor along with
Congressman Duncan Hunter, I and others have urged President Bush
to issue an Executive Order that would transfer the property to
become federal land. A federal eminent domain action against the
City would be the simplest, most decisive and most cost-effective
solution. It would resolve this issue once and for all. I urge you
to send an email to the President in support. We are hoping for a
decision from the President very soon. You can send an email
directly to the President by clicking on his address
president@whitehouse.gov
or visit the Thomas Moore Law Center’s website for even more
information by clicking on this link:
http://www.thomasmore.org/soledad.html
As a bit of background on this, as many of you know, I was on the
losing end of a San Diego City Council vote that sought to simply
donate the Mt. Soledad Memorial cross to the federal government.
In March of 2005 the Council voted 5-3 to remove the cross. Many
of us were disappointed with the prospect of losing the Mt.
Soledad Cross and War Memorial, which has stood in one form or
another atop Mt. Soledad for decades.
Undeterred,
a group of outstanding citizens circulated a referendum petition
directing the City Council to reverse its decision. It was an
honor to be part of their successful drive. In an effort to
maintain the integrity of the Mt. Soledad War Memorial, which
includes its historic 43-foot cross, the group called “San Diegans
for the Mt. Soledad National War Memorial” blocked the City
Council’s resolution declining to accept the offer of the United
States Government to accept transfer of title to the Mt. Soledad
Memorial Property. San Diegans voted on Proposition A last July to
transfer the cross to the federal government and it was approved
by 75 percent of the voters. The mandate was clear: keep the
cross. Recently, the group that organized the signature drive
said they would help the City appeal the decision.
To give a bit of history, 17 years ago atheist Philip Paulson
filed a suit in federal court to remove the cross. The Mt. Soledad
Memorial Association dedicated the memorial to veterans of WWI,
WWII and the Korean War in 1954. Back in 1991Judge Thompson ruled
the cross unconstitutional. This was two years after the case was
first filed. Since that 1991 decision, there has been litigation,
public debate and three votes.
As I said before, I realize there are some who do not agree
with my position to save the Mt. Soledad War Memorial and I
respect that. I have always stated my support for the Mt. Soledad
Cross and War Memorial. It is a symbol that honors the many who
have served our nation.
As a lifelong San Diegan, I will continue to do everything I can
to preserve this important piece of San Diego history and all that
it stands for.
Wine & Breezes
Since its inception, I have been a strong supporter of San
Diego's Family Justice Center. It is a nationally recognized
model in addressing domestic violence that is being emulated
around the world.
I have served as Chair of the Family Justice Center Steering
Committee and know firsthand about the Center's many
accomplishments.
Once again, I am honored to be part of their innovative 'Wine &
Breezes' fundraising event. It brings together all the right
elements: outstanding people in a picture perfect location
sampling the very best food and wine to benefit a cause I believe
in. It gets even better - there will be two live jazz bands and
the opportunity to learn what the pros know about premier wines
from 10 wineries located in Temecula.
You don't want to miss this social event that takes place this
Sunday, May 21st from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on the Weisz
Estate in Poway. For $75 per person you can help the
Family Justice Center and have an enjoyable
afternoon. I invite you to sample the fun. For more information,
download a copy of the invitation by clicking
here
or call event Co-Chair Denise Bowman at 619-516-1612.
The
City of San Diego relies on the expertise of citizens who serve on
the City's Boards and Commissions. These unpaid positions are a
way for people to donate their time and talent in a significant
way. The types of boards and commissions are as varied as the
people who serve. There are a few that currently have openings or
will soon: Citizens Equal Opportunity Commission, Civil Service
Commission, Local Enforcement Agency Hearing Panel, Funds
Commission, Housing Commission, Planning Commission, City Public
Utilities Advisory Commission, Qualcomm Stadium Advisory Board,
Balboa Park Committee, Board of Building Appeals & Advisors,
Historical Resources Board, International Affairs Board, Board of
Library Commissioners, Mission Bay Park Committee, Old Town San
Diego Planned District, Park and Recreation Board, Sustainable
Energy Advisory Board and La Jolla Shores Planned District. To
find out more about the Boards and Commissions, please click here
on issues by sending email to
