Just in case there’s anyone in San Diego actually believing anything is more important today than the AFC Divisional Playoff Game, some tidbits and analysis from the past week…
Municipal Fire Consolidation in the Works?… La Mesa Councilman Dave Allan gets a full-page Q&A in Saturday’s Union-Trib, regarding the apparently very early discussions by some cities to analyze a fire department consolidation. Allan, a friend, a one-time County GOP-selected Local Elected Official of the Year, and now a Democrat, is due some kudos for pursuing some outside-the-box thinking. “I believe not only for our communities in our East County, but for the region, regionalization in fire protection is the way to go,” said Allan in the article.
Along with the kudos, I’ll also toss out a caution to my former colleague. Often over the years, many government officials have confused the well-intended goal of efficiency through consolidation with the broader-meaning buzzword, regionalism. In some cases, consolidation and regionalism may not be the same. Let’s not forget that a too-large regional entity could in fact be less efficient and more bureaucratic than a localized agency, while being even more distant from the citizens it is supposed to serve.
Whereas the consolidation of smaller, geographically-proximate agencies could result in outstanding efficiencies, what of a much larger consolidation? Can we say we would like our fire protection and paramedic services provided by the Federal Government? How about at the State level?
I know Councilman Allan would join me in an emphatic no to those last two questions. So, how can we be so sure we would want fire services regionalized and provided at the County level?
My public plea to Allan and the others doing the looking, is to make sure you "size" correctly. As Thomas Jefferson once said, "The way to have good and safe government is not to trust it all to one, but to divide it among the many.”
San Diego CityBeat “says” Republicans “say” Stay the Course… In truth, I know very few GOPers that believe the Party needs to “stay the course.” The split – as expected after last year’s results – is between those who “say” the Party needs to move more to the center, versus those who “say” Republicans need to act more like Republicans. Count me among the latter.
But, either way, whether you believe the GOP needs to move center-ward (read: leftward, directionally, by the way), or carry itself more ethically, fiscally and morally like conservatives than like tax-and-spend, big government bureaucrats following a broken compass, you do agree on something. You believe the Party needs to change, or at least change in the way many of its leaders have been acting, governing and – well – leading in recent years. That doesn’t exactly mean you believe in “staying the course.”
However, when the left-leaning SD CityBeat covers the issue by interviewing a hodgepodge of folks with differing opinions about complex issues, the result is bound to be a somewhat interesting story, but in the end says very little other than what may have been intended in the first place. Which, in case you don’t read it yourself, could be interpreted as “the boneheads who just lost at both the national and local levels believe they will stick to the plan.”
On a personal aside, I am quoted in the piece (a “Republican blogger,” yet some unknown publication, apparently). What I told reporter Eric Wolff made perfect sense (how could it not?), although I can’t say my printed quote does. So be it, when it comes to the media, I’m not flat on the asphalt with a couple of loose turnips.
Oh, the piece does include an okay photo of Tony Krvaric.
When Staying the Course Makes Sense… Rookie Congressman Duncan Hunter was named last week to the House Armed Services Committee. It’s nice when a new member’s office doesn’t need to print new letterhead. Joking aside, what could make more sense? When Duncan-the-dad served as chairman of Armed Services and as its ranking Republican, he was one of the few in the Congress (maybe the only) with a child serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. The “child” can now advocate for active military personnel as a veteran.
“I look forward to working…to address our nation’s national security priorities and ensure the men and women of America’s armed forces have the resources they need to achieve victory,” said Hunter. My greatest feeling at the moment is one of responsibility and obligation to those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and those who will fight the wars of the future. As a veteran…I hope to add a unique and pragmatic perspective to issues involving the operability and readiness of our military forces.”
Congrats to Hunter, who was also appointed to the House Education and Labor Committee.
Have a great week. And, Go Bolts!
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