Editorial of the week – Union-Trib: Our incoherent City Council… Jon my have it posted on today’s main page, but it’s worth plugging in more than one place. From this morning’s U-T:
"City Council members Ben Hueso, Donna Frye, Tony Young, Marti Emerald, Todd Gloria and Sherri Lightner know … that because of the recession-induced plunge in revenue, San Diego is in an even bigger short-term budget crisis than it was three years ago.
"But they don’t care. Last week, in an insulting betrayal of voters, the six members voted to side with public employees and stall Mayor Jerry Sanders’ framework for implementing Proposition C. The argument they used to justify this betrayal is best described as incoherent. It holds that private bidders have an unfair advantage over city agencies because their benefits don’t cost as much … Do you follow? They are saying a key reason privatization is so attractive an option – it allows governments to pay less for services – should disqualify it from being used.
"This is daffy. It’s not a real argument. It’s a union talking point: Anything that might lead to the loss of a good-paying union job with great benefits must be unfair. And if that means Proposition C has to be stonewalled to death, so be it – down with the public interest … Hueso, Frye, Young, Emerald, Gloria and Lightner should be ashamed … If only the council six were as aggressive in fighting for the interests of San Diegans – you know, the people who elected them."
The piece doesn’t mention the two councilmembers that support the public’s will on the matter. Kudos to Kevin Faulconer and Carl Demaio.
Here’s the entire editorial, if you need more reading to understand the inanity.
Republican turned Democrat Dave Allan starts ball rolling for County Supe… Against the veritable Dianne Jacob, no less, assuming she runs for re-election in 2012. This one may be DOA, unless my past La Mesa City Council colleague is able to raise a cool $500k…at the very least (the key word being very). If you missed yesterday’s FlashReport post:
La Mesa Councilman Dave Allan to Challenge SD County Supervisor Dianne Jacob?
Murder and Kidnapping Commonplace just 15 Miles from San Diego… Kimberly Dvorak focuses on some shocking statistics. Will we wait until it spills into the US…or has it already?
Read it in the Examiner.
A Taxing – if not Scary – Halloween… Lots of good information and links from the San Diego County Taxpayers Association in a message from Lani Lutar, including pensions, municipal bankruptcy and healthcare reform.
Peruse it on San Diego Rostra.
Have a great week!