Mayor Sanders Not Into Camping… The SDUT story was linked from the FR yesterday, but it’s worth repeating. Jerry Sanders had about 30 protesters outside City Hall on Friday, knickers all in a twist over his appearance on KFMB’s Rick Roberts radio show a couple of weeks back. Rick was talking with the Mayor about the illegal encampments in McGonigle Canyon, and asked if Sanders would attend the legal resident protest campout the next day. Jerry’s tongue-in-cheek answer: “I’m not into camping.”
Those upset with such an outrageous comment had this to share in the SDUT story:
“Shame on you, Mayor Sanders. You bring disgrace to San Diego by your racist remarks and calling down shame upon us,” said the Rev. Patricia Andrews Callori, a member of Justice Overcoming Boundaries.
Puh-leaze.
Manhattan Institute for Policy Research-West… Former SD Mayoral Candidate and AMN Healthcare Founder Steve Francis is starting a free-market think tank to — among other things — assist in addressing the City of San Diego’s fiscal mess. Based on the successful Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, which made a name for itself when Rudy Giuliani was in office, the effort will be financed by Francis.
SDSU Professor Emeritus Glenn Sparrow says in the SDUT today, “Steve Francis is on a mission to make San Diego the poster child for rolling back government."
Steve has already picked up some heavyweights, including Erik Bruvold, formerly of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, and Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Chamber of Commerce economist.
Whether Francis is planning on utilizing the San Diego Institute for Policy Research as a launch-pad to another bid for elective office has, apparently, already caused some criticism…and the doors haven’t yet opened. Methinks those doth protesting too much are the bureaucratic purveyors of the status quo, most concerned about any good ideas that would force change at City Hall…the same folks, by the way, that caused the mess.
From a good government standpoint, who cares about any ancillary or peripheral benefits to Steve that may (or may not) result from such an effort? Good government is good government.
Add me to the praise column. As one of the largest cities and economies in both the state and nation, it’s about time this "little military town" moves into the 21st Century, if not the 20th. Efforts like Francis’ SDIPR and Carl DeMaio’s Performance Institute should be welcomed with open arms.
Big Brother/Wal-Mart Video… As a result of my FR commentary the other day, "Big Boxes and Big Brother," Mark Robak sent along a very short video, as a reminder of the others besides the Grocer’s Union benefitting from a ban on lower grocery prices. This is a must see. Watch it here.
More on Sewer, Water Rates… This issue was hi-lited in last week’s Sunday San Diego. Speaking of Carl Demaio (which I did above), after his VoiceofSanDiego.org column on the subject last Monday (featured on Tuesday’s FR main Page), he hosted the VoSD "Cafe San Diego" on Tuesday, an interactive back-and-forth-blog with readers.
Plenty of feedback from readers, and some great ideas from Carl. Read his "Move the Money" and "Alternative Financing" posts, if you really want to dig into the issue. I too weighed in on the Cafe Blog, reminding folks that this crisis is not limited to just the City of San Diego:
Many other area cities have sewer systems that "feed" into San Diego’s. Thus, they are charged by San Diego for the transfer and treatment of wastewater, and for the "big" city’s infrastructure upgrades. These bills cannot legally be borne by the other cities’ general funds. As San Diego improves its infrastructure, the costs will go up to the other cities and passed on to the respective ratepayers. With that said, it is incumbent on all local officials to ensure that their city’s funds paid to San Diego are, and have been, utilized appropriately.