What rights do we have as residents when traffic cameras are pumping out traffic tickets instead of sworn police officers? I do not agree with the processing of evidence by photos and video by a contractor hired by the city instead of law enforcement. I feel that this is violating my rights as a tax payer, voter and citizen. These cameras are not part of our law enforcement but hired outside agencies brought in to make money. There is the possibility that these cameras are illegally obtaining evidence for use in prosecution in any government body.

What happens if these cameras take a picture of us crossing and intersection and we are sent a traffic citation? How are we expected to contest this in a court of law when it wasn’t even an officer who issued the citation? How are they going to be able to uphold this in court? If we do not pay, are they going to put points on our driving record or are they going to send us to a credit bureau? It is aster all an outside agency giving us the citation. How accurate are these machines in the first place? What happens if the camera cannot identify the driver? The law states that you must be able to identify the driver. Eventually people will and have found ways around this.

National City is planning on installing these cameras in our city when we have other cities all over the country having problems with these traffic light cameras and the companies that run them. Citizens in San Diego, Houston, Dallas and San Francisco, among other cities are having problems in courts regarding citations given out by these cameras. Citizens are fighting these tickets issued by cameras and winning out in court.

Why then is National City even thinking about putting these in our city when they are not effective? They don’t work and the feeling is that they are unconstitutional and illegal. Why can’t our city find better ways to spend our money?

The City appears to be installing these cameras as a means of making money. Have they even researched the effectiveness of these cameras? In a study in Houston, it showed that accidents more then doubles in intersections that had installed red light cameras. Why pay over 30,000 dollars per cameras when we could be spending this money on other things that are going to help our city. The citizens of this National City already have to contend with the fact that we pay the highest taxes among all our cities. This city is full of citizens that are barely making it financially.

People in this city are losing their houses and jobs and now the city is trying to find more ways of taxing us more. We are in the middle of a recession and monies are tight for all cities. I would hate to see our city spend thousands of dollars on machines that do not work. Why not spend this money on more law enforcement? The city needs to find better ways of bringing in revenue and reduce waste less spending.

Diane Salinas
National City

OPEN LETTER TO:

Chunky Sanchez
Park Steering Committee

Brother Chunky

As, you are about to celebrate another Milestone Park Day, I thought it would be important to share with you a bit of history related to the take over of the park that has often been overlooked. Specifically, I have reference to Charlie Vasquez, George Baca and Mrs. Nellie Vasquez and the members of Southwestern college MEChA, which had been started by Charlie Vasquez, George Baca, and Allan Cazares in 1968.

On the day of the park takeover, Joe Gomez who at the time was president of City College MEChA, called the SWC MEChA office and asked Charlie if SWC MEChA could help out and come to the CHP substation as soon as possible and to get the word out to the MAAC, MAPA and anybody else who could help.

Back then, because nobody had much money, we would often get rides to school with each other since the majority of us lived in National City. Charlie had a “Love Machine Van” that served as the early National City transit system.

On that fateful day, most of us were riding with Charlie anyway, so we were able to mobilize a good group and make it to the park. In others I believe, got the word from Arturo Casares.

Charlie’s mom Nellie Vasquez worked in the student union cafeteria, where she fed and protected all the chicano students, encouraged us and always stood in support of whatever we were doing. Having been a cannery worker, she expressed sense of solidarity with the women of Logan Heights and did what she could to support the park take over, by encouraging donations of food and drink to the effort.

As you commemorate the parks history, and acknowledge the pioneers, it’s important to include people like Charlie Vasquez, Jorge Baca, Nellie Vasquez and the SWC MEChA-1958-71.

Thanks
Augie Bareño

Three council members want to expand redevelopment project areas to include more residentially-zoned properties.

Redevelopment diverts property tax revenue away from public safety like fire and police and other areas like libraries and parks for the whole city. Listen carefully east side.

Why, because all the increases in property tax in a redevelopment area go the redevelopment agency instead of the general fund, even though the majority of tax increment increases in redevelopment areas have been generated by appreciation or by property turnovers that reset proposition 13.

The Southwest Redevelopment Area is the only area where a report has been released detailing both Redevelopment revenues and expenditures. For the 15 year period from 1991 thru June 30, 2006, the area received $6.1 million net tax increment revenue. The City spent $5.7 million of the $6.1 million net tax increment on staff services.

In the 3 plus years since the report, the Southwest Redevelopment Area has generated approximately $4 million more in net tax increment. The mayor wrote that since she took office three years ago, $1 million redevelopment dollars were invested in Southwest redevelopment area. Where did the rest of the funds go? What outside area projects were subsidized?

The Southwest Project area included residentially-zoned property areas known as Woodlawn Park and Brodericks Otay Acres when it was formed 20 years ago and the city consistently chose not to spend redevelopment funds in these residential areas.

Say no to expanding redevelopment areas into residentially-zoned areas, say no to the council members who pushed for passage of Proposition A, the sales tax increase. Say no to the foolishness and misleading rhetoric at City Hall.

Proponents of the proposed expansion claim money will be re-invested in the neighborhoods, but the track record in Southwest indicates something different

Don’t reward poor performance. Request that the City use the tax increment they have to demonstrate successful redevelopment before expanding the redevelopment areas into residentially-zoned properties.

Earl Jentz
Chula Vista

Obama needs less eloquence and “yes we cans”

Democratic Congresswoman Wasserman-Schultz almost said it all last evening when she alluded to the Obama banking problems as a principal cause of dissatisfaction with administration. This relates to the Bush call for funds to bail out banks and the Obama led democratic congress rushing to approve $750 billions now known as TARP without the dems giving serious thought to overseeing or understanding the legislation. But this is only part of Obama’s, Pelosi’s and Frank’s creation of a growing democratic disaster.

Obama is lost in the universe. Having gained the Peace Prize he really doesn’t understand the Islamic mind and by sending over 50000 troops to Afghanistan and keeping 100000 troops in Iraq he is lost in understanding the fact that the only way if ever, that Islam can rid itself of popular jehadists, will be through Islam alone rooting out the evil, which it is not so sure that it is, Obama must realize that Gates neglected the rise of the Talban for three years and encouraged a whole new war called Obama’s war with the  poppies still paying for the insurgency. At this time, the man of peace should immediately start withdrawing, with the partnership of the republicans getting our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan. It would be far better to have troops in Pakistan protecting nukes, but in no way threaten India. He must be able to stop the jehadists at the gates of America and to be able to root out budding homegrown terrorists in the USA while realizing the master plam of a major part of Islam.

Obama is wishy washy on Iran showing weakness, his mantra of “help is on the way” has outlived its usefulness, Main Street sees through it as banks and Wall Street have gotten their ill deserved rewards after driving the US to near  insolvency with the help of Bernanke and Geithner participating in giving an assist to our financial crisis. Yes the home buyers should have known better, but it was the past three administrations which pushed lenders to throw financial requirements to purchase out the window and sell, sell, and sell regardless of whether the norms of purchasing a home were present. The brokers saying the government made them do it is their defense, and they obeyed all the ways to the banks, as the Fed’s printing presses churned out billions to create the largest ponzi scheme known to mankind. Obama and Congress cannot restore lost jobs without a war and China remains our best friend but not our ally. Healthcare reform is out since it was more payola than real reform. Too many votes were bought and arms twisted and seats threatened. America is slowly becoming a “failed state”. Maybe a new 3rd party is needed since in reality those scoundrels who have been in the house ands senate for the past decade have contributed to our despair. They should all be sent home and pensions denied.

Norman Mann
San Diego

In the heart of Bonita, between the Library and Museum, terrorists destroyed and desecrated the Veterans’ Memorial over the Christmas holiday. Under the cover of darkness, with nothing productive to do with their time, the cowards stole an American flag dedicated to honor our veteran heroes, both living and deceased. As citizens of this great country, we need to be vigilant and open our eyes to what is happening right here in our own community. Even with the Safety Center located right next door to where this evil act took place, it did not deter the hooligans from committing the unconscionable deed. As a veteran and member of the Bonita community I believe it is time for us to come together and prevent this from occurring again. We need to repair the memorial to its previous and proper state in our community and protect it from any future acts of hatred.

Tom Pocklington

Bye, Bye $100,000

I don’t know whether to laugh  or cry. I have been waiting for six weeks to hear more about all those charges filed against Councilman Castaneda by Angel Castillo back in November. I heard a brief reference to it on Channel 10 this week when they were lamenting that Castaneda may have cheated somewhere sometime by taking $14,000 more than he was supposed to from certain people. HORRORS! Not a word about the $100,000 this caper is costing the taxpayers of Chula Vista.

The “outside attorney hired to look into the allegations said yesterday she has verified that proper procedures were followed in filing the complaint and will now analyse the merits of the case.” She also verified that Mr. Castillo is a Chula Vista resident. (We have known that since November.) “Now that the Los Angeles attorney has checked those details, she will delve into the allegations.”

“It’s pretty complex,” Julia Sylva said yesterday without citing specifics. “I’m going to need at least a month.”  BYE BYE  $100,000!

So here I am left to wait at least another month to find out how Mr. Castillo can file 83 charges without ever having made a public records request for Castaneda’s campaign statements or for any other public documents on file with the city.

I love a mystery! Who fed him all the necessary campaign records and why? Who is Jenn Anderson who did request  at least some public record requests on Castaneda? If you have a clue call me. I’m in the white pages.

Susan Watry
Chula Vista

For myself I am happy to see 2009 go. My hopes are high for 2010 – an improving economy with lots of jobs for all. My wishes on the local level are more mundane but are urgently felt. When is someone going to tell us the outcome of the $100,000 being spent to sift through the 83 charges of wrongdoing by Councilman Castaneda? When Angel Castillo first surfaced he was purported to be a police investigator – just a citizen looking out for his community. Oops! That wasn’t quite right. He was a prison guard who took disability at age 39 and he and Castaneda had tangled over a condo Home Owner’s Association issue about some trees in the past. I am hearing some interesting rumors of who may be behind this latest caper so I hope that comes out as well. Mr/ Castillo has strangely become very media shy.

I remember when our campaign ordinance was rewritten a few years ago led by Cheryl Cox, John Moot and Patty Davis. If you were to check the records I think at least one Councilman warned that all the changes would do was to enrich the lawyers when unscrupulous people indulged in slash and burn politics. Sadly, Chula Vista doesn’t have $100,000 to spend on those lawyers right now but no matter because that is what is happening.  

Another question I want answered  is why Southbay Expressway (TOLL ROAD) is generously donating money to Mayor Cheryl Cox for her pet projects in spite of their dire financial plight? I think they gave $30,000 to her Endow Chula Vista fund and recently helped underwrite her Leadership Academy. I have been unable to learn the amount  nor what it was spent for yet even though I requested it December 1. I think they also have a $10,000,000 lawsuit against the city. There must be conflict of interest in here somewhere? 

Susan Watry
Chula Vista 

Immigrants being exploited should outrage community.

   I strongly object to the use of tax dollars by a publicly funded agency to raid encampments in North County at any time of the year. But to consider doing it during the holidays is beyond outrageous. Why are people not outraged that our immigrant brothers and sisters are being forced to live outdoors because they are being exploited by US citizen employers who want their services but expect them to disappear at the end of the day?

Rosemary Johnston, Director
Interfaith Shelter Network

This latest caper in the great Charger Chase reminds me of a trip I took many years ago for some well deserved middle-aged mischief in Mexicali. As I was waiting in line to return to the good old USA this lady came to the car. It turns out she wasn’t selling gum or porcelain pigs or churros. Instead she stuck this tiny kid in my window and said loudly in pretty good English, “THE BABY NEEDS MONEY!”

Well it looks to me like that is what Spanos and Fabiani are doing to the taxpayers now-they are sticking their Charger child in the window and saying the same thing. I was pretty hard-hearted way back then and didn’t give the insolvent infant a peso and I suggest that we should stay cheap and not bribe the billionaire babies to stay either.

Ted Kennedy
Chula Vista, CA 

Talking to children about sex

A recent study conducted by the University of California Los Angeles Rand Center for Adolescent Health Promotion concluded that American parents initiate a dialog about sexuality far too late. In fact, researchers found that more than 40% of teens were already sexually active before parents broached the subject of sexuality, birth control or sexually transmitted infections.

Published in Pediatrics, the report suggests parents rethink the idea of having a single “sex talk” and view healthy sexuality as an ongoing discussion. At Planned Parenthood, we wholeheartedly agree. We also recognize that many parents are uncomfortable addressing these issues with their teens. They don’t know where to start. Or they’re afraid their kids will ask questions they can’t – or don’t want to – answer.

Parents continually tell us that talking to their children about sexuality is one of the most uncomfortable parts of the job. And yet it is one of the most important because teens who talk to their parents about sex are more likely to delay sexual activity. When they do become sexually active, teens that have a healthy dialog with their parents are also more likely to be responsible about pregnancy and disease prevention.

That’s why Planned Parenthood offers free classes for parents who want to learn to talk to their children about sex. Educators help parents create a plan to start a healthy dialog that provides age-appropriate, medically accurate information and reflects your individual family values. We also offer free booklets on healthy family communication.

We know that talking to teens about sex is tough, but it is also vitally important. San Diego families should know that they have a community partner in Planned Parenthood. Please let us know how we can support your family.

Visit us on the web at www.planned.org or call 619.881.7525 for a schedule of free classes.

Susanne Reno
Director of Education & Training
Planned Parenthood of San Diego & Riverside Counties

The Land Grab

At a time when our City services are already stretched too thin, the Chula Vista Mayor and Council want to expand the City’s redevelopment areas to include residential properties. This proposed land grab will divert funding away from essential services, such as police and fire, and staff needed to run libraries. By law, redevelopment funds cannot be used to pay for ongoing city services. Instead of paying for city services, the money ends up in the pockets of developers in the form of subsidies, studies or redevelopment staff slush funds.

Can anyone name something positive that has been accomplished as a result of actions taken by this redevelopment agency? I can’t. The truth is that this agency, now comprised mainly of outsiders and people in the development industry, has done nothing but waste tens of millions of our tax dollars on failed projects, studies and redevelopment staff budgets. Now, the redevelopment staff has the gall to ask for even more money without being able to justify their current budget. 

Chula Vista simply cannot afford to sacrifice any more of our tax dollars on a wasteful redevelopment agency. I encourage everyone to speak up at the Dec 15th council meeting and oppose this senseless land grab, because if we don’t, I’ll bet you that our noble elected officials will surely slice off another piece of our pie and hand it over to their developer friends and those who provide campaign contributions. 

Robert Garcia
Chula Vista

Our mayor and City Council are likely to impose another top down decision on the uninformed citizens of Chula Vista. On Dec 15, when people are focusing on the holidays, the City will be starting the process to expand redevelopment into residential areas.

Would voters agree to do this with a track record like Chula Vistas? This is the City that displaced 7 businesses like Arby’s and Farrell’s on H St for the now aborted Scripps Hospital expansion in the 1990’s. This redevelopment snafu eliminated 48 equivalent full time jobs, and also eliminated sales and property tax revenue that was generated by displaced businesses.

The Southwest Redevelopment area of Chula Vista collected 15.6 million dollars in tax increment over the 15 year period from 1991 to 2006. Because of redevelopment law mandates and a negotiated agreement with the county, only 6.1 million dollars remained for redevelopment and of that, 5.7 million was spent for City Staff service instead of infrastructure or tax generators.

The Town Center Redevelopment Plan was approved in 1976 to redevelop the historic Section of Third Avenue south of E St.  If you walk that street today, you can’t help but note the vacant lot, vacant stores and struggling businesses instead of redevelopment.

Chula Vista diverts millions of property tax dollars each year from the general fund that pays for police, fire and library staff to redevelopment where it’s pays for redevelopment studies, redevelopment staff and subsidies to developers. Redevelopment also diverts property tax revenue from other local entities who then have to cut services or raise fees.

Why expand redevelopment into residential now before they achieved success with the areas they have already and why now when we already have funding shortfalls for police, fire and library staff?

What can you do? You need to contact the council and oppose the expansion. Please write or testify at the Dec 15 Council Meeting at 4 pm in Council Chambers.

Earl Jentz
Chula Vista 

Chula Vista deserves better. What are we doing wrong?

I knew Chris Boyd, President of Sharp Hospital and the Chamber of Commerce, had gone somewhere because my emails to him kept coming back. Today I learned from a newspaper in San Jose he has taken a job in Northern California with Kaiser Permanente. . . . .bye bye Chula Vista!

What galls me most is that Chris Boyd played a prominent role in helping Cheryl Cox defeat Proposition E (height limits). Cox pulled out all stops if you recall – got City Manager Garcia to spend almost $30,000 of taxpayer money on a bogus study. Then she, Lisa Cohen and Chris Boyd set about to scare the daylights out of us all – both hospitals might leave Chula Vista, churches couldn’t have spires, it would cause all kinds of havoc and on and on.

Now Chris Boyd has moved on to greener pastures; Cheryl is busily maneuvering to run for another dreary term. I know, I know. Nobody said life is fair . . . . . but I can’t help hoping for a little better shake.

I am so weary of choosing between bad or worser.

Susan Watry
Chula Vista

The driving force of tax-generation has blinded National City’s Mayor Ron Morrison and city staff from seeing that questionable and illegal methods are not OK. This was rightly stated by Herman Baca and covered in La Prensa on October 30, 2009.

When National City stopped collecting the fees on business licenses, it agreed to follow the court ruling against San Diego. Now, National City must return these ill-gotten gains. I feel the City narrowly avoided a lawsuit, and if this is true, then the advice of the City Manager and City Attorney was very poor and potentially very expensive. The City of National City cannot afford any sure-losers in court, and they must be much more careful with the public’s money.

National City already has the highest sales tax in California. The brunt of this tax rests on the poorest community in San Diego County. Fees like the business license administrative tax and the housing inspection fees, which Baca is investigating, are ultimately passed on to the customer or renter. The families of National City do not need the City to hurt them anymore.

Even if it’s illegal to collect the tax, or make an unannounced rental inspection, or use public safety as a reason to increase the sales tax on everyday items, Mayor Morrison usually hides behind lame excuses and false justifications. He’s famous for them, and this is no exception. He needs the money. It’s all about the money.

Ted Godshalk
National City 

Health Care enables a just society

There are rumblings within The Catholic Church in regard to it’s position on federal funding of abortions and a government provided health care option. Several generations ago, long before Roe vs Wade, Catholic Voters were almost totally inclined toward social justice issues and were solidly Democratic. They were in essence, the religious left as opposed to the Moral Majority of the early eighties. Currently, The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is accutly aware of the consequeces of their moral dilemma. That is, it is logical and reasonable to infer that a public health care option precedes abortion in that human life issues transcend the debate. This is the moral equivalent of the chicken and the egg syndrome. Finally, to equate public health care to the free market is something like linking Social Security to an adjustable rate mortgage. Both health care and Social Security Benefits are natural and irrevocable in enabling a just society.

Daniel J. Smiechowski
San Diego

 I served on the C.V. Economic Development Commission when the city was working on its Vision 2020 back then. Education was a key component of that vision to attract high paying high tech and biomedical companies to the future Otay business parks.

 Due to budget cuts and differences in focus and vision, an unprecedented 25% cut is planned to take place at Southwestern College. This is when $20M is available in the reserves, $1.6M of which could save most of the classes vital to our students. It seems like the wrong medicine for the south bay which has no institution of higher education other than the Southwestern college. It could cripple the college to the point of becoming irrelevant to the matters of higher education in the county.

 Indeed, this is a golden opportunity for few good and visionary men and women from the City and Southwestern College to put their heads together and plan for the expansion of SWC’s 2-year program to 3 years, on its way to becoming a 4-year university. As Warren Buffett says, it is during the bad times that the foundations for progress and wealth are laid. This is the time to prepare the community for “when boom times return.”

 Spring 2010 registrations are taking place next week. Time is running out, and I wish the good folks at the city and Southwestern College quickly get together and tentatively align their visions for the community. At least to re-instate the vital classes for the Spring 2010 with less than 1 tenth of funds available in the reserves.

 This will give the city and Southwestern college time to think things through and align their visions and goals. To work with the administration and faculty to not only resolve the accreditation issues, but to possibly lay the groundworks for a 4-year program at SWC.

 Emotions are running high and there are actions that are better not to be taken for the good of all parties involved. If the Tuesday elections is an indication, the public is very sensitive to the any real or perceived progress and failure and is voting accordingly.

  It is best to earn their vote of confidence for the next round of elections in 2010.

Ramin Moshiri
Chula Vista

No more school-no more books-no more teachers dirty looks

 Maybe it is because I spent my “union days” in the viciously right-to-work state of Kansas BUT in a union with equally vicious “friends” in the Kansas City mob that I just don’t quite understand why an organized workforce like the teachers would go a year and a half without a contract and then vote almost 100% to accept a deal as lame as the one they just received. They apparently didn’t get anything they wanted. No raises, larger class sizes with another bump coming next year and just a vague “promise” that it might be a little smaller sometime in the distant future. And to top everything off they had to give up their unfair labor practices lawsuit against the administration.

 Sure looks like a lose-lose situation to me. The teachers lose for obvious financial reasons and many students will lose because of the increase in class size will surely impact their right to a free public education.

 Additionally, I am afraid we may have embolden the “enemy” as our former president opined and will see a LOT more of the non-student friendly decisions that are happening at some of our local institutes such as Southwestern College and San Diego State. Oh well, looking on the bright side there shouldn’t be nearly as many defaults on student loans if nobody has a school to go to anymore.

Ted Kennedy
Chula Vista, CA

 Kevin O’Neill laments someone has called him greedy and a predator; he was overheard calling his detractors Luddities. It would all be funny if that was all there was to it.

 Actually he has been throwing his weight around on the 600 Block of Second Avenue for a long time. Kevin has been “in their face” at least three years. It all started when he undertook remodeling the Bustamante home at 626 Second Ave. Kevin wanted to exceed the height limit and the neighbors said no and prevailed. From that point it was WAR. Bustamante posted 4 x 8 inflammatory signs that the city let remain for a long time.

 Meanwhile, as I recall, the original house was taken down to one wall and the huge looming box was built that is there now. He might as well have put a fist with the middle finger extended on a 4 x 8 sign. Next he did his thing on 630 Second Avenue again riling the neighbors. One of the structures is an Accessory Dwelling Unit that is rented out. I think he purchased 634 Second Ave. in June 2008 and proceeded to get the lot split into three lots intending to tear down the old Crafstman home on the front. The homeowners appealed and a compromise is in the works where the City will help with the cost of moving it a few feet forward thereby preserving the look of the street while allowing him to build two new homes. There is no way to set aside the lot split so the neighborhood is stuck with it. He says he won’t do this again but someone else might. Six homes will use a single driveway – more if he builds ADUs on each property as he has said he will do.

 It doesn’t have to be this way. Harold West, another local developer, has very sensitively built four homes close to an historical home at the corner of Twin Oaks and Davidson; three more at Davidson and Church. Drive by and note the good design and architecture. To my knowledge there was no opposition.

 It is regrettable that Kevin persists in doing it the hard way.

Susan Watry
Chula Vista
Trustee Aguilar responds SWC controversy

 Please know that I appreciate your commitment to the students at SWC and that I’m personally very saddened and concerned by the increasingly adversarial campus climate at SWC by the actions of the SWC Administration. However, SWC Governing Board Policy provides that only the Board President speak on behalf of the Governing Board, thus I will defer to Board President Roesch to respond on behalf of the SWC Governing Board regarding this troubling situation. Nevertheless, I’m taking this opportunity to say that I am personally very concerned about the actions taken in connection with the campus demonstration as reported in the San Diego UT and that I oppose any action that unlawfully infringes on the rights of free expression provided under both the California and US Constitutions.

Nick Aguilar, Trustee
SWC Governing Board, Seat #3″

When built, that university would create thousands of quality jobs, increase local property values, boost San Diegoxs biotech industry and provide expanded educational opportunity to tens of thousands of San Diegans.

To say I am disappointed at the Governorxs short-sighted action is an understatement.

AB 24 has received wide bipartisan support, not only in both houses of the Legislature, but from a wide variety of organizations that include chambers of commerce and labor unions, and newspapers ranging from La Prensa to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The Governor was generous in his appreciation of the proposed legislation, but misguided in his veto. His feeling that the CSU Trustees could conduct a similar study internally and therefore not need AB 24 misses the precise purpose of this legislation. While the CSU could conduct an internal study, that study would encompass the entirety of California and would require state funds.

AB 24 is specific to San Diego County and Chula Vista in particular, and for good reason: currently there is no university option in the South County. The nearest institution, San Diego State, is impacted and will turn away thousands of local students this year alone.

If we are to strengthen our economic future, we must begin to lay the educational foundation today to ensure that the next generation of our workforce will be able to compete effectively in the ever growing global market place.

All this, along with the recent troubling news that San Diego State will no longer give preferential admissions to local matriculating students, makes a university in the South County more necessary now than ever before.

While the Governor’s veto of AB 24 is indeed a setback for our communities, our region and California, it does not mark an end to the quest. Too many have worked for too long to make a South County four-year university a reality to simply let it slip away at the hand of one person.

I will continue to work in partnership with our broad coalition of backersx business groups, labor, educators, developers, local governments and prospective students’ and together we will redouble our efforts to make a university in Chula Vista a reality.

Assemblymember Block to Convene Hearing on Recent Change to SDSU Admission Policies

 Assemblymember Marty Block (D-78) announced today that he will convene a special hearing of the Assembly Select Committee on K-16 Articulation, Access and Affordability (of which he is Chair) to examine recent policy changes announced by San Diego State University (SDSU) President Stephen L. Weber related to the suspension of guaranteed admissions for local students.

 The meeting will be held October 20, 2009 from 6:30-8:30pm at Hoover Senior High School, 4474 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA 92115 in Room 1103. The hearing will bring together educators from local high schools and community colleges as well as members of the San Diego City Council.

 Speakers include SDSU President Weber, San Diego Community College District Chancellor Constance Carroll, Sweetwater Union High School District Superintendent Jesus Gandara, San Diego City Councilmember Marti Emerald, and San Diego City Councilmember Tony Young.

 Acting with unprecedented speed, the Chula Vista City Council led by members Pamela Bensoussan and Rudy Ramirez, hastily appointed long time political allies Mitch Thompson and former Mayor Steven Padilla to the Council and Port seats respectively.

 The selection and appointments of Thompson and Padilla culminate several weeks worth of behind the scenes efforts by special interest local partisan politics and big union labor bosses to ensure that the decks are stacked for any future political decisions most favorable to their causes. Labor, certainly wants favorable contract status for future projects along the bay front in the form of Project Labor Agreements (PLA).

 Ms. Bensoussan was clearly acting throughout this process to pay back big labor for their overwhelming support of her recent Council campaign. Mr. Ramirez who is seeking re-election to his seat desperately wants partisan support and the support of big labor. Clearly, it was well known that both of the aforementioned Councilmembers were lobbied heavily behind the scenes to ramrod the selection of Thompson (for the guaranteed vote to select Padilla) and Padilla. Mr. Thompson admitted to several members of the community that he had been heavily lobbied behind the scenes by Ms. Bensoussan and labor to support the selection of Padilla.

 What is most concerning to the Chula Vista Civic Association’s Committee on Ethics is the disdain that Councilmembers Bensoussan, Ramirez and Castaneda have displayed towards a democratic process that was recently used in Sunnyvale to select a temporary replacement to a vacant Council seat due to military deployment. Instead, they chose the same process to fill seats that both Benssousan and Ramirez vehemently and publicly complained about in 2005 when a vacant Council seat was filled with Padilla ally Patty Chavez. The hypocrisy of Bensoussan and Ramirez ruins their credibility throughout this process. Neither, Bensoussan or Ramirez have suitable explanations for their contrary actions in 2009 that square with their actions in 2005. It is clear to everyone that this current City Council is guided by political spoils and paybacks in their recent decisions. They have offered no reasonable nor honest explanations for their actions.

 Furthermore, we conclude that there are no members of the current City Council that truly support the budget reform measures needed to get the fiscal health of the city back in order given the tax and spend philosophy of all the current members. We note that none of the current Councilmembers opposed the recent tax grab in Proposition A. And with the appointment of tax hike spokesperson Mitch Thompson, the 67% of working class voters that opposed Proposition A continue to have no voice in their city government at this time.

Ed Herrera
President & CEO
Chula Vista Civic Association