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Coastal Commission staff says "No" on convention center expansion
Coastal Commission Staff Report Recommending Denial. Large File - 22 MB. http://documents.coastal.ca.gov/reports/2013/10/T… The Port's plan failed because they did not read the Coastal Act. If they did they would know that our Protected Coastal View Corridor to San Diego Bay includes the view from the new Pedestrian Bridge over Harbor Drive. The Port's design consultant are at fault for the square southwest corner of the structure which limited our Protected View Corridor for no good reason. Sloppy. In addition, instead of the new 500 room luxury Hotel Tower on top of the Parking Structure as planned and approved by the City Council. The location of the Tower was moved to the Northwest of the Parking Structure, further block our Protected View Corridor, but now to the South. The effects of these two design flaws are responsible for the staff recommendation to DENY, If Port staff read the former agreements, they would know that the next project planned for the Convention Center would be to increase public access to our free Waterfront by construction of a Pedestrian Bridge at Fourth Avenue, and new Wayfinding Signs to encourage public use of Embarcadero Marina Park South, and a Public View Patio on the Second Floor of the Convention Center that is never used by the public. The Public View Patio is seen by locals as private and off limits. The Port is using the same dated 1850 construction techniques of dredging and create land on former sludge beds. Prone to liquefaction, permanent deformation, and soil collapse due to Climate Change and increase tide elevations. If our plan for a Structural Cistern Foundation to create a Full Reclamation of out Tidelands is found cost effective, then the Army Corps of Engineers and Caltrans could analyze our Full Tidelands Reclamation plan to create subterranean waterfront public space for public transportation, utilities, and industrial uses. From Mission Bay to Otay Mesa.— September 27, 2013 8:47 p.m.
SD hotel business up, but lagging coastal California cities
In 2004, the Hotel Industry and the City Unions actually wrote their self-serving Proposition C for the March 2, 2004 ballot, and lost. The Hoteliers wanted a 1.5% TOT increase plus reallocation for the existing 10.5% for CONVIS and public safety pensions. Proposition J on November 2, 2004 ballot, was the ONLY time the Hotel industry defeating a General Fund TOT increase. The private CONVIS and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce marketed Proposition J as a "Pension Tax" into the City's General Fund with no benefits for Hoteliers or tourist interests. Hoteliers stated that ANY increase in TOT would make San Diego less attractive for conventions and business travel. The 6.5 percent in additional TOT increases made between 1965 and 1994 were raised by City Council votes only. Agreed a General Fund TOT increase (50% approval) would be voted down because the revenue could be seen as a Pension tax. The Hoteliers and City Council have already pre-approved a 5% TOT increase, and could not make the argument that the existing increase in Hotel taxes would be bad for business.— September 25, 2013 11:35 a.m.
SD hotel business up, but lagging coastal California cities
http://www.tinyurl.com/20130415a Yes. But a public vote is needed to increase Hotel Taxes by 5% (annual $85 million) for Infrastructure from the current 10.5% to a maximum of 15.5%. I imagine if San Diego hired capable and effective promoters approved by Smith Travel Research (STR), Marketing San Diego as a Tourism destination for the world could actually raise the number of heads in beds, and increase local TOT revenue. In 1965, approximately 48 years ago, was the first and only time the citizens of San Diego voted to increase our local Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) on Hotel Visitors. [February 16, 1965. Proposition C. – 4 % Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT). Section 35.0116 Utilization of Revenue.] From the original 4% TOT, an Annual contribution of 60 % maximum for Advertisement/Promotion to the San Diego Convention and Tourist Bureau (CONVIS), renamed the San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA). For a potential maximum of 2.4% of the original 4% to SDTA/CONVIS for Marketing/ Advertisement/ Promotion based upon Matching funds acquired by private hotels (40%) and the County of San Diego (20%) Board of Supervisor’s funds. See Appendix A for excerpts from the original 1965 Ballot Pamphlet.— September 25, 2013 7:36 a.m.
SD hotel business up, but lagging coastal California cities
San Diego has already trailed from 2008 to 2012. Now 2013 to 2015 should be no different. San Diego Tourism growth rate is usually lower in San Diego, than other California tourist Cities and vacation destinations. For the 5-year temporary TMD trial period of 2008 to 2012, San Diego easily did worse than Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Phoenix, and Anaheim. www.tinyurl.com/20130417 https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_fHftxFXFhyOGlNS… There is NO correlating evidence from Smith Travel Research (STM) that increase destination marketing and Advertisement has a direct effect on TOT Revenue in San Diego. Smith Travel Research (SMR) should be consulted to analyze if San Diego is getting good Marketing and Advertisement compared to other local, national, and international destinations.— September 23, 2013 7:18 p.m.
Civic San Diego wants permitting and processing responsibilities in former redevelopment areas
The City Council cannot give away Bargaining Unit Work to the private Civic San Diego without meet and confer negotiations with MEA City labor organizations, and without going through Managed Competition Guidelines. Civic San Diego expect to get a No-Bid Contract, similar to the one for the Successor Housing Entity assets, which includes $32 million in Cash and Unspent Bond Proceeds. Civic San Diego wants to take on current position responsibilities of City employees. In order to following the law, the transfer of bargaining unit work through the use of subconsulting contracts to private outside agencies is a mandatory subject of bargaining that requires the City to Meet and Confer with the impacted labor organization.— September 22, 2013 4:53 p.m.
Injured Marine veteran gets help from congressmen
Congressman Filner helped the Veteran women and her nurse get financial support for disability claims in 2011. In 2013 Mayor Filner had a meeting with both and agreed to help through phone calls and/or letters to the local Veterans Administration. After already agreeing to help both women, Mayor Filner asked the nurse on a date. She said no. Filner still followed through and advocated for her medical rating changes. No Pressure.— September 14, 2013 6:57 p.m.
Hotel owners behind police clashes with union give big to newly minted Democrat Fletcher
Councilman David Alvarez stated today that he is pleased with the existing Plaza de Panama parking and circulation changes in Balboa Park. Councilman Alvarez does not see a need for the Bypass Bridge and $25 million taxpayer funded Paid Parking structure. https://www.facebook.com/DavidAlvarezSDMayor https://twitter.com/AlvarezSD— September 14, 2013 6:48 p.m.
Combined convention center/stadium? Or neither?
Please see our Solution to pay for a NFL Stadium and CONTIGUOUS Convention Center Expansion on the Waterfront. If it is found legal, the same up to 3% Special Hotel Tax could be used for construction because the site is Contiguous. The better solution would be to put the issue before a public vote and the same final Mayoral election in Spring 2014. http://www.tinyurl.com/20120606a The Port and City refused to analyze requested alternative projects in the Draft EIR, including our contiguous waterfront site and the Chargers alternative in East Village and Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal.— September 10, 2013 11:41 a.m.
Qualcomm's Jacobs fishing for funds for Fletcher
U-T Watchdog Twitter Feed. https://twitter.com/UTWatchdog/status/37581024263… @UTWatchdog 5 Sep Spotted about 5pm today at #sfo pic.twitter.com/dXWf0enCNO— September 8, 2013 10:56 a.m.
Did interim mayor Todd Gloria have the authority to rescind stop-use order for Jack in the Box?
No.— August 31, 2013 5:59 p.m.