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Spread the Wealth
When the elected Oversight Committee in Golden Hill was replaced by an appointed "Advisory Committee" (appointed by the Golden Hill CDC, the organization it is supposed to monitor), all attempts to meet the requirements of the ballot and the city contract fell by the wayside. The city and the GH CDC will raise the tax rate once all the surplus has been expended. Not this year, but next year! Get ready.— May 2, 2010 9:44 a.m.
The "D" Word
It isn't often you get to mingle with the director of City Planning and Community Investment, Bill Anderson. And plenty of city employees and consultants, charming your socks off. Plus free sandwiches! The City must really want these Community Plan updates.— April 28, 2010 4:03 p.m.
Is This Thing On?
The Community Plan updates will be written by the city and their consultants. The communities have all formed Advisory Committees, who are currently being trained in the new General Plan. There will be a charrette in the summer, an all day affair, when community members may weigh in. The city will then produce and go forward with the CPU. The word charrette refers to a collaborative session in which community members redesign their community in one frantic day. Looks like we will hear from the bike riders and community gardeners next week.— April 22, 2010 8:57 p.m.
Clean and Safe Program soaks downtown San Diego property owners
Last year, the budget based on these assessments was approved at City Council in June. The people involved announced that they had met with the mayor's office and were satisfied with the outcome. The budget was, accordingly, approved. I don't see how this can be changed. The money has been collected and probably spent. They did not challenge the budget at that time. But, THIS June is coming up! What DID the mayor promise you, anyhow? His name never seems to come up in this.— April 22, 2010 8:49 p.m.
You Don't Call, You Don't Write...
Getting ANY response from the City of San Diego's Economic Development is miraculous. And changing the assessment might actually require a new City Council Vote, details still available on the City Agenda web site for the last one, I believe. As usual, there is more going on here than we see on the surface. There's a lot of people downtown who care about their assessment. The ones who expected their assessment to go DOWN care, but the ones who would see their assessment go up REALLY care.— January 28, 2010 6:14 p.m.
Bypassing Bylaws in Golden Hill
Please be aware that the elected Oversight Committee presented a list of legal and authorized projects to the GH CDC, which was ignored. This list was restricted to projects which provided specific benefit to all property owners, as required by law. An example is: street sweeping in the gutter between the sidewalk and the street. This was supported by both sides, but required WORK to implement. Instead, projects which the City of San Diego agreed were city-provided activities WERE implemented. Trimming Palm trees is an example. Activities such as repairing the Golden Hill Fountain were defined to be of general benefit by the California State Supreme Court, and overturned. These were not supported by the Oversight Committee. Many projects are of general benefit to the community, but these projects are defined by law to be supported by taxes, not maintenance assessments.— September 22, 2009 1:06 p.m.
Bypassing Bylaws in Golden Hill
Oh, stop it! This isn't about race, it's about money. The Golden Hill CDC is going to spend it, and they are going to spend it without an elected Oversight Committee. The promises for independent oversight were campaign promises by the City to get the MAD approved. There's almost a million dollars to spend this year, starting now. The California legal requirement that each property owner receive specific benefit will be a distant memory, along with the dinosaurs that roamed Golden Hill.— September 21, 2009 5:28 a.m.
Bypassing Bylaws in Golden Hill
There is no "next election" for MAD. It is forever. And the City of San Diego cast 30% of the original winning vote. GH supporter: Interesting that the Lomas 26 are on the side of the original MAD Oversight Committee. I didn't know that. What odd allies! It's sad. When the MAD was approved, real estate could only go up, and property would be clean, green, and safe. Now it is in foreclosure. It's a different world.— September 20, 2009 8:39 a.m.
Bypassing Bylaws in Golden Hill
The CDC last year had 30 members; this year 45. The City has given them $1,240,000 in MAD funds collected from all of the property owners in Golden Hill. Expect to see the Golden Hill Fountain repaired, expect to see South Park Businesses beautified. Expect more lawsuits. The City has structured it so that future lawsuits will be filed against the GH CDC, not the City. Works for them!— September 19, 2009 7:53 a.m.
Bypassing Bylaws in Golden Hill
The existing MAD Oversight Committee has 12 members. 15 are defined, but three positions are unfilled. This accounts for the discrepancy in numbers. The CDC will keep three members, including the current chair, and fill 12 positions. The legal requirement is for an "independent" committee. A committee appointed by the GH CDC to provide oversight of the GH CDC doesn't look very independent to many people.— September 18, 2009 6:33 p.m.