Entries
McGrory, Inzunza Among Those Who Got Cut of $8.2 Million
The city attorney's office has learned the identities of some of the former City of San Diego officials who were cut in on $8.2 million of questionable pension benefits shelled out by the pension fund. The $8.2 million exceeded Internal …
Muni Bond Market Turmoil Likely To Hit San Diego
The financially-ailing City of San Diego has been hanging its hat on tapping into the municipal bond market once long-delayed audited financial statements are completed. But the muni bond market is being hit by the mortgage crisis. Muni bond insurers …
City Attorney To Sue SDCERS Over $146 Million Fleecing of Taxpayers
The board of the San Diego City Employees' Retirement System (SDCERS) yesterday voted to have taxpayers pick up the $146 million tab for purchase of service credits that City workers purchased cheaply prior to 2003. City Attorney Mike Aguirre says …
Aguirre Backs Off Request for Information from KPBS
City Attorney Mike Aguirre today (Thursday, Nov. 15) rescinded a request he had made under the California Public Records Act for local public broadcasting station, KPBS, to provide information on its programming policies. He had spoken with a First Amendment …
City's 2005 Financial Statement Rife with Misinformation
Back to business as usual.The long-delayed and recently-released 2005 City financial statement contains misstatements about the $8.2 million in benefits that exceed Internal Revenue Service limits, but went to 102 retirees anyway. The 2005 financial statement does not disclose the …
Moores Abruptly Resigns UC Regent Post
John Moores, majority owner of the Padres, resigned today (November 12) from the University of California Board of Regents "effective immediately," according to a press release. A resignation "effective immediately" is not normal protocol for a regent. The governor will …
City Employees Paid $8.2 Million Above IRS Limits
At least 102 City retirees have been paid a total of $8.2 million in excess of Internal Revenue Service limits,according to City Attorney Mike Aguirre, quoting an August 22 letter from the City's pension system actuary. Aguirre plans to release …
Copley's Pulitzer Winner Leaving, Say Reliable Sources
Marcus Stern, the Washington, D.C. reporter for Copley News Service who broke the Pulitzer Prize-winning story on Duke Cunningham's corruption, is leaving Copley at the end of the year, according to several very knowledgeable inside sources. Also leaving is Gordon …
Council Sells Out to Developers -- Again
The City Courtesans -- er, City Council -- prostituted themselves to the real estate industry again today (Nov. 6) under the guise of providing affordable housing. Councilmember Donna Frye, the only member to vote against the density bonus measure, argued …
It's Official, but Buried: Haas Resigns
Yesterday, this blog reported the rumor that Richard Haas, who heads such critical areas as water, wastewater, general and environmental services, and capital projects, was one of a long line of Mayor Jerry Sanders' staffers to leave. Today (Tuesday) the …
Rumor: Another Key Sanders Aide Leaves
According to a rumor racing around City Hall, Richard Haas, who heads public works, has resigned. I cannot yet get anyone to confirm it officially, and have not been able to get directly to Haas. If the rumor is not …
Union-Tribune's Circulation Plunge Second Worst Among Top 25 Dailies
Official statistics from the Audit Bureau of Circulations released Monday morning show the Union-Tribune's average daily circulation plummeting 8.53 percent to 278,379 for the six months ended September 30, compared with the previous six-month period. Only one paper in the …
Surprised? Associated Builders & Contractors Endorse Sanders
Here's the least surprising political endorsement of the year: the Associated Builders and Contractors of San Diego have endorsed Mayor Jerry Sanders in the 2008 race. This is like ventriloquist Edgar Bergen calling his dummy, Mortimer Snerd, the most dynamic …
Levitt Agrees With Aguirre
Arthur Levitt, former head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and Mike Aguirre, San Diego city attorney, have not kissed and made up, exactly. But they are agreeing on a key issue: the SEC should hold the politicians and bureaucrats …
Union-Tribune Circulation Plummets, Says Trade Magazine
Union-Tribune daily circulation is plunging at more than three times the rate of other metropolitan daily papers, according to Editor & Publisher, the media trade magazine, which was apparently leaked advance information on the official Audit Bureau of Circulation numbers, …
Copley YMCA Fundraiser Turns Into Aguirre Hate Fest
Even Mike Aguirre haters were rolling their eyes in acute discomfort Saturday night at a fundraiser for Copley YMCA. David Copley was there smiling, seemingly oblivious to the tackiness. Herb Klein, corporate welfare lobbyist, was guest of honor at the …
Former Invitrogen Scientist Hit With Insider Trading Charges
The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed insider trading charges against Harry S. Yim of Vista, a former scientist at Invitrogen, which makes tools for genetic research. The agency charges that at a private employee meeting in 2004, Yim heard …
Blackwater Responds; Journalists Hits Back
Blackwater USA, the mercenary firm that wants to put a training camp in Potrero, has defended itself against charges of bullying the press. Miriam Raftery says that although she had a press pass and permission from a fire official to …
Blackwater Intimidated Press at Potrero Site It Covets
Mercenary firm Blackwater USA has been bullying members of the press at the Potrero site it wants to use as a training camp. On Friday, reporter Miriam Rafferty, who had a press pass and was waved through by a fire …
Two Years Ago, Think Tank Warned of Inadequate Fire Protection
Mayor Jerry Sanders took bows last week from adoring San Diegans and a fawning press that refused to ask tough questions. The mayor should have been asked about a study two years ago by the Center on Policy Initiatives. It …