2 COUNCIL CANDIDATES ADDRESS WATER ISSUES IN PUBLIC FORUM
Printer-friendly version By Ryan Lescure Emerald defends vote for power-shut-off; tells opponents in backcountry to “bellayche to the County Supervisors” and urge use of Prop 172 funds for firefighting August 6, 2009 (San Diego)–Water issues were the main topic of discussion at the San Diego chapter of Democracy for America’s meeting last night. The event featured Marti Emerald, San Diego City Councilmember from District 7 (which includes some San Diego neighborhoods east of I-15, such as Allied Gardens and Del Cerro) and Howard Wayne, former Assemblymember and City Council Candidate for District 6. Marti Emerald was the first speaker, choosing to informally field questions from attendees from her seat at the end of the table rather than using a microphone to address the group. Emerald initially answered questions about her stance on healthcare, stating that she believes we need a system where everyone has access to healthcare. Emerald then went on to mention that San Diego will receive $260 million in federal stimulus money. She also stated that she is concerned with providing San Diegans with jobs and wants to look into clean energy. The discussion then turned to water issues, where it remained for a while. Emerald discussed the need to consider that certain industries such as the biotech industry and hospitals need some exceptions to water regulations because they are special users. Emerald then discussed the idea of sub-meters, which she said will hopefully be before the City Council in November. Emerald stated that multi-family housing units, such as condominiums or apartments, usually receive their water bill in the form of a flat rate. Since this takes the building as a whole into consideration instead of individual units, it does not recognize that an individual tenant may be conserving water. Emerald argued that individual sub-meters will take the conservation efforts of individual tenants into consideration and will therefore offer an incentive to save water. Illustrating the importance of this, she stated, “nearly 50 percent of people in San Diego live in multi-family housing projects…this is where the water saving starts.” Regarding water conservation, Emerald concluded by reinforcing its urgency. “As a global community, we’ve got to be on it,” she concluded. “We absolutely must address this problem.” After fielding additional questions about water issues and healthcare, Marti Emerald was asked by ECM to offer some comments on why she supports SDG&E’s plan to shut off power to the backcountry when five conditions indicating fire hazard are met. Upon answering this question, Emerald became very animated. Her first response was “because my fire chief says she needs the tools,” referring to the testimony of San Diego Fire Department Tracy Jarman in support of the shut-off plan. Emerald argued that San Diego has been paying for fighting the wildfires in the backcountry and it has been San Diego’s equipment doing the firefighting. She argued that the role of the City Council is to stick up for the people of San Diego and for the firefighters who have been endangered by the wildfires in the backcountry. “I’m going to stand up for the people of the city,” Emerald stated. Emerald cited Proposition 172 as providing a source of money that can be used for fire protection. She said that this money is used by San Diego County law enforcement, but not fire protection. She stated that Los Angeles County uses money from Prop. 172, but San Diego County does not. Emerald advised that those with complaints should “bellyache to the County Supervisors,” regarding the money from Prop. 172. She then stated, “these people in the backcountry need to take charge and demand accountability from their governments.” Emerald concluded by stating, “We’re all in it together, but at some point we’ve got to step up.” Howard Wayne was the next speaker. He discussed his candidacy and offered some information about himself. He stated that he grew up in San Diego, went to Hoover High School, and attended San Diego State University. He has served as a Deputy Attorney General, and he teaches at the University of San Diego and Thomas Jefferson Law School. He is also a former member of the Assembly. While in the Assembly, Wayne stated that he “got 61 bills signed into law by governors of both parties.” Wayne is currently running in the District 6 City Council race. Councilmember Donna Frye currently holds this seat in the City Council, but she is termed out and cannot rerun. When asked who he is running against, Wayne quipped, “Anybody foolish enough to get in the race.” He then said he is running against one other Democrat, who is a staff member from Frye’s office, and two Republicans. “I’m the only candidate running in the sixth that has held public office,” Wayne stated. The next meeting of the San Diego chapter of Democracy For America is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, September 2 at 7:00 PM. Speaking will be San Diego City Councilmember Donna Frye of District 6. The meeting will take place at Giovanni’s Restaurant, 9353 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. in San Diego. Printer-friendly version
HEALTHCARE DEBATE HEATS UP
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery August 6, 2009 (San Diego) – Violence, arrests and racial slurs have disrupted town hall meetings on healthcare reform in Florida, Pennsylvania and other states, where mobs opposed to healthcare reform attempted to shout down and drown out supporters. MSNBC TV’s Rachel Maddow reported that many “protesters” at these meetings were in fact paid by health insurance companies to disrupt discussions among legislators and constituents—as were members of Congress leading opposition to healthcare reform measures. Why might the health insurance industry resort to such tactics? H.R. 3200, The American Affordable Health Choices Act was introduced in Congress July 15th. The bill, supported by President Obama and the Democratic majority, would create a public option that would extend Medicare-type benefits to a broad range of consumers. Supporters of an even broader healthcare reform bill, SB 676, which would provide a single-payer healthcare system guaranteeing full medical, dental, and mental health coverage for all Americans, won a victory last week, securing an agreement to have the single-payer bill debated and voted on by the full House. An effort by conservative “Blue Dog Democrats” to ban healthcare funding for abortion failed in committee. In addition, an effort to prohibit states from passing more comprehensive healthcare reform than the federal government was voted down in committee. Susan Davis (D-San Diego) , who took $270,577 in campaign contributions from the healthcare industry, voted in favor of banning states from enacting broader healthcare reforms than Congress. Her vote sparked a protest at her San Diego office by supporters of single-payer healthcare(photo), which was approved by California’s Legislature last year but vetoed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. To find out how much money your representative took from the healthcare industry, visit www.opensecrets.org/news/2009/06/-name-office-party-health.html . Rep. Boemer, Republican minority leader who is heading up efforts to defeat Obama’s healthcare reform plan, has taken $4.3 million from the healthcare—more than any other member of Congress. Some members do appear to be voting their conscience, however. Filner has voted against health industry interests and become a vocal advocate for single-payer healthcare despite more than a million dollars in contributions from the industry. A whopping 72% of Americans favor Obama’s plan to have a public option compete against private insurers, according to a New York Times poll. “This plan tells ever American – if you have coverage and a doctor you like, keep it,” says Congressman Bob Filner (D-San Diego). “If you don’t, this plan will help you find and afford quality care.” The plan would eliminate co-pays and deductibles for preventive care, put a cap on out-of-pocket expenses annually, stop insurers from denying coverage or hiking up rates for preexisting conditions, and guarantee dental health, hearing and vision care for children. People would keep insurance if they change jobs or lose their jobs. “If we don’t act now to reform healthcare, rising costs will cripple family budgets, American businesses will fall behind and our fiscal future will be threatened,” Filner predicted. “Within a decade, we will be spending one out of every five dollars we earn on health care. We simply can’t afford not to act on this historic reform.” President Obama has promoted his plan as helping small businesses by removing the burden of healthcare premiums from many and believes the high cost of healthcare is a major drag weighing down the economy. Savings to taxpayers would result from reduced administrative overhead; payroll taxes on employers who don’t offer healthcare insurance and a tax on wealthy income earners would also help fund the program. The President has said he won’t sign a healthcare bill that would increase the deficit. But a trio of business leaders have jointly signed a letter which states: “During these challenging economic times, we are especially concerned about employer mandates, including those veiled as pay-or-play and payroll tax approaches. These tactics will seriously impair the capacity of small businesses to create jobs – and would do so at the very moment the country struggles to climb out of a deep recession. Some studies suggest that an employer mandate would result in roughly 1 million lost jobs occurring in the small business community, creating even greater economic harm to our country.” The letter, signed by presidents of the National Association for the Self-Employed, National Federation of Independent Business, and President of the National Small Business Association, opposes any public option and calls on Congress to instead find ways to make private insurance more affordable to Americans. The healthcare reform movement has come to East County. A newly-formed La Mesa Healthcare Group now has 35 members, said organizer Roland Bleu. In a letter to members he wrote,“I am urging you…to tel. and/or write specific congresspersons and senators for the best possible medical insurance coverage for all of us Americans.” At a recent downtown San Diego rally for healthcare reform, a vocal group of opponents attempted to shout down advocates of single-payer and public option healthcare reforms. Linda Armacost, La Mesa-Foothills Democratic Club president, denounced the “disruption tactics” of those who are “shutting down any debate or civil discussion or important issues” at groups around the nation. “Far from being a grassroots, middle class group, these folks are the willing dupes for some very, very wealthy folks.” While some healthcare reform advocates worry that the bill may be watered down too much to appease the healthcare industry, others believe it does not protect industry enough. Republicans solidly oppose both the President’s plan for a public option as well as the single-payer bill. “While I do not support a public option, it is important that we have sufficient opportunity to thoroughly examine this proposal and consider its potential consequences for taxpayers, businesses and consumers,” Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine) stated in a press release. Hunter, a freshman congressman who has taken just under $100,000 from the healthcare industry, signed a pledge stating he will not vote
EX-PADRE GENE LOCKLEAR STARS IN ARTIST RECEPTION AT SILVER CREEK FINE ART GALLERY
Printer-friendly version August 6, 2009 (El Cajon) – Gene Locklear, former outfielder for the San Diego Padres and the New York Yankees, will be honored at an artist reception Friday, August 7 at 5:30 p.m. The public is invited to meet Locklear and enjoy his artwork at Silver Creek Fine Art Gallery & Custom Framing, 120 East Main Street in El Cajon. His artwork will remain on display through the end of August.(photo: Bud’s Dream, Lockyer painting on display at Heritage of the Americas Museum) Silver Creek, celebrating 30 years in business, has been honored as the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year. Printer-friendly version
EX E-BAY CEO MEG WHITMAN, GOP CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR, LAYS OUT PRIORITIES IN VISIT TO CUYAMACA COLLEGE: JOBS, EDUCATION & SPENDING CUTS FOR CALIFORNIA
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery August 6, 2009 (El Cajon) – Can the woman who led e-Bay to become one of the world’s most successful business models turn around California’s troubled economy? Meg Whitman, former Chief Executive Officer of the online auction site, pledged to run California “more like a business” if she wins the Republican primary and general election next year for Governor. Whitman spoke yesterday in a public forum at Cuyamaca College sponsored by the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce. Chamber president Brian Grey called Whitman an “unparalleled business success story” who “transformed and made E-commerce possible.” Her business credentials are indisputably impeccable. After growing E-Bay from 30 to 15,000 employees and raising revenues from $4 million to $8 billion, she was named most powerful woman in the world by Fortune magazine and was also listed among the most influential women in the U.S. by Time Magazine. Why would anybody want to be Governor of an insolvent state with a gridlocked Legislature, unemployment at 11 ½ percent, and a K-12 education system that now ranks a dismal 48th out of 50 states? “I refuse to let California fail,” Whitman said. “Make no mistake. We are in trouble.” She pledged to focus on three priorities. Job creation and retention top that list. “Businesses are fleeing our state, not to India or China, but to (other states) where taxes and regulations are less,” she said. She pledged to reduce taxes and regulations on businesses to encourage companies to stay or come here, a move she believes would create jobs and boost revenues. Whitman also called for further cuts in state spending, despite unprecedented deep cuts already made in programs ranging from healthcare to education. “We do not have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem of epic proportions,” she said. In a press conference after her speech, she said up to $35 billion in spending could be cut from the budget, which she would have vetoed. Whitman also said she believes another 30,000 to 40,000 state worker jobs could be eliminated. Whitman made clear that she would not support new taxes or a revision of proposition 13. “God gives me the wisdom to know what we can change,” she said. “Our total revenue is enough, and we need to increase that by growing employers and employees.” She pledged to “aggressively use the veto pen” as well as the initiative process to further her gubernatorial agenda. Education is her third priority. “K-12 education needs serious review,” said Whitman, who claims a “passion for education” and decried the declining ranking of California schools. “Our higher education , the envy of most of the country, is in serious jeopardy. If we let what happened to K-12 schools happen to higher education, there is no turning back.” Whitman has two sons, one a recent college graduate, the other a sophomore in college. But when asked by East County Magazine about repeated tuition hikes that have priced many California State University and University of California students out of a higher education, Whitman declined to support a roll-back in tuition fees. “We’re going to have to mitigate on a go-forward basis,” she said. Whitman also had scant reassurance for a Cuyamaca College employee who expressed concern over lay-offs of state employees at community colleges. Locally, the college district has had a 17% spike in recent enrollment due to economic pressures forcing students to seek lower cost education alternatives. Whitman called for improvements to California’s infrastructure system. She believes the water shortage is a “crisis point” that has led to 38%-42% unemployment in central California, where a third of cropland is unplanted due to lack of water. “Soon there won’t be enough water for San Diego,” she warned. Whitman called for construction of a water conveyance system (formerly proposed as the Peripheral Canal) to bring water from Northern to Southern California. She also called for more above ground storage of water, increased conservation, desalinization, and pumping more water back into the delta. An audience member asked Whitman’s views on prison reform. She replied that California spends more on prison guards and healthcare for prisoners than many other states. (A judge, however, has just ordered release of many state prisoners on grounds that conditions are overcrowded and unsanitary, leading to a high number of inmate deaths.) Whitman said she supports sending more prisoners to out of state prisons to cut costs, but opposes early release of prisoners. East County Magazine asked Whitman her approach to the healthcare crisis and rising healthcare costs, the number one cause of bankruptcies in the U.S. and a key problem for businesses that have difficulty affording healthcare insurance for employees. “It helps jobs if we can get healthcare under control,” said Whitman, noting that as Governor, she would first need to see what healthcare reforms the federal government may enact. “There is no question we need to improve access to care,” she noted, adding that early access to healthcare prevents costly emergency room treatments. She would also look to see “how to squeeze fraud and abuse out of the system.” In addition, she seeks an increase in incentives for “outcome based care,” noting that neither doctors nor patients have incentives not to seek unnecessary tests and procedures under the current healthcare system. Whitman’s campaign is chaired by former Governor and past San Diego Mayor Pete Wilson. Whitman served as national co-chair for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign and later John McCain’s presidential campaign after Romney entered the race. Romney was her boss, “mentor and coach” at a managing consulting firm when she first came to California, she recalled. Whitman has moderate views on social issues by Republican standards. She supported Proposition 8, the initiative banning gay marriage, but supports civil unions, the Los Angeles Times has reported. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, she is pro-choice but supported Proposition 4, a
BORDER PATROL OFFERS QUARTER MILLION DOLLAR REWARD FOR INFO ON AGENT’S DEATH; FBI ASKS PUBLIC HELP TO SOLVE MURDER CASE
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Photos by Deborah Craig August 6, 2009 (San Diego) –The U.S. Border Patrol has added a $250,000 reward to the growing pool of reward money offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for killing agent Robert Rosas July 23 at the border near Campo. “As a result of some of the media attention and as a byproduct of the investigation we are following up on a number of leads here in the U.S. and in Mexico,” FBI special agent Darrell Foxworth told East County Magazine in an interview today. “This is one of the highest priority investigations that we are conducting here in the Southern California law enforcement community.” The FBI previously announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to arrest and conviction of the killers, plus a $10,000 reward for information leading to recovery of Rosas’ stolen .40 caliber service pistol, a Heckler-Koch P2000. Foxworth added, “ We have over two dozen investigators and prosecutors that are supporting this investigation, mainly U.S. Border Patrol agents, Immigration and Customs enforcement, San Diego Sheriff, DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency), the U.S. Attorney’s office and the FBI.” Executives within the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security are also aware of the tragic event, he said. Although Mexican authorities have arrested suspects (reportedly based on identification made by a member of a human smuggling ring) the FBI investigation continues. “In the U.S., we have not arrested or charged anyone specifically in the killing of Agent Rosas. This is an active investigation and we still need the public’s help to provide any and all information…The smallest piece could be the missing piece of the puzzle,” he said. “It could be just observing some suspicious activity on that date, or prior to that date, which could assist investigators.” Rosas was shot multiple times while responding to reports of suspicious activity in an area known for smuggling of drugs and human trafficking. The shooting occurred close to the location where gunfire was exchanged July 17 between U.S. Border Patrol agents and people in a Dodge truck that Mexican officials have stated may have been smuggling drugs. Those smugglers evaded authorities. No eyewitnesses have come forward to speak to media about the murder of Rosas. However Britt Craig, leader of the Campo Minutemen, says he was monitoring the border area at about 9 p.m. on July 23 when he heard several shots and notified the Border Patrol. “I heard four spaced shots like bang, bang, bang, bang,” Craig has stated. “Then there was a shooting fairly rapidly—three or four bangs, just as fast as you could shoot.” In an interview with the Orange County Register, Craig observed, “In the daytime, people hunt and target practice, but at night it’s usually a bad thing when guns go off.” Craig’s wife, Deborah, expressed doubt that Mexican officials have the right suspects, noting that those who identified the shooter are purported criminals. Deborah Craig, who attended the funeral for Agent Rosas last week in El Centro, said some law enforcement members confided that “they feel it looks like a `round up the usual suspects’ dog and pony show. “ She expressed suspicion that the killing may have been in retaliation for prior Border Patrol enforcement actions. “It is odd how close to the border the shooting happened,” she noted, adding that undocumented border-crossers usually “just run back and jump the fence when they are that close.” About 4,500 to 5,000 people turned out to pay final respects to Rosas at the funeral, with many seated in an overflow auditorium. Hundreds of law enforcement vehicles with flashing lights formed a caravan. Uniformed Border Patrol agents escorted Rosa’s flag-draped coffin and two-fire engines held an American flag aloft between raised ladders. “The darkness that fell upon us a week ago is still unbearable,” said Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar, who praised Rosas for making the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. At the burial, several attendees required medical attention due to the 105-degree heat. Rosas is survived by his wife, Rosalie, a two-year old son and an 11-month old daughter (photo). Last Friday, a fundraiser hosted by San Diego Sheriff candidate Jay LaSuer at the Scottish Rite Center in Mission Valley raised over $15,000 to help Rosas’ family. An additional $4,182 has been donated through a website set up to benefit the family at http://officerrobertrosas.chipin.com/officer-robert-rosas-family. Printer-friendly version