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East County News Service
July 18, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – Today, Assemblymember Akilah Weber, MD, held a press conference to announce success in securing $51,550,000 dollars in state funds in the budget signed by Governor Gavin Newsom for several projects in her 79th Assembly district.
She was joined at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center by elected officials from La Mesa and San Diego, as well as representatives from several local agencies to accept checks for projects that will increase our water supply, make infrastructure upgrades, improve safety and access to local recreational spaces, and more.
“This is a tremendous win for the families in our community,” said Assemblymember Weber.
Budget wins for District 79 include:
- $2,000,000 to the Padre Dam Municipal Water District to create a new source of water supply for East San Diego County residents. The Advanced Water Purification Project is a collaborative partnership with the Padre Dam Water District, the Helix Water District, County of San Diego, and City of El Cajon to provide a secure water supply while diversifying the region’s water portfolio.
- $2,000,000 to the City of San Diego for much-needed upgrades to the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Pool.
- $600,000 to the City of San Diego for upgrades to the Mountain View Park Sport Court and ADA accessibility.
- $500,000 to the City of La Mesa for increased mobility access around schools and parks.
- $20,000,000 for the construction of a new Oak Park Library.
- $4,000,000 to Clay Park upgrades in Rolando Village.
- $1,000,000 to San Diego Unified School District’s EarthLab Open Air Climate Park which is located near Chollas Creek in southeastern San Diego.
- $3,000,000 to the County of San Diego and Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) for a Refugee and Cultural Hub.
- $2,000,000 to the Central San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce for the Urban Business Resource Center.
“The Martin Luther King Jr. pool is a vital resource to our community and has needed maintenance for a long time. I’m happy Assemblymember Weber could meet this need by advocating for funding to help revitalize this recreational asset. This investment is one of many ways that demonstrate our commitment to making resources equitable for our youth and families," said Council President pro Tem Montgomery Steppe.
“All San Diego neighborhoods need and deserve quality parks and recreation facilities. Unfortunately, decades of government disregard and divestment has resulted in beloved community spaces falling into unacceptable condition. Investing $600,000 in the Mountain View Park Sport Court will strengthen the community and ensure more people enjoy its benefits,” said Council President Sean Elo-Rivera. “I’m grateful to Assemblymember Weber for her leadership and prioritizing the people of Mountain View in the State Budget.”
“We are honored to receive a portion of these state funds for our local La Mesa community,” said Mayor Mark Arapostathis. “This grant funding will allow La Mesa to identify infrastructure deficiencies and incorporate sidewalk and active transportations features that are sorely needed.”
“Special thank you to my legislative colleague, Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins, for her leadership and advocacy for additional funding for the 79th Assembly District. These projects in addition to several others will bring about meaningful change to diverse parts of my district. I am thankful to support these projects, and look forward to celebrating our community wins,” added Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D.
Assemblymember Weber welcomes the residents of District 79 to continue to partner with her in identifying budget priorities for funding in the district. District events coming up next: HPV webinar next Saturday July 23 and 1,000 Backpack give-a-way on August 13th.
Comments
20 M for a Library?
issa the criminal
No east county projects
I don't see any east county projects here. Padre Dam does not serve the east county. We have wells out here.
Ask Darrell Issa what he brought in for the farthest East parts
of our county. The rural and mountain areas are in his district, not Sara Jacobs. She has portions of what most define as East County, such as El Cajon, Spring Valley and La Mesa. Issa has everything east of El Cajon, pretty much. We haven't gotten a press release from him about any dollars he brought home for the district in the infrastructure bill, so maybe he didn't try or suceed in getting funding. There are certainly projects where the money could've been used in his district, such as improving safety of highway 67 or fixing the aging El Capitan Dam that has a poor safety rating from the state.
Blocked by the Left
also
True.
Issa did oppose the infrastructure act and did nothing I've seen to advise constituents of any ways our region might benefit from it. Had he instead worked to add backcountry projects into the bill, we might now have funding to help under-served areas in our region.
the criminal
Where he lives