March 31, 2011 (La Mesa)--"Today's benefit structure for public employees is unrecognizable from the design, funding structure and goals of the original 1932 version. Instead of retirement security, the public pension became a wealth generator. Initially, state workers retiring at age 65 could expect retirement income at roughly half of their final compensation, based on an average salary earned during their last five years of employment. The retirement formulas and benefits began ratcheting up in the 1940's and never stopped. California's pension plans are dangerously under funded, the result of overly generous pension promises, wishful thinking and an unwillingness to plan prudently. Unless aggressive reforms are implemented now, the problems will get far worse, forcing counties and cities to severely reduce services and layoff employees to meet pension obligations."
The words above are taken from the 50 or so pages of the Little Hoover Commission Report released last month. The report is about the State at large - but its words apply so accurately to La Mesa that it seems to be talking about us.
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March 26, 2011 (San Diego)--Did you miss the proposed trillion dollar government giveaway last week to big corporations? No, that is not a typo, a trillion not a billion, and yes, a Congressman proposed just that.
Representative Brian Bilbray of San Diego, a former lobbyist, proposed a bill that would allow US corporations to dodge taxes on a trillion dollars in profits. Forget the debate over the estate tax or a tax break for the super rich; this proposed giveaway has them all beat, hands down!
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An open letter to San Diego's Mayor and City Council
By John Pilch
President, San Carlos Area Council
March 22, 2011 (San Diego) --I'm intrigued by what's happening in the San Carlos Community with respect to water usage. While we're being advised of the continuing Stage 2 Drought Alert, the City of San Diego is selling water from two hydrants on Lake Murray Blvd. West Frontage Road to the contractor who is constructing the Southwest Powerlink.
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“In a time of economic fallout it is nice that there are still jobs for good hard working Americans. That is what these guys are that are out building the power line.”
March 19, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) -- It is amazing to hear all the buzz about this new power line going in. It is astonishing how many people are trying to sabotage this project and oppose it. I would like to see all those people who are making such a stink about this project turn their power off. The only reason why these guys are out here building the power line is to provide power to those that are complaining.
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March 16, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) -- Last month, the Little Hoover Commission issued a report about California's pension system: Public Pensions for Retirement Security. The Report is filled with information about where our pension finances stand, explanations about how we got here, and dire warnings about where we will be without an immediate change of course.
The Little Hoover Commission is an independent government oversight commission created in 1962. By statute, it is a bipartisan board consisting of five members appointed by the Governor and four named by the Legislature, as well four legislators. Here are a couple of examples of the Little Hoover Commission findings:
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March 14, 2011 (San Diego) --I applaud Supervisor Diane Jacob's endeavors to keep the Powerlink out of her district because of concerns for the environment.
However, I can't for the life of me understand why she would support the Gregory Canyon dump in the North County, where the canyon is also home to eagles and various endangered species, where it will desecrate Native American sacred sites, and where money seems to rule.
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“This plan to subordinate Community Plans would eventually harm every unincorporated community in this County.”
By Jack Phillips, Chair
Valle de Oro Planning Group
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March 10, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) --On a serious-meets-funny note, Rep Duncan Hunter Jr's (R- El Cajon) newly-submitted "Life at Conception" bill, HR 374, would grant citizenship rights to pre-born human beings -- that is, from moment of conception, rather than at birth.
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One spends more than twice as much on employee health insurance--almost one million dollars more
By R. Perry
March 5, 2011 (San Diego's East County) -- The San Miguel Fire Protection District spends more than twice as much on health benefits for its 96 employees than does the neighboring fire department in El Cajon.
In 2009 San Miguel Fire asked voters for a 1.5 million dollar benefit fee. The voters turned them down. The result was the closure of an entire engine company reducing response capability by eleven percent.
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March 3, 2011 (Blossom Valley) – On Monday, February 28, two equestrians were riding on the County designated trail on Quail Canyon. When they approached a home in the 10,000 block of Quail Canyon, a pit bull dog and the owner came out to the equestrians. The pit bull began sniffing the horses, bit the rider, and attacked the horse--going for the throat. The horse, struggling for its life, began to circle, dumping the rider.
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February 26, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) --I do not think the anti-abortion groups should be allowed to lay claim to the name "pro-lifers."
After all, they now want Congress to pass a law to prohibit abortions needed to save a woman's life.
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City should reform law and require initiatives go on ballot in next regularly scheduled election—not a costly special election
By Joel A. Harrison, PhD, MPH
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February 11, 2011 (San Diego's East Count)--On Thursday February 10, the SD County Taxpayer Association held an informative breakfast on 401(k) plans for public employees. All County and City leaders were invited to attend for free--but only representatives from the City of San Diego, San Marcos, Oceanside, the Port Authority, SD County Water Authority and the SD Firefighters and Police Associations were present, besides the public.
Since no East County city or Other County officials or their representatives were in attendance, I guess they already had all the answers and had determined that this route was not for them. With Helix Water District currently under employee MOU negotiations and paying the most beneficial employee package of any public agency, it would have been nice to at least see one of the two negotiators in attendance for good PR even if they didn't plan to use the information.
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Editor's note: This issue is slated to be addressed by Supervisors on Wed. Feb. 9.
“The County Board of Supervisors should know that 23 of the 26 Community Planning and Sponsor Groups have voted to support the proposed General Plan Update. They should also know that S.O.R.E's late-stage attempt to block adoption of proposed General Plan is not based on any new information. “ – Donna Tisdale
By Donna Tisdale
February 8, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) -- The current controversy, ginned-up by Save Our Rural Economy (S.O.R.E.), an apparently well funded coalition of builders, developers, Realtors, some farmers, and in our area--absentee land owners, is based on rehashed old news that has been repeatedly analyzed and responded to by County staff at various stages of this long-drawn out update process.
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Editor’s note: San Diego’s Board of Supervisors is slated to consider this issue on Wed., Feb. 9.
By Dr. Richard Parker and Scott Barnett
February 8, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) --Like anything in life, there’s no use doing something quickly if it’s not going to be done right. The adage couldn’t be more relevant to the current effort to update San Diego County’s General Plan. The Board of Supervisors will soon meet again on the plan, and after years of hard work, dozens of meetings and an abundance of feedback from the community, there is an apparent rush to suddenly, unfortunately, and haphazardly complete the effort, despite very significant flaws that threaten the long-term economic viability of the unincorporated areas of our County.
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"Don't wait for your town to be devastated. Take action Now! Here's an example of what you can do. Pass this on." -- Dave Patterson
By Dave Patterson
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We understand that there may be (again) a declared "delay" of the 12th GUHSD HS startup. This will effectively kill this project forever. -- Bill Weaver
By Bill Weaver
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February 1, 2011 (San Diego's East) -- February 6, 2011 marks what would have been Ronald Reagan’s 100th birthday. That milestone is a personal one for me. Though I never knew or met President Reagan, he was the first president who I could recall from start to finish. He was the president as I entered my senior year in high school and came of age … proud liberal-Democrat from a family of the same (dating back to Al Smith running as the first Catholic candidate for president in 1928).
As a member of the generation euphemistically once called "Gen X", I was never the less fascinated by the America Reagan promised. Reagan's America was in complete contrast to that of the baby-boomer class, which dominated the airwaves and media all my life. It was the return of the generation that beat the Great Depression and won World War Two. It was John Wayne reborn … and the "Old Man" (as I would come to call Reagan - first in sarcasm, then in reverence) epitomized that return.
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By Robert Pinto, Sr., Tribal Chairman
Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians
January 25, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)--We’d like to set the record straight about the proposed Tule Wind Power Project’s expected impacts to protected species, namely the golden eagle and California condor.
As the Tribal Chairman of the Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians on whose land a portion of the Tule Wind Power Project is being proposed, I represent the tribe when I say that we fully support the entire Tule Wind Power Project. Our Reservation’s Class 7 wind resource (the highest rating and one of the few available sites in the U.S.) is our Tribe’s only natural resource and currently our only potential for economic development on our remote lands. The project is proposed in a remote, rugged and sparsely populated area, and the wind turbines would be unseen by nearly everyone, including the Tribe’s residents who will only partially see a few turbines.
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SAN DIEGANS SHOULD WEIGH FATE OF CONDOR FROM PROPOSED TULE WIND PROJECT
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An open letter to Mayor Jerry Sanders opposing plan to fluoridate San Diego’s water
By Jeanie Ryan
January 1, 2010 (San Diego) --The problem with water fluoridation is that it negatively affects those we try to protect. The American Dental Association advises no fluoride for children under 6 months and then very little to one year of age-- less than that with is supplied in fluoridated water.
We know that fluoride crosses the blood brain barrier and that one in six children have a learning disability. Studies have shown that children in high fluoride areas have lower intelligence. (See a Chinese study linking mental retardation and low IQs to fluoride in water.)
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In April 2007, the first condor spotted in San Diego County in over 100 years soared into East County across the Mexican border. It may be the last, if the wind industry has its way.
By Jim Wiegand
December 28, 2010 (San Diego’s East County)--When is the media going to put an honest spotlight on the wind industry? When is the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service going to wake up?
I am an expert on birds of prey and have seen many environmental impact reports and studies generated for the wind industry. I have yet to see an honest one. All that read this should find this statement shocking.
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“…The form of fluoride (silicofluorides) they plan to put in our water is classified as a toxic waste. As a toxic waste, it is costly to dispose. But as a sellable product, that expense is eliminated.” – Jim Bell
A commentary by Jim Bell
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
December 12, 2010 (San Diego)--Here we go again, justifying doing something bad to do something supposedly good.
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Council should say "no" on Dec. 14 to Walgreen's plan to sell alcohol
By Garry Davis
December 8, 2010 (El Cajon)--Earlier this year, a lot of us began our effort to revitalize a key business district in El Cajon by forming the Second Street Business Association – Alliance for a Better Community. What we hope to promote is a balanced mix of businesses that generate jobs and revenue for our local economy.
And who am I kidding, we also obviously want more customers for businesses.
“Balance” is the key word.
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December 1, 2010 (Alpine)--It is widely acknowledged by most experts that our classrooms of today are outdated. We are not offering a state-of-the-art education to our current young generation, nor meeting the technological needs of students. They say that we are sending our kids into the world under-educated and not well prepared. Experts argue that our system of education at the primary and secondary level is in dire need of reform.
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
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