EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

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May 31, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL

STATE

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

LOCAL

Efforts to build housing around transit threaten to price out those most dependent on bus and rail (San Diego Union-Tribune)

… efforts to inspire construction along rail and bus lines, coupled with a severe shortage of housing, have brought opulent apartment buildings and condominiums into economically challenged neighborhoods. As young professionals flock to the new housing, moderate- to low-income tenants in urban areas from San Diego to Sacramento are now facing displacement.

Fee hikes for park users in La Mesa have moms fit to be tied (San Diego Union-Tribune)

An exercise group and a youth soccer program that regularly use La Mesa parks are asking the City Council to reconsider a plan to hike the fees charged to use the facilities. A La Mesa Fit4Mom exercise group and the local Soccer Shots organization say the fee hikes will cause them financial hardship. They said they might have to move out of La Mesa or even close their businesses because they cannot afford to pay the higher costs and are reluctant to pass the increases onto their customers.

San Diego County Ambulances to Carry Fentanyl for Pain Relief (NBC 7)

San Diego County will use fentanyl on ambulances as a replacement pain reliever for morphine, which is in low supply due to a national drug shortage that was exacerbated, in part, when a devastating hurricane struck Puerto Rico in September 2017. The territory is a source of medical drug and device manufacturing. 

Lemon Grove says no to property upgrades (San Diego Union-Tribune)

The Lemon Grove City Council unanimously voted May 15 to deny a zoning change that would have allowed developer Matthew Philbin to fix up three, run-down buildings to provide housing to the homeless, veterans and seniors.

Politics Report: Big Cities Remembered They Run SANDAG Now  (Voice of San Diego)

The SANDAG board voted Friday to schedule a re-vote on its previous decision to lobby the state for a lower number of homes it would be expected to build between 2021 and 2029. And it really pissed off the other cities on the board.

Liquor Store Owners Are Getting Into the Pot Game  (Voice of San Diego)

A VOSD review of state, county and city records, as well as interviews with vendors and store owners, found that at least 20 people who are members of the NMA or do business with other trade group members have owned or managed properties with dispensaries. Authorities have investigated or hauled 16 of those businessmen into court — some on multiple occasions. All but one of the court cases ended in fines….

Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College Area 2: Incumbent challenged by business owner and university professor (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Debbie Justeson, who represents Area 2 on the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District board, is seeking re-election in June against a San Diego business owner and a university professor. She is facing two opponents in the June election: Jonathan Bowman, a professor at University of San Diego, and Bill Exeter, president and chief executive officer of the Exeter Group of Companies, a fiduciary services company in San Diego.

Public safety takes a big bite out of Santee’s budget (San Diego Union-Tribune)

The Santee City Council last week got a first look at the proposed $42.2 million budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year. Two-thirds of the spending plan would fund contracts with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the Santee Fire Department.

STATE

7 things every California voter should know about the race for Governor (San Jose Mercury News)

The open seat race to replace Gov. Jerry Brown has drawn a crowded field of candidates who represent a cross-section of California politics in 2018, from liberal leaders to conservative firebrands. They’re fighting to take the reins of a state on much steadier financial footing than when Brown returned to the office for a second two-term shift eight years ago — but one facing persistent housing shortages, gaping income inequality, and a fractious relationship with the federal government.

Granny flats and renters’ tax credits: Which California housing bills lived and died Friday  (Mercury News)

An array of bills aimed at easing California’s housing crisis, from banning fees on “granny flats” to pushing housing development on BART property, cleared a key hurdle on Friday, while others died quietly in fiscal committees.

4 largest states carrying highest credit card debt (ABC News)

The New York state comptroller's office says the nation's four most-populated states carry the highest total amount of credit card debt, with California leading the way… Californians had racked up more than $106.8 billion in credit card debt by the end of 2017.

California Lawmakers Look to Stop Cities from Billing Citizens Thousands for Their Own Prosecutions (Reason)

A bill passed by the California Assembly would put an end to a practice in which several cities have been contracting with private prosecutors to handle nuisance abatement cases, then billing the impacted citizens thousands of dollars in lawyers' fees.


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