NOT ENOUGH CANDIDATES: MANY PLANNING GROUP SLOTS TO BE FILLED BY APPOINTMENT

By Janis Mork

October 12, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)- In the November election, community planning association (CPA)/community planning group races countywide give voters few choices.  Most are not competitive – with either the exact number of candidates as seats vacant or in several cases, fewer candidates than openings. That means many vacancies will be filled by appointments approved by Supervisor Dianne Jacob.  

The moral of the story? If you  want to have a say-so in development projects planned for your area, run for office! Your odds of getting elected are high, based on this year’s low number of candidates. Plus if your planning group has fewer candidates than seats open, you can ask to be considered for appointment to fill a vacancy.

Below are three lists: the first list of planning groups that have exactly enough seats, then a second list of those planning groups that don’t have enough, and finally a third list of planning groups that have more than enough.

Dehesa Community Planning Group has two candidates for two seats. Jamul/Dulzura Community Planning Group has eight for eight. Valle De Oro Community Planning Group has eight for eight. Fallbrook Community Planning Group also has eight for eight. Valley Center Community Planning Group has eight for eight.

Boulevard Community Planning Group has three candidates for four spots. Campo-Lake Morena Community Planning Group has two candidates for five spots. Harbison Canyon Community Planning Group and Granite Hills Community Planning Group each have one candidate for two spots. Pine Valley- Guatay Community Planning Group has one candidate for three spots. Pine Valley- Mt. Laguna Community Planning Group has no candidate for its one spot. Rainbow Community Planning Group, Sweetwater Community Planning Group, and Spring Valley Community Planning Group have four candidates for eight spots. Julian Community Planning Group has four candidates for six spots. Crest Community Planning Group has no candidate for two spots. Descanso Community Planning Group has the worst ratio of all, with just one candidate for five spots. San Dieguito Community Planning has four candidates for eight spots.

Some districts do have choices for voters. Potrero Community Planning Group has six candidates for five spots. Pine Valley- Pine Valley Community Planning Group has four candidates for three spots. Ramona Community Planning Group has ten candidates for eight spots. Lakeside Community Planning Group has thirteen candidates for eight spots. Alpine Community Planning Group has eleven candidates for eight spots.

For more information, visit http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/voters/Eng/Eindex.shtml to view the candidate list.