Coast News link
Ballots sent out early next year that deal with a monthly $5 fee for the city’s clean water program will not include any opposition statements.
Mayor Christy Guerin brokered a compromise in the language. “We’re getting bogged down in the details,” she said, adding that a sentence or two would not be likely to sway many opinions one way or the other.
Those are the kind of quotes that haunt you in November.
I'm telling you, that $5 a month tax gets voted in and in a couple of years it gets raised to $10 a month in a closed session. Then it gets raised to $15 a month and it won't keep our water clean. That money will go to consultants trying to figure out how to turn the La Paloma theater into a Starbucks or something.
It just seems like a mistake, in my opinion, to shrink or diminish the areas in greater Encinitas that will require a coastal development permit as well as the exclusion of some of the types of projects that the city staff, with no input or discussion from the citizens and only five quick minutes of council discussion brought forward and got passed October 26 as Resolution No. 2005-52. (Case 05-215) Every action that is taken by the city staff and/or the city council that has the potential to pose an adverse effect, either individually or cumulatively, on coastal resources, should remain under the eye of the Coastal Commission. The maintenance of an element of affordable housing
ReplyDeleteand preservation of historical buildings not designated as historical by the State but historical to the residents of the City is an important part of the character of our coastal zone.
Please write to the Coastal Commission and request that the areas considered for categorical
exclusions not be expanded west of Interstate 5. Please request that the changes of use of non-
residential structures(#1), and demolition of existing buildings and reconstruction of ??? (#3) be
removed from the request for types of exclusion.
This will not guarantee that a Starbucks won’t go in the La Paloma, nor will it save every building that someone thinks might have historical significance, BUT at least it will give the citizens of Encinitas the ability to appeal if there is a ground-swell of opposition to council or city staff
decisions.
Please address correspondence to: California Coastal Commission
c/o Gary Cannon - San Diego District Office
7575 Metropolitan Dr., Suite 103
San Diego, Ca
City of Encinitas Resolution #2005-52(Case 05-215)
A system of checks and balances was set up by our founding fathers, including the founders of the City of Encinitas, which did not incorporate until October of 1986, to provide checks and balances.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, we have currently have no checks and balances in our local government. All the important stuff is pre-decided in closed sessions, usually with MOA's, more gov/speak/babble for Memos of Undertanding. After the MOA, the item is put on the consent calendar, where it typically gets sneaked through with no discussion. Even if there is discussion, the consent calendar items still almost always get passed unanimously, because Council has already made up its mind in the closed session, before every other Wednesday's Open meeting.
We need weekly, or more Council meetings, for more public input, shorter meetings. Put all the "special presentations" i.e., PR stuff to promote Council Members, and certain worthy citizens, all on one night, so friends and family of the honorees can come to watch the awards, the watchdogs can stay home, save their strength for the battles ahead caused by shortsightedness and yes, corruption.
We're certain these closed sessions lead to reality show style secret alliances. Unnecessary and under-reported closed sessions appear to be where our not-so-honorable five Members get all hopped up on coffee and donuts, basking in the glow of their own false pride.
ReplyDeleteChecks and balances give time for open hearings and well considered determinations. Yes, stopping and thinking about motivations, consequences, separating facts from jive, takes time, what the Anti-Christy, aka Ms. Bossy Pants, calls "getting bogged down in details."
We are writing the Coastal Commission on Monday. Thanks so much, Gil, for following through for all of us. Merry Holy Days!
Ooops! Should be MOU's = Memos of Understanding.
ReplyDeleteGuess I was thinking of MIA, missing in action.
Pardon.