Anchor ads are not supported on this page.
Print Edition
Classifieds
Stories
Events
Contests
Music
Movies
Theater
Food
Life Events
Cannabis
April 24, 2024
April 17, 2024
April 10, 2024
April 2, 2024
March 27, 2024
March 20, 2024
March 13, 2024
March 6, 2024
February 28, 2024
February 21, 2024
February 14, 2024
February 7, 2024
Close
April 24, 2024
April 17, 2024
April 10, 2024
April 2, 2024
March 27, 2024
March 20, 2024
March 13, 2024
March 6, 2024
February 28, 2024
February 21, 2024
February 14, 2024
February 7, 2024
April 24, 2024
April 17, 2024
April 10, 2024
April 2, 2024
March 27, 2024
March 20, 2024
March 13, 2024
March 6, 2024
February 28, 2024
February 21, 2024
February 14, 2024
February 7, 2024
Close
Anchor ads are not supported on this page.
Ken Cinema remains a Landmark in every sense
A friend suggested -- and I agree -- that the Ken might get a larger audience if it programs more documentaries. "Blackfish," anyone?— April 24, 2014 8:45 p.m.
City to pay in full for illegal maintenance assessment districts
I'm not one who believes government is a tyrant, but it does need to be watched closely, and unfortunately that's especially true of the San Diego city government. Jan Goldsmith is a particular problem. Witness his prosecution of the man who wrote anti-bank comments with chalk on the sidewalk in front of the Bank of America. What;s more, Doug Manchester loves him, which tells you all you need to know.— December 6, 2013 9:55 a.m.
Reneging on refunds
It seems to me that all of these machinations are the work of City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, who said from the beginning that his job was to represent city officials, not the citizens. Therefore he puts up as many roadblocks as he can and ignores his own deputy's statement that the refunds are not subject to a statute of limitations. Typically short sighted of him, of course, because it only adds to people's distrust of city government and an unwillingness to pay more taxes even on worthy projects. But it probably gets him the applause of the City Council, which is all he really wants.— December 5, 2012 10:42 a.m.
City Attorney Warns City Against Formation of Assessment Districts
The problem with Goldsmith's reliance on "baseline services" is that city officials never could explain with any certainty what the baseline services were. They really didn't seem to know. As a result, they allowed the MAD to provide whatever services they chose to as long as those services were called "enhanced." But it's been clear since the demise of the MAD that two of these major "enhanced" services -- graffiti removal and pickup of large dumped items -- are actually provided by the city from its general fund. This proved that Golden Hill property owners were being charged twice, once in their property taxes and once in their MAD assessment, for the same service. Of course the city wouldn't admit this, thus giving citizens further reason to distrust their government.— July 31, 2012 5:27 p.m.
City Issues Partial Refunds To Residents in Greater Golden Hill
It really seems that the city regards the citizens as nuisances who should pay their taxes and then shut their mouths. For example, City Attorney Goldsmith has stated that his office works for and represents city officials, not the citizens. In the eyes of city government, there is an entity, the city, which is separate and apart from the people who constitute it. The analogy is to the Catholic Church, which apparently regards the church as an entity separate and apart from the parishoners. In both cases the propensity for corruption and abuse is obvious.— July 31, 2012 8:46 a.m.
Marco Li Mandri wants to get around Prop 13
Is this the correct link? I couldn't find Marco on it at all.— April 27, 2012 12:33 p.m.
Marco Li Mandri wants to get around Prop 13
The City was stung by its very public defeat when the courts ruled it had violated the State Constitution in forming the Golden Hill Maintenance Assessment District -- and probably other MADs as well. So it is striking back in the only way it knows how: by making it easier to form a MAD (or Community Benefit Disttrict -- a MAD by a different name) with fewer formation requirements (see the specifics in the article) that is presumably harder to challenge in court. City government officials learn only the wrong lessons from their defeats. These districts are supposed to provide "enhanced" benefits. But as no one in the city knows what a basic benefit is, an "enhanced" benefit means whatever the person using the term means. Basically it means that people are being taxed twice, once in their general property bill and once in the special tax, for the same service. No surprise that Todd ("Incredibly Proud") Gloria is a big fan. He's never met a tax he didn't like, and he really doesn't care how the money is spent. Let's hear him give some specifics when he says that MADs have turned neighborhoods around, and let's make sure that it was really the MAD that did it. Politicians used to run on the slogan "A chicken in every pot." Gloria's slogan is "A flowerpot on every corner."— April 25, 2012 3:40 p.m.
Will Golden Hill Residents Have to Pay for Their Now-Defunct Maintenance Assessment District?
The question now becomes whether the city will hinder or faciliate the process of returning five years of assessments to property owners. In a similar case involving downtown property owners, Council Member Todd Gloria tried to weasel out of it by claiming the city didn't have enough money. We'll be watching, Todd.— March 18, 2012 11:38 a.m.
Judgment Finalized In Legal Battle Over Golden Hill Maintenance Assessment District
Now is the hour -- to find out whether the City of San Diego will fulfill its legal responsibility to return the wrongfully collected assessments to Golden Hill poperty owners or try to weasel out of it. Place your bets.— February 10, 2012 8:49 a.m.
Golden Hill CDC Late to Submit Audit for MAD Funds
One speaker pointed out that quite a few residents are assessed too much but that city staff member Luis Ojeda refuses to consider any downward adjustments. Todd Gloria asked Ojeda if that were true, and he said no. No attempt was made to gain evidence that supported or contradicted the claim. But it will come out!— July 27, 2011 12:57 p.m.