Show Me the Trust

The Southwest Chula Vista Civic Association has absolutely nothing to do with the website cleanupchulavistacityhall.com. I am the president and we had a board meeting yesterday and nothing was said about this website, which I have never seen or heard of until now. A majority of the small number of members of the Southwest Chula Vista Civic Association present on 1/26/09 voted to oppose the sales tax "as written." A majority of the board the week before had voted to support a half cent sales tax for five years, because a half cent would provide exactly the amount of money needed to avoid cuts and layoffs. As I personally see it the problem with one-cent is it puts too much extra money in the hands of at least three totally untrustworthy people. Councils have been fiscally irresponsible for years in Chula Vista, spending reserves in good times instead of building them. Now the City Manager is saying he wants to use the extra money to build the reserves during a recession!!! They just don't get the concept. Ten years is way too long to be giving these peole control over an extra 10 million or more per year. What councilman Castaneda did not say was that at the meeting he and councilman Ramirez held the Chamber of Commerce representative said that 80% of their members were opposed to the sales tax, but the Chamber was for it and would educate their members.--Another group that clearly does not get the concept of representing its constituents. I personally believe layoffs would be very bad for our economy in Chula Vista. I do not want to see services cut, but I have absolutely no trust in 3 of the council members who have consistently shown no regard for the southwest community and an insistance upon unfairly and unequally enforcing the laws of the city to the detriment of the existing residents and small businesses in order to win favor with out of town companies generous with their campaign contributions. Three of them wish to perpetuate social and environmental injustice in our community indefinitely. They do not deserve anyone's trust in my opinion. They also have no desire to reach out and try to regain trust. They refuse to put the sales tax on the council agenda for community discussion of options. They refuse to specify how money will be spent. They refuse to form a true overrsight committee with real power.
— February 19, 2009 9:47 p.m.

Like a Good Neighbor…National City Is There

The lack of leadership on the city council has prevented the whole community from pulling together for a long time now. The stubborn refusal of three of the council members to acknowledge publicly that the MMC peaker violates city laws and ordinances is just one example. The city actually made a storefront recycling business last month get another CUP because they brought in another trailer and this was considered "a substantial change" requiring a new CUP. It defys logic how replacing a 44.5 Megawatt peaker with a 100 megawatt peaker with two 70 foot tall towers is somehow not a "substantial change" requiring a new CUP??? Developers have run the city for too long. Important decisions and discussions have taken place in closed session or secret subcommittee meetings for too long. There is a lack of trust. It is totally unacceptable to even think about laying off over 100 people. The council has to change the way they have been operating AND THEY HAVE TO ALL VOTE THERE IS A FISCAL EMERGENCY, so that we can get down to serious discussions about changes needed. The employee unions need to do their share, but the citizens need to also agree to help pay more for the services we want. The council has to make this possible and affordable by voting on the fiscal emergency TONIGHT.
— January 8, 2009 11:27 a.m.

Chula Vista Gag Order

More elaboration of reasons 1. Easy to see and commented upon by other council members. 2. Used a lot of staff time for ordinance she proposed to fight prop E. Also used a lot o staff time for leadership academies, rehersals (no one could say anything that was not pre-approved), planning, etc. Considering city's financial position, questionable; did not explain to public enough in advance that adopted cuts would eliminate fireworks, which if people had known could possibly have been saved through donations 3. Too many closed door sessions for things the public wanted to have a say in-firing city manager without cause, paying legal bills, peaker plant; insults & or patronizes fellow council members during meetings; villainized an esteemed community member for political advantage; plays politics with comments from the dias; her very first meeting she told us outside that people could no longer donate time. She wanted to eliminate public comment but was shown section in charter until recently she would rudely cut off members of the public but her friends could talk as long as they liked. 4. The ciy was on track to adopt CCA until she was elected; she emasculated the climate change working groups recommendations and made then voluntary; does not care that peaker plant is within a 1,000 feet of 50 homes. 5.Gloated over and continues to use for political gain, if did not actually encourage her friend the DA to prosecute first Jason and then Castaneda, the treatment of the southwest has deteriorated under her regime, which is a festering long-term EJ issue; absolutely no leadership except behind the scenes and in opposition to the community on peaker issue; a few people sent a few letters about park in San Miguel Ranch and she insisted it be built even though there is no money for maintenance, but over a 1,000 residents have been involved in fighting the peaker plant and she won't even allow a public discussion, but hugs and kisses Josie Calderon during a council recess in front of everyone—so much for impartiality-a deliberate insult to the opponents who were present 4.
— October 26, 2008 4:47 p.m.

Chula Vista Gag Order

These reasons appear on petition TO THE HONORABLE Cheryl Cox: Pursuant to Section 11020, California Elections Code, the undersigned registered qualified voters of Chula Vista in the State of California, hereby give notice that we are the proponents of a recall petition and that we intend to seek your recall and removal from the office of Mayor, in Chula Vista, California, and to demand election of a successor in that office: The grounds for the recall are as follows: Inefficient/Ineffective Leadership: inability or unwillingness to negotiate compromises has resulted in initiatives, antagonism and costly court cases; Bungled termination of the City Manager; Poor staff morale; misinterprets Charter to give excessive power to self; does not follow Mission Statement of council. Fiscal Irresponsibility: excessive use of consultants; no bid contracts; costly reports without council consensus; misuse of staff time; poor understanding of budget problems: cancellation of fireworks and other community events. Poor Interface with the Community: improper use of closed door sessions; attempts to limit and stifle public comment; condescending attitude toward fellow council and community members with whom she disagrees; lack of concern for the health and safety of all community members Environmental Mismanagement: has weakened environmental policies; lack of strong, comprehensive energy policy; refusal to oppose inappropriate placement of MMC peaker power plant. Violating Conventional Standards of Fair Play: encouraged costly, politically motivated court cases against political opponents; ignores environmental justice policies and laws; willing to allow the placement of a peaker plant in violation of city ordinances and General Plan policy; preferential treatment for political allies and out of town developers
— October 26, 2008 4:43 p.m.

Chula Vista Gag Order

On Friday October 24, 2008 the city clerk of Chula Vista-Donna Norris-approved the petition submitted by members of Communities Taking Action. Enough petitions to collect 22,000 signatures were printed at an Office Depot on Saturday, October 25,2008. Now the 20 proponents will start getting signatures.
— October 25, 2008 8:13 p.m.

Pizza and the Power Plant

First of all their were over 100 people at the protest (129). Second while we were and are all opposed to the plant, and many of the people in the audience live less than 500 feet from the plant, the real reason for the anger was that the city again treated us like ignorant children and negotiated in secret with MMC about mitigations for us. Then the council used a questionable legal technicallity to meet in closed session to authorize the sending of a letter agreeing to these questionable "mitigations." This is America. The public's business MUST be conducted in public not in secret. Some of the council members are uncomfortable confronting the people they clearly don't care about with their positions on a social, economic and environmental JUSTICE issue. JUSTICE IS THE ISSUE. The city of Chula Vista has a horrible environmental justice record. Just drive around some of the streets in the southwest part of the city and you will agree it is way past time for us to start expressing our displeasure publicly and loudly. The peaker is the straw that is breaking the camel's back. HARRY15 IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF MMC POWER. THIS NEW YORK COMPANY HAS A BUSINESS PLAN OF BUYING UP LITTLE PEAKERS AND ENLARGING THEM TO MAKE ITSELF A LOT OF MONEY AT THE EXPENSE OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES.I AM SURE HE IS WELL COMPENSATED. People live within 350 feet of this peaker in Chula Vista and new upscale businesses are 20 feet across a driveway from it. This is NOT the appropriate location. It would cost MMC less to build here, but why should we care about THEIR bottom line? They need to build it further away from people's homes as they are doing in Escondido. Today, Saturday, several city employees and part-time interns went to the closest neighborhood with their deal. Many in the community were very upset. In this time when the city has no money they can pay employees to do the work of a New York Company and try to trick residents into not protesting in exchange for $4,000 worth of energy upgrades? Obviously MMC has thrown its money around among council members. Two MMC employees were there too, but left.
— August 16, 2008 2:15 p.m.

The MMC peaker plant 350 feet away from homes, 20 feet away from the front door of businesses, and

The tank has 12,000 gallons of ammonia!!
— July 5, 2008 8:59 p.m.

chulavistaissues.org

Everyone needs to comment on the drat EIR for the Chula Vista Bayfront. See a sample at: wwwchulavistaissues.org/commentDeir.pdf Comments need to be sent by July 8 or ask for an extension: San Diego Port District Land Use Planning Department 3165 Pacific Highway San Diego, CA 92101 FAX 619-686-6508 You can request two disks or you can go to wwwchulavistaissues.org/SummaryDeir.htm to read excerpts from the document or go to website with entire document.
— June 30, 2008 7:18 p.m.

Get Involved -- 09/28/09 at MAAC Charter School

These projects will change Chula Vista and views of the bay front tremendously. The traffic, aesthetics, and air quality impacts are found to be negative and unmitigatable in the draft environmental report.
— June 17, 2008 4:40 p.m.