Old planners in hock

In days of yore, the downtown law and lobbying firm of Milch & Wolfsheimer was a city hall heavyweight. Co-founder Lou Wolfsheimer was chairman of the planning commission and one of then-mayor Pete Wilson’s inner circle, as was the genial Jim Milch, brother-in-law of Wilson’s best friend John Davies. They worked for some of the city’s biggest developers, and even signed on a bevy of racy local strip clubs at one point. Those glory days are gone, but the old-line firm soldiers on, most recently reporting that it was paid $3000 by the San Diego Pawnbrokers Association, its only active client. …Developer Mike Turk, onetime friend and development partner of fallen San Diego mayor Roger Hedgecock, now working for the mini media empire of La Jolla’s Douglas Manchester, usually saves his money for Republican candidates. But this month Turk and wife Karen have been spotted on the campaign donor list for Democratic city councilman and mayoral hopeful David Alvarez, each down for $1000. On the other hand, Resmed, the medical device outfit that’s threatened to leave town for Texas if taxes get too bad, is down for $5000 to the local GOP, which is backing councilman Kevin Faulconer.