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U-T Seeking to Rent Part of Headquarters Space
I certainly agree the SDUT Watchdog three part story printed above the fold report was bias. SDUT agenda against unionize labor is well known. That's why this series of reports belonged on the editorial pages not news. The SDUT stooped to new lows in an effort to sell newspapers with the net result more subscription cancellations.— July 3, 2009 10:35 a.m.
U-T Seeking to Rent Part of Headquarters Space
On a slightly different subject but connectedly to business at the SDUT. I read a letter published by the Voice of San Diego written by Greg Levin, former City of San Diego Comptroller. Levin, who worked his way up through the city's financial operations left city employment in late December 2008. His unique insight, gained from years of working with and understanding the City's financial working of the city, tells us the SDUT's Watchdog hit piece on city paper is greatly flaw and inaccurate. I suspect, if anyone should know it would be him. This also makes me wondering how the editor ultimately responsible, Karin Winner, is weathering the storm of legitimate criticism aimed at her and newest tabloid, the SDUT. Here's the link to LEVIN's Letter: http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/articles/2009/07/0… (you'll need to scroll up a little after following the link)— July 3, 2009 7:07 a.m.
U-T Seeking to Rent Part of Headquarters Space
Sad news on the passing of Herb Klein. I doubt even in death he'll get any rest. After leading the SDUT for more than 20 years he's been witness to the paper's slow painful decline. Once a proud well written daily, now not much better than a supermarket tabloid. I suspect Mr. Klein is already spinning before getting into the grave over the demise of the "Ring of Truth" in favor of sensationalism at any cost.— July 3, 2009 6:44 a.m.
San Diego Lead Indicators Rise for Second Month
Well Johnny if you actually understood the requirement regarding pay increases, when they occur, why they happen, based upon what education levels obtained then you could write about it. As is the case of most, if not all of your comments, they are merely designed to incite rather than truthfully inform. For example you said, "#1- There is NO consequence if the cop ignores the subpoena, at least in traffic citations which is where 99% of a cops court times goes to, and they do ignore a subpoena all the time with no discipline in traffic ticket cases. Obviosuly this is not the case in misdemeanors or felony cases-where less than 1% of cases go to trial." NOT TRUE... employee are counseled and disciplined for missing subpoenas regularly. In fact, the City Attorney's office is cracking down on issues like scheduled vacations for officers, and reducing the OT expense by computerizing court scheduling with work schedules where possible. You also said: "#2- If the cop goes to court on their day off they are paid for 4 hours of overtime, even if they only spend 10 minutes at the court. So being compensated at the OT rate for time you DID NOT work is a scam." So the employee is required by the Court to appear in Court on their day off. You say if the case is disposed of in 10 minutes that's all the compensation necessary. So the officer lives in Temecula, has to be at Downtown Court by 0800 for an 0830 calendar call, waits for the judge to take the bench at 0900, who handles five or six other matter before getting to the officer's 10 minute traffic case. So in the real world, not the misstatement of the facts you make, the officer rises at 0630 on their day off, drives to downtown San Diego, parks nearby, walks to the court to get their by 0800 check-in so the court knows he or she is present. The officer prepares for the trial. The presiding judge assigned a case to court. We wait until 0930 to be heard on a 10 minute trial AND YOU'RE WHINING ABOUT 15-30 minutes of time on the officer's day off. THEN YOU SAY: And why would the City be reimbursed for a cop testifying in a case the City itself is prosecuting? That's part of their job. Please remind me when did involuntary servitude end? But you are correct, testifying in court about laws officers are enforcing is part of their job. Well if we could get you lawyers and judges to hold court so people would not have to take time off from work and defend themselves then we'd be making progress. But that's not going to happen in this County anytime soon. No you'd rather be the back end of horse, writing troll-like comments about things you know very little about to get the attention you crave.— July 1, 2009 12:39 p.m.
Watchdog Institute Puzzles Union-Tribune Staffers
Why should anyone waste their time on yellow journalism. For those of you who may not be acquainted with the definition of yellow journalism, according to Answers.com, Yellow journalism is “journalism that exploits, distorts, or exaggerates the news to create sensation and attract readers.” In my opinion many the SDUT has fallen further into the abyss. Here is a cautioned and robotic response to an email from it's Editor, Karin Winner: "I truly appreciate your concerns. Unfortunately, the fact is that taxpayers fund your salary and that of other city employees. As a result, any member of the general public can gain access to the same information about you with a phone call or a visit to City Hall. In the 1983 case when the appeal's court determined that employee salaries were a matter of public record, the ruling read "with ever increasing demands on public funds which have dwindled so drastically since the passage of Proposition 13, secrecy cannot be condoned in budgetary determinations, including the establishment of salaries." More recently, Court of Appeal Justice Joanne Parrilli reiterated that "well-established norms of California public policy and American public employment exclude public employee names and salaries from the zone of financial privacy protection." I assure you that we do not intend to publish information that the courts still consider protected. As the main newspaper in the region, I believe we have a responsibility to our constituents to shine a light on the way in which the city of San Diego is handling its public finances. Particularly since the city found itself on the brink of bankruptcy, transparency about the way our local government spends our money has been yet more important. That said, I am sorry for whatever problems the stories may have caused you. Sincerely, Karin Winner" While Ms.Winner may hide behind the letter of the law, she is a business person first, and now has a new set of bosses to please in a failing enterprise. Thus in the spirit of sensational yellow journalism, she agonized, but ultimately her decision was driven by selling newspapers. That's Karin Winner, yellow journalist and editor of the San Diego Union Tribune, a once proud newspaper, now reduced to level of a supermarket tabloid.— July 1, 2009 7:50 a.m.
San Diego Lead Indicators Rise for Second Month
In response to 18 & 24; the police officer whom the "Watchdog Team" stated increased her salary 47% from the prior year. To put this in perspective which the Union Tribune fails to do; Fitzpatrick went from $57,591 as a POI to $84,528 as a POII with four years service, educational incentive pay for earning an Advanced POST Certificate due to her college degree and four years as a police officer. Then adding the shift differentials pays, overtime and the pay raise. Lets look at some the pays mentioned. Shift differentials only occurs when the majority of your workday is after 6PM or 9PM. Those who have worked change shifts on a regular basis understand the havoc it wrecks on you. The majority of uniformed officers change shifts and days off once every four months. Educational incentive: Johnny endlessly whines about employees who are not educated to the extent he wants. This officer made the effort and earned a degree and compensation is appropriate. We all agree a well educated work force is an admirable goal and should be rewarded. Overtime: The Courts in San Diego don't work after 4PM, five at the latest. In addition, many courts are "dark" on certain days of week, mainly Fridays. (guess why) The officers are required under subpoena to appear in court no matter when they work, shouldn't they be compensated for being required to work outside their normal hours? (remembering shift works causes havoc) This is an example of overtime where the city is not reimbursed. Unlike voluntary overtime where the city gets "full-boat" recovery. I have to echo a few thoughts from other threads: The information as presented from the UT is flawed. Overtime is the best example as much of it is reimbursed and doesn't add one thin dime to the pension costs. In fact, the City has repeated pointed out it reduces the city’s costs as no benefits are paid for overtime. The bottom line is the salaries shown are between 8-12% above what was earn. Why? Heaven knows what those folks at the SDUT were doing but it isn't honest investigative journalism. Someone there either has a bias, or was hoping no one would carefully examine their reported facts. As they reported the SDUT wanted the taxpayer to pay $1900 to break down the salaries. Of course the message sent their is: who cares about WHOLE TRUTH, we just want the truth that we want. The pay schedule is set up and governed by the Civil Service Commission and while the actual salary is negotiated, the schedule of advancements and tiers are set by Civil Service and very difficult to change. Finally, the ridiculous salary numbers Johnny posts are ALWAYS meant to inflame and incite other to respond. To quote our host one more time for the record: "An Internet troll is one who posts inflammatory or inaccurate information just go get others excited. Johnny, defend yourself. Best, Don Bauder" So Johnny, why? Please defend your lies once again.— July 1, 2009 7:11 a.m.
Watchdog Institute Puzzles Union-Tribune Staffers
Well for the sake of argument maybe, just maybe, this isn't such a bad way to go... Over the last three days we, the people of San Diego, have been bombarded with a so called "watchdog report" on city finances. This report is filled with so many omissions, fabrications, conjecture, assumptions and a host of other adjectives it hard to fathom how this got passed editors as news. What worse, to give the readers a sense of integrity to the story, the authors claim to have spent four months and at least three reporter working on it. To support their slipshod reporting they lay blame on others; about fees, a measly $1900, the SDUT refused to pay for work they wanted others to do at taxpayers expense. If this is the quality of reporting we are excepted to accept from the NEW SDUT then it's more than obvious Platinum Equity's purchase was for the real estate and nothing else. This series of watch dog reporting falls to the level of sensational tabloid reporting, you know, the stuff you glance at while in line at your local grocery store. Next we'll read "ALIENS CONTROL CITY HALL or SANDERS' SECRET WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM FOR CITY HALL. Now I'm just wondering if a new watchdog group, one removed from the confines of "350" might be free of the incestuous influences of SDUT management? Maybe, just maybe, the good citizens of San Diego would be the recipients some real investigative journalism, not embarrassing fiction being passed by the SDUT as journalism today.— June 30, 2009 6:51 a.m.
San Diego Lead Indicators Rise for Second Month
As usual JohnnyVegas is completely and utterly out of context. Johnny you should write headlines for the supermarket tabloids. I love printing your comments and using them to line the cage. The birds usually editorialize with their opinions of your posts within a few minutes.— June 29, 2009 12:38 p.m.
Whistleblower Shipione Heads to Harvard
That's nothing... Don's City Lights piece on SDCERS received more that 1,370 comments over a couple of months sans that name too.— June 26, 2009 4:14 p.m.
Whistleblower Shipione Heads to Harvard
Excellent example of gaming the system.— June 25, 2009 6:20 a.m.