Comments by JustWondering | San Diego Reader

JustWondering

Laid-Off U-T Workers Told to Leave Friday, Will Be Paid until July 6

Ya know I'd pay for an internet subscription to the new Union Tribune IF they would start behaving like the newspaper it was in the 70's and 80's. IMHO that was a paper worth reading and actually reported news, dug into stories and editorialize. Maybe, just maybe, new ownership wants to bring back those days and the readership... Okay..... now everyone can tell me I'm dreaming....
— May 21, 2009 12:12 p.m.

Backfilling the Budget

Our City is addicted to spending other people's money, i.e. the taxpayers. This addiction is leading us, and our children, to ruin. As councilmember Frye pointed out this city department is $11 million dollars over its alloted annual budget. Well my first question is; how did happen. The city, the Mayor's Office and rest of City management spent the better part of a year analyzing the automotive units and costs under Police, Fire and General Services. There analysis said by combining into a single citywide fleet services unit, we, the taxpayers would save money. But now carefully camouflaged in a complex report Donna Frye uncovers the truth once again. So, what "IS" the Mayor's explanation for this complete and utter failure of HIS business process re-engineering (BPR) for the City's automobile fleet management. How does the Mayor plan on closing the shortfall? Please don't tell us he wants to borrow money to pay for thing the taxpayers can no longer afford. With the BPR of automotive fleet management a disaster, what other business processes are our city leader re-engineering now? And, more importantly, what financial shape are they in?
— May 15, 2009 6:49 a.m.

City Auditor Blasts Qualcomm Stadium Management Over Missing Files, Gross Mismanagement, Unverified Revenue

Johnny your previous wagers on this blog and others have been just about as risky as this one. I agree, Jerry is just waiting it out his final term. His real interest is making sure nothing goes drastically wrong so he can wash his hands of San Diego and move on to bigger and better opportunities. Sadly, the appethetic voters will be none the wiser, deeply in debt with an unresolved structural deficit. I looking forward to his State of City address in January. No doubt they'll be alot of smoke and mirrors talk about the little he has accomplished. But in the long run, REAL substantial change to San Diego's financial problems will not be addressed. So lets see if we really have a strong mayor or straw man running this city.
— May 10, 2009 8:11 a.m.

City Auditor Blasts Qualcomm Stadium Management Over Missing Files, Gross Mismanagement, Unverified Revenue

Why is this a surprise? Fast and loose Stadium management has been going on for years at the Q. All with tacit approval from City Management who looked the other way for years. The two previous Stadium Managers were deal makers. Their bosses, assistant city managers, city attorneys, Mayors and Councilmembers didn't want to deal with problems or costs. No the marching orders were just get on with the show. At times it was so bad, one assistant city manager, Bruce Herring was a ga-ga over sports celebrities. Combine that with former City Attorney, Casey Gwinn wasn't good with contract law or negotiations and you have all the makings of this mess. So once again another mess has come to light of day. Now lets see if our CURRENT City CEO, Mayor Jerry Sanders, has the backbone to stand up to Alex and Dean Spanos to fix it. Here a simple starting point... how about collecting the FULL COST of providing public safety services, Police, Fire and EMS to Charger games. The sweetheart deal, less than 50% now has to end.
— May 9, 2009 7:42 p.m.

Lend Emerald Your E.A.R.

We'll see Johnny... not sure if this train is just leaving the station or arriving... only time will tell...
— May 9, 2009 7:18 p.m.

Lend Emerald Your E.A.R.

Ms. Emerald I'm sorry, but your naiveté is showing. While it is certainly commendable to ask for suggestions, hasn’t this been done many times before? You may “believe that Department Managers are the most knowledgeable” you don’t understand the compartmentalized corporate knowledge of the City administration.
— May 4, 2009 12:01 p.m.

San Diego City Employees pension fund ailing

Scott Lewis of VOSD did a nice piece (http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/articles/2009/05/0…) on the Mayor's NEW SDCERS board members... even caught San Diego CEO Jay Goldstone in lie, that was scrubbed by the Mayor's spinmiesters later that day... To paraphrase, all three of the DRAFTEES, knew little or NOTHING of the details of the infamous MP-1 and MP-2. But what is MORE interesting to me, is Board Member and Mayoral Appointee, Susan Gonick, actually made a motion at the April Board Meeting that these three fellows rights were being abused... HUH? How does someone who is not even on the board have their rights abused? She went on to say... they may have wanted to run for Board President! WHAT THE HECK??? These three have little or NO knowledge of the SDCERS problems and history surrounding them. They admitted their ignorance during the council confirmation hearing. Nevertheless, a sitting Board member who is also an attorney, suggests one of them could or at least SHOULD have the right to run for the Board Presidency. If that isn't the Mayor attempting to INFLUENCE the decisions of what is suppose to be an INDEPENDENT entity then what was that motion about? Thank heavens the motion failed and the sitting Board VP was elected President. Now it's up to the "NEW" media to keep an eye out for other disingenuous acts by our Mayor and his staff in a grab for power.
— May 1, 2009 12:44 p.m.