Democratic Assemblyman wins primary outright, avoids runoff
Did you know that there was an election last night? Southern Californians trickled into the polls to choose a replacement for now Congressman Juan Vargas. Ben Hueso, the Democratic State Assemblyman from San Diego cruised to victory, avoiding a runoff election with over 52% of the vote. [Read more…]
By Herman Baca, President, Committee on Chicano Rights
Employer Sanctions
Sanctions against employers historically have always been a farce for the simple reason that, U.S. employers unlike Mexican undocumented workers have massive amounts of money and political power!
Proof of the above is documented with the 1951 President’s Commission on Migratory Labor that first recommended reducing the number of “wetbacks” with employer sanctions, and fines on employers who knowingly hired illegal workers.
However, in 1952 when the Immigration and Nationality Act was enacted making the harboring of illegal aliens a felony, punishable by a $2,000 fine and a prison term of five years; the law also included the Texas proviso, which asserted that employing an illegal alien, was not harboring!
Thus, there were no penalties on US employers. [Read more…]
by Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment
When it comes to foreclosing on Californians, it looks like Wells Fargo may take the prize. According to a report released today, Wells Fargo is responsible for more homes in the foreclosure pipeline in California than any other single lender.
Wells Fargo is servicing the most loans, but they are providing less principal reduction to struggling borrowers than either Bank of America and Chase – who themselves should be doing more! The recent report from the Monitor of the multi-state Attorneys General settlement with the five big mortgage servicers showed that Wells Fargo trails behind Bank of America and Chase when it comes to the amount of principal reduction given as part of first lien loan modifications.
This is the very same Wells Fargo that just had its most profitable year ever in 2012, with earnings of $19 billion. [Read more…]
Props 13 and 218 necessitate convoluted scheme to effectively privatize public assets
The privatization of public resources took another step toward reality yesterday, although in this particular case it may not be a terrible thing. In a tentative ruling, Judge Ronald Prager determined that the unusual taxation method being used to finance the $520 million expansion of the San Diego Convention Center is perfectly legal, giving the project the green light.
The San Diego hotel interests and the City Council decided that they wanted the expansion project to happen, and they didn’t think they could get the 2/3 vote of the public in order to raise the TOT (a logic that might also be applied to the TMD, but more on that in another post). Instead, they used a provision in Prop 218 that allows local property owners to choose to tax themselves without a public vote. [Read more…]
Congressman Paul Ryan’s blueprint for the Republican Party budget, rolled out for all to see this morning, presents a sweeping view of the future. (Here’s your copy.) In 10 years, the budget deficit will have disappeared. The progressive income tax structure will be replaced by a two tiered system. Obamacare will be gone.
It will be a dream come true if you happen to be wealthy.
INSIDE: Let the Poors Eat at Burger King, Some Taxes are More Equal Than Others, Gosh, I Wonder Why Trolley Ridership is Down? [Read more…]
A few of us actors got together on a Monday night to rehearse playwright Omayo’s drama, “I Am a Man,” in preparation for dramatic readings of the piece at the San Diego Repertory Theater on Monday, March 18th, and Tuesday, March 19th at 7:00 PM. The San Diego Rep is presenting the drama in collaboration with the Vagabond Theatre Project.
Each evening’s performances support “The Mountaintop,” a play by Katori Hall, which has been pleasing theater goers for weeks now at the Rep. It’s a must see about Martin Luther King’s last night before he was taken from us in Memphis.
Our play keeps Martin’s spirit alive as it is based on the travails of the black sanitation workers who, back in February 12, 1968, staged a wildcat strike backing their demands for equal pay, better working conditions and recognition of their union. [Read more…]
Carnitas’ Snack Shack
2632 University Ave.
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 294-7675
The San Diego Free Press is highlighting North Park during the month of March. When I have mentioned to people that I am going to review several restaurants in the area, almost to a person I have been asked if I have been to the “Carnitas’ Snack Shack.” I hadn’t been there but I knew that I would certainly get there before the month was out.
As it turned out, my daughter went with me to my doctor’s appointment today and we had talked about eating at the Snack Shack if we had time. The place doesn’t open until 12:00pm – stays open until midnight, and it fit right into our schedule. And when we got there at 12:01pm there were already 24 people in line ahead of us. (The first time I tried to eat there the line was so long that I didn’t stay.)
There was not a whole lot of talking between those of us in line; everyone was bent on getting their orders in so that they could find a table in the back. I don’t know how many the back seats – which, by the way is outdoors replete with heating lamps and/or fans – but I would think it is close to 25-30 people. Some of the tables were “community tables”; some were tables for 2-4 people; some were in the sun; some were under an awning. [Read more…]
San Diego Convention Center Expansion Project back on schedule to begin construction in 2014, with 2017 completion date.
In a ruling issued today, judge Ronald Prager ruled that the funding mechanism for the Convention Center Facilities District that was set up to fund the $520 million Convention Center expansion project is legal and the project can proceed as planned.
At issue was whether the hoteliers could legally vote to essentially raise taxes that they charge on hotel guests outside of the city’s existing transient occupancy tax, which currently sits at 10.5%. Two separate attempts in 2004 to raise the TOT both failed, despite the 2004 measure earning nearly 62% approval of the voters. State law at the time required that any measure proposing to raise taxes of any kind required the approval of a full two-thirds of the voters in order to become law. The second ballot measure in November 2004 earned over 58% approval of the voters. [Read more…]
by Hilary Paul McGuire, USPTA
Seated in a wheel chair watching his son Spencer Segura play at the Bobby Riggs Tennis Club and Museum in Encinitas, CA was 92-yearold Pancho Segura.
His full mane of neck-length silver hair bespoke his presence from afar. His imposing form hovered as a sentinel over the courts.
I showed him my newly-released book Tennis Saves: Stewart Orphans Take World By Racket. Though I’m a long-time USPTA pro, he didn’t know me from Adam. With scarcely a sidewise glance, he growled, “Everyone writes a book—too many books. Tennis books don’t sell, not even my Little Pancho.” Caroline Seebohm published that much-touted biography in 2009.
[Read more…]
The SPRINTER transit line serving commuters between Escondido and Oceanside has suspended service for at least two months, effective last Friday, due to problems with the braking systems. Accelerated wear patterns on brake rotors were discovered during an inspection last week by officials with the California Public Utilities Commission.
Nearly eight thousand users of the North County rail system will be re-routed to express bus services until repairs can be made. (UPDATED) The North County Transit District outsourced many services with this system, starting from day one in 2008. A restructuring in 2010 moved bus operations to private contractors.
Maintenance and operations of SPRINTER vehicles was handed over to Veolia Transportation, which sub-contracted the work out to Bombardier Transportation. A spokesman for the Transit District told KPBS the companies under contract failed to report the issue of the non-compliant brake rotors to North County staff.
A recent KPBS report by i-newsource raised questions about the oversight of outsourced contracts at the agency for security. Now it would appear that maintenance contracts also need to be reviewed for oversight considerations. [Read more…]
Well after all the bluster coming from the Democratic camp about President Obama’s “upper hand” leading into the sequester showdown, it turns out he had no game at all. The result: score another one for the Tea Party who got to take a hatchet to government spending and hold the line on taxes. As I wrote after the “Fiscal Cliff” showdown:
Grover Norquist is happy. After the fiscal cliff deal was passed in the House, he pointed out that Obama blinked on his $250,000 line in the sand on taxes and that, by locking in the Bush tax cuts for 98% of Americans, the Democrats’ ability to defend the legacy of the New Deal has been greatly diminished. He’s right.
And now Grover and company are even happier as the Republicans just said no to more taxes and let the ax fall indiscriminately on government spending. The “liberal media” may think badly of them and their national approval rating may be in the toilet but they simply don’t give a rat’s ass because they are winning nonetheless.
But fear not progressives, Obama is desperately courting Republicans outside of the party’s leadership in hopes of doing an end run to get to a “grand bargain” that will give us the manna from heaven that is austerity lite. [Read more…]
By Brent E. Beltrán
I’m a Chicano but I haven’t always been. Prior to self identifying myself as one I didn’t really know who I was culturally. I grew up in a bi-cultural family. But didn’t really embrace either.
Mesa College is where my Chicano life began. And to this day I still maintain relations with the department. My compadre Manuel J. Vélez is a tenured professor there. And so is my good friend Dr. César López who is now the head of the department. I take joy in hearing about the positive things that are taking place there. The most recent news was announced on Friday, March 8, día de la mujer internacional, about longtime San Diego activist Gracia Molina de Pick donating $80,000 to the Mesa College Chicana/o Studies Endowment. [Read more…]
