Morning Report: San Diego's Small Cities Are Asking For A Favor

By Voice of San Diego, the Voice of San Diego

January 10, 2023

San Diego’s small cities say there is an imbalance of power on the board of the region’s transportation agency. And now, they want to level the playing field.

Board members representing 10 San Diego cities on the San Diego Association of Governments are requesting that the board stop using its weighted vote practice.

Some background: The weighted vote system, which was put in place by AB 805 in 2017, put regional decisions in the hands of the county’s largest jurisdictions: San Diego, San Diego County and Chula Vista.

The group of small cities hope to make a case against the weighted vote at a board meeting this month. Their goal, though, is not to change state law. Instead, they plan to ask the other cities a favor – that they agree to no longer use the weighted vote system moving forward.

Right now, San Diego, San Diego County and Chula Vista represent 57 percent of the board’s vote. The 10 cities – Del Mar, Coronado, San Marcos, Poway, Imperial Beach, Oceanside, Vista, Escondido, El Cajon and Santee – collectively represent 24 percent of the board’s vote.

Read the full story here.

Environment Report: Public Power in Orange County Is in Trouble

One of California’s biggest public power companies is losing big customers less than a year after it began to sell energy following political turmoil and transparency concerns that start with its leadership.

Orange County Power Authority has been trying to fire Brian Probolsky, its chief executive officer, for months as well as its general counsel Ryan Baron of Best Best and Krieger law firm, after multiple failed audits of the agency. Baron also serves as general counsel on contract with San Diego Community Power. The city of Irvine has pledged to stay and clean-up the clean power company, a promise some of its council members will keep, they say, as long as they see changes in leadership.

Voice of San Diego’s MacKenzie Elmer recounts the saga as reported by Noah Biesiada at a fellow nonprofit journalism outlet, Voice of Orange County.

Read the Environment Report here.

Bonus Podcast Episode: How to Find Control While Homeless

On this VOSD Podcast bonus episode, host Scott Lewis interviews Levi Giafaglione about his experience with homelessness.

Giafaglione, now a housing navigator for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, opens up about how he first became homeless while living in Los Angeles, how he navigated the constant change and challenges of living with unhoused communities — drugs, cold nights, complicated shelter systems and lack of control.

Listen to the episode here.

In Other News

• The race for San Diego’s City Attorney seat in 2024 has already attracted two likely candidates – Assemblyman Brian Maienschein and Chief Deputy City Attorney Heather Ferbert – both Democrats. (Union-Tribune)
• Six San Diego County elected officials were sworn in Monday including Supervisors Nathan Fletcher and Jim Desmond, as well as Sheriff Kelly Martinez and District Attorney Summer Stephan. Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk Jordan Marks and Treasurer/Tax Collector Dan McAllister were also sworn in. (NBC 7)
• Speaking of Kelly Martinez, the new county sheriff spoke with KPBS’ Midday Edition to talk about her plans for the department. (KPBS)
• Chula Vista has launched a housing and homeless services department to better address homelessness within the city. According to last year’s Point in Time Count, there were 300 homeless people in Chula Vista, but homeless service providers say that number is likely much higher. (Union-Tribune)
• The Union-Tribune has put together a guide to help parents find child care and get help paying for it. (Union-Tribune)

Voice of San Diego is a nonprofit news organization supported by our members. We reveal why things are the way they are and expose facts that people in power might not want out there and explain complex local public policy issues so you can be engaged and make good decisions. Sign up for our newsletters at voiceofsandiego.org/newsletters/.