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A
Letter to the Editor
| November
2008
The
DELMARFORUM
We
are a group of
Del Mar families
who have been
inviting progressive
candidates and
incumbents into
our homes for
the last several
years to discuss
issues that affect
our community,
the nation, and
the world. Delmarians
have been effective
in getting good
people elected
and getting them
to focus on issues
we think important.
We
hope you can
attend a wine
and cheese reception
for candidate
Nick Leibham
on Wednesday October
22, at 6pm. Don
and Luann Countryman
have agreed to
host the event
at their home
on the corner
of Crest and
Amphitheater.
Nick
has an excellent
chance to unseat
Brian Bilbray,
the current occupant
of the "Randy
Duke" seat
in Congress.
Many
of us were disappointed
that Francine
Busby was unable
to win this seat
two years ago,
so some have concluded
that this is a "safe" seat.
The facts suggest
otherwise. First
of all, we need
to remember that
the 2006 race
in our 50th district
was the most expensive
race in Congressional
history, a whopping
$16million. The
Repub Party spent
$10 million to
defeat Francine
because they saw
this as a watershed
race. Busby's
campaign was overwhelmed
by this massive
infusion of outside
support. Even
so, she missed
by only 2 percentage
points.
This
year's race offers
a much more hopeful
opportunity. In
the last 16 months,
8 thousand new
Democratic voters
have registered.
And more than
4200 new Independent
registrants poll
about 2-1 for
Nick. During the
same period, Republicans
have lost 3700
registered voters.
Recent polls in
this district
put Bush at 26%
and Bilbray at
42%. The Leibham
campaign has 3
offices and employs
15 staff members.
In addition to
Democrats, they
are micro-targeting
32 thousand Republican
women with no
man in the house--polling
shows about 50%
of them are leaning
toward Leibham.
Leibham has identified
over 100,000 supporters.
Bilbray has about
110,000. There
are about 60-80
thousand Independents.
A high percentage
of these targeted
voters are pro-choice,
pro-environment,
and anti-gun.
Of course, the
crumbling economy
moves more voters
to the Democratic
side.
Nick
is a young, attractive,
articulate, energetic
candidate with
progressive values--our
kind of guy.
We have a very
good chance to
do our part in
taking back our
country by putting
a quality person
in the 50th for
the first time
ever. We hope
you will join
us on Wednesday
and size Nick
up for yourselves.
If you agree,
bring your check
books and help
him make it happen.
Some
Key Brian Bilbray
Votes For Your
Consideration
Please
RSVP soon so
we can order enough
food and wine:
call Ryan at
769 697 1084 or
email ryan@picknick08.com
Linda
and Jerry Hirshberg
Henry
Abarbanel and
Beth Levine
Luann
and Don Countryman
David
Druker
Rosanne
and Joel Holliday
Crystal
Crawford
Joe
Sullivan
Mary
Ann and Bud Emerson
back
to top
A
letter
to
the
Editor
|
October
2008
On
Nov. 4 Del Mar
voters will
decide whether
to approve Measure
H giving the
city council
authority to
raise the City’s
transient occupancy
tax (TOT) from
10.5% up to
13 %. The TOT
is the tax paid
by hotel visitors
that historically
has been used
by our city
for community
services. However,
when placing
measure H before
the voters,
the city council,
at the same
time also introduced
a municipal
code “amendment” formalizing
their intent
to consider
forgoing more
than $300,000
of potential
TOT revenue
annually if
the hotels decide
to form their
own private
marketing agency.
That money,
instead, could
be collected
by our local
hotels to be
administered
by them; effectively
limiting the
City’s
take to less
than 13%.
We
authored an argument
against measure
H because we believe
that, while the
city should increase
the TOT to 13%,
all of the money
should go into
our general fund.
We were concerned
about the intent
of the council-proposed “amendment”,
signaling to the
hoteliers a willingness
to potentially
limit the TOT
the city would
collect, and we
objected.
Based
on our objection
to the unwarranted
concession to
the hoteliers,
potentially limiting
the funds available
for general city
needs, the city
council September
22 rescinded their
code “amendment”.
By
this letter we
wish to acknowledge
the council’s
recent action
rescinding the “amendment”,
and state our
willingness to
now support measure
H. We hope the
community will
similarly vote
for measure H
and, at the same
time, appreciate
the concerns we
raised in our
argument that
they will read
when opening the
voter’s
ballot guide.
While
the council rescinded
their objectionable
code “amendment”,
they reiterated
on September 22
continued interest
in limiting the
amount of TOT
the City could
receive in order
to provide marketing
support for and
by the hotels.
They handed off
to the next council
the opportunity
to pass a re-written “amendment” if
measure H passes.
We hope measure
H passes and encourage
the community
to weigh-in on
how the “amendment” related
to the TOT is
ultimately written
and how the money
of any TOT increase
is spent. It is
our wish, as residents
and former Mayors
and Council Members,
that the council
will utilize the
entire, maximum
TOT revenue for
city purposes,
and allocate it
based on community
input.
Mark
Whitehead; Brooke
Eisenberg-Pike;
Deborah Isackson-Groban;
Jan McMillan;
Jacqueline Winterer.
back
to top
A
Web Exclusive:
This letter
to editor did
not appear
in the print
edition |
posted on the
web August
7, 2008
Dear
Editor,
Having
grown up in Hobart,
Tasmania, [which,
by the way, has
the cleanest
water
in the world]
and having lived
later as
an adult in
Perth,
Western Australia,
before coming
to Del Mar,
I
have lived
and
experienced
conservation
and using natural
resources for
energy.
Solar
was my way of
life in the early
70s ; our heating
and the energy
source for all
our needs, including
our heating of
our swimming
pool, came from
solar
energy. Low flush
toilets to conserve
water, drought
resistant landscaping
to
conserve water
[we live
in a reclaimed
desert] -- people
should be seriously
encouraged to
use
all these
measures to
"green"
our city.
Kay
Hansen, Del Mar
back
to top
A
Web Exclusive:
This letter
to editor
did
not appear
in the print edition
|
posted on
the
web June
3, 2008
The
Resolution approved
by the City Council
in August, 2007
was premised
upon the Del Mar
Shores fundraisers
raising the full
cost of the agreed
upon $ 8.5 million
purchase price.
Circumstances
have now changed
since August,
with the City
now stepping
in with a plan
for short term
borrowing of
$3.5 million to
fill a funding
gap left by the
fundraisers who
did not succeed
in raising the
full amount.
By its own terms,
the resolution
did not bind
the City Council
to any particular
use of the property. It
expressed the intention of
the City Council
to at least
preserve the
existing open
space but did
not specify
the uses to
be made of
the developed
portion of the
site other than
for the Winston
School use. The
City has assumed
a substantial
financial
risk in order
to preserve
the opportunity
to purchase
the Shores
property, borrowing
money it does
not have. If
the fundraisers
fail to raise
the additional
funds needed,
the City will
have to find
another means
of raising
the money to
repay the debt
(special tax,
etc.). Placing
the City Hall
on that portion
of the Shores
property currently
occupied by
the School
District is
an option the
City Council
should consider
from both a
financial ,
and land use
perspective
for the entire
community.
In this way,
the cost of
the new City
Hall construction
and possibly
the repaying
of the $3.5
million debt
could be covered
by the lease
of the existing
City Hall site
for a mixed
retail/ residential
development.
This would
not violate
the intent
of the City
Council as
expressed by
the August,
2007 resolution. Bettina
Experton and
Wayne Dernetz
Bettina
Experton is Chair
of the Del Mar
Finance Committee.
Wayne
Dernetz
is a former
city
manager and
city
attorney.
back
to top
A
Letter to
the Editor
| June 2008
Our
fair city is
always looking
for ways to
expand revenue
sources,
but rarely looks
at the exploding
cost side of
government.
I think it is
time to closely
scrutinize our
sheriff's contract
that has grown
over 100% in
the last few
years with little
to no increase
in protective
services.
In
1998 the Sheriffs
budget for our
city's police
protection was
approximately
$660,000. In 2008
the same budget,
for the same basic
services is $1.2
million. The notes
in the published
city budget states
that this cost
jump is mostly
attributed to
exploding pension
costs.
Like
the City of San
Diego , our city
is experiencing
out-of-control
pension increases.
It
is high time that
our city leaders
take a hard look
at other police
protection options.
One option that
should be reviewed
is forming a brand
new police department
with the cities
of Solana Beach
and Encinitas.
Thanks to Mayor
David Druker for
taking a leadership
role and bringing
this issue up
with the mayors
of those cities.
The solution is
NOT to attach
our protection
needs to other
cities like Coronado
, Carlsbad , or
San Diego . These
cities also have
the high price
of backend benefits
as well.
Another
solution to explore
is a new police
force with highly
paid police officers
and fair pension
plans.
We
will have two
new faces on the
council this year
with Henry and
David retiring.
Maybe this new
city council can
put a priority
on reviewing the
cost side of government
with a focus on
our police-protection
contract.
Jim
Benedict, Del
Mar back
to top
A
Letter to the
Editor | June
2008
This
is in response
to Bettina Experton's
suggestion,
in the May edition,
that a new City
Hall might be
built on the
Shores site
once it is acquired
by the City.
Some may be
unaware of the
history of the
City's interest
and efforts
to acquire the
property. The
City at one
time explored
the possibility
of putting a
new city hall
on the Shores
property. That
idea was considered
and rejected
by the council
several years
ago, even before
the property
was declared
surplus by the
school district.
Again, on August
6, 2007, the
council adopted
a resolution
stating: “The
City's long
term goal is
to maximize
the open space
and recreational
uses on the
property. Although
other public
facilities are
permitted under
current zoning,
the City Council
has no intention
of pursuing
other uses … such
as a new fire
station or city
hall.”
When
the City was unable
to fund the purchase
of the property,
generous contributors
from Del Mar and
the Winston School
agreed to help
fund the purchase
to preserve the
educational and
recreational use
of the property.
The contributors,
the fundraisers
and the community
have relied upon
the City's stated
purposes for acquiring
this beautiful
five-acre parcel
in Del Mar.
We
continue to raise
funds to pay off
a $3.5M note to
the District.
To suggest now
that the City
change its position
on use of the
site would dismay
both contributors
and fundraisers,
whose efforts,
along with the
City's and the
School District
's, have made
it possible to
at last acquire
the Shores property.
Joe
Sullivan, Chair,
Campaign for Del
Mar Shores back
to top
A
Letter to the Editor | June 2008
If
I were writing
the headline
for the
City Council's
action on April
7, that's how
it would read.
The
Council agreed
to spend $250,000
for a specific
plan to increase
retail sales.
Just to get its
bait back with
the city's 1%
share of the sales
tax, $2,500,000
of new sales will
be needed.
Meanwhile,
6% of sales
on new rents
will go to downtown
landlords--a
flood of new
income on properties
with typically
low property taxes,
especially those sheltered
by Proposition
13 (see Dernetz,
Nov. 2007 Sandpiper ).
This
landlords' windfall
will surely not
draw support from
residents when
the plan goes
to a vote. To
avoid defeat, the
downtown owners should
throw something
meaningful into
the pot, and here's
a suggestion:
Create a Downtown
Assessment District
for providing
parking.
Chuck
Newton, Del Mar back
to top
A
Letter to the Editor | December
2007
Del
Mar underground
is not progressive
as some DRB
members seem
to think. If
they are impressed
by tricky architects'
d r awings
of “invisible” basements,
they might do
well to reconsider.
Digging yourself
into the earth
on that scale
has proved regressive,
taking our once
relatively civilized
community back
to the rough
power games
of cave dwellers.
In the pre-excavation era, Del Mar was not only one of the loveliest but also more equitable communities in San Diego county, due in part to the Community Plan that for decades regulated issues like bulk, mass, air, light, and density by defining the different floor-area-ratios in different areas of the city. Based on its citizens' mutual agreement to live together in a city, that plan has contributed to their good quality of life, which excluded mansionization. But there was the Achilles heel of the basement provision that has now grown to the 3000+ sq.ft. underground wine cellars, entertainment centers, offices, and guest rooms requiring ever larger, more polluting, more noisy excavations.
Over a period of several years, sand is blown all over the neighborhood, and giant equipment screeches and groans, consuming huge amounts of energy. This waste concerns also human physical and mental energy diminished by ever-growing air and noise pollution, increase of construction equipment traffic, and anxiety about the cumulative geological instability in our hilly town. Just look at the surreal excavation on Klish close by Tewa: the sandstone bluffs are fast disappearing to reveal eerily large spaces underground . Who says that this is good for Del Mar? The ongoing inflation of basement space is the result of individual creative greed, not of a community's wishes. The enormity of the basement provision has crept up on us, but with growing speed and momentum. We need to rethink it as a community.
Dagmar
Barnouw, Del Mar back
to top
: Letters
to the Editor
The Sandpiper welcomes readers' letters and articles on topics of interest to the Del Mar community. We strive to provide a variety of viewpoints represented in a responsible manner. Letters should not exceed 100 words; articles should not exceed 350 words.
Writers of letters and articles selected for publication will be notified prior to publication. We regret we cannot return or acknowledge unpublished letters or articles.
Letters may be shortened and articles may be edited to satisfy space requirements. Letters and articles submitted must include the writer's name, address and phone number. Readers may also recommend or propose articles. Send to:
The Sandpiper, Box 2177, Del Mar, CA 92014; or
editor@delmarsandpiper.org
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