Port in a storm

Waterfront agency flip-flops around on the embarcadero project, irritating activists—again

Show us the money

We're against the sales-tax increase—for now

The unlikely hero?

Won't it be hilarious if Donna Frye saves the day?

Through two mayoral administrations and almost an entire decade, Donna Frye sat in the hinterlands of the San Diego City Council, talking herself hoarse, failing to gain traction among her colleagues on some of her most important issues. How ironic is it, then, that on two recent big-ticket items, she provided the deciding vote? A few weeks ago, it was to allow construction of a partially funded new main library and, this week, to stop a sales-tax increase from reaching a public vote.
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Faulconer’s folly

Council member's obsession with the ban on ticketing homeless people for sleeping in public continues

Three months ago in this space, we expressed a certain displeasure with a proposal to site 73 supportive apartments, 150 transitional beds and a center full of services for the homeless at the old World Trade Center building on Sixth Avenue, Downtown. But there’s nothing like yet another shameful display of self-interest politics to offset that concern and thrust us safely over to the “Yes” column.

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Dead gopher

Brutal beating of sales-tax idea underscores leadership void in San Diego

The way the idea for a half-cent sales-tax increase in the city of San Diego was floated and then quickly pulled from consideration this week was uproariously funny. The notion popped its head above ground like a gopher and was mercilessly beaten to death by a gang of anti-tax zealots before Mayor Jerry Sanders dragged its bloody, disfigured carcass away for disposal.

What we want

From Bud Black and Tony Young to cruise ships and nudists—our desires for Act II of 2010

 Here’s a list of things we’d like to see happen in the second half of 2010:

The big gamble

If private donors don't come through, our city leaders are up a creek

The easy, breezy way the San Diego City Council placed a $32.5-million library wager this week leads us to wonder what its members were told ahead of time behind the scenes. Were they assured that wealthy philanthropists Joan and Irwin Jacobs would pony up whatever money other private donors don’t chip in?

Got a spare $32.5 million?

City Council must identify full library funding before approving construction

In concept, we support construction of a new library Downtown to serve as the main hub of the city of San Diego’s library system. It would be a grand edifice for the city’s collection of books and a sweet new location for public events, and—maybe just as important—it would serve as the next phase of the revitalization of East Village

The problem, of course, is the city doesn’t have enough money. And, despite the assurances of library advocates that we’re ever so close to getting there, we’re really not that close.

The Dems got Zapf'd

The local Republican Party fought hard for Lorie Zapf, and she repaid the favor by coming in first place in a five-person race in the primary election for the District 6 City Council seat that Donna Frye must vacate at the end of the year because of term limits.

Endorsements cheat sheet

Take it into the ballot booth; share it with your friends