Issues
Ethics and Open Government
It’s time to clean up San Diego politics. Unfortunately, some of our elected officials spend too much time hiding their tails and covering their trails to take care of the city’s problems and the people’s business. They’ve engaged in too many backroom deals. Whether it’s Sunroad or slush funds, we have an elected government we often can’t trust. It’s as though city hall no longer cares about individuals and families struggling to keep their homes, make a living, and enjoy the good life that San Diego publicizes to the outside world.
A shocking example of elected officials pulling the wool over the eyes of voters was reported by the San Diego Union Tribune, City Beat, and other newspapers. Soon after his first election in 2000, after promising the public he would make sure a then proposed Padres Ballpark would be completed, the mayor at the time announced a new “Blue Ribbon Committee on City Finances” and appointed insiders to it. There were just a couple of problems with this committee. One: The report was watered down. Two: It was not released until after the ballpark bond issuance was closed. And three, panel member Richard Vortmann, according to the San Diego Union Tribune:
“…faxed his fellow panelists and three city staff members, including Gibson, a message about whether the committee had been blunt enough… The note said: ‘It is clear the city has deferred to future taxpayers far more dollars than our report assumed.’ He wrote of a pension system currently saddled with a $1.43 billion deficit. ‘I have a growing and daunting concern that we possibly did our city a disservice by not ringing a very loud bell.’”
His note began, the paper reported: “The committee's unstated concern over the ball park financing and any impact to the city's credit rating in general are now behind us.” (8/14/2006, SDUT, Matthew T. Hall)
Marti is not an insider or one of the “old boys’ network.” There will be no backroom deals on the Troubleshooter’s watch. No budgets that enrich insiders at the expense of hard working San Diegans.
Marti Emerald is committed to open, honorable government that voters can trust. As your City Councilwoman, Marti will post her official calendar on her city webpage, showing you who is meeting with her, who they represent, and the issues they discuss. And she’ll push for the mayor and other council members to do the same. Marti believes open government is vital to a healthy democracy.
Infrastructure
We pay our taxes, we work hard, and we deserve city government that serves us well. But has your car ever hit bottom because of unrepaired potholes? Have you seen traffic increase dramatically? Today’s traffic has turned streets in some quiet neighborhoods into rivers of road rage. The days of peaceful and quiet streets families once enjoyed in the College area are lost because of overcrowded mini-dorms.
That’s not all. Our sewers are falling apart. Old rusted pipes spew millions of gallons of raw sewage onto our beaches, endangering our health. Our streets are cracked and potted. And our parks are deteriorating. Balboa Park -- which includes 15 museums, eight gardens, four performing theater companies, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo -- is recognized as the nation’s largest urban cultural park. It is cited as one of the best parks in the world and is called the “Smithsonian of the West”. Still, this treasure suffers from millions of dollars of deferred maintenance.
We need to fix our infrastructure. We need planning and repairs with timelines and deadlines. And if they are not met, we need to know why and fix the problem.
Marti Endorses Pension Reform
San Diego has been held hostage long enough by the pension debacle. Discussion of other vital city issues has been shelved and work on important projects delayed because of political divisions and financial uncertainties created by our underfunded employee retirement plan. This is why as a taxpayer, voter and City Council candidate I support placing the Pension Solution on the November ballot. We need a plan that will carry the City forward and release us from the bonds of endless bickering.
It would be vastly preferable for San Diego's elected and labor representatives to resolve the current pension problem at the bargaining table. But apparently that is not possible. Voters must now step in so that our City can step forward. The pension plan proposed for the November ballot is a step in the right direction.
Public Safety
San Diego has endured horrific fires in recent years – fires that have killed or injured our neighbors and caused untold heartache and financial ruin city-wide, including our own 7th District. Yet we still don’t have enough firefighters, fire stations, and fire-fighting equipment to protect us.
We are also critically short of police officers. Many have left San Diego because of low pay. These are the men and women we call when we fear for our lives, yet many of them can’t even afford to call San Diego home. Recent pay hikes will help. But we are still short about 300 uniformed officers.
We must identify all possible sources of funding to increase public safety, both police and fire.
San Diego needs stronger consumer protection
With more than 20 years of experience as your Troubleshooter, Marti Emerald has seen more consumer rip-offs, fraudulent practices, senior scams and other abuses than probably anyone. During these hard economic times white collar crime and elder abuse are rising at an alarming rate. We need to beef up consumer protection in San Diego to help victims of fraudulent business practices, enforce consumer protection laws and protect the interests of honest businesses.
Marti Emerald will create a staff with a strong consumer protection and service emphasis and will work with the City Attorney to strengthen enforcement of consumer protection laws.
Environment
Year round sunshine, sparkling beaches and open space are just a few of the reasons we live in San Diego, and why so many people visit our region, bringing their dollars with them. But we are abusing and squandering our priceless natural resources and in the process threatening our economic future.
Our beaches and bays are spoiled by run-off and sewer spills. That threatens our health and the health of our tourism industry. We need to fix the sewers and protect our precious beaches and bays.
Our canyons and other open space are compromised by runaway development. We need land use policies that protect canyons, open space and parks.
Our air quality is soured by jammed freeways and auto exhaust. We need to invest in public transit that is affordable, convenient and the public will use. We must also promote best practices in industry to cut pollution and enforce laws against polluters.
We must also get serious about saving energy. One big way is to tap our most abundant natural resource: the sun. San Diego should require solar in all city buildings and future developments. The cost is infinitesimal compared to the money we can save on our electric bills and the cost of building new power plants.
And will it soon cost us more to fill up the bathtub with water than it does to fill up the gas tank? It could if we don’t get serious about conserving water and creating new water options: recycling, reuse and desalinization. Our city, this entire region, needs a general plan that recognizes droughts and loss of water resources caused by environmental abuse and global climate changes.
By addressing our water, energy and other pressing environmental needs we could also create new green industry and good paying jobs that will help to sustain our region and create a stronger, healthier, more prosperous San Diego……Together we can fix our troubled city.
San Diego needs Marti Emerald as our Troubleshooter at City Hall!
