Editor: With this California Supreme Court ruling, San Diego’s ruling elites find that they now have to come up with a different revenue source to fund any downtown stadium for the Chargers other than public redevelopment monies. Check out long-time San Diego architectural expert and observer Roger Showley’s latest piece (Showley: Point Loma High Class of 1966). Also we include Councilmember Faulconer’s statement in reaction below.
By Roger Showley / SignOnSanDiego / December 29, 2011
The California Supreme Court ruled Thursday against redevelopment agencies, including San Diego’s, and said they cannot remain in business by paying the state a portion of their property tax receipts.
The ruling, affecting some 400 redevelopment agencies statewide, throws into doubt many projects, including the proposed Chargers Stadium downtown and the Padres’ minor league baseball stadium in Escondido.
Reaction is expected from local and state officials and will be posted as it is received.
The court was dealing with two laws passed by the Legislature in June to help fill the state budget deficit. One, AB1X26, abolished the redevelopment agencies, most established by cities to help eliminate blight and promote economic development.
For the remainder of this article, please go here.
Councilmember Kevin Faulconer’s reaction
This is an unedited press statement from Faulconer’s office (Kevin Faulconer, a Republican, represents Ocean Beach):
City Council President Pro Tem Kevin L. Faulconer released the following statement in response to today’s California Supreme Court ruling over the State Legislature’s decision to dissolve redevelopment agencies across the state, including in San Diego.
“Redevelopment has been a vital resource in the transformation of downtown and many of San Diego’s older communities. It has been the key to incentivizing private investment and creating affordable housing, parks and necessary public improvements in San Diego’s urban neighborhoods, all the while helping to create jobs and stimulate San Diego’s economy. The short-sighted decision by the State Legislature to take local funds from our neighborhoods and pump them into the bureaucratic black hole in Sacramento is a detriment to our region.
While I am disappointed in the Supreme Court’s ruling, I will work hard to ensure community redevelopment projects currently in the pipeline continue. The public benefits that redevelopment brought to our urban neighborhoods are too important to stop. I will be looking for new tools that ensure San Diego’s tax dollars support local economic growth.”
Faulconer has been a leading proponent of the revitalization that redevelopment brings to local neighborhoods. His district includes the Centre City, Naval Training Center and North Bay redevelopment areas. There are 17 redevelopment areas across San Diego.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
The Spanos family has always wanted to move to LA. Let em go and entice the Raiders to move South. It would be a perfect fit.
Did we really elect Moon Bean again????
We must be stooopid! This is just a money grab by the Sac (Sacramento)
Gary Gregg is off of his rocker!