In Presidio Park behind Rec Center. Photo Sunday, Jan 9, 2022. Mayor Gloria’s neighborhood.
What’s Up with the Mayor’s App? Problems: “Around Every Corner”
By Colleen O’Connor
Every day, in every way, San Diegans are witnessing the crumbling of their once stable neighborhoods; in their once enviable designation, “Camelot by the Bay.”
Omnipresent homeless camps; vacant store fronts; trash overflowing onto unsafe, often filthy streets; decaying parks, pools, libraries and public spaces; spikes in inflation; a buckling health care system amid a pandemic all exacerbated by new tax 17% tax hikes for water/sewer, and new bond initiatives in the pipeline.
Small wonder there is rage, fear, and mistrust of government when so little seems to go right. So little seems to get fixed. And so much seems in disarray. Even neighborhood planning groups find more defeat than success in battling government deafness. AirBnbs, granny flats, and oversized developments such as the new Sports Arena project.
The latest neighborhood dustup is over the City’s desire to close beach/coastal parking areas due to an increase in crimes, gang activity, late-night parties, illegal bonfires and homeless camping.
Oh, and then there is the overflowing trash/garbage mess, with no end in sight in strike against trash hauler Republic Services, as the Teamsters union rejected the company’s latest offer.
Why isn’t the Mayor intervening?
Near Anderson’s nursery .. Sports Arena drive and Pacific Highway. Photo Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022
According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, California is home to a whopping 26% of residents who are functionally unemployed and its poverty rate is the highest in the nation.
Yet, California is experiencing a large budget surplus.
‘The Legislative Analyst’s Office predicts that California can afford to increase its annual expenses by $3 billion to $8 billion through the 2025-26 fiscal year — a prospect that didn’t appear to sit well with Republicans.”
Where does all of this money go? Not fixing much in San Diego.
Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron:
“There’s something wrong when the state is flush with extra cash — $750 for every man, woman and child — while ordinary people have to choose between putting food on the table and filling their gas tank.”
So, why do we need more taxes, if the Mayor and Council cannot fix things? More money seems to have failed.
How about better leadership?
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
We need better people to want to do this line of work but those kinds of people are just not attracted to it.
Because unfortunately the city is working exactly as it is intended by those bankrolling our electeds. A perfect illustration is the “Get It Done” app now being used to handle many of the issues you mention.
Deloitte has been working hand-in-glove with the city since at least 2017 on this app and to expand it to cover ever more city services. On 7/23/20, Deloitte was awarded a second two-year contract for over $20 million.
During that time, Deloitte (and its registered lobbyists) were working hand-in-glove to elect Todd Gloria as mayor, going so far as to “donate” unspecified coaching services they valued at $10,000.
Less than two weeks after this news was reported by the San Diego Reader last January*, Deloitte’s key “Get It Done” lobbyist was named to the board of the Convention Center, where COVID relief funds were being spent for congregate housing over safer individual housing.
And later last February, the city entered into a ‘corporate partnership’ agreement with Deloitte, to market the app we paid them to develop to rope in other municipalities. (It’s possible a behind-doors selling point includes the capabilities for data mining.)
To the best of my knowledge, there’s been no increase in efficiency or responsiveness for our $40 million — certainly not enough to offset the loss of accountability and transparency of the tried-and-true ways for an app sending terabytes of personally identifying data 24/7.
I wouldn’t be the first to say it should be called the “Get Over It” app, and cannot wait for the city auditor to conduct its planned review of this program later this year.
* https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2021/jan/20/radar-mayor-gloria-executive-coaching-get-it-done/
Great response!
Great summary….well put and I agree, but why can’t we get good leadership?
If we had more police with the ability to arrest folks breaking the law, a lot of this mess wouldn’t be here. If we spent money for housing for those down on their luck, we’d cut through some of this. To do nothing is a complete disservice to us as tax payers & to once beautiful, proud, city. It a disgrace to those that worked so hard to build this city. Quit blaming and begin doing more than paying people to think about it.
There is so much I could say about the content of this article and it’s list of woes against the elected leadership of the “once stable…Camelot by the Bay.” Read the history of the city and you will find that there have always been scores of residents who have NOT experienced your “stable…Camelot.” I will just include 3 reactions here: (1) not once was the part played by the private sector, corporate America, and the resultant wage stagnation, high costs to live and thrive, lack of mental/toxic substance use health care addressed – but Todd Gloria and our local officials are supposed to return us to our supposed “Camelot” within a year? – why are economic policies such as Elizabeth Warren’s and others blocked by the corporations that have a stranglehold on our system and why no mention of them here?; (2) quoting Marie Waldron? – check her record: and most importantly, (3) instead of reporting a “strike AGAINST hauler Republic Services…” [my caps] how about, a strike FOR better wages, benefits, and working conditions by the haulers of Republic Services, a company (based on nonprofessional quick research, so correct me if I’m wrong) whose profits were close to $1 billion last year and is owned by Bill Gates’ investment company – horror, as our “Camelot” is being inconvenienced while workers (whose unions have also been decimated in the last 40 years) struggle to bring a living wages, a hopeful future, and safety to their families.
Well done Nanci. Also, when is the last time we heard ‘America’s Finest City’? More like America’s Fiscal Pity.
Then, there’s this side to San Diego: San Diego Police Call Fire at Fletcher and Gonzalez Home ‘Suspicious’. See 7News
AND now the Governor comes to the City to do something about the trash and debris and homeless encampments.See today’s U-T.
I was going to say that in his State-ol-city address, Gloria agreed with much of what Colleen wrote; he too gets up in the morning and has to drive by all the refuge and refugees, he sees what we see. Have to add that we’re only citizens, Todd – you’re the mayor.
WHY NOT SAN DIEGO? Trash still in Presidio Park, etc….only now WET from bit of rain.
Chula Vista is cleaning up…why not San Diego? Pay the trash haulers more….we are in a pandemic! They are “Front Line” workers!
https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2022/01/14/chula-vista-assigns-city-workers-to-pick-up-trash-as-republic-services-strike-drags-on/