A Powerhouse Lunch With Linda Lukacs, Candidate for District 2

Judi Curry’s views continue to be her own and do not necessarily reflect those of the OB Rag.

By Judi Curry

It is difficult for me to sit back and watch the deterioration of the area known as “District 2.”  We purchased our house in 1966 and loved the neighborhood.  We moved here from Berkeley where my husband and I were attending school and where we were active in the Free Speech Movement and Mario Savio was in one of the first classes I attended.

The hippies were just moving into Ocean Beach, and San Diego was so conservative there was talk of “outlawing left-hand turns because they were subversive.”  I remember once getting a flat tire on Highway 5 near National City and actually waited over 2 hours for a police car to stop and see if I needed assistance because I had bumper sticker on my car supporting a Democratic candidate.

SeaWorld had not yet started with their annoying fireworks on a nightly basis; and PSA was the airline that flew overhead, never venturing to the south like where the airplanes fly now.

For the most part I have stayed out of politics per se, although I have supported almost all of the Democrats that have run for office, be it by political signs pasted on my fence or attendance at political events. For a long time my husband and I were members of the Pt. Loma Democratic club, where he held office for a time.  After his death I dropped my membership, not because I wasn’t interested, but because I didn’t feel strongly about candidates that were running for office. Until now.  I seem to be right back where I was in the 1960’s.

Lunch today was exciting; it was entertaining; it was enlightening; it was positive and hopefully will start to bring this district back to where it used to be; when it was safe to walk the streets of Ocean Beach at night; when it was safe to take your children along the seawall to the pier without exposing them to needles; feces; vulgar language.

Where finding used needles along Sunset Cliffs is a daily occurrence; where almost nightly firecrackers are set off by people disturbing the peace of those of us living in the area; where huge yoga classes replete with loud speakers do not disturb the residents early on Saturday morning; where traffic along the Cliffs is not dangerous because of double-parkers; racing automobiles and/or motorcycles; where garbage is put into trash cans thus eliminating the huge amount of rats that now live along the Cliffs.

So who did I have lunch with?

For starters, Angela Vedder and Mandy Havlik, both members of the Peninsula Community Planning Board, and Dr. Linda Lukacs, the candidate running against Dr. Jen Campbell for the District 2 seat on the City Council.  Although Angela and Linda are sympathetic to the Republican party, the District 2 seat is non-partisan, and I decided last year that I would have to vote for the best person for the position regardless of their political persuasion.

We met at the Jennings House for lunch, and Angela and Linda had never met before.  Mandy knew Angela because of their positions on the Community Planning Board, and she also knew Linda, as did I. Angela had many questions that she wanted to ask Linda before she felt that she could show her support for her.  So we got into it almost immediately.

Angela wanted to know how Linda felt about raising the 30 foot height restriction in the Midway district.  Linda said that she felt it was premature to make all these plans without having an infrastructure in place.  There has not been a traffic pattern established; putting in a 9 storied buildings when water is at a premium has not been discussed.

Keeping the Sports Arena – or moving it where it is closer to transportation has not been discussed.  She said she could see a compromise – maybe a 40’ foot limit, but until an infrastructure is established it is difficult to decide on anything pertaining to the Midway area.

A discussion ensued about the bridges being put up over the San Diego River. Is that to bring more people into the Midway area?  Why was there not a bike lane or pedestrian lane built into this plan?  Where are these people going to go? To the beach? Where are they going to park?

We discussed the need for more police enforcement along the coastal areas.  Linda said, and we all agreed, that the coastal communities need to “come together” instead of each community being an entity unto itself.  All of the communities are experiencing the same problems – some worse than others – but some areas are louder than others and seem to get more governmental help.

Linda said that she bought her house here because she liked what she saw.  Over the years she said that she finds herself getting angry, and at the same time, getting sad.  The changes that have taken place are not for the betterment of the community; they might be for the betterment of the politician, but the community is  suffering.

We talked about what may happen to the Formosa area; there is talk of building condo’s there.  What a crime that would be, and who will benefit by that?

We touched on the homeless crisis facing us and Linda said that the best way to handle it is to address the root causes.  She has an idea that is similar to the way Job Corps is run for those that need training and education.  The potential is excellent.

And still, the topic always came back to the need for an infrastructure secured by a long term plan for expansion and modernization.

One of the things that has bothered me about the incumbent is the lack of returning calls re: problems in the neighborhood.  Promises are made by people working for her, yet nothing ever comes to those promises.

Linda has promised to work for the community; to listen to our comments, complaints, suggestions, etc., and then work through them.  She said it is not always necessary to agree but if it is best for the community it should be done.  There are ways to work things out instead of cutting off a large group of people.

Throughout our entire lunch, Linda was asked questions by Mandy, Angela and myself that she always answered. She said that she may not have the answers now but she will listen, talk to others, before making a decision. She will not be persuaded by companies that tantalize her with promises of money for her campaign.

She lives in the community; she will work for the community.  She is committed to “supporting fiscally responsible, environmentally sensible policies and programs that enhance our quality of life.”

It probably does not matter to you, the reader, what my decision is, but I am going to tell you anyway.  I will be voting for Dr. Linda Lukacs. What we have now is basically nothing; I think that Linda will bring new life into a area that is slowly on the skids.  Republican or Democrat does not matter in this regard.  The office is non-partisan and I will be voting for the person that I think is the best for District 2.