Donna Frye: ‘What We Know About Measure C’

San Diego River. Photo by Donna Frye, Sat., Oct. 29, 2022

Nothing Is Easy

By Donna Frye

I read in The San Diego Union-Tribune recently that Midway Rising (who is currently having private discussions with the city to get the exclusive development rights for the Sports Arena area) has provided over $450,000 in campaign contributions to help pass Measure C.

According to the article, “More than $300,000 has already been spent, primarily on mailers.”

Those are the same mailers that make numerous false claims about what Measure C does, such as creating 2,000 affordable homes for working families, veterans and the homeless and adding 20 acres of public parks and public open space.

We know that Measure C does not do what the voters have been led to believe it does.

We know that it is a height exemption measure that allows the land area of the Coastal Zone within the Midway-Pacific Highway Community Plan to be exempt from the voter approved 30-foot height limit.

We know that  Measure C sets no numeric cap on building height so no one knows just how high the buildings could be.

We know that even SeaWorld’s 1998 ballot measure to exempt their public leasehold from the height limit in the Coastal Zone had a numeric cap; it was half the height of the existing Sky Tower.

SeaWorld. Photo by Donna Frye, Sat., Oct. 29, 2022

We know Measure C does not correct an “error in judgment” on the part of the voters from 50 years ago when the area was included as part of the Coastal Zone.

According to the Midway-Pacific Highway Community Plan, this area “was historically an area of tidal marshes and flats where the San Diego River branched at the mouth of Mission Valley to flow into both San Diego Bay and False Bay (now known as Mission Bay).”

We know Measure C requires no affordable housing and that not one home is required to be built for working families, veterans or the homeless.

We know that not one acre of park land or public open space is required and nothing is required related to the Climate Action Plan goals or reducing emissions.

We know there is not one word in the Measure C ballot text that requires any of those things because we read it. Yet, the campaign mailers continue with the lies.

So what can we do to help since we are being grossly outspent?

With the election so close and so many people having already voted it’s quite a challenge. I think the best we can do now is to get as many people as we can to vote “no” on Measure C.

I know that it won’t be easy to overcome the huge financial advantage of the Measure C supporters.

I also know that no matter what, we will keep trying to get the word out because that’s what we do.