In another campaign swing this morning, Thursday, June 6, Mayor Todd Gloria held a news conference at the site of the now-demolished H-Barracks on Harbor Drive. The subject of his message at this “conference” was budgeting to address the homeless crisis in our city.
Gloria is holding a series of these events, called news conferences, but they’re not really. There’s no press — and no public attending. They’re his staged platforms to spout the latest PR on his key campaign issues.
Our friend and long-time San Diego reporter Paul Krueger went to Todd’s “presser” yesterday and wrote the Rag about his observations:
I wanted to alert you to a series of pressers Todd has planned for this week – all of which promote 3 out of his 4 campaign platforms of public safety, infrastructure and homelessness (housing is his 4th platform). He already held a public safety presser on Monday and today he held an infrastructure presser in SE (Emerald Hills) that was a farce.
I went to the above presser this morning and it was blocked off on both sides due to supposed construction.
A friend walked down the street and found that there was, in fact, a presser happening that only included media, city employees and a few people Todd had invited. It was obviously staged to prevent public access and make it appear that city crews were hard at work in SE, although the actual work being performed was on the next street over, not where the presser was. There was no obvious reason why this particular street was blocked off.
Todd this morning, true to form, discussed H Barracks as “a place where people who are living in their vehicles can park safely and legally while also getting connected to the services that can help end their homelessness.”
Here is a key part of his speech:
“Today, we are at the City-owned property known as H Barracks next to San Diego International Airport. In five years or so, this site will become a key part of our groundbreaking Pure Water program.
In the meantime, I’ve directed City staff to turn this land into a place where people who are living in their vehicles can park safely and legally while also getting connected to the services that can help end their homelessness.
This will be the fifth location in our Safe Parking Program, which, since it was launched six years ago, has assisted nearly 5,000 people who have been forced by the high cost of living to live in their vehicles.
Right now, the program operates 233 parking spaces. This site would accommodate another 200 – nearly doubling the program. That’s an additional 200 individuals or families living in their cars or RVs off the street and connected to services.”
For the Mayor’s complete remarks today, click here.
[Editordude: an earlier version of this post credited Peninsula News for its content, but in fact only a sentence was taken from their earlier report from Thursday. The accreditation and link to PN has been removed. We regret any misunderstanding.]
5000 people in 6 years averages 833 1/3 people for 233 parking spaces (almost 4x) in 5 locations? Fuzzy math I think? Were all 233 spaces available 6 years ago?
I am SHOCKED that a press conference was staged.
The steroid cop GOP guy only has impromptu ones!
I will NOT be voting todd this election. Instead I will be voting for the guy from The Goonies that yelled, “HEY YOU GUYS!”
Thanks Paul Kruger!!!
So why has Todd Gloria been a no show at any staged forums with his mayoral opponent, Larry Turner and his constituents? Does he not want to be held publicly accountable? Is he afraid he will have to answer direct questions? Why is he staging these at 8:30 AM, on a weekday, with very short, late day before notice, and then he invited who he wanted there for the dog and pony show, and figured out how to make it difficult for anyone to find him.
I believe Toddles has been playing games between fact and fiction for a very long time in his political game. Starting with how he was raised. I haven’t found any facts to what he claims as his parents occupations. What I did find, is his mom does computer work for her own company, and I’m guessing she might clean her own house too, so maybe that counts. And his dad has worked at General Atomics- Production Controller. United Technology- Supervisor. Hamilton Sundstrand- supervisor, United Technologies- Planner. So I guess it’s possible he was working as a gardener, and supervising other gardeners, watching their production, and planning what to do the next day. And, Real Estate Agent. Doesn’t say anything about gardener in his online Bio. Todd has a brother, two years older. His parents bought a house in 1998 in Murry Ridge Estates when his brother was 22 and Todd 20. IF his dad and mom did what Todd says, where they were employed, they made really good money being a gardener and housekeeper while raising three kids and everyone knows Todd was sent to a private college, at USD. Like a lot of other things 2 + 2 is still not adding up to 4 with this gig. We don’t need another 4yrs. of secrets and closed door drama.
Nahhhh, a left coast Santos? LOL