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on Who Will Represent the Peninsula? District 2 Candidates Take Questions at Liberty Station: “I wasn’t able to attend the forum, but I do note from the photo that Mandy Havlik is the only…” Apr 30, 09:29
on Who Will Represent the Peninsula? District 2 Candidates Take Questions at Liberty Station: “I met with Josh Coyne fairly early on in Campbell’s term. He was almost catatonic for fear of saying something…” Apr 30, 08:57
on Driver Who Killed Tracy Condon as She Sat on the Curb Sentenced to 270 Days in Work Furlough: “Moral of the story, feel free to flee the scene of a crime if you promise to be remorseful in…” Apr 30, 08:18
on Former FBI Director Comey Surrenders Over Charge of Threatening Trump’s Life With Seashells: “This is sarcasm….. right??” Apr 30, 08:08
on Thoughts on the District 2 Candidates: “But does that mean he did anything illegal?” Apr 29, 22:53
on Thoughts on the District 2 Candidates: “The mailers did not say that he was a candidate nor did they state who paid for them. He was…” Apr 29, 19:39
on Thoughts on the District 2 Candidates: “Here you go Carol: https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2025/12/05/coronados-former-mayor-moved-to-san-diego-and-is-acting-a-lot-like-someone-running-for-something/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRfnZFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE2VXpVOWlnUDFHbUR0emc4c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHj02Em4UKHob99ZfFbwxdKHYJN8u73oIWOatFFcnCyTZ0vMIq84KJXW7pVfI_aem_ig22woE68TZDQkUFu3q93w Evidence that he sent the flyers and that they do not identify who paid for…” Apr 29, 19:31
on Thoughts on the District 2 Candidates: “Carol, Richard probably had money left over from his Coronado days.” Apr 29, 19:06
on Thoughts on the District 2 Candidates: “Frank, thank you for the well done summary” Apr 29, 19:05
on US Supreme Court Just Gutted the Voting Rights Act: “I agree entirely, Keith, and this shows clearly why Californians should be talking about, and planning for Calexit. That’s right,…” Apr 29, 19:00
on Thoughts on the District 2 Candidates: “Thanks Jacob for your clarification. The Rag offer to publish any D2 candidate’s 1,000 word policy statement still stands.” Apr 29, 16:14on Thoughts on the District 2 Candidates: “To clarify my stance on Midway rising. I support redevelopment and I would do my best to manage a development…” Apr 29, 15:33
Oh, nice! We should all ask Bailey why he abandoned the Republican party.
What are his views on Trump?
What does he think about the genocide in Gaza?
What about the violence & murders on the West Bank?
Abolish ICE, Bailey person?
No on Bailey
Fifth Column
Pretty sure our next councilmember won’t be making any decisions on foreign policy. I care more about his thoughts on housing affordability and taxes.
Bailey met with our small group yesterday. That’s the first thing I asked him, why did you switch from Republican to Independent? His answer? Just subterfuge basically. “I hate politics.” From us questioning him on the exact topics you stated, it was obvious he was far from those of us who have done our homework. He even used Obama when we questioned him about ICE. He’s definitely still a Trumper in wolf’s clothing. I’ve heard 4 of the candidates in person so far and will be at the Forum with all 7 of them on Monday the 27th at Liberty Station. So far I’m Team Mandy Havlik. She lives here and truly cares about OB.
So did you actually invest a bit of your precious time to come to the meeting and ask those burning questions ? I grow weary of people who tell us all what we should do.
This comment was IRT UnWashed., not to OB Mercy.
I care about Liberty Station and our NTC public park. I did lots of the original literature review and drilling the first day work could start and we got our right of entry permit for the redevelopment project. Conrad and I use to walk our dogs every day all around Liberty Station, especially the NTC Park and along the NTC Channel.
Liberty Station NTC Lessee Seligman Properties the national management company who bought the McMillin NTC leases sued the City of San Diego in Sacramento in order to get access to take over our public NTC Park from the City of San Diego. For 4 years, Seligman Properties lawsuit is claiming there are no development left at Liberty Station. When there is still the toxic NTC channel, shoreline improvements, storm drains, several unfinished barracks, and the a few main commander houses along Rosecrans that have yet to be developed
The Oversight Board Successor Agency Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule (ROPS) documents 4 Line Items totaling almost $23 million in RPTTF hoarded funds for NTC Liberty Station projects that are on hold due to lawsuits. If the Leesee get the property, they will have access and ownership to the $23 million siting in the bank. Super sneaky of them.
In fact, in theory we can add as much money as required to the ROPS to clean the toxic NTC Navy Channel, and Shoreline Improvement on both the East and West Side. Probably including a new Aquatic Center and Recreation Center that burned down if we have 4 of 7 votes to include unfinished NTC improvements to the SA ROPS.
In theory, Seligman Properties could get a 99-year lease and try to steal our public park, then charge us fees to use or to park. Or they can try the same thing as Mission Bay and attempt to build luxury housing on our public park land.
Luckily it looks like the City of San Diego will prevail, pay out the taxing entity, and retain the property under public control and ownership.
City Council District 2 Candidate Richard Bailey wants to gift the creepy Seligman Properties our public park lands. Plus he thinks McMillin used their own private money to pay for public lease improvements. When the money to redevelopment NTC Liberty Station came from RDA Tax Increment (TI) and taxpayers, not McMillin. McMillin only got rich from the redevelopment project, he was not doing anyone any favors. And they did not take risks, because it was not their money, put public financing.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DV7FJ6JAdlZ/
Per Richard Bailey.
“Liberty Station was originally a Naval Training Center and trained an estimated 3 million personnel until 1997 when it was decommissioned.
The City of San Diego took ownership of the land and leased most of the buildings to a private developer to redevelop the property for commercial use. The structure of the deal required the developer to take all of the upfront capital risk in exchange for a longterm lease of $1 per year through 2070.
That redevelopment turned into the shops, restaurants, and entertainment site at Liberty Station.
But some of the buildings remained owned and managed by the City of San Diego. One of those buildings was promised to be turned into a public aquatic center. But 25 years later, after no plan or funding to redevelop the city-managed building, it burned to the ground.
Changes in state law and a recent court decision, require the city to either sell Liberty Station or make plans for future development. The city is now taking steps to consider future development, but given the city’s poor track record of asset management, there’s a strong argument to be made that the city should sell the property.
Why?
1) it’s required by the law, unless the city will really develop the site in the future.
2) a successful city redevelopment project is unlikely given the city’s track record of asset management.
3) a sale could be structured that ensures the longterm viability of Liberty Station, guarantees existing public amenities be maintained at no expense to the city, and secure additional public benefits, like new recreational facilities that were promised to the public 25 years ago.
A private-public deal like this seems much more likely to generate a positive outcome that benefits the public, than the city eventually taking ownership and management of Liberty Station in 2070.”
All the candidates should be asked if they will commit to serving the full 4 year term on the City Council if elected. I’m proposing this since Richard Bailey is blatantly already running for mayor. He will spend his time on the City Council campaigning for the open mayor position in 2 more years. So if we want a City Council person working on our behalf, don’t vote for Richard Bailey.
I attended this meeting and was impressed with how skilfully and professionally the LOW ran the show. They set the rules. They enforced the rules (gently of course). I heard opinions from all candidates equally. The candidates were mostly restricted from pontificating on off-topic things. The question askers were restricted to asking questions and from telling their own stories. I could go on and on. The LOW has my vote for sure !
Also I want to commend whoever it was who fixed the acoustics in the conference center. The last time I went there I couldn’t understand what the speakers were speaking due the excessibe reverberation from the space. Well, someone fixed that and for this event I could hear every word.
Regarding the candidates, they all did well. I liked a little bit of what each of them said. I wish I could take the good parts of each and put them togather into a perfect whole. For those who didn’t attend, the LOW will be putting the “film at 11” up on their website.
Thank you to the Point Loma Association and the League of Women Voters for asking my question to the District 2 City Council Canidates at the Debate.
What is the Policy positions for all District 2 Candidates on Seligman Properties, the master lessee of Liberty Station trying to take control of Liberty Station’s NTC Park from the City of San Diego?
That also includes gifting the $23 million in Hoarded Redevelopment Agency (RDA) revenue for the NTC Channel walkway improvements and storm drains to Seligman Property’s private control.
The only person who wanted to gift our public NTC Park to the private national leaseholders Seligman Property for $2+ million was Richard Bailey.
In the name of managed competition. NOT COOL.
Hopefully, Richard will give us a call so that he can understand the financial scam, and change his naive NTC Park Giveaway Policies to out of state Billionaires. Everyone else knows a bad financial and land use deal, except Richard Bailey. He needs to reevaluate his Bad Policy choices.