Category: Economy

by Michael Moore

Nothing like it has ever happened. The President of the United States, the elected representative of the people, has just told the head of General Motors — a company that’s spent more years at #1 on the Fortune 500 list than anyone else — “You’re fired!”

I simply can’t believe it. This stunning, unprecedented action has left me speechless for the past two days.

When the city eliminated supervision at skate parks this year to save money, the parks filled with gleeful skaters who no longer had to pay $5 and be under the watchful eye of a supervisor.

Problems followed. The skate park at Robb Field at Ocean Beach was repeatedly tagged with graffiti, forcing city employees to make regular trips to clean it up. Reports surfaced of people drinking and smoking at the skate parks. Parks employees and police officers started checking in on the parks regularly.

Community activists and faith leaders gathered outside a local CVS pharmacy yesterday to warn consumers about expired products found on the shelves at CVS. The community leaders were reacting to the results of a survey, announced today, that found 77 percent of Greater San Diego CVS stores surveyed had expired goods for sale and that CVS stores operating in communities with higher concentrations of residents of color are more likely to lock condoms, creating a deterrent in communities most at risk of HIV/AIDS.

by Frank Gormlie

Tony Manolatos, of Councilmember Kevin Faulconer’s office just got back to me. We had heard that the City was borrowing money to replace the roof of the Ocean Beach branch library, and was planning to spend $150,000 to do the job.

by Anna Daniels

DON’T BREAK OUT THE CHAMPAGNE YET!

The Mayor said he would not propose closing libraries nor reducing hours. What he did NOT say is that he would not cut staff. This is a significant issue, because the City is currently balancing the general fund budget almost entirely on $9.8 million dollars worth of salary savings.

Sunday March 21: Protest was in the air in Hillcrest. It was the sixth anniversary of the Iraq War. Hundreds of San Diegans marched down University Avenue – then down Park Avenue to a rally on the lawn at the front of the War Memorial Building in Balboa Park for a protest of the wars in War and Afghanistan – and a myriad of other issues.

by Anna Daniels

This morning, I attended and testified at the SANDAG (San Diego Area Governments) Transportation Committee. Our transit company, Metropolitan Transit Service (MTS) has suffered a 14 million dollar deficit this year because of the State cuts to transit funding. They anticipate a 17 million dollar shortfall next year.

Mayor Jerry Sanders today told the Voice of San Diego that he has no plans to cut libraries in his new budget. And that includes no reduced hours as well.

The Union-Tribune reported today that the Ciy of San Diego is borrowing $103 million for a slew of repair projects, which include a sum of $150,000 to replace the roof of the Ocean Beach branch library. If the City is about to replace the 80 year old building’s roof, that probably means we don’t have to worry about its closure during the next round of budget crisis maneuvering. Doesn’t it?

I want a plug-in hybrid. A vehicle with lithium-ion batteries good for 40-45 miles, two wheel drive, a six speed computer controlled transmission with a computer that starts a small generator; an 11 hp portable generator is rated for 6200 watts, and yes, burns gas, for now. Modular construction would make it easy to replace the gas power generator with a fuel cell or other non-internal combustion power source.

As it helps push for legislation that would make it easier for workers to organize, the country’s fastest-growing union is engaged in its own labor dispute with employees it is seeking to lay off.

The Service Employees International Union, considered the most influential union in the nation, has notified the union that represents about 220 of the SEIU’s national field staff and organizers that it is laying off 75 of the employees.

(Originally posted July 30, 2008)

by Frank Gormlie

Oh, my god! The Union-Tribune is about to be sold – or at least – is up for sale. What will San Diego do now? Do we care? What does it mean for a one-paper town like San Diego to have its monopoly print media exchange owners … or even close down altogether?