Morning Report: Higher Water Rates? San Diego City Council Said: Not Today.
EM - News Moderator 
Mayor Todd Gloria didn’t have the votes on Tuesday to pass the huge water and wastewater rate increase needed to avoid layoffs and pay the bills at the city’s Public Utilities Department. Councilmembers voted 8 to 1 to push the decision on a 63 percent water and 31 percent wastewater rate increase to Oct. 28.
The mayor will need at least five votes to pass the rates by that date or risk layoffs at the Public Utilities Department or default on loans. In the meantime, councilmembers want the mayor’s staff to find a way to save San Diegans money on their water bills.
He’s got a lot of work to do. Councilmembers were pretty blunt about their feelings.
“The rates will not go up another 62 percent. This is a non-starter. This is dead on arrival,” said Councilmember Stephen Whitburn. “Let’s go back and get this number down. I want to see the absolute lowest possible number that protects our workers and our residents.”
Read the full story here.
More water news: Add another local water agency to the ranks of water suppliers seeking relief from skyrocketing county water rates.
Sweetwater Authority, which supplies drinking water to a wide swath of South San Diego County, is exploring a major new groundwater project that could eliminate the agency’s need to buy expensive water from the San Diego County Water Authority.
Not everyone is on board with the idea. One prominent critic said the proposal to drill wells and build a desalination plant near the southern border of Chula Vista risks saddling Sweetwater with big construction bills it can’t afford – just like the county water authority.
But Sweetwater General Manager Carlos Quintero said agency officials are hopeful they can generate their own water for less.
Ideally, Quintero said, “in most years we would not have to buy any water from the county water authority.”
Joel Anderson for Treasurer-Tax Collector?
East County Supervisor Joel Anderson is considering a run for county treasurer-tax collector.
Former treasurer-tax collector Dan McAllister left the elected post he’d held for six terms in August, forcing county supervisors to begin a process to appoint someone to fill the post until early 2027.
Before supervisors began publicly interviewing candidates for the interim appointment on Tuesday, the county clerk read a statement from Anderson saying he would recuse himself because he’s considering a bid.
In an interview with Voice after the public announcement, Anderson acknowledged he faces a tough decision. The Republican supervisor said he cares about his district’s needs, but he’s intrigued.
“For me, it’s a dream job,” Anderson said.
But before he throws his hat in the ring, Anderson said he’s consulting community leaders about whether to seek the treasurer-tax collector post.
Related: Supervisors voted Tuesday to proceed with four candidates: current Chief Deputy Treasurer-Tax Collector David Baker, U.S. Rep. Juan Vargas’ Chief of Staff Larry Cohen, Carlsbad City Treasurer Christian Peacox and Detra Williams, a manager in the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office.
The county will host a community meeting with the candidates on Oct. 30, then vote on the interim candidate on Nov. 4.
Mo’ Money, Not Mo’ Shoes
The city of San Diego took issue with our Carrie Bradshaw description of a shoe contract the City Council considered yesterday.
A spokesperson wanted us to clarify that the contract was not to purchase “more” shoes, but for ongoing shoe needs of city employees. The city says it expects to spend less than the contract amount the Council approved.
The city previously had two shoe contracts – each for $2 million – with Boot World Incorporated and Industrial Safety Shoe. Now because Industrial Safety Shoe closed its San Diego store, Boot World has the sole contract.
The city asked the Council to increase its not-to-exceed amount with Boot World from the previous $2 million to $3.2 million to cover purchases formerly supplied by Industrial Safety Shoe.
Politifest: What Do We Do When People With Behavioral Health Problems Refuse Treatment?
The intertwined problems of homelessness, mental illness and drug use are among the San Diego region’s most vexing challenges.
Despite billions in state and local spending, new laws and a parade of elected officials pledging to solve the problem, too many people remain on San Diego’s streets and too many pleas for help go unanswered because services aren’t available.
At our Politifest public affairs forum on Oct. 4 at University of San Diego, we’ll explore one especially urgent part of this problem: What do we do when people with behavioral health problems refuse treatment?
Panelists include Paul Armstrong, chief of staff and vice president of the San Diego Rescue Mission, Dr. Aaron Meyer, professor of psychiatry at the University of San Diego and chief behavioral health officer for the city of San Diego and Tara Stamos-Buesig, founder and CEO of the San Diego Harm Reduction Coalition. They’ll present their unique solutions, ranging from compelling people to receive treatment, to eliminating bureaucratic roadblocks that hinder person-centered care, to boosting peer support and other compassionate approaches.
You won’t want to miss this one. Get tickets here.
Everything You Need to Know About Prop. 50
Aside from our solutions panels, we are also hosting a good ole fashion debate on Proposition 50, the state’s redistricting measure.
Assemblymember Chris Ward will debate Jon Slavet, host of the podcast State of Gold. NBC 7 San Diego’s Joey Safchik will moderate. Get your ticket here.
Our friends at CalMatters created a helpful voter guide with everything you need to know about Proposition 50. You can read it here.
In Other News
- Supervisors took a crucial second vote Tuesday to allow the Citizens’ Law Enforcement Review Board to investigate the role of medical staff following jail deaths. (Union-Tribune)
- The Imperial Beach City Council on Wednesday is expected to appoint a new councilmember to replace former District 3 Councilmember Mitch McKay, who was appointed Mayor following the election of former Mayor Paloma Aguirre to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors earlier this year. Councilmembers previously selected four finalists (one of whom subsequently withdrew) from a field of eight applicants and plan to choose one of those finalists Wednesday.
- A new electric vehicle charging station at a Valero gas station in Chula Vista takes credit cards just like a regular gas pump. That’s right, no app required. (Union-Tribune)
- Yoga lovers, rejoice. A federal appeals court on Monday rejected the city of San Diego’s bid to overturn an earlier ruling that found a city ordinance banning yoga classes in public places was unconstitutional. (Times of San Diego)
- Multiple schools near Chollas View were locked down for roughly 45 minutes Tuesday afternoon after an 18-year-old was shot at Gompers Preparatory Academy charter school. Police said the shooting was gang-related. No suspects were identified. (CBS8)
- The San Diego Housing Commission is kicking off a new screening process for citizenship and immigration status for homeless housing projects to avoid losing millions of dollars in federal funding. (NBC 7)
The Morning Report was written by MacKenzie Elmer, Jim Hinch, Lisa Halverstadt and Mariana Martínez Barba. It was edited by Andrea Sanchez-Villafaña.
The post Morning Report: Higher Water Rates? San Diego City Council Said: Not Today. appeared first on Voice of San Diego.
