Governments under scrutiny over press credentials

By ELLIOT SPAGAT Associated Press

Posted:   03/10/2013 12:14:26 PM PDT

Updated:   03/10/2013 02:23:50 PM PDT

SAN DIEGO—Years ago, the San Diego police chief and county sheriff cut a deal to save each other time. The sheriff would issue concealed weapons permits for the region and the chief would grant media credentials used to get behind police tape.

With the chief embroiled in a lawsuit by a freelance photographer and videographer who was denied a pass and a widening national debate over who should qualify for privileged access, it looks like the sheriff may have gotten the better end of the deal.

San Diego police may follow other agencies by ending media credentials as the spread of bloggers and online publications make it more difficult to define who is a journalist. The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security stopped issuing credentials last month and the Orange County Sheriff's Department in Southern California did so in December.

"With the advancements in digital media and the proliferation of bloggers, podcasters and freelancers, it has become challenging to determine who should receive a press pass," the sheriff's department said.

At stake for journalists is whether they can cover certain stories. At stake for the general public is who delivers their news.

One scenario is that authorities don't allow anyone behind police tape, said Mickey Osterreicher, general counsel for the National Press Photographers Association. Another possibility is that bloggers with large followings and high professional standards are shut out.

 

"If everybody is precluded from observing, photographing, writing about it, then at the end of the day we don't have a very transparent government and the public loses," Osterreicher said. "If you limit it too much, then you exclude a lot of people out there who practice journalism but don't fall in the traditional definition."

San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore's spokeswoman told a Society of Professional Journalists forum last month that not everyone who claims to be a journalist is the same.

"You can sit with your Apple laptop and your fuzzy slippers, you can be an 800-pound disabled man that can't get out of bed, and be a journalist because you can blog something," said Jan Caldwell, public affairs director. "Does that give you the right—because you blog in your fuzzy slippers out of your bedroom and you don't go out and you haven't gotten that degree—should you be called a journalist?"

Caldwell answered no, but her remarks at the forum drew swift reactions. Sara Libby, managing editor of the online Voice of San Diego, wrote that the "stereotype of bloggers as slovenly basement dwellers is incredibly antiquated" and said bloggers "rule the world."

http://www.times-standard.com/statenews/ci_22760270/governments-under-scrutiny-over-press-credentials

 

Judge rejects San Diego County transit plan

The Associated Press

Wednesday, Dec. 05, 2012 | 06:04 AM

 

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego County governments may have to redraw a nearly $200 billion plan that lays out transportation projects for the next 40 years.

U-T San Diego ( http://bit.ly/Vj94KJ) says a county judge ruled this week that the plan doesn't meet state environmental laws on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The plan, adopted by the San Diego Association of Governments, calls for meeting transportation needs in the growing county with 130 new highway lanes, 156 miles of trolley service and nearly $4 billion in bike and pedestrian projects.

It was challenged by preservation groups and state Attorney General Kamala Harris.

Colleen Windsor, a spokeswoman for the San Diego Association of Governments, says the group feels the plan does meet state requirements. The group's board will meet Friday to discuss the ruling.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/12/05/3089597/judge-rejects-san-diego-county.html

The Buzz: Lifeguard pensions a campaign issue in San Diego-area race

Published: Monday, Oct. 15, 2012 - 12:00 am | Page 3A

San Diego-area Assembly candidates tangle over lifeguard pensions

Lifeguards in Oceanside get the same retirement package as cops – a fact that has surfaced in an Assembly race featuring two Republicans.

One of the candidates for the San Diego area's 76th Assembly District, former legislative stafferSherry Hodges, put out an email this week hammering former Oceanside City CouncilmanRocky Chavez for the city's "aquatic specialist" pensions.

You probably know them as "lifeguards."

Chavez was on the City Council that unanimously voted to grant those employees a package that guarantees 3 percent of their highest annual wage times their years of service. Under that formula, an employee with 20 years of service making $60,000 annually receives a $36,000 pension.

Chavez, who worked in Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration, brushed aside the pension hubbub. He acknowledged the vote, which occurred in 2003. And, he said, it affected just two full-time staff members. The city's part-time lifeguards don't get pensions.

Hodges' attack is "one of many attempts" to rescue her campaign, Chavez said, but he's not biting. He can afford to stay above the fray: His campaign's internal polling shows he's up by 15 percentage points.

CAMPAIGN WATCH

Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, left, and his GOP challenger, Ricky Gill of Lodi, face off at 6 tonight in what's expected to be their only debate in the nationally watched battle for the 9th Congressional District. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at Long Theater at the University of the Pacific's Stockton campus. The university is co-hosting the event with the League of Women Voters.

WORTH REPEATING

"Why is it I get the feeling that Molly Munger is looking at several years of state tax audits?"

BILL WHALEN, a Hoover Institution fellow and former speechwriter for Gov. Pete Wilson, via Twitter on Friday. He was referring to Munger's attack on Gov. Jerry Brown's tax-increase measure.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/15/4911471/the-buzz-lifeguard-pensions-a.html#storylink=cpy

 

 

Reposted from Examiner.com:

I have GREAT news to share!

 

Moments ago Judge Vargas DENIED the government labor unions’ legal challenge to Prop B – Pension Reform. 

 

The court has rejected a “Restraining Order” that would have prevented the Mayor and City Council from proceeding forward with Prop B.

 

Here's the brief statement I released upon hearing the news: 

 

“Today San Diego citizens scored a big win for Pension Reform! Judge Vargas’ decision clears the way for the City to respect the mandate of 66% of San Diego voters who approved Prop B’s pension reforms.

 

However, even with today’s positive court decision, it will take a Mayor who is genuinely committed to the timely implementation of Pension Reforms – Bob Filner has fought against pension reform every step of the way.”

 

Today's victory is the result of thousands of San Diegans who worked together to qualify and pass Prop B.  

 

We are not out of the woods yet.  The government labor unions will surely continue their efforts to invalidate this historic election and block real pension reform.  Bob Filner is the biggest ally the government employee unions have in their war on pension reform.  That's exactly why Pension Reform will remain the centerpiece of my campaign for Mayor -- and the focus of my first months in office.

 

Please forward this email to your friend and neighbors!  And encourage them to join our campaign today by visiting http://mail.oncorporation.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://m3.civicmailer.com/fs/d:l/107hq7vkuckprau/10r4s0e1ioec9s9/0

 

In service,

 

Carl DeMaio

A Letter From The President

June 8, 2012

The California Primary was a huge success from a “tea party” stand point. Many of the candidates that were supported by citizen activists made it through to the general election in November. And is spite of the “open primary” we really had a great showing of conservative candidates with even some third party candidates making in through to the general.

 

Prop 28 was approved which means that the elected in Sacramento will be able to stay in their positions even longer before needing to seek re-election, this mean it’s even more imperative to see those positions being held by candidates we want to help us govern in the state.

 

Prop 29 the tax increase for new bureaucracy was defeated, narrowly but still defeated. This was great especially after the news that Governors in California had used 9/11 scholarship monies to support their failed policies and budgets, which was a good sign of things to come with yet another new branch of government that would have been created under Prop 29.

 

San Diego had a great showing with fiscally conservative city councilman DeMaio making it through to the general against long time Congressional ruling elite Bob Filner. And San Diegans decided to give the unions a run for their money by approving Prop A , open competitive bidding for contracts and Prop B true pension reform. San Diego and San Jose made national news by passing the pension reform measures.

I am so proud of all of the hard done by the voters and groups in California that educated voters for months. It is a good day in California and with much perseverance and divine intervention it may be a turning of the pendulum back to common sense fiscally responsible governance in our Golden State.

To see a list of the races in CA go to this spreadsheet I prepared, https://www.box.com/s/a02d5334194371f666d9

Stay tuned for our next mission as we are not done yet and we need to prepare for the general election in November where there will be more tax increases on the ballot.

The best tweet seen last week was, “I can see November from WI!” love it!

 SoCal TRC Team

January 3, 2012

San Diego Union-Tribune becomes "U-T San Diego"

California has a new daily newspaper - sort of.

The San Diego Union-Tribune, which was recently acquired by local hotelier Doug Manchester, became "U-T San Diego" Tuesday, a name change that also affected its website.

As the newspaper's employees adjust to a new name, they also must adjust to new management decrees that they must dress in "sharp business attire" - a major change for those who live and work in a city known for its casual lifestyle - and must work a regular schedule of 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with an hour for lunch. That translates into a 40-hour work week, rather than the 371/2 hours that had been standard.

Manchester purchased the newspaper from Platinum Equity, an investment firm, which had acquired it in 2009 from David Copley, the last in a long string of Copley family owners.

The Union-Tribune and its Copley News Service once had as many as five reporters covering the state Capitol but the new U-T San Diego has just one, Michael Gardner.

Posted by Dan Walters

http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/01/san-diego-union-tribune-becomes-u-t-san-diego.html

San Diego has spent $2.4M to police Occupy demonstration

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The city has so far spent about $2.4 million to police the open-ended Occupy San Diego demonstration that began nearly seven weeks ago, officials reported Tuesday.

The price tag for keeping the social-justice movement safe and orderly includes nearly $144,000 in overtime costs, according to a statement from the San Diego Police Department.     

The remainder of the expenses stemmed from on-duty personnel reassigned from their regular duties to handle the ongoing demonstration, which has used Civic Center Plaza as its main center of operations.

"This redeployment has been in the form of every division supplying one to three officers every shift, every day, taking them away from the neighborhoods they are assigned to serve," SDPD public-affairs Lt. Andra Brown said. "(It) also includes administrative and investigative personnel who have been taken away from their caseloads to work at the Occupy sites." The average per-day cost for the special enforcement has been $56,876, according to Brown.

"The countless hours spent by chiefs and the Central Division captain are not included in these figures," she added.

The leaders of the demonstration have vowed to keep their campaign going strong until their demands - including meaningful action addressing poverty, joblessness, corporate malfeasance and political corruption - are met.

http://www.cbs8.com/story/16106844/san-diego-has-spent-24m-to-police-occupy-movement

 

DeMaio Heads to Texas

Joins Business Leaders To Study Job Creation

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

 

 

SAN DIEGO - San Diego mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio will join a delegation of business leaders tomorrow for a three-day trip to Texas to study efforts to attract and create jobs.

 

"When it comes to promoting job growth, city leaders could learn a lot from Texas," said DeMaio. "City leaders must commit to study and act on all ideas that will help get San Diegans back to work."

 

DeMaio has already outlined a number of job creation initiatives in his "Pathway to Prosperity" Plan - and says he's looking forward to including lessons learned from this trip in additional policy proposals.

 

Economic data demonstrates that Texas has fared much better than San Diego in this rough economy. Recent unemployment numbers place Austin at 6.5% unemployed, compared to 10.2% in San Diego County. One reason for this is the amount of jobs leaving California for business-friendly states like Texas. In fact, a recent article in the Austin Statesman began with the sobering statement, "When the experts go looking for new jobs to bring to Austin, California is a prime hunting ground."

 

"We cannot afford to keep losing good paying jobs to other cities that are willing create a more attractive environment for them," added DeMaio. "The policies we pursue in San Diego will determine whether we are providing jobs for San Diegans, or sending our jobs to other states like Texas."

 

On the first day of the trip, DeMaio will meet with business owners, conduct site visits of major economic zones, examine Austin's successful "cohesive permitting process," and visit sites dedicated to developing Clean-Tech and High-Tech jobs in the region.

 

On the second day, DeMaio will meet with representatives from every level of government, business organizations, and stakeholders in economic development to learn their perspective on what public policy initiatives have contributed to Texas' success with job creation and retention. 

 

The business delegation trip to Texas is being organized by the San Diego North Chamber of Commerce.  DeMaio is paying for all of his travel expenses out of his personal funds.

 

 

DeMaio Reviews Ideas for Job Creation in San Diego

Says City Leaders Must Listen to Concerns of Working Families and Business Leaders

 

SAN DIEGO - Councilmember Carl DeMaio wrapped up the first in a series of "Job Creation Summits" with San Diego business leaders armed with a list of what he calls "cutting edge ideas that will make San Diego the leader in innovation, entrepreneurship, and job creation."

 

"We need to get San Diegans back to work - and I'm aggressively pursuing ideas to make city government a help, rather than a hindrance, to economic recovery in our region," DeMaio said. 

 

The Summit was attended by over 60 local business leaders from the hotel, tourism, defense, banking, construction, development, insurance, retail, and restaurant industries.  Among the ideas generated during the three hour summit:

 

• Switch to fixed-price permits with turn-around time guarantees        
• Use "self-certification" for some city permits      
• Expand online business services and permit applications     
• Expand the Convention Center     
• Commit to fair competition policies on construction and development projects
• Create "Innovation Labs" within the Development Services Department to encourage competition and efficiencies
• Update community plans as soon as possible
• Encourage businesses to be more proactive in their interaction with policy-makers at City Hall     
• Make it easier to hold special events in San Diego, which brings tourism and boosts the economy
• Direct the Tourism Management District to pursue "niche" tourism sectors, such as major cultural events

 

At several points during the summit, DeMaio committed on-the-spot to champion many of the ideas offered, and to thoroughly review all of the ideas with his "Job Creation Task Force" in the coming weeks.  DeMaio is adding ideas weekly to his "Pathway to Prosperity" Jobs Plan which he is using to drive changes in city government policy, regulation, and processes. 

 

 DeMaio will hold another Job Creation Summit on October 21 - focused on Workforce Development, the retail and restaurant industries, and other small business sectors. 

 

"If you want to know how to position government to help the economy, you need to listen to the people who actually create the jobs: our small business owners and entrepreneurs," DeMaio concluded.

 

To view DeMaio's "Pathway to Prosperity" Plan visit: www.sandiego.gov/cd5