Idiocy in Public Office Abounds

Have you had a chance to catch a glimpse of the "Task Force Final Report"
from the mayor's citizen task force on the convention center project? A quick scan of the report highlights what is wrong with San Diego. To think 17 intelligent people would conclude the expenditure of 750 million dollars on the expansion of the San Diego Convention Center is the right thing to do in today's economy and the state of financial instability in the City of San Diego is pure lunacy. The head idiot, who from the beginning, has gone on record as being the "Champion" of the convention center expansion, is the mayor. In usual form, he commissioned a "Task Force" stacked with his political allies and chums to provide a "recommendation" from which he can tout as he puts the city further in debt.

The idiocy of those in public office who would for one millisecond think it is a wise use of public funds to expand a convention center when there are so many real issues facing this city is appalling. With a straight face, this joke of a mayor stands in public and blames unions and police officers for the state of the city's finances because the city provided us benefits he now believes are illegal or excessive or no longer affordable or too political for his liking to be honest about. The mayor reduces police officer benefits, cuts wages, eliminates retirement medical for new hires, raises the age of retirement to 55 for new hires, increases the cost of medical insurance and forces over 150 senior, experienced officers to leave and now he is moving to spend 750 million dollars that he does not have. On what planet is this acceptable? San Diego?

If people sit back and allow this to occur my faith in the political system and the taxpayer will be forever damaged beyond repair. To think the public would allow the mayor to get away with this sham and hide behind this joke of a task force of cronies and political supporters is pathetic. It is criminal to think the elected members of the city council would consider this for even a second. Labor and taxpayers need to unite and stop the idiocy occupying the political offices in this city. Taking on more debt of the magnitude this ill-conceived project will require is complete and total idiocy.

Projections are being made today that indicate a 100 million dollar deficit for next year. This will no doubt translate to additional cuts to wages and benefits as well as reductions to the work force. Let us not forget the firefighters; City Attorney's and MEA, all have two year deals that protect them. That leaves the SDPOA and Local 127 hanging in the wind when the mayor moves to eviscerate us further to balance yet another budget on our backs. Does anyone think hiring and retention is a problem today? Just wait for next year when wages are cut again, medical insurance premiums increase, flexible benefit moneys are reduced and young officers flee to other agencies offering more money, better benefits and more security. With the idiocy taking place in San Diego and city hall; San Diego is headed for ruin and soon to be a haven for crime and homeless.