Roundtable: The Ninth Circuit rules on Proposition 8; the teachers union rules on SD Unified's budget plans, and we find out if there are rules for food trucks in SD County.
Proposition 8 Ruled Unconstitutional
Three judges in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled this week (2-1) that California’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. The ruling is narrow, applying only to California and not to all nine western states under the court’s jurisdiction.
The majority opinion said that the purpose and effect of Proposition 8, approved by voters in 2008, was to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians and to classify their relationships as inferior. The dissenting judge said there may be sound reasons for the measure, such as responsible procreation and optimal parenting.
Teachers Union Vs. SDUSD
Weary of whiplash from years of dire budget and layoff predictions followed by “never mind," the San Diego Education Association has taken an increasingly hard line the last three years by refusing to negotiate and even talk with San Diego Unified officials.
This year, though, the district’s budget predictions foresee a deficit of $150 million. Insolvency has even been mentioned. The union has responded to the district’s budget numbers with scorn.
Food Trucks And Health Standards
Food trucks are the new big thing. Formerly found mostly at construction sites serving shrink-wrapped sandwiches and bad coffee, now they offer any kind of food one can think of. There are about 1,100 food trucks in the county, all of them subject to inspection just like restaurants.
But unlike restaurants, they are not issued letter grades that can be posted for customers to see, so they have no idea how closely the truck follows feed safety standards. And unlike restaurant inspections, truck inspections are not tracked electronically.
