KPBS Metro Reporter Katie Orr shares the latest news coming out of San Diego's City Hall following the secret downtown redevelopment deal and impassioned debates over Proposition D.
Transcript
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THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ACTIVEI TY IN CITY HALL. THEY HAVE MADE APOLOGIZE FOR A DEBATE THAT WAS MADE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND THE CITY SALES TAX PROPOSITION HAS BEEN DISPUTEE D AS WELL.
WHAT A WEEK THIS HAS BEEN?
YES.
WHAT IS THE LATEST ON THE CENTER CITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BILL?
TWO WEEKS AGO THE STATE PASSED A LAW THAT LISTED THE CAP OR THE LIMIT ON HOW MUCH TAX REVENUE CCDC CAN COLLECT, PREVIOUSLY THERE HAD BEEN A LIMIT ON HOW MUCH MONEY AND THEY WERE RUNNING UP AGAINST THAT LIMIT AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO DISBAN BY 2823, 2023 AND THIS NEW LAW WILL ALLOW THEM TO STAY IN FORCE.
WHY WAS THE BILL CONTROVERSIAL, I KNOW THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS HAVE RAISED THE POSSIBILITY OF A LAWSUIT?
IT WAS PUT TOGETHER LARGELY IN SECRET. THE MAYOR WORKED WITH CCDC AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT IT GOING BACK AND FORTH AND TALK BACKGROUND THE POSSIBILITYING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY. THE THREE ORGANIZATIONS, THE MAYOR, FLETCHER'S OFFICE AND CC CDC CRAFTED IT AND NO ONE TOLD THE CITY COUNCIL IT WAS MAPPINGG. THE COUNCIL WAS IN THE PROCESS OF DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT THE LIFT THE CAP AT THAT POINT. THE CITY WOULD RECEIVE MORE IN CCDC WOULD RECEIVE WAS NOT EXISTING. NOW THEY HAVE THE CUT, THEY CITY MAY HAVE TO GO BACK AND NEGOTIATE A BIGGER CUT BUT IF THEY DON'T THEN THAT'S WHERE THE LAWSUIT COULD COME IN TO PLAY.
THE MAYOR APOLOGIZEED FOR THE NATURE OF THE SECRETIVE FEEL. DEAL.
HE SAID THAT HE IS SORRY ABOUT THE WAY IT GOT DONE BUT NOT THAT IT GOT DOWN. A NEW DOWNTOWN CHARGEER STADIUM COULD COME OUT OF THIS, SO ANYTHING THAT THEY CAN DO TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR SAN DEALING OH, TO KEEP THE CHARGEERS MERE WOULD BE SOMETHING OPPOSITION WOULD JUMP ON. SALES FAX TAX, HOW IS IT RELATEED?
IT NOT REALLY RELATED. ALONG WITH THE STADIUM, THE CHARGEER STADIUM COULD TAKE UP TO $500 MILLION IN MONEY, IT'S REDEVELOPMENT MONEY BUT THE MAYOR IS STUMPING FOR A SALES TAX INCREASE THAT WOULD GENERATE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE CITY. YOU ARE TALKING REDEVELOPMENT FUNDS AND THE GENERAL FUND BUT IT'S THE PERCEPTION THAT WE ARE THINKING OF GIVING $500 MILLION TO THE CHARGERS AND YOU ARE ASKI NG ME FOR MORE MONEY TO CITY HALL. I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO DO THAT. THERE'S A TRUST ISSUE. PEOPLE ARE CALLING IT A SECRET BACK ROOM DEAL AND SOME OF THOSE STATEMENT SAME PEOPLE ARE SAYING TRUST US WITH YOUR MONEY. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE MOSTED A SERIES OF TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND THEY OUTLINED SERVICES THAT WOULD BE CUT IN PROBLEM D DID NOT PASS. THERE'S BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THE MEETINGS AS WELL WITH THE TIMING.
HE SAID THAT THE TIMING IS THE SAME AS IT ALWAYS IS. HE SAID LISTEN I'M JUST SHOWING YOU WHAT THE POTENTIAL CUTS ARE. THE FIRE, POLICE, PARK AND RECREATION AND THEY ARE TELLING PEOPLE WHAT ARE HAPPENING. CRITICS ARE SAYING YOU ARE BRINGI NG OUT THE CUTS TO SCARE PEOPLE INTO VOTING FOR THIS TAX. THE MAYOR SAID THAT IS NOT TRUE. NIECE ARE POTENTIAL PUBLIC SAFETY IS HALF OF THE GENERAL FUND. SO IT'S LEGITIMATE THAT THEY COULD BE CUT IN IN CITY DOES NOT SEE A INCREASE IN REVENUE, CRITICS ARE QUESTIONING THE TIMING OF THIS MEETINGS.
ABSOLUTELY SO YOU ARE COVERI NG CITY HALL, WHAT ARE YOU COVERING NEXT WEEK LEADSING UP TO THE NOVEMBER SECOND ELECTION. IT'S THE LAST WEEK OF CAMPAIGNI NG FOR THE ELECTION. I'M LOOKING AT LOTS OF PROS AND CONS OF VOTING TO SALES TAX. IT WILL BE A BUSY WEEK
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
