Roundtable On Navy Broadway, Toni Atkins, Poway Unified

Welcome to our discussion of the week's talks. Joining me at the KPBS roundtable today are Roger Shelley who covers growth and development for the San Diego Union Tribune. Hello Roger. Mark. Spent the dispute in. Politics editor of the Union Tribune. And investigative reporter Ashley McGlone of voice of San Diego for the hello Ashley. Welcome. A controversial major construction project on prime waterfront land and by the break ground soon..Manchester's maybe Broadway complex has been languishing for years but now the California coastal commission has thrown holy water on it leaving one lastly a barrier to be overcome. Roger, start by telling us how big this thing is. It is picked. And, where it will be successful. It covers 12 acres in Broadway, and arbitrate and Pacific Highway. It is been in the works since 1989. It's taken almost 10 years for Manchester do get this point of possibly getting approval your forward. Hasn't the city tried to get the needed to see the property over for decades? Because, doesn't this go back way back to World War I time? The city voters gated the land to the Navy. The Navy has control over it. They didn't have a reversionary clause of the time. So, the city, they never made much of an effort to try to get the land back. A lot of citizen groups try to do that but it didn't go anywhere. I did Doug Manchester, who we should set of courses a former owner of your newspaper, how did he secure rights to build this back in 2006? There was a competition, but the Navy held taking bids for different companies in Manchester. Is built a lot of basis? Is a 99 year lease with the Navy. White is that anyone to keep it? The Navy doesn't like the way anything. But, they want a new building. The whole thing was predicated on giving every office building -- land to the developer and this is what this is all about. Is going to be a real mixed juice project at it is clamoring out? Offices in motels. They are not allowed the residential there. It will be couple of office towers and hotels and a museum of some kind as well. Intently throughout the idea of some time to put a new City Hall there? Well, Roger knows more than I do. There's been a lot of different suggestions for that per the waterfront. At one point there was a one other questions I have is that, as we get into the legal aspect of it, are there different rules for that waterfront site, because it is a coastal zone and B because it is federally on? Does that make things different than your normal legal battle over deponent? ,, It would be for district make these decisions but I said, federal -- city has no authority, giving advice on what land-use they like to have. And the coast mission has some oversight. Also somewhat limited. So, troubled recently whether the division given approval, coastal commission then said it is been 20 years since we gave that, we should do it again. The court said, you can't do that. Then they tried to force Manchester back into planning mode. They finally came to an agreement in court that they would drop, the coastal commission would drop the lawsuit with a few minor to Yes, what are some of the things just briefly that Manchester conceded? They said, but the museum -- instead back of the property. What have a museum I take my? I don't know. They might be a meeting is him -- Midway present. Does not have a real military missing. So, people thought maybe that would be the is a. The other thing I said was, make the stores and restaurants on Harbor Drive face the water, that they, instead of being inwardly oriented. And then there was -- dollars a some sort of condition that they would pay the state for whatever. Small potatoes to. Nothing that was going to be a dealbreaker. Now, attorney Cory breaks, please call the coastal commission stupid. He said the conference was a threat to public safety. What is his point here on all that? Some opponents including Cory made the argument that if you 9/11 a federal facility had to be parted against terrorism and he said, while this is a Navy headquarters. What better target is there than this big office tower. You could blow up somehow. And then wipe out to people. Several blocks. The Navy says that is not really case. It will not be a war on terror your quarter. It -- It is not dependent on West. It is still an office building. It will be pentagon whispered a little Pentagon. Some military have been turned by the people, but the general public areas for hotels, resorts, you know, overseas, have been a much riskier more because they don't have the kind of defense. There was an idea that Congresswoman said, why don't you build a building under the Navy land-based rather than a city block. That never got past. They could've worked out some other arrangement for what the property would be putting the Navy said, they were so far along in this event 30 years to do this. Give me a break. They want the administrative office. Is adjusted should be just be public land. Is that everyone having? Us talk about the other lawsuit to go the last hurdle. He's claiming it's a violation of the federal national environmental policy act. And, I don't know, that is been appealed. There is a three-judge panel that is going to will of that. I imagine by the end of the year. They could appeal a full circuit Court of Appeals. And, US Supreme Court just drag thing out. Approved. I think a more to the point is, Manchester, he is in the 70s, will he let this whole process 20 build something, is there a demand for 1,000,000 ft.² of office and hotels. There is a demand now, so, it may be another real estate cycle before the actually started. Best case scenario for them, they get this thing settled for the courts and by 2019, they might start construction. There's another, I want to shift gears and this segment. There's another big development project in the news this week. It is the expansion of the convention center. Petabyte from Council member Todd what he eczematous. This will give us the largest contiguous exhibit space on the entire West Coast of North America. And provide San Diego's, locals, with a 5 acre rooftop park that will provide spectacular views of San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean offer free, all year round. There's your optimistic take on this expansion which of course may never get done, speaking of projects that have been hung up, but the news this week, the president went up. What happened there? The original plan was $520 million. The latest numbers $549 million the number first reported was the report people just look to the wrong:. Is not really that important. More important thing is the Faulkner said, with this report which says we should do continuous rather than offset and ask which we call campus. We get more money, more economic benefit by spending on where the convention center is now. The country kill that idea of having to settle a campus or whatever you want to call it. Is not part of that existing convention center. If you look at the numbers, doesn't seem all that impressive that the bigger one next door will be in a more popular than the one across the street. And, ideally, both should be -- major convention center in the next 20 years, you should have off-site and complete the convention center as it is now., Corey brings our favorite. And, he already succeeded in killing the financing for the question is, no matter what you want to do how will you pay for? And, Faulkner, pricing, I want to make this happen. We'll try to get this hotel tax back and get the voters to approve two thirds. We have not had two thirds approval for anything right along. And, so, it's possible that nothing will happen and the convention center will not be expanded. And then, maybe this whole idea of the Convention Ctr., Stadium complex downtown will happen. That presupposes all these other things happening with the charges. Have chosen segment so that for years. Stated. It will be the San Diego Way. We're going to shift gears now. This maybe the summer of top nationwide that here in San Diego, it could the season of upsets are not. Let's start with San Diego, Toni Atkins which took of assembly speaker with great fanfare while it is out there who speakership was short-lived. Michael, what is happened this week? What is going on? The Democrats and the state assembly agreed to replace Toni Atkins, not immediately with her success. The big news is that happened a little early. That is the way of the normal course of things. We wanted to speak instead of having somebody go). Predecessor will to the next move. So, it is start of an or leaving. Is is a recently in? Think of Willie Brown and those that were there forever? We have turmoil. Willie Brown was a speaker for like, and 15 years. Famous. He called himself the Ayatollah. And, before, it's a larger-than-life figure. Whether you like or not. So, it's much more short-term now. What also is going on here with that, again, they made a move to the center of Republican leader and the change that person in sort of a two of the last May. The legislative session this year. It was a bit of compromise that obviously, the person that will be taking over Toni Atkins, have the was a wanted to do that. The other votes, but they agreed to delay with you actually take office. Are has to actually the real vote in a fully center, not just the Democrats which they say will happen in January. So, they should finish out the next week without too much turmoil. San Diego loses their homegrown speaker January, right? Who cares. Is a matter who the speakers? More to the point is, -- but not having Tony for another year. I think so. Having somebody in a strong leadership position, the speaker, there are certain things you certainly get. Toni Atkins has had some impact, a big person in this big water bond that there try to get out of the ballot for long-term. Which is going understand you will something that will debate over time. Certainly having people and powerful positions helps the local area. But the reality is, she came it as a caretaker of the installed her last year with only two years left and it was understood that by the beginning of next year, probably at the latest, they would move on. This isn't like on this huge to. What also goes on, the changed terminals. The simply can only spend six years, three to your terms. We voted to expand that to 12 years overall. So, the new person could come in and, he can last until 2024 which is a lot longer than the most recent speakers and there is value in that. They could've gone on for life had they done that, but being in there for a longer period of time, you tend to be more powerful unless there is a -- of course. Use like the last year. Term limits have change for the dynamic, Willie Brown, have been in the legislator for a while. It is usually some of the games security. Now it is reversed because temperatures they want to get in summary early that they think has the chops to do it but it is still a little bit of a guess because he is only been there year but they want the launch of the but that longevity is limited by to Holder and dynamic. Before we get off the Toni Atkins topic, she has been asked what her plans are, whether she'll come back to San Diego and run for mayor. Here's what she said. We have a bite for the IRCA I think it is very clear that my focus is Sacramento. Supporting San Diego and Sacramento. On the first speaker from San Diego. Unmindful on how that has helped us in San Diego. I think the best way I can continue to represent San Diego is to focus on that job get work done that we need to get done and that will take us through the end of the year. We don't really know from that bite whether she will run for mayor. We love that twang in her voice, right? Anything you heard on her future? I would be surprised if she ran. Nobody seems to be organizing to take a run at Kevin Faulkner which is rather remarkable. Repugnant and then city that has a strong Democratic advantage of voter registration very strong labor political operation. These kind of inoculated himself. Times a good in the economy. City things have turned around. He's been part of that. He's not totally responsible. But, the covenants are pretty well unstable which is way the charge go. He's done a lot of groundwork and his worry was an unpopular in the election. -- Neighborhoods that have been shortchanged in his you. So he's been spending a lot of time and was largely Democratic neighborhoods because of Republican areas are going to go for anybody else. So, I don't think, Toni Atkins, run a Gonzalez, these names have come up. So, we could see, unless Kevin Faulkner presented and we don't know about it that makes him vulnerable, he is an odds on favorite to win outright in the primary not have to go in June to November. Whittlesey Tony going for that. .net raise progress back to see where she goes. Let's come back a little closer to home here now. And look about, look at this county supervisors race. They were once considered safe. We have term limits there now. These folks have been there forever. Return to stir up the bottle for the difference had his political troubles and he's got some hot water yet to deal with. Certain demographic supervisor folks lining up to go after him. Tell a little groundwork there. Meri Gaspar, and -- put her hat in the ring, he is more of a firebreathing conservative. She is more of a moderate" Republican as we would like to say. Dave Roberts is more of a moderate to liberal Democrat in the area. Part of this happened because David Robert has been accused of spending his office. Using public funds by the file formal complaint. There's countersuit that also. Is really complicated. Another eight has completed them. Whatever he says. When that stuff all gets settled and goes away but there's still a lot of stuff out there that will make for good soundbites and good mailers and it is sort of a swing district. It is not a real Democratic or Republican district. It was represented by Republican supervisor who return before. So, that is it in our Crane outperforming republics as always would like to have just one candidate. A strong candidate but it doesn't seem like Sam Abbott will back down. I think -- is the one that a lot of people would like for the she is lined up some I political go mayor of political consulting and he make it both. So, that will be interesting. The question is, will the Democrat jump in if Robert is a proof that we? Let's finish than on one other little battle between Republicans here. Dianne Jacob. Now going to be challenge by Joel Anderson, party who is backed by the party apparatus here. That is an interesting and peculiar one because, Dan Jacobs was seen as very popular. She was reelected in a wok. She is been there forever. Two decades give or take. Anderson, is a young of comer. A lot of this is, he will be facing term limits soon. And, but beyond just sort of a political ambition, there's a lot of dispute in East County. Dianne Jacobs made some enemies, particularly among developers over a variety of things to. She has bought them on. The fires. Yes, the Republican Party is point of against Joel Anderson. They dubbed in $200,000 for his campaign. Backing him. Really interesting thing. He has been almost unseen in this race. I don't think he's even actually come up and said he's running for supervisor even though he has been endorsed by the Republican Party. Again, were in the dog days, but I think that what is interesting with the Robert situation, he is real opportunity for Republicans to take it to a Dixie well they could be spending millions, frankly, my two Republicans on a to. Right. 15 months out and it will be interesting nationally and locally as we get closer to the election next year. We will move on. A technology consultant was hired last fall by a unified school District to the tune of $40,000. His job was to assess the districts technology department and recommend improvements. And he did, but reported this week the Kansas-based consultant concluded that part of his job was impossible. How so? He was hired to impart a three five-year roadmap for improving the districts IT technology department. Critical department in any school. Absolutely. Especially these days for integration of technology and education. You supposed provide a roadmap help the bigger out where he needed strength and and structure, stemming, operations, but he said that when he was claiming from 100 interviews, some teachers and also I think every principle of the district was that they were, I think he's the phrasing, so mired in the current state of affairs in the district and the dysfunction that they can't even imagine the next 35 years out. They need to fix what is broken here and now so he said, it was impossible to do the roadmap, but you have some serious issues and I will tell you what they are and how to fix them. Now, when did he's met final version of the report? What we learned was, he cemented his draft in February. We cleaned this from some public records we obtained with more. His draft in February but he's many what he called the final version of March. When did voice and sending a good holiday? First records request in June. The report was never presented to the board prior to June. In fact, other members of the public had put in public records request and had been denied which were also denied initially. I was told this is a drop. Is not finished. You need to a. But we had heard that, the consultants work was completely done. He was paid. We confirmed that and also begun to hear that there may be making some changes to the report before they want to release a. What were some of the criticism and that initial report by Bob more regarding this IT department? In July, when we did, with the help of the persistent lovely attorney, we pointed out to them the public records law. You don't just make changes to a third-party's report. That first report of a got in July, that they did release, it was still not a pretty picture. The rest of criticism and there that I think, at least agree Vice President of You're high points? What were a couple of those? .in particular, he harped on, it unlike some other districts, they don't have a formal talk down, we will out technology 11 across the board. They let their school sites decide as they wish, how much technology to use, if a local foundation raises money, once will might have iPads and another school might not. But the properties of with doing that was, you give us freedom to the local schools and then there a brakes or have specialized software that the IT staff don't know about, don't know how to fix, you once go with chrome bugs and once, iPads and centralized IT staff are familiar with the technology, are educated on the site. My think than in the July report he said the IT department was known as the Department of no. And, it was a win lose mentality and the were some tensions there. He also pointed out there has been infighting between the learning support services deferment and IT department. Would ideally want those to be working in conjunction with one another for the benefit of the kids. 's report found some real chaos going on at that time. Then, that wasn't the report that will up getting into the final version. What happened in that process? We got some additional public records from that, we realize his version was completed in March and we wanted I. We wanted to see what this consultant to The outside guy who is an expert? This entire thing is important to note was built as an external analysis by Bob more this consultant the this was an employee or district court. So, we fight hard to get the version he cemented as is final and did a comparison. What we saw was, multiple instances of words soft and and change for the things like, he noted arrogance and appearance of arrogance to overconfidence. A waste of taxpayer dollars became inefficient use of district resources. Reckless and uncontrolled decision-making became inefficient or, it had a different ring to it. Everything was euthanized. He initially agreed to talk to me and defer to his client. So there's This was the consultant. Right. The person at the center of all of us, with the sanitized report as it were, who will be talking about? I asked the superintendent. John Collins. Superintendent John Collins. Announcing some changes. Missing some passages changeups and others despair entirely that are critical. What else was? Did you do the edits Qwest did you supervise privy to this anyway? What he said was, he may still condemned of our version was a draft. And that the March person was more stressed and he was not at that point be able to provide input or feedback recommendations. The July version that we initially got was a version he was able to provide input and feedback, and recommendations. I followed up with him training there, white wasn't at least in some way the involvement discuss? I run every page of the report this is -- Babar. Maybe say refined by? Board member is all supposed to think this is an offset consultant, third-party here and this what he said. But that is not what we're hearing. The board does he was involved in the editing. Is this not my report anymore? Did he say anything like that? Missing that. We saw an email's policeman to the driver can use can vacation with history to produce minute drive. That conversation based on email we saw. He cemented the final of March. And again, he stood by the content where we struggle again, there were so many ways the district could've handled us. Again, this Tiverton it calls did not deny he made changes where he got this report. It wasn't flattering. And again, to their credit, the July version wasn't sunshine, but, in no way shape, they could've done are vital or some sort of agency response to each funding. That just wasn't the case. What struck me, even consultants use a modestly which. Some of the terms that were edited out were eye-popping suggest either this guy has certain flair or, as a think was the case, there's such problems there that are reckless. They don't to those types of things in a report from summative that is hired. Overuse the language that caused it. I'm afraid we have to leave Michael the final word. Thank you all. The does wrap up another week of stories at the KPBS roundtable. Like to pick my guess, rather Chelios and new Chile. Michaels was with the Union Tribune. And, as for me going with voice Sanyo. Reminder, all of the stories we discussed today are available on our website, tran01.org. Marks our. Thanks for joining us today on the roundtable. The day edition Friday continues on KPBS radio . Coming up we bring you into reports heard this week on KPBS including projects to produce seafood at sustainable levels for Monterey Bay and sending a. 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