Projections for San Diego’s cannabis tax revenue fall short of expectations

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Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson…it’s MONDAY, DECEMBER 29TH>>>>  [SAN DIEGO'S CANNABIS TAX HIKES MAY NOT BE HELPING ITS BUDGET WOES....]More on that next. But first... the headlines….#######

THE HARMONY GROVE VILLAGE SOUTH DEVELOPMENT IS FACING YET ANOTHER HANGUP

A NEW LAWSUIT ALLEGES THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVED THE DEVELOPMENT BY RELYING ON AN OUTDATED, DECADES-OLD FIRE-SAFETY ANALYSIS

THEY CLAIM IT DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR MORE MODERN, STRICTER WILDFIRE REGULATIONS

SUPPORTERS OF THE LAWSUIT WANT THE COUNTY TO PRESENT A PLAN THEY FEEL MEETS TODAY'S CURRENT SAFETY STANDARDS

OTHERS CRITIQUES OF THE 453-UNIT PROJECT INCLUDE CONCERNS AROUND AN INCREASE IN VEHICLE TRAFFIC AND EMISSIONS ON THE SURROUNDING TWO-LANE ROAD

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PROJECT DEVELOPER COULD NOT BE REACHED FOR IMMEDIATE COMMENT.

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NOW THAT CHRISTMAS HAS COME AND GONE, SUSTAINTABILITY IS THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO’S ANNUAL CHRISTMAS TREE RECYCLING PROGRAM IS OPEN UNTIL JANUARY 16TH

AND SIXTEEN DIFFERENT DROP-OFF LOCATIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO CITY RESIDENTS

THE TREES ARE GIVEN A SECOND LIFE AS HIGH-QUALITY WOOD CHIPS, COMPOST AND MULCH 

THOSE WITH ORGANIC WASTE CURBSIDE GREEN BINS PROVIDED BY THE CITY ARE ASKED TO CUT DOWN TREES TO FIT INTO THE AUTOMATED CONTAINER IN ORDER TO BE PICKED UP/COLLECTED

ALL ACCESSORIES, LIKE LIGHTS, ORNAMENTS, TINSEL OR STANDS MUST BE REMOVED

CITY RESIDENTS CAN ALSO PICK UP SOME MULCH OR COMPOST FOR FREE AT THE MIRAMAR GREENERY

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THE SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW MAKES ITS RETURN IN THE UPCOMING NEW YEAR

YOU CAN CHECK OUT UNRELEASED OR CONCEPT VEHICLES, TAKE A TEST DRIVE OR BE DRIVEN ON THE E-V TEST TRACK BY A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER 

THE TEST TRACK IS MEANT TO SHOWCASE THE PERFORMANCE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON FULL DISPLAY AT THE SHOW'S 'ELECTRIC AVENUE' 

THE EVENT STARTS THURSDAY, JANUARY 1ST AND GOES UNTIL SUNDAY THE 4TH 

CHILDREN SIX YEARS OR YOUNGER ARE ALLOWED FREE ENTRY EVERYDAY WITH AN ADULT 

AND CHILDREN 12 OR YOUNGER GET FREE-ENTRY ON SUNDAY JANUARY 4th

From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.Stay with me for more of the local news you need.

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EARLIER THIS YEAR, SAN DIEGO RAISED ITS CANNABIS BUSINESS TAX IN AN EFFORT TO FILL A BUDGET HOLE. 

METRO REPORTER ANDREW BOWEN SAYS THE MOVE IS NOT GOING AS WELL AS THE CITY HOPED.

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POTTAX 1 (ab) 0:50 soq

AB: San Diego finance officials are projecting a shortfall in revenue from the city's cannabis business tax, which is applied to both retailers and manufacturers of cannabis products. They say the industry still struggles with competition from the untaxed, illicit market. Kimberly Simms is a San Diego-based attorney in the cannabis industry. She says she's not surprised the tax hike is backfiring.

KS: As the cost of living continues to rise all around us, people have to make choices. And if there's readily available cannabis on the illicit market, and you continue to make it more and more expensive on the regulated market, people are going to be driven back to the illicit market.

AB: San Diego also faces competition from neighboring cities with lower cannabis tax rates such as La Mesa and Encinitas. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.

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THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, MANY IMMIGRANT FAMILIES ARE STAYING HOME. NOT BY CHOICE, BUT OUT OF FEAR. 

HEALTH REPORTER HEIDI DE MARCO SAYS AS IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT RAMPS UP, HEALTH EXPERTS WARN THE ISOLATION IT’S CAUSING COULD HAVE LASTING CONSEQUENCES.

ISOLATION 1 (:55) SOQ

For some immigrant families, this holiday season is marked by isolation. Not because they want to be alone, but because fear of immigration enforcement is keeping them inside.

UCSD psychiatrist Dr. Shawn Sing Sidhu compares the moment to another public health crisis.

DR. SHAWN SINGH SIDHU

We've seen how much COVID has impacted kids and families. Now, imagine another COVID, if you will, for certain populations that lasts four years.

Sidhu says fear is cutting people off from the very things that help them cope.

SHAWN SINGH SIDHU

To meet with their loved ones, to sort of practice their faith openly, to make it to school settings, to make it to work settings.

Sidhu worries the impact could last well beyond the holidays.

SHAWN SINGH SIDHU

That what some of these families are going through in the next four years may end up having really lifelong implications for them.

Heidi de Marco, KPBS News

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THE SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS A LOT OF EXCESS LAND. FOR THIS WEEK’S WHY IT MATTERS SEGMENT, VOICE OF SAN DIEGO’S SCOTT LEWIS EXPLAINS WHY THE DISTRICT’S RECENT   PROPOSAL TO TRANSFORM THOSE PROPERTIES IS ON ICE.

VOSDSCHOOLHOUSING (1:12) last words "why it matters" (SS)

District leaders wanted to build hundreds of homes for educators and asked developers to propose projects for that excess school property. Developers would get the land, the district would get some rent and employees would get affordable homes.

They landed on a proposal for about 1,500 units. But then a dispute arose. The committee had asked developers to maximize affordability. But did that mean the cheapest possible units, or the greatest number of just cheaper units?

Things came to a head at a board meeting earlier this month.

Longtime trustee Richard Barrera suggested developers needed to rework their proposals.

"I want proposals that meet our goals, period. So let’s see what you come back with."

But that left district board president Cody Petterson stunned.

"Wait hold on. We have to stop here. Is this actually — we're going to say that we're now going to completely resubmit new proposals? That these — this is so wild. I’m completely stunned."

In the end, the board couldn’t make a decision. And they didn’t give developers additional direction. Instead, the board just plans to do a workshop next month.

As for San Diego Unified educators, relief from housing costs is on hold.

I’m Scott Lewis for Voice of San Diego and that’s why it matters.

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YOU HAVE ONE WEEK LEFT OF FREE PARKING IN BALBOA PARK

OUR ARTS REPORTER BETH ACCOMANDO SUGGESTS CHECKING OUT THE PROVOCATIVE AND DELIGHTFUL ALFREDO CASTAÑEDA (al-FRAY-doh kah-stahn-YEH-dah): BEYOND SURREALISM EXHIBIT AT THE SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF ART.

SURREALISM (ba) 2:46 SOQ

Surrealism as a formal art movement is barely a century old. From its roots in 1920s Paris, it has always been bold, modern, and wildly inventive. The San Diego Museum of Art is hosting the first U.S. museum retrospective of Mexican artist Alfredo Castañeda.

MICHAEL BROWN …Seeing all of his works together, we get to see a journey over five decades of his work, from 1960 until his death in 2010.

Michael Brown, senior curator of European art, oversaw the installation.

MICHAEL BROWN …The surrealist movement really prioritized getting into the subconscious and exploring the importance of dreams separated from rational thought, rational life. You find unexpected juxtapositions, putting things together that don't necessarily make sense. But these things that don't necessarily make sense but might might evoke a response in the viewer, sometimes thought-provoking, sometimes comic, sometimes very deep and disturbing.

As you explore the art, Castañeda’s keen sense of introspection paired with delightful whimsy becomes apparent. As do his themes.

MICAHEL BROWN: We can't put our finger on it immediately, but his work suggests the idea of migration, of separation of family, family histories. I'm looking right now at a work where there's an imaginary sepia-toned photograph of a family. Each of the family members looks a lot like the artist himself, but they're clearly different ages. And so he and his family had moved from their native Mexico to Spain.

And Brown insists, there is often a joke buried in the art, which is why viewing these paintings in person to see the detail is so important.

MICHAEL BROWN …Seeing something in the original is an experience that is unparalleled. We get that with our emotional connection to Castañeda. In fact, we had the install team while we were putting these paintings up. Many of our installers and art handlers or artists themselves, the constant refrain from them was that the technical expertise of Castañeda as they were physically hanging these paintings. It could be very close to the paint surface as trained art handlers, which allowed them to appreciate the technical expertise and the wonder of the works of art.

The more you look, the more you see at Alfredo Castañeda: Beyond Surrealism. The exhibit runs through March 1st at the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park.

Beth Accomando, KPBS News.

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EARLIER THIS YEAR, PUBLIC RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TOOK A BIG FINANCIAL HIT - AFTER FEDERAL FUNDING WAS CUT.  KPBS HAS BEEN WORKING TO RECOVER THE HOLE IN OUR BUDGET… BUT SO HAS SAN DIEGO’S OTHER PUBLIC RADIO STATION, KSDS, JAZZ 88. 

REPORTER JOHN CARROLL HAS AN UPDATE ON HOW THEY’RE DOING.

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KSDSUPDATE 1                       :58                                  SOQ

“Things are moving along.”

THAT WAS KSDS MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR CHUCK APOSTOLAS’S ANSWER WHEN I ASKED HIM HOW THINGS WERE GOING AT THE ALL-JAZZ RADIO STATION. BACK IN AUGUST, WE VISITED THE STATION SHORTLY AFTER THEY LEARNED THEY WOULD LOSE A LITTLE MORE THAN 200-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN FEDERAL FUNDING. LIKE THE KPBS AUDIENCE, APOSTOLAS SAYS JAZZ 88 LISTENERS HAVE OPENED THEIR WALLETS.

“Our members have really stepped up. We are about 60 % of our fundraising goal. They're $200,000. And people continue to give and really help us out. So we're very gratified and thrilled with the support that we're getting.”

APOSTOLAS SAYS STATION MANAGEMENT IS CONFIDENT THEY CAN GET TO THE 200-THOUSAND DOLLAR MARK IN THE NEW YEAR. IF YOU’D LIKE TO HELP THEM OUT,

“The easiest way to do that is go to jazz88.Org/donate.”

AND YOU CAN SUPPORT US AT KPBS DOT ORG AND CLICK THE DONATE BUTTON. JC, KPBS NEWS.

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ESCONDIDO IS ASKING RESIDENTS TO COOL IT WITH ILLEGAL FIREWORKS CELEBRATIONS THIS NEW YEAR’S

NORTH COUNTY REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN TELLS US … THE CITY IS TEAMING UP WITH THE ESCONDIDO FIRE SAFE COUNCIL TO SPREAD THE WORD.

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ESCOFIREWORKS (AN) trt: 1:02 SOQ

Fireworks may look pretty …

More fireworks nats

… and professional shows are a colorful part of major celebrations … such as the New Year or 4th of July.

But consumer fireworks are illegal in San Diego county… and for many dog owners … they are a nuisance …

NATPOP 7560 12;52;31;19 → 12;52;32;29 “Our dog is going crazy.”

Doris Spies (SPEES) has lived in Escondido for 8 years and is a member of the nonprofit Escondido Fire Safe Council.

She says the problem has gotten out of hand in recent years.

Doris Spies // Escondido Resident

“New Year's Eve is every hour until about 3:00 in the morning. So we don't even get sleep on those holidays. We don't look forward to those holidays anymore.”

She says it’s not a problem just for dog owners … but also a problem for servicemembers and anyone suffering from P-T-S-D.

That’s why the council is working with the city to spread the word about the city’s zero-tolerance policy on fireworks this new year.

In a statement … city spokesperson Mike Thorne says more police officers will be deployed this New Year’s Eve in an attempt to identify violators and enforce the municipal code.

AN KPBS NEWS.

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That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. I’m Lawrence K. Jackson. Thanks for listening and subscribing by doing so you are supporting public media and I thank you for that. Have a great day!