Proposal to tax empty second homes moves forward
<<<HEADLINES>>>
Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson … it’s THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH>>>> [WE’LL TELL YOU ABOUT A SCALED BACK PROPOSAL LOOKING TO TAX EMPTY SECOND HOMES]More on that next. But first... the headlines…#######
SOME ESCONDIDO RESIDENTS SAY THEY WANT THE CITY TO STOP LETTING FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENTS TRAIN AT A CITY-OWNED FIRING RANGE… AND THEY TOOK THAT DEMAND TO THE CITY COUNCIL YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY)
ESCONDIDO HAS A 67-THOUSAND-DOLLAR CONTRACT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY… A COALITION OF ORGANIZATIONS HELD A RALLY BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING. ONE OF THEM IS THE NATIONAL DAY LABORER ORGANIZING NETWORK.
SALVADOR G. SARMIENTO (sar-MEE-en-toh) IS THEIR CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR.
HE SAYS RESIDENTS ARE CONCERNED OVER THE CONTRACT BECAUSE OF THE DEADLY TACTICS USED BY ICE IN MINNESOTA AND CHICAGO.
ESCOICE 2A (0:11)
“So people here in San Diego and in Escondido are frankly pissed off. They're upset. And, they're really concerned about their families because we don't want that violence to come into our communities. ”
THE ESCONDIDO POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS ICE DOES NOT TRAIN AT ITS FIRING RANGE. RATHER, IT’S H-S-I … HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS … WHICH IS A DIVISION OF ICE.
#######
THE SAN DIEGO CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SUED THE CAMPBELL'S COMPANY ON MONDAY
THE LAWSUIT ALLEGES THE COMPANY MISCLASSIFIED THEIR CALIFORNIA EMPLOYEES AS INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS
THE CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE SAYS THAT BY LABELING WORKERS AS INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS THE COMPANY IS EVADING CORE CALIFORNIA WAGE PROTECTIONS SUCH AS ...
OVERTIME, MINIMUM WAGE, SICK PAY AND EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT RULES
CITY ATTORNEY HEATHER FERBERT IN A STATEMENT SAID MISCLASSIFICATION ROBS WORKERS OF BASIC PROTECTIONS AND UNDERMINES OUR ECONOMY
A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE CAMPBELL'S COMPANY DECLINED TO COMMENT DUE TO PENDING LITIGATION
########
CONSIDER THIS YOUR LAST CALL TO ENJOY HALF-OFF ADMISSION FOR ANY OF THE SEVENTY PLUS MUSEUMS THAT OUR COUNTY HAS TO OFFER
AND ITS NOT LIMITED TO ONLY MUSEUMS OR JUST SAN DIEGO COUNTY EITHER...
THE PASS INCLUDES GARDENS, HISTORIC SITES, AQUARIUMS, STATE PARKS AND IT EVEN FEATURES OPTIONS IN TIJUANA
YOU ONLY HAVE A FEW DAYS LEFT TO TRY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE
YOU CAN PICK UP A PRINTED PASS AT ONE OF OUR ROUGHLY 80 PUBLIC LIBRARIES OR DOWNLOAD AND PRINT A DIGITAL PASS
THE MUSEUM COUNCIL SAYS THAT ROUGHLY 145 THOUSAND PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN LAST YEAR’S MUSEUM MONTH
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
<<<UNDERWRITING BREAK>>
######
<<<MUSIC BUMP INTO A BLOCK>>
##########
A PROPOSAL TO TAX EMPTY SECOND HOMES IN SAN DIEGO APPEARS HEADED FOR THE JUNE PRIMARY BALLOT.
METRO REPORTER ANDREW BOWEN SAYS IT'S A SCALED BACK VERSION OF AN EARLIER PROPOSAL.
_____________________________________________
EMPTYHOMES 1 (ab) 0:50 soq
AB: Last month, Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera proposed a ballot measure that would have taxed vacant homes and short-term home rentals. That triggered a backlash from AirBnb, and the proposal failed to advance out of the council's Rules Committee. The new tax proposal – limited to empty second homes – won unanimous support from that committee on Wednesday. Elo-Rivera said homeowners can avoid the tax by simply renting out their second home.
SER: It will change incentives, and homes will come back into use. And just like every new home we build, every home returned to housing is worthy of celebration because it opens the door to a family that gets to stay in San Diego, potentially even as a homeowner.
AB: The tax measure now has support from a majority of councilmembers. The council has a deadline of March 6 to officially place the tax measure on the ballot. Andrew Bowen, KPBS news.
##########
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S DEPORTATION CAMPAIGN IS AGAIN TARGETING THE REFUGEE POPULATION.
REPORTER GUSTAVO SOLIS EXPLAINS WHAT IT MEANS FOR REFUGEES HERE IN SAN DIEGO.
REFUGEEMEMO 1 (gs) 1:14 SOQ
—-----------------------------------------------------------
A new memo from the Trump administration is spreading fear and panic throughout San Diego’s refugee population.
The Department of Homeland Security memo issued last week says refugees who haven’t applied for a green card within one year of arriving in the U.S. can be detained so they can be vetted.
CHA_5333_0100:02:18:17“And it’s just really causing terror in the community.”
Maria Chavez is the immigration legal director at the PANA – a nonprofit who helps refugees and new immigrants adjust to life in San Diego.
She says the threat of detention is unnecessary.
CHA_5333_01 00:03:20:29“There’s a very rigorous vetting process that goes through at the United Nations. From there, refugees get resettled in different countries, the United States being one of them. And again, they go through an extensive vetting process before being able to board a plane to arrive to the United States.”
The DHS says the policy is needed to protect public safety. Never before has the federal government threatened detention based on the timing of a green card application.
Given the new rule, Chavez encouraged every refugee in San Diego County to immediately apply for their green card.
Gustavo Solis, KPBS News
##########
SCIENTISTS ARE RAISING NEW CONCERNS ABOUT MARIJUANA USE IN TEENS.
HEALTH REPORTER HEIDI DE MARCO SAYS A NEW STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LINKS TEEN CANNABIS USE WITH INCREASED RISK FOR SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS.
–
TEENWEED 1 trt: 1:15 SOQ
Experts say today’s teens are growing up in a very different environment. Cannabis is legal for adults in California and often seen as socially acceptable.
KELLY YOUNG-WOLFF
We were able to follow nearly half a million adolescents who were confidentially screened for cannabis use as part of routine pediatric care. And then we examined the later onset of clinician-diagnosed psychotic, bipolar, depressive, and anxiety disorders.
Kaiser Permanente researcher Kelly Young-Wolff says they followed adolescents ages 13 to 17 over eight-years .
KELLY YOUNG-WOLFF
The strongest associations were found for psychotic and bipolar disorders, where the risk was about doubled.
The study does not prove cannabis causes these disorders. But Young-Wolff says the sequence, use first, diagnosis later, is raising concern.
Dr. Natalie Laub says she’s watching similar patterns unfold at Rady Children’s Hospital.
DR. NATALIE LAUB
Prior to 2020, we were only seeing a handful of adolescents a year…In 2025, we saw nearly 600 adolescents present to the emergency room because they needed treatment of some kind for their cannabis use.
Researchers say more study is needed.
Heidi de Marco, KPBS News.
##########
MUSICAL DUO AND AVID ART COLLECTORS ALICIA KEYS AND SWIZZ BEATZ HAVE A HOME IN SAN DIEGO — AND WILL SHOW THEIR "GIANTS" COLLECTION HERE THIS APRIL … BUT LAST WEEK, THE COUPLE ALSO SHOWED SUPPORT FOR LOCAL ARTISTS — IN A MAJOR WAY!
ARTS REPORTER JULIA DIXON EVANS EXPLAINS.
PORVIDADEAN 1 TRT (0:54) SOQ
______________________________________
A new film photography exhibit at Por Vida cafe explores the heart of Barrio Logan, through the lens of Oscar Cruz and MJ Pimentel.
The show features 46 photographs, capturing life in a strong, connected neighborhood. One that is central to Pimentel's creativity.
"This community is what even got me to start saying 'I'm an artist,' or to believe that my photographs are art,"
— and those photographs…? Swizz Beats and Alicia Keys bought every. single. one.
“a lot of these people in these photos, they're my friends, they're my neighbors, they're people who are special to me. So I feel honored to be able to bring them to a platform like The Dean Collection
The exhibit is on view at Por Vida through March 11th.
Julia Dixon Evans, KPBS News
<<<SHOW CLOSE>>>
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 have a great day.
