Volume XVI, Issue 38
READERS’ CHOICE
BEST OF
NORTH COAST 2012
■ See which businesses earned your votes in our “Best Of ” special section inside this newspaper.
■ District One SD City Council candidates answer tough questions at debate. Page 5
www.solanabeachsun.com
Sept 27, 2012 Published Weekly
Supervisor hopefuls Danon, Roberts debate Talk focuses on business at chamber-sponsored event BY JOE TASH Steve Danon and Dave Roberts, who are both running to succeed Pam Slater-Price on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, traded jabs and put forward their ideas for generating jobs and improving San Diego’s business climate in a lively debate on Monday, Sept. 24. The debate was sponsored
by the San Diego North Chamber of Commerce, and all of the questions — most of which centered on topics of related to business — were prepared by the chamber’s public policy committee. Reporter Alison St. John of KPBS radio served as moderator. The debate drew a crowd of more than 200, according to
chamber officials, which was highly partisan, applauding loudly following responses by their favored candidate. The event was held at the offices of AMN Healthcare in Carmel Valley. Slater-Price’s retirement means that a new member will See DEBATE, Page 6
Optimists’ Installation Banquet
The Del Mar-Solana Beach Optimist Club held its Installation Banquet Sept. 22 at the Solana Beach home of Amy and Kent Moser. In addition to an Officer Installation Ceremony, the event featured a potluck dinner. See page B19. PHOTO/MCKENZIE IMAGES
■ TPHS Lacrosse names 11-year-old an honorary team member. Page B1
Caltrans updates plan to widen I-5 BY JOE TASH Caltrans unveiled new details regarding its plan to widen I-5 in North County at a public meeting in Encinitas on Wednesday, Sept. 19, which include additional work to restore and preserve lagoons, and more bicycle and pedestrian paths. At the meeting, held at the Encinitas Community and Senior Center, North County residents were able to examine graphics depicting different elements of the project, ask questions of Caltrans technical experts, and even dictate comments and questions to a court reporter.
The new information about the project is contained in a draft supplemental Environmental Impact Report, which was officially released for public comment on Aug. 31. The public has until Oct. 15 to review and comment on the document. Additional documents to be released in the coming months include a final EIR and a “public works plan,” that will also include plans to upgrade rail service along the I-5 corridor. Caltrans officials stressed that the project inSee CALTRANS, Page 6
DM school district expected to approve new bond policy
Update on SD Polo Club lease process may be coming soon
BY KAREN BILLING The Del Mar Union School District is looking at developing a new policy and resolution on the use of capital appreciation bonds (CABs) in regards to its general obligation bond on November’s ballot. The board had Dan McAllister, San Diego County treasurer-tax collector, at its Sept. 19 meeting as it considered the policy. “We’d like to give the public assurances that we’re doing our fiduciary responsibility in issuing the
BY JOE TASH For about two years, the San Diego Polo Club has been waiting to find out from the city of San Diego whether its lease will be renewed for the 80-acre parcel of land it has occupied since 1986. In the next week or so, the club hopes to get an indication of the city’s plans. The club’s original 26-year lease for the city-owned property expired in March, and even before that date, the club had been in contact with the city, seeking a new lease or an
Traditional Sales. Short Sales. Auctions. Steve Uhlir •
From left, moderator Alison St. Johns of KPBS, Steve Danon and Dave Roberts
Broker/Owner •
CA DRE # 01452695
858-755-6070 www.SURERealEstate.com
bond,” said Trustee Doug Perkins. The county treasurer-tax collector has sent letters to local school districts to highlight how the bond financing can be “excessively costly” for both school districts and taxpayers and to provide the County’s Office of Education with recommendations on other debt financing solutions. The use of long-dated CABs has come to the public’s attention See BOND, Page 6
7 Offers in 5 Days! - Charming Town Home - In Escrow Stunning New Construction - In Escrow 6,000 SF Estate on 4+ Acres - In Escrow 2,500 SF Ocean View Home - In Escrow
Looking for RESULTS - Make the SURE Choice!
extension. In 2011, the city announced it would go out to bid for a new lessee, rather than negotiate exclusively with the polo club. Alex Roth, a spokesman for the San Diego mayor’s office, said in December that the city expected to issue a request for proposals from prospective bidders in the spring of this year. However, that RFP was never issued. As of press-time for this newspaper, Roth had not responded See POLO, Page 14