3/24 #5
15 minutes
I just got off the phone with a "campaign" company calling itself "San Diegans for Jobs and Sustainability." The "campaign" is funded by a developer who wishes to build a shopping area and homes in a number that is
three times as dense as called for in the community plan. Every planning group and commission who had heard the project leading to the final vote had recommended that the project be denied. However, because the developer is well-connected, they managed to build a political coalition among power groups on both sides of the political spectrum to push it
through City Council, over the opposition of the Councilmember in whose district the project is planned (which is
highly unusual). Done deal, no? Not quite: opponents have started a petition drive to bring the matter to a public vote. Democracy in action....
Except that the interests involved--the well-heeled groups that twisted so many City Council arms--have started a phone and mailing drive to urge people
not to sign the petition. That is why I use quotes when referring to the "campaign" because can it really be called a political campaign if the matter hasn't even gone to the ballot? Sleazy... and it may just work, considering most people don't pay attention or understand how the process works.
But why am I telling you all of this? As I said at the beginning of this post, I just got off the phone with these anti-petition peddlers--for the FIFTH time. Yes, they have called me five times. Each time, I tell them that I am not interested and to please remove me from their call list. This time, they at least pretended to patch me to a "supervisor" (knowing how phone campaigning goes, this is dubious--unless the backers are spending even more money than I originally thought). So, maybe, that will have been the last call. Who knows?
What I do know is that, even had I been inclined to follow their advice and refrain from signing the petition should I be asked (which I am not), after being on the receiving end of five calls, I am now wondering where the nearest petition-gatherer is so that I can sign up.

the

developer!
venting/rant over
So, now that my work hour has been interrupted.... I guess it is time to get started on dinner. Good night, Treefam!