Comments so far on this story:

1. Steve K wrote on April 20, 2008 1:37 PM:
"'Looks like Peters might be a good environmental attorney, IN PRIVATE PRACTICE, as far as trusting Peters to hold a public office--'been there, 'done that."

2. Ian Trowbridge wrote on April 20, 2008 6:04 PM:
"I was going to make the same comment that Steve K. did. As an elected official Scott has ignored CEQA repeatedly-Regents Rd. bridge, the update of the Downtown Community Plan, the Navy Broadway Complex redevelopment, 301 University Ave. and Kensington Terrace. This has cost the City more than the hundreds of thousands of dollars the City spent reimbursing him for his legal costs in the fraudulent public bond issues by the city that he, a good lawyer, innocently signed off on. If Scott is so good in private practice maybe that is his future, not City Attorney."

3. clp wrote on April 21, 2008 6:46 AM:
"Scott Lewis does us no favors by parroting Peters' demonstrably false message about his expertise on the environment. Even a cursory study of those stubborn little facts reveals that Ian is right on the mark. Peters has been a toady for the developers for his entire term and Scott Lewis should be well aware of it. If Peters goes back to work as an environmental attorney, there is no doubt that he will work on the developers' side (because as Willy Sutton explained his bank robbing, "that's where the money is"). He has no more credibility in the environmental community. Zilch!"

4. Jack Griffiths wrote on April 21, 2008 6:59 AM:
"I've known Scott Peters for 6 years and have never heard him represent himself as a standard bearer for the Left.Nor do I think that the Left sees him in that role.He is,however,well known for insisting that disputes be resolved through negotiation rather than litigation thereby saving the City money and leaving the door open for future cooperations.He seeks compromise between the Executive and Legislative branches so that together a path can be found in resolution to the seemingly insurmountable problems before the City.As Council President,he has piloted the legislative branch through some very troubled waters by putting in 14 hour days at the head of a District staff that's been 2nd to none.They are,after all,responsible for the District AND the admin functions of the Council.Finally its important to remember that he's always the first to recommend that the voters make all final ballot decisions when Council consensus is lacking."

5. CBW wrote on April 21, 2008 8:38 AM:
"Ahmen Jack. Its interesting that Scott Lewis wants Peters to "connect" with the left, when Peters entire City Council career has been solidly in the middle. People on both the right and the left can take issue with positions that Peters has taken. Scott Lewis and other media folks love to write about the fights between the right and left, but completly ignore people like Peters who actually accomplishes things by working in the center with both sides. We don't need more partisan clashes, we need more pragmatic, centrist thinking to actually get things done."

6. Larry wrote on April 21, 2008 9:26 AM:
""We don't need more partisan clashes, we need more pragmatic, centrist thinking to actually get things done." -- Actually, what we need is an honest, ethical, practical City Attorney, and Scott "Million Gallon Man" Peters isn't him."

7. Watcher wrote on April 21, 2008 10:50 AM:
"Scott Peters broke far too many environmental laws serving on the council to be trusted to enforce them as city attorney."

8. CBW wrote on April 21, 2008 12:01 PM:
"I would challenge "watcher" to name a single environmental law broken by Mr. Peters. You are probably referring to CEQA. CEQA requires disclosure of impacts. It is up to policy makers to determine if those impacts warrant approval or denial of a project. You may not like his opinion on whether a project should have been approved, but don't spout remarks like "broke far too many environmental laws.""

9. Cheryl wrote on April 21, 2008 12:02 PM:
"If Scott Peters was ever an environmental lawyer, it was for the wrong side. He has never stood up for the environment, considering his position on the Regents Road Bridge and the enormous water usage of his home. He isn't even near the "left," and only apologetically has called himself a Democrat."

10. CBW wrote on April 21, 2008 12:17 PM:
"To Cheryl, Scott Peters represented San Diego Baykeeper and other environmental group dedicated to water quality. He has been endorsed in each election by the Sierra Club, and the League of Conservation Voters."

11. Jack Griffiths wrote on April 21, 2008 12:52 PM:
"If Mr Trowbridge has any material evidence to backup those allegations his well known ability to research and articulate his findings would be of interest to us all.I do not know that he could be an expert witness on such things and I'll wager he'd be reluctant to swear before a fact finder the veracity of any of the allegations he has cast about today.In my understanding the Laws of this State require support for legal expenses incurred by public officials in the conduct of their duty.I know of no finding by any authority that would justify a denial of that mandated lawful support.How one impeaches an official for practicing the law,even in self defense,also brings into question the angst of today's posting.Soon we're going to have to acknowledge that a desperate City Manager sold this crew of Council rookies a corrupt bill of goods to cover HIS over-extended butt."

12. jorgeelgato wrote on April 21, 2008 12:57 PM:
"To Cheryl: residents of University City are now calling it the 'Evans Bridge.' The only rationale for it is that it will help the Evans family which owns a shopping center on Regents Road. Aside from that your absolutely right, the Evans Bridge spearheaded by Scott really demonstrated that Scott will ditch the environment whenever and wherever its convenient. The Regional Water Quality Control Board, the state Fish and Game Department, the federal Fish and Wildlife service, the Sierra Club, the Endangered Habitats League, the local planning group, and Baykeeper all opposed the project. Scott ignored them all. Residents sued, the city lost, and the city just paid the residents $450000 in attorneys fees. Here's the real kicker: where do you think Scott has his campaign headquarters? Yup. At the Evans shopping center on Regents Road. Maybe some VOSD followup on the terms of that deal?"

13. clp wrote on April 21, 2008 1:16 PM:
"CBW, check out condo conversion, NBC, Hillel, Regents Road bridge litigation to assess Peters' record. When the City loses CEQA lawsuits bigtime b/c the Peters-led Council ignored CEQA law and common sense, Peters has a credibility problem, and so dear CBW do you."

14. Ian Trowbridge wrote on April 21, 2008 1:16 PM:
"CBW: It's not that Watcher didn't like Scott Peters' opinions, it's that the courts found that his findings were contrary to CEQA-not a good track record for a good environmental lawyer. The most disturbing fact is that these wrong-headed findings always favored developers who often had helped fill his campaign chest."

15. jorgeelgato wrote on April 21, 2008 1:23 PM:
"TO CBW: I'm not aware that the Sierra Club and the League have endorsed Scott in the City Attorney's race. That will be interesting in light of his checkered record on environmental issues. TO JACK: 14 hour days? I take it that doesn't include Friday afternoons, when that would interfere with Scott's golf game -- at least if you believe what Scott told the Kroll report. TO ScottL: why are you perplexed by Scott's clumsy political style? He is the chief advocate of toilet to tap and at the sametime one of the largest residential water users in the city. He does not appear to see any problem with his advocacy and his profligacy. Tone deaf. Thats what they call it. Tone deaf."

16. Jack Griffiths wrote on April 21, 2008 3:53 PM:
"Council President Peters has owned his residential property for many years. Where is it written that an elected official must abandon his home, his kids' school friends and his neighbors once he assums office simply to accomodate your personal value system in water usage? He has paid the bills, neh? And this has been done while he's taken only a part of his well earned salary. That's right he turns back a part of his City pay but you ignore this FACT. Attacking an Executive for playing golf is like passing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500. Sour grapers and arm-chair menopausals never take facts into consideration when conducting an anonymous rant. Gimme a break."

17. Ian Trowbridge wrote on April 21, 2008 4:15 PM:
"Jack Griffiths suggested I made allegations in my first post. I'm sorry but I didn't even though I do think that Scott, Dick Murphy and Brian Maienschein as lawyers were particularly derelict in their fiduciary responsibilities when the authorized the bond issues. Working 14 hour days should have given Scott time to reflect on what questions he needed to ask staff. Donna Frye probably works those sort of hours but is obvious by the fact she knows more than her colleagues on virtually every issue that comes before City council"

18. Inconvenient Truths wrote on April 21, 2008 4:32 PM:
"To claim that the Regents Road bridge was approved to benefit one family is to ignore the thousands of families who support the bridge, not to mention the police and fire chief who testifed before council about its importance to public safety and the fact that the bridge has been an element of the UC community plan for more than 40 years. For too long, city leaders were cowed by the disproportionately loud voices of opponents. Thanks to the strong leadership of Mr. Peters, the bridge will be built."

19. Jack Griffiths wrote on April 21, 2008 5:46 PM:
"To be knowingly derelict or To be willfully derelict or To act in a consciously negligent manner?Whether criminal or civil is a jury call based upon material evidence presented by a prosecutor in a trial presided over by a Judge in the appropriate jurisdiction and beyond a reasonable doubt.That's our American way. Foreign-Napoleonic Law says the accused is guilty on the face of the accusation and must prove he's innocent before the jury.I appreciate greatly that Mr Trowbridge lives up to his reputation for integrity,in that he posts with his own name.I completely repudiate any suggestion,by anyone,that the initial accusations of this post are in any manner applicable either legally or practically.To be handed a 3 foot stack of legalize by a trusted cadre of tenured municipal bonding experts whilst your Council seat is still getting warm is another thing entirely and we all know it. Americanism please!"

20. Give Me A Break wrote on April 21, 2008 9:32 PM:
"There goes Ian again with his Donna-loving comments. She knows more than her colleagues? Have you ever watched on TV some of those asinine and dumb questions she asks? She comes across as the most unprepared person up there - you would think she would get answers before the meeting. And Peters - I cannot believe the patience he shows with her. And I would challenge anyone as to why Peters isn't the obvious choice. You have Aguirre - he should be placed in an institution. Mainshine and Goldsmith are too political - you think that office is political now? And Amy just has an ax to grind with Aguirre. That leaves the best of the lot: Peters."

21. La Playa Heritage wrote on April 21, 2008 9:48 PM:
"Scott Peters willfully, knowingly, and recklessly violated_the Municipal_Code, DSD Project_Submittal Manual, Information_Bulletin 515, and CEQA law_in_a negligent manner when_he voted_that_a valid fault investigation is_not needed during the CEQA checklist stage for_the $1 Billion Dollar Navy Broadway Complex project in_the Downtown Special Studies Zone on liquefiable Port of San Diego tidelands. link Start_Time: 4 Hours_13 Minutes. The Port Clerk could_not locate fault investigations for any project since the 1995 Seismic Safety Study was published for projects such as the new Hilton, the second Manchester Tower, the Convention Center Expansion, etc. Scott Peter did not take the advice of Scripps Institute, UCSD, the California Coastal Commission, the State Geologist and require the location of the youthful active fault be located before siting high rise building on a probable active fault. Scott Peters tried_to break the 30_Foot Coastal_Height Limit and destroy Environmentally Sensitive Lands in_the name of_the poor. link See_Pages 2_&_4."

22. jorgeelgato wrote on April 21, 2008 11:27 PM:
"Funny thing about those thousands of people who support the bridge. In three tries they have failed to get anyone elected to the community planning group. Two years ago the Evans paid for buses to bring their supporters to the planning group election and they still came up short. This year they didn't even try. In addition to the Evans family the only people who want the bridge are in fact a small group of angry residents who live near Genesee Avenue and don't want it widened. The widening of Genesee has been in the community plan for 30 years. Thats a fact Bill Evans and his friends who live near Genesee always seem to forget. As for the support of Chief Landsdowne, what a hoot that was. According to chief Landsdowne a community surrounded by a state highway and"

23. jorgeelgato wrote on April 21, 2008 11:38 PM:
"and two interstate highways needs another road in case of an emergency. Right. Chief Landsdowne's work on the Sunroad Project should tell everyone what he's up to when he intervenes in a land use issue -- he's working the Fred Sainz beat. Then we had the embarassing performance by Chief Jarman. She took as her own phony response times projected for the bridge and at the end of the hearing was compelled to take them back. The entire charade cost has cost the city $4 million. $3.5 million for a useless environmental report and another half million in attorneys fees. I take it from Jack vigorous defense of Scott's golf game that Scott plans to continue taking Friday afternoon's off. Hope nothing important comes in on Friday afternoons."

24. Serge Dedina wrote on April 22, 2008 6:52 AM:
"Scott Peters an environmentalist? Is that a joke? Whether advocating paving over Rose Canyon or allowing the anti-seal brigade to harass federally protected harbor seals at Casa Beach, Peters is the George W. Bush of San Diego County. Peters never does the right thing for the environment and observing how he has promoted the chaos at Casa Beach makes me realize what a truly horrible City Attorney he would make."

25. Fred Williams wrote on April 22, 2008 7:29 AM:
"By his own admission, "Million Gallon Man" Peters puts priority on his golf game, and therefore put the city $2.1 billion in the hole. Donna Frye is a better lawyer than Peters -- caught the pension fraud and voted against it. Peters just laughed. The result is Peters has needed over $600k in lawyers to defend him from criminal charges...and now he wants to be city attorney? Peters needs to spend time watering his plants and practicing his golf swing."

26. Jack Griffiths wrote on April 22, 2008 10:46 AM:
"Outside these pages it's not necessary for me to defend our Chiefs,Landsdowne nor Jarman.Both are Nationally recognized leaders within their professional communities and make San Diego,with all its budgetary problems,look very good.Doing alot more than most cities with alot less.Were it otherwise,it would be very unlikely that,as SDG&E predicts,the 1.3 emigres predicted to re-locate to this city within the next decade would not be packing.Perhaps those due to arrive will greatly appreciate that those who'll live in the proximity of Regent's Rd and Rose Canyon will have timely response to their emergencies and perhaps if they have kids they'll greatly appreciate the opportunity to have their kids safety swim at the Children's Pool because years before a City Councilman from their District chose to uphold the Federal Emergency response guidelines and thought that the intent of the City Council during Mrs Scripp's time deserved to be honored. Is this sinister behavior?"

27. Ian Trowbridge wrote on April 22, 2008 4:19 PM:
"In response to "Give me a break" I don't ever remember commenting publicly on Council member Frye in any regard before yesterday. If "Give me a break" can find an example maybe he/she should post it. The fact is Frye's questions are often intended to illuminate for the public policy decisions made behind closed doors in the Mayor's office."

28. Jack Griffiths wrote on April 22, 2008 5:01 PM:
"I like to take this opportunity to associate myself with the latest remarks of Ian Trowbridge, a Gentleman I greatly admire. If, indeed, this City is as sick as we're told Mrs Frye is an indispensible dose of Castor Oil without whom we'd all be refering to each other as "Citizen Mushroom". IMHO, the NYC bonding authorities greatly appreciate her critical and seemingly tireless efforts on behalf of this municipality. That which hurts also instructs,no?"

29. Jorgeelgato wrote on April 22, 2008 8:57 PM:
"So Jack if so much admire Donna, how about Dian Shipione?"

30. Fed Up wrote on April 23, 2008 3:38 PM:
"Gosh, there he goes again: Scott Lewis, flacking for Scott Peters. It's getting embarrassing. Yes, the little video is very nice and is an example of why I call Peters a Smooth Dog. But that doesn't make him a Good Smooth Dog. On the contrary, take a second look at the long list of environmentally unfriendly votes cast by Peters and detailed by contributor "La Playa Heritage." Note Serge Dedina's charge that Peters has sowed chaos over the La Jolla seals. These are why people are sick of Scott Peters and his self-serving ways. Scott Peters is condescending, arrogant and sold-out -- as well as having been found "negligent" by the Securities and Exchange Commission and having cost taxpayers a fortune in legal defense bills. Scott Peters needs to go away."

31. Jack Griffiths wrote on April 23, 2008 7:36 PM:
"If Mrs Shea were a physician I'd nominate her for the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Her diagnostic skills will be legendary in the years to come."

32. power_of_cheese wrote on April 23, 2008 9:05 PM:
"The problem Jack is that emergency response times in University City (and elsewhere) are better solved by building a few $6M fire stations than one $45M bridge. Engine 35 can't even cover the north rim of Rose Canyon, so the bridge is irrelevant. It's just a big present for the Evans Family developers, which Harry Mathis, Scott Peters, Marshall Merrifield, and Jerry Sanders want to give them for obvious reasons. The biggest traffic disaster in the Golden Triangle area is the Genesee Ave - I-5 interchange. If we shifted the FBA money from the Evans bridge project to this one, we might actually solve a real problem."

33. Jack Griffiths wrote on April 24, 2008 6:17 AM:
"Building Fire stations gets my attention every-time. Especially, given the current budget austerities,when using the public-private paradigms of cooperation that got the new Fire Station 47 built: Developer Pardee with the City. Problem is: ?Where would you put them so that their response times would count? Perhaps Power-of-cheese would share his thoughts with a letter to the editor?"

34. Fed Up wrote on April 24, 2008 12:16 PM:
"Who IS "Jack Griffiths" and is he just in love or does he get paid to rebut every voice criticism of Scott Peters? I haven't really noticed him until lately, but did he have a defense of Scott Peters' astronomical water bill, his costing the taxpayers a bundle to "defend" him legally against the possibility of SEC charges of wrong-doing in the matter of hiding the pension deficit, and his vote for a 24% pay-raise at a time of fiscal belt-tightening? If Griffiths hasn't gotten around to spinning for Scott on these issues, now's his chance."

35. Steve K wrote on April 28, 2008 8:01 AM:
"I'll be glad when Councilman Scott Peters is just a distant memory."