I've been meaning to mention this: Over the holiday, I actually heard from David Garcia, the former city manager of Chula Vista, who was chased out after a bizarre kerfuffle over what he was looking at on his work computer.
Here's what he reports:
I have accepted a job with the U.S. State Department as a contractor. I was contacted by a headhunter in September who was recruiting personnel with City Management, budgeting, redevelopment and construction experience to work with USAID( US Agency for International Development). I will be going to Iraq for the next 12 months to be part of a group called the "Provincial Reconstruction Team". This is joint military civilian task force that has two main missions; First, rebuilding the infrastructure in the towns and cities in Iraq, and second to establish the framework for democratic governance at the local level.
And he says, he had no problems with the background check.
Still smarting from the mayor's rude kidnapping of the Union-Tribune's incomparable metro columnist, Gerry Braun, I've been reluctant to embrace his replacement, Michael Stetz.
Where'd you go Gerry? Did they stuff you in a closet? Are you trapped on the 11th floor of City Hall? If you are, and somebody has smuggled you this blog, place a sign at the window with a picture of a big smiley face on Friday at 4 p.m. The Truth Pirates can get you out.
OK, back to Stetz. The dude is still on probation as far as I'm concerned.
Here's a snippet from one of his first columns (the emphasis, of course, is mine).
Many of today's teens grew up in a fairly prosperous time, complete with iPods and cell phones, and they might be in for a rude awakening now that the economy is tanking.
My kids will be no exception. On Christmas morning, when my 15-year-old rushes down to the decorated Christmas fern -- who can afford a tree? -- she might just be underwhelmed when she tears the wrapping paper off a half-full box of paper clips.
Then he writes this, Sunday, in a piece advocating that the city start charging residents for their trash pickup service:
I took full advantage of my trash service during the holidays.
My trash cans were overflowing with wrapping paper, toy packaging, roasted chicken remains (yum).
But it hardly matters how much I managed to stuff in there. Every week is like Christmas when it comes to trash pickup in the city of San Diego because it's free for homeowners, like me.
Many businesses, condo owners and apartment renters aren't so lucky. A person owning a Point Loma hilltop home with an ocean view, like mine, gets free trash pickup, but a renter in North Park does not.
So I'm having trouble following him: Is he feeling the pain of the economic crisis or not? Sounds like his 15-year-old actually did get some presents unless he stuck her with the roasted chicken remains. He seemed like he was trying to forge a bond with those who were cutting way back for the holidays only to, weeks later, write "Ha! Not really. I got a huge house, tons of presents and loads of good food."
Editor´s Choice The reader comments you won't want to miss. (Editor's Choice selection do not represent the views of the editors. They are comments that seem to add to the discussion as opposed to less productive insults or arguments.)
Scott, you have to give the UT a break on this one. It is not easy find a columnist with the ability to connect with San Diego readers as the struggling everyman, while at the same time being wealthy enough that $140K a year from the mayor won't lure him away. The UT made the sensible choice of giving the job to someone they could keep rather than taking a chance by emphasizing the writing or connecting aspects of the job.
Scott, here's my take onMike Stetz. He has a nice conversational writing style and an easy-going disposition, which made him a great feature writer when he was on the Metro Desk as a GA reporter. He's clever, approachable and willing to listen. In other words, he has all the right tools to make a good columnist. But we shouldn't expect him to be the same as Gerry Braun, whose differing style was born from decades of political and investigative reporting. I'd say give Mike a chance.
You know, for $140k per year, you'd think the public would be entitled to know what it's getting. Does Braun in fact serve any public purpose, or is his role solely to help Sanders find higher elective office? If so, his salary should be paid out of campaign funds, not our tax dollars.
Gosh darn it, I was having such a nice, pleasant morning. But then I read the last words you quote, from the U-T's Michael Stetz, regarding the trash pickup arrangement in SD. I'm one of those condo owners who has to pay for private trash pick-up, AND has to pay again, in taxes, for the essentially free refuse collection provided to single family homeowners, including those "owning a Point Loma hilltop home with an ocean view," who can afford to pay for it. At the risk of repeating myself (lol!!!), the City would be better off, fiscally, to privatize trash pick-up for ALL city residents. Such a change would be both fair and practical for all.
You forgot to mention the wrapping paper that was in the trash cans (plural? how much trash does this one family generate?) belongs in the recycle bin!
The last time I saw Gerry Braun, he was seated at the back of the Council Committee room, taking notes at a Park & Rec Board meeting. Not bad for a buck - 40. I'd be happy to do the same for half the salary. Perhaps some humor was interjected into the notes when they were formed into a report for the mayor and staff. Otherwise, it's just notes. With respect to Michael Stetz, his article on trash was interesting, but convoluted and not very amusing/entertaining if that's his goal. The jury's still out on Michael. Otherwise it's just notes.
John, what is your point? Does the fact that Gerry Braun sat in on a Council committee meeting and took notes make him a high-priced stenographer? Do you know what he was taking the notes for?
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Scott Lewis on Politics
The Scott Lewis on Politics blog, abbreviated cleverly as SLOP, is a collection of observations, insights and the occasional scoop on public affairs in San Diego. Please feel free to e-mail Scott at scott.lewis@voiceofsandiego.org.
Listen to voiceofsandiego.org's radio program on AM 600 KOGO: Latest Episode (November 8): Scott Lewis and Michael Zucchet talk about the city's budget
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