I Triple-Dog-Dare You to Buy Your Gas in Chula Vista!

This past Friday, I attended the Albondigas Political Society of South County luncheon.  I found it to be a great way to connect with others and stay engaged in important issues facing our neighborhoods. 

"Lunch and political talk with your friends. Every 3rd Friday of the month. No agendas - just delicious Albondigas soup and good times with a bipartisan and multipartisan crowd. Stay home if you can't get along with someone who doesn't believe what you do!"

The speaker was Port Chairman Scott Peters who also recently announced his bid for a congressional seat.  He shared information on the Bay Front:

• The Port is still working to remove the power plant.
• The Port is now looking to find ways to support the Chula Vista Nature Center as a regional asset.
• The Coastal Commission will be considering development plans for the Bay Front.

Really, not much that we haven’t heard before.  

But my ears got to twitching when Michael Meachum, Director of Economic Development for the City of Chula Vista, told all the attendees to “be sure and buy gas in Chula Vista!”  

Huh? Come again?

Well after inquiring further, I learned that the lowest generator of tax revenue in the City was from gas taxes.  Why does this matter?

1. The City needs more revenue like a headache needs tylenol, and 
2. because we should be collecting significantly more gas tax revenue in a City where 88.3% of workers commute or carpool by car, truck or van. If everyone waited to fill up their tanks in Chula Vista, imagine the increase in revenue!  

In year after year of budget cuts, this increased revenue could help the City maintain community services, public safety and public work improvements.

I, for one, will think twice before buying gas closer to my work. 

I will pay more attention to the E on my tank so that I can be sure to have enough gas to get me back to Chula Vista - where I will be buying gas.  

I will accept Mr. Meachum’s call-to-action.  Will you? 

Sweetwater Education Foundation ... DID YOU KNOW?

Sweetwater Education Foundation - a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization – was established in 2003 supporting the Compact for Success program between the Sweetwater Union High School District and San Diego State University.

Compact for Success offers guaranteed admission to SDSU for students who meet set requirements. The Foundation and it's volunteer boardmembers are asked to champion the program in the community and to help identify new scholarship supporters and contributors.


The Foundation helps raise funds to support scholarships and also sets a budget for scholarship costs over a cohort (four year period).

Some amazing milestones have been accomplished including:

• In the past 10 years, more graduates of the Sweetwater district have gone to college than ever before.
• Applications to SDSU have increased more than 120% since the beginning of the Compact for Success program.
• Since 2006, over 1200 Sweetwater Unified High School District students have enrolled at SDSU via the Compact for Success.
• To date, more than $1.6M in need-based scholarships has been awarded to over 400 students through the Sweetwater Education Foundation.
• Recently, UCSD joined in by replicating the compact scholars program. Scholarships were awarded to 50 students.
• This Fall 2011, the largest class yet arrived on SDSU campus.  And, with the scholarships to be awarded for this school year, Sweetwater Education Foundation will cross the $2 million mark in terms of total scholarship amounts awarded since 2006.

While Sweetwater Education Foundation provides budget and process, it is the school’s Office of Financial Aid who makes the final scholarship awards.


Tough Time Ahead

But there is still a lot of work to be done. Tuition alone at CSU schools will rise by 29% and that does not include other fees and costs. 


In addition, since 1999, SDSU has operated as “impacted” campus – meaning they only choose from better-qualified applicants. And as you can imagine, their pool of applicants is large. Who doesn’t want to come to San Diego? Unfortunately, it’s getting harder for our local students to compete and for our families to afford local tuition much less send them to colleges out of the region or state.

And finally, the economy is not getting any better. While the Foundation has done a great job of budgeting to help the most kids -  there will be an increase of need. More kids will be applying to the Compact. More families may qualify for help. More funds will be needed. 


How can you help:
Success has been accomplished through working in partnership and the belief that no barrier should come between a Compact for Success student and a college education. The Compact, the Foundation,   incoming boardmembers; and our youth will need more support than ever.  


For information on Compact for Success: http://coe.sdsu.edu/compact/


For More information on The Sweetwater Education Foundation: http://www.sweetwatereducationfoundation.org/

For parents looking to learn more about the Compact for Success - ask your child's school counselor. At every office in our district, you'll find The Compact for Success poster outlining requirements. 

Many in our region continue to face challenging budgets so we should do our best to continue to support our South County students and families, our local businesses and policy makers – even if it’s only to become better informed.

PC

Brainstorming with CV Council

On Friday, September 16, 2011, Chula Vista City Council held a special workshop at Montevalle Park – open to the public. The workshop focused on the council’s shared vision, goals, etc … the key word here is SHARED.  The discussion included civic engagement – something we believe in personally and professionally.

For the most part dialogue was good … yes; there was actual dialogue as they tried to agree on shared views. It put them in a very vulnerable position – but it was raw discussion about the city not the politics.  Refreshing.

As any strategist knows the process takes time. Due diligence is needed. There was obvious anxiousness by some of our councilmembers for immediate action – and who can blame them. How many times and how many years have they discussed these strategies: slogans, commercials, marketing tools, neighborhood councils, speakers bureaus – money spent… money lost.

Several years ago a speakers bureau was being re-instated and councilmembers where asked to select days to present to community on City happenings.  Busy councilmembers couldn’t confirm dates. Those that committed where then accused of trying to posture themselves. Some organizations cried foul. They worked to stop it and ultimately succeeded. At the end, our city representatives couldn’t go out into the community to share the great happenings of Chula Vista – why? Because politics was more important than the benefit of our community.

As for this workshop, we believe our council did the first effective step – hire outside help for a more effective process to develop sustainable measures. (Note the first step was to create ground rules).

We hope our city council continue on this road – be unified in their vision for Chula Vista. They don’t have to agree with every project or every idea, but together they can create the platform. If they want our communities to all believe in the Chula Vista brand – then they have to live the brand themselves.

Is the South Bay Neglected, or Absent

We’ve all heard it, said it or felt it at one time of the other.  South Bay cities do seem to be the step-children of the county.  

There is no major University south of the 8.  HOV lanes are added in the North County only.  Regional resources seem to concentrate everywhere but the South Bay.

But an event this week made me rethink the premise of neglect .... maybe we are absent from the table when decisions are being made, funding is being given, and when advocacy is needed.

On Wednesday, September 15th, the San Diego Foundation held a workshop for their “Our Greater San Diego Vision”  at the Chula Vista Golf Course. 

This is a historic civic engagement initiative, where citizens in the region are able to create our own 50-100 year strategic plan.  

Participants learned about what other residents in the region identified as priorities and were surveyed on their priorities. Afterwards, they participated in a hands-on activity where small groups gathered around 7 ft. maps and planned the ideal development of the region in preparation for the 1+ million residents that will make this county their home in the future. 

Workshops were held around the county and drew over 100 participants --- except at the South Bay workshop, where at the highest count, had 40 participants.  Some came from the East County and other areas, putting South Bay representation even lower.

Here’s the deal.  I realized that hundreds of residents who were not familiar with the South Bay were creating maps that created a vision for development in our community. 

In fact, the facilitator shared that our priority survey results significantly differed from the other groups on only one question. The group in the South Bay rated the development of vacant land lower in priority than other groups.  Could it be because we have a great portion of the vacant land in the region? Land that has sensitive wild life and plant species. Land that we would like to see preserved.  

I wonder how the maps from the other groups looked --- did they cluster new housing developments in the South Bay? Did they laden us with the bulk of industrial development?  

Out of the hundreds of individuals to participate in this stage of the visioning ---- South Bay was absent from the table.  Less than 40 participants to the average 100.

But we will get another chance to redeem ourselves!  

The feedback and maps from all the groups will soon be posted on the Show Your Love SD website. Here you will be able to complete a survey on what you do or don’t agree with, and the results will set the stage for a strategic plan for the entire region.

I will share that link when it is available - so that you, me and our fellow South Bay residents can make our voice heard.  

And I urge you to make every effort to stay informed, engaged and active participants so that no one can disregard the South Bay as absent or irrelevant.  

And our collective voices will ensure that South Bay is not neglected in the important regional decisions that impact our communities.

Raising a Politician - originally posted in Oct. 2010

A recent NPR article compared politics to a sorority.  In the past, I have referred to it as high school ... but there is a critical player missing in both scenarios ... You, me, the public ... where do we fit in this sorority or high school drama?

I believe we fill the role of parent, a role that goes back to pre-politics.  You see people aren’t born politicians. I would suggest that most begin their political careers because they care about their local community and want to contribute towards making it better ... just like you and I.

Like young children, these young politicians want to serve and please their parents (the public).  Parents of young children realize the need to be very attentive to every detail. They provide constant feedback and loving correction, all with purposeful intention of developing a solid foundation to grow from.

Enter elementary school age.  I would say 2-4 years into political life for a politician. Children this age are exploring their independence and developing their identity.  Parents must still be aware of every detail but must now resort to threats more than they may like in order to continue developing their child into a responsible, caring and contributing individual.

I think most parents would agree that junior and senior high are hell ... for everyone involved.  Friends and societal status begin to matter more than parents. It matters zilch that parents are still the ones providing everything ... and parents still must work even harder to stay aware of what is going on in that child’s world.

The hope that parents hold is that the hard work and effort of being engaged, even when facing efforts to thwart this engagement, will prove worth it when their child becomes an adult and is able to reach their maximum potential.

As a “parent,” how are you doing in staying aware of the issues in your community? How are you doing at checking in with your “children” to let them know that you are paying attention? 

How are you at giving feedback to help guide and grow our politicians into solid, responsive public servants? How are you doing at providing reminders that it is us the public that really matter and not any one special group ... no matter how popular they may seem?

We all have a role to play in making our community better ... Stay on top of the issues ... Find ways to contribute, provide feedback and guidance ... 

It’s our job as “parents” to be engaged ... otherwise we have no one to blame but ourselves ...

~ Z

Hey now – as a SDSU sorority girl I resent the comparison! LOL. But I get ya – though I often thought politics was more like middle school but with money and power - but maybe that’s too cynical. 
Because I’ve been there, seen it and felt it .... I know politics is an emotional sport but also one of those thankless jobs. So while I agree that all must get involved to share and work with our electeds – I think we also need to look at HOW we do it.
 
We just saw in the elections, many campaigns running on the platform that current leaders suck. “Get ‘em out. We’ll do better.” But isn’t that the platform every year no matter the party? So we as voters, back our candidate. Within a few months, the honeymoon is over and the candidate becomes our ‘politician’. The rhetoric out there is not nice these days. Forget the issues – attacks are personal. So, we have created the distasteful part of politics too.
 
What I experienced was two parts to the job: policymaker and politician. You need both. 
 
Policymakers hear all sides to make the best and often hard decisions for the benefit of the community. Someone is bound to get upset about the decision. Mix in misunderstood, incorrect or fabricated information and you can have a cocktail of fierceness on either side that can overshadow the actual issue. 
 
Politicians have supporters who elected them into office. They need supporters to stay in office. And sometimes the policy needed may not be what certain supporters want.
 
Heck then why would anyone want this job? Because we need good people to leave a better tomorrow. 
 
So yes, if we want to raise effective ‘politicians’ we need to do our part to get involved and share our needs so the best decision can be made. The other part is to keep check on how we behave when we don’t get what we want. And it’s not about being thick skinned, it’s about making “getting involved” more appealing. We want more people to share their ideas and we want more good people from the community to run for office. 
 
If our electeds keep having to deal more with the politics than with the policy – moving forward will be slower and slower. 
~ Patty

Chula Vista Goes Lean and Taxpayers Save

Have you heard the phrase Continuous Improvement Process or Going Lean?

I hadn't until a recent council meeting where a presentation was given by a group of Chula Vista employees from Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology.  

Stay with me here - because I promise it gets interesting.

Both phrases come from the Japanese word "Kaizen" - meaning improvement for the better.  It's a core belief that there is no end point for improvement.  Improvement is continual and a daily process that eliminates waste, increases efficiency and is all-inclusive.

Okay, here is where it gets good.  

BF Goodrich has partnered with Chula Vista to bring this training to city employees.  

The Chula Vista project I heard about entailed employees' flexible spending accounts, WageWorks (a subcontractor to administer accounts), and city departments involved in ensuring the subcontractor had the current information they needed.

The interesting part is what happened to an overtly bureaucratic process when Kaizen principles were applied.  

Below is a picture of what the process looked like before and after.  Each sticky note represents  a step in the process.

The picture really says it all!

Sixty-one steps were streamlined into twenty-four steps.  And processes in general improved up to 100%.  For full presentation on project, click here.

For you and I, the taxpayer, this represents time saved -- which equates to money saved.  

The economic environment has forced Chula Vista to cut services to the bone, forcing the city to find ways to do more with less.  

Kudos to Chula Vista for allowing employees to apply Kaizen principles to their work.  The results are undeniably amazing, and I hope that more departments will work together to revisit processes and strive towards continuous improvement.

And a big THANK YOU to BF Goodrich for being great community partners and sharing this training!

Be Aware. Be Informed. The New Drugs in our Community

These are the new drugs. They are being sold at gas stations, markets and deli's not far from our schools. Sometimes the packages are marked with cartoons or monikers attractive to youth. They are intentionally miss-labeled and marked "Not For Human Consumption" to avoid regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 


Authorities believe the drugs are often manufactured by rogue chemists in foreign countries. They pack a punch. Health officials say the drugs can combine the 'nightmarish hallucinations of a bad LSD trip with the obsessive cravings of crack cocaine.' 


Sold as : "Herbal Incense", "Potpourri", "Spice" 'K2".  They are deadly synthetic drugs that mimic the effects of marijuana. But it's not marijuana. It is a deadly synthetic drug.


Sold as: "Bath Salts", "Plant Food" and "Fertilizer" are names for products that mimic the effects of controlled substances such as cocaine, methamphetamine, LSD, PCP and others.  They can also mimic a combination of all of these drugs.  These are not the Bath Salts that are legitimately used when a person soaks in a tub of water.  They are dangerous designer drugs intentionally miss-labeled as "Bath Salts." 


Death and serious injuries have occurred to users and people they encounter. Anyone is allowed to purchase these products. And local merchants are selling them.

I did a quick google search and found the following on a San Diego based website: 

"Even though the DEA has issued a ban in effect on 5 synthetic chemicals that mimic the effect of marijuana the fun still continues as we are coming out with new 50 state legal blends and other legal products. You will experience the same joy and satisfaction from our new products, just like the ones you experienced with our other products."

Our Community is taking Action ...
After the sales of Spice was found in the Deli located right next door to Hilltop Middle School, local parents and community leaders banded together to form "People Against Spice Sales". They want to help educate and inform the community on the dangers of these drugs.  


What Local Policy Makers are Doing ... 
Most of the synthetic drugs on the market do not contain a list of ingredients, which makes it difficult to enforce a ban. As a first step, Assemblymember Ben Hueso introduced Assembly Concurrent Resolution 69 at the State calling for law enforcement, first responders, schools, local elected officials, and parents to educate youth about the risks associated with synthetic drugs. Hueso is also working on legislation that would completely ban the products.


In Chula Vista last week, the Public Safety Committee held a hearing on the two popular synthetic drugs. Chula Vista Councilmembers Steve Castaneda and Patricia Aguilar want to ban synthetic marijuana strains from Chula Vista.


What can you do? 
"People Against Spice Sales" are willing to present information to groups of any size.and are working to ensure legislation is passed in California to ban the sales and possession of these dangerous drugs by anyone. 


You can reach them through: 
stopspice@hotmail.com  
stopspicesales@gmail.com 
Or search their Facebook page: People Against Spice Sales  


Contact your Local Policymakers
Assemblymember Hueso: 619-409-7979
Councilmember Castaneda: 619-691-5044


Most importantly, be informed. A quick google search will give you a long list of articles nationwide and locally. And then share with your children, friends, family and neighbors ... and offer your help to our leaders.




PC

Redevelopment Lives on in Chula Vista

Council Member Patricia Aguilar announced on her Facebook page that at the meeting of August 2, 2011 

"the City Council voted to continue with redevelopment, although it will cost the city what the staff has termed a $4.1 million "ransom" payment to the state to do so. The other alternative under the new state law would be to dissolve the redevelopment agency altogether."  

The payment will come from an account dedicated to affordable housing projects and is planned to be repaid by the City in the next three years.  The payment is not anticipated to have a significant impact to any planned affordable housing.


This action allows the City to move forward on major redevelopment projects, such as Bay Front Development, Third Avenue and Main Street public improvements and more.  


The state law that requires cities to relinquish some of their redevelopment funds, in order to be eligible to have a redevelopment agency, is being challenged in court.  But until that case is settled, Chula Vista will lose $4.1 million of their redevelopment funding in the first year and a little over $1 million annually in following years.  


A recent article in the Union Tribune sheds more light on where this money actually goes --- and it would appear that the City may be getting some of it back, as would our local school districts.  


How much they get back and plans on how the money will be used are questions that come to my mind.  I'll see what I can find .... if you have knowledge, feel free to share ...

The Future of Redevelopment in Chula Vista

In an April post, we discussed the Governor's proposal to eliminate local redevelopment agencies.  


The state budget passed didn't outright eliminate these agencies.  But it did set-up a pay-to-play framework.  At tonight's meeting, the City Council will discuss redevelopment in Chula Vista, what's at stake, and decide whether they will participate in the new redevelopment framework.


I live in Otay Ranch, and many may think that redevelopment doesn't impact us "Eastsiders."  But the two hundred unit affordable housing complex down the street was made possible by this money.  


Having affordable housing options is important in a city.  Chula Vista has been hit hard by the housing market.  Many are in desperate need of affordable housing.


And then there is the Bayfront.  Developing our bay front has been a long standing dream of this city and its residents. It's a dream that has been close enough to taste and smell --- but has yet to be realized.


You can watch tonight's meeting live online (4pm) through streaming video.   If you have any thoughts on redevelopment to share with your leaders --- contact them prior.  


Z

Does your block need some sprucing up?

Chula Vista Serves Launches Love Your Block, Sponsored by The Home Depot Foundation

Thanks to the generous support of The Home Depot Foundation, Love Your Block will provide 20 competitive mini-grants comprised of a $500 Home Depot gift card for each grant award. 

Each winning neighborhood group will purchase the needed supplies for their local improvement project and can request city services as available to support the effort.

“These mini-grants encourage groups of community members to identify priority projects and develop volunteer-fueled solutions,” said Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox. “Love Your Block engages residents in revitalizing their neighborhoods one block at a time. Engaged neighbors can act as a powerful force to improve their neighborhoods and prevent crime, while increasing community involvement and improving quality of life.”

For the purpose of the Love Your Block campaign, a block is defined as a minimum of 10 residents in proximity to one another within the City of Chula Vista. The group must be volunteer-led. Eligible groups include neighborhood, tenant and block associations as well as community garden groups, school, and church-based groups.


Each group must have a detailed and realistic action plan for engaging residents to carry out a physical transformation of their block. Residents must implement and complete their volunteer project between September 2011 and the end of November 2011. Grant recipients must also commit to providing before/after pictures as well as measure specific impact, i.e., number of trees planted, number of pounds of trash collected, number of pounds of mulch distributed, square footage of graffiti removed, number of green spaces/gardens created, number of physical resources created , and number of volunteers engaged.


Potential Projects include, but are not limited to:

• vacant lot clean-up
• weeding
• litter removal
• graffiti removal
• fence replacement/painting
• pet waste bag dispenser(s)
• tree planting (not in city right of way)
• community garden development (per city policy)
• yard sharing (private property only)
• mural painting (private property only)
• safety/security lighting/improvements (private property only)
• water conservation measures, i.e., installation of low flow sprinklers
• energy conservation measures, i.e., installation of motion detector lighting

Visit the Chula Vista Serves website to download the application.

Apply! Add your Voice to Chula Vista Boards and Commissions.

Applications are being accepted now for various vacancies on Chula Vista Boards and Commissions.

These include Planning Commission, Charter Review, Growth Management Oversight Commission (GMOC), Ethics, Library Board, Arts & Culture, and many others.  

Applicants are required to live in C.V. and be registered to vote. The Mayor usually fills these seats quickly as they become available. 

Applications are kept on file for two years for consideration. If you have applied and not sure if you're still on file - call the City Clerks office or REAPPLY - it's easy.

Got to:

http://www.chulavistaca.gov/City_Services/Administrative_Services/City_Clerk/Boards/vacancies.asp

Get involved! Lend your voice! Make your imprint in the future of our city!

Democracy’s High Price of Admission

I was once told that someone would have to raise/spend upwards of $7000 to win a seat on Chula Vista City Council. That was years ago, before the political parties and special interests groups invested so heavily, and I am sure the price tag has increased significantly. 

The idea that a seat could literally be paid for like an new suit at Macy’s shocked me at the time - call it political naivety.  

So the recent story that a group of “activists” were paid to show up at a recent council meeting to show “public” support for an item .... well, let’s just say I wasn’t surprised.  

I wish I could say I was disappointed, let down, and/or disgusted ... but the truth is, I’m none of them.  Why? Because I have worked in politics - for a short, but long enough - time to know that democracy has a price of admission. 

There is an actual monetary cost. The money it takes to win an election, to make campaign donations that secure you the ear of your elected, and to afford all the VIP networking events that prove you are someone important - someone worth listening to. 

Then there is the cost of time. The time that’s needed to show up at public meetings and get your opinion out there, to serve on city commissions and other advisory boards, and to stay informed on the issues, all while marketing yourself and building your base - the bigger your base the larger your influence. 

IF you can afford the full price of admission, you can be sure to play an influential role in democracy.  IF all you do is vote and passively engage on issues, democracy will be an elusive thing.

Upset, enraged by the paid “activist?” No, not me.  I’m actually more curious as to the reaction and outcry of the public.  One of my core beliefs is the “potential” power of the public to change this dysfunctional democracy ... but it remains a potential unless we are willing to invest, actively engage and accept the norm no more.

I’m in .... are you?  

Like us on Facebook and subscribe to the blog feed and let’s see if we can realize the potential in Chula Vista.

Z

Mom on the school beat - Entry #2

School is now in full swing. Looked like a war zone at Target & Office Depot on Friday. My older two needed spiral notebooks large enough for them to glue papers into it ... I guess that's effective. Whatever happened to PeeChee Folders?

Met early last week with Rancho Del Rey Middle School Principal. As you recall, our last conversation was not very kumbaya. However, new year new start. Was a great conversation about new approaches for getting parents involved and providing better for kids. 

Getting ready to send out my introduction e-mail to the long list of HS & RDRM teachers. Great way to connect and have it on record too. 

Now about the traffic – do people just forget how to drive and all courtesy is lost when driving to school. Going south on Paseo Ranchero & Heritage to Olympic is nuts. There are illegal u-turns, left turns, right turns, intersection blocking, near misses – auh ya ya.

-PC