Mayor Faulconer On Stadium Task Force, Assessing Roads

I Maureen Cavanaugh it's Thursday, February 19. Our top story on Midday Edition it's been a bumpy week for the citizen stadium advisory group a nine-member panel appointed by Mayor Faulkner after being invited to attend the advisor groups meeting on Monday longtime Chargers special counsel Mark Bobby on the issued for points of advice to the members and later he wrote a letter to the mayor using some of the group staff of accusing some of conflict of interest in questioning the groups independent spirit? Mayor Kevin Potter joins us for his monthly visit to the KPBS to help and to take your calls are numbers 888-895-5727 or you can send a tweet at KPBS midday Mayor Faulkner will come back Maureen always glad to be here thank you You know from the gist of that letter I was referring to send by Mark Bobby on the this week he suggests that the citizen stadium advisory group is not as independent as you say it is for instance, what is Jason Roe your former election consultant and a lobbyist attending the stadium group's meetings? We also great group Maureen of volunteers. Of 9% of come together that are really tentative plan together that the public can be a part of comic and that and can ultimately have something on the ballot. You they have the ability to invite those then. This is a group that I created and invited Mr. Bobby on the in obviously -- and so part of the process will ultimately be a potential ballot measure so for them to get advice on policy, on politics, it's all the absolutely type of things that you would want to seek in a group do because ultimately, we have to have a plan that is going to work that is going to be supported by boaters and my commitment is that for the first time we will actually have some real numbers attached to something. And that we put it to the voters for their support and that's what's been missing over this dialogue for the last 10 or 13 years and I'm trying to change that. And what is Jason Rose what is his function with this Advisory Committee? Is not a member of the group that invited him into talk about some of of using the strategy of political stuff he does work for me on my campaigns and we want the group to invite in to get all the stakeholders that they believe that they should be talking to. I know that they're talking about inviting San Diego State in because obviously the Aztecs are very important to this equation so it's important that we get a real plan together that we think in terms of how we achieve success and part of what I wrote back in -- a lot of San Diego's and the answer is patching their heads about the tone and the tenor of that letter and rightfully so, and I said for us to achieve success, and I think we can, we have to be working together and I'm looking forward to that being the case in that's one of the things that when I talked to Dean Spano's next week I'm going to reinforce that San Diego to expect a good result and that we have the opportunity to do that Any given the stadium advisory group any guidance on making the staff selections? We also to them as to who they want to invite there's no city dollars being used nobody's getting paid. These are volunteers. You be given suggestions as to Yeah I output of the group and I said I want you guys to actually work very hard. I want you to work under a definitive timeline and I want you to give me a recommendation that the public can weigh in on that we can kick the tires and that ultimately if I think it's a good plan that we would put forward for the voters city Council and others to all weigh in on because what's been missing is we've never had a real plan that says -- 8A this is where the stadium should go but B here's how you have to pay for it and if you don't have a finance plan, you don't have a real plan and so I think that I said very clearly that the threat from Los Angeles is probably the real -- most real that's ever been -- and there's a lot of important things that we are working on right now but keeping the Chargers in San Diego is important to the city and I think we need to do it. And I do want to thought about the financing possible financing of the stadium just to be clear, did you suggest Jason Roe or tone model of this to the stadium advisory group as possible staff members that they might want to look at? There's no staff member states of the invited who they want to speak for the group who they want to get input from the group and I hope they reach out to a rug range of individuals to accomplish that Our looking at Mark Bobby on his advice to the stadium group, one of the elements that he advises is that any proposal coming out of this group should have a strong chance of being approved by a two thirds of the voters two thirds approval of course is needed for a new tax -- so was this a signal that the Chargers will only agree to a stadium deal paid for by the taxpayers? Well I think you'd have to ask them that. What I've said very clearly is that it think we need a plan that protects taxpayers that gives us our best opportunity for success so I put the group together is that we have posted from a business standpoint, from land-use standpoint to really look at all of the options, what is working other cities, what has not worked in other cities, and what is the best plan for us in San Diego and I've narrowed it down and said rather than go out and create re-create the wheel and look at sites all over the place, we've been there done that and there's really only two opportunities for us to achieve success quickly. That's the downtown site for NTS WHERE Clause guard is an existing facility at QUALCOMM Stadium so let's look at which one we think gives us our best opportunity quickly but most importantly, how to pay for it -- because San Diego's will support if it's a good deal. The example that I think most people .2 and rightfully so is look at the work that was done on Petco Park there we work very closely as a city with the Padres and came up with a plan voters supported -- and anybody who drives down her walks down that part of downtown and the spillage has seen the tremendous transformation of what at Petco Park has made it so I think that's a good model and a good template -- that's our opportunity here for the Chargers and in order to do that we have to work closely together Was take a focal we are taking your calls at 1-888-895-5727 San Diego Mayor of posters by Justin Jim is calling from San Diego -- hi Jim Hi. My question is -- why should I pay for a $1.5 billion stadium just so we can give it to a billionaire? If you want to stadium let him build it Thank you Jim I don't know that you should Jim and I think a lot of people share that sentiment. Part of what you look at is how you put all these things together and how to pay for it -- and there's a lot of priorities that we are moving forward on right now in the city when it comes to infrastructure of said my number 12 and 3 Priority Is St. repairs to the repair and street there and so this plan has to be a plan that works -- not just for the Chargers it's for the Aztecs and can we have special events -- what we have to have a financing plan that is sustainable. And one that San Diego tool support and embrace because if we cannot do that I'm not interested in bringing the forward and I'm interested in success and real results So is conceivably, since we're looking at so many options here, and this group will be considering so many options, a new tax to build a stadium is something you could support The groups going to look at with work and other places they're going to look at land, they will look at these they will look at what's the Chargers contribution what's the NFL's contribution, and I've said look at what's been successful in other cities and look at naming rights, personal seat licenses, there's a Globex and a whole menu. Look at what has worked and how do we replicate success. What's unique to our market that's different from any other market and that's what -- I don't want to prejudge what the joint group is going to come back with more in but why pass them to come up with it and come up with its relatively quickly is because we do plan that San Diego's can jump in on and way and I'm and get us across the finish line. So you won't rule out a new tax I don't know that that's necessary. And I don't know that San Diego's want that. I said I'd want us to really have a plan that is concrete, that says for example here's how much it would cost for this land and here's how we would pay for to hear the revenue streams that actually promote the construction of it, so I think the group has their work cut out for the but at the same time, the other nine people that really believe in the city and really I think understand that we can accomplish good things if we work together. Now with your rebuttal letter to the Chargers Mr. Mayor, you suggest a one-on-one meeting with Tim Spano's who's the owner of the Chargers, what do you think that would accomplish? Well I think it's going to make sure that we are working together and as I've said I think a lot of San Diego's when they saw some of the comments as we can be told from Mr. Bob Yanni are saying where they hope that does not reflect the Chargers leadership -- because if you're trying to accomplish results you do that by working together and look what happened with the Padres as an example -- so I think is an opportunity to say making sure that given the group of chance to succeed, and that we are being upfront getting all things on the table and be very clear about expectations but also very clear about San Diego's wanted to get this done. We had a point from Louis Cook who asked if indeed you had that meeting with as yours battles would that be a violation of open bidding law I'm looking forward to a one-on-one with as yours battles and I think that's the kind of direct conversation that will be helpful to the process. All right up speaker with Mayor Kevin Faulkner 1-888-895-5727 I'll take another call about this stadium and then try to move on -- market San Diego is calling -- hi Mark Hi. Which a question? Mr. Mayor, thanks for taking the call. My question is -- what is your position on the use of limited public funds to subsidize a charger stadium and please don't say it be up to the voters would I want to know is what your position on the use of limited scarce public funds to subsidize a Chargers stadium thank you Leverages scarce public funds are my priority is word for structure right now and I will continue to talk about street repair and sewer and water pipes -- that's where my priority is. I've said when it comes to the stadium, we have to look at all revenue opportunities that I think of us our best chance for success because you know markets are coming out of one of the worst recessions that we've had as we've made a lot of those financial reforms that I was proud to be a part of pension reform and retirement healthcare reform -- bipartisan testing those dollars back into neighborhood services. I think that San Diego's priorities. I don't think it's an either or situation I think we're a great city a big city we can accomplish many goals just like we did with Petco Park and that's both the challenge and the opportunity. Now meanwhile we haven't heard much about efforts to find a solution to the convention center expansion -- is that on hold until the stadium Advisory Committee makes its recommendations? You know unfortunately strong counsel support for the convention center expansion but that's and tied up in court but is something that is absolutely important that we move forward. I think you've seen a boring that one of the proposals from the Jamia folks is would you potentially have it across the street and would that be a part of a standalone or a combined expansion within the new stadium that is one of the options that is on the table -- but I will say very clearly that expanding our convention center is critically important to our economy in San Diego. I mean you look at our third largest revenue source for the city is to achieve taxes and those comments have not in our hotels and when we have great conventions, oops like comic on when were attracting people all of the country to come and be a San Diego's for their money and go home -- that allows us to pave streets and allows me to hire more police officers in getting that convention center expanded is absolutely a top are not Lee for me but the Council I think Mozambicans that know what a true really is and economic engine and it's at a competitive advantage that we have in San Diego that other cities would love to have. Two figures prove go to wait until the citizens stadium Advisory Committee makes this suggestion to move forward on that considering that one of their suggestions by people put a stadium there? I think it's a gold record for both important. And as you look through what's happening and winding through the legal process on that, one of the things that's a very clearly yes I'm really not interested away before three or four years to have this light why do the courts I'm interested in success now Just to change the subject for a minute, KPBS reporter Megan Berks and voice of San Diego had a report today that detailed the repeated code violations of a man who owns nearly 90 apartment properties in San Diego. These violations are egregious as documented in these reports they include the mold, apartments teeming with roaches, pico Compliance Officers told reporters that they don't have the resources to crack down on openers like this. So my question is -- will you include more funding for code compliance enforcement and the budget that you're going to be delivering this year That is absolutely one of the things that I will tell you leverages backup I read the article. You have anybody living in conditions like that is absolutely unacceptable. It we have to send a very strong message and very strong enforcement that that kind of stuff will not be tolerated in any neighborhood in San Diego. And I thought it was a very well researched story and particularly when you have an individual or an that has multiple properties like this he catches treated each property as unique. We clearly have a problem with this person. So I think it really calls for looking at it not just perhaps for code enforcement officers but how was the strategy to going to some of our problem individuals and really target that. I think that's both are going to be very important and as we look we are putting together the budget right now to answer your question directly that is one of the areas that I think we need additional help Will be working perhaps or listening to counsel and David Albers on this because he's asking for more code enforcement funding. Absolutely. And Councilman and I were in a meeting yesterday working very closely together on some truck issues and doubted tone Mesa -- as we put out the call for all of the Council members that said give me your priorities we are matching priorities as were putting together a budget here the next 30 days but when it comes to rules that have to be enforced, city has to do that. And the city has to have we're protecting families and we're protecting our neighborhoods and I will not tolerate individuals like that putting people throughout this individuals putting people through -- let me ask you a brief question if I may it involves a street assessment vehicle the city unveiled his got a laser sensor it's going to look for all the cracks and bumps on city streets, it seems like we've had an awful lot of street assessments programs lately. When are we going to know are the bottom line of how much is going to cost for to fix our infrastructure and what's wrong with them What was wrong with it is the city has invested dollars that should that's very clear. As you look at it as it is my state of the city speech if you look of the dollars the city should've spent on infrastructure but instead did because of the disbanded pension system over the last tenures that's over $1 billion alone -- we are addressing the streets and the infrastructure and the assessment because what of said and all the Council members agreed way you need to get the dollars to the streets that need it the most now and let's not play politics and let's not look at just do it in everybody gets the same amount -- we do know there streets that are really bad shape -- and when you do a street assessment you can't just do it once a decade and then be done with the, part of what we said we will come back into it every four years to making sure over when the work is being done is holding up to our standards but also we need to make sure that we are addressing the problems where it is the most and I'm going to be coming to the Council here next month with a package of significant reforms that really not only as of said repairs the city's repair program all boring but really as we move forward with infrastructure that were giving more of the priority to actual new asphalt on the street and anybody who's listening to me right now if you're out there driving, you know exactly what I'm talking about in terms of water prior to should be and I would just mention one last thing that I think would reinforces -- we said City Teams out to all the neighborhood and committee groups as they give us your number 123 priorities and what you want to see in terms of infrastructure and number one across the board in every community is fixer streets that's exactly what we need to do Again we only got to scratch the surface but it's a pleasure to speak with you San Diego bigger Kevin Fulcher thanks so much Always a pleasure thank you