Tom: I AM TOM SAVAGE AND THESE ARE STORIES WE ARE FOLLOWING. FREE SPEECH ZONES ARE BEING CONSIDERED BY THE SAN DIEGO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THE PROPOSAL WILL ALLOW LARGE GROUPS TO USE LARGE PART OF WATERFRONT PARK. THE MEDIAN SALES PRICE OF HOMES IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION CONTINUE TO CLIMB LAST MONTH IN A NEW REPORT SHOWS THE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES AS A RESULT SOUGHT TO DRAW. THERE MAY BE MUDDY RAIN AND WHETHER TO SAN DIEGO COUNTY AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD HIT THE MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS THIS AFTERNOON. >Tom: YESTERDAY MAYOR ANNOUNCED THAT CINDY WILL VOTE ON WHETHER TO PUBLICLY FUNDED THE STADIUM. IT WILL HAPPEN IN DECEMBER TO MATCH THE RAPID PACE OF NEGOTIATIONS TO BRING A FOOTBALL TEAM TO LA. THEY ARE WORKING WITH CARSON TO ENGINEER A POSSIBLE MOVE THERE. I'M JOINED BY TARYN MINTEL COVERED YESTERDAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT. Tom: TARYN, TELL US ABOUT THE DECEMBER BUT WHAT WILL THEY VOTE ON? Reporter: THE VOTE WOULD Reporter: THE VOTE WOULD TAKE PLACE, DECEMBER 15th BUT WHAT EXACTLY WE WILL BE VOTING ON ISN'T CLEAR. WE DO NOT HAVE THE SPECIFICS OF THAT AND WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE ARE WORKING OUT AND THE CHARGES IN THE NFL AND HOW MUCH THE PUBLIC WITHOUT. I PROBABLY SEE SOMETHING LIKE HOW MUCH MONEY TOTAL REVENUE STREAMS WE DO NOT KNOW THE SPECIFICS YET. Tom: WE HEARD ABOUT A FUND TO CHARGE BY THE STATE OF ADVISORY GROUP AND IT WOULD INVOLVE $467 MILLION OF PUBLIC FUNDS BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY THE PLAN WILL VOTE ON. Reporter: IT WAS REFERRED TO AS A FRAMEWORK AND PITCHED AS A STARTING POINT FOR THESE NEGOTIATIONS TO BEGIN FROM SO THAT WE COULD SEE MORE OR LESS. THOSE NEGOTIATIONS ARE BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES AND WHAT WILL BE ON THE BALLOT? Tom: THEY SAID THE PLAN WOULD NOT REQUIRE A VOTE? Reporter: IN THE EVENT THE CITY WANTED TO RAISE TAXES OR PAY FOR THIS IT WOULD REQUIRE VOTERS TO PAY BY TWO THIRDS AND IT'S A HIGH MARK TO HIT. THEY ARE BLONDE SAID THEY WANT THE PUBLIC TO HAVE THE FINAL SAY SO WOULD BE THE CITY AND TAXPAYERS AND VOTERS SAYING WE ARE OKAY WITH THIS, MOVE FORWARD. Tom: THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE AN ADVISORY VOTE, NOT A FINDING VOTE? Reporter: IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A LEGAL VOTE SO CERTAINLY, HE WANTS THE PUBLIC TO HAVE THE FINAL SAY AND IF THEY SAY NO BUT THE WILL OF THE PUBLIC HAS SPOKEN AND WE WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PLAN THAT WE DO NOT KNOW BECAUSE WE ARE NOT THERE YET. Tom: THE PLAN THEY CAME UP WITH CALLS FOR MONEY FROM THE CITY IN THE COUNTY. WHAT THE VOTE BE COUNTYWIDE? Reporter: IT WILL BE A CITYWIDE VOTES IN VOTE BY MAIL AND FUNDED BY THE CITY. WE DO NOT YET KNOW SPECIFICS ON COST. I BELIEVE THE CITY COUNCIL TO GET IT BY DECEMBER 15 WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE IT BY SEPTEMBER 18 AND A MAX -- UNLESS WE HEAR SOMETHING BEFORE THEN WE WILL HEAR DETAILS THAT. TALKING ABOUT THE PROCESS WE NEED TO GO THROUGH TO GET TO THAT. Tom: THIS WILL BE VOTE BY MAIL SENDER POLLING STATIONS WILL BE SET UP? IT'S CHEAPER TO DO VOTE BY MAIL TO HAVE POLLS. Tom: OKAY TARYN, SUM IT UP FOR US, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE VOTE OCCURS? WE NEED A PLAN AND WE NEED TO SEE WHAT CITY REPRESENTATIVES DECIDE ON WHAT SIDE FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY. THEY HAVE MET TWICE AND WILL MEET AGAIN IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO HAPPEN BY SEPTEMBER 18. Tom: THANK YOU SO MUCH. TARYN MINTEL IS THE KBPS METRO REPORTER AND COVERED THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY MAYOR KEVIN FAULKNER THAT THERE WILL BE A DECEMBER ABOUT ON FUNDING CHARGERS STADIUM. BY THE WAY THEY ARE CONDUCTING AN INFORMAL POLL AND THEY ARE GOING TO DECIDE WHETHER TO KEEP THE CHARGES IN SAN DIEGO. WOULD YOU VOTE TO KEEP CITY AND COUNTY FUNDS TOWARDS KEEPING THEM CLEAR? WILL SHOW YOU THE RESULTS TONIGHT ON KEEPING EDITION. YOU ARE LISTENING TO MIDDAY EDITION AND I AM NOW JOINED IN THE STUDIO BY TWO GENTLEMEN, CARL LUNA, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE. THANK YOU FOR COMING IN. GOOD TO BE HERE. Tom: AND TONY MANN ALANIS WHO IS A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE CITY ADVISORY GROUP. Tom: OF VOTE IS NOT REQUIRED WHY DO YOU THINK THEY COMMITTED TO HOLDING AN ELECTION? EVEN IF THEY VOTE IT IS WANTING SOME CONTROVERSIAL COVER AND IT'S LINED UP HOPING THAT IT WOULD OFFSET LEGAL ACTIONS DOWN THE PIPE. YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IT WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY SAID THE CHARGES CAN HANG AROUND AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. Tom: THE ADVISORY GROUP TOOK PAINS TO COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT THE PUBLIC DID NOT NEED TO VOTE ON SO WHAT IS YOUR TAKE? THAT IS CORRECT THERE'S NO TAX INCLUDED IN THE FRAMEWORKS AND NO LEGAL REQUIREMENT FOR THE VOTE. THE MAYOR HAS ALWAYS SAID HE BELIEVES THAT VOTERS SHOULD HAVE FINAL SAY AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC MONEY. IT'S A HUGE PUBLIC POLICY AND IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME. HE BELIEVES IN A LOT OF PEOPLE AGREE THAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE THE FINAL SAY. THE MAILING VOTE IS OLDER AND MORE AFFLUENT. THE QUESTION IS A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS, LESS THAN TWO WEEKS WILL I LIKE THIS TURNOUT OF VOTERS YOU NEED TO APPROVE BEST? YOU RUN THE RISK OF SEEING LIBERTARIAN VOTERS TURN OUT AND IT MAY NOT BE GOOD FOR PUBLIC FUNDING. Tom: THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MOTIVATED ALTHOUGH IN THIS STRANGE TO SOME ABOUT -- DECEMBER VOTE. ATTENDS TO BE OLDER AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WERE CHARGER T-SHIRTS. Tom: MAIL-IN VOTE IS SOMETHING WE'VE DONE BEFORE IS THERE A QUESTION ON WHETHER IT LEGAL? IT'S FULLY LEGAL AND THE ONLY THING IS IS THERE A DELAYING TACTIC. IT'S ANOTHER REASON FOR THE CHARGES TO TAKE THE BURDEN THAT THEY HAD. Tom: OR TO THE CHARGERS THINK ABOUT THIS OR DO THEY GET IN THE WAY? I DISAGREED THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO BEAT THEM THERE. THEY ARE HAVING TO FINANCE THIS WITH A PLAN AND WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD A LOT OF ROADBLOCKS AND HE HOLLERED ABOUT STEVE CUSHMAN AND THEN THE PLUME AND THEN HE TOLD US ABOUT THIS MASSIVE STADIUM MINUTES ALL THESE REASONS WHY THEY CANNOT GET THE DEAL DONE. AND THEY ARE ALL CONVINCED THEY ARE A TEAM OF EXPERTS THAT OF BOTH SIDES WORKED TOGETHER THEY CAN GET A DEAL DONE IN THE NEXT 6 TO 7 WEEKS. Tom: TO THINK IT WILL HAVE THE DECEMBER VOTE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT THE ADVISORY TASK FORCE CAME UP WITH? I DO THINK THE HAMMER OUT COMPONENTS AND THERE WILL BE ELEMENTS THAT MAKE IT AND, NO DOUBT. Tom: YOU ARE LISTENING TO MIDDAY EDITION WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE MAYOR OF SAN DIEGO THAT THE PEOPLE OF SAN DIEGO ABOUT TO SPEND PUBLIC DOLLARS ON A NEW STADIUM FOR THE CHARGERS. CARL LUNA IS A PROFESSOR AT MESA COLLEGE AND TONY IS A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE CITIZEN STADIUM ADVISORY GROUP. CARL, A POLL CONDUCTED BY 10 NEWS IN SAN DIEGO EARLIER THIS YEAR ON THE LIKELY OUTCOME OF THE VOTE FOUND THAT 29% OF THE POLLS SAID YES AND WHAT TO THINK OF POLLS LIKE THAT? YOU MAY NOT WANT TO WEAR THOSE T-SHIRTS PICKLED ONES BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE GONE. AND THEY WILL HAVE A HARD TIME WITH THE HOME CROWD BECAUSE THEY BEEN TALKING ABOUT MEETING/SLEEPING. THE CHARGERS THIS YEAR. Tom: THE PULL IS DISCOURAGING WITH IMPROVING PUBLIC FUNDING. OF BOTH SIDES COME TOGETHER YOU WILL HAVE A COALITION AND BANDWAGON BEHIND THIS. IT WILL BE A LARGE COALITION OF FANS AND MANY PEOPLE STUMPED THIS AND THE ADVISOR GROUP HAS FOUND A WAY TO BUILD A STADIUM WITHOUT A TAX INCREASE. YOU HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF SUCCESS. Tom: NBC SPORTS IS REPORTING THAT A SOURCE FAMILIAR WITH THAT THINKING SAID THE CHARGES BELIEVE I CANNOT HAPPEN WITHIN THE YEAR BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO COMPLY WITH CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT LAWS, SUGGESTING THE DECEMBER VOTE WILL NOT BE DOING THE JOB. WE COULD NOT RUN WITH THAT ONE SOURCE STORY, ESPECIALLY ANONYMOUS SOURCES, THAT'S MY FIRST OBSERVATION. SECONDLY, THE EXPERTS THEY RETAIN THESE NEGOTIATIONS, ONE IS A FOREMOST EXPERT AND HE WROTE THE BOOK ON ENVIRONMENTAL LAW AND THIS INVOLVED SQL ALL THE TIME. THESE PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT YOU CAN GET IT DONE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PIECE OF PROPERTY IN MISSION VALLEY THAT IS ZONED FOR A STADIUM AND THE NEW STADIUM THAT WE PROPOSE, THIS AESOP ONE THAT WAS PROPOSED WOULD BE THE BLUEPRINT AND THE FOOTPRINT IS ACTUALLY SMALLER THAN THE EXISTING ONE AND I DON'T SEE A HUGE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. Tom: TO CARE COMMENT? THERE ARE ROADBLOCKS AND THE PEOPLE WANT TO INTERVENE THEY CANNOT SMELL -- SLOW IT DOWN. THAT'S DIFFICULT AND IF EVERYONE GETS THEIR DUCKS IN A ROW BEFORE SHOOTING FROM THEM FROM THE SIDELINES IT'S MORE DIFFICULT TO GET IT DONE. Tom: WE ARE ALMOST OUT OF TIME BUT CARL, SAN DIEGO WENT TO THE PROCESS NOT TOO LONG AGO WITH THE PADRES AND THEY WENT TO THE PEOPLE GOT PUBLIC FUNDING FOR PETCO PARK. HOW DO YOU THINK THE VOTE WILL BE DIFFERENT? THEY WENT TO THE BIG DANCE AND HAD A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM AND THEY GOT EVERYONE FIRED OUT AND WHEN THEY VOTED FOR THE NEW STADIUM. A LOT MAY DEPEND ON HOW WELL THE CHARGERS PLAY ON THE FIELD. YOU CHARGE A FEE PER THAT COULD REALLY HELP. Tom: AND GLASSWARE FROM YOU TONY? STANDPOINT HE COULD GET HIS STADIUM BUILT. MAYBE THE A LOT OF MONEY UP THERE AND SEE IF THEY CAN GET IT WORKS OUT. Tom: IT WILL COME DOWN TO THE WISDOM AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO OUR DESK WHO CAME IN. CARL LUNA IS PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT MESA. AND AS AN ADVISOR FOR THE CITIZEN GROUP.
A city/county negotiating team will attempt to conclude stadium negotiations with the Chargers in time for a citywide special election to be held by Dec. 15, Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Supervisor Ron Roberts announced Monday.
The election would be called only "if we can reach an agreement," Faulconer said.
As the early stages of planning for a stadium that would keep the Chargers in town began earlier this year, there was talk that an election for the public to ratify an agreement with the NFL franchise could also involve residents in other parts of the county.
Faulconer said an "aggressive timeline" laid out at a 90-minute meeting with Chargers representatives Monday necessitated a city-only vote. He said the City Council would have to approve any ballot measures by Sept. 18, in order to refer them to the county Registrar of Voters office in time for a vote before the end of the year.
"The city/county negotiating team, as you see us here, is prepared to meet as often as necessary with the Chargers to reach an agreement by that time," Faulconer said. "We can get a new stadium approved this year if we work together to get it done."
The Chargers have been pushing for a new stadium for nearly 15 years, and put heat on San Diego officials by purchasing property in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, where it would build a playing facility jointly with the Oakland Raiders — if negotiations in their current cities fail.
Faulconer convened a nine-member task force earlier this year that recommended locating a new San Diego facility in Mission Valley, adjacent to the aging Qualcomm Stadium. They also suggested a variety of funding mechanisms that they said could raise $1.4 billion, and estimated a $1.1 billion price tag to build a new stadium.
Faulconer, Roberts, City Attorney Jan Goldsmith and experts hired by the city and county met with Chargers Chairman Dean Spanos and special counsel Mark Fabiani last weekend to begin negotiations. They met again Monday and are planning a third get-together a few days from now, according to the mayor.
"We've had two very well-thought out and structured business discussions with the Chargers and their legal representatives," said Chris Melvin, of the legal firm Nixon Peabody, one of the experts hired by the city and county. "We have gone through a myriad of issues — we are working through them," Melvin said. "We have committed to them, and I think they have committed to us, to try to get this done."
The city and county officials said a lot of hard work was still ahead, and they might have to meet with the Chargers at least weekly to successfully conclude negotiations on time.
Fabiani declined to comment.
If a stadium is built, the project would include a park along the San Diego River. Qualcomm Stadium would be razed to make way for development.
The facility would also be used for San Diego State University football contests, the Holiday and Poinsettia bowls, high school championships and special events.
