Fixing Homelessness, Not Hep A, Needs to be San Diego's Endgame

Homelessness had become epidemic long before an outbreak of hepatitis A killed 18 San Diegans and hospitalized nearly 500 others this year. Politicians ignored the former and now the latter—transmitted through contact with infected human feces—has hit the fan.

Now, there’s a scramble on to contain the virus. And while hepatitis A has spawned greater focus on the over-arching problem—homelessness—the question remains as to whether political attention will wane once the outbreak is under control.

Witness now the political posturing and finger pointing.

Two California Assembly Bills Could Stiffle Republican Control of San Diego

California Governor Jerry Brown signed two bills Thursday that will give San Diego County voters greater control in county elections.

AB 801 restructures the county's Independent Redistricting Commission by creating a representative 14-member commission that is not solely comprised of retired judges like the current commission's structure requires. It will now be a bipartisan panel representing all 5 supervisorial districts.

Defense Secretary: If We Don't Remove Defense Cap, We're Questioning America's Survival

Speaking at the annual Air Force Association conference on September 20, Defense Secretary James Mattis engaged in the time-honored tradition of complaining about the defense budget. While many would say that with defense making up the largest expenditure in the federal budget there couldn’t possibly be a problem, Mattis may actually have been correct in his comments, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Homeland Security/CBP San Diego Display Border Wall Prototypes

The Department of Homeland Security and US Customs and Border Protection San Diego, showed off eight wall prototypes near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.

https://twitter.com/CBPSanDiego/status/918137332880019456

The prototypes, four made of concrete and four made of other materials, began construction last month and were expected to be completed within 30 days. The prototypes are expected to cost nearly $4 million.  Six companies are taking part in the construction of their prototypes.

Sen. Sasse: "Rs and Ds Speak to 25% of Americans; What About Everyone Else?"

Republican US Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) responded to a tweet from President Donald Trump over the weekend, in which the president called out the "one-sided coverage" in the media:

https://twitter.com/BenSasse/status/916721683800629248

Sasse raises an important point. It is not just a one-sided narrative, as the president suggests. The current national narrative is dominated by two private political corporations that only speak to less than a quarter of the voting population.

Labor, Larger Cities The Big Winners In SANDAG Power Shift

With the stroke of a pen, Governor Jerry Brown has reformed the power structure at the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG).

For many, including organized labor, it was a huge victory that now begins a massive change at the agency that's seen huge turmoil the last 12 months.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR LABOR

SANDAG will now be required to hire from state-approved groups for large construction projects, unless it signs union-friendly PLA's or project labor agreements.

12.4% Surcharge Slapped on Obamacare Plans For Californians

In August, Covered California announced that 2018 premiums would rise 12.5 percent statewide.  But the exchange also warned that additional hikes could be in store if President Trump failed to commit to continued funding for the cost-sharing subsidies that educe some consumers’ out-of-pocket expenses.

Sure enough, the subsidies appear to be ending, and so to is Obamacare's affordability for many Californian's.