Thread: CA: ESCONDIDO: Immigration, future of downtown highlight can

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ESCONDIDO: Immigration, future of downtown highlight candidates forum
Council race features two incumbents, four challengers
By DAVID GARRICK - Staff Writer | Tuesday, September 9, 2008 5:01 PM

ESCONDIDO ---- The future of downtown Escondido, coping with illegal immigration and whether the current City Council is dysfunctional were among the hot topics at a Tuesday morning candidates forum for Escondido City Council.

Challengers Olga Diaz and Richard Barron attacked incumbents Ed Gallo and Sam Abed for promising $18 million to a downtown hotel developer, not helping local small businesses enough and pursuing an overnight parking ordinance that has been criticized as racist.

In response, Gallo and Abed touted the city's robust economic development in recent years and some sharp reductions in crime. They also said the downtown hotel will be an economic catalyst, and that the parking ordinance is a necessary response to multiple Latino families sharing single-family homes in central Escondido.

Dennis French, a third challenger for the two council seats up for grabs Nov. 4, focused less on specific council actions or policies. Instead, he attacked the council for creating a climate of "animosity" and for failing to provide enough "family-friendly activities."

A fourth challenger, Chuck Voelker, did not participate in the 90-minute forum at Escondido Country Club. Nearly 60 people attended the forum, which was sponsored by the Escondido Chamber of Commerce and moderated by local auto dealer Angelo Damante.

The tone of the forum was mostly amicable, but Diaz and Abed criticized each other specifically a few times.

Diaz complained that Abed often throws out numbers that can't be verified when making policy arguments. And when Diaz said a slow-growth initiative passed in 1998 had helped the city avoid "a couple catastrophes," Abed deliberately echoed her wording when he declared that the initiative "brought catastrophe to Escondido in economic terms."

Another contentious issue was a recent council decision to force organizers of community events, such as the Jaycees Christmas Parade and Fourth of July fireworks, to pay thousands of dollars for security provided by city police officers.

Gallo and Abed said the move was necessary to close a large budget deficit and to make sure the city recovers the costs of any special services it provides.

But Diaz and Barron disagreed. Diaz said it made no sense to "nickel and dime community organizers" and that cuts should have been found elsewhere in the budget. Barron said parades and other civic events improve local quality-of-life and attract new residents to the city, so the city should provide security for free.

The tone of the forum became more contentious when Damante asked the candidates about the proposed overnight parking ordinance, which the City Council will discuss Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Barron said the ordinance would be an example of the council treating the symptoms of illegal immigration instead of the actual problem.

Diaz said the ordinance, which would require permits to park between 2 and 5 a.m. in a 7-square-mile zone in central Escondido, would unnecessarily punish many people to cope with a relatively small overcrowding problem.

She also suggested city officials should delay adopting the ordinance until they analyze water bills to determine how many homes were being shared by multiple families.

But Abed and Gallo said complaints from residents and data provided by local schools show that the overcrowding problem is severe. Gallo also said the parking ordinance is a continuation of an unsuccessful city effort in 2006 to prohibit landlords from renting to illegal immigrants.

"We tried the rental ban, but that didn't work," said Gallo. "Now we're trying the parking ordinance, and that will work."

During the forum, each challenger criticized the council for damaging the city's reputation with controversial legislation, bickering and abrasiveness.

But Abed and Gallo painted a different picture.

"We have a very cohesive City Council that works well together," he said.

Several more forums will be held this fall, the candidates said.

www.nctimes.com

Escondido has a nasty, even for California, illegal immigrant problem. They have overrun many neighborhoods, turning lawns into parking lots, etc..

Diaz said the ordinance, which would require permits to park between 2 and 5 a.m. in a 7-square-mile zone in central Escondido, would unnecessarily punish many people to cope with a relatively small overcrowding problem.

ROFL!!! A relatively "small" overcrowding problem?!?!? If the problem was that small, there would be no need for parking permits now would there?

But Abed and Gallo said complaints from residents and data provided by local schools show that the overcrowding problem is severe. Gallo also said the parking ordinance is a continuation of an unsuccessful city effort in 2006 to prohibit landlords from renting to illegal immigrants.

Gee, I guess the residents who don't live in overcrowded homes are complaining for the hell of it?

Where does Diaz get off whining that it's a racist policy?!?!?! Is she saying that ALL hispanics in Escondido are illegal aliens? Looks like it to me.

College students also tend to live in overcrowded homes, singles do too. Does that make it OK? HELL NO! It's a safety issue and health issue. What happens in case of a fire? These idiots sue the landlord, fire department and the city for not doing more to "protect" them! Gimme me a freaking break!!!!

Escondido council kicks back proposed parking ordinance




By Angela Lau
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

11:13 p.m. September 10, 2008

ESCONDIDO – Despite high expectations Wednesday night that the City Council would decide whether to approve an ordinance that restricts overnight street parking, the council took no vote.


Instead, after an emotional 3½-hour public hearing attended by 70 people, the council sent it back to city staffers for fine-tuning.
Council members have been debating the proposed restrictions for 1½ years.

The ordinance proposes to limit the number of cars that each household can park on the streets from 2 to 5 a.m. Single-family homes would be restricted to two cars, and condos and apartments would be limited to one.

The ordinance would affect 29,000 residential units in a 4,300-acre area roughly bounded by Rincon Avenue on the north, Interstate 15 on the west, Felicita Avenue on the south and Bear Valley Parkway on the east.

Wednesday night, council members wanted the city attorney to research whether the ordinance should specify that car owners need to park in front of their houses. A council member also wanted the city attorney to add language to ban commercial and recreational vehicles from parking on residential streets.

The ordinance has been a lightning rod because some opponents believe the city is using parking laws to try to drive out illegal immigrants, who often share a home with many other families. They end up parking on the streets or their front yards. The city in February banned front-yard parking.

Supporters urged the city to adopt the law, saying they and their guests cannot park near their homes because neighbors have taken the street spaces.

Council members Sam Abed, Ed Gallo and Marie Waldron said they support the concept of overnight parking restrictions.

Mayor Lori Pfeiler opposed the ordinance, saying she did not believe parking restrictions help unite the community.

Councilman Dick Daniels said he could not support the regulation because it is not enforceable.

I bet this is a real SHI_HOLE ...

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nort ... 0esco.html

Supporters urged the city to adopt the law, saying they and their guests cannot park near their homes because neighbors have taken the street spaces.
Council members Sam Abed, Ed Gallo and Marie Waldron said they support the concept of overnight parking restrictions.

Mayor Lori Pfeiler opposed the ordinance, saying she did not believe parking restrictions help unite the community.

Councilman Dick Daniels said he could not support the regulation because it is not enforceable.

Bahahahah, of course it's enforceable! It's called TOWING! It's also a revenue generator. Lots of towns do it.

The civil rights of homeowners are being violated when they can't park near their OWN homes, ever think of that?

Mayor Lori Pfeiler opposed the ordinance, saying she did not believe parking restrictions help unite the community.

Escondido USED to be a nice place to live. It's because of lame mayors like this and her lame excuses as to why it's no longer nice there.

Escondido

CityCouncil@escondido.org; lpfeiler@escondido.org; sabed@escondido.org; egallo@escondido.org; mwaldron@escondido.org; ddaniels@escondido.org

Lori Holt Pfeiler, Mayor
Sam Abed, Mayor Pro Tem
Ed Gallo, Council Member
Marie Waldron, Council Member
Dick Daniels, Council Member


From: buzzm1
To: CityCouncil@escondido.org; lpfeiler@escondido.org; sabed@escondido.org; egallo@escondido.org; mwaldron@escondido.org; ddaniels@escondido.org
Subject: Institute the parking ordinance
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:46 am

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lori Holt Pfeiler, Mayor
Sam Abed, Mayor Pro Tem
Ed Gallo, Council Member
Marie Waldron, Council Member
Dick Daniels, Council Member

Dear Mayor, and Council members,

Please, please, please, institute the parking ordinance. Taxpaying citizens of Escondido are sick, and tired of living in neighborhoods, that are being completely overrun by people living 15 to an apartment, with those same people parking their cars wherever they can find available room, be it a front yard, parking strip, or sideyard.

Pass the oridnance, and enforce it. We need some relief to this extremely severe problem.

Extremely angry,
name removed (Buzzm1)
A very concerned citizen.

Re: Institute the parking ordinance
Sam Abed to you - 2 min ago
More Details From: Sam Abed <Sabed@ci.escondido.ca.us>
To: buzzm1
Date:Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:22 pm

Dear name removed (Buzzm1),

Thank you for your e-mail and support, we are almost there. Hopefully we will finalize the ordinance next month


Sam Abed
Mayor Pro Tem
City of Escondido
Tel.: 760-839-4638
sabed@escondido.org
www.escondido.org

Originally Posted by Buzzm1

Re: Institute the parking ordinance
Sam Abed to you - 2 min ago
More Details From: Sam Abed <Sabed@ci.escondido.ca.us>
To: buzzm1
Date:Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:22 pm

Dear name removed (Buzzm1),

Thank you for your e-mail and support, we are almost there. Hopefully we will finalize the ordinance next month


Sam Abed
Mayor Pro Tem
City of Escondido
Tel.: 760-839-4638
sabed@escondido.org
www.escondido.org

Sam Abed has been really good about anwering eMails or responding to them regarding this issue. Got to give him credit here.

From: Ed Gallo <Egallo@ci.escondido.ca.us>
To: buzzm1
Subject: Re: Institute the parking ordinance
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 1:05 pm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rest assured we WILL pass a parking ordinance. We are only talking about the mechanics at this point. Thank you for your support.