Posted on 08/18/2005 7:43:19 AM PDT by CyberAnt
The Performance Institute 3675 Ruffin Road, Suite 110, San Diego, CA 92123
858-503-6787 • fax 858-503-6753 • www.performanceweb.org www.sandiegobudget.org
NEWS RELEASE
Institute to Bring Most of Charter Reforms Proposed by City Attorney to June 2006 Vote of the People
For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Erica Mendelson
August 17, 2005
Office: 858-503-6787 or cell: 619-306-1798
mendelson@performanceweb.org
SAN DIEGO – Performance Institute President Carl DeMaio has released the following statement in response to a proposal put forward yesterday by City Attorney Mike Aguirre to remedy the city’s financial crisis and end this current state of paralysis:
"The Performance Institute praises the City Attorney for proposing detailed solutions to the city’s financial problems. This is exactly the sort of focus we need from our city leaders. We invite all leaders to ‘out bid’ each other with ideas for solving financial problems, resolving the federal investigations, and paying down the pension debt. From the get-go the Institute has offered reform and problem solving ideas with the hope that city leaders would adopt some of them and improve on others with their own ideas.
"While the Aguirre plan contains many positive reforms—some of which have been advocated by the Institute in the past—it also contains ideas for tax increases. The Institute has put forward a plan demonstrating that this crisis can be solved without tax increases. As such, we will strongly oppose these two aspects of Aguirre’s proposal. At a time when our city leaders cannot account for two years worth of taxpayer funds, giving this city more money would be throwing good money after bad.
"Each of the charter reforms in the Aguirre proposal has been addressed in the Institute’s ballot initiative which is now being finalized by discussions with various stakeholders. We are committed to bringing the initiative to a public vote on or before June 2006.
"Aguirre is right that the only way we will get true reform is by bringing issues to a public vote. The Institute is prepared to work with the City Attorney as well as any members of the City Council and the new Mayor to achieve resolutions to this crisis and ensure that the city never again finds itself in this situation."
Additional information on proposals from The Performance Institute consistent with many ideas contained in the Institutes ballot initiative can be found in the three attached documents.
Based here in San Diego, the Institute is a national government reform think tank that promotes the principles of performance, transparency, competition and accountability in government.
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