A bouquet – the Big Dreams Big Works award – to the Vista City Council for tamping down, and then transcending, past public opposition to (almost) doubling down on redevelopment, the big weapon in a city's pro-growth arsenal.
Bold move.
“Historic,” Mayor (and former City Manager) Morris Vance marveled.
In expanding its redevelopment area from 2,100 acres to 3,800 acres, Vista is risking disturbing the eternal sleep of Lloyd von Haden, the gadfly emeritus who died three years ago.
For five long years, von Haden fought the city's original downtown redevelopment area, ending up a loser in the state Supreme Court in the early '90s.
He wrote a trenchant book on the subject, “Redevelopment – Boon or Boondoggle?” (You should be able to guess which side the highly principled piano tuner came down on.)
If he were alive today, von Haden would be complaining that Vista, in tagging diverse property “blighted,” was perverting the original intention of redevelopment agencies, a strategy devised in the late '40s to build much-needed low-income housing.
Moreover, in light of the state's ongoing budget crisis, it's uncertain if Sacramento will be able to pump state money into Vista's new redevelopment zone.
Still, the Vista council deserves praise for convincing neighborhoods and commercial property owners that new infrastructure is desperately necessary, and redevelopment is the right way to get there.
The general promise not to employ eminent domain to take property appears to be the tipping point in quelling public suspicions.
If city officials fail to live up to their promise, however, there will be hell to pay from the citizens, as well as the finger-pointing ghost of von Haden.
A brick (to throw) – the Big Cat (Almost) on Campus award – to the roaming mountain lion who scared a security guard and flirted with entering Cal State San Marcos last week. The wild animal triggered a student alert on how to behave if one crosses paths with a cougar.
Unlike when confronted with that slang form of cougar – women of a certain age who stalk younger men – running away is not the preferred action.
No, direct eye contact while making yourself seem large and threatening is the recommended way to avoid an attack from the cat.
It makes sense that these instructions should be part of orientation seeing as how the cougar is the university's mascot.
Shortly after being named university president in the late '90s, Alex Gonzalez jettisoned the mascot name Tukwuts, Luiseño for mountain lion, in favor of the more familiar Cougars.
The Indian name was dormant on campus until last year when Tukwut Courtyard was dedicated with native fanfare.
A droopy bouquet – the Greatest Generation of Homeless Leaders award – to Solutions for Change, the Vista-based homeless program, for its breathless announcement that a well-known filmmaker, John Upton, is going to document the many successes of Solutions founders Chris and Tammy Megison.
This is a big deal, no question. But the headline of the news release, as well as some of the ensuing copy, might be, well, a little bit much. You be the judge about the headline:
“DOZENS OF ONCE HOMELESS FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY HEROS (sic) THAT HELPED THEM SPEAK OUT – 'WE'VE SOLVED FAMILY HOMELESSNESS.”
Solved?
While the film project is a feather in the cap of Solutions – and no doubt a strong engine for fundraising – it's clear that local politicians had their vanities well-stroked by this endeavor. Here's a bit of the release's enamored puffery:
“Other heroes (as Upton calls them) who will be shown in the documentary include a unique blending of some of the region's gutsiest leaders, those both in public service positions such as County Supervisor Bill Horn (a man who Upton will reveal . . . as someone who has great compassion for people), a mayor pro-tem and humanitarian named Maggie who was once almost homeless herself with $100 to her name and a young son to raise. A former policeman named Jim, now a mayor who saw firsthand what can happen to people when they have no hope, a guy named Morris who grew up poor and became a mayor but never forgot his roots, and Reverend Dennis Bone, who for 15 years pastored a local church, fought for the poor and volunteered for Solutions.”
In case you didn't recognize these local heroes by their street names, “Maggie” is Encinitas Councilwoman Maggie Houlihan and “Jim” is Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood, both running for re-election; and “Morris” is Morris Vance, Vista's mayor.
Logan Jenkins: (760) 737-7555; logan.jenkins@uniontrib.com.
