Against paid on-street parking in La Jolla
The La Jolla Community Parking Advisory Board (LJCPAB) appears determined to recommend paid on-street parking in La Jolla. This is despite:
“¢ There being no parking study to define the “problem” that the LJCPAB claims it is trying to solve. The proposed plan is a solution looking for a problem.
“¢ There being no test plan and no meaningful criteria for success. To paraphrase the Queen of Hearts from “Alice in Wonderland,” success will be what the City and the LJCPAB say it is.
“¢ The proposed plan adds no new parking spaces in the Village and “frees up” existing spaces by eliminating 10 to 15 percent of the customers.
“¢ Overwhelming community opposition ” more than 4,500 signed petitions against paid on-street parking from community residents and businesses as well as “no” votes on the proposed plan from the La Jolla Shores Association and the La Jolla Town Council. The LJCPAB’s inability and/or unwillingness to offer any plan alternative that is not built around paid parking suggests that this is less about parking and more about the money.
“¢ The proposed plan’s strongest advocates ” and primary beneficiaries ” so far have not volunteered to shoulder any of the costs for the programs that they believe will produce these benefits for them. Rather, they appear more than willing to volunteer anyone/everyone else pay the costs ” mainly the law-abiding residents and visitors to La Jolla. Privatizing the gains and socializing the costs is an all-too-familiar story here in San Diego.
“¢ Once paid on-street parking is implemented in La Jolla by the City, it likely will be there forever ” whether or not it is initially called a “pilot” program. For cash-strapped San Diego, this new source of the politicians’ drug of choice, OPM (other people’s money), will be irresistible. And, unfortunately, there is no 12-step program for a City.
Six strikes and you are out! I strongly urge the LJCPAB to represent the wishes of the overwhelming majority of La Jolla’s residents, businesses, and visitors and to reject paid on-street parking for La Jolla.
Jim Fitzgerald, La Jolla

Don’t give up freedom for security
I’m urging the City Council to reject this overreaction to one isolated incident in an otherwise problem-free year at our beaches.
I think we as a community and as a nation are far to quick to give up our freedom for what we call security.
We are also far too quick to take one incident, blow it out of proportion and use it to create a blanket policy. We don’t entertain any compromises, such as banning alcohol on holiday weekends (which tend to have the most problems). Or adding even more police on holiday weekends.
Instead we try to ban it all together. Doesn’t it have a good economic effect on the local businesses? Not to mention being able to have a beer on the beach is a great thing. And not something anyone should be trying to ban.
Deal with the problem for what it is, an isolated incident. Be creative in your solution. Look for options, not cure-all, blanket bans.
Nathan O’Connor, Mission Beach

Solve real issues before hiding behind alcohol ban
As a resident of South Mission Beach and the parent of a toddler, I do not feel that banning alcohol on the beach will solve any problems.
Those who wish to abuse alcohol and come to the beach will continue to do so. Unfortunately, there are always problematic people in public areas.
There are other ways to work on the issues within our community. Although I rarely drink on the beach, I do not feel it is a solution to any problem. I feel that passing this proposal tells the members of my community that you are not willing to deal with the real issues but would rather hide behind the alcohol ban and pretend that you are doing something to help the community.
As stated previously, the ban on alcohol alone will not impact me personally. What does impact me are all of the other issues in my community that are not being dealt with.
Linda West, Mission Beach