Discrimination in city parking ticket amounts
I live and work in La Jolla, which, for the moment, is part of the city of San Diego. Parking tickets for “expired meter” in the city of San Diego are $30. Residents, business people and visitors to La Jolla are being charged $40 (25 percent more) for the same thing — parking longer than allowed.
In La Jolla, we do not have parking meters; instead we have signs installed by the city of San Diego, which designate the amount of time that a person is allowed to park at a specific location. Instead of being issued a $30 parking ticket for parking longer than the allotted time, people who park in La Jolla are being charged $40, under the guise of “Violation of Sign” for what amounts to the same “expired meter” violation $30 parking ticket issued in the rest of the city of San Diego.
I feel that this is a discriminatory practice on the part of the city of San Diego. The residents of La Jolla are constantly charged substantially more for the same services provided to residents of other areas in San Diego by private sector contractors and laborers because of where they live, which is also discriminatory.
These practices need to be addressed both in the private sector and the public, governmental sector.
Judy Bailey, Esq., La Jolla

The Charrette Charade in Bird Rock
As predicted, Scott Peters’ hired man has used your tax dollars to convince you, the citizens of Bird Rock, that you really wanted three-stories in Bird Rock all along. This charade uses the same “old apple on the stick” promises of new public spaces, pocket parks and aesthetics in return for three stories and increased density.
The wording of the changes that the charrette charade will produce will purposely be nebulous so as to necessitate that any important decisions on a project will be made by committee — not by ordinance. You all know who will be on the committee.
These changes will cause the community to be more remote from a project and make challenges by the public much more difficult because challenges will be based, not on ordinances, but on someone’s opinion.
The final wording that the charrette leaders produce will contain much fluff and be loosely worded on purpose. Careful attention should be given to the words “mixed use.”
Currently the Planned District Ordnance, PDO, prohibits residential living space on the ground floor. I predict that in the charrette charade verbiage, “mixed use” will be interpreted so as to allow residential units on the ground floor. This will eventually mean an end to the commercial district in Bird Rock. The big money is in condos — not in commercial units.
All La Jollans should take note of the “divide and conquer” strategy used by isolating Bird Rock. It is naïve to believe the PDO is safe anywhere in La Jolla.
David Little, Bird Rock

Dangerous deviation in traffic laws
Before you extol the virtues of the traffic controlling roundabouts (“What goes around comes around in ’07,” Village News, Nov. 16, page 1), I would suggest that you locate yourself near one of the existing ones, such as Midway and La Jolla Boulevard, and simply watch the north- and southbound traffic for a while, noting how many times a vehicle already in the circle is awarded the right-of-way by such traffic.
I personally have entered one or both of these with the intention of heading east after approaching from the north. It is with much trepidation that I pursue my intention as the incoming traffic along La Jolla Boulevard rarely, and I repeat, rarely ever yields to a vehicle already in the roundabout.
When I sound my horn to alert the offending driver to his or her ignoring of the ‘yield’ sign, I am greeted with derision and utterance of words generally reserved for stag parties or longshoremen encountering a close call bodily.
I am not complaining at all. It is that I think it wise to inform users of such devices that it is the one place in traffic laws that the right-of-way is yielded to the party to one’s left. Were this fact known more widely, forthcoming accidents may well be avoided.
You state that other than the unfortunate motorcyclist killed in the one at Midway, there have been no other reported accidents. That may be, but in my own case I have endured a few close calls already, and accidents will occur.
I reside on Bellevue Avenue and it does seem that there is much more through traffic since inauguration of the roundabouts. Not so much as to bother me, but I do feel that a police crackdown on runners of stop signs, as well as those who fail to yield, may well be in order.
If you read this far, thank you. Hope you will continue to write articles of interest, especially those which may help forestall injuries or death.
Obviously, it is this lack of information about roundabouts and yielding right-of-way to the left that might provide grist for an article pointing out such a deviation in our traffic laws.
George McDougall, Bird Rock

Feet not set in concrete
In late September, the City Council disappointed many people by refusing to go on record opposing the proposed six-lane toll road through San Onofre State Park in northern San Diego County.
The proposed road would threaten a state park and coastal area regularly enjoyed by many San Diego residents.
To learn more about this important issue, Councilman Kevin Faulconer recently joined the Surfrider Foundation for a tour of the site, including the famed pristine Trestles beach.
Faulconer took a good deal of time to see for himself why preserving this remaining bit of nature is so important to his constituents and the rest of San Diego.
Councilmember Faulconer will speak for himself as to whether he now wants the toll road to take an alternative route, but he deserves some recognition for not having his feet in concrete, so to speak, on the matter.
We hope he joins Donna Frye, Scott Peters and Toni Atkins in supporting the resolution.
Alan Honadle
Chairman, San Diego County Chapter, Surfrider Foundation

Girl Scouts do their best
Thanks go to a generous public and thousands of Girl Scouts who supported the 10th annual “Be Your Best and Do A Good Turn” project — a huge countywide effort that amassed tons of used clothing and household items to benefit The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC).
Girl Scouts, their troop leaders and staff helped unload donors’ cars and kept the flow of bags going onto Salvation Army trucks at eight locations throughout San Diego County.
All were committed to being their best and doing a good turn.
The clothing drives have generated more than 770 tons of material over the past ten years.
The donated goods are recycled and sold in our network of Salvation Army thrift stores.
This is an enormous help in providing rehabilitation services for the hundreds of men and women who come through our doors each year.
With this help The Salvation Army continues to provide food, clothing, housing, counseling and spiritual guidance for the many in need.
While the collection drive marks an end to the project for this year — a venture that helps Girl Scouts learn about recycling, community service and substance abuse prevention — it marks a new beginning for people struggling to overcome the ravages of alcohol and drug addiction.

David Boyd, Major/Administrator, The Salvation Army ARC

We all need to help
The recycling story “So full of it” (Village News, Nov. 16, page B·1) was a great article, however, how about recognizing that apartment complexes and businesses are not required to recycle. It is unfair for the city officials to blame residents when they haven’t tapped the biggest producers of recyclables going into the landfills.
Just walk down Mission Boulevard and look behind the strip malls. You will see more recyclables in one day then I am able to recycle in a month. We all need to help … but it’s not “politically right” for the city officials to take the next step.
Lee Nevis, College Grove