PRESS RELEASE
La Jollans for Clean Government, Inc.
info@LaJollaWatchdog.org
NOVEMBER 19, 2007 --- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LA JOLLA CITIZENS WATCHDOG GROUP INVESTIGATES PARKING BOARD
La Jolla, California - La Jollans for Clean Government, Inc., a nonprofit corporation formed by concerned La Jollans to combat corruption and conflict of interest in local government boards and commissions, is investigating allegations of conflict of interest and disclosure violations associated with the La Jolla Community Parking District Advisory Board (“Parking Board”) and has requested that the City Attorney’s office assume responsibility for providing legal advice to the Parking Board.
Until this point the Board has been relying on private attorney Leslie Devaney for advice. Devaney is also the personal attorney of Chairman Peter Wagener as well as Promote La Jolla, Inc., the corporation that contracted with the City of San Diego to create and administer the Parking Board. In the past Promote La Jolla has refused to allow members of the public to review its financial documentation, stating that it is a “private organization” even though it is funded entirely by City business license fees.
The Parking Board is now considering a controversial plan to install parking meters in the village of La Jolla. The Chairman, and possibly other board members, own underground parking garages which would benefit from this plan. Nevertheless, the members have refused and continue to refuse to file disclosures required by applicable law, known as “Statements of Economic Interest” under the California Government Code. The Statements of Economic Interest oblige Board members to disclose their ownership of business and other interests that might be affected by decisions they make while serving on the Board.
Public service entails honor and trust. The Parking Board should welcome, not resist, disclosure requirements showing that they serve the public interest, not their own. If the Board members continue to oppose disclosure of their financial interests relating to the Board’s activities, the public will have no other impression but that the Board members have something to hide.
Press Contact: Steven Haskins, Esq./ 619-548-5236 or SteveH@HaskinsLaw.com
BREAKING NEWS:
City Attorney's Opinion validates
claims against La Jolla Parking Board!
Click here to read the Opinion!
La Jollans for Clean Government
La Jollans for Clean Government, Inc., is a community based nonprofit corporation formed by La Jolla residents to investigate and expose corruption and conflict of interest in our local government sponsored boards and committees.
Corruption in San Diego and La Jolla
As we know, over the past several years San Diego City Hall has suffered from one scandal after another, from "Strippergate" to pension underfunding to overcharging for services. Investigations by local news media, the County Grand Jury and Federal officials have uncovered a culture of corruption at City Hall which extends beyond elected officials to other City operations. Although much has been done to remedy corruption at the highest City levels, here in La Jolla there is an official body of the City of San Diego, supposedly regulated by the City and subject to the law, which has been operating outside public scrutiny. This entity has violated the laws intended to protect the public in various ways, from corrupt practices and self-serving manipulation of votes on development issues to shutting the public out of the democratic process. That organization is the La Jolla Community Planning Association.
Corrupt Practices at the La Jolla Community Planning Association
The La Jolla Community Planning Association, Inc., (the "CPA") is a nonprofit corporation which acts as part of the municipal government of the City of San Diego. The CPA is the official planning board for La Jolla, and reviews and votes on almost all building projects, zoning changes, community planning questions in La Jolla. The CPA is regulated by the City and must comply with numerous State and City requirements relating to meetings, noticing, bylaws, membership and other aspects of its operation. On all of these accounts the CPA has failed miserably. Our investigation has led us to the conclusion that the CPA’s failures were not accidental, but in fact were part of a hidden plan by local land developers, real estate speculators and others in the real estate development industry to take over, control and manipulate the CPA to their own ends and to the detriment of the citizens of La Jolla. This included as holding secret meetings, manipulating board votes, denying membership to residents, destroying or altering public documents, engaging is conflicts of interest and threatening those who raised questions about their activities. The result has been a long series of poor planning and land use decisions that have harmed La Jolla and surprised its residents.
Be Part of the Solution
This website will provide you with the background information you need to educate yourself about what the problems are and how we can solve them. Please send any questions you may have to us from the "Contact Us" page accessible above.
We as La Jollans are now in a position to right these wrongs. We need to expose the corrupt practices of the CPA’s corporate management and demand a halt to its flagrant breach of the public trust. By insisting on accountability and honesty in our local officials and transparency and openness in the organizations that are supposed to represent us, we can restore the public confidence that has been missing from the CPA for many years.
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