Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

We have some problems

Julie Reeder

Publisher

We have some problems affecting our little hamlet. Those of us who aren’t involved every day in county business or going through the court system may not realize it. We’re too busy with our jobs and our lives, but we have problems.

First one is that with SANDAG (San Diego Association of Governments) we are being taxed without representation. This group gets together and decides which projects will be funded. Well, San Diego and Chula Vista, since they have 50% of the county’s population, pretty much get whatever they want when they use a weighted voting system. Apparently Jim Desmond doesn’t sit on the SANDAG board anymore because they didn’t like how he voted. So, who represents us? County Supervisor Joel Anderson, representative for East County.

Now, I really like Anderson. I’ve known him for over 30 years. He’s a brilliant statesman in my opinion, but I don’t vote for him and he doesn’t represent Fallbrook, Bonsall, DeLuz, Rainbow, Pala and Pauma. So it looks to me like taxation without representation and it’s a problem. Our Planning Group, which we do vote for, has sent a letter voicing their dismay. Not sure what that will accomplish, but it’s a start and something needs to happen. Stay tuned.

Secondly, we have a problem in the District Attorney’s office. I understand that they are very likely understaffed, underfunded and so on, but when we hear that people are not being tried or prosecuted as they should, there’s a problem. The story we did last week about the suspected arsonist at the Sandia Creek Gate who was going to just be charged with a misdemeanor hit and run? That’s a problem.

The guy who tried to rob the gun store a few weeks ago had a prior that he spent little time in jail for, that’s a problem.

“Ghost” from the cc unit (creep catcher unit) that we’ve been following for years, complains that they have evidence of adults who admit to meeting up with what they think are children for sex and other counties arrest them and take them off the streets, but not San Diego. He says our DA, Summer Stephan, won’t prosecute them, so they get away with it. Their work has led to over 320 arrests in Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange County, etc., up north and even into Arizona, but not San Diego. Now one of the worst human trafficking hubs in the nation. Why is that?

I hear from the people who want us to just cover the nice things in town and keep it “positive,” but we are a newspaper. It’s our duty. When our county or our state creates problems for us, we need to talk about it.

And then with the story we have on the front page this week regarding the DA’s office, I believe it may be a drop in the bucket. There’s certain to be more to come. Village News is going to continue to cover those stories. It’s why we exist. We need to shine that light in the darkness so that things can get better. Hold on though, it may be a bumpy ride.

Maybe the DA’s office needs more resources, maybe we need more judges. Maybe the courts need some kind of Internal Affairs to protect the integrity of the courts. It’s above my paygrade, but it’s a problem that needs to be fixed with honest and courageous leadership.

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