(Mayor Morrison and City Council contracting with Arizona Company)

By Herman Baca, CCR President

   Facing a $7 million deficit, National City’s (NC) Mayor Ron Morrison and his go along City Council members (Alexandra Sotelo-Solis, Rosalie Zarate and Jess Van Deventer) are currently reviewing a proposal to “photo-enforce 5 intersections,” in the city. Supposedly to “increase safety,” which has to be the joke of the year. If approved the fine for the infraction will be $485, and NC and the contracted moneymaking company will split the fine.

   On top of this, Mayor Morrison and the council have approved an ordinance (contracting with a private company) that requires out of town motorists who get into accidents in NC to pay for rescuers services i.e. police and firemen. The city proposed per hour charges/fees ranging from $250 for setting up a command post, to $5900 for hazardous materials incident?

   With out of town shoppers paying 75% of NC sales tax (city’s fact sheet), and NC facing a $7 million deficit the question is; why would any out of town shopper in their right mind shop in NC?

   Fact, NC’s majority population is over 68% persons of Mexican ancestry and 10% Anglo and economically the poorest city in San Diego County.

   What is incredulous and disturbing with Mayor Morrison’s (councilpersons Solis or Zarate have not said one word) and the city council’s “photo-enforce 5 intersections,” study is that the city has proceeded to add insult to injury to NC’s majority Mexican ancestry population by entering into negotiations with a Arizona based Company…Redflex Traffic System!

   This after numerous counties’, cities’ and organizations in CA voted to BOYCOTT ARIZONA (NAZIZONA) for approving the race baiting anti-Mexican racist SB 1070.

   Unfortunately, NC under the Morrison’s administration has a history of fleecing its poor residents.

   Recent examples of NC’s poor residents being fleeced include the following:

   1. Raising NC’s sales tax to 9 ¾% one of the highest in CA,

   2. Illegally charging $10.50 “administrative fee” to over 3200 businesses,

   3. Illegally charging $68.00 yearly fee for rental housing inspections and,

   4. Placing Escondido type DUI check point (targeting unlicensed drivers i.e. Mexicans) at the entrance of the Mile, now the ½ mile of Cars to split revenue with contracted towing companies

   In the past other fleecing proposals have included:

   · Increasing salaries for themselves by 18% for attending 2 meetings a month, and $20,000 bonuses for top management,

   · Raising sewer rates and placing them on homeowner’s yearly property taxes,

   · Approving “sweetheart city’s pension fund,” allowing city employees to collect 90% of their salary after 30 years employment, with minimal contributions made from most employees,

   · Squandering $50,000 a year since 2002 on a bogus police controlled commission,

   As the local newspaper stated (2-17-10) “Never underestimate just how creative municipal governments can be when it comes to finding new ways to generate revenue.”

   In essence the “photo enforcement” proposal in reality is nothing but the latest political ruse to tax the poorest residents of SD County due to the escalating budget crisis.

   According to Mayor Morrison the “photo enforcement at 5 intersections” is for “safety reasons,” but in realty the real reason is to raise revenue to address the city’s $7 million deficit. Unbelievably, Mayor Morrison and the city council’s mismanagement have caused the $7 million dollar deficit, even after the passage of the 9 3/4% sales tax. The tax has proven to be a colossal failure because of incompetence, malfeasance and arrogant disregard for the will of the people by the Morrison administration.

   The question for Mayor Morrison and city council members is, if the issue is safety on the red lights being installed, why hasn’t the city used its own tax collected monies, instead of outsourcing the red lights?

   In closing, the political issue to be addressed in NC’s upcoming November elections, (since the anti-Mexican race baiting and scapegoat SB 1070 is not going to go away) will be; what are Mayor Morrison and city council members going to do about doing business with a company from the state of NAZIZONA? The community awaits your response.