Monday the ETA sent out a brief alert about this issue to the press and watchdog organizations.

Tuesday this was sent out from the SDCTA:

In case you missed the story in the www.voiceofsandiego.org, the California Fair Political Practices Commission voted 4-1 last week to clarify regulations on expenditures by governmental agencies for communications about a ballot measure.

You might recall that this past summer the San Diego County Taxpayers Association sent an open letter to the Board of Port Commissioners calling for the halt of expenditures for political advocacy. In the FPPC staff memo, the Port's advertisements denouncing a ballot measure was cited as an example of "agencies pushing the limits with public outreach programs clearly biased or slanted in their presentation of facts".

The language that was approved by the FPPC will require public agencies to disclose expenditures on communication about a ballot measure unless the communication provides a fair and impartial presentation of facts.

On a related note, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is currently requesting proposals for a $900,000 "public education/outreach program" consultant. America's economic downturn apparently has no impact on the mighty SANDAG.

According to the RFP, "the program will support the development of a local Quality of Life funding strategy that can be used to implement regional habitat conservation, shoreline preservation, water quality, and public transit improvements". Translation: The program will support a future (most likely 2010) ballot measure to increase taxes to pay for environmental programs and public transit. We'll be watching this public "education" effort like a hawk.

From a previous ETA post:
"Quality of Life" Tax Breakdown

See Also: Quality of Life Archives