The Coast News INLAND EDITION
.com
VISTA, SAN MARCOS, ESCONDIDO
VOL. 5, N0. 19
SEPT. 20, 2019
VUSD board OKs project labor deal By Steve Puterski
community deserves confidence that their tax money is being used appropriately and that SANDAG is keeping its promises to voters. No agency should be able to operate in the dark.” Waldron's grievance against SANDAG stems from the agency’s an-
VISTA — In a contentious and often raucous room, the Vista Unified School District Board of Education approved a project labor agreement 4-1 during its Sept. 12 meeting. The four in favor — trustHOME & GARDEN ees Cipriano Vargas, Martha Alvarado, Debbie Morton and president Rosemary SmithCheck out field — said those opposing the PLA did not present a strong enough case to warrant a no vote. The PLA, in today’s paper meanwhile, will be negotiated between district representative Vargas, who works as a political organizer for the Service Employees International Union, Superintendent Dr. Linda Kimble, and union personnel. The PLA will be imposed on a portion of the $247 million school bond, known as Measure LL, and which has already broken ground on numerous projects for phase one. There are five phases and since no proposal, or staff report, was presented at the meeting, it is unclear when the PLA, which will only allow union contractors to bid on projects, will begin, according to district officials. “The city of Vista has one of the highest poverty rates in North County,” Vargas said. “When I see a project labor agreement, I see it as an investment back into the community. What I see we can we do is make sure the bond that we passed, people from our communi-
TURN TO WALDRON ON 3
TURN TO VUSD ON 11
2019 Fall
INSIDE:
Rugs • Flooring Spiders • Antique Solar • Fall Planting Living Walls
The CoasT News Group
• Inland Edition The Coast News Fe News The Rancho Santa SEPTEMBER 2019 NEWS GROUP | T TO THE COAST
A SPECIAL SUPPLEMEN
Home & Garden
VIKINGS SWING BY VISTA The Vista Viking Festival is this weekend, Sept. 21-22, at Norway Hall, 2006 E. Vista Way. Visitors will be treated to re-enactments, food, drink, weapons, blacksmiths and much more. STORY ON PAGE 11. Photo courtesy Paula Montagna
Waldron bill would give voters say on SANDAG funding changes By City News Service
REGION — Assemblywoman Marie Waldron, R-Escondido, announced Sept. 13 that she has filed legislation intended to keep the county’s transportation planning agency from diverting funding from planned road projects, especially in north and east county, without voter approval.
Assembly Bill 1398 would require the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) to hold at least four public meetings and get at least two-thirds’ approval from voters in a special election if the agency sought to make changes to funding for projects promised in the 2004 voter-approved extension of Transnet, a
half-cent transit tax that funds local infrastructure projects. Waldron essentially introduced the bill this week through a process known as “gut and amend,” which allows a legislator to re-purpose an already-introduced bill that has gained little traction. In Waldron’s case, AB
CHILL OUT!
Sore, Tired Muscles? Chronic Pain From Injuries? Try Whole-Body Cryotherapy - Get Back in the Game Faster! Many top athletes use Cryotherapy, where an enclosed chamber surrounds the body with extremely cold air for several minutes, to help their muscles recover faster and to reduce pain and inflammation. Cryotherapy offers relief from both new and old injuries as well as arthritis and other inflammation-based pain.
1398 was known as the Government Modernization Act of 2019 when she first introduced it in February and would have created a working group to streamline the operation of the state government. “Unfortunately, SANDAG cannot be trusted to look out for people in all parts of our diverse county,” Waldron said. “Our
Mention this ad for
10% Off Freeze Sleeve™
RELIEF ON THE GO FOR ATHLETES with FREEZE SLEEVE™
The FREEZE SLEEVE™ is a revolutionary cold therapy compression sleeve for natural pain relief of muscles & joints. Used for knees, elbows, ankles, wrists, thighs & shoulders for daily recovery.
1553 Simpson Way Escondido 760.484.2009 or order on-line at cryowarehouse.com