PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92025 PERMIT NO. 94
THE COAST NEWS
.com MAKING WAVES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
VOL. 28, N0. 10
March 7, 2014
Ashes to go
SAN MARCOS -NEWS
.com THE VISTA NEWS
By Rachel Stine
ESCONDIDO — Rev. Meg Decker of Escondido’s Trinity Episcopal Church politely approached a gentleman in a wheelchair who had just crossed the street. “Would you like to receive ashes and a blessing?” she asked. Standing at the corner of Grand Avenue and Broadway in downtown Escondido, she had a 50/50 shot. About half of the people she reached out to on Wednesday afternoon accepted her offer, while the rest declined with a smile. Zaid Hightower welcomed her blessing, and Alfredo Campos receives a blessing and ashes on his forehead from Rev. Dr. Faith Conklin, pastor of First TURN TO ASHES ON A16
United Methodist Church, during Escondido Clergy Association’s Ashes to Go celebration of Ash Wednesday on March 5. “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” said Conklin. Photo by Rachel Stine
Budget forecast shows some good news By Promise Yee
OCEANSIDE — A budget forecast shared at the City Council meeting on Wednesday, included the good news that the city’s general fund is projected to see a $4.2 million increase due to higher property tax, sales tax, and other increased revenues. Currently city finances look sunny. Property tax is expected to increase by 3.3 percent, and transit occupancy tax will see a positive jump with the recent opening of the SpringHill Suites and continue to rise 2.2 percent beyond that. City Manager Steve Jepsen gave the city kudos for bringing back the reserves. “Coastal San Diego has done better than other parts of the state,” Jepsen said. A look back showed there was
a peak in reserve funds prior to the the years of dipping into reserve recession, followed by a gap in reve- funds a period of budget deficit. Mayor Jim Wood defended the nues in 2009-10 that the city covered city’s decision to use reserves to balwith its reserves. ance the budget and maintain quality of life services for residents. “We used reserves because we couldn’t cut any deeper,” Wood said. Regionally Oceanside still ranks lower than most cites in sales per capita. Carlsbad ranks the highest in the region due to its auto dealerships, shopping outlet and mall. Councilwoman Esther Sanchez James Riley Financial Services Director, Oceanside said the news is a “kick in the pants” to do something to increase sales generating businesses. “Now we’re out of the recession Sanchez added she is concerned and will slowly see an increase in rev- with the city’s low jobs to housing enues,” James Riley, city financial ratio. services director, said. TURN TO BUDGET ON A12 Councilman Gary Felien called
Now we’re out of the recession and will slowly see an increase in revenues.”
Two Sections, 44 pages
A rarity
Jerry Waddle has an eye — and other senses — for finding the rare. A8
Covered?
The deadline to sign up for mandatory healthcare is approaching. A7
The county’s aerial insects are being looked at in what may be the first study of its kind here. B1
A&E..................... A10 Classifieds.......... B17 Food & Wine....... B10 Legals.................. A18 Opinion................ A4 Sports.................. A15
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.com Oceanside Police Sgt. Greg Stayley presents the results of the homeless population survey to MainStreet Oceanside on March 4. Photo by Rachel Stine
OPD developing RANCHO programs SFNEWS to help city’s homeless By Rachel Stine
.com
OCEANSIDE — After receiving complaints from downtown businesses, the Oceanside Police Department is working on developing a program to connect homeless people with services that could help them obtain housing and jobs. Oceanside has 499 homeless living on the streets, in shelters, or transitional housing, making up almost six percent of the county’s total homeless population, according to the Regional Task Force for the Homeless count done in 2013. Representatives from MainStreet Oceanside approached the police department late last year with concerns about problems caused by homeless people downtown, mainly aggressive panhandling, petty theft, and vandalism. “There was some perception that the homeless situation was getting worse,” said MainStreet Oceanside Executive Director Rick Wright. To look into the issue, Oceanside Police officers conducted a survey of the city’s homeless in November and December and presented the results at a MainStreet Oceanside meeting on March 4. Responses from the 93 homeless people surveyed revealed that most of the population is Caucasian males who are remaining in Oceanside because they have relatives in the area. Close to half of them said they are homeless due to economic reasons, while over a fifth stated they were homeless voluntarily. Almost 70 percent of the respondents have been homeless for years. Most of the people surveyed said they live off of soliciting, welfare, and recycling. Though the police department is still researching existing approaches, Oceanside’s program will be designed to educate the homeless about available local services and help them gain access to the services they need, according to Lt. Karen Laser. She said that helping a homeless person obtain housing may be as simple as driving them to the DMV to obtain official identification. “Being proactive is educating them on those services and that is going to get them off the streets. And that is our goal,” she said. Oceanside has a host of social service organizations, including Brother Bennos, Bread of Life, and a welfare office. TURN TO HOMELESSON A12
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