Taxpayers Association Announces Winners of 2020 Golden Watchdog & Fleece Awards
San Diego leaders and citizens recognized best and worst of this year’s public policy at virtual event.
SAN DIEGO – Oct. 23, 2020 – The San Diego County Taxpayers Association (SDCTA) last night hosted its 25th annual Golden Watchdog & Fleece Awards, recognizing the best and worst in local government spending and decision-making in San Diego County. Below are the winners announced during the virtual celebration, which included networking and humorous skits featuring San Diego elected leaders.
The winners for this year are as follows:
Metro Golden Watchdog Award
City of Escondido: Volunteer Hub
Using modern digital tools, the City of Escondido has modernized their Volunteer HUB to provide residents with an opportunity to assist in improving city services. Since the launch of the City’s new Volunteer ArcGIS HUB in November 2019, the city has received over 7,500 online visits from individuals excited to be helping in their community. The talent and time of thousands of resident volunteers has resulted in a taxpayer cost savings of over $806,000, based on California’s hourly average government wage of $31/hour.
Regional Golden Watchdog Award
County of San Diego: Double Down on Affordable Housing
In the face of a regional housing crisis, the County of San Diego has demonstrated bothcost-effectiveness and good governance by creatively pairing local funds and resourceswith federal and state resources. The Affordable Housing Program, primarily composed of the Innovative Housing Trust Fund and the usage of excess County-owned properties, is projected to develop 1,400 units in the next five years, representing an increase of 55% in affordable housing. By using these components in conjunction with 1one another, the County effectively partnered with the private sector to build affordable housing that thousands of our residents can now call home.
Grand Golden Watchdog Award
City of San Diego, County of San Diego, San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC),Regional Task Force on the Homeless (RTFH), and San Diego Convention Center: Operation Shelter to Home
Launched on April 1, Operation Shelter to Home was a rapid, innovative step in protecting our region’s homeless population in the wake of a global pandemic. Just two short weeks after the state-wide stay at home order was proclaimed, the City of San Diego, County of San Diego, San Diego Housing Commission, Regional Task Force on the Homeless and the San Diego Convention Center joined forces to convert the empty Convention Center into a temporary shelter, bringing thousands of individuals in off the streets. In addition to providing safe, socially distant temporary shelter, supportive services and COVID-19 testing, Operation Shelter to Home has helped secure permanent or long-term housing for more than 600 San Diegans experiencing homelessness.
Public-Private Partnership Award
City of San Diego, National Asian American Coalition (NAAC), and Multiple Private Banks: Police Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program
In November of 2019, the City of San Diego, in partnership with the National Asian American Coalition (NAAC) established a program to help San Diego Police Officers live within the communities they serve - a key component of Community Policing Best Practices. With $250,000 funded in fiscal year 20, and matched by private banks, officers can qualify for up to $50,000 in down payment assistance in the form of a 5-year, zero percent interest, subordinate loan for home purchases in the City of San Diego. The first officer to use this program closed on his home purchase in August 2020, and three others are in escrow.
Media Watchdog Award
San Diego-Union Tribune - Jeff McDonald & Kelly Davis: Sheriff’s Department Inmate Deaths
After spending years reporting on the dozens of deaths that have occurred in San DiegoCounty jails, the San Diego Union-Tribune found that the County’s average mortality rate was the highest among California’s 10 largest jail systems. In response to the information uncovered by veteran investigative reporters Jeff McDonald and Kelly Davis, the Sheriff’s department has added staff and adopted new practices aimed at improving medical and mental-health treatment inside county jails—and hopefully prevent future deaths of inmates in the County’s custody.
COVID Champion Award
City of San Diego: “Streeteries”
In a pandemic pivot, the City of San Diego has creatively found ways for restaurants to continue to operate with expanded capacities through their new “Streeteries” program. In an effort to help the thousands of small businesses impacted by the pandemic, the 2City expedited and lowered the cost of temporary outdoor dining permits, allowing restaurants to move tables into public right of ways in a matter of days and for a very small fee. The innovative “Streeteries” policy has proven that with a little creativity, some good can be found in every situation!
Golden Fleece Award
Port of San Diego: Unlawful Fee on Rental Car Users
Beginning in May of 2018, the Port of San Diego began requiring rental car companies near the airport to charge customers a fee of $3.50 in an effort to raise $40 million to pay existing debts to build a parking structure on Port property in Chula Vista. Rental car companies filed a lawsuit citing that governments can raise fees, but only for the benefit of those who pay them, and correct us if we are wrong, but Chula Vista is many miles away from the airport. The Port has settled on the lawsuit, claims no wrongdoing, and even touts its preservation of the right to impose another such fee in the future.
Grand Golden Fleece
City of San Diego: Real Estate Management
Failure Over the past three years, the City has spent millions of dollars in a real estate transaction that appears to have fallen short of its promised performance. In the midst ofa multi-million-dollar remodel of the 101 Ash building, asbestos was released and will now cost millions more to fix so it can accommodate employees.
“The Goldens are a highlight of our work every year,” said SDCTA President and CEO Haney Hong. “For 75 years, the Taxpayers Association has been holding our local government to account, and we’re happy to honor those who are doing so exceptionally well through the Golden Watchdog awards, and highlighting instances of waste through the Golden Fleece awards.
The Goldens help fund SDCTA’s work advocating for more efficient use of public funds and educating voters about important fiscal issues. Learn more and support the Association’s work at www.sdcta.org.
About the San Diego County Taxpayers Association
San Diego County Taxpayers Association (SDCTA) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization, dedicated to promoting accountable, cost-effective and efficient government and opposing unnecessary new taxes and fees. For nearly 75 years, SDCTA has served as “San Diego’s Taxpayer Watchdog Group” by educating the public and helping save the region’s citizens millions of dollars. Public opinion polls consistently rate SDCTA as the most "influential” and “trusted” public policy institution inSan Diego. The 150 member-strong organization is led by President & CEO Haney Hong. SDCTA envisions a future where San Diego citizens receive a better return on investment in public assets and services. For more information, please visit www.sdcta.org, Twitter, Facebook or call 619-234-6423.