South County Report: The Latest on the Rohr Park Debate<\/strong><\/p>\n As Chula Vista kicks off a planned overhaul of 60-acre Rohr Park, Bonita residents who aren\u2019t Chula Vistans have been speaking out against the proposed elimination of a popular equestrian arena.<\/p>\n In his latest South County Report, our Jim Hinch notes that elected leaders in Chula Vista \u2013 including Mayor John McCann \u2013 are now calling for the city to hold onto the arena during the revamp.<\/p>\n Also in this week\u2019s roundup:<\/strong> The leader of the Living Coast Discovery Center marine wildlife sanctuary in Chula Vista is retiring and McCann now has an official backup when he\u2019s called into Navy Reserve duty.<\/p>\n Read the full post here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n County Halts Request for Lobbyists to Lay Groundwork for Tax Hikes<\/strong><\/p>\n County officials this week canceled a controversial callout for bids from lobbyists to help the county push changes to state law to pave the way for it to pull in more revenue.<\/p>\n Republican Supervisor Jim Desmond in recent days has blasted the proposal<\/a>, first reported by the Union-Tribune<\/a>, to hire a contractor to rally for legislative tweaks allowing the county to try to enact payroll taxes or increase charges on documents during real estate transfers.<\/p>\n The county posted a notice on its contracting site Wednesday that it was canceling the request for quotes. The callout was originally posted Dec. 18 and closed Dec. 22. It\u2019s unclear how many would-be contractors responded to the request.<\/p>\n The request was the second of two bidding processes under the purview of the sustainable fiscal planning subcommittee<\/a> made up of Democratic Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe.<\/p>\n Lawson-Remer\u2019s office told Voice of San Diego is for now more focused on finding savings in the county budget before it tries to raise revenue.<\/p>\n Read more here.\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n SDG&E Prices Rising Again This Month<\/strong><\/p>\n Electricity bills from San Diego Gas and Electric for the vast majority of San Diegans went up 7.4 percent beginning Jan. 1.\u00a0<\/p>\n That amounts to approximately $4 more per month for the average residential customer, said SDG&E spokesman Anthony Wagner.\u00a0<\/p>\n Most San Diegans only pay SDG&E to deliver power to their home over the energy grid which the private company owns and maintains.\u00a0<\/p>\n The price of the actual power most San Diegans use is bought and sold by public energy companies in the region called San Diego Community Power and Clean Energy Alliance, public energy companies governed by its member cities. San Diego Community Power will likely set those rates at its Jan. 15 meeting.\u00a0<\/p>\n For cities that still buy both power and pay for energy delivery from SDG&E, an average bill will rise 10.5 percent. Much of that is due to the cost of the energy itself, said Wagner, which is not something SDG&E can make a profit on.\u00a0<\/p>\n Read the full post here.\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Former Mayor Chimes In On Balboa Park Parking Drama<\/strong><\/p>\n The drama surrounding Balboa Park parking is reaching a boiling point. Even former mayor Kevin Faulconer put in his two cents. Faulconer, who now leads the Lincoln Club Business League, called for an end to the paid parking plan.<\/p>\n \u201cBalboa Park belongs to the people of San Diego, not to a parking meter,\u201d said Faulconer in an email statement. \u201cAdding new fees at a time when people are stretched thin is simply wrong. San Diegans should always be able to use their parks without being charged.\u201d<\/p>\n The club said the paid parking plan is a \u201cdeeply flawed roll out,\u201d and called on city officials for the immediate suspension of the program. Meanwhile, residents are also getting riled up. Meters along sixth avenue have been vandalized<\/a> by spray paint, foam, and glue to avoid any payments getting into the machines. Yikes.\u00a0<\/p>\n So, what does this mean for the city\u2019s budget? Our social media star Bella Ross broke down how the parking plan<\/a> could leave a big budget hole.<\/p>\n Related: <\/strong>In yesterday\u2019s Morning Report, we highlighted Mayor Todd Gloria\u2019s clapback at councilmembers who urged the city to suspend parking fees for San Diego residents at the park. We accidentally provided an incorrect link. Here\u2019s the mayor\u2019s memo<\/a>.<\/p>\n In Other News\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The Morning Report was written by Lisa Halverstadt, MacKenzie Elmer, and Mariana Mart\u00ednez Barba. It was edited by Andrea Sanchez-Villafana.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t![\"North](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0018-1024x683.jpg\")
A shadow of power lines along the alley behind North Park Towers \/ Photo by Ariana Drehsler for Voice of San Diego<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Balboa-Park_0025-1024x683.jpg\")
A parking lot at Balboa Park on Sept. 15, 2025. \/ Ariana Drehsler for Voice of San Diego<\/p>\n