Ballot measure rushed

Folks, including some electeds, are underwhelmed about the proposed countywide parcel tax to fund additional fire prevention equipment in the back country. It will appear on the November ballot along with other assessment initiatives. If approved, property owners would pay approximately $50 bux annually that would go into a fund for fire services. Half of the money would go to an authority to pay for equipment and additional staff. The other half of the pie would be given to the fire departments for equipment, personnel and training. Nonrural property owners are saying the tax formula is out of kilter while others feel it doesn’t provide enough for additional firefighters. The proposal will be hard to sell.

Botched salmonella issue

Federal investigators are looking into the recent allegation that tomatoes were responsible for the salmonella outbreak that flattened more than 1,300 folks. The conclusion is tomatoes received a bad rap. Several agencies have been accused of the faulty findings.

Revenue flow slow

Campaign to purchase the Ninth Street Shores School property in Surfside City has passed the $5.l mil. mark but the goal of $8.5 mil. has slowed and is of concern to the electeds. They are looking for alternatives for coming up with the balance. The ball is really in the residents’ court since they would be the benefactors of a community park in perpetuity.

Spirited campaign

Fireworks in the North Coast election campaigns aren’t likely except in O’side, where two challengers are seeking to unseat Mayor Jim Wood. O’side campaigns are usually cut and slash. The Flower Capital has all three incumbents running — Jim Bond, Maggie Houlihan and Jerome Stocks — who already are on the stump recounting their achievements and shaking mitts. Council aspirants include Betsy Aceti, coastal advocate volunteer; Tony Brandenburg, chief judge of Intertribal Court of SoCal; Rachelle Collier, office manager and active in Leucadia community organizations and affairs; Doug Long, owner of Bert’s Plumbing and community volunteer; Bob Nanninga, cafe owner, environmentalist and columnist; Joe Sheffo, San Dieguito High School grad and government and public affairs specialist; and Harriet Seldin, dentist, community leader and dog agility competitor. Sheffo, Collier and Houlihan have pledged more open government.

Tile program

Quail Botanical Gardens has launched a commemorative tile program, chaired by TV commentator Loren Nancarrow, and his wife Susie, that will help create a 4.5-acre Children’s Garden where everyone can explore the natural world, according to spokeswoman Nicia Platt. The tiles will be embedded into several specially designed sitting walls throughout the garden. Wanna participate? Call Tracie Barham at (760) 436-3036, ext. 216 or e-mail Tbarham@qbgarden.org.

Surf museum

A surf museum that could become a major O’side attraction will be moving into new digs. The city has OK’d a $575,000, five-year loan to refurbish a building that previously featured strippers as an attraction. The museum will be located on Pier View Avenue.

Yes on clean water

Surfside City Councilman and former Mayor Carl Hilliard sez yes to a clean water assessment that will be voted on in November but he’s adamant about the Governator’s move to borrow money from cities to balance the current state budget. Hilliard sez the state should live within its means like the tiny city of Del Mar does. And he’s not optimistic the state will ever pay back the loan.

Concern for egg layers

Lotsa important decisions to be decided on in November. Proposition 2 has to do with cages being too small for chickens that provide the eggs that most everyone enjoys every morning. Objectors say the cages are so small chickens have to stand up all the time even when they are trying to get some shut eye. This borders on cruel and unusual treatment. What’s next?

Suit filed

Environmentalists have taken issue with a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service report that sez a highway that would slice through San Onofre State Beach would cause minimal impact on the environment. They have filed a suit in U.S. District Court in San Diego. The highly controversial project drew 2,500 folks to a hearing held at the fairgrounds in February. Most speakers voiced opposition to the proposal during a 10 1/2-hour meeting.

One liners

California Coastal Cleanup Day will be Saturday, Sept. 20 from 9 a.m. to noon according to Rachelle Collier who is pushing for volunteers ... Brothers Joe and Tom Long, who opened a Longs store in the midst of a coppla cut-rate drug stores in San Diego (the third in their chain) in the 1950s would be astounded at the announcement that CVS was buying Longs with its 521 stores for $2.6 billion ... The Governator’s proposed sales tax hike that would expire in three years likely means it will take that long to figure out how to make it permanent ... Supe Pam Slater-Price is saying absolutely “no” to changing area code 760 to 442 ... State electeds who haven’t been able to take the fat out of the budget have managed to approve legislation to ban trans fats from foods served at restaurants by 2010 ... San Diego Coastal Chamber of Commerce is having a lobster and wine fest Sept. 13 at Shores Park on Ninth Street in Surf City ... Congrats to Flower Capital resident David Parish-Whittaker who was honored in Hollywood recently for winning a worldwide writing contest.

Hasta la Vista