Building Industry Association
of San Diego

Click here to listen to San Diego City Councilmember Carl DeMaio discuss the Comprehensive Pension Reform (CPR) initiative with BIA Vice President, Matt Adams.

While historically, opportunistic politicians have turned to building industry bashing in the quest to scare up vote, this year growth is hardly mentioned unless it is accompanied by job creation. It is a sad truth that it took the worse recession since the great depression for some to finally get it that growth means jobs and stagnation means economic disaster. More than 40,000 men and women in our industry are out of work and candidates are eager to say that the key to economic recovery is a healthy building industry.

But while the role our industry plays in a robust economy gains newfound respect and appreciation, there is also a growing political force securing its foothold in San Diego.  It’s the growing influence of labor unions on local government. There are many recent examples, including San Diego City Councilman Todd Gloria’s urgent proposal to ban non-union superstores, the push for union only constructed and operated hotels and efforts to require expensive union only contracts for taxpayer funded capital improvement projects.  See links below for full stories.

“Gloria, a Democrat, said he isn’t trying to stymie development by Wal-Mart as a favor to labor unions, whose backing helped him win election in 2008 and are staunch opponents of Wal-Mart.”- San Diego Union Tribune

Labor leaders declare victory in hotel vote

By Lori Weisberg Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at 7:01 p.m.

City strikes deal with unions to allow outside bids

By Craig Gustafson Originally published September 16, 2010 at 10:03 a.m., updated September 16, 2010 at 7:25 p.m.

In an ideal situation, politics and government policy would remain independent, but that just isn’t realistic.  At best, you have an ebb and flow of differing business interests at play at city halls all over the region.  It all depends on who is in office and the basis of their belief system. Currently, the region’s largest city, San Diego, is run by nine elected officials, of which five  make no secret of their support for organized labor and union issues. The result has been the transformation of San Diego from ‘America’s Finest City’ to ‘Enron by the Sea.’ The city seeks higher taxes to close a nearly $100 million budget deficit yet drags its feet on financial reforms because of union opposition. Consequently, as the protector of building industry interests, BIA San Diego has an obligation to analyze the environment and to engage to ensure a fair and balanced business environment for its members.

“Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber,” Ancient Greek Philosopher Plato, modernized, 428 BC-348 BC

With every election comes an opportunity to change the way you, your community and business world are governed. This year, that opportunity takes on an historic nature as all eyes are on Washington, DC and Sacramento as voters take out their frustrations over a chronic recession and high unemployment. Here at home, the attention is focused on a changing of the guard at San Diego city hall, rare runoff elections for county Board of Supervisors and more than one ballot initiative seeking to raise your taxes.

 And whether its candidates or ballot initiatives each time BIA San Diego is center stage in the political arena. For months leading up to the elections, BIA’s political committees interview and debate various candidates and issues on the ballots. The industry’s closely held vanguards also engage well in advance in an attempt to shape those issues and lists of candidates as they emerge. This includes financial support by the industry’s well-respected BIA-PAC each election cycle.

The outcome of the intense review process is the release of the BIA-PAC Voter Guide,  a listing of candidate endorsements and ballot recommendations as a service to our members, BIA proudly does its part to arm you with solid information from knowledgeable industry stalwarts to enable you to make the most informed vote possible.

 Are you part of the movement to shape your industry’s future? On November 2nd, did you vote alongside your industry peers? Only working together does our industry become stronger. To get more involved to make a difference in the future, please contact Matthew Adams. 

View 2010 Election Results

On occasion events unfold that require our industry to come together  as colleagues and friends to advance a cause that is bigger than ourselves.  Campaign 2010 was one of those occasions and our industry answered the call as never before.

In the weeks leading up to election day and facing big odds and hundreds of thousands of labor union dollars, building industry members responded as never before including the largest single day mobilization of volunteers in the 75 year history of the BIA.

As a result, the voters rendered their verdict and industry backed candidates emerged victorious in nearly every race including Lorie Zapf in the 6th district San Diego city council seat. Unions poured in nearly a quarter million dollars and scores of union activists to hold that seat. But in the end, Zapf bested her opponent by 53% to 47%.

In Oceanside, Gary Felien prevailed against the union backed mini-incumbent Chuck Lowery who barely got use to his council seat since being elected by a handful of votes in a June special election.  Felien’s success will maintain a pro-business majority and is yet another blow to union efforts to take control in the North County city.

And unlike our union opponents who demand strict obedience  from their endorsed candidates, we seek nothing more than what any American wants from their representatives: be thoughtful, open minded and fair to all.  These are the qualities that make us a successful democracy.

We would like to thank everyone who worked so hard to make campaign 2010 a success.  Once again the building industry proved that when we rally together to achieve a goal we can prevail.  Truly one of our finest hours.

If money is the mother’s milk of politics then San Diego city council candidate Howard Wayne is drowning in vitamin D. According to recent campaign disclosure reports, Wayne is the beneficiary of more the $230 thousand in union money. The San Diego Imperial County Labor Council views the 6th district council seat as essential to maintaining their pro-union majority on the San Diego City Council.

Wayne and the unions seek to defeat Lorie Zapf for the right to replace outgoing councilmember Donna Frye in the district that includes Kearny Mesa, Clairemont, Linda Vista and Mission Valley. Zapf is supported by a host of probusiness groups and the building industry but has been outspent 4 to 1 thanks to an avalanche of union money for Wayne.

With one week left until the November General Election most analysts consider the race between Zapf and Wayne too close to call.  Union leaders would love to hold this seat as they continue to advance their agenda at city hall which includes higher sales taxes, union only constructed and operated hotels, a ban on Walmart Supercenters and mandatory project labor agreements for taxpayer funded capital improvement projects.

Over eight hours of testimony opposing the draft County General Update is under way in the County Board of Supervisors Hearing Room.  The County’s consultant, the audit firm of Keiser Marston stunningly alleges that the downzoning of 400,000 acres of land will have no negative economic impact drawing strong rebuke from property owners.

BIA joins an impressive array of coalition partners arguing in favor of the following positions to be taken by the Supes:

KEY CORRECTIONS THE INDUSTRY WANTS MADE IN THE GP 2020 UPDATE:

DO NOT ALLOW COMMUNITY PLANS AND COMMUNITY PLANNING GROUPS TO IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS ON CLUSTERING.
The general plan relies on clustered developments to succeed but contains language that allows clustering only on the condition that it is consistent with community plans. Most community plans mandate 1-acre minimum lot sizes which makes clustering impossible.

DO NOT SUPPORT THE MORATORIUM ON GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS.
The General Plan will place a moratorium on changes to land use categories unless it is part of a comprehensive General Plan Update.  The last comprehensive general plan update was almost 30 years ago!

DO NOT SUPPORT THE PROPOSED DOWNZONING.
The General Plan will downzone over 400,000 acres of private property and eliminate 36,000 housing units. Despite two public votes that soundly rejected massive down zoning, the General Plan will create land use categories of 1du/40 acres, 1du/80 acres and 1du/160 acres.

ELIMINATE REQUIREMENT TO GIVE UP BETWEEN 75% – 90% OF YOUR PROPERTY AS PART OF THE CONSERVATION SUBDIVISION PROGRAM.

This requirement coupled with large minimum lot sizes will result in the loss of potential housing units.

Voters wishing to cast their ballot by mail have until Tuesday, October 26th to submit a Vote by Mail Application.  With the November 2nd General Election just two weeks away the BIA-PAC is urging all members to review its November General Election Voter Guide for candidate endorsements and ballot recommendations.  The Voter Guide is the product of an 11-month process of candidate interviews and ballot proposition analysis.

Polls open at 7:00 am.  Click on the Find Your Polling Place to see where you can cast your vote on Tuesday, November 2nd.  And don’t forget to take along the Voter Guide.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors will take up the issue of the Draft General Plan Update at its Wednesday, October 20th hearing.  It has been 13-years since the supervisors directed staff to proceed with the crafting of a new general plan and it has not been without major controversy.

The plan includes the downzoning of over 400,000 acres in the back country with the intent of directing future growth toward existing towns and infrastructure. The downzoning has brought the scorn of hundreds of private property owners and farmers who argue that voters have rejected such downzoning in two county-wide propositions over the last ten years.

While the county claims there is plenty of opportunity for future growth in designated areas, it grants community plans and planning groups the right to veto higher density projects.  It also prevents any adjustments to the general plan until there is another comprehensive review. It has been nearly 30 years between general plan updates.

The BIA is urging all private property owners to attend the Wednesday, October 20th hearing and voice their concern with the draft general plan.  For more information, contact Matt Adams at the BIA.

BIA-PAC Voter Guide

The Building Industry Association Political Action Committee has  released it’s Voter Guide for the November 2, 2010 General Election.  The voter guide is part of its continuing effort to inform industry members on the key candidates and issues that will directly affect our future and economic recovery.  The Voter Guide is available on line and at the BIA offices.  The BIA-PAC and the Political Communications Committee of the BIA have worked for months interviewing dozens of  candidates and analyzing local and state ballot propositions. BIA members are encouraged to visit the Politics and Elections page of the BIA website for all the latest information on candidates and issues.

The BIA PAC offers the following recommendations for the November 2 General Election. Please check back for more, and remember to vote.

County of San Diego
Ron Roberts
Bill Horn

City of San Diego
Lorie Zapf, District 6

Carlsbad City Council
Mark Packard

Chula Vista City Council
Larry Breitfelder

Escondido City Council
Marie Waldron

Oceanside City Council
Jerry Kern

Poway City Council
John Mullin

San Marcos Mayor
Jim Desmond

Santee City Council
John Minto

County Assessor
Ernie Dronenburg

House of Representatives
Darrell Issa, 49th
Brian Bilbray, 50th
Duncan Hunter, 52nd

State Assembly
Kevin Jeffries, 66th
Dianne Harkey, 73rd
Martin Garrick, 74th
Nathan Fletcher, 75th
Brian Jones, 77th

State Senate
Joel Anderson, 36th
Mark Wyland, 38th
Juan Vargas, 40th