One of many fiercest debates at Politifest this yr featured the 2 candidates for the obscure workplace of county assessor/recorder/clerk. Jordan Marks, a Republican, who works within the workplace now as taxpayer advocate and former Metropolis Councilwoman Barbara Bry, a Democrat, who ran for mayor in 2020, had some intense criticisms for one another, their backgrounds and talent to handle the workplace going ahead.
Bry alleged the workplace wasn’t assessing properties rapidly and effectively, particularly after that they had seen new enhancements and that was costing taxpayers cash. Marks denied that.
Marks alleged that Bry had a battle of curiosity as a result of her and her husband had invested in an organization that had developed applications that would assist workplace’s just like the assessor’s decide whether or not contractors and owners had carried out unauthorized enhancements on their properties and thus wanted to pay extra taxes. She denied she had ever had an possession stake – she stated she merely had missed checking a field on her financial disclosure type to point it was her husband’s curiosity, not hers. And he has since gotten out of the funding.
However one of the crucial fascinating exchanges got here once I requested them about some vital poll measures and the way they’d forged their votes.
Bry helps top restrict exemption, trash payment: When she ran for mayor, Bry had championed neighborhood issues about new housing and growth and she or he was an outspoken opponent, in 2020, of Measure E, which might have allowed builders to assemble buildings greater than 30 ft within the Halfway neighborhood. Measure E handed however a decide threw it out after opponents efficiently made their case that the town had not studied the impression of the change adequately in its environmental overview.
Bry stated that’s now been addressed within the new initiative, Measure C.
“I’m snug. What I actually suppose the town goes to wish to do although to get it handed, is to cope with the suitable infrastructure for the group,” she stated.
Bry stated she would assist Measure B, which might enable the town to check and implement a particular payment for trash assortment. She likewise will assist Measure U, San Diego Unified College District’s new tax for development.
Marks was unwilling to take a stand on any of those measures. He stated the assessor ought to stay impartial. However he was keen to speak about his assist for one statewide proposition …
Marks helps Proposition 1: The Legislature put Proposition 1 on the poll. It will enshrine within the state Structure the proper to entry abortion and reproductive well being providers.
Bry’s marketing campaign has hammered him for previous appearances at anti-abortion rallies and his affiliation with the Republican Occasion. He stated he felt prefer it was a professional query for 2 causes: One, the assessor does resolve on exemptions for taxes for clinics like abortion service suppliers.
And, he has been coping with remaining fallout from a number of years in the past when his boss, Ernie Dronenberg, tried to withstand offering same-sex {couples} marriage licenses.
“I really received a textual content message from Barbara’s crew saying, there’s by no means been a difficulty on it. There by no means has and, below my management, there by no means can be. We do our job impartial of any of that, but additionally, I’m voting for Prop. 1,” he stated.
