SDMGA: A vote for Steve Francis as mayor is a vote to save municipal golf in San DiegoOn Friday, April 18, as representatives of the San Diego Municipal Golfer’s Alliance (SDMGA), we met with Steve Francis, candidate for Mayor and his campaign manager, Charles Gallagher, about the golf issues. What a breath of fresh air! Steve and Charles spent a full hour with us, which is an hour more than we ever got from the Sanders administration. In our meeting, Steve committed that if he is elected Mayor, Torrey Pines will always be a municipal golf course affordable and accessible to San Diego residents. Steve will see to it that the Golf Advisory Council will meet regularly to provide citizens with direct input into policy decisions. _______________________________________________________________________
AN OPEN LETTER TO SDMGA members and supporters
of The Torrey Pines Golf Courses.
If you want to save municipal golf in San Diego, we urge you to do everything you can to elect Steve Francis mayor in the June primary. Vote for Steve and get spouses, relatives, golfing buddies, friends and neighbors to do as well. Here is why.
We all know what has been happening at Torrey Pines, Balboa, and Mission Bay over the past few years: higher fees for local residents, less access to Torrey Pines, and plans to build clubhouses and office space on Torrey Pines for Jerry Sanders campaign contributors, like hoteliers and the members of the Century Club who are seeking valuable parkland for their offices. We all know of the arrogance of Jerry Sanders who walked out of City Council meetings whenever opponents of his plans spoke and denied ordinary citizens access while he plotted in backrooms with his campaign contributors who feathered their nests at the expense of ordinary citizens. Now there is talk that the Lodge at Torrey Pines has worked out a deal with Sanders to take over the starter and clubhouse operations as an “outsourcing” savings for the City. Bill Evans and hotel interests held a major fundraiser last week for Jerry Sanders. If we lose control of the tee sheets at Torrey Pines, it will be the death knell of municipal golf at Torrey. We also know that other special interests want to take over Torrey Pines as a destination resort locking local residents out. Our best chance to preserve Torrey as a public park for municipal golfers is to elect Steve Francis mayor.
On Friday, April 18, we met with Steve Francis, candidate for Mayor and his campaign manager, Charles Gallagher, about the golf issues. What a breath of fresh air! Steve and Charles spent a full hour with us, which is an hour more than we ever got from the Sanders administration. In our meeting, Steve committed that if he is elected Mayor, Torrey Pines will always be a municipal golf course affordable and accessible to San Diego residents. Steve will see to it that the Golf Advisory Council will meet regularly to provide citizens with direct input into policy decisions. Steve assured us that he is basing his campaign on not being beholden to special interests like hoteliers and major donors, being open to citizens concerns and following the will of the people when it is clear what citizens want. Steve is not accepting campaign contributions, will make City Hall more transparent and restore ethics. What a contrast to the Sanders administration where, as we have seen in golf issues, the Sunroad building and elsewhere, enough campaign cash buys donors just about anything they want.
COMING UP ON JUNE 3 IS THE PRIMARY VOTE WHERE EITHER ONE CANDIDATE WILL GET 50% OF THE VOTES AND AUTOMATICALLY BE ELECTED OR THE TOP TWO CANDIDATES WILL RUN OFF IN NOVEMBER. PRIMARY TURNOUTS ARE NOTORIOUSLY LOW AND A FEW VOTES MAY DETERMINE THE WINNER. GOLFERS AND OTHER CONCERNED CITIZENS WHO WANT TO END THE CORRUPTION AT CITY HALL CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!
If you want more information on how to help elect Steve Francis, contact Charles Gallagher at (858) 320-7506 or email at cg@steveformayor.com.
Sincerely,
John Beaver
Paul Spiegelman
Co-founders of SDMGA