Political Vision Behind Court Vote Welcome

When the county Board of Supervisors decided last week that it made better long-term sense to build North County courts in Vista instead of Escondido, despite Escondido’s more generous financial offer, board Chairwoman Susan Golding commented that she wanted “to make one decision on this board that’s not a Band-Aid.”

Indeed, it’s a rare government decision these days that is not a Band-Aid--sometimes for lack of vision or political will, but more often for financial reasons.

So the courts vote was noteworthy.

But perhaps more extraordinary is that in the past 10 days, there have actually been three instances of forward-looking action by local government officials.

On Monday, the San Diego City Council voted to establish a housing trust fund to preserve and expand the amount of housing affordable to low-income residents. At the same time, the council also voted to commit $54 million in new taxes and fees to the fund. It was a bold move that could go a long way toward meeting a pressing need in the city, although the nature and amount of the taxes and fees should be carefully weighed along with proposals to fund other infrastructure and public service needs before final decisions are made.

The third noteworthy move occurred Dec. 8 when San Diego Mayor Maureen O’Connor urged the City Council to adopt a proposed managed-growth ballot initiative and to strengthen the city’s environmental protections.

With the recent election of council members Linda Bernhardt and John Hartley, O’Connor apparently realized that the timing might be right to pass a tougher growth-management ordinance. Instead of letting competing citizens measures go on the ballot again, O’Connor encouraged the council to adopt a proposal by the group Prevent Los Angelization Now!, a sequel to last year’s Citizens for Limited Growth.

The council should not adopt the measure without sufficient debate and refinement, but the proposal has much to recommend it.

To be sure, three acts of leadership do not mean an end to Band-Aids. Politics and the scarcity of public resources assure that.

But, if the electorate shows its support for such actions, it will be easier for tomorrow’s leaders to look beyond just tomorrow.