County Laments Wish List Shelved by Court Ruling

Stopped Thursday by the California Supreme Court from spending $1.6 billion on new courts and jails, county officials took a forlorn look at a plan kept ready and waiting had the courts approved Proposition A.

“There are five grinches in San Francisco who ruined our Christmas,” said Rich Robinson, director of the county’s Office of Special Projects, which since 1986 has been in charge of planning for new courts and jails. By a 5-2 vote, the Supreme Court rejected the 1988 ballot measure, saying it had not been properly enacted.

In anticipation of Proposition A funds, the County Board of Supervisors voted in February, 1990, to plan for six big-ticket priorities.

“The plans we had been prepared to release, we’ll just put back on the shelf,” Robinson said.

The six projects on the county’s wish list are:

* Construction of the East Mesa Phase II, a $50-million, 1,500-bed jail that would complement the 1,500-bed facility just completed next door to the Richard J. Donovan state prison in Otay Mesa. The East Mesa site is near the U.S.-Mexico border about 7 miles east of Interstate 805.

Though built, the first phase of the project is only being partially operated because the county is short of cash.

* A $290 million, 2,750-bed jail at either of four sites that would be used to book accused criminals awaiting court dates.

Robinson said Thursday that the county does have access to $33 million in state jail bond funds. But to get at that cash requires the county first to put up $8 million, money it does not have, he said.

* Replacement or expansion of the downtown courthouse on Broadway, a 30-year-old structure beset by bugs, sewage leaks and asbestos.

It would cost $400 million to refurbish and build out the existing boxy courthouse, $600 million to build a new one, Robinson said.

A separate, 16-court downtown annex is already in the planning stages. Estimates are that it would cost $90 million. That building also would house offices for the district attorney.

That 16-court project remains alive, though it’s “contingent on how attractive the private sector can make that deal for the county,” Robinson said Thursday.

* Expansion of the Vista courthouse. To be built in phases, this project would at first add about 40 courtrooms at a cost of $100 million, Robinson said.

If the county could consolidate leases to save money, it’s conceivable the Vista expansion could go forward, but on a smaller scale, Robinson said. “So don’t rule that one out,” he said.

* Replacement of the San Diego Municipal Court’s traffic and small claims building on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard.

* A Juvenile Court building, possibly located on Ruffin Road in conjunction with a planned center for abused and battered children. That court would deal in the specialized business of dependency cases, in which the county seeks to protect neglected children.