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Reader Reader Writes A Wrong
I was interested to read your attack on the San Diego Reader in your May issue. You seem to be admitting that you edit your paper according to your advertisers' wishes. If not, it is a hypocritical piece, just as it might seem to be hypocritical for you to condemn that paper's support of the political aspirations of Rich Rider and Bruce Henderson, when you endorse the Union-Tribune, so efficient in promoting the careers of current city incumbents. San Diegans are fully aware of the political convictions of the Reader's owner, just as they are aware of those of the Copleys. Nor is the Reader's large and long-standing audience gullible: following the recent cover articles, which seem to have prompted your outburst, they wrote in droves to protest the tone, content and political waffle expressed. So much so, that I begin to suspect the Metropolitan has orchestrated the correspondence!
Candy Kuhl
Little Italy
'Cover Girl'
I just want to thank you very much for the wonderful article on Carol Wallace. It obviously doesn’t hurt our campaign to expand the convention center. As usual, Lynne (Carrier) did a great job. I certainly appreciate it. Thanks.
Stephen P. Cushman
Chairman
San Diego Convention Center Corp.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. What an incredible (May) issue of the Metropolitan. You did a great job and I love the publisher's note, really appreciate that. We’re going to pick up extra copies and make sure they get into the right hands. Thanks for all your help.
Sal Giametta
Vice President
Convention and Visitors Bureau
First, thanks for the great one-year follow-up on my "cover girl" story. I still get people who comment on that cover as if it were just shown this year. How about that for staying power!
Second, thanks for finally exposing (San Diego Reader publisher) Mr. Holman for what he truly is — an opportunist. Talk about someone who benefits from corporate welfare. What is that old saying about someone who lives in a glass house?
And kudos to David Cohn, always a leader in his industry, for canceling his advertising in The Reader. I only wish his restaurateur colleagues had the guts to do the same, and advertise, instead, with those publications you named in your article — and, of course, San Diego Metropolitan.
And, finally, I spotted your little column re: the $20 voluntary subscription price. Now, you didn’t make it very easy for a busy exec to respond. How about a column with a fax or e-mail form (complete with area for credit card) so that one can easily sign up? Run it for a couple of months and see what happens. I really think those of us who read your magazine regularly would be more than happy to commit. And at $20, it’s still a bargain.
Patti Roscoe
PRA Associates
Former chairman,
San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau
Housing Is Relative
Recent headlines leave the impression that San Diego’s housing industry is headed for good times again. This so-called boom is relative.
The numbers look good compared to seven years of deep recession, but when you actually look at what we need vs. what we are providing, it’s shameful. The San Diego Association of Governments says we will add 46,000 new residents each year through 2020. That's the size of the city of Poway every year.
Yet only 8,416 homes were sold all of last year. That's a serious discrepancy. New residential permits only totaled 11,402. This is still not enough, according to the region's planners. In addition, those 11,402 permits didn’t materialize over night. Project approvals take three to five years of bureaucracy to materialize into homes for sale.
San Diego ranks 11th as the least affordable place to live. The average cost of a new home is $286,209. Yet, according to Housing & Urban Development, the median household income for a family of four is $50,800. At that level, a family could qualify for a home that costs $166,000.
The increasing segment of San Diego’s population that is priced out of home ownership is not the families who make $25,400 to $40,640, or 50 to 80 percent of the median income. They qualify for nonprofit or government assistance for housing. It’s most of San Diego’s work force earning $50,800 to $71,120 that can’t afford to buy a new home, or even a resale home, which now lists for an average price of $188,000.
This "affordability gap" will continue to widen unless government takes action to correct its course, especially in light of mounting no-growth sentiment. We can not continue down this path if we want to provide homes for existing employees in this town who deserve the chance to realize the American Dream.
Chris Chambers
Past President
Building Industry Association of San Diego
Service Is Available
It is too bad that Denise Carabet did not do her homework (The ROA Roar, May 1998). In her article, she stated that First National Bank "...brings the only foreign exchange trading room to San Diego." We at International Forex have been providing service to institutions and the private sector since 1993. We are proud of both the service we provide and the fact that we had the foresight to be the leaders in the community.
Dave Phillipson
International Forex Ltd.
La Jolla
Let The Ball Roll
As a small business owner, and active volunteer in a wide variety of community programs in San Diego, I wanted to lend my voice to the growing number of people supporting the wisdom and vision of a Downtown ballpark. Keeping the Padres in San Diego is not only an important key to furthering San Diego’s community spirit, but also in building the foundation for a vibrant and exciting Downtown — the heart of any city.
I have a great amount of confidence in the leadership of John Moores, especially in giving back to our community with so many programs to keep kids and nonprofit organizations in San Diego. I can’t think of any other organization in San Diego with a relatively small staff that has been as proactive in its support of community programs.
The Padres are good for San Diego. The Downtown ballpark will be terrific for San Diego.
Parker Pike, president
Catalyst Marketing Inc.
Web Reading
I just went into depth on your Web site, and there's only one thing to say: "Outstanding." When out-of-town businessmen find your Web site they are getting the same information and feel of the magazine — very professional.
As a Webmaster and consultant, I would not change a thing. It’s your magazine in a box. All success to you and San Diego Metropolitan.
J. Pritchett
Marketing
Gaslamp411.com
P.S. Great stand you took on The Reader.
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