South San Diego County New and Exciting

By Supervisor Greg Cox

The following commentary appeared in the South Bay Review in August 2004

Congratulations on the publication of South San Diego County’s newest community newspaper, the South Bay Review. For the inaugural issue, I would like to review several exciting new County projects and programs that directly benefit the residents of South San Diego County.

In June, the County of San Diego approved our $3.9 billion budget for the 2004-2005 fiscal year, a 3% reduction from the previous year as a result of the State’s fiscal crisis. For better or worse, counties in California are permanently tied to the State, since California’s counties operate as divisions of the state to provide a variety of regional services, including collecting child support, providing welfare programs, operating child protective services, fighting delinquency, and seeing that the poor get health care and legal defense, among others. The State requires that the County provide these services, on the State’s behalf, and ideally should provide us with the necessary funding to do so.

This year, the State budget simply does not fully fund these programs and services that are the safety net for our region, although the requirement to provide services is still in place. With the adoption of the State budget, funding for essential County serviceshas decreased by more than $125 million. As a result, County staffing levels have been reduced and some public services will be affected. However, the good news for us locally is that the State budget agreement does include a measure that will come before voters in November to provide long-term financial protection for local government.

Fortunately, the County of San Diego has prepared itself to continue serving the community during good times and bad. County services that residents count on like access to public assistance, Medi-Cal, In Home Support Services, job training, immunizations, HIV testing and other public health services, alcohol and drug treatment, child support collection, child and elder abuse protection, foster care, regional parks and libraries will still be available. Residents may experience some delays, and a few longer lines, but the County will continue to support people in need. Plus, because the County has managed our bottom line so responsibly, that we will continue to move forward with a number of projects and services that will directly benefit South County residents.

We have broken ground for a new County Library project in Bonita that will include a community meeting space, and a new home for both the Bonita Museum and Cultural Center and the Bonita Public Safety Center, among other family friendly amenities. Scheduled to open in fall of 2005, the new library will be located on the now vacant lot across the street from the Vons shopping center and adjacent to the Chula Vista Golf Course Clubhouse on Bonita Road. For more information about the Bonita Library and Museum Project contact my office at (619) 531-5511.

A new bike bridge over the Sweetwater River has been completed, providing a dedicated route for bikers to ride between Chula Vista and National City along the 26-mile Bayshore Bikeway that encircles San Diego Bay. Previously, Bayshore Bikeway riders had to travel on city streets to complete this section over the Sweetwater River. Now, riders can cruise over their own bridge, and even connect to the Sweetwater Bikeway, taking them to and from the Bonita area. For more information on the Bayshore Bikeway visit www.sandag.org and click on “transportation” then “bicycles and pedestrians.”

The County is continuing our aggressive efforts to protect people from the West Nile Virus by treating ponds, creeks, lagoons and lakes with the larvicide that controls the breeding of mosquitoes that spread the virus. Several South County sites in Chula Vista, Eastlake and Otay Mesa are being treated on a regular basis, but the County is also asking residents to help by limiting outdoor activities during the early morning and early evening when mosquitoes are most active, by wearing long sleeves and pants, by using insect repellant containing DEET when outdoors, and by eliminating all standing water around the home where mosquitoes breed. Because West Nile Virus is spread from mosquitoes to birds and humans, be on the lookout for dead birds, and report any you may see to the County’s West Nile Virus Hotline at (888) 551-4636. More information about the West Nile Virus is also available at www.SDFightTheBite.com.

With summer here, parents may be thinking about preparing their children for the coming school year. The County wants all families to remember that children need a full series of childhood immunizations to enter school, and to protect their health to prepare them to learn and grow. All infants and toddlers need shots to protect them from a number of serious diseases. Babies who don’t receive immunizations against diphtheria, tetanus, measles and other illnesses before the age of two face severe long term impacts to their health and education. Parents can protect infants and toddlers by checking children’s vaccination records, and making sure that kids get all of their shots on time. The County does offer low-cost and no-cost options to help parents in getting their children immunized. For more information, please call the Baby Shots Line at (619) 692-6600.

The County will also continue our efforts to support and care for children who find themselves in foster care through no fault of their own. Too many young children are removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect. The County needs more generous people willing to open their hearts and homes to a foster child, especially in South San Diego County. By becoming a foster parent, you can give meaning, direction, hope and love to a child in need. The County offers a wide range of supportive services to foster families. For more information on becoming a foster parent, please call (877) 792-5437.

There are many new and exciting projects and services that the County is working on to benefit South County residents. I am pleased to have the chance to share them with the readers of the South Bay Review.