Two years ago, California voters narrowly passed a behavioral health reform and infrastructure measure. Now San Diego County is making tough decisions about its many contracted programs as it implements Proposition 1’s reforms.
In the process, our Lisa Halverstadt reveals that the county has cancelled 29 contracts. There’s also uncertainty surrounding clubhouses that serve people with serious mental illnesses and contracts that are set to end in June as the county tries to enact multiple behavioral health reforms.
About Proposition 1: The 2024 state ballot measure sought to bolster behavioral health projects across the state and urge counties long reliant on a state tax on incomes over $1 million to better serve people with the most urgent mental health and addiction crises.
The bottom line: The county has been awarded tens of millions of dollars in state Proposition 1 funding for major infrastructure projects including a planned Midway campus and a National City addiction treatment hub. But the state measure is also forcing tough decisions as the county implements reforms that take effect this July.
Local Crank Gets HBO Treatment
Daniel Smiechowski in “Neighbors.” Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery
Daniel Smiechowski is an irritant — to San Diego’s political system and his neighbors. It’s the latter that got him featured as the central character in the season finale of HBO’s “Neighbors.”
Smiechowski has run for multiple local offices and only weeks ago showed up to a City Council candidate forum dressed as a mime, as we reported in the Politics Report. But politics isn’t his only schtick: Much to the dismay of his neighbors, Smiechowski also loves to work out in a bright yellow thong in his driveway.
His skill at being annoying is beyond question. But the final episode of “Neighbors” was spectacular, because it dug several layers deeper.
He is a litmus test for his neighbors’ chill — and few pass the Smiechowski vibe check. Some think he deserves a beating or jail. Others say what he’s doing isn’t illegal and people should just relax.
Ultimately, he comes off as a man obsessed by expectations — both the silly ones that come from society and the hard-to-shake ones that come from parents.
It’s hard to watch, but it’s a must-watch for all San Diegans.
Teachers Union Rebel Caucus Still Alive
The top two positions at San Diego Unified’s teachers union are heading to a runoff.
The results, released Tuesday, show sitting-President Kyle Weinberg received 39 percent of votes cast. Challenger Monique Barrett received 34 percent, meaning the pair will advance to a second round of voting in the coming weeks. The election for vice president is also heading to a second round between teachers Kiki Ochoa and Matthew Schneck.
Barrett and Schneck are part of a slate of challengers called the Good Trouble caucus who, alongside the heads of the district’s classified unions, have been fiercely critical of Weinberg’s leadership. Their contingent claims Weinberg has not only ostracized members of other district unions, but also misled his own members about having done so.
While some of the slate’s candidates won their positions outright, others came up short. On the losing side were two teachers who have raised concerns about the integrity of the election process.
In Other News
Despite protests from District Attorney Summer Stephan, county supervisors voted Tuesday to move forward with a new Consumer Fairness and Public Protection Unit. (NBC 7)
Today, the county board is now set to consider Supervisor Joel Anderson’s transparency proposal for county subcommittees that have largely met behind closed doors.
Former San Diego city Councilmember Scott Sherman has filed a legal challenge against language in the ballot measure that would tax empty second homes. The challenge may get thrown out of court — but it could also end with modifications to the language of the ballot measure or the measure being cut entirely from the ballot. (Union-Tribune)
EdSource reports that by January 2026, candidates running to be California’s Superintendent of Public Education had raised a whopping $2.6 million. San Diego Unified Trustee Richard Barrera raised nearly $130,000. That sum was dwarfed by the haul of fundraising leader and former Speaker of the California Assembly Anthony Rendon who raised $1 million.
Money from a statewide climate fund created by Proposition 4 will help the southeast San Diego community of Nestor build a park it’s been planning for decades. (KPBS)
Over 100 unfilled positions at the city of San Diego due to a budget deficit means dirtier restrooms at city beaches, less upkeep at city pools and less tree trimming among other public service reductions. (Union-Tribune)
The San Diego Humane Society’s wildlife center in Ramona is caring for two black bear cubs from Monrovia after state wildlife officials euthanized their mother who was deemed “a public threat.” The mother bear, nicknamed “Blondie,” allegedly clawed a woman, who was walking her dog, on the back of her knee. The bear’s death has inspired a petition for policy changes at the state level. (KPBS and ABC 7)
The hot, hot heat will stick around through Friday in San Diego County. (MSN)
The Morning Report was written by Lisa Halverstadt, Will Huntsberry, Jakob McWhinney and MacKenzie Elmer. It was edited by Will Huntsberry.
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