terrorist attack<\/a> in Ward and Weber Pierson\u2019s districts.<\/p>\nThere was also $2 million for a conservation research center at the San Diego Zoo, $1.5 million for the Natural History Museum and $2 million for the African American Museum of Fine Arts.<\/p>\n
Some of that funding came from Proposition 4, a $10 billion bond voters approved nearly two years ago for climate projects.<\/p>\n
The Fleet Science Center, a museum in Ward\u2019s district, was allotted $2 million from the bond, for example.<\/p>\n
In an emailed statement to CalMatters and Voice of San Diego, Ward said groups submit funding requests every year and that he was \u201cgrateful\u201d several projects, including the Islamic Center and science museum, made the cut.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were a number of other San Diego regional investments I was happy to see and vote for, making this overall a significant win,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Weber Pierson\u2019s office did not return requests seeking comment.<\/p>\n
UC San Diego gained too: More than $6 million was slated to go to the university to replace a research ship owned by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. It\u2019s one of the bigger earmarks for San Diego.<\/p>\n
Blakespear requested Prop. 4 funds for the new ship, according to spokesperson Andrew Lamar.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is funding to help pay for replacing an existing Scripps research vessel that has reached the end of its life,\u201d he said in an emailed statement. \u201cThe Scripps Institute is a world leader in climate science, and a maritime research vessel is crucial to the work it does to assess the impact of climate change and study the ocean.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another $3 million from the general fund is to go toward new degree programs in South County in Alvarez\u2019s district and his biggest legislative priority.<\/p>\n
Among the other pet projects that received funding were at least $1.5 million for park projects in La Mesa, in Democratic Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins\u2019 district and $200,000 for maintenance at a fire department in Republican Sen. Brian Jones\u2019 district.<\/p>\n
Millions of dollars in one-time gifts went to religious and nonprofit groups, including $4.5 million for Feeding San Diego from Democratic Assemblymember Darshana Patel and $1 million for immigration services at Catholic Charities of San Diego from Alvarez.<\/p>\n
Money for districts or for votes?<\/p>\n
Earmarked spending is a longtime practice by lawmakers to gain the favor of their constituents. It also helps gain positive coverage during an election year and most members, including Ward, Blakespear and Alvarez, are up for reelection in November.<\/p>\n
Across the state, legislators earmarked $1.3 billion combined for special projects in nearly every county. Los Angeles\u2019 delegation took home a whopping $300 million according to a CalMatters review.<\/p>\n
Alameda and San Francisco counties pulled in $178 million and $109 million respectively.<\/p>\n
Amid ongoing budget deficits and looming funding cuts, some have criticized the practice as an unfair way to distribute taxpayer dollars. Last year, Republicans slammed then-Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire when his district received more than a dozen earmarks totalling over $100 million, 50 percent of which came from the 2024 climate bond.<\/p>\n
What I\u2019m Reading Now<\/p>\n
California lawmakers set aside $20 million for a security detail for current and former state officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, KCRA3 reports.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a bit of an adrenaline rush. New York Magazine wrote a love letter to the push alert, an increasingly consequential notification as more and more readers digest news through the instantaneous, single-sentence bites.<\/p>\n
Two California parole commissioners were ousted following public backlash after their decision to release men convicted of sex crimes, CalMatters writes.<\/p>\n
Thanks for reading this week\u2019s report! Please email me at nadia@voiceofsandiego.org<\/a> for any questions or comments.<\/p>\nCalMatters\u2019 Yue Stella Yu contributed to this report.<\/p>\n
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