The San Diego City Council's Rules Committee advanced a proposal from Councilman David Alvarez to increase the city's hotel tax by one cent in order to fund homelessness services.
He drew a link between the city's tourism industry and the necessity to provide services for its homeless residents.
"To me there's a very clear nexus between promoting San Diego as a destination and making sure we have programs in place to ensure we don't have outbreaks, such as hepatitis A, or other dangerous pathogens," Alvarez said.
Alvarez’s office said residents have been waiting for a park with facilities since the neighborhood was built. Development began in the late 1990s. Parks have become a priority for the councilman, who said his district lacks sufficient park space. “Residents are tired of waiting for improvements in their neighborhood,” Alvarez said. “Currently, park deficiencies across the city is one of the best examples of our lack of equity in every community.”
Read MoreCity councilmember David Alvarez met with more than 100 cycling enthusiasts assembled by the San Diego Bike Coalition on Thursday afternoon to lead a ride through his native Barrio Logan. "When you're on a bike, it makes a world of difference to help understand what's happening in the community," said Alvarez, who told the group he commutes by bike two to three times a week.
Read MoreTo make matters worse, the city council on Monday voted 5-2 to kill Councilmember David Alvarez’s hotel tax measure (an increase of 1 percent) where the money would have gone directly to homeless programs. The measure was seen as a longshot to make the ballot since the mayor’s convention center bill had already been approved for the ballot, but it stings nonetheless.
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