Fact Checking: Gaspar the Empty Boast

From the crack fact-checking team at EYNU and Our Mayor . . . We watch hours of videos and comb minutes so you don't have to do it.  We should embed a donation button.

A review of email responses to Deputy Mayor Gaspar's claim that she didn't have anyone approach her with sustainability concerns.  Our research follows each of Gaspar's boasts claims - in bright green.

Note how often she falsely promotes Mayor Stocks as the person who initiates environmental agenda items.
Dear [public];

I thank you for your recent email regarding positive environmental policies.  I share your views as does the Council, who have voted unanimously on numerous environmental issues to protect or improve the conditions in Encinitas. During the past year and a half this includes, but is not limited to:

• Environmental Action Plan- I led the discussion and developed consensus on a plan which included objective measures, so that staff could deliver maximum results for the taxpayer dollars. This plan passed unanimously, including aye votes from Maggie Houlihan and Teresa Barth.  July 20, 2011 

At the Feb. 16, 2011, Councilwoman Barth made the motion, and Maggie Houlihan supported it, to approve the Action Plan as presented by the Commission. Jerome Stocks was particularly insulting to Elizabeth Taylor, the commission chair who made the presentation. 

Barth withdrew the motion and requested the item be brought back at a later date for additional discussion. At the July 20, 2011, Gaspar proposed eliminating many of the stronger proposals preferring minimal compliance.  Houlihan and Barth were able to include some items previously eliminated creating a compromise (admittedly weak but better than the complete gutting) that we could all support. (see minutes  listed in the Aug. 17 meeting)

• Solar Panels- The Council voted unanimously, including Councilmember Muir, to oppose SDGE's unfair rate hikes on users of solar panels, who actually provide all citizens a benefit by producing more energy than they expend. Jan. 11, 2012  

At the Nov. 16, 2011 meeting, Barth asked to have the issue SDG&E’s proposed solar users rate changes be placed on a future agenda. On Jan. 11, 2012  the issue was discussed with local solar companies and numerous public speakers  asking the council to send a letter of opposition. Encinitas was one of many cities and thousands of rate payers that opposed the hike. 

• Electric Car charging station- I proposed that the city reduce or waive the fees for installing these stations before I was elected to Council. Recently, Mayor Jerome Stocks put this item on the agenda and it passed unanimously.  

Electric car charging stations: the one located in Encinitas is part of a state-wide effort and is a joint project with the city. No fees would have been charged to install this station. The recommendation to reduce or waive permit fees to install home solar panels and charging stations was a prior recommendation of the Environmental Commission. ...can’t find the meeting urgh. It was also already common practice in other cities. 

• Farmers Market- Approved unanimously (5-0) after being put on the agenda by the Mayor and City Manager. 

The Farmers Market issue was brought to the council on Feb. 15, 2012 by the Planning Dept. as they were recommending that the city charge a fee to use the public parking lot. Gaspar pursued an aggressive line of questioning if those fees were set high enough.  The agenda item was NOT initiated by the Mayor only a procedural requirement.

• General Plan- Since my election, I have worked harder than any other Councilmember to oppose increasing density along the El Camino Real and Encinitas Blvd corridors. I asked the Council to join me in declaring the land use and housing element of the General Plan officially 'dead'. Again, consensus was developed in a 5-0 vote, and I continue my persistent efforts to make sure those elements do not reappear. 

At the July 18, 2012 council meeting Kristin said staff could use both the Housing Element and Land Use element along with all other elements of the draft General Plan for reference, excepting only the proposals for El Camino Real corridor, Encinitas Blvd. & Santa Fe Dr, when the staff  creates a new draft document. Sounds like she partially resurrected both elements. 

• Protecting natural wetlands- The council supported staff's rejection of a recent Caltrans proposal to enlarge the Interstate 5 ramps at Encinitas Blvd, which would have destroyed a protected wetland. 

Staff and Caltrans have been working on these plans for years. At the Aug. 15, 2012 meeting, Tony Kranz asked why there was not going to be a four-leaf clover design at Encinitas Blvd. The Mayor noted that the area just east of the off ramp was classified as wetlands and Caltrans did not want the extra expense of mitigation. 

The interchange is a Caltrans project and the city council has no authority to approve it or not. At the same meeting, Jerome Stocks mockingly described the area as a wetland...he certainly didn’t sound like he thought the area was worth protecting.  In fact, both Jerome and Kristin were on record supporting Caltrans proposal to widen I-5 significantly through Encinitas. 

Though we have accomplished a lot we can still do more.  We continue to retain the services of an environmental consultant who is pursuing further environmental improvements with the Environmental Commission, at the unanimous direction of the Council.

Please feel free to make an appointment to meet with me at City Hall to address any further concerns you might have.  I do realize that this is an election year and I choose to address citizens concerns in the open, instead of leading from behind.  Misconstruing the voting record and/or views of fellow council members, as Council Member Barth did in her recent email, is counterproductive and is certainly not the best  way to generate a consensus for positive environmental changes.

I thank you for your positive advocacy which is a big part of why Encinitas is such a great place to live!

Best in health and happiness,
Deputy Mayor, Kristin Gaspar

Admittedly, this much immersion in this amount of horse pucky makes us want to scream. *Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire! they scream as they run outside to clear their brains*