Editorial:
Four years ago when we first endorsed Pamela Bensoussan for Chula Vista City Council, we thought we were getting a Democrat who would represent the best interests of the community, and in particular, would represent the interests of the community over special interests.
The community received a rude awakening from Bensoussan when on the day of her swearing in, Bensoussan proposed a sales tax hike. Not once did Bensoussan champion or speak of a sales tax increase during her campaign. This was the first of many surprises sprung on the community by Bensoussan.
Bensoussan seemed to become consumed by her need to raise money to settle past campaign debt and was soon a special interest favorite. Instead of representing the community, Bensoussan became interested in promoting those projects of her new campaign donors which lead to such projects as an apartment complex right in the middle of the historical section of 2nd avenue, despite community opposition.
Then there was the poor leadership on the city’s 100 year centennial which Bensoussan spearheaded and where she did more to alienate community members than encourage them. The centennial itself was a disappointment.
There was her backroom dealing with Republican David Malcolm and the negotiations regarding Chula Vista Bay-front and a possible city contract to clean up the South Bay power plant. This alignment with Malcolm, who is the Political Action Committee co-chair for the Lincoln Club, and the alignment with Mayor Cox earned her the endorsement of the partisan special interest Republican Lincoln Club.
Bensoussan has managed to disappoint just about everyone in the community who at one time supported her, to the point that a committee was created where they called themselves ‘Anyone but Bensoussan.’
The final stab in the back for the community was her recent support of the Lake Pointe 284-condo development project after she received $1900 in campaign contributions from principals of the development company.
The approved project is near the Olympic Training Center. It had originally been zoned for retail and commercial development, including a “restaurant row.” With the support of Bensoussan, the area has now been rezoned for residential development, which has the folks in the surrounding community so angry they are mobilizing an effort to reject these plans.
The change in plans near the Olympic Training Center is contrary to what the city of Chula Vista had envisioned for the area. Years of community planning went into the details of the general plan for the city. The General Plan features a completely different vision for the area than the recently approved condominium project! Bensoussan has once again ignored the wishes of the community and has once again thrown her support behind her campaign contributors.
As it is often said, “Ya Basta!” Enough already. It is a time for a change.
When campaigning for office, the candidate goes before the voter and asks for their vote because they will represent the interests of the voter and the community. On this promise Bensoussan has failed miserably.
Larry Breitfelder is a decent hard-working individual who has a history of community involvement. He has a long history of being involved with the community, most recently as an elected board member of the Otay Water District. He is founder and president of the Chula Vista Taxpayers Association.
Breitfelder has the key endorsements of the Chula Vista Police Officers Association, the Chula Vista Firefighters Association, and he has the support of many in the community.
But what stands Larry apart from Bensoussan is that he has better interests of the community at heart. We know where Bensoussan’s heart lies and that is wherever her next campaign donation comes from. Let’s vote for a change and vote for Larry Breitfelder for City Council, City of Chula Vista.