by Chris Nava, Vice President for Political Action

Olga Diaz

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Two years ago Escondido achieved the impossible by electing Olga Diaz, a young woman and a Hispanic, to the City Council.  Her election was a signal to City hall that the voters wanted to see a change in how the Council does business.  Olga has not disappointed.  Since her swearing in a year-and-a half ago she has managed to change the tone of City Council meetings.  She brings a high level of understanding of the issues that is often reflected in the questions she raises  during discussions at City Council meetings.

Olga loves our city and is a tireless in her efforts to enhance Escondido’s quality of life.  At her one-year anniversary on the Council, Chamber of Citizens President Lisa Prazeau offered a tribute to Olga before the City Council in which she noted Olga’s accomplishments:

Story continues after the jump and includes message points for letters…
Read letters submitted by EDC members and friends HERE.

• Convinced fellow Council members to delay a subsidy to the downtown hotel project, which preserved the reserve funds now being used to see Escondido through the recession.
• Initiated City hall tours.
• Collaborated in securing a $7,500 grant for the Escondido Boys & Girls Club.
• Introduced legislation that clarified codes pertaining to parking allowances in residential neighborhoods.
• Helped the Escondido Humane Society save the lives of cats and dogs by sponsoring a code change that increased the number of animals that families on large lots can own.
• Convinced  In-N-Out Burger corporate officials to construct and open the restaurant chain’s first Escondido location.
• Spearheaded the plan to transform the city’s flood control channel into a river walk.  In spite of naysayers, Councilmember Diaz has forged ahead and graduate students from Cal Poly Pomona’s Landscape architecture program obtained a $5,600 grant to begin work on the river walk project.
• Worked tirelessly to preserve jobs and services during the recent budget cuts – advocating to save library hours, recreation programs and preserve the jobs of city employees.
• Pushed for accurate census count in the city.

In recent weeks the intensity of criticism has risen to an all-time high.  Most of these attacks have had to do with Olga’s position on checkpoints.  Olga’s recently requested State Attorney Jerry Brown to issue a formal opinion on whether the city’s controversial driver’s license checkpoints are being conducted in a legal manner.  Olga argues that “if these police practices are unlawful in the State of California, I’d like to have them stopped in my city.” Escondido stands to be a subject of a lawsuit if checkpoints are declared illegal.  Such a scenario would be disastrous to a financially struggling city.

Her opposition to checkpoints is well-informed.  She points out that the compliance rate for licensed drivers is greater than 96 per cent. Why then the extreme use of checkpoints by the police department when more time and money can be focused on serious crime – like tracking sexual predators?  But her deepest disapproval stems from her concern for our personal freedom.  Where will the misuse of checkpoints lead?   It doesn’t take much imagination.

There appears to be an organized effort to attack Olga as evidenced in letters to the editor.  We need to show that Olga has strong support among those who elected her.  Show her that we are behind her all the way.  Write your letter today.  We cannot stand by and watch the score; Maher support xxx, Olga support 00.

Letter writing talking points:

• There is no data to prove checkpoints make our city safer
• Chief Maher refuses to disclose the cost of checkpoints
• Check points are divisive and create fear among many of our residents
• Checkpoints  are the antithesis of a free society
• Citizens who oppose checkpoints are law abiding citizens and support the law, not abuse of the law
• Councilwoman Olga Diaz has my/our  support  in opposing checkpoints
• We thank Olga Diaz for her moral leadership

Write letters to the editors of North County Times (letters@nctimes.com) and San Diego Union Tribune (letters@uniontrib.com) and let the City Council know that there are many of us who oppose checkpoints!

Send us a copy of your letter! We’d like to post your letter as inspiration and guidance to others who may wish to write. Copy the text of your letters to the editor to communications@escondidodems.org to have them included. And thanks for writing!