June 18, 1999
Elected officials from all of the region's 18 cities and the county will focus on solutions to local growth issues at the "General Assembly on Regional Growth Management" to be held July 1, at 7:30 a.m. at the Hilton Hotel on Mission Bay.
Hosted by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), the General Assembly will bring together policymakers to discuss REGION 2020 —the Regional Growth Management Strategy, and begin to determine how each jurisdiction can participate. Other attendees will include representative from civic, community and special interests. The general public is invited to attend.
"The General Assembly will provide policymakers from throughout the region with a unique opportunity to assess how their own local growth management efforts can align with the regional plan that their SANDAG representatives have developed over the past year," said SANDAG Chairman Art Madrid. "This is a natural progression, not only for SANDAG, but for all organizations that have been developing growth management solutions."
California State Treasurer, Philip Angelides will deliver the event's keynote address. Madrid said that Angelides' participation is important because one key solution REGION 2020 calls for is for the state to change the way it allocates tax money to local governments.
Panel discussions will be held on five key growth subjects that correspond with the main elements of REGION 2020's five-part growth management strategy. In addition to state and local tax reform, these subjects include transportation, habitat preservation/open space, economic prosperity, and homes for San Diegans.
"A key objective of this General Assembly will be to call attention to the REGION 2020 plan and challenge each municipality to offer how it will commit to those goals," said Madrid.
SANDAG serves as the forum for regional decision-making. The Association builds consensus, makes strategic plans, obtains and allocates resources and provides information on broad range of topics pertinent to the region's quality of life. Mayors, council members and supervisors from the 18 incorporated cities and the County government serve as SANDAG's board of directors.
SANDAG's last General Assembly was held in 1994. That event, attended by more than 700 people, focused on open space issues and included an address by Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt.
"We see the assembly as a launching pad for real action by policymakers —not just another meeting that talks about problems," said Madrid.
To register for the General Assembly members of the public are encouraged to call (619) 595-5332 or send en e-mail to dhe@sandag.cog.ca.us.
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