Coast News op-ed: Why Bending Rules backfires

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Coast News:

Department improvements under Mayor Bruce Ehlers and the new director of Development Services, Scott Drapkin, tightened up processes to address violations faster, collect back taxes (some dating to 2022) and track progress through regular oversight reviews. Incredibly, this was not the case in past years.

In contrast, mayoral candidate Rimga Viskanta appears to advocate for a subjective approach to code enforcement. She recently told some Cardiff residents that while at the City of Solana Beach, she helped a business owner treat a late filing as on time to avoid penalties. Viskanta justified it by describing the applicant as “a feeble, elderly woman.” She deflected blame by saying her manager approved her request to bend the code, even though she initially pled the case.

Going by her description of the feeble, elderly woman, Viskanta presumably would not extend the same discretion to an able, young man. In fact, not granting the same exception to all applicants in the same situation would violate their due process. She should know this.

Bullies, ballots, & (really) bad behavior

Council Member Marco San Antonio recently received a voicemail so threatening that it is now under investigation with the San Diego Sheriff's Department.  From the phone number used, it appears that the message came from a Village Park resident who used his wife’s phone to call San Antonio’s city-issued phone, so it is a public record.  The wife is a Paul Ecke (EUSD) school employee and the caller works for Kaiser Permanente, according to his LinkedIn.

Recorded in a mix of Spanish, English, and Filipino, the caller ranted using the N word in Filipino among other hate speech and homophobic insults.  Mixed in were plenty of references to “MAGA.”  It ends with the promise “Next time I see you around I’m going to F you up bro for real.”

Have a listen: Threats to San Antonio

Blue MAGA/YIMBY dog whistlers use the “MAGA” drumbeat to get votes for their candidates.  They whistle at every council meeting, on social media, and lately have stood outside City Hall shrieking into bullhorns against San Antonio.  There is little doubt their exhortations led to this caller's behavior.

National City 's Jose Rodriguez can't recall

When he spoke at our city's council meeting National City Councilmember Jose Rodriguez a very different story than the one he felt compelled to come to Encinitas to relate.  

Here are the facts supported by his own voting record:

January 21 2025 - San Diego shelter beds - National City Council adopted Resolution 2025-07 authorizing an operating agreement between the San Diego Housing Commission and San Diego Rescue Mission for 37 beds at South County Lighthouse facility.

The vote was unanimous approval, with Rodriguez among the councilmembers present, for National City to consent formally to another city's housing agency funding beds at the facility.  This shows a regional arrangement approved by the National City Council.  

So Rodriguez voted to approve other cities' use of National City beds - then he showed up in Encinitas and claimed he didn't know this?  Perhaps those in fervent support of his comments that night would like to explain this to the rest of us.

San Diego Rescue Mission brouhaha

For those who wondered what the big deal was last night with the council member from National City, we’ve done the work for you and broken down the type stamps to pay attention to:

Consent item 10J. https://encinitas.granicus.com/player/clip/3948?view_id=7&redirect=true

1:26:30 National City council member Rodriguez comments. 

1:31:07 Ehlers responds to Rodriguez.

1:37:26 OHara responds to Rodriguez, who returns to the podium despite public comments being closed and refuses to follow common council meeting protocol and sit back down.  Ehlers has the sheriff remove him.

Going by Joy’s demeanor, things clearly did not go as she had planned. Rumor has it that the councilman from National City was called in as a favor to try making this council look bad.  Enjoy!

10/14/26 City Council meeting open thread

 Please use the comments to record your observations.

 Do we really want the top dog (city mayor) handing the code enforcement reins over to staff to interpret?

When bending rules backfires 

Hurricane Saturday open thread

 How will the Leucadia flooding be tomorrow?