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“Part of the mayor’s response to the grand jury report—and this is for all parking districts, not just Uptown—is to see a reduction in the overhead. If that’s going to be a policy that’s going to have to be implemented in the not-too-distant future, it really behooves Uptown Partnership [to act] sooner than later.”
—Third District San Diego City Councilmember Todd Gloria
When Benjamin Nicholls was named executive director of the Hillcrest Business Improvement Association early last year, one of the first items on his agenda was a report on Hillcrest’s parking situation. In a memo to Uptown Partnership, he suggested how reserve funds should be spent and outlined several projects his members wanted the Partnership to prioritize, including a parking validation program
Last month, a San Diego County grand jury issued a report on its investigation of Uptown Partnership – one of six San Diego parking district management groups – for allegedly mismanaging city funds. The grand jury cited the Partnership for spending nearly three times as much on operating expenses since 1999 than on projects. The Partnership has received $8.6 million from meters since 1999, using $3.2 million for salaries and overhead and $1.1 for projects and planning – however, 31 projects using $4 million of reserve funds are planned for 2011. Uptown Partnership manages parking for Mission Hills, Hillcrest, Bankers Hill, Park West and Five Points
Some business owners and residents in Bankers Hill and Five Points are working to sever ties with Uptown Partnership and gain control of money generated from parking meters in their neighborhoods