From The Editor’s Desk

By the time this edition of The Paper is in the hands of most of you, the decision will have been made by the Escondido City Council as to whether or not to pursue the building of a $50 million Minor League Baseball Park Stadium in that city.

We’ve made our position abundantly clear, repeatedly. We are dead set against it. A waste of taxpayer money and assets, the surrendering of taxpayer assets to a third party, proven lack of attracting new industry and commerce to minor league ballparks, way too much risk for Escondido, little risk for Mr. Moorad and his investors. Academic economic analyses shows that it is not a good investment, not the highest and best use of redevelopment money, nor money the city would have to borrow via bonds . . . and the best example of why NOT to go forward is the lack-lustre ability of the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, to put enough fannies in seats to make it profitable. And you think a minor league ballpark could generate people sitting in seats? They couldn’t in Portland; they won’t here either.

Oh, and bringing jobs to Escondido? Forget it. Part time, $10 per hour jobs for half a year, for those working concession stands and parking, will not build our median income base. That’s a joke.

But, I’ve said my piece. Now we just hope the Escondido City Council made the right decision.

It’s been a rough year economically for our nation . . .and even here locally. Let’s hope that the New Year of 2011 will be a lot brighter for all of us. Surely, we will all have a bigger and brighter future ahead. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.