Comments so far on this story:

1. Tom Allen wrote on May 15, 2008 9:09 PM:
"San Diego television viewers have counted on Marti Emarald to shine the light on the dark side of business practices hurting consumers. And John Beatty has been the political statesman we could depend on to politely point out the obvious. Hardworking, fair and honest would be the words best describing the reputation of both of these individuals. April Boling has been been earning her stripes with proud loyalty to the republican campaign contribution machine that brought us Dick Murphy, Susan Golding, Duncon and the Duke. She was even touted as the skilled professional on the Blue Ribbon Commission that reviewed the pension scheme, that gave it a clean bill of health. That was only month's before it started to unravel, and changing our motto from "America's Finest City" to "Enron by the Bay". For some reason, Marti Emerald seems far and away the best choice for City Council."

2. CMR wrote on May 16, 2008 9:02 AM:
"the supporter writes "She says council must listen to the Independent Budget Analyst in finding millions of dollars that are just sitting around and can be used for fixing up decaying streets, sidewalks and thoroughfares. " If you really think that (and more importantly if your candidate does) you have NOT been reading the budger nor thee IBA reports. That is simply the "happy talk" that cheapens our politics. The problems this city faces are structural - and since over 80% of the general fund goes to personnel costs it will require an independent councilmember stand firm against the employee bargaining units. The fact that the "troubleshooter" doesn't get that is proof of why April is the clear choice."

3. Watcher wrote on May 16, 2008 10:05 AM:
"Given April Bolings failure to blow the whistle on the city's pension fiasco earlier, when she was in a perfect position to do so, undermines any faith I might have had that she would do so if elected to the city council. Fool us once shame on her; fool me twice, shame on us. I'll be voting for Marti this time around."

4. Voter wrote on May 16, 2008 10:09 AM:
"The San Diego building industry and realtors assocation are pouring funds into the campaigns of their slate of city council candidates. Those BIA candidates include April Boling, Carl Demaio, Todd Gloria, and Phil Thalheimer. If you want the BIA slate of candidates elected, and a business as usual city council dominated by the development industry, vote for the BIA slate members. If you want real change, vote for their opponents."

5. jenart wrote on May 16, 2008 10:23 AM:
"CMR what you might not be getting is that there is a bit or redundancy in our City bureaucracy with overlapping duties in various departments that often results in little turf wars. Marti will study the audit reports and trim the fat. You don’t need a bean counter to do that."

6. $.02 wrote on May 16, 2008 11:01 AM:
"Oh those pesky unions are where all evil resides and the San Diegans for City Hall Reform are all goodness and light. After all with a roster like this: the Lincoln Club of San Diego; the Associated Builders & Contractors of San Diego; San Diego Board of Realtors; Atlas Hotels; Barratt American; H.G. Fenton; Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, casino operators; San Diego Lodging Industry Association; Grubb & Ellis Real Estate; Murphy Development; M.W. Steele Group (architectural wheeler-dealers); ConAm Management; San Diego Restaurant & Beverage trade group; Pardee Homes; Collins Development; La Jolla Development; Doug Wilson Companies; John Burnham commercial real estate; Corky McMillin Cos.; Viejas Tribal Government (another casino operator); and Sunroad Enterprises. How could they have any other interest besides the public good?"

7. Eric wrote on May 16, 2008 11:52 AM:
"Watcher, you're living in a dream world. April blew the whistle, all right, problem was that nobody on the city council wanted to listen. The changes she recommended were not enacted, and that's not her fault. The city council would not take the necessary actions because the people pulling the strings, the public employee unions, wouldn't let them. If Marti is elected it will be more of the same: union domination of city hall, no action to cut costs, and mounting pressure to raise taxes. Yes, of course we need to CUT union pensions, including fire fighter pensions, becuase we cannot afford to continue the gold-plated benefits the unions demand. Marti has no backbone for such work, and at the bargaining table she'll just be another union hack representing the special interests. April will represent the taxpayer."

8. Tom Allen wrote on May 16, 2008 11:42 PM:
"Eric #7, "April blew the whisle?" You didn't count on the facts getting in the way of your argument. But here are the facts: April Boling might have blown many things in her career as a Republican Campaign Treasurer, BUT "the whistle"? Not so that anyone could hear it. She was appointed to the position on the Blue Ribbon Committee by a Republican Mayor who knew she had years experience shifting contributions from one developer to several employees, to try and hide the source of the contributions. They thought the "slight of hand" actg. method would confuse Wall Street and all us yahoos in SD. Ask the S.E.C. what they think of her report. We need someone tough, who knows bs when she sees it. Marti Emerald is that person. And the "Lucky 7th" will elect her with over 50% on June 3rd."

9. Simon wrote on May 17, 2008 11:56 AM:
"If you want more of the same, only worse, April's your candidate! If you want this city to "run" right, Marti Emerald is the only choice. And our only CHANCE!"

10. Billy Bob Henry wrote on May 18, 2008 10:09 AM:
"Marti-BBH is in your corner-you go girl!...AND BTW "Voter", Carl DeMaio is not in Marti's district nor he is in no ones pocket-but he is going to clean up the pension mess which is bad news for you and the public employee unions."

11. Chattanooga wrote on May 19, 2008 7:37 AM:
"Way to go, BBH. If Carl's going to clean up the pension mess, he will have to do battle with Marti, who's in the union's hip pocket and wants more, more, more for the unions without a plan to pay for it. Isn't that how the City council go us into the current mess? Voting to increase benefits without the funds to pay for them? Marti herself said in the VOSD "It was a big lesson for me to think things through before opening my mouth". Perhaps you should take a lesson from the would-be part-time councilwoman, who had to eat her words (again) when taken to task for it. She doesn't know the issues, can't read a financial statement and still acts like a TV Prima Donna reporter, but has no credentials."

12. Watcher wrote on May 19, 2008 9:36 AM:
"Eric: Read Richard Voortman's letter to April and the rest of the Blue Ribbon Committee. As a member of the committee, even he felt they were softpeddling some terrifying facts, and refusing to alert the city council and the public to the city's growing pension problems. And it wasn't about the employee unions at all. It was about the city issuing false statements about its finanacial situation just before issuing hundred of millions in new pubic bonds to help subsidize John Moore's new downtown ballpark. So quit trying to divert the conservation with fearmongering about standing up to the unions."

13. the truth wrote on May 19, 2008 11:11 AM:
"once again, people should know that marti was never interested in getting to the truth while doing her channel 10 troubleshooter shtick. it was all about sensationalism, promotions, and winning awards. helping people had very little to do with. take it from me, i was there."

14. Billy Bob Henry wrote on May 19, 2008 12:01 PM:
"Marti, I am behind you 100% Unlike Carl DeMaio, you do not have any tax issues, had your business license suspended, or signed a false affidavit perjuring your self in Judge Wickersham's court room. You are a person that has integrity and morals. I wish I could say the same for a 'carpetbagger' like DeMaio. I gotta go now, my meds. are starting to wear off."

15. Live There wrote on May 19, 2008 12:41 PM:
"My question to Marti: Tony Young has an aid that works out of the district that he represents. His constituents have access to him via this aid without having to come downtown. Would you consider a similar situation in the College area? That part of the district often gets sidelined, and D7 needs someone who will work with the college and the community to get to some solutions. I want to vote for Marti, and knowing that she plans to listen to the entire district would clinch it. (who am I kidding? I can't vote for Bolling. If she was so strong re: the pension, we wouldn't be in this mess. we need strong leaders who will shout to be heard if necessary.)"

16. Billy Bob Henry wrote on May 19, 2008 5:16 PM:
"Scott Lewis, any chance you can stop my imposter from posing under my handle??? Giving me a bad name.(Billy Bob Henry wrote on May 19, 2008 12:01 PM:). For the record, I back Marti AND Carl 100%, bith will make geat additions to the Council. Thank you."

17. SimplyCommonSense wrote on May 19, 2008 10:29 PM:
"the truth wrote on May 19, 2008 11:11 AM: "once again, people should know that marti was never interested in getting to the truth while doing her channel 10 troubleshooter shtick. it was all about sensationalism, promotions, and winning awards. helping people had very little to do with. take it from me, i was there." EXACTLY - She was paid to create television. One has to wonder just how much should be credited to the behind the scenes production staff that did the research and made the decisions, and how much the on-air talent actually did."

18. Fred Williams wrote on May 20, 2008 9:46 AM:
"I'm really conflicted on this race. April says she won't give the sports moguls any more of our money, and Marti seems to say we have to give the Chargers whatever they want. April didn't speak up loud and clear when she had the chance, but NEITHER did the "troubleshooter" denounce the deals that have led us to this mess. April, why would you have guts now that you didn't have earlier, and Marti, why should we give ANOTHER multi-million dollar gift to the billionaire Spanos family? You can post your answers on link"