The group pushing the split has been told they are around 1,000 signatures short to initiate consideration. However, a two-week extension has been given to try and reach the threshold. NBC 7’s Omari Fleming has more on the movement’s uphill battle for separation.
The deadline is fast approaching to get more signatures for La Jolla to start the process of breaking away from the city of San Diego.
According to the Registrar of Voters, the Association for the City of La Jolla fell a little more than 1,000 signatures short of the 6,750 valid signatures required to start the process of incorporating.
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The push to get those signatures is happening at Bird Rock Coffee Roasters and Brick & Bell in The Village. That's where Aram Kevorkian signed up.
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“We need more attention to the pavement and roads," he says.
That's a common concern you'll hear from people in La Jolla in favor of the split.
“La Jolla Shores. That road is terrible,” long-time resident Bill Nichol said.
"We need something to fix the roads," resident Steve Worcester said.
The 30-year residents point to ruts in the road at intersections like Pearl Street and Fay Avenue, potholes and sidewalk hazards on Pearl and Cabrillo Avenue, as well as a barricaded area of buckled road from a water main break right before the recent storm nearly two weeks ago.
“You can see its part of our sexy streets program," La Jolla lifer George Taylor said, taking a jab at San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria’s program for fixing up San Diego-area streets. "We get rid of San Diego. We don’t need San Diego. San Diego ignores you and never gets anything done in La Jolla."
Pension concerns, tax dollar spending and public safety are other points of pain.
Gloria has been quoted as saying in a podcast that the city of San Diego will not contract out police and sewage services if La Jolla incorporates.
“We don't know what’s going to happen if it becomes city of La Jolla. At least now we know city of San Diego, what it's like. But when it becomes the city of La Jolla, where are they going to collect all the money? Are they going to tax all of the homeowners here in La Jolla, all the business owners a lot more?" said resident Maryam Khayer, who is undecided.
But if cities like Coronado and Del Mar prove to be the standard, she says sign her up.
“Del Mar looks beautiful, nice and clean. I love Del Mar if they're going to do the same thing," Khayer said.
“Go to Coronado or Solana Beach,” Nichol said. “They seem to have better roads and control over their destiny, and we don’t, so it would be nice if we did.”
Organizers are working to get as many signatures as they can before the April 1 deadline. Petitioners are also going door-to-door to get signatures.
The process to incorporate faces a number of challenges, including approval from La Jolla voters and the rest of San Diego.
