All Stories
Just Sayin’: The message of Easter and over
The message, brought to our memory during over, is that freedom is a core need and a right.
Just Sayin: Is chicanery an acceptable style of governance?
Previous columns associated the word “chicanery” with the San Diego County Water Authority and the California Public Utilities Commission. Chicanery knows no boundaries. Trickery, obfuscation, and deception are common in...
Just Sayin’: Can we tame wildfires with risk management?
While perfection is virtually unreachable, the community needs to be diligent, innovative, and honest in addressing potential risks.
Just Sayin’: Can we talk about goodness and character?
Does a person have to die before he can be recognized for what he did when alive? Perhaps the most maligned president in U.S. history, Jimmy Carter had to wait until...
Just Sayin’: Has diversity, equity & inclusion strayed from its intent?
While the professed goals of DEI bear merit, some of the results of DEI efforts have actually worsened the problems that it intends to address.
Just Sayin’: Election 2024: The people have spoken
As the last votes get counted, it appears that several party favorites did not win and hotly promoted tax measures came up short
Just Sayin’: Personal thoughts on the Election
San Diego has had the misfortune of having two consecutive mayors more engaged in back-alley deals with payoffs to political cronies than in leading the city in solutions to critical...
Just Sayin’: Have you been propositioned?
It’s time for the loony season again. All sorts of political advocates take advantage of California’s system that allows proposed legislation to be placed on the ballot as Propositions and...
Just Sayin’: Has the San Diego strong mayor model failed?
After my six-decade career in project and business management, it is frustrating to observe the disarray in many of these local government operations.
Just Sayin’: Are our public safety needs being met?
I had the pleasure of meeting new San Diego police Chief Scott Wahl at a Town Hall meeting at the Rancho Bernardo Library a few weeks ago.
Just Sayin’: Governing by inclusion is a lost art
I was surprised and immensely pleased by the response to my previous column about turning 90. We are, for the most part, a society that aspires to personal growth and...
Just Sayin’: How might I tax thee? Let me count the ways.
Any resemblance of the headline to the famous sonnet by poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning is purely intentional. With the almost weekly mention of a proposed tax or fee, I can’t...
Just Sayin’: By what means shall we perish?
Is it okay if I quote something that was already quoted? Jamelle Bouie, writing for the New York Times, is exceptionally qualified to express his thoughts in his own words....
Just Sayin’: What’s fair for utility and solar pricing?
The public has been getting an earful about pricing of electricity and credits to solar overproducers. The subject has been in the news for over two years, and the public’s...
Just Sayin’: A milestone and a reflection
This month marks the completion of six years that I've been writing in this space. One hundred and nineteen columns. I hadn’t intended to focus on political opinion. That just...
Basing energy bills on household income is a radical idea. Did lawmakers think it through?
Levine is a retired project management consultant and author. He lives in Rancho Bernardo.OK, Costco fans, what do you think of this? You drop into your local Coscto to grab...
Just Sayin: Are bonds the best way to fund school infrastructure?
It appears that many local property owners are confused about the School Bond line item on their annual property tax bills.One angry homeowner wrote on Nextdoor about a supposedly new...
Just Sayin’: Who should select the city attorney?
October has started out with a bang, as far as politics is concerned. Activity in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento might have taken most of our attention if it were not...
Just Sayin’: Today’s politics are harming us
Regardless of our political inclination, it’s clear that extremism is dominating policy making. Our feelings are so strong that there is no room for other views. With no interest in...
Just Sayin’: A bridge too far
San Diego Union-Tribune columnist Michael Smolens and I have both written on the same subject this week, and independently used the same term, “A bridge too far.” Our concern is...
Just Sayin’: In SANDAG, make everyone’s voice count
In the summer of 1787, in a steaming Pennsylvania State House, the Founding Fathers huddled in intense debate about an issue that still confounds us today. The colonies were diverse,...
Just Sayin’: Partisanship and Strife at SANDAG
When we last talked about SANDAG, (San Diego Association of Governments) just about everything was in disarray. The Executive Director, Hasan Ikhrata, was under fire for improper staff spending and...
Just Sayin’: The proposed electricity billing model is deceptive and dangerous
When I first saw the news articles about a proposal to adopt a new electricity billing model I did what any other respectable San Diegan would do. I assumed that...
Just Sayin’: Partisanship and Strife at SANDAG
When we last talked about SANDAG (San Diego Association of Governments), just about everything was in disarray. The executive director, Hasan Ikhrata, was under fire for improper staff spending and...
Just Sayin’: Understanding guaranteed annual income
A popular Yogi Berra’ism is ”you can hear a lot by just listening.” While you let that roll around in your mind, you might also consider another quote: “My mind...
Just Sayin’: The housing development conundrum
One of my favorite is "cognitive dissonance.” It describes the mental discomfort that results from having two conflicting beliefs, attitudes or values. A common source of cognitive dissonance is...
Just Sayin’: Understanding the fuss over ethnic studies
Some words have multiple meanings. The misinterpretation or misuse of a word can lead to serious consequences, as we have seen in recent discussions on teaching about diversity and inclusion...
Just Sayin: Ethnic Studies revisited — It’s complicated
I had great intentions when I started research for a column about the Poway Unified School District. I wanted to explore and share information about how the district is dealing...
Just Sayin’: Dealing with diversity and censorship at Poway Unified
Have you heard the chatter? Possible book banning in our Poway Unified schools? Cutting honors and Advanced Placement courses at San Diego Unified? Incidents of hate speech in schools? What...
Just Sayin’: Can our government work better?
Is the government at all levels in our country failing at its job? Is more energy exerted on preventing productive action than dealing with critical issues?Why is it that, a...
Just Sayin’: A prescription for saving lives
The coexistence of cars, bicycles and pedestrians is growing more complicated as we are being pressured to abandon our dependency on our fossil-fueled transport devices. Most of us have grown...
Just Sayin: In the midst of an economic ‘perfect storm’
On a small island nation, somewhere in the Pacific, a storm of abnormal proportions vents its full fury — first with a fierce tornado, followed by torrential rains. The tornado...
Just Sayin’: The Freedom of Choice — voting wisely
Voting must be very important. Look at all the money being spent to influence our votes. We are bombarded with TV ads and buried in campaign mail. The landscape is...
Just Sayin’: Failures in local governance
There are two sides to the subject of government. There is the “politics” side, which is surely in disarray. And there is the governance side, which is … yup, surely...
Just Sayin’: The First Amendment, a precious gift
We have reached a milestone of note. This is my 100th column for the Union-Tribune Community Press. It has been a privilege and honor to have you take me into...
Just Sayin’: Lessons from Wimbledon and Webb Park
Wimbledon, Webb Park and Einstein’s. What could they possibly have in common? Could recent events in these diverse settings suggest a formula for reducing the rampant extremism and hatefulness in...
Just Sayin’: Free Speech and Critical Thinking
I am anxiously waiting to read a new book by Jeff Nussbaum with the interesting name of "Undelivered - The Never-heard Speeches That Would Have Rewritten History."Recently, while reading a...
Just Sayin’: Free speech and critical thinking
I am anxiously waiting to read a new book by Jeff Nussbaum with the interesting name of "Undelivered - The Never-heard Speeches That Would Have Rewritten History."Recently, while reading a...
Just Sayin’: An education for every child
Children coming into our schools have great potential to exercise their nascent brains as they grow into adults. The challenge is to open as many doors as possible to make...
Just Sayin’: Are politics hindering governance?
Good governance seems to be going out of style in the world, and San Diego County is not immune to the illness. I’m sharing my thoughts as I search for...
Levine: Is biking in San Diego too dangerous?
This month’s column is personal. I first started following local bicycle policy a few years ago, more than 20 years after I gave up trying to pedal up the hills...
Just Sayin’: The saga of San Diego water
Daily reports in the local press have served up a treasure trove of local government screw-ups. San Diego agencies responsible for transportation, roads, real estate, water, gas and electric, have...
Just Sayin’: The saga of San Diego water
Daily reports in the local press have served up a treasure trove of local government screw-ups. San Diego agencies responsible for transportation, roads, real estate, water, gas & electric, have...
Levine: More Republican representation in RB and Poway after redistricting
As required by law, every 10 years, after each national census, all voting districts need to be modified to assure equal population. Looking to make the process as free as...
Levine: SANDAG voted on the transportation plan — what now?
After a two-year delay, the periodic update of the San Diego County Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) is about to be sent to Sacramento. I watched as the SANDAG board voted,...
Levine: Proposed road use fee ignites fierce debate
On Oct. 29, I cleared my schedule to watch the SANDAG board meeting, via Zoom. I was already highly interested in the meeting, which I knew would involve the major...
Levine: Local voters are declining to state party preference
While there are repeated actions that reflect the current political extremism, there are underlying data that could also represent a movement toward the center.I became aware of this while exploring...
Levine: ability and party politics
When writing about all the local fiascoes, and the wacky proposals and deals of late, I was searching for an appropriate word for it. Lack of oversight comes close, but...
Levine: Making sense out of nonsense
Living in San Diego I’ve grown accustomed to the lingering marine layer. And since immersing myself into the local political scene, I’ve learned to not get taken in by the...
Levine: No kidding! Your government wants you to give up your cars
I’m not making this up. I’m not even stretching some idle comment. It is all clearly stated in plans and proposals by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), the...
Levine: The great train robbery
While numerous political issues fight for our attention, a few big ones will define our future. These include transportation, water and housing.What is challenging about these is that any sustaining...
Levine: Local politics is interesting
I’ve spent a lot of time lately on Zooms, including some very long and interesting SANDAG (San Diego Association of Governments) and city council meetings (Poway and San Diego). Despite...
Levine: Reality test – commuting by bicycle
There is a natural struggle between visionaries and skeptics. Visionaries are allowed to dream, sometimes unrestrained. Skeptics tend to be questioners, performing an important role of reality checker.Which takes me...
Levine: Continuing the watch on transportation
Now that the 2020 election excitement is a distant, but disturbing memory, I’m switching my attention to some of the critical local government initiatives that will be impacting our lives...
Levine: $177 billion spend needs reality check
Our local governments — city and county — are facing some major, even monumental, decisions. While having to deal with expected budget deficiencies for the near term, they are looking...
Levine: I believe, therefore it is
My activist and intellectually involved extended family, currently spread across 10 time zones and multiple generations, communicate frequently by email and Zoom. This weekend, one of my daughters, who usually...
Levine: Distractions in the local Democratic party
In this contentious election year, I kept having a feeling that something wasn’t right within my local chosen political party.While the Democrats had an overwhelming presence in the victory lane,...
Levine: Election 2020 – What did we learn?
For most of us, 2021 can’t come too soon. 2020 was a doozy, and who knows how it will end? We still face the double threat of COVID-19 and a...
Levine: Election 2020 – propositions and measures
If you haven’t voted yet and are still trying to figure out where you are on the propositions and measures, you are not alone. There are a lot of them....
Levine: Voter Issues — Housing and Transportation
There are a few significant issues that will be put in the hands of voters either in the November election or in the near future. Two that share a common...
Levine: Living with COVID-19
In the course of our lives we can expect to face many difficult decisions. Sometimes we have to choose between two options, neither of which is favorable. Such is the...
Levine: Saving the Poway Center for the Performing Arts
This month marks a change in focus of these political opinion columns. The new policy will have me commenting on issues of local interest. I will do my best to...
Levine: Freedom and social responsibility
Author’s note: This column pertains to the conflicts regarding the COVID-19 crisis and efforts to override government guidance. It was written before the current events regarding racism.This country has always...
Levine: The widening divide
I received several responses to my last column, “For the Common Good.” (April 16) A couple challenged my thesis that we needed to turn the reins of governance over to...
Levine: For the common good
Well here’s a theme we’ve tossed around before. It has been an underlying argument since the early days of our nation, when a group of independent colonies deemed it practical...
Levine: Responding to a crisis
I had three different columns fully drafted for this week. But I’ve tossed them aside because I figured there is so much we can learn from this COVID-19 situation that...
Levine: The future of transportation
After months of submersion into the recent elections, it’s a relief to surface and catch my breath. But a lead article in the local section of the March 2 Union-Tribune...
Levine: Truth, trust and elections
I voted last week, dropping off my ballot at the Rancho Bernardo Library. I took this election cycle very seriously. I read what was set before me: in newspapers, websites,...
Levine: Democracy 1776-2020 R.I.P.
In 1776, in the British colonies that would soon become the United States of America, brave settlers rose up against the tyranny of the king of England. It was a...
Levine: Bonds for school maintenance a good idea?
For a respite from my frequent discourse on federal governance, I take leave to address a topic of more immediate local interest, Measure P, the proposed Poway Unified School District...
Levine: Six days in January
We dodged a bullet earlier this month. Did we march to the brink of an apocalypse? Are we still at the edge?I was reminded of those tense moments in 1962,...
Levine: A decade of loss
With the start of a new year, many of us are moved to reflect on the past 12 months and judgment on how we, our communities, and our nation...
Levine: The case for impeachment
There are a lot of other things that I’d like to talk about (and will next month). But I can’t get this off my mind.After giving opening statements to the...
Levine: A house divided
In a speech after being nominated for the Illinois Senate, Abraham Lincoln uttered the long ed words “A house divided cannot stand.” This was true in 1858. This is true...
Levine: Evidence of a crime
Let me pose a hypothetical scenario. A woman in a high-crime neighborhood gets a call from a neighbor who says that she was looking out her window and saw a...
Levine: Thoughtful conservatism diminishing
I couldn’t let this go. In the Oct 26, 2019 issue of the San Diego Union-Tribune, I read two items on the opinion page that reflect on the timeliness of...
Levine: Can the GOP save our democracy?
I have struggled for several days to draft a column of value for this week. In view of all that is happening in the political world, everything I came up...
Levine: Pragmatism and compromise
Are “pragmatism” and “compromise” soon to be dropped from the lexicon? Will we be avoiding the “P” and “C” words like the black plague?This once-mighty nation is facing major issues....
Levine: Are we hurting yet?
In matters economic, there will always be optimists and pessimists. The naysayers abound, as numerous as those afflicted with “irrational exuberance.” Realists, looking at the economic indicators, have to be...
Levine: Let the voters decide
I am a firm believer that the national Democratic Party is at least partially to blame for the presidential election upset in 2016. I base this on the fact that...
Levine: Key issues of housing and transportation
In my Aug. 15 column, I noted the high level of activity in the area of housing and transportation. Here are some details and commentary.The San Diego City Council recently...
Levine: The good fight
The last few weeks of July had me on overload, observing and participating in political dialogue. While I put myself through the essential torture of watching both presidential debates in...
Levine: Response to ‘Leveling the playing field’
An interested reader took the time to comment on my July 4 column, “Leveling the playing field.” He made two points. One was that it is important to look to...
Levine: Leveling the playing field
George Will had an interesting column in the June 9 Union-Tribune. I usually find Will’s writings thoughtful and interesting. As a conservative, he often forces me to see a different...
Levine: Wildfires and risk mitigation
In the past month there have been two very important dialogues pertaining to our utility companies and who should pay for losses due to wildfires. In one, the utilities are...
Leadership in turbulent times
We live in a troubled world. That is likely to be about the only thing to which we can get people to agree. The problems that we universally face run...
Levine: The day the truth came out
On April 18, I spent most of the day glued to my TV or watching on my tablet. It started at 6:30 a.m. with the perverse press conference hosted by...
Levine: Highway robbery
I opened The San Diego Union-Tribune on April 4 to a story, once again, on spiking gas prices."Are we really supposed to digest this annual hogwash about changing to a...
Don’t reinvent the health care wheel
The affordability of health care is one of the top issues in our country today. While proposed solutions differ along party lines, there is general acknowledgment that the current cost...
Levine: The public transit conundrum
Every few years, someone in local government suddenly becomes aware that our public transportation system isn’t working. And they do what they always do – they commission a study. That...
Levine: The kiss of death
The commander-in-chief is ultimately responsible for the survival of his troops. He is the moral and strategic leader of his forces, and obtains his power from the Constitution and his...
Reflecting on unity in governance
President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech was well received by many. His reasonably-coherent and well-mannered presentation was a welcome relief from the nasty, rambling, repetitive, insulting diatribes for...
Levine: Misdirected accusations
The opinion page is purposed to promote dialogue. My editor welcomes letters in response to contributions. He and I take the comments seriously and accept both the criticism and enlightenment....
Levine: Flavors of government
We argue about the merits of big government versus small government. This is fine, but rarely do we declare for no government. This would lead to anarchy.In our government,...
Levine: Guilty by association
In the name of justice, our imperfect but irable legal system frowns upon determining guilt by association. And this is how it should be. But while the courts of law...
Levine: The cost of victory
On a recent visit to Rome, I had occasion to chat with some Europeans about the political environment. I was not surprised to hear concern regarding the pressures on the...
Levine: The way forward
As the dust settles on the recent elections, the key question now is, how will the new Congress will govern?A divided Congress can easily go in two diverse directions. There...
Levine: Country moving in right direction
This has been the most heated mid-term election cycle in my long memory. On the state, regional and local levels, almost every race was strongly contested with widespread interest in...
Levine: Hatefulness and hypocrites
The march into darkness continues. The pace quickens.No, I’m not talking about the march of thousands of Central Americans through Mexico toward the United States. It’s the tidal wave of...
Levine: Whose country is this?
Some questions beg for clarity when answers are beyond our reach. Among these is the question of nationhood.Throughout world history, the failure to resolve the issues therein has led to...