Issues

PROTECTING YOUR HOME AND LAND

Bill is an outspoken private property rights advocate. He has pledged to protect property owners from unwanted changes to their land without consent.  This could happen during the County’s General Plan Update, a wholesale change to residential, commercial, and industrial designations throughout the unincorporated county.

In April, the San Diego County Planning Commission voted 6-1 to recommend approval of a version of the General Plan Update that would significantly downzone hundreds of properties throughout the unincorporated county. The final General Plan Update is expected to go before the Board of Supervisors later this year.

Bill has continued to fight for property owners, farmers, and ranchers during the General Plan Update process. He has been outspoken against massive downzoning of land. In many cases, property has been held by a family for generations, and downzoning could significantly decrease its value, threatening the lives and livelihood of unincorporated residents. Bill is also concerned for farmers, who use the value of their land to secure loans that allow them to operate their agricultural businesses. San Diego County agriculture is the 12th largest farm economy in the nation representing over $5 billion dollars in annual value to the region. Bill has fought onerous regulations and is working to make changes to rules that stifle the equestrian industry. As County Supervisor, Bill will continue to fight for balance in land use policies, protect property owners, and ensure the long-term viability of local agriculture in San Diego County.

BUILDING PARKS, IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF OUR ENVIRONMENT

Bill strongly supports the preservation of large undeveloped parcels of land that can be enjoyed by future through active and passive recreation. A great example of this is the San Luis Rey River Park a new regional park he is working to create.  It will have active uses such as sports fields, and equestrian opportunities, as well as passive uses such as the river habitat with a trail system to allow people to enjoy the river valley’s natural beauty.  Recently, Horn continued his commitment to our children by preserving approximately 234 acres in near Escondido Creek known as Sage Hill. Sage Hill contains various habitats including Diegan coastal sage scrub and animal species such as the California gnatcatcher, Cooper’s hawk, as well as 4 reptile species, and 9 mammals.

Bill is also a strong advocate for preserving the historic Rancho Guejito. Rancho Guejito is more than 21,000 acres of unspoiled lands northeast of Escondido and south of Valley Center and represents California’s heritage. He rode horses on the property with the late owner Benjamin Coates, where Mr. Coates told Horn he wished to see the land preserved forever.  Bill intends to honor that wish. In 2008, Bill traveled to Washington D.C. with Endangered Habitats League Executive Director Dan Silver to advocate for this property. Bill believes this effort transcends ideology. Though he does not support use of eminent domain, Bill will continue to work with the owner to see that this property remains intact for future generations to enjoy.

Bill has worked to improve the quality of our environment by ensuring beach water quality, replenishing beach sand, and maintaining above average air quality standards that have reduced greenhouse gases each successive year. Bill is committed to encouraging smart growth by locating mass transit in high density population areas and growing San Diego County’s mass transportation network by funding successful mass transit projects such as the Sprinter.

Bill has helped to ensure that the County of San Diego leads by example by reducing energy consumption in County buildings and vehicles, purchasing new hybrid County vehicles, using LEDs for flashers and traffic signals, and lobbying for greater implementation of carpool lanes to both reduce traffic and harmful emissions on highways and interchanges. Bill has encouraged property owners to efficiently use energy by supporting “green building” incentives and proposed easing permit processes to allow for greater exploration of wind power in unincorporated areas.

WATER: OUR MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE

Bill has been a farmer in North County for almost 40 years. He knows the importance of water for local growers as agriculture makes up one of the largest industries in the County. Bill has been committed to protecting our water sources, searching for new and innovative ways to supply our region with the water it needs and ensuring water quality.

San Diego County imports more than 85% of its water from the Colorado River and State Water Project, and the County’s imported water supplies are threatened by environmental and legal constraints. Record-setting drought conditions in Southern California and along the Colorado River, and the pending court-ordered shutdown of the State Water Project pumps has already reduced 30% of the County’s imported water supply, with more cutbacks expected. Bill recognizes the impact of such cutbacks and knows that without change to the water supply, agriculture as we know it in this County will be decimated.

Bill has been outspoken about the need for balance in our water policies. Currently, the State of California is restricting the use of water to protect the Delta Smelt, which is an endangered species. While Bill recognizes the importance of protecting endangered animals, he is also cognizant of the bigger picture. In this case, the protection of this 2-inch fish could eliminate agriculture in Southern California and before long the entire state. Bill believes there is a way to both protect the fish and the interests of the agricultural community and he has called on the state and federal courts to come to a compromise before it’s too late.

Bill has a strong interest in finding new sources of water in addition to reassessing how we look at current water supplies. One of the biggest changes he has championed is desalinization of seawater. He has and continues to support the proposed Carlsbad Desalination Project, which is anticipated to provide the region with 50 million gallons per day (56,000 acre-feet-per-year) of high-quality, environmentally-sensitive drinking water.

As a coastal region, water quality is always an important issue. Recently, the State cut funds for the beach water monitoring program conducted by the County Department of Environmental Health. Bill believes there are many benefits that the program brings to the region. He is concerned, from a public health standpoint, about the implications of not having a beach water quality program. This program has protected the public health of millions of residents and visitors through beach water testing, public education, outreach and beach postings when necessary. Additionally, over the years, the beach water quality program has produced an incredibly rich and robust database of regional ocean water quality, is in collaboration with Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and has added much to our understanding of the dynamics of near shore ocean water quality. Bill is pleased to report that he worked with then-Chairman Greg Cox, in coordination with the coastal cities in the 5th District, to restore the funding for this integral program for the next fiscal year.

The community of Borrego Springs is facing an ongoing and growing groundwater overdrafting problem. For many years an overdraft, which is now estimated by the Department of Water Resources at about 14,000 acre feet of water per year, has occurred. This ongoing overdrafting of water cannot continue indefinitely. The Borrego Water District (BWD) recently constructed four monitoring wells, with assistance from the state, to better assess the overdraft issue. Further, the District has instituted a 2 to 1 mitigation requirement for new water service. However, any realistic solution to the overdraft remediation will require the construction of an importation system to bring a new water supply into the area. Bill wrote a letter of support for the Water District’s request for a federal grant to investigate the feasibility of constructing a 53-mile pipeline from the nearest water district in order to obtain and transport a new water supply to address the critical overdraft problem.

In 2008, Bill wrote a letter of support for the Coastal Data Information Program (CDIP): Monitoring and Prediction of Waves and Shoreline Change. This program includes the Southern California Beach Processes Study, and also characterizes waves for regional coastlines, seeks to understand and predict the response of beaches to waves, predicts the success of alternatives for protecting and preserving areas of erosion, and develops and validates regional sediment management models. Local governments and stakeholders use these data for making educated policy decisions for protecting and enhancing local beaches.

Lastly, Bill was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to the Alluvial Fan Task Force. This group was organized to craft policy and develop safeguards against flooding due to the presence of naturally occurring alluvial fans. This issue is very important to the 5th District community of Borrego Springs where there are numerous alluvial fans and the adjoining land is very flat creating a recipe for disastrous flooding.

Most recently, the Board of Supervisors, with Bill’s support, voted to execute a new Memorandum of Understanding to guide continuing coordination of efforts and sharing of costs by the three Regional Water Management Group agencies in supporting Integrated Regional Water Management Program efforts through calendar year 2013. The San Diego Regional Water Management Group consists of the County of San Diego, the City of San Diego, and the San Diego County Water Authority and was established in 2005 to pursue grant funding for regional strategies for managing water resources, protecting communities from drought, maintaining and improving water quality and reducing dependence on imported water.

Bill is committed to sustaining our agricultural community, while preserving the water quality and supply to our region.

INCREASE FIRE PROTECTION
San Diego County must not be devastated the way it was in the Witch, Poomacha, Harris, and Rice fires of 2007. Although fire is part of nature’s cycle, Bill knows there are steps that must be taken to dramatically reduce the risks to lives and property from wildfires that spread from the backcountry into cities and communities.

Bill worked with Supervisor Ron Roberts to bring two CL-215 “Superscooper” fire-fighting airplanes from Quebec in order to combat wildfires for the length of San Diego County’s Santa Ana wind season during 2008. The firefighting aircraft quickly proved their worth responding to fires in North County that threatened to burn into Oceanside and Camp Pendleton, and responded to over 30 fires Countywide.

Bill has been an active supporter of volunteer firefighting departments in North County and has directed well over $1 million from discretionary Community Projects funds and Community Development Block Grant funds to buy new equipment and fire trucks to help defend rural and urban interface communities. Placing a high emphasis on fire protection, millions of dollars worth of new equipment has been purchased and delivered to backcountry firefighting agencies.

Bill knows the weather San Diego County residents enjoy can also become a major contributing factor to deadly wildfires in San Diego County. As a result, he has worked tirelessly to secure funding and staffing of fire stations in backcountry in order to provide year-round protection from fires fueled by dry conditions and high winds.

He has encouraged citizens to play an active role in fire preparation by supporting the creation and funding of Fire Safe Councils throughout North County, and has helped bring millions of dollars in federal grant funds for the vegetation management and fire prevention efforts of Fire Safe Councils in San Diego County.

Bill also worked closely with North County Fire Chiefs, Volunteer Fire Departments, and his colleagues on the Board of Supervisors to create a landmark plan to consolidate San Diego County’s patchwork of fire-fighting agencies to maximize the use of current fire-fighting resources and assets. By standardizing training, sharing resources, and bringing State, Federal, and rural agencies under County leadership, response times to emergency calls and brush fires have been improved for over 1 million acres of backcountry land.

When it comes to fire safety, Bill knows a strong defense is the best offense. Bill has led the County of San Diego’s efforts to manage vegetation to prevent the start and slow the spread of deadly wildfire. He successfully lobbied the federal government to secure funding to remove hundreds of thousands of dead, dying, and diseased trees on Palomar Mountain, an effort that likely saved the Mountain from destruction during the Poomacha fire. Bill is working closely with environmentalists, fire-fighters, and County staff to create the first comprehensive program to responsibly manage vegetation to prevent and slow the spread of fire on all current and future County-owned land. When it comes to fire, Bill believes that “an ounce of prevention is worth a neighborhood of houses”.

REDUCE TRAFFIC CONGESTION
Bill not only shares the frustrations of traffic congestion with fellow motorists in North County, he is finding ways to unlock the gridlock caused by those who have adhered to the notion that “if you don’t build roads, the growth won’t come”. This short-sighted tactic accounts for much of San Diego County’s present day congestion, but Bill is actively pursuing solutions that will improve traffic flow and get people moving again.

The single largest traffic problem in the Fifth District is the consistently clogged two-lane portion of Highway 76, a stretch of road that is one of the most dangerous in the state. To accelerate the needed road widening he has championed development of the San Luis Rey River Park and forced the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) to guarantee the funding to make Highway 76 a four-lane connection from Mission Road to Interstate 15, and worked with the Pala and Pauma tribes to secure $38 million in improvements and mitigation for Highway 76 East of Interstate 15. Construction has finally begun on the widening, and Bill will fight to keep this crucial project on schedule.

In response to dwindling state and federal funds for new road projects, Bill has secured agreements with North County Indian Tribes for improvements to roads such as Valley Center Road. The first phase of the widening project is now complete. A new four-lane section of the road is open for motorists, and the remainder of the project is on track to be completed ahead of schedule.

Bill knows there are more to roads than just pavement. He was successful in working with the San Pasqual Tribe to secure funding for landscaped medians that will increase safety and beautify the town of Valley Center, and worked with the state government to designate Old Highway 395 a historical route.

While on the SANDAG Board of Directors, Bill fought tirelessly for more money to expand our highways. Due in part to his leadership, Interstates 15 and 5 have added carpool lanes that reduce congestion and encourage the conservation of fuel and reduction of harmful carbon emissions.

Bill believes that freeways and highways, the arteries of our regional transportation network, must be unclogged. Bill also knows that the capillaries and vessels of our circulation system, the roads connecting cities and unincorporated areas, need unclogging as well. Bill has fought to widen South and North Santa Fe Avenue in Vista. Once completed, the project will give motorists a viable and safe alternative to Highway 78. From widening Mission Road in Fallbrook and Valley Center Road, to using numerous new traffic improvements such as utilizing ultra-quiet rubberized asphalt on San Dieguito Road in Fairbanks Ranch, and installing new traffic signals throughout the District, Bill is delivering on his commitment to keep our local roads a priority.

Public transportation has not been overlooked. With rising gas prices and growing traffic, many residents of District 5 now rely on public transportation. Despite a shrinking state budget that has robbed San Diego County of millions of dollars worth of public transportation improvements, Bill has consistently insulated projects from funding raids at the state level and fought to keep the North County Transit District on solid financial ground. Bill has overseen the funding and construction of the Sprinter, a welcome alternative for thousands of commuters that reduces traffic on Highway 78, as well as new, high-quality bus stops throughout North County. He has also placed an emphasis on retaining bus routes that serve the elderly who can no longer drive.

SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITIES
Bill has taken the lead on quality of life issues in the County of San Diego. He urges a return to common sense when it comes to responsible management of public interest.

No other local government in California has built or is building libraries the way that the County of San Diego has done for the past ten years. Bill is proud to have helped build new libraries in Valley Center, San Marcos, and Vista. He has overseen the fundraising, design, and the start of construction of new libraries in Fallbrook and Borrego Springs. For people who cannot get to a library, Bill has championed a North County Mobile library. Thanks to Bill computers in the County’s libraries have filters to shield children from pornography and parents have the opportunity to prevent their children from accessing “R” rated films and video games.

Because of his commitment to honor and protect life, the Life Resource Network, an organization dedicated to the sanctity of life, honored Bill as the 2001 Legislator of the Year. Bill has also provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in discretionary funds to support life honoring organizations that put families and children first.

Bill has committed to using his share of discretionary funding to making neighborhoods safer, building stronger families, fostering community development, sponsoring the creation of new art and music, protecting beautiful habitats and rural landscapes, and to providing new educational facilities and libraries, all for the benefit of North County.

SECURING THE BORDER
San Diego County faces unique challenges due to our proximity to the international border with Mexico. As a border county, San Diego incurs additional costs not shared by non-border counties for health and social services, law enforcement, and environmental impacts. Bill called for a study to analyze how hard the tax-payers of San Diego County were being hit by the failed border policy of the Federal Government.

The study, completed in the fall of 2007, showed that approximately $101.5 million was spent from the County budget in fiscal year 2006-2007 on impacts related to illegal immigration. An estimated $75 million went to Public Safety alone. Over $26 million is due to health, social service and environmental impacts. In addition to County costs, this report revealed that roughly $155 million was spent for uncompensated care at our community hospitals. This financial burden diverts resources that could be used on services directly benefiting the lawful residents of this region.

The federal government receives the greatest economic benefit from undocumented immigrants in terms of taxes. However, the county government is required to pay for the services. Bill added several items to the County’s legislative agenda to address this, and has been working with Congressman Brian Bilbray to get money back to our region.

As Supervisor, Bill Horn has had a history of leading local efforts to affect this national policy. He was Chairman of the Board on September 11, 2001 and understands the need to secure and maintain a safe border. In March of 2005, he and the Board of Supervisors directed County Staff to work the Department of Homeland Security to complete 3.5 miles of triple fence along the border.

In addition to the border fence, in 2004 Bill put the County of San Diego in the lead on Voter ID by supporting federal legislation and lobbying the Secretary of State to enforce a zero tolerance policy on voter fraud. It will continue to be a priority to work to ensure public safety and services to taxpayers is not compromised by a failed border policy.

PUBLIC SAFETY: MAKING NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE
Bill has long made the safety and well-being of the residents of the Fifth District his number one priority. Working with our North County cities and unincorporated communities, he has been able to foster a spirit of cooperation and coordination to provide services for our families.

Building on the success of the North County Regional Gang Taskforce, the Gang Injunctions, and the hard work by law enforcement agencies across the 78 Corridor, in 2008 Bill called for the formation of the North County Gang Commission. This seven-member commission meets once a month to continue the spirit of cooperation of our law enforcement, social services, businesses, and community-based organizations in the fight against gang violence. He knows that arresting people is not the way to break the cycle. Prevention and intervention are the keys to providing the youth of our community with a better path in life.

The fight against gangs began for Supervisor Horn with the creation of the North County Gang Taskforce. In 2008 alone they seized 541.73 grams of methamphetamine, 168.51 grams of cocaine, 349.88 grams of heroin, and 72 weapons of various types. They also made 319 state, federal, misdemeanor, warrant, and probation/parole arrests.

Bill has long been committed to the safety of all citizens, especially our elderly and youth. He was instrumental in creating the Child Assessment Network North, or CANN, a pilot program hailed for its success in caring for abused, abandoned, and neglected young people in North County.  Its mission has been accomplished in keeping North County foster children in their own community instead of being admitted to Polinsky Children’s Center all the way down in Kearney Mesa.

The outstanding partnership and collaboration of the North County cities, law enforcement agencies, and community organizations has been a great source of pride for Bill and has led to better cooperation and will continue to foster safer communities.