Environment
Public Safety
Domestic Violence
Transportation
Animal Welfare
Libraries
ENVIRONMENT
SAN DIEGUITO WETLANDS RESTORATION
Supervisor Pam Slater-Price negotiated an agreement with Southern California Edison to complete the San Dieguito Lagoon Restoration Project in Del Mar. As a result of those negotiations, the utility agreed to pay $58 million to finish the project, the largest amount ever allotted for wetlands restoration in San Diego County. Habitat restoration projects began along the lagoon banks in 2007 and are nearly completed. Today, great numbers of fish and birds visit the wetlands as well as school groups from throughout the county.
SAN ELIJO LAGOON: LAND ACQUISITIONS AND NATURE CENTER
The Supervisor was instrumental in garnering a $1.4 million grant from the Ford Foundation for a 25-acre acquisition along the San Elijo Lagoon. This complements the county's purchase of a 19-acre parcel in the same area. Since 2000, Slater-Price has provided the San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy more than $400,000 to support the reserve and the wildlife that call it home. In 2009, the $5.9 million San Elijo Nature Center opened after more than two decades of work and support from Slater-Price. The building earned a LEED Platinum certification for the environmental sensibility of its design.
DERBAS PROPERTY
A measure crafted by Slater-Price in 2002 directed the county to consider buying the 345-acre Derbas property near Lake Hodges. Later that year, the Board of Supervisors approved the purchase of a 92-acre parcel. Shortly thereafter, the board acquired the remaining 253 acres. The acquisition of this open space allowed for the creation of riding and hiking trails that will connect the area to the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve and the "Coast-to-Crest Trail," which will stretch from Del Mar to Julian.
GREEN BUILDING
The county’s Green Building program began in 1997 upon the recommendation of Slater-Price. The Green Building Incentive Program consists of permit fee reductions for homeowners who incorporate environmentally sound practices into their building designs. More recently, the board has expanded the program to broaden the scope of projects that qualify to receive permit fee reductions.
SENSIBLE DEVELOPMENT
North San Diego County has grown during Slater-Price’s tenure, and that growth has included sensible development that respects existing topography. Slater-Price negotiated with developers to ensure ample public facilities, open space and maximum regional benefits at 4S Ranch, Cielo, The Bridges and Crosby Estates.
PUBLIC SAFETY
SHERIFF’S REGIONAL CRIME LABORATORY
From early, informal meetings and through every step of the approval process, Slater-Price marshaled the creation and opening of the Sheriff’s Regional Crime Laboratory in Clairemont, formerly in her district. Operated by the county Sheriff, the facility provides forensic science services to more than 30 law enforcement and criminal justice agencies throughout the region. The lab's investigators respond to serious crimes in a jurisdiction that covers more than 4,000 square miles and includes military installations and Indian lands.
PRESCRIPTION DRUG TASK FORCE
In 2009, Slater-Price led the formation of the Prescription Drug Task Force, an effective, multi-agency organization dedicated to curbing a spike in prescription drug abuse by teens and young adults. The goal of the Rx Task Force is to reduce access and increase awareness through policy, education, health and enforcement.
PRESCRIPTION DRUG DROP BOXES
As a result of her work with the task force, Slater-Price proposed and recommended funding to fabricate drop boxes for unused prescription drugs. The secure receptacles are located at nearly two-dozen Sheriff’s stations throughout the county. Since their installation in 2010, the boxes have collected more than 5,300 pounds of medications, according to the Sheriff's Department.
REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
In 1993, Slater-Price secured funding for a regional public safety radio system, which now links the communications of police, fire, and other public safety agencies. She recently obtained a commitment for nearly $20 million in additional funding that will allow the county to improve and expand the network. Upgrading the system is crucial to meeting future emergencies, such as wildfires.
ACID GRAFFITI ORDINANCE
In an effort to stop glass-etching graffiti, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved a measure offered by Supervisor Slater-Price that amends the county code to include glass-etching baths and creams on the list of items that retailers must store in restricted areas. By mixing the fluid in white shoe polish bottles, vandals have created a safe, portable dispenser for their tool of choice. The damage caused by these acid attacks is permanent. As a result, business owners must spend thousands of dollars to replace windows or to have the scratches buffed out.
PROTECTING CONSUMERS AND BUSINESSES FROM PORNOGRAPHIC AND FRAUDULENT SPAM
Supervisor Pam Slater-Price and District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis won board approval for a measure that helps both county residents and businesses defend themselves from unsolicited commercial e-mails, also known as "spam." It is estimated that spam is a $10 billion problem in America. That figure does not include the harm caused to Internet-users by fraudulent and sexually graphic e-mails. The measure charged the district attorney's Computer and Technology Crime High Tech Response Team with creating a list of simple things consumers can do to protect themselves from online fraud and indecency.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE
Working with the Sheriff and the county's Health and Human Services Agency, Supervisor Slater-Price developed a plan and identified funding for implementation of a regional domestic violence hotline. The hotline (1-888- DVLINKS) includes a high-tech Web-based feature to track shelter bed availability for domestic violence victims. This countywide hotline provides law enforcement and victims with real-time information on shelter availability. Since it’s inception, the number of domestic violence cases have decrease countywide. In 2008, Slater-Price was named Legislator of the Year by San Diegans Against Crime for her work in wiping out domestic violence.
NORTH COUNTY FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION CENTER
In May of 2004, Supervisor Slater-Price, working with the sheriff, district attorney, and local non-profit organizations, helped to open a domestic violence prevention center in San Marcos. The center, located within the sheriff's jurisdiction, is a multi-agency, multi-service facility that centralizes and coordinates services to prevent and treat family violence. Its focus is on reaching out to victims who do not traditionally access services due to cultural, language, or transportation barriers.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FATALITY REVIEW COMMITTEE
Supervisor Slater-Price established the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee to examine fatalities caused by domestic violence within the county. The committee reviews intimate partner deaths related to domestic violence and develops policy and program recommendations aimed at preventing future deaths.
TRANSPORTATION
PARKWAY PLAN
Slater-Price devised the Parkway Plan to address surface road congestion in the North County. Specifically, the plan would connect and upgrade 17 arterial roads in the region. The purpose of the plan is to give drivers flexibility and to allow them to reduce the necessity of using area freeways. Since its inception, Supervisor Slater-Price has been working with North County cities and the San Diego Association of Governments to put the plan into place.
STATE ROUTE 56
Slater-Price led efforts in the mid-1990s to transfer $20 million dollars of county money to the city of San Diego to jump-start the construction of SR 56. State Route 56 is the only major east-west roadway between SR 52 and SR 78, which now connects I-5 to I-15 between Carmel Valley and Rancho Penasquitos. Ultimately, the project calls to connect SR 56 with SR 67. The project has helped significantly reduce North County congestion and pollution.
LA BAJADA BRIDGE
During heavy rains, Rancho Santa Fe residents had grown accustomed to being cut off from the goods and services of Encinitas. That’s because the swollen Escondido Creek would flood at La Bajada street, leaving the route impassible. That changed thanks to the leadership of Slater-Price, who pushed regional transportation planners to design a bridge. Slater-Price successfully garnered the support of state and federal officials to help pay for the bridge along the heavily-traveled east-west route.
EL CAMINO DEL NORTE BRIDGE
Upstream from La Bajada, residents of El Camino Del Norte also found themselves isolated during severe storms. That changed thanks to Slater-Price, who secured funding to build a bridge that replaced the so-called “Arizona crossing” – a dip which flooded several times a year. Slater-Price also led negotiations with officials from the city of Encinitas and local water and sewer districts to complete the project.
ANIMAL WELFARE
CENTRAL ANIMAL SHELTER
Slater-Price led efforts to replace the county's Central Animal Shelter. The result is a state-of-the-art facility partially paid for with generous contributions from individual animal lovers. The shelter is operated as a private-public partnership with the San Diego Humane Society.
NORTH COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER
Slater-Price contributed $1.65 million from her community projects funds to help build a new animal shelter there. The new $6.6 million shelter replaced a dilapidated 36-year-old facility. The shelter primarily serves the cities of Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar, and the unincorporated parts of North County. The shelter opened in 2005.
NO KILL
Slater-Price was also the primary advocate for the adoption of a "no kill" policy as a long-term goal for the county's animal services. The policy is one of the first attempts in the nation to minimize the destruction of adoptable pets.
LIBRARIES
Slater-Price has been a true friend to four libraries within District 3. The Encinitas Library opened in 2008 thanks, in part, to a favorable lease negotiated by Supervisor Slater-Price for county-owned property at $1 a year. She also recommended a $250,000 county grant to pay for an information literacy center at the new building. With the active support and push by Slater-Price, the Cardiff-by-the-Sea Library opened in 2003 and was expanded in 2011. The county’s first shared-use library opened in Solana Beach in 2001 on the campus of Earl Warren Middle School. Slater-Price was pivotal in establishing the unique partnership among officials with the county, city of Solana Beach and the San Dieguito Union High School District. Del Mar’s library is housed in a historic building – one that needed a community room and a new roof. Slater-Price worked with county and city officials to bring residents the improvements their library needed.