Young rips DeMaio during landfill debate
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
San Diego Union Tribune
by Craig Gustafson
September 27, 2011
Monday's controversial push to put the operation of San Diego's Miramar Landfill up for competitive bid led City Council President Tony Young to issue a verbal smackdown on colleague and 2012 mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio.
DeMaio, a Republican who is often critical of the Democrats on the council, lit Young's fuse during the council debate by accusing council members of allegedly going back on their previous promise to move forward with a competitive bid for the city's landfill work. The scuttlebutt prior to the hearing was that a council majority would block the current proposal.
"What we can also assume, unfortunately, is that organized labor once again has influence on the City Council," DeMaio said. "How do we know that? Well, these same City Council members just a year ago were out campaigning for your vote on Proposition D, the sales tax increase. And one of the 10 conditions included opening Miramar Landfill up to competitive bidding, but here they sit today saying that they're not willing to support that. My how things have changed when they're not trying to get into your wallet. I ask my colleagues to be true to their word."
DeMaio's harsh words led one of his council colleagues to point out that he was comparing apples and oranges.
