General Meeting Minutes – 1/9/2023

President Mike Bresnahan told members that there were over 100 people at the Holiday Party – a record number. He encouraged members to invite friends to join REA. He also announced that the Board is looking into using Venmo or another electronic payment system.
 
Cynthia Queen of SDCERS reported that the 1099s are being prepared, and that Marcelle Voorhies Rossmann is retiring.
 

 
The program was the annual visit of Scott Lewis of Voice of San Diego. His primary topic was homelessness, specifically about healthcare. He reported that over 11,000 unhoused people visited emergency rooms throughout the county with no place to go once released. He also reported that there are only 72 beds in the county for homeless people seeking drug/alcohol rehab. The good news is that there has been a 60% drop in homeless people on the streets in downtown probably because of the establishment of safe camping areas in Balboa Park.
 
On other local issues, he said that the two challengers to Mayor Gloria will probably not likely to win; there will be three tax initiatives on the November ballot; and that the previous initiative to raise the hotel tax to fund Convention Center improvements is still in court.