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The city of San Diego, as i have previously mentioned, is broke. Again. Over the last month they have tried to plug some budget holes by increasing parking fees or starting them where they had never been previously. One example is the new paid parking scheme they initiated in Balboa Park, the so called crown jewel of the city. The mayor and city council said it had to be done since last November’s 1/2 cent sales tax increase didn’t pass. Of course they don’t mention the real causes, like failed real estate deals (101 West Ash Street) or mayor Todd Gloria’s recent trip to the Philippines (he used tax payer money to bring along a security detail some of whom stayed at a resort), etc. So they created expensive parking fees for Balboa Park. People lost their sh*t. Recently City council members have switched positions to halt the fees. They know their political lives hang in the balance. Even mayor Gloria is starting to back track. The museum operators, Prado restaurant, and small businesses within the park have cried out they’re losing money (albeit none have really shown proof). Funny enough, I actually believe parking in the park should not be subsidized by tax payers. People should have to pay. Parking lots cost money to maintain. Lighting them is also not cheap. However what I hate is the way the city tried to sell us on the reason to start paid parking in the park. Pure BS. #sandiego #mayortoddgloria #toddgloria #stephenwhitburn #sandiegocitycouncil #balboapark #parking #pradorestaurant #seanelorivera

The dumpy part of Koreatown, Los Angeles. #koreatown #losangeles #tagging #graffiti

Decrepit 16th and National, San Diego. #sandiego #eastvillage

Barrio Logan, San Diego. #barriologan #sandiego

Santa Fe Depot, San Diego’s train station. #sandiego #train

San Diego International Airport (SAN) has undergone lots of changes over the last two decades. More recently the old Terminal One is being demolished since it’s replacement is now open. #sandiego #airport #san

San Diego City is broke. Again. Yes, decades of governmental waste and mismanagement always keep us near penury. Most recently, fiascoes like the 101 W Ash Street real estate melt down (in which, at one point, tax payers paid $18,000 a day for an empty building, only latter to pay more) is one example. The City tried to force through another sales tax, but it failed. The city blames the failed measure as the reason it will have to make everyone’s lives here more expensive. They, however, never blame themselves or point to their inept handling of tax payer money. This fleecing of locals takes many forms, including raising downtown parking fees in many areas to $10 an hour during Padres games and there like. The bilking starts two hours before the event and ends four hours after it is over. The San Diego City council and the mayor (Todd Gloria) have permanently f*cked over its citizenry with this decision. #sandiego #toddgloria

Every great city has its grime. This is decrepit alley is in Tribeca, New York City. #newyorkcity #graffiti

View of monsoonal storm over the mountains east of San Diego. This image was taken in the city’s trendy North Park neighborhood. #sandiego #northpark

The City Heights neighborhood of San Diego recently had traffic circles installed along one of its busiest corridors. Today a friend of mine remarked that all the related signage is ugly. I responded that i haven’t really thought about that, but in my opinion the overall corridor is unsightly. To fix this, and mitigate the severity of the traffic circle signage, I recommend the City plant lots of trees I and down the street. It needs green. It needs a canopy. #sandiego #cityheights #urbanism

Economic times are hard. Never before the last year have i seen lines of cars in this part of town (City of Lemon Grove, California) waiting for free food. This is a modern version of a soup kitchen. Heart breaking. #workingpoor #lemongrove #california #sandiegocounty

Some of San Diego’s old streetcar suburbs, like North Park, are occasionally dotted with decrepit old early twentieth-century homes. Fascinating photography subjects but a bit sketchy to investigate given they are usually dens for some rough-n-tumble street urchins. #sandiego #northpark #urbanism #abandoned #old #sketchy #california

Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge borders some of the southern edge of the city of Imperial Beach in San Diego County. In the background of the second picture you can see a bit of Tijuana, Mexico. #imperialbeach #tijuana #sandiego #california

Iris Transit Center, San Diego. #sdmts #sandiego #publictransit #bus

Werewolves & Women #werewolf #werewolves #art All she did was put on the creepy wolf mask she found in the old house. Surely, what could be the harm?

Ruins along Avenida Revolución, Tijuana, Mexico. #tijuana #mexico

The forlorn corner of Calle Sexta and Avenida Alvarado, Ensenada, Mexico, 2025. #ensenada #mexico

2007 June, the destruction of the old Union Pacific Railroad building, Omaha, Nebraska. #omaha #nebraska #railroad