Today's top stories from sunny San Diego:

Lawmakers take aim at budget -- SDUT
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to use money from an expanded lottery to plug a big state budget hole is not looking like a winning ticket.

City to use state bond funds for street repairs -- SDUT
San Diegans fed up with the sorry condition of city streets may soon get some relief. The city expects to get an estimated $21 million in state bond money for the current fiscal year ending June 30 to spend on road improvements. Next fiscal year, the state is expected to allocate an additional $20 million to San Diego for similar projects.

The Politics of Seal Poop -- VoSD
In San Diego's City Council District 1, the political winds blow through the whiskers of about 100 harbor seals.

Ready on Day One -- VoSD
The 7th City Council District is fortunate to have someone with the fiscal experience, personal integrity and strong community planning background of longtime civic and community activist April Boling as a candidate. Her integrity, no-nonsense approach to fiscal analysis and financial management and ability to make tough decisions and then follow through to implement them are her trademarks.

Councilman changes mind, will run again -- SDUT
La Mesa City Councilman Dave Allan announced this week he will seek a third term in the November election, three months after announcing he wouldn't run for re-election.

In Effort to Spare Teachers, Union Urges Tapping Emergency Reserves -- VoSD
The San Diego Unified School District's emergency reserve and other special funds are being eyed by the teachers union and an outside policy group as they pore over the budget for ways to avert the pending layoffs of more than 600 educators.

Only One Special Interest -- VoSD
Several respondents have noted Marti Emerald paying special attention to particular problems in the many neighborhoods of the District 7.

Problem with the Treasurer -- VosD
Marti Emerald's experience as an investigative reporter and consumer journalist has taught her that the term "accountant" or "CPA" does not bestow some magical infallibility on someone. She has seen, time and again, skilled numbers crunchers simply come up wrong.

Growth measure qualifies for ballot -- SDUT
A controversial growth-management initiative has qualified for the November ballot, but the City Council is holding off on deciding how to deal with it.

Too Late, Taxpayer Group Says --VoSD
The county Taxpayers Association is refusing to join a community advisory committee on San Diego Unified's next facilities bond, calling its efforts rushed and ill-planned.

Sanders Kind of Debates -- VoSD
Yesterday I moderated a two-hour debate hosted by the City of San Diego Retired Employees Association. I like their debates, they're good and long so you really get a chance to go in-depth with the candidates and touch on a wide range of issues. Plus, the questions come from the audience, and there isn't a more engaged group that the former city workers.

Shepard Ceding Control -- VoSD
Geoff Patnoe, the chief of staff for county Supervisor Dianne Jacob, is leaving his current position to work for one of the city's leading political consultants, Tom Shepard.