Opinion / Guest Commentary: By now, many of you are aware of the effort underway to establish a Maintenance Assessment District (MAD) for the Village of La Jolla. The goal of this effort, led by residential and commercial property owners and community leaders, is to develop a dedicated source of revenue to improve the public spaces in the Village. There is little argument that the Village is in need of improvement. Trash cans are frequently overflowing. The sidewalks are dirty. Landscaped areas are not maintained. And all this has taken its toll on our community.