[13:47] and All right good morning
[13:48] everyone.
[13:53] I will now call the City
[13:53] Council meeting of Tuesday
[13:54] MARCH 10th 2026 to order Clerk
[13:55] Please call the roll.
[13:59] Thank you.
[14:00] Council PRESIDENT Council
[14:00] Member Campbell Dear
[14:01] Councilmember Whipper here
[14:05] Councilmember Foster here
[14:06] Council Member Yvonne Wilpert
[14:10] Council PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee
[14:11] Councilmember Campo
[14:12] Councilmember Moreno Present
[14:16] Council Isla Dara and Council
[14:17] PRESIDENT Look and also
[14:18] attending the meeting our Chief
[14:23] Deputy City Attorney Gary new
[14:24] four independent budget analyst
[14:24] Charles Monaco a Council
[14:25] Affairs advisor the Mayor's
[14:28] office Code advisor and myself
[14:29] your city clerk Diana Fuentes.
[14:29] Thank you.
[14:30] Council presidents All right.
[14:30] Thank you.
[14:31] A quorum is now present.
[14:34] We will begin this morning with
[14:34] the acknowledgment and
[14:35] the Pledge of Allegiance led by
[14:35] council member Moreno.
[14:38] Please stand.
[14:39] We respectfully acknowledge
[14:44] that the culmination or
[14:44] the original inhabitants of
[14:45] the Unceded land now known as
[14:50] San Diego despite enduring
[14:51] the horrors of genocide and
[14:51] colonization, the Kumara spirit
[14:55] remains unbroken.
[14:56] We honor the resilience of
[14:57] their ancestors who fought to
[14:58] protect their culture and land
[15:02] Today they carry their legacy
[15:03] forward ensuring that their
[15:03] traditions continue to thrive
[15:07] and gratitude and strength We
[15:08] stand with the coming nation
[15:08] connected to our past and
[15:13] committed to a thriving future
[15:13] .
[15:14] Please raise the flag Put your
[15:15] hand over your heart and repeat
[15:15] after me.
[15:19] I pledge allegiance to the flag
[15:20] of the United States of America
[15:24] and to the Republic for which
[15:24] it stands one nation under GOD,
[15:25] indivisible with liberty and
[15:33] justice for all.
[15:33] All right.
[15:39] So yesterday afternoon we had
[15:40] to adjourn our council meeting
[15:40] during non agenda public
[15:44] comment because we were losing
[15:45] quorum.
[15:45] There were six speakers left in
[15:46] the queue at the moment We
[15:50] adjourned this morning we will
[15:51] be letting those six speakers
[15:51] provide their non agenda public
[15:55] comment before we continue with
[15:56] our regularly scheduled
[15:56] business our regular non agenda
[16:01] public comment will be taken at
[16:02] the end of this morning
[16:02] sessions as is the usual case.
[16:07] So with that clerk please go
[16:07] over how the public can offer
[16:08] their testimony and continued
[16:12] with the trailed non agenda
[16:12] public comment for the six
[16:13] speakers from yesterday's
[16:13] meeting.
[16:14] >> Thank you Council PRESIDENT.
[16:17] Just as a reminder you will be
[16:18] having two minutes each and per
[16:19] rule 2.7 non agenda public
[16:20] comment is an opportunity for
[16:23] members of the public to
[16:24] comment on items that are not
[16:25] on the agenda but within
[16:25] the subject matter jurisdiction
[16:29] of the City Council.
[16:30] If you are one of the six that
[16:31] was on the queue yesterday I do
[16:31] have those annotated please
[16:35] raise your hand now by tapping
[16:35] a raise your hand icon or if
[16:38] you are calling participant
[16:39] star nine As mentioned only
[16:39] these six will be taken now
[16:43] the others will be taken during
[16:44] the regularly scheduled time
[16:45] starting with John Stump.
[16:49] If you can please unmute.
[16:54] >> Hey, good morning.
[16:55] Happy days.
[16:56] You know after yesterday's
[17:00] meeting I reflected on
[17:05] the homecoming ceremony for
[17:11] Jesse Jackson and the Bloody
[17:16] Sunday crossing of the Pettus
[17:20] Bridge and seeing how much
[17:25] progress we had made.
[17:31] >> And I was reflecting on that
[17:32] during the period I was already
[17:36] a high school and as a kid and
[17:41] very active and reflecting on
[17:42] that and reflecting on
[17:43] yesterday's meeting, I was very
[17:48] disappointed that the idea and
[17:52] council did not require any
[17:53] report concerning race and
[18:03] equity participation of
[18:03] the 68,000 employees if you
[18:08] included contractors and what
[18:14] was a race, sex age and all
[18:18] those other factors.
[18:19] And particularly what I was
[18:20] disappointed from was that my
[18:24] council districts District four
[18:25] District nine didn't ask how
[18:30] many of the zoo employees at
[18:35] the are from District four and
[18:36] District nine.
[18:36] Why is the council not
[18:41] concerned about employment
[18:41] participation from their
[18:46] council districts?
[18:47] You know there should have been
[18:51] a report that said 600 to 800
[18:56] people were employed from Henry
[18:56] Foster and shot in those
[19:01] district Each But there's no
[19:02] data on that.
[19:03] I guess the progress we made
[19:06] crossing the Pettus Bridge is
[19:07] falling away.
[19:07] >> Thank you very much.
[19:08] Thank you.
[19:12] Next is phone number ending in
[19:16] 7499 if you can please unmute
[19:19] 7499 after that will be initial
[19:20] 749 Please proceed.
[19:25] >> Bob Kozinski here.
[19:26] The Torrey Pines glider port
[19:27] has been a world famous hang
[19:28] gliding site since the 1970s.
[19:29] That land is owned by the city
[19:30] of San Diego and is part of
[19:34] the Torrey Pines City Park.
[19:35] But the city doesn't manage
[19:36] the Torrey Pines Glider Park as
[19:36] a city park.
[19:40] Instead the city under Joe
[19:40] LaCava and Todd Gloria leases
[19:41] our city park to a private
[19:45] business and allows that
[19:46] business to ride roughshod over
[19:46] citizens rights to use their
[19:49] own city park.
[19:50] Imagine if the city of San
[19:51] Diego leased your own favorite
[19:55] beach or park to a private
[19:56] business and allowed that
[19:56] business to charge money to use
[19:57] the park or beach.
[20:01] Imagine if the city leased your
[20:01] favorite park to a business and
[20:02] allowed that business to refuse
[20:05] service to anyone they wanted.
[20:06] Imagine if the city leased your
[20:07] favorite park to a business and
[20:08] allowed that business to
[20:11] require membership in a private
[20:12] club to use our city land.
[20:16] And imagine if that club could
[20:17] expel anyone they wanted for
[20:17] any reason.
[20:18] That's what's been happening at
[20:21] the Torrey Pines Glider Park
[20:22] for decades.
[20:23] Essentially the city is given
[20:26] absolute power over our park to
[20:26] a business.
[20:27] And we all know that absolute
[20:28] power corrupts absolutely.
[20:32] There's been a long history of
[20:32] bullying accidents and even
[20:33] deaths at that site under that
[20:36] business.
[20:37] Yet Todd Gloria, Joe LaCava and
[20:38] this entire city council look
[20:42] the other way.
[20:42] So far both the Lloyd Town
[20:43] Council and Longshoreman's
[20:44] Association have submitted
[20:46] written letters to Joe LaCava
[20:46] requesting an improvement of
[20:47] the situation.
[20:51] Among their recommendations are
[20:51] reestablishing the Torrey Pines
[20:52] City Park Advisory Board and
[20:56] replacing the abusive insurance
[20:56] requirements with a simple
[20:57] waiver.
[20:57] We know that the waiver
[20:58] solution works because
[21:01] the county of Los Angeles has
[21:02] been using that exact same
[21:03] solution at Dockweiler Beach
[21:06] hang gliding site since 217.
[21:07] Yet Todd, Gloria and Joe LaCava
[21:10] continue to dodge the most
[21:11] obvious and sensible solution
[21:12] The city should never be
[21:12] leasing our natural public land
[21:16] to a private business.
[21:17] I'm again for the hundredth
[21:18] time asking Todd, Gloria and
[21:20] Joe LaCava to implement
[21:21] the Torrey Pines waiver and
[21:22] reactivate the Torrey Pines
[21:22] City Park Advisory Board.
[21:26] Thank you.
[21:26] >> Next is Anish.
[21:30] If you can please you.
[21:31] Hi, My name is Aneesh.
[21:36] My name is And I'll be
[21:37] continuing what my friend
[21:38] Jonathan talked about yesterday
[21:40] during the non agenda public
[21:41] comment which is about the lack
[21:42] of quality waste resources for
[21:45] residents in San Diego.
[21:46] Specifically I'll be talking
[21:47] about potential changes that
[21:47] could be implemented to bring a
[21:50] greater awareness and educate
[21:51] the public about property waste
[21:52] disposal while also simplifying
[21:52] things for them.
[21:55] So some things that we thought
[21:56] about was that our local
[21:57] government could have some type
[21:57] of awareness campaign for
[22:00] educating the public on
[22:01] property waste disposal
[22:01] practices because we held a
[22:06] e-waste drive at the ucsd
[22:07] campus the other week and we
[22:07] found that the majority of
[22:11] people have no idea of how to
[22:12] properly dispose of the waste
[22:13] and tend to just throw them in
[22:13] the regular trash.
[22:15] This could be done through
[22:16] social media or something as a
[22:16] pamphlet sent to every
[22:17] residents.
[22:21] We know that there is an annual
[22:21] flier which is the What Goes
[22:22] Where guide sent to San Diego
[22:23] residents which details proper
[22:26] waste disposal practices.
[22:26] But there's only a very small
[22:27] section about bringing quote
[22:31] unquote household hazardous
[22:31] waste to more and more
[22:32] household hazardous waste
[22:33] transfer facility.
[22:35] But we believe there should
[22:36] also be a paragraph of
[22:37] information being more specific
[22:37] about the negative effects of
[22:41] improper disposal which could
[22:41] lead the public to making
[22:42] better decisions on waste
[22:45] disposal and understanding what
[22:46] it does to the environment.
[22:47] Another program which we think
[22:50] could possibly be implemented
[22:51] is having like we know that
[22:52] there's a weekly like the waste
[22:56] management trucks that come and
[22:56] pick up the recycling of
[22:57] the waste every week.
[22:58] But and so we we think that
[22:58] there should also be a e-waste
[23:01] specific like truck or some
[23:01] type of pickup service which
[23:05] happens like maybe twice a year
[23:06] so that it'd be simpler for
[23:07] residents rather than them
[23:07] having to take appointments
[23:11] with facilities and having to
[23:11] drive to these locations and
[23:12] possibly like you know a lot of
[23:15] time scheduling conflicts.
[23:16] Once again thank you for giving
[23:17] an opportunity to speak about
[23:20] e-waste disposal here in San
[23:21] Diego And I hope you take this
[23:21] this content into
[23:22] consideration.
[23:25] Thank you.
[23:25] Thank you.
[23:30] Next is Andrea Ebbing?
[23:35] Andrea, if you can please
[23:35] unmute.
[23:36] >> Hi, this is Andrea Ebbing.
[23:36] I'm sharing some information
[23:40] this morning that I really hope
[23:40] the entire city.
[23:41] Please pay attention to what
[23:41] I'm saying.
[23:44] This won't go over your head.
[23:45] This is not going to be very
[23:46] complex These I found.
[23:49] I found quite a massive issue
[23:54] in our budget last night.
[23:58] I am somebody that found $142
[23:58] million of something called
[23:59] other pay on transparent
[24:00] California issued to city
[24:03] employees which was not pension
[24:04] which is not benefits which was
[24:05] not overtime, which was not
[24:08] regular pay.
[24:09] No one has provided an answer
[24:09] to it.
[24:12] In 2024 we had 152 million of
[24:12] their pay paid out to
[24:13] employees.
[24:17] I think whatever I'm about to
[24:17] share right now I think I want
[24:21] to on the record and this
[24:21] should be mandated reporting
[24:22] attached to this.
[24:26] You can validate my claims on
[24:26] Transparent California when I
[24:27] looked up other pay.
[24:31] There was an individual named
[24:31] Sheryl Looney who was an admin
[24:34] aide who made $537,000 in
[24:39] the year 2023 Her regular pay
[24:43] was very low and her other pay
[24:43] was like $337,000 a year.
[24:49] So she was a question mark.
[24:50] I phone 952 records of a Looney
[24:53] family all of which make
[24:54] hundreds of thousands of
[24:55] dollars in multiple different
[24:58] roles throughout California.
[24:58] However, that's not the worst.
[25:02] What I found was last night
[25:03] that our trash refuse
[25:08] supervisor Kenneth Biggers was
[25:09] as an employee that makes $0 in
[25:11] the year 2024 but he makes
[25:16] $148,000 and other pay as well
[25:17] as 147 or something in an
[25:17] overtime.
[25:20] There's 103 employees in
[25:21] the city of San Diego in
[25:25] the year 2024 that made $0 in
[25:25] regular pay high level
[25:25] employees.
[25:29] There are hundreds that made
[25:30] less than $100 a year.
[25:30] Okay.
[25:34] So we have a huge issue that's
[25:35] running through the payroll big
[25:39] time.
[25:39] >> Thank you.
[25:40] Your time has concluded.
[25:42] Our final speaker for the trail
[25:42] the people from yesterday is
[25:47] Becky Rupp.
[25:47] Good morning.
[25:48] My name is Becky Rapp and today
[25:52] I'd like to discuss
[25:53] the socially equitable cannabis
[25:53] program presented at the Ed and
[25:56] I r committee last week.
[25:57] Was troubling that
[25:57] the conversation revolved
[26:01] around equity for some but not
[26:02] all.
[26:02] Our city is struggling
[26:06] financially and it a decision
[26:07] that requires city funds and
[26:07] resources should be evaluated
[26:11] to the highest level of
[26:12] scrutiny.
[26:12] Across California the data
[26:16] shows that these programs have
[26:16] produced very little.
[26:20] Very few operating businesses.
[26:21] A report titled Cannabis and
[26:22] Crisis produced by researchers
[26:25] using data from California
[26:26] Department of Cannabis Control
[26:26] studied the performance of
[26:30] marijuana equity programs
[26:30] across the state.
[26:31] And findings raise serious
[26:34] concerns about whether these
[26:35] programs are actually achieving
[26:36] their intended results.
[26:39] These programs require
[26:40] administrative staff oversight,
[26:44] consulting services and grant
[26:44] funding.
[26:45] Yet the outcomes across
[26:45] the state show that the number
[26:49] of businesses that actually
[26:50] open remains extremely small
[26:54] yet costing the city a
[26:54] significant amount of money.
[26:58] In fact a Los Angeles Times
[26:58] review of state cannabis
[26:59] licensing data found that over
[27:00] 90% of applicants in these
[27:03] programs never even became
[27:04] operating businesses before
[27:08] Moving forward.
[27:09] I urge this council to
[27:10] carefully review the statewide
[27:13] data and take an honest look
[27:14] and consider how this program
[27:15] could seriously our already
[27:19] fragile financial situation.
[27:19] >> Thank you.
[27:19] Thank you.
[27:24] That concludes public comment.
[27:24] >> You're trilled from
[27:25] yesterday's meeting.
[27:25] All right.
[27:26] Thank you, city clerk.
[27:29] And again thank you to those
[27:30] sextet and the patients for
[27:30] returning this morning to
[27:33] finish off not agenda public
[27:34] comment from yesterday's
[27:34] session.
[27:35] So with that clerk please
[27:38] introduce item 30.
[27:39] >> Item 30 is an information
[27:42] ceremonial item the 2026 city
[27:43] of San Diego Women of
[27:43] Distinction.
[27:47] If you'd like to speak on this
[27:48] item please be sure to submit a
[27:49] speaker up to the front of
[27:49] the room in the clear box.
[27:52] Or if you're participating
[27:52] remotely now's the time to
[27:53] raise your hand by pressing
[27:56] Star nine or the raise your
[27:56] hand icon.
[27:56] All right.
[27:57] And please proceed with public
[27:57] comment.
[28:01] Thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
[28:02] I do not see any speakers here
[28:09] in person for the ceremonial
[28:09] item.
[28:13] Just double checking.
[28:14] We'll go to those participating
[28:14] online.
[28:18] You'll have one minute each for
[28:18] the women's of distinction.
[28:20] Lori Saldana if you can please
[28:25] unmute.
[28:26] Yes.
[28:26] Good morning and
[28:27] congratulations to all
[28:27] the women who are working on
[28:31] behalf of the City of San Diego
[28:32] and beyond to earn the honors
[28:35] that they have today.
[28:36] I do want to point out that
[28:36] these proclamations and
[28:40] the ability for myself and
[28:41] others to speak would not be
[28:41] possible without lawsuits
[28:42] coming against the city.
[28:45] Several years ago when they
[28:45] used to restrict speech during
[28:51] proclamation bans and there's a
[28:51] saying that well-behaved women
[28:52] rarely make history.
[28:55] So I'm very proud to be among
[28:55] women who sued the city and
[28:59] have had to do so multiple
[29:00] times to make sure that we have
[29:01] a chance to speak not only
[29:04] positively and to congratulate
[29:04] people but when questioning or
[29:05] criticizing the city.
[29:09] So proclamation like this are
[29:09] important.
[29:13] They're meaningful and they
[29:14] also deserve full commentary
[29:15] from everyone who wishes to
[29:15] participate.
[29:19] And I think women made that
[29:19] happen without the women who
[29:22] filed that lawsuit in 2018.
[29:23] You would not be able to hear
[29:27] people make comments right now
[29:27] .
[29:28] So congratulations again to
[29:28] the women of distinction.
[29:29] Thank you for that concluding
[29:29] comment.
[29:32] Next is Andrew Irving.
[29:36] >> If you can please unmute.
[29:36] This Andrea Irving
[29:37] congratulations to all
[29:38] the women who are being honored
[29:40] today.
[29:41] Thank you so much for your
[29:42] strength and participation.
[29:46] I want to honor the women that
[29:46] have been destroyed by our
[29:47] county and city of San Diego
[29:51] and their children as well.
[29:52] For example woman who gave
[29:56] birth to a baby unexpectedly in
[29:57] her bathroom passed out and
[30:01] woke up and her child was
[30:01] stillborn.
[30:02] And our district attorney
[30:05] Summer Stephan sent her to
[30:06] prison calling it murder.
[30:09] i also want to honor Alexander
[30:10] Van Tonder who's whose husband
[30:11] was a predatory doctor neighbor
[30:15] of Summer Stephan and she
[30:16] abandoned her after she was
[30:20] abused terribly and she tried
[30:20] to commit suicide.
[30:25] Multiple cases in which Nancy
[30:29] Sussman, for example a 72 year
[30:29] old U.S. Attorney who Summer
[30:30] Stephan created a fake case
[30:33] against when her son died.
[30:34] So she sent her to prison to
[30:38] for two years with the fake
[30:39] high speed chase.
[30:39] >> Thank you.
[30:40] Thank you And Kelly original If
[30:42] you can please unmute.
[30:43] Yes I would like to add some
[30:47] women to this list one of them
[30:48] being Andrea Epping.
[30:53] Another being Evelyn Lopez,
[30:53] another one being Jennifer
[30:57] Royston and the list could go
[30:57] on.
[30:58] These are all women that should
[31:01] be honored for having to be
[31:02] tortured by the system, by
[31:06] the city, by the county, by all
[31:07] of the people that are supposed
[31:07] to be there.
[31:11] And clean to protect and care
[31:15] about the well-being of others
[31:15] .
[31:16] So I would like to add these
[31:20] women to and all of the other
[31:21] women that in the county
[31:21] actually you know what across
[31:25] the world that have had their
[31:25] children ripped from their
[31:30] lives, some of them have had
[31:30] their parental rights
[31:35] terminated and some of them
[31:36] have lost their children to
[31:39] the negligence of the county
[31:40] like Arabella McCormick.
[31:40] She died.
[31:44] You guys had to pay quite a
[31:45] pretty penny for her.
[31:45] So I just would like to keep
[31:46] adding these type of women to
[31:47] the list.
[31:51] Thank you.
[31:52] >> Thank you.
[31:53] Next is 8700 If you can please
[31:59] unmute 80 700 stars six to
[32:04] unmute.
[32:08] >> Thank you Joyce And you have
[32:08] three.
[32:09] Thank you for this beautiful
[32:13] ceremony item.
[32:13] It's just a great one.
[32:18] And of course congratulations
[32:19] to all these women of
[32:23] distinction.
[32:23] And I just want to add this
[32:26] this just popped up a second
[32:27] ago.
[32:30] Every single woman's journey
[32:31] every single human journey is
[32:36] beautiful and it's sacred.
[32:37] Thank you very much and have a
[32:40] wonderful day.
[32:41] >> Thank you.
[32:44] Next is 7499.
[32:47] And your final speaker on this
[32:53] item, Bob, because this key
[32:54] here I also want to echo
[32:57] the comments of Laurie Saldana
[32:58] about our ability to speak on
[33:01] these proclamations In addition
[33:02] to the women that Laurie
[33:03] mentioned.
[33:03] I'd like to thank the local
[33:07] attorney Craig Sherman and his
[33:07] Center for Local Government
[33:12] Accountability that he created
[33:12] .
[33:13] As mentioned by Laurie Saldana,
[33:13] this council had previously
[33:17] passed all of these ceremonial
[33:18] items without giving the public
[33:21] an opportunity to speak.
[33:22] The city would hand out
[33:26] the items and basically
[33:27] the people getting the items
[33:28] would leave the council before
[33:31] the council would hear any of
[33:32] the people speaking on those
[33:36] items who might want to endorse
[33:37] or sometimes even oppose these
[33:37] proclamations.
[33:41] And then the city would have
[33:42] already voted on them but
[33:42] people would have already
[33:46] gotten their awards before
[33:47] the citizens got to speak.
[33:47] So I want to thank the people
[33:48] that Laurie Saldana you
[33:51] mentioned and Craig Sherman and
[33:52] the Center for Local Government
[33:55] Accountability for giving us
[33:56] the right to speak before these
[33:57] agenda items.
[34:00] >> And that does conclude
[34:00] public comment on
[34:01] the ceremonial item.
[34:01] >> All right.
[34:06] Thank you to a woman of
[34:06] distinction in her own right.
[34:08] >> Our city clerk the is.
[34:13] >> Now I invite the now I
[34:18] invite to kick off the ceremony
[34:19] as well as present his honoree
[34:19] the honorable mayor of the City
[34:26] of San Diego Todd Gloria.
[34:26] >> Thank you so much.
[34:31] Council PRESIDENT And members
[34:31] of the city council.
[34:32] It is always a pleasure to join
[34:36] you for this annual gathering
[34:36] to celebrate women of
[34:37] distinction here in the city of
[34:37] San Diego.
[34:40] First and foremost I want to
[34:41] acknowledge and thank the women
[34:41] who we are honoring today as
[34:44] well as their friends and
[34:45] family members who've come to
[34:45] support them.
[34:46] Thank you all for coming to
[34:46] City Hall today.
[34:49] I also want to acknowledge our
[34:49] commissioners from
[34:50] the Commission of the Status of
[34:51] Women here at the City of San
[34:55] Diego, many of whom are with us
[34:55] today to celebrate our ten
[34:56] honorees to our commissioners.
[34:59] When you stand and wave I think
[34:59] they're all here together.
[35:00] Very good.
[35:00] We have Gail, Susan, Wendy,
[35:03] Natasha and Maryland.
[35:04] >> Ladies, thank you for your
[35:08] service and for your leadership
[35:08] .
[35:13] >> So for ten years now dating
[35:13] back to my time in
[35:14] the legislature, I've taken
[35:16] the opportunity to mark women's
[35:17] History Month to reflect on and
[35:21] honor excellence amongst women
[35:22] in our community.
[35:22] Women whose leadership service
[35:26] creativity and courage have
[35:27] made a lasting impact on
[35:27] the city of San Diego and
[35:28] beyond.
[35:31] You can see it in the mentor
[35:31] who helps young people find
[35:32] their path forward in
[35:36] The Advocate who refuses to
[35:36] accept that that is just how
[35:37] things are in the entrepreneur
[35:40] who creates opportunity for
[35:41] others in the organization
[35:42] the educator, the public
[35:45] servant, the women who show up
[35:46] again and again because she
[35:47] believes that our community is
[35:51] worth it Because when we tell
[35:51] the story of San Diego how we
[35:52] grow and how we solve problems,
[35:56] how we take care of each other.
[35:56] My fellow San Diegans, women
[35:57] are not a chapter in that
[35:57] story.
[36:00] They are the authors of it.
[36:01] So you need look no further
[36:05] than this dais today to see
[36:06] some of the great women who are
[36:06] helping to lead our city.
[36:09] And our honorees also represent
[36:10] the very best of our city as
[36:11] well.
[36:15] Their impact is not abstract.
[36:15] It is visible, very visible in
[36:16] the lives that are improved in
[36:19] the doors that are open and
[36:20] the communities that are
[36:21] protected in the families that
[36:21] are strengthened and in
[36:24] the communities that function
[36:25] better.
[36:25] Because these women decided to
[36:29] step forward and lead to these
[36:29] extraordinary women who are
[36:30] here today.
[36:31] I want to say that your
[36:34] resilience, your dedication and
[36:35] your unwavering love for our
[36:39] city helps to make San Diego an
[36:39] even better place for all of
[36:40] us.
[36:40] And it is because of you that
[36:44] we continue to grow, thrive and
[36:45] inspire future generations.
[36:49] Today we gather to celebrate
[36:49] you and the role that you play
[36:50] in making San Diego the world
[36:54] class city that we are.
[36:54] And with that council PRESIDENT
[36:55] It gives me great pleasure to
[36:59] start our ceremony today by
[36:59] recognizing the women of
[37:00] distinction of citywide.
[37:11] Maria Chavez.
[37:15] Big sister Maria is going to be
[37:16] our test case.
[37:17] >> Our four of us are here,
[37:17] right?
[37:18] So camera is there for your
[37:18] friends.
[37:20] You can't join us today.
[37:21] They can just make sure that
[37:21] they see you.
[37:22] Maria, thanks for being our
[37:24] guinea pig.
[37:25] My friends, let me tell you a
[37:26] little bit more about Maria
[37:26] Chavez.
[37:27] She is the immigration legal
[37:29] director at the Partnership for
[37:30] the Advancement of New
[37:30] Americans.
[37:31] Many of you MAY know that
[37:31] organization as partner.
[37:34] She is also the owner of her
[37:35] own immigration law firm Maria
[37:38] Chavez La maria's efforts are
[37:39] critical now more than ever to
[37:40] provide high quality legal
[37:43] representation to individuals
[37:44] who are navigating some of
[37:45] the most difficult moments of
[37:45] their lives.
[37:49] She represents clients in a
[37:49] wide range of immigration
[37:53] matters from removal defense in
[37:54] immigration court to family
[37:55] based petitions to humanitarian
[37:55] remedies.
[37:58] But let's be honest those words
[37:59] do not truly capture all that
[38:00] it means and all that she is
[38:04] doing because the people that
[38:05] Maria serves it's about keeping
[38:07] a family together.
[38:08] It's about a parent trying to
[38:09] work and provide for their
[38:09] family.
[38:12] It's about a young person
[38:13] trying to stay in school and
[38:13] build a future.
[38:14] It's about someone who is
[38:17] seeking safety after
[38:18] unimaginable trauma.
[38:19] And it's about a community that
[38:22] is trying to live without fear.
[38:23] My friends, at a time when
[38:24] the national rhetoric around
[38:27] immigration is so divisive and
[38:28] so inflammatory, we know that
[38:29] Maria's leadership is
[38:32] particularly meaningful.
[38:33] She's bringing clarity,
[38:33] compassion and expertise to
[38:37] communities that too often face
[38:38] fear and misinformation.
[38:38] And she does not stop there.
[38:42] Maria frequently educates
[38:43] the public on immigration
[38:44] issues, helps people understand
[38:47] their rights under the law and
[38:48] gives her time to immigrant
[38:49] rights organizations across San
[38:52] Diego including the Community
[38:53] Law Project and the San Diego
[38:56] Immigrant Rights Consortium.
[38:57] See Diego Today we celebrate
[38:58] Maria Chavez for her
[39:01] professional accomplishments
[39:01] and her unwavering dedication
[39:02] to justice and to the community
[39:05] that she serves.
[39:06] We San Diego is a proud
[39:07] binational city.
[39:08] We are a city that has been
[39:10] built by immigrants and we are
[39:11] stronger because of that.
[39:15] Economically, culturally and as
[39:15] a community.
[39:16] So Maria Chavez represents
[39:19] those very values that make up
[39:20] the bedrock of our city.
[39:21] Her work has helped countless
[39:24] families remain together secure
[39:24] safety and build stable
[39:25] futures.
[39:25] It is truly an honor to
[39:29] recognize her as our 2026
[39:30] citywide Woman of Distinction
[39:30] honoree.
[39:34] Please join me in recognizing
[39:44] Maria Chavez Have more.
[39:58] >> Maria thank you.
[39:59] >> Council PRESIDENT I turn it
[40:00] back over to you for your
[40:00] presentation.
[40:00] All right.
[40:02] Thank you, Mayor And thank you
[40:03] for initiating this program
[40:03] several years ago.
[40:07] I am honored to celebrate Karen
[40:08] Bladen.
[40:09] If you wanted to come up to
[40:12] the mic Karen executive
[40:12] director of Shoreline Community
[40:15] Services District one 2026
[40:16] Woman of Distinction.
[40:20] Karen began her career as a
[40:21] professional ballet dancer with
[40:22] the Milwaukee Ballet.
[40:25] Prior to moving to San Diego
[40:25] and focusing on community
[40:29] development and empowerment in
[40:30] 2016, Karen founded Pacific
[40:31] Beach Street Guardians, a
[40:35] social enterprise that employed
[40:35] unhoused neighbors to care for
[40:36] her streets, work for local
[40:39] businesses and provide event
[40:39] services.
[40:40] This experience provided
[40:44] members with job skills,
[40:44] self-sufficiency and hope.
[40:48] This model is one I hope
[40:48] the city can duplicate with our
[40:49] safe sleeping tenants.
[40:53] In 2020 Karen came on board to
[40:53] Shoreline Community Services
[40:58] which was then a meal service
[40:58] that Karen grew into a
[41:02] comprehensive resource provider
[41:03] that now includes a drop in
[41:03] resource center at
[41:06] the Compensation and Pacific
[41:07] Beach Volunteer Community
[41:08] Outreach to build support and
[41:08] trust.
[41:12] The Medical Respite hotel
[41:12] program for individuals
[41:16] released from a medical stay
[41:16] and the community care crew
[41:20] using her guardians experience
[41:21] and recognize this resource
[41:22] center is in the middle of a
[41:25] single family neighborhood a
[41:26] testament that you can provide
[41:27] homelessness services and be a
[41:31] good neighbor.
[41:31] Karen is my nominee not only
[41:32] because of her dedication to
[41:36] service to others but because
[41:36] of where and how she has been
[41:37] successful.
[41:40] As I said, Karen provides
[41:41] services and service right in
[41:45] the district one coastal
[41:46] residential neighborhoods.
[41:46] She built and maintained strong
[41:51] networks in Pacific Beach,
[41:51] Mission Beach and Lahaina
[41:52] Shores by being communicative,
[41:55] clear dedicated, proactive and
[41:56] downright kind.
[42:00] She is at every community group
[42:01] meeting introducing, describing
[42:01] and protecting her work and
[42:04] the people she serves.
[42:05] Karen focuses on similarities
[42:09] rather than differences and as
[42:10] it turns out we all want safe,
[42:10] thriving neighborhoods for all
[42:14] our neighbors.
[42:14] And with that, join me in
[42:18] congratulating Karen as a woman
[42:19] of distinction in District one.
[42:27] >> Thank you, Karen.
[42:28] >> And with that I will turn it
[42:29] over to Council PRESIDENT Pro
[42:32] Tem Lee and his honorary.
[42:32] >> Thank you, Council
[42:33] PRESIDENT.
[42:37] It is my honor to recognize
[42:38] Jemma Samoa as the District six
[42:39] honoree who is currently
[42:41] serving her second term as
[42:42] the PRESIDENT Of the University
[42:46] City Community Association.
[42:46] Upon her leadership,
[42:47] the association has expanded
[42:47] its engagement efforts
[42:50] including hosting open
[42:51] community hours, facilitating
[42:51] direct conversations with local
[42:55] representatives and launching
[42:56] initiatives such as the Senior
[42:57] Watch program to better connect
[43:00] older residents with resources
[43:00] and information.
[43:01] Jim has also served as editor
[43:04] of the Community Newsletter for
[43:05] more than a decade overseeing
[43:05] the coordination and
[43:08] distribution of 6000 copies
[43:09] throughout the community
[43:10] through a strong volunteer
[43:10] network.
[43:13] Her record of service extends
[43:14] well beyond her current role.
[43:15] Since 1999, Jim has held
[43:19] various leadership positions
[43:19] with Spreckels pta,
[43:20] the University City Little
[43:23] League, The Educate Foundation
[43:24] and the U.S. High School
[43:24] Centurion Foundation
[43:27] consistently contributing to
[43:28] the strength of local schools
[43:29] and neighborhood institutions.
[43:32] She established the holiday
[43:33] Adopt a family program at U.S.
[43:34] High school to support families
[43:35] in need helped form
[43:38] the University City Fire Safe
[43:39] Council to promote fire safety,
[43:39] education and revitalize
[43:43] the U.S. Garden Club, which now
[43:44] serves more than 225 members.
[43:44] I don't know where she finds
[43:48] the time but she does all of
[43:49] this on top of her day job at
[43:52] the Vista Hill Foundation.
[43:53] Java has been a pleasure to
[43:53] work with in District six and
[43:57] for all of those on my team,
[43:57] our staff and many in
[43:58] the community.
[44:01] As a recent voice that helps us
[44:02] work together and ensure that
[44:02] we provide University City
[44:06] the leadership it needs to move
[44:07] forward together as a
[44:07] community.
[44:07] Through her sustained
[44:11] leadership and civic engagement
[44:11] she's demonstrated a clear
[44:12] demonstrated a clear commitment
[44:15] to strengthening community
[44:15] institutions and fostering
[44:16] collaboration amongst
[44:16] residents.
[44:17] And so this morning we are
[44:20] proud to recognize her
[44:21] continued dedication to public
[44:21] service and her meaningful
[44:26] contributions to the university
[44:26] city community.
[44:27] >> Please join me in
[44:27] congratulating Jim Gemma's
[44:35] small go to Councilmember
[44:39] Campbell and her honoree.
[44:40] Thank you so much.
[44:41] Council PRESIDENT Council
[44:44] PRESIDENT Pro Tem This year
[44:45] District two woman of
[44:49] distinction is Lynn Haimes.
[44:49] Lynn has lived in Claremont for
[44:50] 20 years, is an active member
[44:53] of the community.
[44:54] She works full time at a
[44:55] company that provides backup
[44:58] power for large entities like
[44:59] hospitals in case of a power
[44:59] outage.
[45:03] But on top of that, Lynn is a
[45:04] tremendously active community
[45:04] volunteer.
[45:07] In 2016 she joined
[45:08] the Claremont Town Council
[45:12] known as ctc for Claremont Town
[45:12] Council which has many hundreds
[45:16] of members and she's held many
[45:17] roles over the past ten years
[45:17] there.
[45:18] She's currently vice PRESIDENT
[45:22] Of the ctc and the PRESIDENT Of
[45:22] the ctc Foundation.
[45:27] As a member of the cdc, Lynn
[45:27] established the Marina
[45:28] Boulevard banner program.
[45:32] The partnership with sd Genie
[45:33] to have local artists beautify
[45:36] transformer boxes in Claremont.
[45:37] And she chairs the annual
[45:37] Claremont Garden tour.
[45:41] And she planned the Claremont
[45:46] Neighborhood 75th anniversary
[45:46] Sherie of Claremont birthday
[45:50] party last summer as well.
[45:51] She's also a member of
[45:51] the committee that plans
[45:52] the Claremont Family Day every
[45:52] year.
[45:55] The largest community event
[45:56] that the ctc runs.
[46:00] She has been honored by
[46:01] the community as the Person of
[46:05] the Year in the past and now
[46:06] she is honored as woman of
[46:09] distinction for District two.
[46:10] Her service and dedication to
[46:13] improving her community truly
[46:13] makes her a woman of
[46:14] distinction.
[46:18] There is no test too small or
[46:19] too large for Lynn to take on
[46:20] and succeed and so I am so
[46:23] grateful for her leadership.
[46:24] As I know the entire Claremont
[46:24] community is.
[46:27] Thank you Lynn and
[46:37] congratulations.
[46:37] >> Next up council member
[46:38] Whitburn Thank you, Council
[46:38] PRESIDENT.
[46:40] Thank you, Mayor And
[46:41] congratulations to all of this
[46:42] year's Women of Distinction.
[46:46] This morning I am pleased to
[46:46] recognize an extraordinary
[46:47] woman whose work has left a
[46:51] lasting mark on downtown's San
[46:52] Diego and across our city.
[46:52] District Three's 2026 Women of
[46:56] Distinction.
[46:57] Ruth and Dawn.
[46:58] Ruth Ed is a visionary
[46:58] entrepreneur.
[47:01] Gallerist filmmaker and
[47:02] cultural advocate who has spent
[47:02] decades supporting artists and
[47:06] bringing creativity and culture
[47:07] into our community.
[47:07] She's the founder of Exclusive
[47:11] Collections Gallery which she
[47:12] launched in the late 1980s and
[47:13] which has grown into a
[47:16] respected platform showcasing
[47:16] art showcasing artists from
[47:17] around the country and around
[47:17] the world.
[47:21] In recent years, Ruth, that has
[47:22] played an especially important
[47:23] role in the continued cultural
[47:27] revitalization of the Gaslamp
[47:27] Quarter.
[47:28] As a proud member of
[47:28] the Wrinkled Band of U.S.A.
[47:31] Indians she made history as
[47:32] the first Native American to
[47:33] purchase property at
[47:33] the Gaslamp Quarter.
[47:36] Reclaiming space at an area
[47:37] where Native people were once
[47:41] excluded, she transformed
[47:42] the historic Yuba Building into
[47:43] a destination that celebrates
[47:45] indigenous creativity and
[47:46] entrepreneurship.
[47:49] With the opening of her Native
[47:49] Star Boutique in 2025 which
[47:54] features fashion art jewelry
[47:54] and products created by native
[47:55] makers from around the country
[47:59] through her galleries and
[48:00] cultural events and
[48:00] storytelling work, Ruth has
[48:01] created a space that elevates
[48:03] native voices, celebrates
[48:04] indigenous culture and connects
[48:05] people through art.
[48:09] Ruth Ed, thank you for your
[48:10] leadership, your creativity and
[48:14] your commitment to uplifting
[48:14] artists and communities.
[48:15] On behalf of Council District
[48:18] three it is our utter to
[48:19] recognize you as the 2026
[48:19] District three woman of
[48:20] distinction.
[48:25] Thank you.
[48:30] Next up council member Henry
[48:31] Foster, the third and his
[48:32] honoree Thank you Council
[48:36] PRESIDENT.
[48:36] And I want to first start by
[48:37] thanking the mayor and my
[48:38] council colleagues for
[48:41] continuing the tradition of
[48:41] recognizing women of
[48:42] distinction during the Women's
[48:45] History History Month and for
[48:46] uplifting the women who
[48:47] strengthen communities across
[48:47] San Diego.
[48:50] Congratulations to all of
[48:50] today's honorees.
[48:51] Each of you represents
[48:55] the leadership, resilience and
[48:56] service that Women's History
[48:56] Month is meant to celebrate.
[49:00] I am especially proud to
[49:01] recognize District Four's
[49:05] honoree La Rosa Webb, a proud
[49:05] resident of southeastern San
[49:06] Diego whose work reflects a
[49:09] deep commitment to uplifting
[49:10] our people and investing in our
[49:10] community.
[49:14] Through her leadership at Ramo
[49:15] residence and her background in
[49:18] business and organizational
[49:19] psychology, La Raza has
[49:20] dedicated her career to helping
[49:23] others grow, thrive and find
[49:24] opportunity.
[49:25] La Raza has used art and
[49:28] culture as powerful tools for
[49:29] connection and awareness.
[49:33] From her environmental art
[49:33] initiatives to co-founding
[49:34] The Block Club a space that
[49:38] preserves and celebrates black
[49:39] art and culture while also
[49:43] providing a place for community
[49:43] members to gather and
[49:44] collaborate.
[49:44] La Raza represents the very
[49:48] best of district four through
[49:48] creativity, leadership and a
[49:52] strong commitment to community
[49:53] .
[49:53] It is my honor to recognize her
[49:54] today as one of this year's
[49:58] women of distinction.
[49:58] >> Please join me in
[50:06] congratulating La Raza when we
[50:12] will now go to Councilmember
[50:12] Van Wilpert and her honoree.
[50:16] >> Thank you very much And
[50:16] thank you again to all
[50:17] the women who are here today.
[50:18] I am very honored to be
[50:21] recognizing that Dianne Weyrich
[50:22] as district fives women of
[50:26] distinction today for 34 years.
[50:26] Dianne has dedicated her career
[50:30] to the ymca of senior county
[50:31] helping young people Thousands
[50:31] of young people around our
[50:36] region grow, learn and succeed
[50:36] .
[50:36] Over the course of those
[50:37] decades.
[50:38] She has become one of the most
[50:40] respected leaders in gymnastics
[50:41] in the community now only here
[50:42] in San Diego but across
[50:46] the entire state of California
[50:46] today and serves as the program
[50:47] director and head coach for our
[50:50] very own Rancho Canyon Skeeters
[50:51] in Escondido.
[50:51] Ymca gymnastic programs where
[50:55] she creates opportunities for
[50:56] hundreds of young athletes
[50:56] every month.
[50:59] Through her leadership, more
[51:00] than 700 youth participants are
[51:00] learning new skills building
[51:04] confidence in themselves,
[51:05] developing friendships in a
[51:06] supportive environment and
[51:06] getting off of their devices.
[51:09] Through her leadership she has
[51:10] also earned recognition for her
[51:13] competitive gymnastics teams of
[51:14] more than 130 athletes helping
[51:15] guide them through
[51:15] the discipline and dedication
[51:19] to sport required while
[51:19] teaching lessons that extend
[51:20] far beyond the gym.
[51:23] Over the past year, Dianne has
[51:23] especially stepped into an
[51:24] important leadership role
[51:27] across our ymca as
[51:28] collaborative chair of
[51:28] gymnastics department.
[51:29] She has worked with colleagues
[51:32] across the association to
[51:33] strengthen programs and expand
[51:33] opportunities for all young
[51:37] athletes regardless of income
[51:38] or where they live.
[51:38] Recently Diane was honored with
[51:39] a lifetime achievement award
[51:43] from us gymnastics of Southern
[51:43] California.
[51:44] Recognizing the extraordinary
[51:45] impact she has had on so many
[51:50] young athletes and what stands
[51:51] out most about Diane is
[51:51] the lasting impact she has on
[51:54] her young people that she
[51:54] mentors.
[51:55] We have been told that she
[51:56] always comes to work with a
[51:57] smile no matter how tired she
[51:59] might be and she motivates
[52:00] the young people to keep doing
[52:01] their best every single day.
[52:04] So for decades you have helped
[52:05] build young athletes into
[52:06] confident, resilient young
[52:09] people in our community and we
[52:09] very much appreciate you.
[52:10] It is truly an honor to
[52:11] recognize you today as District
[52:16] five Woman of distinction.
[52:22] We will now turn to
[52:22] Councilmember Camp Hill and his
[52:23] honoree Thank you Council
[52:26] PRESIDENT And thank you to
[52:27] the mayor and his staff for
[52:27] organizing this great event And
[52:30] congratulations to all
[52:30] the honorees.
[52:31] I am proud to announce this
[52:32] year's District seven woman of
[52:32] Distinction.
[52:36] Alison Garner who is joined
[52:36] this morning by her husband
[52:37] Travis and her parents Randy
[52:40] and Susan and her son.
[52:41] Last year tragedy struck our
[52:42] community when a plane crashed
[52:46] in Murphy Canyon neighborhood
[52:46] in tears into in the early
[52:49] hours of MAY 22nd, 2025, 42
[52:50] families woke up to a
[52:54] terrifying and uncertain
[52:54] circumstance.
[52:55] Some had lost their vehicles.
[52:58] Some had lost their homes.
[52:59] Some were significantly injured
[53:00] and nearly lost their lives.
[53:03] All of them were shaken by this
[53:04] tragedy as our whole city was.
[53:08] It was a heartbreaking morning
[53:08] for everyone connected to that
[53:09] neighborhood and it even had
[53:09] global resonance.
[53:13] And for those 42 families
[53:13] directly impacted on Sample
[53:14] Street in the middle of that
[53:17] tragedy, Alison Garner stepped
[53:18] forward.
[53:18] Alison is the director of
[53:19] Strategic Partnerships and
[53:22] Military Relations for
[53:23] the Armed Services Y.M.C.A.
[53:23] Center.
[53:27] She's also a military spouse
[53:28] and mother herself.
[53:28] Because of those roles and
[53:29] because of the deep trust she
[53:32] has built within the military
[53:33] community, Alison became
[53:34] the primary point of contact
[53:37] and liaison for everyone
[53:38] affected.
[53:39] This work was personal for her
[53:42] too because these were her
[53:43] fellow military families people
[53:44] living the same life that she
[53:47] lives raising children in
[53:48] the same military community she
[53:48] has called home.
[53:52] Alison advocated for them
[53:52] tirelessly because to her
[53:53] the military community is an
[53:57] abstract.
[53:57] Those are her family members
[53:58] and her neighbors and the life
[54:01] she lives every day.
[54:01] She coordinated communications
[54:02] between dozens of federal and
[54:06] local agencies, organize
[54:07] the distribution of donated
[54:07] goods and ensure that every
[54:11] single family had temporary
[54:11] housing.
[54:12] She also led long term recovery
[54:16] efforts helping families find
[54:17] new homes and even organizing a
[54:17] two week scholarship to Camp
[54:21] Hero for the children of
[54:22] the impacted families.
[54:23] That is why Alison represents
[54:26] exactly what this recognition
[54:26] is about.
[54:27] She never sought the spotlight.
[54:30] She's the everyday person with
[54:31] extraordinary heart who when
[54:32] tragedy struck her community
[54:35] stepped forward and made sure
[54:36] her neighbors were safe and
[54:40] supported and not alone.
[54:41] She made them know that they
[54:44] mattered because of her
[54:45] compassion and her leadership
[54:46] and her quiet determination to
[54:46] take care of others.
[54:50] Our community was able to begin
[54:50] healing after an unimaginable
[54:54] tragedy.
[54:55] What she will tell you that she
[54:56] was just doing her job.
[54:59] I know And those 42 family
[55:00] knows and our city knows
[55:04] the truth that you are a hero.
[55:04] Alison.
[55:05] Alison, you're a hero and we
[55:06] are deeply grateful for your
[55:09] service and your heart for this
[55:09] community.
[55:10] So I just want to say thank
[55:10] you.
[55:11] Thank you to your family for
[55:14] your service and your sacrifice
[55:15] And we are praying for you and
[55:15] your family and all our
[55:19] military families at this time.
[55:20] And so it is my honor to
[55:20] recognize you as our District
[55:21] seven woman of distinction.
[55:30] >> Thank you.
[55:31] >> With that we will go now to
[55:32] council member Moreno and her
[55:35] honoree.
[55:35] >> Thank you.
[55:36] Congratulations to all
[55:36] the women being recognized
[55:40] today.
[55:40] It's with great pleasure to
[55:41] partner with the mayor every
[55:42] year to recognize these
[55:45] astonishing women from all over
[55:45] San Diego.
[55:46] And it is truly an honor to
[55:50] recognize an extraordinary
[55:51] leader, mentor, fearless
[55:56] Chicana and advocate for young
[55:56] people in District eight.
[55:56] MS..
[56:02] Salt MRS. Soichi Alvarez.
[56:03] >> Today we celebrate her as a
[56:06] woman of distinction in
[56:07] the city of San Diego a
[56:11] recognition that reflects more
[56:12] than 50 years of dedication to
[56:12] helping first generation
[56:16] students and their families
[56:16] navigate the path to college
[56:21] and beyond.
[56:22] Now as director of the Graduate
[56:22] Support Program and Activity
[56:25] Prep, MS. Alvarez has guided
[56:26] hundreds of young scholars
[56:30] through middle school all
[56:31] the way through college
[56:31] graduation, turning the dreams
[56:35] of higher education into real
[56:36] opportunities and lasting
[56:40] success not only changing
[56:41] the lives of the students but
[56:41] changing the lives of their
[56:42] whole families.
[56:45] As the daughter of immigrant
[56:46] parents and first generation
[56:50] college college graduate
[56:50] herself, she understands
[56:51] the journey firsthand.
[56:55] Her commitment to community
[56:55] also extends beyond her
[57:00] professional work, including
[57:01] being a mom, a good daughter, a
[57:05] sister, a dear GOD mother.
[57:06] Also years of volunteering at
[57:10] the Sherman Elementary School
[57:11] pta and serving as a Girl Scout
[57:15] leader for Troop 6177 in Logan
[57:16] Heights.
[57:20] On top of all this mentoring
[57:21] young young girls and helping
[57:25] shape our future leaders, I
[57:25] want to thank all the students
[57:26] from Nativity Prep that are
[57:29] here today to support MRS.
[57:34] Alvarez.
[57:41] >> It allows Grace herself
[57:41] Familia Mira montes get
[57:42] components saw children we so
[57:44] Mama Super pac so stressed
[57:45] Hermanas Jose Calexico this
[57:50] week is going to assess her
[57:50] location skills Torres learned
[57:55] as we hear that business was
[58:00] possible w I'm going to say
[58:00] check out all of law
[58:01] agreements.
[58:02] Circuit All of law grows in one
[58:02] matrimonial song Comparatives
[58:03] So with that MS. Alvarez your
[58:06] dedication has changed lives
[58:07] and strengthened our community.
[58:11] Congratulations on being
[58:12] recognized Women of Woman of
[58:13] Distinction and thank you for
[58:16] everything that you do have
[58:17] done and will continue to do
[58:19] for the city of San Diego which
[58:30] has got to Yes, Thank you.
[58:31] >> And with that we will go to
[58:31] council member Isla Rivera is
[58:34] honoree All right thank you
[58:34] council PRESIDENT Thank you
[58:39] Mayor for doing this with us I.
[58:43] Before I get started on Rama I
[58:44] want to make sure I say
[58:44] congratulations to all
[58:45] the recipients today and I'll
[58:48] give a special shout out to two
[58:49] who do their work in District
[58:49] nine.
[58:53] Maria, thank you for your work
[58:54] supporting immigrant
[58:54] communities with Pena.
[58:57] MRS. Alvarez thank you for your
[58:58] work in District nine and
[58:58] Nativity Prep.
[59:02] As for Ramos, she is an
[59:03] incredible community leader
[59:03] with an incredible story As
[59:07] the director of campaigns and
[59:07] organizing Rummo works with
[59:08] the leadership team at
[59:11] the Partnership for
[59:12] the Advancement of New
[59:12] Americans to accomplish their
[59:13] organizational priorities, she
[59:16] trains and meets regularly with
[59:17] Pena's organizers.
[59:20] She was born in Mogadishu and
[59:21] came to the United States as a
[59:22] refugee and personally
[59:22] understands the many
[59:23] difficulties of adjusting to
[59:25] life in a new country while
[59:26] preserving her cultural
[59:26] heritage.
[59:31] She has led work with young
[59:31] women from the Middle East,
[59:32] Asia and Africa and founded
[59:36] the International Refugee Girls
[59:36] Association.
[59:37] She worked as the executive
[59:40] director of Somali Youth United
[59:40] where she worked to ensure
[59:41] young people acquire
[59:42] the critical skills necessary
[59:45] for success.
[59:46] And she has shown a passion and
[59:50] aptitude for increasing access
[59:50] and exposure to steam for women
[59:51] and girls throughout
[59:55] the African Diaspora.
[59:56] All of that is really important
[59:56] work.
[1:00:00] But what I want to say more
[1:00:01] than anything is that Rameau is
[1:00:01] an incredible advocate for her
[1:00:04] community whether it's
[1:00:05] supporting tenants rights or
[1:00:06] immigrants rights and making
[1:00:09] sure that her community is safe
[1:00:10] from from the impacts of
[1:00:14] surveillance or standing up to
[1:00:15] the day care providers who have
[1:00:15] been unfairly attacked in
[1:00:19] recent months.
[1:00:20] Rameau is an incredible example
[1:00:23] of what a community leader can
[1:00:24] and should be.
[1:00:25] And she's doing this at a time
[1:00:29] where community is increasingly
[1:00:29] under attack.
[1:00:30] And so from I want to say thank
[1:00:33] you for doing that for not just
[1:00:34] not backing down during this
[1:00:35] time but standing even taller
[1:00:38] and being even stronger.
[1:00:39] All of San Diego benefits from
[1:00:43] your advocacy and obviously
[1:00:44] the folks who are closest to
[1:00:48] you benefit in a great and a
[1:00:48] great way as well.
[1:00:49] But I just cannot say thank you
[1:00:52] enough for the advocacy and
[1:00:53] the leadership that you show
[1:00:54] and what a great example of you
[1:00:55] are, what a great example you
[1:00:57] are of a woman who's making
[1:00:58] history here in San Diego.
[1:00:59] So thank you for all your
[1:00:59] contributions and
[1:01:09] congratulations.
[1:01:09] >> All right.
[1:01:14] Thank you to my colleague.
[1:01:15] You know City of San Diego is
[1:01:19] America's finest city because
[1:01:19] of the work that these ten
[1:01:20] distinguished women do And
[1:01:24] every woman in our city does,
[1:01:25] whether it's the everyday lives
[1:01:29] of being a mother or spouse,
[1:01:29] whether it's leaders of
[1:01:30] industry, whether it's
[1:01:34] the service providers,
[1:01:34] the teachers and every segment
[1:01:39] of what we call our city.
[1:01:40] We are a great city because of
[1:01:40] their work and I'm glad that
[1:01:44] we're able to take a moment and
[1:01:45] recognize these ten individuals
[1:01:45] in particular.
[1:01:48] But all of our all the women of
[1:01:49] distinction of what makes us a
[1:01:50] great city deserve to be
[1:01:50] recognized.
[1:01:54] But to conclude this segment,
[1:01:54] let us join one more time to
[1:01:55] recognize these ten women of
[1:02:27] distinction
[1:02:27] .
[1:02:28] >> And with that, as you see
[1:02:28] someone leading the door, this
[1:02:32] is a ceremonial item.
[1:02:33] No motion was required but we
[1:02:33] will pause for group photos.
[1:02:36] I will invite the ten women
[1:02:37] into the pit for a group photo
[1:02:37] and then we'll have an
[1:02:38] opportunity for individual
[1:03:25] photos
[1:05:25] of
[1:06:15] We will take Lynn next.
[1:06:18] Lynn is next for the picture
[1:06:19] Council District Council member
[1:07:01] Campbell and thank you Ruth And
[1:07:05] it's next And district three
[1:09:06] with with Ruth and
[1:16:38] all right again congratulations
[1:16:39] to the 2026 women in
[1:16:39] distinction thank you for
[1:16:43] the family members and
[1:16:44] the colleagues that joined in
[1:16:44] the celebration today.
[1:16:48] With that we will now dispense
[1:16:49] with the approval of
[1:16:49] proclamation items.
[1:16:52] Clerk Please introduce them and
[1:16:53] proceed with public comment.
[1:16:53] Thank you.
[1:16:54] Council PRESIDENT The public
[1:16:55] comment period for
[1:16:57] the proclamation items is now
[1:16:58] open.
[1:16:58] Each speaker will have one
[1:16:59] minute per item per person.
[1:17:02] If you would like to speak on
[1:17:03] three or more items you will
[1:17:03] have a maximum of three minutes
[1:17:04] for proclamation items being
[1:17:11] approved are items 3132 as 501
[1:17:14] as 502s504 and 505.
[1:17:15] I see no speakers here in
[1:17:16] council chambers for any of
[1:17:20] the proclamations going to
[1:17:21] those participating remotely.
[1:17:21] We have Andrea Irving if you
[1:17:25] can please unmute and let me
[1:17:26] know which item or items you
[1:17:30] wish to speak to.
[1:17:31] >> Hi this is Andrea and I'm so
[1:17:31] sorry I have to pass.
[1:17:32] I didn't have a chance to
[1:17:35] review it so thanks to this
[1:17:36] one.
[1:17:36] Thanks Laurie Sultana If you
[1:17:39] can please unmute speak on
[1:17:40] the proclamations, let me know
[1:17:41] which item or items you wish to
[1:17:43] speak to.
[1:17:44] Yes, thank you.
[1:17:44] I will speak to Women's History
[1:17:48] Month and well I'll actually
[1:17:49] I'll speak to all of them.
[1:17:49] >> Thank you.
[1:17:50] Thank you.
[1:17:53] You'll have three minutes.
[1:17:54] >> Please proceed.
[1:17:54] All right.
[1:17:58] So I'll just go in order 31
[1:17:58] diversionary theater.
[1:17:59] Thank you for being a community
[1:18:02] space and for celebrating and
[1:18:03] enriching our cultural and
[1:18:07] musical and appreciation on a
[1:18:08] regular basis.
[1:18:08] It's amazing what you have
[1:18:13] accomplished And it's 40 years
[1:18:13] and Women's History Month as
[1:18:17] I've mentioned before will be
[1:18:18] dead.
[1:18:18] Women rarely make history and I
[1:18:19] think it's important that
[1:18:20] people recognize here in
[1:18:23] California we created when I
[1:18:23] served in the legislature
[1:18:27] alongside Karen Bass, the mayor
[1:18:28] of Los Angeles, she made
[1:18:31] history as the first black
[1:18:32] woman in America in the United
[1:18:32] States history to become a
[1:18:37] legislative leader of a state
[1:18:37] legislative body.
[1:18:38] And when she appointed me to be
[1:18:41] her speaker pro tem we made
[1:18:42] history in California as
[1:18:42] the first two women in state
[1:18:46] history to serve as
[1:18:47] constitutional officers and
[1:18:47] lead the Assembly during a very
[1:18:51] difficult time and the economic
[1:18:52] collapse of 2008 and 2009.
[1:18:56] So I just wanted to add a
[1:18:57] little bit of history from
[1:18:57] the state level and even
[1:19:01] the national level as we finish
[1:19:02] up Black History Month because
[1:19:06] often women's voices are often
[1:19:06] silenced and our history is
[1:19:07] rewritten by others And if our
[1:19:11] voices weren't so powerful
[1:19:12] people wouldn't work so hard to
[1:19:12] silence them On St Patrick's
[1:19:15] Day Parade I want to
[1:19:16] acknowledge the contributions
[1:19:16] that the Irish community has
[1:19:21] made to San Diego and their
[1:19:21] parade is always boisterous and
[1:19:26] fun and it's a wonderful day
[1:19:27] for families to be out
[1:19:27] celebrating in the community
[1:19:31] and a Lowrider Stamp day.
[1:19:36] It's amazing how we have gone
[1:19:36] from criminalizing people who
[1:19:40] engage in what is really an art
[1:19:41] form to now recognizing their
[1:19:46] contributions to the especially
[1:19:47] Southern California cultural
[1:19:47] heritage.
[1:19:48] My father grew up in Los
[1:19:51] Angeles.
[1:19:52] He loved his cars and even
[1:19:56] though it was decades before
[1:19:57] Lowrider was became a term, he
[1:19:57] was certainly part of that
[1:20:02] culture in Los Angeles As a
[1:20:02] young man who treated their
[1:20:07] cars with what could only be
[1:20:08] called rubber and said respect
[1:20:09] to turn them into moving works
[1:20:11] of art.
[1:20:12] And finally I will say in
[1:20:16] response to Councilmember
[1:20:17] Moreno's recommendation,
[1:20:22] congratulations to her honoree
[1:20:23] she alvarez And I think that we
[1:20:27] have to always recognize
[1:20:28] the very diverse cultural
[1:20:32] impacts that people throughout
[1:20:33] San Diego have.
[1:20:33] Seeing the mayor at
[1:20:34] the proclamation ceremony
[1:20:39] earlier reminded me that when I
[1:20:39] was the chair of
[1:20:40] the Legislative Women's Caucus
[1:20:43] in Sacramento we would do our
[1:20:43] annual statewide recognition of
[1:20:49] women who impacted our state in
[1:20:50] powerful and positive ways.
[1:20:53] So congratulations to you and
[1:20:54] to all the women who were
[1:20:55] honored earlier today.
[1:20:55] Thank you.
[1:21:00] Next is the original and then
[1:21:01] it's 8700 the original If you
[1:21:01] can please let me know how many
[1:21:05] items or items you wish to
[1:21:06] speak to Which item or item.
[1:21:09] Yes or I would like to speak to
[1:21:15] women's history St Patrick's
[1:21:15] Day and let's do Jeff Davis
[1:21:16] Day.
[1:21:16] Thank you.
[1:21:20] Please proceed right so what is
[1:21:21] a woman is kind of what I'm
[1:21:21] wondering because you know we
[1:21:25] keep changing the definition
[1:21:26] The things we already change
[1:21:27] with the definition of a woman
[1:21:31] is so I'm wondering if that's
[1:21:32] part of the history and then if
[1:21:33] you or all of a sudden saying
[1:21:36] that men can be women, how does
[1:21:37] that history change?
[1:21:41] I mean how does that like
[1:21:46] reflect accuracy of women is
[1:21:47] what I'm wondering Because you
[1:21:52] know, sad to see an inversion
[1:21:53] of everything but if you really
[1:21:57] did want to honor women and all
[1:21:57] these women who are like
[1:22:02] activists like you know, for
[1:22:02] that it's just strange that
[1:22:03] they don't mind that that's
[1:22:07] happening and women are being
[1:22:08] raised to look like then you
[1:22:09] don't even know what a woman is
[1:22:12] And anybody can be a woman But
[1:22:13] people like Nancy Schaefer who
[1:22:18] were murdered who are trying to
[1:22:19] reform cps should be one that's
[1:22:19] honored, you know, along with
[1:22:23] again the other women that
[1:22:23] suffer on a regular basis
[1:22:28] throughout the world And then
[1:22:29] for, you know, St Patrick's Day
[1:22:30] all this stuff and you know,
[1:22:33] parade and all these events for
[1:22:34] it, you know, I'm just it's you
[1:22:35] know, there was a MARCH for
[1:22:39] children this last weekend on
[1:22:39] Saturday and there's actually
[1:22:45] one coming up on APRIL 11th.
[1:22:46] It's going to be at Waterfront
[1:22:46] Park and there's going to be a
[1:22:50] MARCH around downtown.
[1:22:51] And so I feel like, you know,
[1:22:52] when we honor certain things
[1:22:52] and we don't honor other things
[1:22:56] that would be nice to see.
[1:22:56] You know, all of you guys show
[1:22:57] support for children that are
[1:23:02] suffering and or you know, like
[1:23:07] Arabella McCormick, Delilah,
[1:23:08] you know, children who have
[1:23:09] starved to death because nobody
[1:23:12] wanted to do anything.
[1:23:13] Just wondering when we're going
[1:23:14] to spend some money to, you
[1:23:18] know, dishonor them and mothers
[1:23:19] who are currently suffering I
[1:23:20] mean Patrick was murdered.
[1:23:24] Oh, but you know, let's do
[1:23:25] other things And then so let's
[1:23:26] go to Jeff Davis.
[1:23:30] This one's interested because
[1:23:30] he's the veterans for you know,
[1:23:35] San Diego housing Commission or
[1:23:35] whatever.
[1:23:35] Right.
[1:23:40] And you know General straining
[1:23:41] steadfast commitment to
[1:23:42] advancing innovative housing
[1:23:46] solutions and improving
[1:23:47] the lives of low income
[1:23:48] families and individuals
[1:23:52] experiencing homelessness I'm
[1:23:53] sorry 27 years of that And look
[1:23:57] at where we're at.
[1:23:58] I don't know that I would be
[1:23:59] giving him an award when
[1:24:00] the state of the city is in
[1:24:04] such disarray I mean right
[1:24:05] outside of city chambers Again
[1:24:09] that building you know
[1:24:09] the awning right there when you
[1:24:10] walk in Right Right by security
[1:24:15] is filled with homeless every
[1:24:15] night.
[1:24:16] But then you do have
[1:24:16] the downtown partnership come
[1:24:17] and tell them to leave which
[1:24:22] isn't always so interesting.
[1:24:23] But yeah, let's clean that up
[1:24:23] and tent city and things before
[1:24:24] we talk to the people there.
[1:24:27] Thank you for that concluding
[1:24:27] comment.
[1:24:28] Next is 8700 If you can please
[1:24:29] unmute and let me know which
[1:24:31] item or items you wish to speak
[1:24:36] to in Star six To unmute.
[1:24:37] Thank you.
[1:24:42] A 30 254 please.
[1:24:42] Thank you.
[1:24:43] You have two minutes.
[1:24:46] Please proceed.
[1:24:51] 332 Women's History Month
[1:24:52] Council member Campbell von
[1:24:57] Wilpert and Marino three very
[1:24:58] strong women.
[1:25:02] Thank you for this item and
[1:25:08] special thank you to cd3
[1:25:09] honoree Ruth and Dawn to all
[1:25:14] these women in all women face
[1:25:15] challenges barriers and they do
[1:25:20] achievements Keep making
[1:25:27] history for equality and equity
[1:25:28] to all and then s5 all for
[1:25:31] the state or 226 San Diego
[1:25:32] Housing Commission is
[1:25:36] synonymous with care affidavits
[1:25:41] dedicated public servant 27
[1:25:42] year veteran of San Diego how
[1:25:42] the commission your leadership
[1:25:47] MR. Davis across critical
[1:25:48] operational areas of both San
[1:25:53] Diego Housing Commission and
[1:25:54] beyond is appreciated.
[1:25:55] Thank you for your service to
[1:25:59] all.
[1:26:00] Thank you.
[1:26:00] That does conclude public
[1:26:01] comment on the proclamation.
[1:26:01] All right.
[1:26:05] Thank you, City Clerk And with
[1:26:06] that I'll turn it over to my
[1:26:06] colleagues for questions Excuse
[1:26:07] me for comments and entertain a
[1:26:10] motion and we'll start with
[1:26:11] council member Von Wolpert.
[1:26:11] Thank you.
[1:26:12] i'm happy to move
[1:26:15] the proclamation today and
[1:26:16] congratulations to all
[1:26:16] the proclamation awardees As
[1:26:17] usual my colleagues have
[1:26:21] brought forth very wonderful
[1:26:22] things to celebrate including
[1:26:22] our Jeff Davis.
[1:26:23] Congratulations on your
[1:26:23] retirement.
[1:26:24] We thank you for all your
[1:26:28] service to the city and
[1:26:29] the Housing Commission over
[1:26:29] the years on item 31 for
[1:26:32] Diversionary Theater 40th
[1:26:33] Anniversary Day I am proud to
[1:26:33] join Mary Todd Gloria
[1:26:34] Councilmember Jennifer Campbell
[1:26:39] Councilmember Steve Whitburn in
[1:26:40] recognizing the Virgin Mary
[1:26:40] Theater as it celebrates its
[1:26:41] 40th anniversary here in
[1:26:44] the city of Sebago Since its
[1:26:45] founding in 1986 during
[1:26:46] the height of the hiv and aids
[1:26:46] crisis, the Virginia theater
[1:26:50] has used the power of
[1:26:51] performing arts to uplift
[1:26:51] the lgbtq 80 plus voices and
[1:26:52] create space for our community
[1:26:56] Healing and visibility.
[1:26:56] Over the past four decades,
[1:26:57] Diversionary has grown into one
[1:27:02] of the most respected lgbtq
[1:27:03] a-plus theaters in the country,
[1:27:03] producing more than 175
[1:27:04] mainstream productions and
[1:27:08] hundreds of performances.
[1:27:09] I have attended many
[1:27:09] the fantastic theater I
[1:27:10] encourage everybody to go.
[1:27:13] The theater has also served a
[1:27:14] creative home for many emerging
[1:27:15] and established artists helping
[1:27:16] to amplify voices and stories
[1:27:20] that deserve to be heard beyond
[1:27:20] the stage.
[1:27:21] Virgin Mary continues to impact
[1:27:21] our region through arts
[1:27:25] education programs and
[1:27:25] community engagement
[1:27:26] opportunities for people of all
[1:27:27] ages across the county.
[1:27:27] Congratulations on this
[1:27:31] incredible milestone.
[1:27:32] It is my honor to proclaim
[1:27:33] MARCH 28th, 2026 at
[1:27:36] the burgeoning theater 40th
[1:27:36] anniversary day in the city of
[1:27:37] San Diego In item 32 with
[1:27:38] Women's History Month, I'm
[1:27:42] proud to be joining Councilor
[1:27:43] Jennifer Campbell and
[1:27:43] COUNCILWOMAN Moreno to
[1:27:44] recognize Women's History Month
[1:27:47] in the city of San Diego.
[1:27:48] Women's History Month is an
[1:27:49] opportunity to reflect on
[1:27:49] the generations of women who
[1:27:50] pushed for progress, broke
[1:27:54] barriers and helped expand
[1:27:55] opportunities for the women and
[1:27:55] girls who came after them.
[1:27:56] Thank you to everyone who
[1:28:00] served on our commission on
[1:28:01] the fantastic Women many of
[1:28:01] whom are here today in our
[1:28:02] chambers across league We see
[1:28:05] that legacy every day for women
[1:28:06] leading small businesses,
[1:28:06] educators shaping the next
[1:28:07] generation.
[1:28:07] The community advocates working
[1:28:11] tirelessly to strengthen our
[1:28:12] neighborhoods.
[1:28:12] This year's theme is Leading
[1:28:13] the Change Women Shaping a
[1:28:17] Sustainable Future.
[1:28:17] And it reminds us that women
[1:28:18] continue to play a critical
[1:28:19] role in building resilient
[1:28:19] communities and helping guide
[1:28:22] the future of our city.
[1:28:23] It also reminds us that while
[1:28:24] we have a meaningful progress,
[1:28:24] there's still work ahead to
[1:28:25] ensure that women have equal
[1:28:29] opportunities to lead, succeed
[1:28:29] and thrive.
[1:28:30] I also want to recognize
[1:28:31] the many women serving in
[1:28:36] public service across our city
[1:28:37] from city staff to community
[1:28:37] leaders who work every day to
[1:28:38] make for a stronger and more
[1:28:39] equitable place for everyone.
[1:28:42] Women's History Month is not
[1:28:43] only about honoring the past
[1:28:43] but also about supporting
[1:28:44] the next generation women and
[1:28:45] girls who are lead our
[1:28:48] community in the years ahead.
[1:28:49] I still hold out hope that
[1:28:50] someday this nation will pass
[1:28:50] the Equal Rights Amendment and
[1:28:51] will restore the protections of
[1:28:54] Ruby Wade in this country.
[1:28:55] And today we celebrate
[1:28:56] the achievements of women
[1:28:56] across the globe, across our
[1:29:00] nation to recommit ourselves to
[1:29:01] continuing the work toward a
[1:29:01] future where every woman has
[1:29:02] the opportunity to succeed and
[1:29:02] lead.
[1:29:03] Thank you.
[1:29:06] And I read the proclamation.
[1:29:07] All right.
[1:29:07] Thank you.
[1:29:08] Council member Whitburn Excuse
[1:29:08] me Yvonne Gilbert.
[1:29:11] I haven't done that in two
[1:29:11] years.
[1:29:12] We have a motion by council
[1:29:17] member Von Wilbert to move
[1:29:18] the proclamation.
[1:29:18] We'll go next to Council
[1:29:19] Moreno.
[1:29:19] Thank you.
[1:29:23] Item 32 celebrates
[1:29:23] the accomplishment of women.
[1:29:24] Women's History Month is a time
[1:29:29] to honor women from the past
[1:29:29] and present acknowledging
[1:29:30] the issues that often affect
[1:29:34] women's advancements and
[1:29:35] celebrate our achievements.
[1:29:36] I am proud to partner with
[1:29:41] Councilmembers Campbell and Von
[1:29:42] Gilbert on this proclamation.
[1:29:43] Many people have tried to
[1:29:46] embrace women's history and our
[1:29:47] achievements from textbooks and
[1:29:48] Women's History Month reminds
[1:29:48] us for a moment of all of our
[1:29:53] great achievements.
[1:29:54] The idea of Women's History
[1:29:54] Month with a different lens
[1:29:59] since I became a mother to a
[1:30:00] daughter and I hope for a
[1:30:00] brighter future for our next
[1:30:01] generation of female leaders
[1:30:05] And I know my daughter will
[1:30:05] have a very different
[1:30:06] experience than I did.
[1:30:07] So I want to extend
[1:30:11] the appreciation for the women
[1:30:12] that are powering and steering
[1:30:13] our city including my
[1:30:17] colleagues here on the dais.
[1:30:18] Item s502 celebrates at this
[1:30:23] Friday MARCH 13th usps will
[1:30:24] unveil the first ever low rider
[1:30:24] stamp.
[1:30:29] This historic unveiling will
[1:30:29] occur in Logan Heights Library
[1:30:30] within District eight.
[1:30:30] The event is acknowledging
[1:30:35] Logan Heights on a national
[1:30:36] level and it will showcase 21
[1:30:36] low riders that will be on
[1:30:42] display and feature at
[1:30:42] the talented Logan Memorial
[1:30:43] Educational Campus Mariachi
[1:30:43] Ensemble.
[1:30:47] The Low Rider Stamp is a huge
[1:30:48] milestone that showcases
[1:30:48] the cultural, artistic and
[1:30:53] historic impact of the low
[1:30:53] rider movement.
[1:30:54] Logan Heights stands out for
[1:30:54] many reasons including its
[1:30:59] proximity to Chicano Park best
[1:31:00] known and recognized for its
[1:31:00] murals and its significant
[1:31:01] Chicano movement.
[1:31:05] On APRIL 22nd, 1970, residents
[1:31:05] of Logan Heights alongside city
[1:31:11] college students and community
[1:31:11] activists rallied together to
[1:31:12] suspend the construction of a
[1:31:17] highway patrol station.
[1:31:17] Community resilience is
[1:31:18] ingrained in the history of
[1:31:18] Logan Heights and also Chicano
[1:31:23] Park and I would like to thank
[1:31:24] DR. Albert Alberto Pulido from
[1:31:25] the University of San Diego.
[1:31:29] MR. Rigoberto Reyes from
[1:31:30] the International Amigos Car
[1:31:30] Club for spearheading
[1:31:35] the stamps development process
[1:31:36] with usps over five years ago
[1:31:41] and making Turning this vision
[1:31:41] into a reality.
[1:31:42] I'm going to call you up to see
[1:31:43] if you want to say a few words.
[1:31:47] I also want to thank I want to
[1:31:48] thank you for all your service
[1:31:49] to Logan Heights and also for
[1:31:53] bringing this historic moment
[1:31:53] to the city of San Diego.
[1:31:54] I also would like to extend an
[1:31:58] open invitation to everybody
[1:31:59] here.
[1:31:59] The event will be this Friday
[1:32:00] and program starts at 11:00 at
[1:32:04] Logan Heights Library and
[1:32:05] stamps will be on sale before
[1:32:10] and after the program And I
[1:32:11] would like to congratulate all
[1:32:12] the folks involved everyone La
[1:32:17] Raza and I'm happy to second
[1:32:18] the motion on the floor.
[1:32:18] >> Thank you.
[1:32:19] All right.
[1:32:19] Thank you, Council member.
[1:32:23] So we have a motion by council
[1:32:24] member Von Wilbur and a second
[1:32:25] by COUNCILMAN Moreno to move
[1:32:25] the proclamation.
[1:32:28] We'll go next to council member
[1:32:29] Lippert.
[1:32:29] Thank you very much, Council
[1:32:30] PRESIDENT.
[1:32:30] Congratulations to all of those
[1:32:31] being honored with
[1:32:36] proclamations today.
[1:32:36] I want to thank councilmembers
[1:32:37] Campbell and Von Wilpert and
[1:32:38] Laredo for bringing the witness
[1:32:38] history.
[1:32:41] But the proclamation forward
[1:32:41] and more importantly for
[1:32:42] the leadership that they show
[1:32:43] every day on behalf of their
[1:32:49] communities outside of college.
[1:32:49] The incredible Libertad by
[1:32:50] District three Team Nancy
[1:32:53] Isabella Hudson, Bridgette Nay
[1:32:53] So Jordan Latchford and
[1:32:54] Christina Gaffney whose
[1:32:58] dedication to the residents of
[1:32:58] District three makes a
[1:32:59] difference every single day.
[1:32:59] We must continue pushing
[1:33:00] forward to ensure that all
[1:33:04] women have a seat at the table
[1:33:04] and have equal opportunities to
[1:33:05] succeed.
[1:33:05] I am proud to join my
[1:33:06] colleagues in recognizing when
[1:33:10] it's History Month and honoring
[1:33:11] the women who continue to shape
[1:33:11] our community for the better.
[1:33:15] I try to join Gloria
[1:33:16] Councilmembers Campbell Edward
[1:33:17] Wolpert in recognizing 40 years
[1:33:17] of incredible impact by
[1:33:21] diversionary theater an
[1:33:21] organization that has helped to
[1:33:22] shape the cultural and artistic
[1:33:23] life of our city.
[1:33:23] Located at University Heights
[1:33:28] Diversionary theater has been a
[1:33:28] cornerstone of Santiago's tcu
[1:33:29] plus cultural community for
[1:33:29] the past 40 years.
[1:33:33] It is the third oldest lgbtq
[1:33:34] plus theater in the United
[1:33:34] States and its presence here in
[1:33:35] San Diego reflects
[1:33:39] the creativity and resilience
[1:33:40] and diversity that make our
[1:33:41] city so special.
[1:33:41] Their work has elevated local
[1:33:46] artists and inspired
[1:33:47] generations of performers and
[1:33:47] audiences alike and I
[1:33:48] congratulate the leadership and
[1:33:52] artists, staff and volunteers
[1:33:53] and all the supporters who have
[1:33:53] made these past 40 years
[1:33:54] possible.
[1:33:58] About the Saint Patrick's Day
[1:33:59] Parade and Irish Festival takes
[1:34:00] place right here in District
[1:34:01] three at the beautiful Balboa
[1:34:03] Park.
[1:34:04] For more than four decades or
[1:34:05] so that has brought our
[1:34:06] community together to celebrate
[1:34:06] Irish culture, music, dance and
[1:34:10] tradition.
[1:34:11] What begins with the leadership
[1:34:11] of the Irish Congress and
[1:34:12] the Southern California
[1:34:13] dedicated Community volunteers
[1:34:17] has grown into one of
[1:34:17] the largest and most beloved
[1:34:18] cultural celebrations in
[1:34:18] the Southwest.
[1:34:22] Events like this remind us that
[1:34:23] nato strength comes from
[1:34:24] the cultures and traditions
[1:34:24] that bring people to our city.
[1:34:25] And I want to thank
[1:34:28] the organizers and volunteers
[1:34:29] who make the celebration
[1:34:29] possible every year.
[1:34:30] Encourage everybody to come out
[1:34:33] and enjoy the parade and
[1:34:34] celebrate the rich Irish
[1:34:35] heritage that is such a vibrant
[1:34:35] part of our community.
[1:34:42] I would also like to cede time
[1:34:43] to Treva West, middle of
[1:34:43] Ireland as the Civic Relations
[1:34:46] liaison for the 2026 St
[1:34:47] Patrick's Day Parade and
[1:34:47] Festival Committee.
[1:34:48] Please come up to the podium
[1:34:53] where all looking forward to
[1:34:53] the upcoming event.
[1:34:54] >> Invite you to share a few
[1:34:54] words.
[1:34:59] Thank you very much
[1:34:59] Councilmember Whitburn.
[1:35:06] Good morning COUNCILMAN
[1:35:06] PRESIDENT Carver Pro Tem Lee
[1:35:07] and other council members.
[1:35:11] My name is West Somervell as
[1:35:12] Council member stated.
[1:35:13] I'm honored to stand before you
[1:35:13] as a member of the Irish
[1:35:16] Congress of Southern California
[1:35:16] and of the entire Irish
[1:35:17] Diaspora here in San Diego.
[1:35:23] As Council member LeBron stated
[1:35:24] this Saturday, MARCH 14th we
[1:35:24] are inviting all of San Diego
[1:35:29] to join us along fifth and
[1:35:30] Sixth Avenues and in w Park for
[1:35:30] the 44th annual St Patrick's
[1:35:34] Day Parade and Festival.
[1:35:35] As Council member Whitburn
[1:35:35] stated, this event has been
[1:35:40] occurring for over four decades
[1:35:41] and it has served as a
[1:35:42] welcoming inclusive bridge for
[1:35:46] our community bringing San
[1:35:47] Diegans of all backgrounds
[1:35:47] together to celebrate Irish
[1:35:53] culture and heritage.
[1:35:54] In Ireland we have a saying.
[1:35:57] Came 100,000 volumes and that
[1:35:58] is exactly the spirit that we
[1:35:59] bring to our city streets.
[1:36:04] The Congress of Southern
[1:36:04] California would like to
[1:36:05] express our sincere gratitude
[1:36:06] to the offices of
[1:36:06] Councilmembers Whitburn and
[1:36:10] Foster and to Council PRESIDENT
[1:36:11] LaCava for warmly welcome to
[1:36:11] our committee to discuss
[1:36:16] the vibrancy and sustainability
[1:36:17] of what remains the largest
[1:36:17] Saint Patrick's Day parade west
[1:36:18] of the Mississippi.
[1:36:23] And to both council members and
[1:36:24] Campo along with Council
[1:36:24] PRESIDENT LaCava for accepting
[1:36:25] our invitation to participate
[1:36:28] in this year's parade.
[1:36:29] As we look toward the future,
[1:36:30] the Irish Congress is eager to
[1:36:31] maintain an open line of
[1:36:35] communication with all of you.
[1:36:36] We view the city as a vital
[1:36:36] partner in ensuring
[1:36:37] the celebration of culture and
[1:36:41] community continues to thrive
[1:36:42] in the heart of San Diego for
[1:36:43] another 44 years and beyond.
[1:36:48] Thank you for your support of
[1:36:48] this proclamation and look
[1:36:49] forward to seeing you in
[1:36:54] the parade on the route or in
[1:36:54] the festival on Saturday.
[1:36:55] >> Thank you.
[1:36:55] Thank you.
[1:36:56] We are very much looking
[1:36:57] forward to the Parade festival.
[1:36:59] And thank you for all that you
[1:37:00] do for the community.
[1:37:01] And last but certainly not
[1:37:01] least, a big congratulations to
[1:37:05] Jeff Davis and his retirement.
[1:37:05] MR. Davis has done a tremendous
[1:37:06] amount to help people
[1:37:07] experiencing homelessness get
[1:37:11] back on their feet and ensure
[1:37:11] that they get to have
[1:37:12] affordable housing.
[1:37:12] And we are very grateful for
[1:37:17] all of his efforts over so many
[1:37:17] years.
[1:37:18] Thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
[1:37:18] All right.
[1:37:19] Thank you, council member.
[1:37:19] And we'll go next to
[1:37:22] Councilmember Campbell.
[1:37:23] Thank you, council PRESIDENT.
[1:37:23] Congratulations to all
[1:37:28] the proclamation recipients.
[1:37:29] What a wonderful day this is.
[1:37:30] I would like to first recognize
[1:37:35] Jeff Davis Day.
[1:37:35] MR. Davis are 27 years in
[1:37:36] the city housing homeless.
[1:37:41] He has helped thousands and
[1:37:41] thousands of people over
[1:37:42] the years and we are so
[1:37:42] grateful to him.
[1:37:46] We will MISS Him a great deal.
[1:37:47] He stepped in to be interim
[1:37:48] director of the housing
[1:37:52] commission.
[1:37:53] As we look for our new leader
[1:37:58] Lisa Jones and he's just a
[1:37:59] marvelous person who's always
[1:37:59] wonderful to work with.
[1:38:00] So thank you, Jeff, for all
[1:38:00] you've done.
[1:38:04] Congratulations on your
[1:38:05] retirement And I'd like to
[1:38:05] speak to Prop 31.
[1:38:10] I am honored to proclaim MARCH
[1:38:10] 28th, 26 as Diversionary
[1:38:14] Theater's 40th anniversary day
[1:38:15] in the city of San Diego.
[1:38:16] Welcome your time, Gloria.
[1:38:20] My colleagues, council members
[1:38:21] with your name on Wolpert
[1:38:22] diversionary third theater as
[1:38:25] has been said is the third
[1:38:25] oldest lgbtq theater in
[1:38:26] the United States founded way
[1:38:31] back in 1986.
[1:38:32] It is truly a unique and
[1:38:32] special place for the entire
[1:38:37] community to enjoy gay themed
[1:38:38] theater performances.
[1:38:38] Most importantly provides a
[1:38:43] creative home for many actors
[1:38:44] of all backgrounds to share
[1:38:44] their talents.
[1:38:49] Cheers to 40 years and now a
[1:38:49] proclamation over 32.
[1:38:50] In MARCH we celebrate Women's
[1:38:55] History Month acknowledge
[1:38:55] achievements of women
[1:38:56] throughout our history.
[1:38:56] There are so many trailblazing
[1:39:01] women in San Diego's history
[1:39:02] including Maureen o'Connor and
[1:39:03] who goes first Female Mayor
[1:39:07] Constance Carroll, the first
[1:39:08] black woman and first lgbtq
[1:39:08] person to serve as chancellor
[1:39:13] of the San Diego Community
[1:39:14] College District.
[1:39:14] Christine Kehoe, the first
[1:39:19] openly gay elected official in
[1:39:20] San Diego who was not only on
[1:39:20] council but went on through
[1:39:21] the state Assembly And as
[1:39:24] Senator in our state.
[1:39:25] I also want to congratulate
[1:39:30] Susan Davis, the first San
[1:39:31] Diego woman elected to Congress
[1:39:35] to represent San Diego district
[1:39:35] .
[1:39:36] Shirley Weber, California's
[1:39:37] first African-American
[1:39:41] secretary of state who also
[1:39:42] served in many other roles
[1:39:42] including the state Assembly
[1:39:47] Toni Atkins, the first woman
[1:39:48] and first lgbtq person to be
[1:39:52] speaker of the Assembly and
[1:39:53] then PRESIDENT Pro-Tem of
[1:39:54] the state Senate.
[1:39:58] Monica Montgomery Stepp Our
[1:39:59] former colleague on City
[1:40:00] Council the first black woman
[1:40:04] elected to serve as San Diego
[1:40:05] County supervisor.
[1:40:10] And my representative on county
[1:40:11] council.
[1:40:11] This morning we recognize ten
[1:40:12] incredible women who are making
[1:40:13] a difference in their
[1:40:16] communities.
[1:40:17] And I want to thank them all
[1:40:18] for their contributions to our
[1:40:18] city.
[1:40:23] Happy women's History Month.
[1:40:24] Thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
[1:40:24] All right.
[1:40:25] Thank you, Council member
[1:40:25] Campbell.
[1:40:29] We'll go next to council member
[1:40:29] foster Thank you Council
[1:40:30] PRESIDENT.
[1:40:30] And I just want to speak
[1:40:35] briefly on a few of these
[1:40:35] items.
[1:40:36] We'll start with item 32
[1:40:36] Women's History Month.
[1:40:37] Thank you to council members
[1:40:41] Campbell von Wilpert and Marino
[1:40:41] for bringing forward this
[1:40:42] recognition of Women's History
[1:40:46] Month and for the leadership
[1:40:47] each of you show every day on
[1:40:48] behalf of the city of San Diego
[1:40:48] and your communities.
[1:40:53] As we recognize women across
[1:40:53] our city with this
[1:40:54] proclamation, I also want to
[1:40:57] acknowledge the example you
[1:40:58] three set on this council as
[1:40:59] women helping shape the future
[1:40:59] of San Diego.
[1:41:03] Women's History Month is a time
[1:41:04] to reflect on the many ways
[1:41:04] women have strengthened our
[1:41:05] communities, broken barriers
[1:41:05] and opened doors for
[1:41:10] generations that follow.
[1:41:11] In this moment I can't help but
[1:41:11] to think about the strong women
[1:41:15] in my life including my mother
[1:41:16] ,my wife and my daughter who
[1:41:16] remind me regularly of
[1:41:21] the strength resilience and
[1:41:22] leadership that women bring to
[1:41:22] our families in our
[1:41:23] communities.
[1:41:23] So today I join my colleagues
[1:41:28] in celebrating the women of San
[1:41:28] Diego and simply thanking you
[1:41:29] for all that you do.
[1:41:34] Also we'd like to comment on s5
[1:41:35] or two Low Rider Stamp Day.
[1:41:36] I want to begin by thanking
[1:41:39] Councilmember Vivian Marino for
[1:41:40] bringing forward this
[1:41:40] recognition and for helping
[1:41:41] highlight such an important
[1:41:42] moment for our city and for
[1:41:45] the lowrider community.
[1:41:45] San Diego has long been home to
[1:41:46] a vibrant lowrider culture that
[1:41:51] reflects deep pride, creativity
[1:41:51] and community.
[1:41:52] For generations little riding
[1:41:53] has served as a form of
[1:41:57] artistic expression and
[1:41:57] cultural storytelling that
[1:41:58] brings people together across
[1:41:58] our neighborhoods.
[1:42:02] The unveiling of the first ever
[1:42:03] Lowrider Stamp is a historic
[1:42:03] milestone that recognizes a
[1:42:07] culture the cultural
[1:42:08] significance of this movement
[1:42:09] and honors the artists,
[1:42:09] builders and community leaders
[1:42:13] who helped shape it.
[1:42:14] I also want to recognize DR.
[1:42:20] Alberto Pulido and MR. Reyes
[1:42:21] MR. Reyes for their dedication
[1:42:25] and advocacy in helping
[1:42:26] bringing national recognition
[1:42:26] to the lowrider community.
[1:42:27] I'm looking forward to joining
[1:42:31] the community this Friday at
[1:42:32] the Logan Heights Library for
[1:42:32] the stamp unveiling and
[1:42:33] celebration and to celebrating
[1:42:37] this important moment alongside
[1:42:37] the many lowrider enthusiasts
[1:42:38] who have helped make this
[1:42:42] culture what it is today.
[1:42:43] Lastly, I would like to comment
[1:42:48] on 5 or 3 Jeff Davis Day.
[1:42:49] Just really want to
[1:42:50] congratulate Jeff on 27 years
[1:42:50] of service with the San Diego
[1:42:55] Housing Commission.
[1:42:55] Your work has helped advance
[1:42:56] housing solutions to not only
[1:43:00] support our families with
[1:43:01] housing options but also
[1:43:01] the work that you have done in
[1:43:02] regards to our homeless
[1:43:07] population.
[1:43:07] Also just want to congratulate
[1:43:08] all of the proclamation
[1:43:08] recipients.
[1:43:15] And that concludes my comments.
[1:43:16] All right.
[1:43:16] Thank you, Councilmember Foster
[1:43:19] Not only because my thought
[1:43:20] kind of wrap things up.
[1:43:21] I joined Councilmember Lippert
[1:43:21] and Councilmember Campo on
[1:43:25] items five and one to celebrate
[1:43:26] Saint Patrick's Day parade and
[1:43:26] Festival day here in the city
[1:43:27] of San Diego.
[1:43:30] I want to thank the Irish
[1:43:31] Congress of Southern California
[1:43:32] for highlighting celebrating
[1:43:32] Irish culture here in San
[1:43:33] Diego.
[1:43:37] Keeping culture alive is no
[1:43:37] easy feat let alone running a
[1:43:42] festival of this size for 44
[1:43:42] years.
[1:43:43] My wife Lorraine was half Irish
[1:43:44] and I look forward to
[1:43:46] celebrating on Saturday at
[1:43:47] the Saint Patrick's Day Parade.
[1:43:47] However you choose to celebrate
[1:43:48] this day whether you're
[1:43:52] incorporating some green into
[1:43:53] your retire or attending
[1:43:54] the Saint Patrick's Day.
[1:43:54] I wish you all a happy and
[1:43:58] pennsbury Saint Patrick's Day.
[1:43:59] I was honored to join
[1:44:02] COUNCILMAN Marino in bringing
[1:44:03] forth 5 or 4 and respecting his
[1:44:04] wishes.
[1:44:04] I'll simply say thank you and
[1:44:09] item 32 Women's History Day
[1:44:10] Recognize the amazing women in
[1:44:10] my life.
[1:44:15] My mother who immigrated here
[1:44:16] from Italy to start a new life
[1:44:16] in this country.
[1:44:21] A recognition that seems to be
[1:44:22] lost on so many people who call
[1:44:27] themselves Americans And
[1:44:27] the good work she did in
[1:44:28] raising me and my sister my
[1:44:29] mother in law who was a nurse
[1:44:33] for the early part of her
[1:44:34] career.
[1:44:34] My daughter Valerie who set
[1:44:35] the standards of what
[1:44:39] compliance and the industry
[1:44:40] meant and is now the mother of
[1:44:40] my grandchild Olivia, 34.
[1:44:45] Next month and my daughter
[1:44:46] Melanie with her Ph.D. In
[1:44:51] genomics and advancing
[1:44:52] the conversation in protecting
[1:44:52] endangered species.
[1:44:53] And thank you to my colleagues
[1:44:58] for all the recognition and
[1:44:59] proclamations I've been brought
[1:44:59] forward today.
[1:45:00] I see Councilmember Lippman
[1:45:01] wants to jump back in again.
[1:45:01] Thank you.
[1:45:04] Council PRESIDENT Sorry we were
[1:45:05] looking forward to just be part
[1:45:06] of diversionary theater being
[1:45:06] with us this morning.
[1:45:09] It turns out he's with us
[1:45:10] virtually and I wanted to
[1:45:11] invite him to join us and say a
[1:45:11] few words.
[1:45:15] We are very much delighted to
[1:45:15] utter diversionary theater on
[1:45:21] its anniversary and really
[1:45:22] appreciate all that you have
[1:45:23] done to make it the great venue
[1:45:24] that it is about To invite you
[1:45:30] to say a few words.
[1:45:31] Hello.
[1:45:31] Hi.
[1:45:31] Can you hear me?
[1:45:37] Yes.
[1:45:38] >> Hi, This is Jesse Marquez.
[1:45:38] Thank you so much for having me
[1:45:39] today And the director of
[1:45:40] development and resident
[1:45:42] dramaturg at Diversionary
[1:45:43] Theater.
[1:45:43] You've all spoke so beautifully
[1:45:44] about the work and its impact
[1:45:48] on our city.
[1:45:49] Thank you so much.
[1:45:49] As you mentioned, for
[1:45:50] the nation's third oldest
[1:45:55] continuously operating lgbtq
[1:45:55] plus theater.
[1:45:56] San Diego was only theater of
[1:45:57] its kind and one of very few in
[1:46:00] the country dedicated to
[1:46:00] telling exclusively a lesbian,
[1:46:01] gay, transgender and stories.
[1:46:05] We're celebrating our 40th
[1:46:06] anniversary this year and we'll
[1:46:07] be taking to the streets on
[1:46:07] MARCH 28th for our Ruby
[1:46:12] anniversary Ball which we will
[1:46:12] celebrate under the stars on
[1:46:13] Park Boulevard outside of our
[1:46:18] historic theater and university
[1:46:18] heights.
[1:46:19] And I look forward to seeing
[1:46:19] some of you there.
[1:46:20] If you haven't bought tickets
[1:46:23] today is the last day to rsvp.
[1:46:24] Please do that.
[1:46:24] You've spoken so beautifully
[1:46:25] about our work and about our
[1:46:29] free arts education programs
[1:46:29] which really are one of
[1:46:30] the most important things we do
[1:46:35] to speak to just how we work
[1:46:36] towards the full diversity of
[1:46:36] our lgbtq community our newest
[1:46:42] arts education program.
[1:46:42] Frontlines of Pride is a great
[1:46:43] example of how we serve our
[1:46:44] community and its fullest.
[1:46:48] It's a collaboration with Armed
[1:46:48] Services Arts Partnerships and
[1:46:49] it's a playwriting class geared
[1:46:54] toward the healing of lgbtq
[1:46:54] veterans and their families.
[1:46:55] We really believe that
[1:46:59] representation matters and that
[1:47:00] stories have the power to save
[1:47:00] lives.
[1:47:01] I really want to thank City
[1:47:06] Council for your unwavering
[1:47:06] support of all of our programs
[1:47:07] over the years.
[1:47:11] With your help we impact
[1:47:11] the lives of nearly 10,000
[1:47:12] community members and we look
[1:47:16] forward to doing so for another
[1:47:17] 40 years and beyond.
[1:47:18] >> MR. Marchese thank you very
[1:47:22] much for being with us and
[1:47:23] thank you very much for all you
[1:47:24] do for diversionary theater.
[1:47:29] It has a national reputation.
[1:47:30] Its work has always been
[1:47:30] important and I think
[1:47:36] especially in today's national
[1:47:36] climate celebrating the many
[1:47:37] cultures that make up our
[1:47:41] community And this case in
[1:47:42] particular the lgbtq community
[1:47:43] and the transgender community.
[1:47:43] Your work is so important and
[1:47:48] very much appreciated So thank
[1:47:48] you again.
[1:47:49] Looking forward to the upcoming
[1:47:49] event.
[1:47:49] Thank you.
[1:47:50] Council PRESIDENT.
[1:47:50] All right.
[1:47:51] Thank you.
[1:47:54] Thank you for jumping in
[1:47:55] because it made me realize I
[1:47:55] forgot to thank one woman in my
[1:47:59] life and that would be my wife
[1:48:00] Laurie.
[1:48:00] >> So if I want to go home
[1:48:06] tonight to my wife Lorraine who
[1:48:06] is the mother of our two
[1:48:07] daughters and our grandmother
[1:48:11] to Olivia and a beloved
[1:48:12] kindergarten teacher for 25
[1:48:13] years and touched the lives of
[1:48:13] so many children who still come
[1:48:17] back and thank her for what she
[1:48:18] taught them during her
[1:48:18] kindergarten years.
[1:48:19] >> That was close.
[1:48:24] So with that we have a motion
[1:48:29] by Catherine Wolpert and a
[1:48:29] second by COUNCILMAN Marino to
[1:48:30] move the proclamation.
[1:48:31] Clerk Please call the vote.
[1:48:31] That's right The voting system
[1:48:36] Please cast your vote that
[1:48:37] passes unanimously 9 to 0.
[1:48:43] Thank you, Council PRESIDENT
[1:48:43] All right.
[1:48:44] Thank you Again we will take
[1:48:45] another pause for photos
[1:48:48] starting with I think item 31
[1:48:49] diversionary theater.
[1:48:50] Are they here in person?
[1:48:54] The virtual okay.
[1:48:55] Then we'll start with the Saint
[1:49:00] Patrick's Day parade and
[1:49:01] Festival day.
[1:49:02] I'm not out of sorry boy.
[1:49:03] I'm just really rattling off
[1:49:03] women's History Month so we
[1:49:09] want to do that for good.
[1:49:16] Is there someone here?
[1:49:16] Oh, yeah.
[1:49:17] Okay, that sounds good.
[1:49:17] And then I'll let Heidi take
[1:49:20] over because she actually knows
[1:51:11] what
[1:53:11] it
[1:53:32] I received 14 Webcam informs in
[1:53:38] opposition and I don't want to
[1:53:39] one received 21 webcam informs
[1:53:40] in opposition both all those
[1:53:44] were forwarded to the city
[1:53:45] Council I will also note for
[1:53:45] the record the potential
[1:53:51] reappointment so that are on
[1:53:51] the agenda this morning I don't
[1:53:52] want all five is the potential
[1:53:53] reappointment of DR. Joan Chen
[1:53:56] to the privacy Advisory Board
[1:53:57] starting with those that are
[1:53:57] speaking here in council
[1:53:58] chambers If I can have Barbara
[1:54:02] Holton please come forward and
[1:54:02] then Gary London.
[1:54:08] Joe Hassler and Blair Beekman
[1:54:09] if you can all come forward to
[1:54:09] the front row.
[1:54:14] Barbara Holton You have time
[1:54:15] ceded to you by Templeton to
[1:54:16] please raise your hand.
[1:54:16] Thank you so much.
[1:54:19] You'll have two minutes on item
[1:54:19] 55 Please come up to
[1:54:24] the microphone.
[1:54:30] I'm here today to support
[1:54:30] Historicity.
[1:54:31] You will be approving for
[1:54:36] the final time package.
[1:54:37] My name is Barbara Holton.
[1:54:43] I represent coastal caretakers
[1:54:43] .
[1:54:44] I want to say to you the city
[1:54:49] is responsible for ensuring
[1:54:49] that all of its decisions
[1:54:50] comply with the California
[1:54:57] Coastal Act and the care of
[1:54:57] the Environmental Quality Act
[1:55:01] the Ocean Beach Historical
[1:55:02] District is included within
[1:55:07] the state's coastal zone
[1:55:08] Package ordinances and
[1:55:13] resolutions do not meet
[1:55:14] California Coastal or
[1:55:14] Environmental Quality Act
[1:55:20] requirements.
[1:55:25] In addition, item 100 requires
[1:55:26] that item 55 be passed first
[1:55:31] This domino effect within a
[1:55:31] consent calendar is unusual and
[1:55:33] questionable.
[1:55:39] Thank you.
[1:55:40] Thank you.
[1:55:41] Next we have Gary London Are
[1:55:41] you here?
[1:55:45] Gary London?
[1:55:45] No.
[1:55:51] Then we have Jo Jo.
[1:55:52] Okay you're speaking on item
[1:55:52] 101.
[1:55:53] You'll have one minute.
[1:55:58] Please proceed.
[1:55:58] Hello, my name is Joe Heisler.
[1:55:59] I'm with Pentland Property
[1:55:59] Partners.
[1:56:03] We're asset manager Most of
[1:56:04] the retail and restaurant in
[1:56:04] Liberty Station the former Navy
[1:56:09] Naval training Center Liberty
[1:56:10] Station is a national treasure
[1:56:10] and some of the properties I
[1:56:15] asset manage are on a covered
[1:56:16] by 66 year round leases.
[1:56:16] The redevelopment agency has
[1:56:21] been dissolved for many years
[1:56:22] and the city of San Diego is
[1:56:27] supposed to compensate other
[1:56:27] taxing entities.
[1:56:28] Market value for the properties
[1:56:32] City of San Diego is currently
[1:56:33] offering a number that is based
[1:56:38] upon a valuation 15 years ago
[1:56:38] to pay them.
[1:56:39] Currently our company has
[1:56:44] offered seven times the number
[1:56:44] for the properties we control
[1:56:45] through ground leases.
[1:56:49] We also have two other ground
[1:56:50] lessees at Liberty Station that
[1:56:54] are willing to pay seven times
[1:56:54] the number.
[1:56:55] I would say this is
[1:56:56] disingenuous to schools and
[1:56:56] community college districts
[1:57:01] within our community.
[1:57:01] Thank you.
[1:57:02] Market value should be paid.
[1:57:08] Blair Beekman, New York began
[1:57:11] times 5105 and 503 You'll have
[1:57:11] three minutes.
[1:57:12] Please proceed.
[1:57:17] Hi.
[1:57:18] Thank you.
[1:57:19] Beekman More in blue today.
[1:57:19] A blue shirt.
[1:57:23] I hope it can be okay.
[1:57:23] Um.
[1:57:24] I think it is East Village.
[1:57:28] Uh, green phase one project.
[1:57:29] This project was actually
[1:57:30] brought to sandag a few months
[1:57:30] ago.
[1:57:35] They are working in conjunction
[1:57:35] with you.
[1:57:36] There is a future of smart city
[1:57:40] smart, smart, smart city
[1:57:41] development for the future of
[1:57:41] this project.
[1:57:45] It's really important to sandag
[1:57:46] that has absolutely zero
[1:57:47] mention in this item so I'm a
[1:57:52] little concerned what exactly
[1:57:53] you're working on with this
[1:57:53] item and how you're how you're
[1:57:58] working on it and you have a
[1:57:58] big parking project involved.
[1:58:02] You have art funding over
[1:58:03] $700,000 That's a lot.
[1:58:09] So it's my guess is my fear
[1:58:09] actually that is your art
[1:58:10] project Things going towards
[1:58:14] tech practices at all?
[1:58:15] I just ask we have to be
[1:58:16] mindful with so much parking
[1:58:21] involved with this item I hope
[1:58:22] pick your tech can be a really
[1:58:23] easy subject to talk about.
[1:58:27] A parking check is usually easy
[1:58:28] to talk about or community Good
[1:58:29] luck that we are accountable
[1:58:33] with this technology you're
[1:58:34] building a good luck It should
[1:58:39] be clear and open Don't fear it
[1:58:40] That's my always I always say
[1:58:41] that one I was appointment to
[1:58:41] the Privacy Advisory Board
[1:58:45] really important items of um we
[1:58:46] are still working towards how
[1:58:51] to address block and how to
[1:58:52] address the future So much tech
[1:58:57] placed in the city war makes it
[1:58:58] really difficult to work on
[1:58:59] best practices I tried to offer
[1:59:00] yesterday I think we still can
[1:59:03] work towards best practices.
[1:59:04] Good luck how we can do that.
[1:59:05] I think it's our good examples
[1:59:10] at the local level that it will
[1:59:10] give hope to our national
[1:59:11] international level and they
[1:59:15] they can learn from our good
[1:59:16] examples At this time we're not
[1:59:17] in a 911 paranoid era of war
[1:59:21] anymore.
[1:59:22] It's our best practices at
[1:59:23] the local level to create peace
[1:59:23] and continue aboard
[1:59:27] the international level at this
[1:59:28] time.
[1:59:28] Good luck that we continue our
[1:59:29] good work.
[1:59:34] It helps a lot at this point in
[1:59:38] our lives And finally I am a
[1:59:39] survivor of three continuing
[1:59:40] state of emergency issues.
[1:59:45] Thank you very much for
[1:59:45] the words of counsel person on
[1:59:46] yesterday who spoke on
[1:59:49] the climate action reports in
[1:59:50] need of a bit more
[1:59:51] accessibility and public just
[1:59:56] dialog and understanding just a
[1:59:57] bit more fun basically and how
[1:59:58] it described itself the water,
[2:00:02] the sewer issues into your
[2:00:02] water could have been mentioned
[2:00:03] what we could be working on
[2:00:04] together the fact that we need
[2:00:07] to be working on things
[2:00:08] together that could have made
[2:00:09] it into the report and good
[2:00:13] luck that we have good
[2:00:14] communication, good luck in our
[2:00:14] open communication.
[2:00:15] >> Thank you.
[2:00:19] Thank you for that Concluding
[2:00:19] comment.
[2:00:20] Gary London And then our final
[2:00:21] speaker is Mitch Moline who's
[2:00:24] leading.
[2:00:25] >> Thank you.
[2:00:25] Good morning City Council
[2:00:26] members.
[2:00:26] My name is Gary London.
[2:00:31] I'm here on behalf of my client
[2:00:31] Seligman who are the as you
[2:00:35] know the lessees at Liberty
[2:00:36] Station And I want you to know
[2:00:37] that I don't have a
[2:00:42] philosophical argument against
[2:00:42] the city owning city owned
[2:00:43] properties.
[2:00:43] There's opportunities always to
[2:00:47] own it.
[2:00:48] This is not one of them.
[2:00:49] I think that Liberty Station is
[2:00:53] a is an opportunity to to offer
[2:00:58] up to some of the concept where
[2:00:59] they can go ahead as stewards
[2:01:00] of this property is owners of
[2:01:05] this property to do a good job
[2:01:06] for the next couple of decades.
[2:01:10] We did a report which I think
[2:01:11] had been submitted to you I'll
[2:01:12] submit to clear that addresses
[2:01:16] the financial upside of their
[2:01:16] potential ownership of this
[2:01:21] property versus the city going
[2:01:22] forward releasing it including
[2:01:23] the fact that what resonates
[2:01:28] for me is that the city hasn't
[2:01:29] done a good job with this is
[2:01:29] what I heard in comment.
[2:01:30] Your time has come.
[2:01:30] Thank you.
[2:01:38] Thank you Mitch you're speaking
[2:01:39] on I don't want to one Good
[2:01:39] morning council My name is
[2:01:42] Mitch Politics I've been
[2:01:43] intermittently involved with
[2:01:43] the Liberty Station issues for
[2:01:44] about 30 years When I was a
[2:01:47] staff person for Mayor Susan
[2:01:48] Golding and I think it's really
[2:01:53] exceeded expectations in that
[2:01:53] time of the vision we
[2:01:54] originally had.
[2:01:59] But the city, with all due
[2:02:00] respect isn't a great steward
[2:02:00] of real estate and I think
[2:02:05] there's a good case example
[2:02:06] There is the radio station Now
[2:02:06] if you look at it it's very
[2:02:10] clean, it's very productive,
[2:02:10] it's very nice But then you
[2:02:11] come upon this smoldering heap
[2:02:16] of ash well that's building 619
[2:02:20] which the city which was a nice
[2:02:21] 20,000 square foot building
[2:02:21] that the city said you know
[2:02:22] what, we're going to keep this.
[2:02:23] We're going to redevelop it and
[2:02:26] make it nice.
[2:02:26] They never did anything.
[2:02:27] They've had them all this time.
[2:02:30] The museum wanted to come in
[2:02:31] there and take over.
[2:02:32] They said No, no, we've got a
[2:02:32] plan that eventually, you know,
[2:02:35] degraded homeless, moved in and
[2:02:36] then it burned to the ground
[2:02:37] around last Christmas.
[2:02:37] The business model it's in
[2:02:41] place now.
[2:02:41] >> Thank you for that
[2:02:42] concluding remark.
[2:02:47] Any written comments can
[2:02:48] definitely be submitted and we
[2:02:48] will be sure to get those to
[2:02:53] the council If I can have
[2:02:53] Laurie Sultana please unmute
[2:02:54] I'm sorry the five minute timer
[2:02:58] Laurie Saldana please let me
[2:02:59] know which item or items you
[2:02:59] wish to speak to on the consent
[2:03:00] agenda.
[2:03:00] >> Good morning again.
[2:03:03] Thank you.
[2:03:04] I'll say all of them because I
[2:03:05] couldn't see the screen until
[2:03:08] just this moment So put me down
[2:03:09] for all of them and I will try
[2:03:10] to read from the screen.
[2:03:14] Let me just say regarding
[2:03:15] Liberty Station and other
[2:03:15] agreements do I?
[2:03:19] I can't agree more strongly
[2:03:19] with the speakers.
[2:03:20] Your predecessors consistently
[2:03:20] gave away valuable public
[2:03:24] resources for private profits.
[2:03:25] The city gave the Macmillan
[2:03:30] Puerto Rican the land at
[2:03:30] Liberty Station for a dollar.
[2:03:31] Your predecessors really
[2:03:35] contributed to the housing
[2:03:36] crisis we have now Other
[2:03:37] development agencies around
[2:03:37] California have used their
[2:03:40] assets to build and preserve
[2:03:41] more affordable housing than
[2:03:41] San Diego consistently for
[2:03:45] decades the city is an outlier
[2:03:45] and as one of the worst track
[2:03:46] records on creating and
[2:03:47] protecting naturally occurring
[2:03:51] affordable housing and that is
[2:03:52] evident to anyone who drives
[2:03:52] along our streets and freeways
[2:03:56] where encampments are popping
[2:03:57] up elsewhere they can be taken
[2:03:57] down.
[2:03:58] So I encourage you to
[2:04:02] reconsider how you're using
[2:04:02] these successor agency funds
[2:04:03] because other cities as I have
[2:04:07] stated before when I was chair
[2:04:07] of the Assembly Housing and
[2:04:08] Community Development Committee
[2:04:11] I was invited to other cities
[2:04:12] to see how they use their
[2:04:13] redevelopment funds and it
[2:04:17] really put San Diego to shame.
[2:04:18] Let me comment on the minutes I
[2:04:19] believe of the council previous
[2:04:26] of those part of this as well
[2:04:26] the minutes of the previous
[2:04:27] council meetings.
[2:04:27] I'll just go ahead.
[2:04:30] Ice actions were mentioned by
[2:04:31] one of the councilmen.
[2:04:32] I want to remind you that civil
[2:04:32] protest is still a basic
[2:04:35] constitutional right of
[2:04:36] everyone citizens and residents
[2:04:37] regardless of legal status.
[2:04:40] We now have the resignation,
[2:04:41] thank goodness of the former
[2:04:42] director of homeland security
[2:04:45] And it's a reminder that
[2:04:46] increasingly violent actions
[2:04:47] against American citizens as
[2:04:51] well as immigrants can often be
[2:04:51] dealt with by following
[2:04:52] the money.
[2:04:52] It's still an effective way to
[2:04:55] hold the powerful accountable.
[2:04:56] And finally, I want to close
[2:04:57] with an item that has to do
[2:05:02] with an ongoing hearing.
[2:05:02] No, wait a minute.
[2:05:05] I'm looking on my website here
[2:05:06] to one two River Valley sewage
[2:05:06] crisis.
[2:05:07] It's hard to say that this is a
[2:05:10] crisis because it's gone on now
[2:05:11] for decades And I was both a
[2:05:11] plaintiff in a lawsuit to force
[2:05:16] them to change the design of
[2:05:17] their treatment plans And then
[2:05:17] a research fellow at ucsd at
[2:05:18] the Center for U.S. Mexican
[2:05:21] Studies examining how it had
[2:05:22] failed on so many levels.
[2:05:26] This is almost 30 years ago now
[2:05:26] And what is happening now is
[2:05:27] entirely the city of San
[2:05:30] Diego's responsibility.
[2:05:31] Let me explain why you were
[2:05:32] part of the driving force
[2:05:36] through your employees, through
[2:05:37] your agencies in creating that
[2:05:37] treatment plan at the border
[2:05:41] that it's never had a chance to
[2:05:41] work properly and safely and
[2:05:42] protect the health and
[2:05:46] well-being of San Diego
[2:05:46] residents and others in
[2:05:47] the treatment of River Valley
[2:05:47] area.
[2:05:51] Those of us who were working on
[2:05:51] transboundary environmental
[2:05:56] issues knew that this failure
[2:05:56] would come.
[2:05:57] We knew that people would be so
[2:05:58] poisoned and this city promised
[2:06:02] the regional water board,
[2:06:02] the state water agencies that
[2:06:03] you would assist Tijuana in
[2:06:03] developing an industrial
[2:06:07] pretreatment program as part of
[2:06:08] their compliance efforts to
[2:06:08] keep toxic waste out of that
[2:06:11] river valley.
[2:06:12] The city has failed to live up
[2:06:13] to that promise.
[2:06:14] I encourage you to do that but
[2:06:17] stop poisoning your time have
[2:06:18] concluded after that as
[2:06:20] the original after the original
[2:06:21] is 8700 please let me know
[2:06:22] which item or items you wish to
[2:06:26] speak to.
[2:06:29] One of five 500 as 5030 three
[2:06:30] minutes Please proceed.
[2:06:30] First I want to say that is
[2:06:34] ridiculous that we spent that
[2:06:35] long on proclamations as if
[2:06:39] things are going on quickly
[2:06:40] Dory while you then cut down
[2:06:44] the people and you know just
[2:06:45] always silence them with a
[2:06:46] minute, you know it's just so
[2:06:51] disrespectful that you guys sit
[2:06:51] up there and spend all this
[2:06:55] time doing that.
[2:06:55] The appointment to the Privacy
[2:06:56] Advisory Board I mean you guys
[2:06:59] have sit here, you create this
[2:07:00] board but then it's like you
[2:07:04] don't and you circumvent all
[2:07:05] the time.
[2:07:05] You basically tell them you
[2:07:06] know like they go and do all
[2:07:10] this work and then they get
[2:07:10] bypassed.
[2:07:14] So it's just interesting to see
[2:07:15] what's going on there and
[2:07:16] anything that is having to do
[2:07:19] with sharing of information
[2:07:20] that should encompass everybody
[2:07:21] not just a certain class of
[2:07:25] people or groups of people it
[2:07:26] should be everybody that is
[2:07:29] included and not in these
[2:07:30] appointments of the mayor and
[2:07:31] you guys to outside
[2:07:35] organization And it's just like
[2:07:36] you guys are failing miserably
[2:07:36] at the city when you go into
[2:07:39] all these other boards like
[2:07:40] sandag and you know whatever it
[2:07:41] is empty and water boards and
[2:07:45] blah blah blah and if you can
[2:07:46] you're failing in the city that
[2:07:49] you're representing and it
[2:07:50] should be, you know, driving.
[2:07:54] Thank you.
[2:07:54] And then you should go to other
[2:07:55] boards and do that But instead
[2:07:59] you know, it's just like this
[2:07:59] incestuous thing that happens.
[2:08:04] And so all of the whole
[2:08:04] anything that it touches,
[2:08:08] anything you guys touch is
[2:08:09] going to be tainted at that
[2:08:09] point.
[2:08:10] I mean again if you if things
[2:08:13] were better it's like you'd be
[2:08:14] like yeah I want them on that
[2:08:15] because then they're going to
[2:08:15] be doing really great But it
[2:08:18] just it's like very disturbing
[2:08:18] And that goes into even the 212
[2:08:23] River Valley and the state of
[2:08:23] an emergency.
[2:08:24] I mean even with covid anytime
[2:08:28] you're in a state of an
[2:08:28] emergency you get funding for
[2:08:29] it.
[2:08:29] Your money comes in for certain
[2:08:33] things and it's like it's very
[2:08:33] sad to see that people have
[2:08:37] been suffering for decades for
[2:08:38] decades and we just like
[2:08:38] declare this continued state of
[2:08:42] an emergency And it's like how
[2:08:43] long are people going to have
[2:08:47] to suffer because nobody wants
[2:08:48] to really get down to
[2:08:48] the bottom of it which if it's
[2:08:52] coming from Mexico again quit
[2:08:53] doing business with Mexico
[2:08:53] until it stops.
[2:08:57] That's a lot of money that you
[2:08:58] guys obviously care more about
[2:09:01] because it shows that you know,
[2:09:02] nothing really gets done or
[2:09:02] mitigated.
[2:09:07] And even if you pretend to try
[2:09:07] with a sewage treatment plant
[2:09:11] like you fail at it And so it's
[2:09:12] like when is anybody going to
[2:09:12] be held accountable and people
[2:09:13] are going to stop suffering.
[2:09:17] I mean a state of an emergency
[2:09:18] at the border should have been
[2:09:18] when people were flooding
[2:09:18] across.
[2:09:21] Now we're seeing the effects of
[2:09:21] them coming in.
[2:09:22] But the fact that they were
[2:09:25] incentivized in a lot of money
[2:09:26] of the nation went to
[2:09:27] facilitate these people coming
[2:09:31] across and now you're worried
[2:09:31] about them suffering.
[2:09:32] You should have been worried
[2:09:33] about them being murdered and
[2:09:35] raped along your time has
[2:09:36] concluded.
[2:09:36] >> Next is 8700 If you can
[2:09:40] please unmute after that Is
[2:09:43] Andrea ebbing and then 7499
[2:09:44] 8700 if you can please a mute
[2:09:48] star six Thank you.
[2:09:53] I will be speaking on 5051 5253
[2:09:57] went on 4115503 please Thank
[2:09:57] you.
[2:09:58] You'll have three minutes.
[2:10:01] Please proceed on 50.
[2:10:06] East Village Green Phase one
[2:10:07] It's beginning to be a little
[2:10:11] tough to look at these moving
[2:10:12] pieces of money and funds.
[2:10:16] Yes, this seems appropriate.
[2:10:17] So yes to the amendments 51
[2:10:21] construction contract with Blue
[2:10:24] Pacific Workforce Agreement
[2:10:28] Admin 68 Hispanic Trade 9,981%
[2:10:33] 81 are Hispanic
[2:10:33] Underrepresentation Asian
[2:10:38] female African American female
[2:10:42] Construction laborers 52
[2:10:46] Contract with c Construction
[2:10:46] 224 employees Lots of
[2:10:47] underrepresentation They state
[2:10:50] they are monitoring
[2:10:51] the situation.
[2:10:55] Can we trust that 53 agreement
[2:10:59] with Lewis and third 399
[2:10:59] employees?
[2:11:04] Ditto and what I just said for
[2:11:07] 52 and 104I love you San Diego
[2:11:11] Fire Rescue San Diego Project
[2:11:16] Heart Beat to date 216 People's
[2:11:20] Hearts beating and safe.
[2:11:24] We love you and I give you five
[2:11:29] star award for your work One of
[2:11:34] five to love the p b board and
[2:11:34] your dedicated work on
[2:11:35] the trust for the next super
[2:11:39] big Thank you for what you've
[2:11:39] done.
[2:11:43] You helped us come forward so
[2:11:43] greatly.
[2:11:44] I just really really appreciate
[2:11:49] all of you and I will ask 5 or
[2:11:53] 0.03 j Mexico pollution Crisis
[2:11:54] Emergency The momentum seems to
[2:11:57] have increased Please even
[2:12:03] small yet effective Step step
[2:12:04] Some see that again
[2:12:07] the momentum seems to have
[2:12:08] increased even small effective
[2:12:13] steps.
[2:12:13] I appreciate it.
[2:12:14] Thank you very much for
[2:12:14] listening.
[2:12:17] Love to all.
[2:12:18] Thank you.
[2:12:19] Next is Andrea Ebbing and then
[2:12:21] our final speaker is 7499.
[2:12:22] The five minute timer did
[2:12:22] conclude no additional speakers
[2:12:26] will be taken.
[2:12:27] >> Morning this is Andrea being
[2:12:30] I want to speak on sorry all of
[2:12:31] them because I can't see that
[2:12:31] at the very moment I speak on
[2:12:34] all of them.
[2:12:35] I want to start with
[2:12:36] the employee holiday pay
[2:12:40] benefits package and
[2:12:41] the repayment of what whatever
[2:12:41] is has been missing or was
[2:12:44] missing.
[2:12:45] It's very, very, very important
[2:12:46] that whatever information I'm
[2:12:49] sharing, anybody that can
[2:12:50] follow a lead or follow a trail
[2:12:51] or kind of come to their own
[2:12:54] conclusions on this
[2:12:54] information, I highly encourage
[2:12:59] you do we have one hundred and
[2:12:59] three San Diego City of San
[2:13:04] Diego employees look it up on
[2:13:05] Transparent California We have
[2:13:08] 103 critical employees,
[2:13:09] important employees, high level
[2:13:10] employees making $0 a year in
[2:13:13] pay.
[2:13:14] Then they're making tons of
[2:13:14] money and other pay.
[2:13:18] So we have money being
[2:13:19] laundered and filtered and
[2:13:26] improperly I guess put into a
[2:13:30] byline of of the payroll for
[2:13:31] the city of San Diego.
[2:13:32] >> So on Transparent California
[2:13:34] San Diego has several alerts
[2:13:35] which is an anomalous thing.
[2:13:36] Several other cities do not
[2:13:40] have these alerts.
[2:13:41] This one in particular says
[2:13:41] the city of San Diego does not
[2:13:45] provide the cost of pension
[2:13:45] benefits on an employee level
[2:13:46] and as such the total benefits
[2:13:49] value for each individual
[2:13:50] reported is incomplete and
[2:13:55] significantly understated.
[2:13:55] That's really important to
[2:13:56] consider just as a fact.
[2:13:59] So from a very high level and I
[2:14:00] don't think this is a city
[2:14:01] council issue you guys I think
[2:14:04] it's whoever Todd Gloria,
[2:14:04] Summer Stephan whoever is in
[2:14:08] charge of the rico Enterprise
[2:14:09] that many people are
[2:14:09] unknowingly operating under
[2:14:13] the case I don't blame them.
[2:14:15] Look at the leadership now also
[2:14:18] on the water sewage crisis.
[2:14:19] This has been going on for how
[2:14:19] long?
[2:14:20] Right?
[2:14:22] Everybody just mentioned it's
[2:14:23] been going on for how long?
[2:14:24] It's right in front of our
[2:14:28] faces but it continues And
[2:14:33] while it continues we do things
[2:14:34] And by the way, I'll be really
[2:14:37] clear on this I am suspicious
[2:14:38] and concerned about
[2:14:39] the appointment of Mario or so
[2:14:43] to the head of sandag.
[2:14:43] Personally I think he works for
[2:14:44] Mexico and not San Diego
[2:14:47] Personally I think he's helping
[2:14:51] people move freight such as a
[2:14:52] big rigs and such over
[2:14:52] the border and around
[2:14:57] the border in the name of
[2:14:58] reducing pollution.
[2:15:00] In fact his since his
[2:15:01] appointment he wants to put
[2:15:05] $1.3 billion into automating
[2:15:06] trucks to pass at the Otay
[2:15:06] border.
[2:15:09] Everything he does is at
[2:15:10] the old tight border.
[2:15:14] >> We have a one hundred and
[2:15:15] $2,929 million while the sewage
[2:15:16] crisis is taking place being
[2:15:19] invested into the old timey
[2:15:20] support of entry for
[2:15:21] underground utilities and
[2:15:24] grading work package as part of
[2:15:28] California's investment of $3
[2:15:29] billion to enhance safety and
[2:15:29] improve travel times.
[2:15:33] While the crisis goes on.
[2:15:33] I think this is a drug tunnel
[2:15:34] and I think that the trucks are
[2:15:38] narcotics in humans.
[2:15:38] >> Thank you.
[2:15:39] Your time has concluded.
[2:15:40] I will note for our speakers
[2:15:43] that we do need you to list
[2:15:43] what items you are speaking to
[2:15:44] for recordkeeping purposes.
[2:15:48] We cannot assume or guess which
[2:15:49] items your comments go to so if
[2:15:52] you can please take the time to
[2:15:53] review the agenda and let us
[2:15:53] know we will reach out to those
[2:15:57] that have already spoken to
[2:15:58] make sure we get that accurate
[2:16:02] For the record 7499 If you can
[2:16:02] please unmute and let me know
[2:16:03] which item or items you wish to
[2:16:11] speak to Items 5051 5253 100
[2:16:16] 101 1 or 2 123124105 and s 500
[2:16:17] You'll have three minutes
[2:16:22] Please proceed.
[2:16:23] I won't take all that time Bob
[2:16:24] Kozinski here I want to say
[2:16:27] again that I've witnessed gross
[2:16:28] negligence by this city in its
[2:16:31] awarding and managing of
[2:16:32] contracts.
[2:16:33] I also want to say again that
[2:16:36] this city is not providing
[2:16:37] appropriate citizen oversight
[2:16:41] and citizen involvement in
[2:16:42] the many contract leases and
[2:16:46] advisory boards in this city.
[2:16:47] I MAY know of these problems
[2:16:48] through my decades of dedicated
[2:16:52] involvement with the Torrey
[2:16:52] Pines Glider port but these
[2:16:53] problems are not limited to
[2:16:57] that one property.
[2:16:57] These problems are endemic
[2:17:02] throughout this city and they
[2:17:02] need to be addressed.
[2:17:03] I particularly want to endorse
[2:17:06] the comments by Lori Saldana
[2:17:06] regarding this city giving away
[2:17:10] and leasing our public property
[2:17:11] to private businesses.
[2:17:12] Our public property should be
[2:17:16] for the public and not to
[2:17:17] enrich private businesses and
[2:17:21] individuals.
[2:17:21] Businesses should be purchasing
[2:17:22] their own property and not
[2:17:26] hijacking our public land for
[2:17:26] their private profit.
[2:17:30] Shame on all of you for your
[2:17:31] entire careers of mismanaging
[2:17:35] the properties and resources of
[2:17:36] this city.
[2:17:36] That's all I have.
[2:17:36] Thank you.
[2:17:37] Thank you.
[2:17:41] That does conclude public
[2:17:41] comment.
[2:17:42] >> All right.
[2:17:42] Thank you City clerk for
[2:17:46] management's alternative to my
[2:17:46] colleagues for any comments and
[2:17:50] entertain a motion and if
[2:17:51] nobody wants to kick it off
[2:17:55] then io0 Councilmember Yvonne
[2:17:59] wolpert moves the consent item
[2:18:00] seconded by Campbell I was just
[2:18:02] here I would just like to
[2:18:03] register a new one item 53
[2:18:04] because it's an expired
[2:18:04] contract.
[2:18:05] However I do want to note that
[2:18:08] I received a great email from
[2:18:09] Bethany because I guess morning
[2:18:09] detailing the work the city
[2:18:10] that she and Claudia are going
[2:18:13] to do to make sure we have no
[2:18:14] more expired contracts.
[2:18:15] But I will record a no vote on
[2:18:16] that and move the rest of that
[2:18:18] proclamation or consent.
[2:18:18] >> Thank you.
[2:18:19] All right.
[2:18:23] Again, not so We have a motion
[2:18:24] by Councilmember Val Wolpert
[2:18:24] and a second by Councilmember
[2:18:25] Campbell.
[2:18:27] I actually will offer a couple
[2:18:30] of comments on sw 500 We're
[2:18:35] revising the appointments and
[2:18:36] the only change that we're
[2:18:37] actually making is
[2:18:37] reassignments on the San Diego
[2:18:40] Public Safety Committee.
[2:18:40] I just wanted to thank
[2:18:41] Councilmember Foster for his
[2:18:44] brief tenure on that committee
[2:18:45] and thank Councilmember Moreno
[2:18:46] for stepping up and serving on
[2:18:47] sandbags public Safety
[2:18:57] Committee The I'm just thinking
[2:18:57] about public comment and it
[2:18:58] just strikes me I want to
[2:19:02] register no vote on the item 55
[2:19:02] preservation and progress While
[2:19:06] there's a lot of good clean up
[2:19:07] ,I cannot support the de novo
[2:19:08] hearing process the more
[2:19:08] limited hearing process I've
[2:19:11] been working for many years.
[2:19:12] I also want to register a no
[2:19:16] vote on 50 a recognizing that
[2:19:17] say the construction cannot be
[2:19:21] reversed but stopping this and
[2:19:22] stopping this action could do
[2:19:22] more harm than good.
[2:19:23] But I want to be consistent
[2:19:25] with my prior votes.
[2:19:26] So with that we have a motion
[2:19:30] by council member Von Wilpert
[2:19:31] and a second by Council member
[2:19:31] Campbell and there's a few
[2:19:35] registered no votes which I
[2:19:35] know the clerk has captured but
[2:19:40] otherwise please call the roll
[2:19:40] .
[2:19:41] As far as voting system, please
[2:19:44] cast your vote That does pass
[2:19:49] unanimously with District five
[2:19:49] voting no on item 53, District
[2:19:54] one voting no on 55 and 58 and
[2:19:55] the rest of it passes and
[2:19:58] missing.
[2:19:59] All right.
[2:20:00] Thank you City clerk So with
[2:20:00] that are there any comments
[2:20:03] from the mayor's office for
[2:20:04] council members, City attorney,
[2:20:05] independent budget analyst or
[2:20:05] city clerk?
[2:20:08] We'll go first to Council
[2:20:08] Member Campo Thank you.
[2:20:09] Council PRESIDENT I'll try to
[2:20:12] make this as brief as possible.
[2:20:13] I thank you for recognize me
[2:20:14] and I appreciate my colleagues
[2:20:17] for bearing with me for a
[2:20:17] moment.
[2:20:17] Yesterday a member of
[2:20:18] the United States House of
[2:20:21] Representatives from Tennessee
[2:20:22] who I will not name tweeted
[2:20:23] something so heinous I felt
[2:20:26] compelled to stand up for my
[2:20:26] family and friends and
[2:20:27] constituents.
[2:20:31] The tweet read as follows
[2:20:31] Muslims, he said, don't belong
[2:20:35] in American society.
[2:20:36] Pluralism is a lie.
[2:20:40] He ended 47,000 people liked
[2:20:40] that.
[2:20:41] Many thousands shared it with
[2:20:44] praise and in his safe
[2:20:45] congressional district we all
[2:20:45] know he will not be held
[2:20:48] accountable for that statement
[2:20:49] .
[2:20:49] But when an elected official
[2:20:50] says this he is striking at
[2:20:51] the American idea that a free
[2:20:54] people different in creed and
[2:20:54] custom can nevertheless live
[2:20:58] together in peace under GOD and
[2:20:59] under law.
[2:21:00] The Constitution of the United
[2:21:03] States doesn't say that only
[2:21:03] some faiths belong.
[2:21:04] The First Amendment rises above
[2:21:08] that smallness which led to
[2:21:09] millennia of religious war and
[2:21:09] violence.
[2:21:12] The First Amendment says
[2:21:13] the government has no authority
[2:21:13] to tell a muslim she does not
[2:21:17] belong any more than it MAY
[2:21:17] tell a Christian, a Jew, a
[2:21:22] Hindu, a person of no faith or
[2:21:23] anyone else that he or she
[2:21:23] stands outside the protection
[2:21:26] of our law.
[2:21:26] And why?
[2:21:27] Because in this country our
[2:21:28] rights do not come from
[2:21:31] the prejudices of small minded
[2:21:32] politicians.
[2:21:32] They come from the GOD given
[2:21:36] dignity of the human person
[2:21:37] secured by a Constitution wise
[2:21:37] enough to know that freedom
[2:21:41] must belong to all or in time
[2:21:42] it will belong to none.
[2:21:46] As PRESIDENT Kennedy reminded
[2:21:46] us, those who foolishly sought
[2:21:47] power by writing the back of
[2:21:51] the tiger ended up inside this
[2:21:52] tweet from a congressman from
[2:21:55] Tennessee and his sentiment is
[2:21:56] not constitutionalism it was
[2:21:56] sectarian arrogance.
[2:22:00] It was not patriotism.
[2:22:05] It was pandering to ignorance.
[2:22:06] But beyond the Constitution,
[2:22:06] let us speak plainly about
[2:22:07] the morality of the statement.
[2:22:10] It was vile and ugly and
[2:22:11] beneath the dignity of public
[2:22:11] office.
[2:22:15] It took millions of people each
[2:22:15] a child of GOD, each possessed
[2:22:16] of infinite worth and reduced
[2:22:20] them to a category of suspicion
[2:22:20] and contempt.
[2:22:21] It tells families including
[2:22:24] mine that they are forever
[2:22:25] foreign.
[2:22:25] It tells children they will
[2:22:26] never be accepted.
[2:22:29] It tells peaceful and decent
[2:22:30] people that no matter how hard
[2:22:31] they work and no matter how
[2:22:31] faithfully they love their
[2:22:34] country no matter how honorably
[2:22:35] they live that they will still
[2:22:38] be told they do not belong.
[2:22:39] I took this insult quite
[2:22:39] personally.
[2:22:43] Obviously I support my Muslim
[2:22:44] constituents in Sarah Mesa
[2:22:45] largely Afghans who risked
[2:22:46] their lives with our armed
[2:22:52] forces for two decades.
[2:22:52] The people in that in Sarah
[2:22:53] Mesa asked for nothing more,
[2:22:54] nothing less than what every
[2:22:56] American should be able to ask
[2:22:57] to be treated equally, to live
[2:22:58] in peace, to raise their
[2:23:01] families, to worship freely, to
[2:23:02] walk through this country
[2:23:06] without being marked as lesser
[2:23:06] .
[2:23:07] I kid you not that the only
[2:23:07] thing my Muslim constituents in
[2:23:11] Sarah Mesa have ever asked me
[2:23:12] for as a council member was to
[2:23:13] help them fix their fence and
[2:23:16] to move their bus stop a little
[2:23:16] bit closer to the front door of
[2:23:17] their mosque.
[2:23:20] I support our city workers and
[2:23:21] our police officers, engineers,
[2:23:25] lawyers, road pavers and an
[2:23:26] excellent member of my own
[2:23:26] staff who work to serve
[2:23:29] the public and improve
[2:23:30] everyone's lives.
[2:23:31] These city workers work hard
[2:23:31] all day and during this month
[2:23:35] of Ramadan eat not a morsel and
[2:23:36] drink not a drop while serving
[2:23:39] the people of the city of San
[2:23:39] Diego.
[2:23:40] I love my father in law, my
[2:23:44] other in-laws and my wife who
[2:23:45] are Muslim.
[2:23:45] I know my wife's goodness and I
[2:23:48] know her patriotism and
[2:23:49] the seriousness with which she
[2:23:50] takes American citizenship and
[2:23:53] the oath she has taken as an
[2:23:54] attorney and as an elected
[2:23:55] official herself to faithfully
[2:23:55] defend the Constitution of
[2:23:58] the United States.
[2:23:59] She's a prosecutor who holds
[2:24:00] defendants accountable and
[2:24:03] delivers justice for victims.
[2:24:04] And even if she was not.
[2:24:05] No government gets to say she
[2:24:08] or anyone like her doesn't
[2:24:09] belong in America without me
[2:24:09] responding to it.
[2:24:13] She and the Muslims of our city
[2:24:14] are not strangers to the nation
[2:24:14] they help sustain.
[2:24:15] And then lastly there's
[2:24:18] the falsehood wrapped inside
[2:24:19] the phrase that reflects an
[2:24:19] absolute anti-American
[2:24:23] sentiment that plural ism is
[2:24:23] somehow a lie.
[2:24:24] Pluralism is not a lie.
[2:24:27] It is the reality of America
[2:24:28] and every true democracy.
[2:24:29] Pluralism is the discipline of
[2:24:33] coexistence and it is one of
[2:24:34] the greatest achievements of
[2:24:34] human civilization.
[2:24:37] It is the understanding that
[2:24:38] people can profoundly differ
[2:24:38] and still live as neighbors
[2:24:42] honor each other's rights and
[2:24:42] still bind themselves to
[2:24:43] the common civic life.
[2:24:47] In fact, his statement defeats
[2:24:47] itself because the very freedom
[2:24:48] that allows this congressman
[2:24:51] from Tennessee to say such a
[2:24:52] sick thing exists only because
[2:24:52] he lives in a pluralistic
[2:24:53] society.
[2:24:56] His exercising liberty in a
[2:24:57] nation that protects conscience
[2:25:01] precisely because it refuses to
[2:25:02] turn one sect into the ruler of
[2:25:02] all the others.
[2:25:06] So in denouncing pluralism, he
[2:25:06] is standing on the very ground
[2:25:07] that pluralism built
[2:25:07] the gospel.
[2:25:10] According to Matthew teaches us
[2:25:11] that the man who built his
[2:25:15] house on such sand Jesus Christ
[2:25:16] called such a person a fool And
[2:25:20] as a Christian and Catholic I
[2:25:21] must say clearly my faith does
[2:25:21] not permit me to hate broadly
[2:25:25] or lazily or hate at all.
[2:25:25] My faith calls me higher.
[2:25:29] His tweet is so antithetical to
[2:25:30] Christian faith one has to
[2:25:31] wonder just what faith does a
[2:25:31] congressman from Tennessee
[2:25:34] practice.
[2:25:35] I'll end with this council
[2:25:36] PRESIDENT And the ancient
[2:25:39] prayer of the Catholic Church
[2:25:40] when I say on Sunday mornings
[2:25:44] Gloria and Excelsis Deo we say
[2:25:45] glory to GOD in the highest and
[2:25:45] on earth peace to people of
[2:25:49] goodwill, peace to people of
[2:25:50] goodwill.
[2:25:54] That is the call not suspicion
[2:25:54] and not exclusion.
[2:25:58] Peace Not the sorting of human
[2:25:58] beings into the worthy and
[2:25:59] the unworthy.
[2:26:00] That alone is left to GOD.
[2:26:03] So let me answer this ugliness
[2:26:04] with moral clarity.
[2:26:07] Muslims belong in America fully
[2:26:08] ,freely and equally as all
[2:26:13] people of goodwill belong.
[2:26:13] Thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
[2:26:14] All right.
[2:26:14] Thank you for bringing that to
[2:26:18] our attention and your good
[2:26:18] words.
[2:26:19] We'll go next to the city
[2:26:19] clerk.
[2:26:22] Thank you for the time council
[2:26:23] PRESIDENT.
[2:26:23] I did just want to note for
[2:26:24] the record that the following
[2:26:28] public examination periods are
[2:26:28] starting to run.
[2:26:29] If we can make that a little
[2:26:33] bit bigger on the screen.
[2:26:33] Kevin The candidates statement
[2:26:34] of qualifications and
[2:26:35] designation of principal
[2:26:38] profession vocation or
[2:26:38] occupation runs from MARCH 6th
[2:26:39] through MARCH 16th.
[2:26:42] Ordinances calling the election
[2:26:43] ordinance placing measures on
[2:26:44] the ballot is MARCH 9th through
[2:26:44] MARCH 19th.
[2:26:47] The City Attorney's impartial
[2:26:48] analysis ballot title summary
[2:26:52] and Mayor eBay City Ordinance
[2:26:53] Fiscal Analysis will run at
[2:26:53] MARCH 10th through MARCH 20th.
[2:26:56] And as noted yesterday
[2:26:57] appellate arguments are due
[2:26:57] tomorrow and then that public
[2:27:00] examination period will run
[2:27:01] MARCH 12th through MARCH 22nd.
[2:27:01] You can find all of this
[2:27:05] information as well as all of
[2:27:06] the materials to be viewed by
[2:27:06] the public at San diego.Gov
[2:27:10] Backslash 2026 elections.
[2:27:11] i'd also just like to give a
[2:27:11] big thank you to my staff
[2:27:14] deputy director Christina
[2:27:15] Hernandez, Mark Moreno, my
[2:27:16] elections analyst and everyone
[2:27:19] who helped with the candidate
[2:27:19] nomination period that
[2:27:20] concluded last Thursday with a
[2:27:24] record breaking 25 candidates
[2:27:25] for districts two, four, six
[2:27:25] and eight.
[2:27:26] Thank you for all your efforts
[2:27:29] to make democracy happen.
[2:27:30] Thank you, council PRESIDENT
[2:27:30] For the time.
[2:27:31] All right.
[2:27:32] Thank you, City Clerk And we'll
[2:27:34] go next to council member
[2:27:35] Whitburn.
[2:27:35] Thank you.
[2:27:36] Council PRESIDENT Council
[2:27:36] Councilmember Campos.
[2:27:38] Eloquent words a moment ago
[2:27:39] speak for themselves but I just
[2:27:40] wanted to thank him for saying
[2:27:40] them.
[2:27:41] Thank you.
[2:27:43] Thank you.
[2:27:43] All right.
[2:27:44] A couple of comments here given
[2:27:48] some of the public comment
[2:27:48] earlier today.
[2:27:49] I just wanted to recognize
[2:27:50] the operation staff and
[2:27:53] the good work they do every day
[2:27:53] and especially those in need
[2:27:57] who have taken over a real
[2:27:58] estate department that was not
[2:27:58] in very good shape and has
[2:28:02] really worked wonders to bring
[2:28:06] that into shape and especially
[2:28:06] updating 700 Dash ten which
[2:28:07] affects so many of our
[2:28:11] decisions.
[2:28:11] And then a reminder that we do
[2:28:15] have a special with excuse me a
[2:28:16] reminder that we have an
[2:28:19] evening session starting at 6
[2:28:20] P.M. Tonight for public comment
[2:28:20] on budget.
[2:28:21] i appreciate all those who
[2:28:24] showed up at the earlier effort
[2:28:25] and we continue to welcome
[2:28:29] public comment on the upcoming
[2:28:30] f y 2027 budget.
[2:28:34] With that we will now take up
[2:28:35] non agenda public comment and I
[2:28:38] hope at least four of my
[2:28:39] colleagues will stick around.
[2:28:40] The council members respect and
[2:28:43] appreciate the public
[2:28:44] standpoint and are fully
[2:28:44] committed to protecting every
[2:28:45] participant's free speech
[2:28:47] rights at council and committee
[2:28:48] meetings with that clerk.
[2:28:49] Please proceed with public
[2:28:49] comment.
[2:28:49] Thank you.
[2:28:52] Council PRESIDENT Pearl 2.7 An
[2:28:53] Agenda Public comment is an
[2:28:57] opportunity for members of
[2:28:58] the public to comment on items
[2:28:58] that are not on the agenda but
[2:28:59] within the subject matter
[2:29:02] jurisdiction of the city
[2:29:03] Council.
[2:29:03] Each speaker will have two
[2:29:04] minutes.
[2:29:04] Please note if there are eight
[2:29:05] or more speakers on a single
[2:29:07] topic the maximum time for
[2:29:08] the topic will be 16 minutes.
[2:29:08] If you are in chambers please
[2:29:11] submit your speaker slip.
[2:29:12] If you are joining us virtually
[2:29:13] please raise your hand now to
[2:29:14] speak by tapping the Raise your
[2:29:18] hand icon or if you're calling
[2:29:18] participant Star nine.
[2:29:19] Begin with the following
[2:29:21] individuals Please come forward
[2:29:21] to the front row.
[2:29:22] Joel Sharpe You can come up to
[2:29:23] the microphone after that.
[2:29:26] Jacob Edwards, Barbara Holton,
[2:29:31] Scott Chipman and Blair Beekman
[2:29:31] .
[2:29:32] Joel, you'll have two minutes.
[2:29:32] Please proceed.
[2:29:32] Yes.
[2:29:36] Good afternoon.
[2:29:36] I'm Joel Sharp, property owner
[2:29:37] in the University Heights area.
[2:29:41] I'm here today to talk about
[2:29:42] the Stewards Underground
[2:29:42] program in partnership with
[2:29:45] the city about my property in
[2:29:49] 2011 and the 10th Avenue Finger
[2:29:50] just south of Mission Valley
[2:29:50] the canyon there.
[2:29:54] And when I called City Genie in
[2:29:55] 2011 they gave me an
[2:29:58] approximate date of 2026
[2:29:58] telling me of course that
[2:29:59] the city controls the schedule
[2:30:02] So stay on the streets not as
[2:30:03] De Jeannie But I was a little
[2:30:07] disappointed Therefore here are
[2:30:07] 20 2615 years later and nothing
[2:30:12] is planned to remove the poles
[2:30:13] and the canyon behind our
[2:30:16] properties on 10th Avenue
[2:30:17] University Heights The map show
[2:30:18] that's just a blank is not
[2:30:20] scheduled is nothing.
[2:30:21] So I'm really here to tell you
[2:30:26] as a retired architect that my
[2:30:26] recommendation is that you guys
[2:30:27] should be removing the poles
[2:30:30] and overhead power and all of
[2:30:31] the canyon and hillside areas
[2:30:34] of the city first as a phase
[2:30:35] one because you have limited
[2:30:35] budget and then do the standard
[2:30:39] concrete sidewalk street
[2:30:40] installation removals as a
[2:30:40] phase two throughout the old
[2:30:44] neighborhood.
[2:30:45] That's common sense to me Since
[2:30:48] the Canyon Locations offers
[2:30:49] higher fire risk overall as a
[2:30:50] canyon owner of course I'm
[2:30:54] required to manage the brush
[2:30:55] 100ft away from my house as
[2:30:59] defensible space which I do out
[2:31:00] of self interest of course as
[2:31:00] an owner but for
[2:31:04] the neighborhood as well and as
[2:31:04] Jeannie by the way sent a drone
[2:31:07] over my area and Canyon a
[2:31:08] couple of weeks ago to assess
[2:31:09] the fire hazard of their
[2:31:13] equipment in the canyon areas.
[2:31:14] So that's my message really is
[2:31:15] you guys should be doing
[2:31:18] the canyon area rules for
[2:31:19] undergrounding first before you
[2:31:19] do the Standard Street
[2:31:23] installations.
[2:31:24] That's kind of my my beef and
[2:31:27] request you guys give me that
[2:31:28] You guys have limited budget
[2:31:28] overall but just do the canyon
[2:31:31] areas first then do the regular
[2:31:36] is next door use politics or
[2:31:37] arbitrariness to to make
[2:31:38] the decision Thank you for
[2:31:38] thanks.
[2:31:39] Comment Jacob Edwards If you
[2:31:43] can please come forward.
[2:31:44] Thank you City Council for
[2:31:45] the work you do for San Diego.
[2:31:47] I don't think two minutes is
[2:31:48] enough time to explain this but
[2:31:51] I'm going to try.
[2:31:52] I'm speaking about one of
[2:31:53] the last assassination attempts
[2:31:57] against me last Super Bowl
[2:31:57] evening.
[2:31:58] I was going around the Gaslamp
[2:32:02] area educating people of what's
[2:32:03] really going on in this
[2:32:03] country.
[2:32:06] Not long thereafter I had all
[2:32:07] black suv, government suv
[2:32:11] swarming circling around me
[2:32:12] driving them were wiseguy
[2:32:12] gangsters.
[2:32:16] Then I was pointing that out
[2:32:16] which was being recognized
[2:32:17] within the event.
[2:32:21] I had gangsters approaching me
[2:32:22] straight in the street being
[2:32:26] weathered and experienced to
[2:32:26] avoid danger.
[2:32:27] I came here to City Hall under
[2:32:31] cameras at the front door.
[2:32:36] They put up to a young girl a
[2:32:36] teenage girl approaching me
[2:32:37] head on with a bulge in her
[2:32:41] pocket wearing a hoodie.
[2:32:45] I yelled No you don't circle
[2:32:46] around her startled her.
[2:32:47] She was walking off holding a
[2:32:50] revolver.
[2:32:51] A young girl police department
[2:32:55] handle it very poorly.
[2:32:56] I consider it police department
[2:33:00] department infiltration Days
[2:33:01] later I'm in records to get
[2:33:05] records of how it was handled.
[2:33:06] There were two Department of
[2:33:10] Homeland Security folk in there
[2:33:10] to request to meet with
[2:33:11] the chief's office Human
[2:33:11] Resources.
[2:33:15] They said, which is Chief.
[2:33:20] The lady was laughing at me
[2:33:20] laughing in my face.
[2:33:21] I said to her You think this is
[2:33:24] funny?
[2:33:25] She said, Oh it's hysterical.
[2:33:29] Went into the chief's office to
[2:33:29] cry, dehumanize me and
[2:33:30] validate, discredit me and
[2:33:34] probably say he's down there to
[2:33:35] sue you all We're here for you
[2:33:38] know I went in there to sue
[2:33:38] you.
[2:33:39] I wouldn't harass through
[2:33:40] the police department.
[2:33:44] I would not sue San Diego.
[2:33:45] >> I was there to show Thank
[2:33:48] you for that federal activity
[2:33:49] and what it's doing.
[2:33:51] Barbara Holton I don't see
[2:33:51] Barbara Holton here.
[2:34:01] Scott Chipman Good afternoon 50
[2:34:01] year resident of Pacific Beach
[2:34:02] and Planning Group member and
[2:34:06] founding member of Save ppb
[2:34:10] Save ppb Board With over 400
[2:34:10] members on Monday you will
[2:34:11] consider the issue of a secret
[2:34:15] exemption for 710 Club Street
[2:34:19] three 710 Garnet Avenue under
[2:34:19] secure exemptions are
[2:34:23] interpreted narrowly and
[2:34:24] the burden is on the city to
[2:34:25] show the exemption applies.
[2:34:28] On Monday you will hear that
[2:34:29] there is a reasonable
[2:34:30] possibility even likelihood of
[2:34:33] significant environmental
[2:34:34] impact due to unusual
[2:34:34] circumstances.
[2:34:38] Those circumstances include but
[2:34:39] are not limited to hundreds of
[2:34:43] noise complaints including
[2:34:43] amplified vulgarity and
[2:34:48] obscenity exacerbated by roll
[2:34:48] up doors.
[2:34:49] A superior Court mandated
[2:34:53] mediation agreement over noise
[2:34:53] loss of critical beach parking
[2:34:54] and increased demand for
[2:34:58] parking by increasing
[2:34:58] occupancy.
[2:35:02] That was two minutes.
[2:35:03] No, my apologies.
[2:35:03] I think I got confused.
[2:35:04] Keep going.
[2:35:06] Thank you.
[2:35:07] And increased demand for
[2:35:11] parking by increasing occupancy
[2:35:12] .
[2:35:12] I've provided correspondence
[2:35:13] from the Coastal Commission
[2:35:16] that should have been
[2:35:17] distributed Represented
[2:35:22] Representative Alexander Lee
[2:35:23] Andre to two Project Manager
[2:35:31] Nature or Sir Doug Howard quote
[2:35:31] all on street parking removed
[2:35:35] to construct a street ratio be
[2:35:36] replaced with an equivalent
[2:35:36] number of off street parking
[2:35:41] spaces provided at no cost to
[2:35:42] the public and if there is not
[2:35:45] a one for one replacement out
[2:35:49] of the five occupied parking
[2:35:50] this project is not approvable
[2:35:54] and must be removed in summary
[2:35:58] coastal zone parking is
[2:35:59] directly tied to public access
[2:36:00] under the Coastal Act
[2:36:04] the exemption cannot apply due
[2:36:05] to unusual circumstances.
[2:36:09] >> Thank you Blair Beekman If
[2:36:13] you can come forward Blair
[2:36:14] Brickman is our final speaker
[2:36:15] here in council chambers.
[2:36:15] If you are participating
[2:36:19] remotely please be sure to
[2:36:19] raise your hand.
[2:36:20] Please proceed.
[2:36:20] Hi Blair Beekman.
[2:36:23] Thanks for the morning meeting.
[2:36:24] Um, we're going to do some
[2:36:28] difficult times at
[2:36:29] the international level that
[2:36:30] are hopefully trying to ease
[2:36:32] themselves down.
[2:36:33] Um, I.
[2:36:34] I don't want to be difficult
[2:36:37] here at this time, but I think
[2:36:38] it's important to point out
[2:36:42] from the um agenda item
[2:36:47] yesterday on zoological uh uh
[2:36:48] society issues and their
[2:36:51] contract things it states in
[2:36:52] the first memo at the very end
[2:36:53] it gives a very clear summary
[2:36:57] that the future of parking fee
[2:37:02] issues there is going to be $3
[2:37:03] million allocated that was
[2:37:06] going to go to general fund
[2:37:07] items that also concerned
[2:37:10] zoological Society.
[2:37:11] And that was a beginning
[2:37:16] promise and concept that I
[2:37:17] think still has some validity
[2:37:21] that I need more clarity about
[2:37:22] and that I felt Councilperson
[2:37:26] LaCava didn't really work
[2:37:26] towards that clarity.
[2:37:27] He worked towards a finality
[2:37:31] and absolution ism and a
[2:37:31] certain condescending tone
[2:37:32] towards the community but
[2:37:36] didn't offer I think a true,
[2:37:36] you know, idea of what
[2:37:41] the future parking piece is
[2:37:41] like.
[2:37:42] So until that is cleared up
[2:37:42] better I'm going to try to
[2:37:46] continue to operate here in
[2:37:46] the public space a shared
[2:37:51] compromise idea that some ps
[2:37:51] are going to Balboa Park
[2:37:52] issues, some are going to
[2:37:55] the general fund.
[2:37:56] Uh hopefully a conversation can
[2:37:57] better develop.
[2:38:01] And I hope that can be an open
[2:38:01] clear conversation for all of
[2:38:02] us.
[2:38:02] It doesn't have to be fearful
[2:38:03] and very much of a thank you in
[2:38:05] yesterday's item that we talked
[2:38:10] about climate change issues
[2:38:10] the purpose of community energy
[2:38:15] was not also talked about that
[2:38:16] I hope we can learn to make of
[2:38:17] a more of a regular
[2:38:17] conversation we're trying to
[2:38:21] address a state uni.
[2:38:22] >> I think that's an important
[2:38:22] concept.
[2:38:22] Thank you.
[2:38:23] Thank you for that concluding
[2:38:25] comment.
[2:38:25] Sorry the five minute timer
[2:38:26] going to those participating
[2:38:26] remotely.
[2:38:29] We currently have ten speakers
[2:38:30] on the queue just we have ten
[2:38:33] speakers that's 20 minutes I
[2:38:34] think we just power through and
[2:38:34] get it done.
[2:38:35] I know someone's going to leave
[2:38:37] but we understand we have five.
[2:38:42] Let's hold the five going
[2:38:43] forward.
[2:38:43] Andrea Irving if you can please
[2:38:44] unmute after that as Laurie's
[2:38:47] all done.
[2:38:47] >> Please proceed.
[2:38:48] This is Andrea having and.
[2:38:48] Perfect.
[2:38:51] Thank you MR. LaCava for saying
[2:38:52] that because you guys don't
[2:38:53] want to hear what we have to
[2:38:56] say.
[2:38:57] That's the problem.
[2:38:58] If this were a triage and you
[2:39:01] had to figure out who you could
[2:39:01] help most immediately in
[2:39:05] the community, it's the people
[2:39:06] that are presenting directly to
[2:39:06] you.
[2:39:07] And MR. LaCava, a moment ago
[2:39:08] you said that you were just
[2:39:11] distracted by public comment.
[2:39:11] What a nuisance We are
[2:39:12] the people that pay your
[2:39:12] salary.
[2:39:15] What a nuisance We are
[2:39:16] the people that have the guts
[2:39:17] to come up and present to you
[2:39:21] guys And when we present facts
[2:39:21] and you roll your eyes and
[2:39:22] leave and you don't have a
[2:39:22] quorum anymore and we have to
[2:39:26] come back another day.
[2:39:26] Thank GOD we will come back
[2:39:27] another day.
[2:39:27] But guess what?
[2:39:31] When we do you still don't
[2:39:31] listen to us And the comments
[2:39:32] about discussing the items
[2:39:35] we're talking about.
[2:39:35] >> That's great.
[2:39:36] Good idea.
[2:39:37] However, you guys don't put in
[2:39:37] our comments.
[2:39:40] So what's the point?
[2:39:40] Why do I have to follow your
[2:39:41] structure when the only thing
[2:39:45] that you put that I say is my
[2:39:46] name Raul Campo.
[2:39:46] I am District seven.
[2:39:50] I am Linda Vista and I have
[2:39:51] often wondered why you have
[2:39:54] done zero about the father in
[2:39:55] Linda Vista that got detained
[2:39:58] in front of the elementary
[2:39:59] school as a Mexican-American
[2:39:59] man.
[2:40:02] I wondered why you wouldn't do
[2:40:03] anything about that, why you
[2:40:04] made that Afghan evac video and
[2:40:07] you said you will not stop
[2:40:08] fighting for Afghan rights when
[2:40:08] me.
[2:40:09] I am your constituent.
[2:40:13] I live in districts seven and I
[2:40:13] present to you every single
[2:40:14] week And you look over my head
[2:40:17] and you leave and you do
[2:40:18] nothing And my children were
[2:40:19] abducted and you just had a
[2:40:19] baby.
[2:40:22] I wonder why you're fighting so
[2:40:23] hard for these people you've
[2:40:23] never met has nothing to do
[2:40:27] with Muslim.
[2:40:27] >> We're not.
[2:40:28] Nobody doesn't love me?
[2:40:28] No.
[2:40:31] Sorry.
[2:40:32] There is a huge thing against
[2:40:32] Muslims.
[2:40:33] However, we did go to war with
[2:40:37] Afghanistan and they are our
[2:40:37] war adversary.
[2:40:38] Love your neighbor.
[2:40:38] Love your enemy.
[2:40:38] Great.
[2:40:42] But when people like me are
[2:40:42] almost murdered and children
[2:40:46] are abducted, it makes perfect
[2:40:47] sense that you wouldn't help me
[2:40:47] because your prosecutor wife is
[2:40:51] a prostitute shooter who
[2:40:52] doesn't want to help me.
[2:40:53] >> Your time has concluded.
[2:40:57] Lori Saldana, if you can please
[2:40:57] unmute after that.
[2:40:58] Thank you.
[2:40:58] Hello.
[2:41:00] Please proceed.
[2:41:01] Thank you.
[2:41:01] Council PRESIDENT Thank you for
[2:41:02] reading what people jokingly
[2:41:06] call the Saldana statement that
[2:41:07] was required to be read as part
[2:41:07] of the settlement after a
[2:41:11] brownout violation a few years
[2:41:12] ago in response to certain
[2:41:12] council members efforts to
[2:41:15] silence public comment related
[2:41:16] ignoring members of the public
[2:41:17] as they are speaking virtually
[2:41:21] joking with your colleague next
[2:41:22] to you.
[2:41:22] It shows the disdain for our
[2:41:25] voices and perspective leaving
[2:41:26] before we can even speak is
[2:41:26] even worse.
[2:41:27] Look especially for those of
[2:41:30] you who are intending to run or
[2:41:31] are already running for other
[2:41:31] elected offices.
[2:41:35] We will remember you ignoring
[2:41:36] the public's comments and
[2:41:37] talking through our comments.
[2:41:41] We see you as you speak.
[2:41:41] We see you on the city tv
[2:41:42] webcast And when you leave
[2:41:45] before or during our remarks or
[2:41:46] talk and laughed with
[2:41:46] the person next to you, it
[2:41:49] strongly reflects your
[2:41:50] unwillingness and inability to
[2:41:51] listen to public voices.
[2:41:54] Finally, I want to remind you
[2:41:55] that APRIL is Sexual Assault
[2:41:56] Awareness Month something that
[2:41:59] I worked with other groups to
[2:42:00] acknowledge and recognize for
[2:42:04] decades now and for decades you
[2:42:05] and your predecessors delayed
[2:42:05] and denied justice for
[2:42:09] survivors of sexual assault and
[2:42:09] other violent crimes.
[2:42:10] Last year the police department
[2:42:14] finally acknowledged they had
[2:42:15] failed to test and identify dna
[2:42:19] found in thousands of sexual
[2:42:20] assault evidence kits and over
[2:42:20] 500 suspects were finally
[2:42:24] identified and they're already
[2:42:25] in the criminal justice system
[2:42:28] and related in NOVEMBER after a
[2:42:29] friend and I were assaulted in
[2:42:30] downtown San Diego, our efforts
[2:42:33] to report the crime were met
[2:42:33] with delays.
[2:42:34] To the degree that she has
[2:42:35] never been able to file a
[2:42:38] police report and I waited
[2:42:39] seven hours for a police
[2:42:40] officer to come to my home
[2:42:43] Don't you dare say we are
[2:42:44] America's safest big city.
[2:42:48] Because what is happening is
[2:42:48] you are simply not listening to
[2:42:49] survivors of violence whether
[2:42:53] it's sexual assault or other
[2:42:53] types of assault.
[2:42:54] The police are ignoring our
[2:42:58] efforts to report the crimes
[2:42:58] just as you are ignoring our
[2:42:59] comments during council your
[2:43:03] time has concluded the original
[2:43:04] and after that is 8700.
[2:43:04] >> That is absolutely true.
[2:43:08] Sexual assaults are being
[2:43:09] ignored, even deaths.
[2:43:10] That's what's happening at Tent
[2:43:10] City.
[2:43:13] You guys contract with people
[2:43:14] who hire people who sexually
[2:43:18] assault individuals and you
[2:43:19] refuse to do anything about it.
[2:43:20] You know it So you are
[2:43:23] complicit in it and they are
[2:43:24] being told not to report it.
[2:43:27] My dreams for change staff and
[2:43:28] you guys are sitting here and
[2:43:29] talking about a St Patrick's
[2:43:32] Day parade and all this stuff
[2:43:33] at Balboa Park right off
[2:43:33] the inspiration point way At
[2:43:37] the end of that is Tent City
[2:43:38] and Dreams for Change has been
[2:43:42] for the last year and a half in
[2:43:46] the news about clients who have
[2:43:47] alleged that sexually the staff
[2:43:48] has been sexually assaulting
[2:43:51] them at your safe sleeping
[2:43:52] sites and they are actually a
[2:43:57] subsidiary of the United Way
[2:43:57] And we're being paid by
[2:43:58] the Franchise Tax Board to help
[2:44:02] immigrants who are not yet
[2:44:02] citizens including some
[2:44:03] undocumented immigrants to get
[2:44:07] tax id numbers and file tax
[2:44:07] returns so that migrants can
[2:44:08] have cash on hand from
[2:44:12] the state In a program called
[2:44:16] the Cow itc the they have to be
[2:44:17] wants to look for specific
[2:44:17] families and ask dreams for
[2:44:18] change to do that so they can
[2:44:21] get more cash back than people
[2:44:21] without children.
[2:44:22] There is a particular focus on
[2:44:25] families who have children that
[2:44:26] are six years or younger as
[2:44:27] they get the maximum cash
[2:44:30] payout available when they're
[2:44:31] engaged in this type of thing
[2:44:35] And 211 is is directing people
[2:44:36] to dreams for change.
[2:44:36] You guys know that Dreams for
[2:44:40] Change is failing to uphold
[2:44:41] their contracts because
[2:44:41] the city is there on site and
[2:44:45] there are many, many code
[2:44:46] violations.
[2:44:46] The conditions that these
[2:44:47] people have to live in are
[2:44:51] atrocious and you continue to
[2:44:51] give our money to them all
[2:44:52] while they are putting children
[2:44:56] at risk to be able to be taken
[2:44:56] from school because of this
[2:44:57] information that they are
[2:45:00] collecting And before nine five
[2:45:01] where anybody can go in and
[2:45:01] claim they're a family member
[2:45:04] and take a child So you guys
[2:45:05] need to figure out what you're
[2:45:06] doing and quit contracting with
[2:45:09] these people and actually care
[2:45:10] about people who are being
[2:45:10] sexually assaulted concluded
[2:45:14] after that is 8700.
[2:45:14] Then Hector the five minute
[2:45:15] timer also concluded no
[2:45:19] additional speakers will be
[2:45:19] taken.
[2:45:20] There are ten speakers in
[2:45:20] the queue and the timer
[2:45:23] concluded 3700.
[2:45:23] Please proceed.
[2:45:29] Thank you so much, Joyce And
[2:45:29] you have a three.
[2:45:29] Okay.
[2:45:32] I'll see my items in a minute.
[2:45:37] I mean there won't.
[2:45:37] Okay.
[2:45:41] Can you imagine if all our
[2:45:47] voices were not I love this
[2:45:47] about our country.
[2:45:51] We can speak and can you
[2:45:52] imagine what it would be like
[2:45:55] if they were repressed and
[2:46:01] covertly underground Not heard.
[2:46:05] Can you imagine the point of
[2:46:06] explosion that would happen at
[2:46:10] some point because of that
[2:46:11] pressure?
[2:46:11] I don't think we want to go
[2:46:15] with it.
[2:46:15] Thank everybody for expressing
[2:46:20] your views.
[2:46:21] You have a right to do that.
[2:46:21] We must hear you.
[2:46:25] It's critical.
[2:46:25] It's critical to our democracy.
[2:46:26] Okay.
[2:46:30] Thank you for listening on
[2:46:31] that.
[2:46:31] So get to my three items.
[2:46:35] I'll try to be real quick.
[2:46:36] I really would like us to look
[2:46:39] further at the idea of
[2:46:44] the oversupply of office supply
[2:46:49] in our downtown and how we use
[2:46:50] that do number two council
[2:46:54] member Ella Rivera I think you
[2:46:55] said something very, very
[2:46:55] important.
[2:47:00] You said we need a policy on
[2:47:00] the eye.
[2:47:01] Let's do that.
[2:47:03] Okay.
[2:47:04] We really really really really
[2:47:04] really need to do that.
[2:47:07] Can you please put an effort
[2:47:08] into that?
[2:47:08] I would appreciate that.
[2:47:14] And then last only No, I better
[2:47:14] skip that because it's too
[2:47:14] long.
[2:47:18] So anyway, it's a great
[2:47:18] morning.
[2:47:19] It's absolutely a great morning
[2:47:22] There was a little bit of
[2:47:23] everything the excitement of
[2:47:28] life, everything has to be
[2:47:29] included in whether we want it
[2:47:29] is not a good time has
[2:47:32] concluded and my apologies
[2:47:33] Hector if you can please unmute
[2:47:38] after that 7499 Nice.
[2:47:38] Thanks for taking my call.
[2:47:42] Hey I want to call attention to
[2:47:42] the fact that there were 50
[2:47:47] cars set on fire in Tijuana
[2:47:47] just recently for the drug
[2:47:50] dealers when we took out that
[2:47:51] one drug dealer.
[2:47:56] And so Tijuana is the city in
[2:47:56] the hemisphere by far.
[2:48:00] So we're at risk with that plus
[2:48:01] your recent invasion and I'm
[2:48:05] calling out the occupiers of
[2:48:06] our land right now in San Diego
[2:48:06] County.
[2:48:10] The people who invaded are
[2:48:10] those illegal aliens that live
[2:48:11] here Now They just came here.
[2:48:14] Those are the real occupiers or
[2:48:15] county and they're draining our
[2:48:16] systems.
[2:48:19] 75,000 of them are on Medi-Cal
[2:48:24] and medical system is going
[2:48:24] under.
[2:48:25] So we got to we got to get rid
[2:48:28] of those guys.
[2:48:29] Trump's fighting the drug
[2:48:29] dealers now with the South
[2:48:30] American guys.
[2:48:33] All the countries they're
[2:48:33] getting serious.
[2:48:34] They're coming after the guys
[2:48:37] in San Diego County that hide
[2:48:38] their money.
[2:48:39] The drug dealers have got a lot
[2:48:39] of houses here.
[2:48:43] They're like shelter in their
[2:48:43] businesses, in their stock.
[2:48:44] So it could get really pretty
[2:48:48] crazy that plus we all know
[2:48:49] the mayor of Tijuana's hooked
[2:48:52] up with the drug dealers And I
[2:48:53] know some guys Mexican guys you
[2:48:57] know that guys know that Even
[2:48:57] our border supervisor lady
[2:48:58] who's who was an anchor baby
[2:49:02] she was born in San Diego was
[2:49:03] raised in Mexico.
[2:49:07] I call that an anchor baby.
[2:49:08] She's hooked up with the drug
[2:49:09] dealers So it's going to get
[2:49:13] crazy.
[2:49:13] Matt Trump's going to was going
[2:49:14] to take over Cuba and he's kind
[2:49:15] of come back to San Diego
[2:49:17] County and start start doing it
[2:49:18] with us man.
[2:49:22] Plus the we should have a a day
[2:49:26] commemorating up with all
[2:49:26] the genders.
[2:49:27] There's 16 genders.
[2:49:28] It's kind of homophobic to have
[2:49:30] a day of a woman because we
[2:49:31] don't know what a woman is.
[2:49:32] You know what's going on with
[2:49:32] that?
[2:49:36] How can you have a day
[2:49:36] celebrating women when we can't
[2:49:40] define what a woman is?
[2:49:41] Your time has concluded next to
[2:49:47] 7499 after that is back you up
[2:49:47] Bob Kozinski here I again want
[2:49:52] to assert that this city is
[2:49:52] abusing the hang gliding and
[2:49:53] paragliding communities through
[2:49:54] your negligent oversight of
[2:49:57] the business operating
[2:49:57] the Torrey Pines flight or
[2:49:58] port.
[2:49:58] The glider port is a natural
[2:49:59] treasure just like our other
[2:50:01] beaches and open spaces
[2:50:02] throughout San Diego.
[2:50:03] However, unlike those other
[2:50:03] parks, the glider port is
[2:50:07] exclusively leased to a private
[2:50:07] business that charges citizens
[2:50:08] to use our park.
[2:50:11] And unlike those other parks,
[2:50:12] the business that the Torrey
[2:50:12] Pines Glider Park requires
[2:50:13] citizens to be members of a
[2:50:17] private club that expels
[2:50:17] citizens for testifying in
[2:50:18] court cases against
[2:50:21] the business or even for
[2:50:22] speaking to the city council.
[2:50:23] Joe LaCava As PRESIDENT You it
[2:50:25] is your duty to bring this
[2:50:26] matter to the Council to
[2:50:27] reactivate the Torrey Pines
[2:50:30] City Park Advisory Board and to
[2:50:31] implement a waiver similar to
[2:50:32] the successful Dockweiler
[2:50:35] waiver to allow citizens to use
[2:50:36] our park without belonging to
[2:50:36] any abusive private
[2:50:40] organization.
[2:50:41] In addition to advocating for
[2:50:42] our rights at the glider port I
[2:50:42] feel compelled to spend some of
[2:50:45] my non agenda time advocating
[2:50:45] for citizens who speak here In
[2:50:49] past years the City Clerk would
[2:50:50] list upcoming remote speakers
[2:50:51] and she would say something to
[2:50:53] the effect of the next speaker
[2:50:54] is 1234 followed by three,
[2:50:57] four, five six and 5678.
[2:50:58] The city clerk often says most
[2:50:59] of that but she does not
[2:51:02] reliably list the upcoming
[2:51:03] speakers.
[2:51:04] This means that speakers often
[2:51:04] have no idea when they will be
[2:51:07] called.
[2:51:08] Speakers have no idea if they
[2:51:08] are first in the queue or 10th
[2:51:09] in the queue.
[2:51:12] Speakers have no advance notice
[2:51:12] of when they are expected to
[2:51:13] unmute and begin speaking
[2:51:14] the best case This is
[2:51:16] inefficient.
[2:51:17] In the worst case citizens are
[2:51:18] often surprised when called and
[2:51:22] unable to unmute in time to
[2:51:22] speak.
[2:51:23] Please at least announce each
[2:51:23] speaker along with the two
[2:51:27] following speakers every time.
[2:51:28] With regard to MR. Campfield,
[2:51:28] your comments might be taken
[2:51:29] seriously if you weren't so
[2:51:31] hypocritical about protecting
[2:51:32] the rights of all citizens in
[2:51:32] our city.
[2:51:33] Charity begins at home.
[2:51:36] Shame on you for grandstanding
[2:51:36] on the national issue while
[2:51:37] ignoring the obvious local
[2:51:37] abuses.
[2:51:41] Finally MS..
[2:51:42] Saldana is spot on with regard
[2:51:42] to the disrespect that this
[2:51:43] Council shows the public Thank
[2:51:46] you to MISS Saldana.
[2:51:47] >> Thank you.
[2:51:47] Thank you.
[2:51:50] Wrap your next please on mute.
[2:51:55] After that as Madison.
[2:51:55] Good afternoon.
[2:51:59] My name is Becky Rapp and I
[2:52:00] come here out of concern
[2:52:00] regarding the proposal to add
[2:52:04] 36 new pot permits for
[2:52:05] the socially equitable cannabis
[2:52:05] program.
[2:52:06] It's important to look at
[2:52:10] neighboring cities as they have
[2:52:10] already pursued and implemented
[2:52:11] this program.
[2:52:15] One example is Los Angeles as
[2:52:15] their program has shown serious
[2:52:16] shortfalls.
[2:52:19] First the financial reality
[2:52:20] Hundreds of cannabis licenses
[2:52:20] were issued including many
[2:52:21] through their social equity
[2:52:24] program.
[2:52:24] Yet they're struggling.
[2:52:25] Reports indicate that hundreds
[2:52:29] of businesses owe back taxes
[2:52:29] and the city is facing hundreds
[2:52:30] of millions of dollars in
[2:52:33] unpaid marijuana tax revenue.
[2:52:34] When an industry cannot meet
[2:52:35] its tax obligations, it raises
[2:52:38] an important question Is
[2:52:38] expanding the program fiscally
[2:52:39] responsible?
[2:52:43] Second, these programs have not
[2:52:43] reduced the illicit market
[2:52:44] which was one of the major
[2:52:47] justification for permitting
[2:52:48] these businesses in the first
[2:52:48] place.
[2:52:52] Even after years of licensing
[2:52:53] and enforcement, Los Angeles
[2:52:53] still deals with numerous
[2:52:57] illegal operations.
[2:52:58] San Diego should learn from
[2:52:58] these experiences.
[2:52:59] Our city is already facing
[2:53:02] significant budget pressures
[2:53:03] and we know that our permitted
[2:53:07] businesses have also struggled
[2:53:08] with paying taxes and we
[2:53:08] the public have yet to be
[2:53:09] presented with an updated
[2:53:12] auditing report showing exactly
[2:53:13] how significant our lack of
[2:53:16] back taxes is.
[2:53:17] Now is not the time to expand
[2:53:18] programs that MAY require
[2:53:21] substantial oversight,
[2:53:22] administrative resources and
[2:53:23] enforcement.
[2:53:23] While we struggle to monitor
[2:53:27] for the existing businesses we
[2:53:27] already have committed in our
[2:53:31] city, I urge the Council to
[2:53:32] carefully evaluate whether this
[2:53:33] approach or approach truly
[2:53:36] meets our goals for public
[2:53:37] safety, fiscal responsibility
[2:53:37] and community well-being.
[2:53:41] Thank you.
[2:53:41] >> Thank you.
[2:53:46] Next is Madison After Madison
[2:53:46] is 1822.
[2:53:46] Hi.
[2:53:47] Thank you.
[2:53:47] Good afternoon.
[2:53:51] Council members an issue in San
[2:53:52] Diego that deserves special
[2:53:55] attention is what happens when
[2:53:56] young people begin using
[2:53:56] marijuana regularly and develop
[2:54:00] dependance adolescent is a
[2:54:01] critical period for brain
[2:54:01] development.
[2:54:02] The brain continues developing
[2:54:05] into the mid-twenties
[2:54:05] especially the areas
[2:54:06] responsible for memory decision
[2:54:10] making and emotional
[2:54:10] regulation.
[2:54:11] When teenagers are repeatedly
[2:54:15] exposed to high levels of thc
[2:54:15] during this time, research
[2:54:16] shows it can interfere with
[2:54:19] those developmental processes
[2:54:20] according to physicians and
[2:54:21] toxicology researchers.
[2:54:25] Thc spreads quickly into
[2:54:26] tissues throughout the body
[2:54:26] rather than remaining in
[2:54:30] the bloodstream where it can be
[2:54:30] easily measured.
[2:54:31] This means that even when a
[2:54:35] drug test appears negative, thc
[2:54:35] and its biological effects MAY
[2:54:36] still be present in body
[2:54:39] tissues.
[2:54:40] Young people who develop
[2:54:41] cannabis dependance are more
[2:54:44] likely to experience long term
[2:54:45] problems with attention
[2:54:46] learning and mental health.
[2:54:49] Studies have also linked
[2:54:50] frequent adolescent marijuana
[2:54:50] use to increased risks of
[2:54:54] anxiety, depression and even
[2:54:55] psychosis.
[2:54:59] What begins as experimentation
[2:55:00] can turn into a pattern that
[2:55:00] affects a young person's
[2:55:04] academic success Mental health
[2:55:04] and future opportunities.
[2:55:08] As these policies continue to
[2:55:08] evolve, I also agree that we
[2:55:09] should not be doing
[2:55:10] the socially equitable Cannabis
[2:55:13] program and encourage the city
[2:55:14] to keep youth prevention and
[2:55:15] education at the center of
[2:55:18] the conversation so that we
[2:55:19] don't normalize this harmful
[2:55:19] drug.
[2:55:22] And the next generation can
[2:55:23] have the healthiest possible
[2:55:23] start.
[2:55:24] >> Thank you.
[2:55:24] Thank you.
[2:55:32] Next is 1822.
[2:55:33] After that is Terry and Kelly
[2:55:33] 1822.
[2:55:36] Please proceed.
[2:55:36] >> Good morning.
[2:55:37] Thank you.
[2:55:41] I too opposed to expansion of
[2:55:42] the social equity program.
[2:55:42] As a public health advocate and
[2:55:43] youth manner.
[2:55:46] I wondered why concern over
[2:55:50] tobacco's adverse impact on
[2:55:51] public health has been extended
[2:55:51] to marijuana which presents
[2:55:55] similar risks but worse.
[2:55:56] Finally, media is acknowledging
[2:55:59] this mistake.
[2:56:00] I'd like to share a few
[2:56:01] headlines from just the past
[2:56:04] few weeks that challenged
[2:56:05] misperceptions about marijuana
[2:56:09] safety and commercialization in
[2:56:10] New York Times.
[2:56:10] 20 million Americans say
[2:56:14] they're always high.
[2:56:15] Even liberals recognize
[2:56:19] the craze has gone too far.
[2:56:20] Wall Street Journal.
[2:56:20] High schools are losing
[2:56:24] the fight against pot at
[2:56:24] the Times.
[2:56:24] Yeah.
[2:56:25] She goes up in the body
[2:56:28] influencing inflammation and
[2:56:28] immunity.
[2:56:29] Multimedia.
[2:56:34] Which study links adolescent
[2:56:34] cannabis use to double the risk
[2:56:38] of psychotic and bipolar
[2:56:38] disorders?
[2:56:39] Former White House drug czar
[2:56:42] calls Marijuana Massively
[2:56:43] Destructive.
[2:56:47] 40% of drivers killed in
[2:56:47] crashes had an active thc in
[2:56:51] their systems.
[2:56:52] Another study reveals cannabis
[2:56:56] adverse impact on working
[2:56:56] memory.
[2:56:57] Marijuana linked to premature
[2:57:01] cardio vascular disease.
[2:57:02] And here's one Department of
[2:57:06] Justice makes the case
[2:57:10] marijuana users should lose
[2:57:10] Second Amendment rights because
[2:57:11] they're unpredictable and prone
[2:57:15] to violence.
[2:57:15] This is a small sampling.
[2:57:16] I urge you to follow
[2:57:19] the science and the articles I
[2:57:20] just published weekly.
[2:57:24] They signal a pro legalization
[2:57:25] reversal by the media now
[2:57:29] admitting they were wrong and
[2:57:30] calling for policy change to
[2:57:30] protect public health.
[2:57:34] I hope you'll do the same.
[2:57:35] >> Thank you.
[2:57:35] Thank you.
[2:57:38] Next is Terry and Scully After
[2:57:38] that is Kathleen Lippert.
[2:57:43] Please unmute.
[2:57:43] Hello.
[2:57:47] Can you hear me?
[2:57:48] >> Yes.
[2:57:48] Please proceed.
[2:57:49] Okay, great.
[2:57:52] I was having some audio
[2:57:53] problems.
[2:57:53] Hello.
[2:57:53] Good afternoon.
[2:57:54] My name is Terry and Scully.
[2:57:58] I'm a parent and a planning
[2:57:58] group member and a public
[2:57:59] health educator and economic
[2:58:02] development and governing
[2:58:03] Governmental Relations
[2:58:03] Committee.
[2:58:06] Last week I spoke to item five
[2:58:07] entitled Establishment of a
[2:58:11] Cannabis Social Equity and
[2:58:12] Economic Development or Seed
[2:58:16] program in county Public
[2:58:16] Health.
[2:58:16] We are very aware of
[2:58:17] the increase in adolescents who
[2:58:20] are experiencing health
[2:58:21] problems associated with their
[2:58:22] smoking and vaping and
[2:58:25] the effect it had on their job
[2:58:26] and their school trajectory.
[2:58:30] So last week's item number five
[2:58:30] was very confusing to me since
[2:58:35] marijuana products are most
[2:58:35] often smoked or made,
[2:58:36] the tobacco industry has
[2:58:39] strategically targeted black
[2:58:40] Americans for decades
[2:58:44] drastically, drastically
[2:58:44] affecting their their health
[2:58:45] outcomes And now the marijuana
[2:58:46] industry is doing the same
[2:58:49] thing.
[2:58:50] The Truth Initiative, a premier
[2:58:50] nonprofit recognized this
[2:58:54] situation and joined the acp In
[2:58:55] announcing a partnership to
[2:58:59] address the industry's
[2:58:59] exploitation of black
[2:59:00] communities and empower
[2:59:04] individuals to quit their
[2:59:05] recent factsheets states and I
[2:59:09] quote early and heavy marijuana
[2:59:10] use is linked to a lack of
[2:59:11] economic and social attainment
[2:59:14] for young people.
[2:59:14] Early and heavy marijuana use
[2:59:19] is linked to increased risk of
[2:59:19] psychiatric disorders including
[2:59:23] psychosis, depression, anxiety
[2:59:23] and other substance use
[2:59:24] disorders.
[2:59:28] Frequent smoking of marijuana
[2:59:29] increases the risk of lung
[2:59:32] issues such as bronchitis.
[2:59:33] The c program is the wrong
[2:59:37] program because of diminish
[2:59:38] the health outcomes for young
[2:59:39] people and other vulnerable
[2:59:43] populations and communities of
[2:59:43] concern.
[2:59:44] Thank you for hearing my
[2:59:48] concerns this afternoon.
[2:59:49] Thank you.
[2:59:49] Kathleen Lippert If you can
[2:59:52] please unmute.
[2:59:52] >> Thank you.
[2:59:53] Good afternoon.
[2:59:57] Thank you for letting me speak.
[2:59:58] I'd like to address
[3:00:01] the disconnect between the city
[3:00:02] and what the city claims to
[3:00:06] support and and fund versus
[3:00:07] what it actually does in
[3:00:07] practice.
[3:00:11] So last year dsd sent out a
[3:00:12] news release touting how
[3:00:16] critical it was to hear from
[3:00:17] community members to best
[3:00:20] improve our communities to
[3:00:21] inform their five year
[3:00:25] infrastructure plan.
[3:00:26] San Diegans submitted more than
[3:00:26] 1200 ideas.
[3:00:31] This is a great title but it
[3:00:31] was too bad that it bore no
[3:00:35] resemblance to actual community
[3:00:35] priorities that they
[3:00:36] identified.
[3:00:36] They identified Parks
[3:00:40] Recreation centers, places to
[3:00:40] play as top priorities followed
[3:00:45] by safe sidewalk walks, open
[3:00:46] spaces and libraries.
[3:00:49] They never mention pot shops,
[3:00:50] equity licenses, sidewalk pop
[3:00:54] out that prevent pedestrian
[3:00:55] walking bicycle lanes and void
[3:00:59] and they but boy did you
[3:01:00] avoided independent cost
[3:01:04] analysis that allow you to
[3:01:05] continue to support what you
[3:01:09] want versus what are going to
[3:01:10] be the ramifications and
[3:01:10] harmful side effects and
[3:01:14] unintended consequences.
[3:01:15] But the city has also endorsed
[3:01:19] rezoning laws.
[3:01:19] Community residents want that
[3:01:24] to keep their residential
[3:01:24] zoning.
[3:01:25] They do not want developers to
[3:01:29] destroy their single family
[3:01:30] residences and the investments
[3:01:33] that they made in those in
[3:01:34] those homes that they spent a
[3:01:38] lot of money to build and
[3:01:43] provide for their families.
[3:01:44] The negative impacts of
[3:01:47] rezoning and mixed use zoning
[3:01:48] without public input are
[3:01:49] negatively impacting diverse
[3:01:53] communities across the city
[3:01:53] with a claim of increasing low
[3:01:58] income instead.
[3:01:58] Thank you for letting me speak.
[3:01:59] Thank you.
[3:02:00] That does conclude not a
[3:02:02] general public comment for
[3:02:03] today's meeting.
[3:02:03] >> All right.
[3:02:04] Thank you City Clerk We will
[3:10:14] P.M. Or shortly thereafter
[3:12:14] And
[3:14:27] I
[3:14:27] .
[3:14:28] >> Good afternoon.
[3:14:28] I will now reconvene the city
[3:14:32] council meeting of Tuesday,
[3:14:33] MARCH 10th, 2026 clerk Please
[3:14:36] call the roll.
[3:14:36] Thank you.
[3:14:37] Council PRESIDENT Council
[3:14:38] Member Campbell Councilmember
[3:14:41] Weapon Oh okay.
[3:14:45] Thank you for letting me know.
[3:14:46] Councilmember Foster here
[3:14:50] Councilmember Von Wilpert
[3:14:50] Council Member Council
[3:14:55] PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee here
[3:14:55] Councilmember Campos here
[3:14:56] Councilmember Moreno Present
[3:15:00] Council member Ella Rivera and
[3:15:01] Council PRESIDENT LaCava
[3:15:04] present also attending
[3:15:05] the meeting our Assistant City
[3:15:05] Attorney Leslie Fitzgerald
[3:15:06] Independent budget Analyst
[3:15:09] Charles Monica and myself your
[3:15:10] city clerk Diana Fuentes.
[3:15:11] Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
[3:15:11] right.
[3:15:11] Thank you.
[3:15:14] City Clerk.
[3:15:15] Quorum is now present So with
[3:15:18] that please introduce item 330.
[3:15:18] >> Item 330 is an informational
[3:15:23] item City of San Diego Fiscal
[3:15:23] year 2027 through 2031 five
[3:15:28] year capital infrastructure
[3:15:28] Teacher Planning Outlook If
[3:15:29] you'd like to speak to this
[3:15:30] item and are here in chambers
[3:15:33] please be sure to submit your
[3:15:33] speaker slip to the front of
[3:15:34] the room in the clear box If
[3:15:37] you are participate remotely
[3:15:38] now's the time to raise your
[3:15:39] hand by pressing Star nine or
[3:15:41] the raise your hand icon.
[3:15:42] Thank you.
[3:15:47] All right.
[3:15:48] I see staff is making their way
[3:16:08] through the drive and now that
[3:16:08] you're settling in introduce
[3:16:09] yourselves for the records and
[3:16:12] let us know how much time you
[3:16:12] need.
[3:16:13] Good afternoon.
[3:16:14] Council PRESIDENT Lee Carver
[3:16:17] and Distinguished Council
[3:16:17] members.
[3:16:18] My name is Karen McGriff and I
[3:16:18] am the assistant director over
[3:16:22] the project Management office
[3:16:23] in the Engineering and Capital
[3:16:23] Projects Department.
[3:16:26] We will need approximately 15
[3:16:27] minutes for a presentation
[3:16:27] today.
[3:16:28] All right.
[3:16:32] When you're ready with me today
[3:16:33] I also have Michael Puleo who
[3:16:33] is our who is a financial
[3:16:36] operations manager overseeing
[3:16:37] cip in the Department of
[3:16:37] Finance.
[3:16:41] And today that we will present
[3:16:41] to you the 12th annual five
[3:16:42] year Capital Infrastructure
[3:16:45] Planning Outlook covering
[3:16:46] fiscal year 27 through 31.
[3:16:50] Before we start I really do
[3:16:51] want to take this opportunity
[3:16:52] to thank everybody who has
[3:16:52] contributed to this effort.
[3:16:55] Many of whom are both online
[3:16:56] and in chambers today and
[3:17:00] available to help answer any
[3:17:01] questions that you MAY have at
[3:17:01] the end of the presentation.
[3:17:05] Without them we possibly could
[3:17:05] not gathered all of the data
[3:17:06] needed to prepare a or
[3:17:09] meaningful report for areas.
[3:17:10] The document is a planning tool
[3:17:14] to assist all of us in long
[3:17:14] term capital infrastructure
[3:17:15] planning.
[3:17:15] The report helps to monitor
[3:17:19] project and evaluate
[3:17:19] the availability of funding to
[3:17:20] meet long term needs.
[3:17:24] The report also helps to ensure
[3:17:25] alignment between the city's
[3:17:25] multiple asset managing and
[3:17:28] service providing departments
[3:17:29] to achieve the city's vision
[3:17:30] and objectives for community
[3:17:33] infrastructure.
[3:17:34] While this report is not a
[3:17:35] budget, it does help to guide a
[3:17:38] financial guide financial
[3:17:38] decisions on infrastructure
[3:17:42] priorities and to facilitate
[3:17:43] the development of the upcoming
[3:17:44] fiscal year 27 budget.
[3:17:48] I will as previously mentioned
[3:17:53] this is the 12th report that we
[3:17:54] have prepared In the report we
[3:17:57] summarize citywide capital
[3:17:58] needs and expected revenues for
[3:17:59] the reporting period.
[3:18:03] We quantify the asset
[3:18:03] management department's needs
[3:18:04] to meet their desired levels of
[3:18:07] service and because we
[3:18:08] recognize that not all needs
[3:18:10] can or will be met in the five
[3:18:11] year period, we have also begun
[3:18:14] to quantify the high level
[3:18:15] needs for years 2032 and beyond
[3:18:15] which are outside of
[3:18:19] the outlook period.
[3:18:20] The means identified
[3:18:20] incorporate input gathered from
[3:18:24] the community via the Planning
[3:18:25] Department's Community Input
[3:18:25] survey as well as
[3:18:28] the prioritized priorities
[3:18:29] identified in your council
[3:18:30] priority memos both of which
[3:18:33] are incorporated into asset
[3:18:34] management plans developed by
[3:18:34] the amd's themselves
[3:18:38] Engineering and Capital
[3:18:38] Projects and Department of
[3:18:39] Finance work together to
[3:18:43] forecast the eligible cip
[3:18:44] revenues that are expected to
[3:18:44] be available to the program
[3:18:48] Needs are matched with revenues
[3:18:49] to help us provide
[3:18:49] the financial outlook or gap
[3:18:53] number diving directly into
[3:18:56] the report results over
[3:18:57] the next five years the city
[3:19:00] scape has an estimated $12.82
[3:19:01] billion of identified needs.
[3:19:05] These needs are represented by
[3:19:06] the blue bars on the graph We
[3:19:09] estimate that just over $5
[3:19:10] billion of funding will be
[3:19:10] available to meet
[3:19:11] the identified needs over
[3:19:14] the outlook period.
[3:19:14] Funding availability is
[3:19:15] represented by the green bars
[3:19:16] on the graph There is an
[3:19:19] additional $5.96 billion of
[3:19:19] needs identified beyond
[3:19:23] the outlook period shown on
[3:19:24] this slide in blue Are
[3:19:24] the revenues projected to be
[3:19:28] available for the sip program
[3:19:29] for each of the last five years
[3:19:33] shown in yellow are the actual
[3:19:34] budgets that were added to
[3:19:34] the sip program.
[3:19:38] I'm very pleased to note that
[3:19:39] over the past five years
[3:19:40] the funding anticipated for
[3:19:43] the sip program has been
[3:19:44] available as projected.
[3:19:44] Notable variances have come
[3:19:48] from windfall opportunities
[3:19:49] such as straight state or
[3:19:49] federal grants.
[3:19:50] The green bar on this graph
[3:19:54] also shows the increased output
[3:19:54] production and project
[3:19:55] execution levels for the sip
[3:19:59] program Fiscal year 26 is
[3:20:00] showing activity only through
[3:20:03] the midway through the fiscal
[3:20:04] year and both the yellow and
[3:20:05] green bars will be growing by
[3:20:08] fiscal year end.
[3:20:08] >> We do expect the positive
[3:20:09] execution trend to continue for
[3:20:13] several years as ecp continues
[3:20:13] to streamline delivery to
[3:20:14] increase cost effective
[3:20:18] production.
[3:20:18] However, we recognize that
[3:20:19] the industry has limitations
[3:20:20] and areas are already starting
[3:20:25] to feel the strain Each year we
[3:20:26] look for new ways to analyze
[3:20:27] the data.
[3:20:30] >> This year we separated
[3:20:31] projects that were already in
[3:20:31] process somewhere in
[3:20:35] the delivery pipeline from
[3:20:35] those projects that still
[3:20:36] needed to be initiated.
[3:20:39] We also prioritized matching
[3:20:40] revenues to existing projects
[3:20:41] so that our five year plan
[3:20:45] emphasizes finishing what we've
[3:20:45] started.
[3:20:45] What you see here shows
[3:20:49] the total capital program on
[3:20:50] the white lines were $12.8
[3:20:53] billion At the top is funded
[3:20:54] with $5 billion in the middle
[3:20:54] leaving a total programmatic
[3:20:58] funding gap of $7.8 billion at
[3:20:59] the bottom existing projects
[3:21:02] are in light blue and new
[3:21:03] projects are in the darker
[3:21:03] blue.
[3:21:07] As you can see in the first few
[3:21:07] years of the outlook needs are
[3:21:08] higher and the vast majority of
[3:21:11] funding is planned to complete
[3:21:11] existing projects.
[3:21:12] New projects have a lesser
[3:21:16] funding need and also funding
[3:21:17] program at the beginning of
[3:21:17] the outlook.
[3:21:20] But this ramps up significantly
[3:21:21] towards the end of the outlook
[3:21:25] period as we continue to break
[3:21:26] down the overall programmatic
[3:21:30] needs for the capital program.
[3:21:31] This table identifies the $3.5
[3:21:34] billion of identified needs
[3:21:35] from our enterprise funded
[3:21:35] departments.
[3:21:36] Enterprise funds operate
[3:21:39] similarly to private businesses
[3:21:40] and set rates charged to end
[3:21:40] users.
[3:21:44] These rates ensure that
[3:21:45] sufficient income is available
[3:21:45] to support all operations,
[3:21:46] maintenance and capital
[3:21:49] investment activity for
[3:21:50] the Enterprise Fund shown on
[3:21:51] this table in order from
[3:21:53] highest to lowest needs are
[3:21:58] the city's enterprise funds.
[3:21:59] >> This table shows the Non
[3:22:00] enterprise Fund asset needs
[3:22:00] broken down by the various
[3:22:03] asset types They are shown from
[3:22:04] largest need to smallest with
[3:22:07] storm water infrastructure
[3:22:08] making up the city's largest
[3:22:11] single asset type need at over
[3:22:12] $5.5 billion Transportation and
[3:22:12] transportation pavement and
[3:22:17] parks are the city's next two
[3:22:20] largest identified needs And of
[3:22:20] the $9.3 billion of identified
[3:22:24] general fund asset needs $1.5
[3:22:24] billion of funding or roughly
[3:22:29] 16% is expected to be available
[3:22:29] to meet these needs.
[3:22:33] This leads an overall gap of
[3:22:33] $7.8 billion and now turn it
[3:22:34] over to Michael to discuss
[3:22:38] revenues even though there is a
[3:22:41] sizable gap we have identified
[3:22:41] over $1.5 billion in funding
[3:22:42] that is expected to be
[3:22:46] available for the General Fund
[3:22:47] capital Improvements program.
[3:22:48] This table shows the expected
[3:22:52] funding sources for the c I p
[3:22:52] program from largest to
[3:22:56] smallest the largest funding
[3:22:56] source is expected to be
[3:22:57] general fund financing.
[3:23:00] Most of the 665 million in
[3:23:01] projected financing will be
[3:23:05] allocated to ensure compliance
[3:23:06] with the terms of the already
[3:23:09] executed stormwater with yellow
[3:23:10] based on previous general fund
[3:23:11] monitoring exercises.
[3:23:14] The outlook reflects that
[3:23:15] approximately $96 million of
[3:23:16] general fund financing could be
[3:23:20] added to the vip program each
[3:23:21] fiscal year citywide for
[3:23:25] mobility parks, fire and
[3:23:25] libraries are ramping up and
[3:23:29] projected to bring in nearly
[3:23:30] 230 million over the outlook
[3:23:30] period.
[3:23:34] There is no infrastructure fund
[3:23:35] contribution planned for
[3:23:35] the cip during the outlook
[3:23:39] period And while we do project
[3:23:39] climate equity funds to be
[3:23:40] available, those funds are
[3:23:41] eligible to support
[3:23:44] infrastructure related
[3:23:45] activities and MAY not be
[3:23:49] allocated to the scope program
[3:23:49] as part of the upcoming budget
[3:23:50] development cycle or MAY be
[3:23:54] waived shown Here are the needs
[3:23:59] and anticipated revenue trends
[3:23:59] for the last five outlook
[3:24:00] reporting periods including
[3:24:04] this year.
[3:24:04] Both needs and revenues have
[3:24:08] increased over time.
[3:24:09] However the increase in needs
[3:24:10] is outpacing that of revenues
[3:24:13] Additional revenue sources
[3:24:14] would need to be identified to
[3:24:19] close the gap.
[3:24:19] We have noticed a dip in
[3:24:20] the needs in the middle of
[3:24:22] the preceding slide.
[3:24:23] This step occurred in the first
[3:24:24] year that the beyond five years
[3:24:27] category was added to
[3:24:28] the outlook when we show all
[3:24:31] identified needs for both
[3:24:32] the five year period and beyond
[3:24:33] the five year period the city's
[3:24:36] current infrastructure needs
[3:24:37] outlook is $18.78 billion.
[3:24:41] Why do we continue to fear
[3:24:42] growth and needs Several
[3:24:43] factors contribute to
[3:24:46] the growth primarily
[3:24:46] the infrastructure itself in
[3:24:50] addition to the new to the need
[3:24:51] for new infrastructure that
[3:24:52] addresses growth existing
[3:24:55] infrastructure aging and goes
[3:24:56] through a cycle of
[3:24:56] rehabilitation and replacement.
[3:25:00] Another major contributor is
[3:25:01] the rise and the associated
[3:25:02] cost to design and construct
[3:25:05] these projects due to increased
[3:25:06] regulations replacement to
[3:25:10] higher standards and industry
[3:25:10] limitations on what can be
[3:25:11] delivered both arterials and
[3:25:15] labor.
[3:25:15] There is some good news as we
[3:25:18] look beyond a five or even ten
[3:25:19] year horizon we see
[3:25:20] the completion of major efforts
[3:25:23] that ultimately result in lower
[3:25:24] needs in the far outer years.
[3:25:28] I will now turn it over to
[3:25:29] the Chief of Community Services
[3:25:29] Rania Ahmed for the concluding
[3:25:33] remarks.
[3:25:33] Thank you Michael.
[3:25:37] I just want to closing by
[3:25:38] summarizing what Michael and
[3:25:43] and Karen has presented here
[3:25:43] this afternoon.
[3:25:47] So over the next five years
[3:25:47] Rania, I'm sorry to interrupt
[3:25:48] Can you turn your mic on and
[3:25:50] have a little bit closer to
[3:25:55] maybe I need a closer or make
[3:25:56] sure that folks remotely can
[3:25:57] hear you Can you hear me better
[3:25:57] now?
[3:26:00] Yeah, perfect.
[3:26:00] Thank you.
[3:26:01] So over the next five years
[3:26:04] the projected cost increases
[3:26:04] really reflect several factors
[3:26:09] that cities across the country
[3:26:09] are experiencing.
[3:26:10] Many of our public assets are
[3:26:14] aging as the team mentioned
[3:26:14] earlier today.
[3:26:15] And when maintenance is
[3:26:19] deferred due to funding
[3:26:20] limitation, the cost of repairs
[3:26:23] grows as conditions worsen.
[3:26:24] At the same time construction
[3:26:25] cost, labor and materials has
[3:26:28] increased significantly in
[3:26:28] recent years and there is less
[3:26:29] competition for contractors In
[3:26:33] addition, projects today must
[3:26:34] meet evolving regulatory
[3:26:37] requirements environmental
[3:26:38] standards, city priorities,
[3:26:39] policy direction and service
[3:26:42] and community expectations.
[3:26:43] Together these factors
[3:26:47] contributed to the growing
[3:26:47] funding gap outlined in this
[3:26:48] report.
[3:26:49] We must continue to balance
[3:26:52] funding allocations between
[3:26:53] maintaining existing assets and
[3:26:57] delivering new infrastructure.
[3:26:58] We're also advancing long term
[3:26:58] affordable asset management
[3:27:02] plans.
[3:27:02] At the same time we will
[3:27:03] continue to pursue design and
[3:27:06] construction grand particularly
[3:27:07] for non enterprise
[3:27:11] infrastructure over the past
[3:27:12] several years the city has made
[3:27:16] progress and I just want to
[3:27:16] acknowledge all that that
[3:27:17] progress has been made in
[3:27:21] developing cp prioritization
[3:27:21] policies, service level
[3:27:22] standards and completing
[3:27:26] condition assessment for some
[3:27:26] assets such as the pavement
[3:27:27] management plan.
[3:27:31] However many assets remain
[3:27:32] outdated including those for
[3:27:36] facilities system and updating
[3:27:36] these inventories and condition
[3:27:37] d that will require additional
[3:27:41] investment based on current
[3:27:41] information as was shared by
[3:27:45] the team here.
[3:27:49] The estimated funding gap of
[3:27:53] 7.8 billions or an average of
[3:27:54] 1.5 billion a year this is a
[3:27:58] significant amount addressing
[3:27:59] this challenge will require
[3:27:59] continued investment in a
[3:28:02] disciplined data driven
[3:28:03] approach that strengthen asset
[3:28:04] management, prioritize
[3:28:08] prevention maintenance,
[3:28:09] preventive maintenance is very
[3:28:09] critical and continue shifting
[3:28:13] toward programmatic delivery so
[3:28:14] we can make strategic long term
[3:28:18] infrastructure investment.
[3:28:18] Ultimately this work is about
[3:28:19] making informed strategic
[3:28:23] investments so we can protect
[3:28:24] the infrastructure we have
[3:28:27] today while responsibly
[3:28:28] planning for the city long term
[3:28:28] needs.
[3:28:32] With that I will conclude our
[3:28:33] presentation and then we'll be
[3:28:34] more happy to take questions.
[3:28:34] >> All right.
[3:28:38] Thank you all for the work and
[3:28:38] the presentation this
[3:28:38] afternoon.
[3:28:42] We will now turn it over to
[3:28:43] the Office of the Independent
[3:28:43] Budget analyst for a
[3:28:44] presentation.
[3:28:44] Thank you.
[3:28:46] Council for PRESIDENT Council
[3:28:47] Member Thank you to staff for
[3:28:48] their presentation.
[3:28:52] Last week my office released a
[3:28:52] review of the five year Capital
[3:28:53] Infrastructure Planning Outlook
[3:28:57] as we do each year to present
[3:28:58] our office with review of that
[3:28:59] annual How Challenged and
[3:28:59] Aleena who will lead you
[3:29:01] through our analysis and then
[3:29:02] we will follow that up with
[3:29:03] some additional comments from
[3:29:06] Kym Desmond from our Division
[3:29:07] of Race and Equity about using
[3:29:11] an equity lending lens to look
[3:29:12] at the outlook as well.
[3:29:12] So Julianne, I'll turn it over
[3:29:13] to you.
[3:29:13] Great.
[3:29:15] Thank you so much.
[3:29:16] Thank you.
[3:29:16] Council PRESIDENT And council
[3:29:17] I'm Gillian and Ilene about
[3:29:20] the office of the aba.
[3:29:21] Our office released our review
[3:29:22] of this type outlook last week
[3:29:22] so I'll walk you through
[3:29:25] the major points of it during
[3:29:26] this presentation as shown in
[3:29:27] this slide.
[3:29:30] Capital needs and the gap are
[3:29:31] expected to grow significantly
[3:29:31] throughout the five year period
[3:29:34] while funding is expected to
[3:29:35] decline slightly.
[3:29:35] The net increase in capital
[3:29:39] needs is also and higher almost
[3:29:40] entirely driven by stormwater
[3:29:40] which accounts for water
[3:29:44] quality regulatory deadlines
[3:29:45] coming due in fiscal year 2031
[3:29:49] and compound needing drainage
[3:29:50] assets aging past their useful
[3:29:50] life.
[3:29:54] The slight decline in revenue
[3:29:54] is primarily driven by
[3:29:55] declining availability of
[3:29:58] welfare funding for stormwater
[3:29:59] in fiscal year 2029 and a
[3:30:03] decline in water and wastewater
[3:30:04] revenues due to a three year
[3:30:07] delay For certain cip projects
[3:30:08] to mitigate the need for rate
[3:30:12] increases in the near term and
[3:30:13] in response to the approval of
[3:30:14] a two year water rate increase
[3:30:17] last year.
[3:30:18] >> This slide shows
[3:30:19] the projected funding gap for
[3:30:23] each asset type as shown and
[3:30:24] consistent with previous years.
[3:30:27] The $7.8 billion funding gap is
[3:30:31] 100% attributed to general fund
[3:30:32] assets that do not have a
[3:30:33] dedicated funding source
[3:30:33] supported by rate paying
[3:30:36] customers.
[3:30:37] This year's funding gap is an
[3:30:41] increase of $1.3 billion from
[3:30:41] last year and again is
[3:30:42] overwhelmingly driven by
[3:30:45] stormwater which itself saw
[3:30:46] $1.3 billion increase in
[3:30:53] funding gap and makes up 65% of
[3:30:54] the $7.8 billion funding gap.
[3:30:58] This slide shows the makeup of
[3:30:59] the projected resources in
[3:30:59] the cfp outlook.
[3:31:03] Projected revenue is revenue is
[3:31:04] projected to decline by 7%
[3:31:07] compared to last year's report
[3:31:08] totaling $5 billion.
[3:31:12] The increase I'm sorry
[3:31:13] the decrease is largely driven
[3:31:13] by changing wastewater and
[3:31:17] water needs but is also related
[3:31:18] to no assumed revenue from
[3:31:19] the infrastructure fund.
[3:31:22] Since requirements for deposits
[3:31:23] into the fund are not
[3:31:26] anticipated to be met over
[3:31:26] the outlook period since
[3:31:27] funding availability and
[3:31:31] eligibility are key factors in
[3:31:32] determining which projects
[3:31:36] receive funding and the scope
[3:31:37] budget, it's important to
[3:31:40] recognize that 66% of
[3:31:41] the projected funds are for
[3:31:41] wastewater and water
[3:31:45] infrastructure.
[3:31:46] General fund financing shaded
[3:31:50] above in Gray is the city's
[3:31:50] only funding source with
[3:31:51] minimal restrictions and is an
[3:31:54] important funding source for
[3:31:55] many general fund capital
[3:31:56] projects such as stormwater
[3:32:00] streetlights and upgraded fire
[3:32:01] stations since they're often
[3:32:01] ineligible for other resources
[3:32:05] shown on the pie chart that can
[3:32:05] be restricted based on the type
[3:32:07] of asset or the geographic
[3:32:12] location.
[3:32:13] In our report we took a closer
[3:32:17] look at two key resources for
[3:32:17] general fund capital projects
[3:32:18] and that's general fund
[3:32:22] financing and development
[3:32:23] impact fees.
[3:32:23] Starting with financing
[3:32:27] the issuance of lease revenue
[3:32:28] bonds is the most significant
[3:32:29] source of flexible funding for
[3:32:32] general fund capital projects
[3:32:32] Out of the $531 million
[3:32:35] anticipated over the five year
[3:32:36] period.
[3:32:36] Almost half of it is for
[3:32:41] stormwater and within that 150
[3:32:41] million reserved for
[3:32:42] anticipated emergencies Another
[3:32:46] large portion of general fund
[3:32:46] financing is expected to go to
[3:32:50] support street repaving.
[3:32:50] Citywide difference are
[3:32:51] increasingly becoming more
[3:32:52] accessible to general fund
[3:32:55] capital projects as we continue
[3:32:56] to transition from community
[3:33:00] based def community based If
[3:33:01] long term funding that can be
[3:33:05] only spent in certain
[3:33:06] communities whereas citywide
[3:33:06] live can generally be spent
[3:33:09] citywide.
[3:33:10] >> The city recently created
[3:33:14] four citywide funds The fire
[3:33:15] library mobility and parks
[3:33:15] diffs.
[3:33:19] While these are more flexible
[3:33:19] than community based if they
[3:33:20] still have restrictions on
[3:33:21] the types of projects they can
[3:33:24] support as the transition
[3:33:25] continues it's expected that
[3:33:29] citywide diff revenue will
[3:33:29] continue to increase while
[3:33:33] community def decreases.
[3:33:34] Moving to projected capital
[3:33:38] needs this slide shows
[3:33:39] the makeup of projected capital
[3:33:42] needs over the five year period
[3:33:46] totaling 12.8 billion which is
[3:33:47] $950 million or 8% above Last
[3:33:51] year's report.
[3:33:52] As with the increase in funding
[3:33:53] gap, stormwater capital needs
[3:33:56] make up the over whelming
[3:33:57] majority of the total increase
[3:34:01] in capital needs as shown on
[3:34:02] the pie chart.
[3:34:02] It now makes up 43% of all
[3:34:06] capital needs and has
[3:34:06] the highest total needs of any
[3:34:10] asset including water and
[3:34:11] wastewater combined.
[3:34:15] To understand what drives this
[3:34:16] billion dollars and billions of
[3:34:16] dollars of needs, our report
[3:34:20] focuses on stormwater street
[3:34:21] pavement and all three facility
[3:34:25] categories which is new
[3:34:25] expanded and existing
[3:34:26] facilities all of which make up
[3:34:30] nearly 80% of all general fund
[3:34:30] capital needs.
[3:34:34] First we will cover stormwater
[3:34:37] Stormwater is projected to have
[3:34:38] a $5.5 billion capital need
[3:34:39] over the five year period which
[3:34:42] is an increase of $1.4 billion
[3:34:43] over last year's report.
[3:34:47] Flood resilience or flood
[3:34:48] mitigation is a major driver
[3:34:49] making up nearly $1 billion of
[3:34:53] this increase.
[3:34:53] As mentioned earlier, this is
[3:34:54] due to more and more drain
[3:34:57] drainage assets passing their
[3:34:58] useful life as well as cost
[3:34:59] increases.
[3:35:03] As shown on the table, $30
[3:35:06] million per year or a total of
[3:35:07] 150 million is included for
[3:35:08] anticipated emergency projects
[3:35:11] which is a very inefficient and
[3:35:12] costly way to replace
[3:35:12] infrastructure.
[3:35:16] Funding for stormwater is
[3:35:17] expected to drop after fiscal
[3:35:18] year 2028 due to the planned
[3:35:21] use of most of the remaining
[3:35:22] work alone funds.
[3:35:22] The remaining funds in
[3:35:26] the future year is expected to
[3:35:27] mostly go to either emergency
[3:35:27] projects or in-house repair
[3:35:31] crews for green infrastructure
[3:35:31] or water quality projects.
[3:35:35] It's largely driven by water
[3:35:40] quality regulatory deadlines
[3:35:41] moving to street paving.
[3:35:44] Total capital needs are 970
[3:35:48] million which is an increase of
[3:35:48] 132 million.
[3:35:49] This is an increase despite an
[3:35:53] assumption that the city will
[3:35:54] maintain streets at a pavement
[3:35:57] condition index of 65 instead
[3:35:58] of the former 70 which was
[3:36:01] considered good.
[3:36:02] This aligns with the pavement
[3:36:03] management plan update
[3:36:06] indicating that maintaining
[3:36:07] streets at a pci of 65 is more
[3:36:11] financially feasible than 70.
[3:36:12] In the context of the current
[3:36:16] budget deficit although the pci
[3:36:21] target has decreased, costs are
[3:36:21] still higher than last year's
[3:36:22] report because there's an
[3:36:25] increase in streets due to for
[3:36:26] treatment and repair within
[3:36:26] the outlook period.
[3:36:27] Funding for streets is
[3:36:30] projected to decrease by 45% as
[3:36:31] compared to last year's report
[3:36:35] due to no infrastructure fund
[3:36:36] contributions as well as this
[3:36:36] year's assumption that
[3:36:39] significantly less funding will
[3:36:44] support repaving.
[3:36:45] Finally in our report we
[3:36:46] highlight all three categories
[3:36:49] of facilities existing new and
[3:36:53] expanded together needs total
[3:36:53] 890 million which is $75
[3:36:54] million above last year's
[3:36:54] report.
[3:36:58] The vast majority of these
[3:36:58] needs are for new facilities
[3:37:01] but I'll touch on existing
[3:37:02] facilities first.
[3:37:06] >> Sorry there's 183 million in
[3:37:10] capital needs for existing
[3:37:10] facilities in the five year
[3:37:14] period but an additional 661
[3:37:14] million listed outside the five
[3:37:18] year period is reported which
[3:37:19] is related to prior facility
[3:37:20] condition assessments.
[3:37:23] We note that this figure in
[3:37:24] the out years is likely
[3:37:24] understated given that
[3:37:28] the assessments were conducted
[3:37:29] between 2014 and 2016 and do
[3:37:34] not include all facilities.
[3:37:34] But getting back to the five
[3:37:37] year window, the 183 million
[3:37:38] showing in the outlook is an
[3:37:41] increase of 14% and this is
[3:37:45] driven by $44 million needed
[3:37:46] for fire rescue facilities to
[3:37:48] move away from natural gas and
[3:37:49] $20 million for police range
[3:37:53] refurbishment Phase two
[3:37:53] remediation.
[3:37:54] And these increases are offset
[3:37:57] by about $40 million in
[3:37:58] existing facility projects not
[3:38:01] included in this year's report
[3:38:02] .
[3:38:02] Some were left off
[3:38:03] inadvertently while others were
[3:38:07] intentionally removed due to
[3:38:07] changes in priorities or
[3:38:12] developing alternate solutions
[3:38:12] .
[3:38:12] There's also $78 million
[3:38:13] included for general life cycle
[3:38:17] needs that we encourage in
[3:38:18] the future outlooks that this
[3:38:19] get a little bit more fleshed
[3:38:22] out as to whether it's for
[3:38:22] specific projects, anticipated
[3:38:26] emergencies or related to
[3:38:27] unaddressed condition
[3:38:27] assessment items.
[3:38:28] Ultimately we will need updated
[3:38:31] facility condition assessments
[3:38:32] to know the true needs for
[3:38:33] existing facilities and which
[3:38:36] ones are most pressing and
[3:38:37] turning to new and expanding
[3:38:37] facilities.
[3:38:42] Demands for new facilities make
[3:38:42] up the vast majority of total
[3:38:43] needs in this category and
[3:38:46] the largest project totals 250
[3:38:47] million.
[3:38:50] Updated cost could be closer to
[3:38:51] 370 million which is for a new
[3:38:55] training center to replace
[3:38:56] the one located at the Naval
[3:38:56] Training Center station that
[3:39:00] will be impacted by pure water
[3:39:05] in fiscal year 2029.
[3:39:06] Moving on, our report also
[3:39:06] compares the outlook against
[3:39:10] the city's the City Council's
[3:39:10] infrastructure budget
[3:39:13] priorities which for fiscal
[3:39:14] year 2027 were transportation
[3:39:18] and mobility streets including
[3:39:19] unimproved streets, stormwater
[3:39:19] sidewalks and facilities.
[3:39:23] As you can see on the table,
[3:39:24] funding is anticipated for all
[3:39:24] of them except for unimproved
[3:39:28] streets.
[3:39:29] Although there's anticipated
[3:39:29] funding for all of the asset
[3:39:33] types that were priorities,
[3:39:34] there's still a significant
[3:39:34] funding gap remaining in
[3:39:38] council's upcoming review of
[3:39:39] the proposed budget.
[3:39:42] It could consider reallocating
[3:39:42] eligible funding to better
[3:39:43] align with infrastructure
[3:39:43] priorities.
[3:39:47] But given that flexible funding
[3:39:48] is so limited, prioritizing
[3:39:52] infrastructure needs will come
[3:39:53] with difficult tradeoffs and
[3:39:56] challenges.
[3:39:57] In closing, I'll leave you with
[3:39:58] a few of our main takeaways.
[3:40:01] The first is stormwater needs
[3:40:02] certainly dominate this type
[3:40:02] outlook.
[3:40:06] It's the asset type with
[3:40:07] the largest capital needs
[3:40:08] accounting for almost all
[3:40:11] the growth in the funding gap
[3:40:11] and emergency projects are
[3:40:12] making up a growing share of
[3:40:15] the department's project
[3:40:15] portfolio.
[3:40:16] Given the magnitude of
[3:40:16] stormwater needs, the strain
[3:40:20] and and the city's limited
[3:40:25] resources and the risk that
[3:40:25] field infrastructure presents
[3:40:26] for the city and the public
[3:40:29] action should be taken to
[3:40:30] secure additional dedicated
[3:40:31] funding for stormwater.
[3:40:34] And second, underinvestment in
[3:40:35] maintenance and rising costs
[3:40:38] compound capital infrastructure
[3:40:38] challenges.
[3:40:39] Although this report talks
[3:40:43] about city's capital needs,
[3:40:44] there's also significant
[3:40:45] funding unfunded maintenance
[3:40:48] needs that if left unaddressed
[3:40:48] will lead to increased capital
[3:40:52] needs as new facilities come
[3:40:53] online such as new fire
[3:40:54] stations forecast in the copy
[3:40:54] outlook.
[3:40:58] It's critical that maintenance
[3:40:58] plans be developed and funded
[3:41:02] and given limited resources on
[3:41:03] both the operating and capital
[3:41:03] sides of the budget.
[3:41:04] The city must increasingly
[3:41:07] focus on prioritizing and
[3:41:08] completing existing projects
[3:41:12] and maintenance of existing
[3:41:12] assets which makes it difficult
[3:41:13] to support key policy goals
[3:41:17] such as providing more
[3:41:17] significant infrastructure
[3:41:18] investment in underserved
[3:41:21] communities or implementing
[3:41:26] the Climate Action Plan.
[3:41:27] Finally we need new funding
[3:41:27] streams.
[3:41:32] I'd like to note that if
[3:41:32] the city were to focus on
[3:41:33] supporting stormwater needs
[3:41:36] this would have the largest
[3:41:37] impact on addressing the $7.8
[3:41:37] billion funding gap and could
[3:41:41] free up significant resources
[3:41:42] for other critical capital
[3:41:45] infrastructure priorities.
[3:41:46] This concludes my presentation
[3:41:47] and I'll now pass it to Kim
[3:41:50] Desmond for remarks from
[3:41:51] the Division of Race and
[3:41:51] Equity.
[3:41:51] Thank you.
[3:41:56] Good afternoon.
[3:41:57] Council PRESIDENT Kava and
[3:41:57] Council Kim there's been here
[3:41:58] the director for the Division
[3:41:59] of Race and Equity.
[3:42:00] As part of the review for
[3:42:01] the five year capital
[3:42:04] infrastructure Planning outlook
[3:42:05] process we set out we found
[3:42:09] several equity implications.
[3:42:10] It's important to making these
[3:42:14] comments in the context of
[3:42:15] operations.
[3:42:16] That's the important contextual
[3:42:16] part too When applying
[3:42:20] the equity lens.
[3:42:20] So you're going to see some
[3:42:21] nuance or here some nuance
[3:42:24] information in that endeavor.
[3:42:25] There were three significant
[3:42:25] considerations equity wise that
[3:42:28] our team discovered.
[3:42:34] One is the vip data tracking
[3:42:34] process.
[3:42:35] I will give some comment in
[3:42:35] that category.
[3:42:39] Two is the cio p prioritization
[3:42:40] score.
[3:42:44] If council recalls we revised
[3:42:48] that policy 814 in 2022 and
[3:42:49] it's important to look back to
[3:42:53] look at the outcomes of what we
[3:42:53] were trying to accomplish with
[3:42:54] that policy.
[3:42:56] Third is five year outlook
[3:42:57] alignment.
[3:42:57] So those are the three
[3:43:01] categories that our team has
[3:43:02] some equity observations in to
[3:43:07] start out in terms of the data.
[3:43:08] As you heard from my colleague
[3:43:12] in the team from the operations
[3:43:16] side, the unfunded conversation
[3:43:16] mainly regarding the facilities
[3:43:17] condition assessment that
[3:43:22] creates a challenge to make
[3:43:22] sure that we're measuring how
[3:43:23] we address cleared deficiencies
[3:43:27] in different areas.
[3:43:27] I do want to contextualize
[3:43:28] something that's really
[3:43:31] important in regards to equity
[3:43:32] as it connects to policy 814.
[3:43:39] In our observations out of
[3:43:40] the 504 request for cip
[3:43:47] projects in fiscal year 2027 to
[3:43:48] 20 2027 to 2031 we found it in
[3:43:52] both structurally excluded
[3:43:53] communities and non struggling
[3:43:53] school communities.
[3:43:58] If council recalls we refer to
[3:43:58] those communities in different
[3:43:59] ways.
[3:44:02] Promise Zones Climate Equity
[3:44:03] Index So these are historically
[3:44:07] disinvestment districts which
[3:44:08] is why the policy was created
[3:44:08] to score those projects.
[3:44:15] So in this context out of
[3:44:16] the 504 total sip projects that
[3:44:20] were requested for funding,
[3:44:21] only 90 were marked as being in
[3:44:26] structurally excluded
[3:44:26] communities.
[3:44:27] So that that number shared with
[3:44:30] you only 90 were funded Not my
[3:44:34] my apologies.
[3:44:35] Only 90 were requested to be in
[3:44:38] those communities and only 45
[3:44:39] were fully funded.
[3:44:39] So only 45 was fully funded.
[3:44:43] Of the 504 requests that's
[3:44:47] the districts the excluded
[3:44:47] communities.
[3:44:48] To offset that in
[3:44:53] the non-strategic wooded areas
[3:44:57] there were 413 requests in of
[3:44:58] that 151 projects were funded.
[3:45:02] So I'm going to give you some
[3:45:02] percentages to offset those
[3:45:03] numbers.
[3:45:07] Meaning that in structurally
[3:45:07] excluded communities 23% of
[3:45:12] those total projects were
[3:45:13] funded.
[3:45:13] So that's the number I want you
[3:45:14] to sit with.
[3:45:17] And structurally excluded
[3:45:18] communities Of the 504 projects
[3:45:21] that were fully funded, 23% was
[3:45:22] in structurally excluded
[3:45:26] communities.
[3:45:27] That in itself is an equity
[3:45:27] implication.
[3:45:30] And then the other 77% was not
[3:45:35] in strokes the excluded when
[3:45:35] we're doing our work
[3:45:36] operationally to apply equity
[3:45:36] lands.
[3:45:39] The question is why?
[3:45:40] Why is that so?
[3:45:44] So one thing we did our team
[3:45:45] set out to my team for finding
[3:45:45] one of the whys.
[3:45:49] One of the whys is making sure
[3:45:50] that our departments are
[3:45:50] actually reporting on when they
[3:45:51] make their request.
[3:45:55] What is a structurally excluded
[3:45:55] community as it pertains to
[3:45:56] the request?
[3:46:00] So we saw a number of requests
[3:46:01] that actually had like blank.
[3:46:04] So we couldn't really ascertain
[3:46:05] that number could go up or
[3:46:05] down.
[3:46:06] So one of the operational
[3:46:09] implications is make sure that
[3:46:10] you record in your data
[3:46:10] correctly so we can make sure
[3:46:11] we can get an accurate
[3:46:14] percentage of the project that
[3:46:15] are being funded in say
[3:46:15] communities.
[3:46:19] >> The other way I would say we
[3:46:23] have talked about the emergency
[3:46:23] need for funding.
[3:46:24] So that's a part of it as well
[3:46:25] And I know that the team is
[3:46:28] looking at ways to actually
[3:46:28] allocate more funds to address
[3:46:29] ongoing emergencies.
[3:46:33] And so we're allocating $30
[3:46:34] million planned fully then we
[3:46:35] still should be thinking about
[3:46:38] what is the target.
[3:46:39] So in the policy we didn't set
[3:46:39] a target.
[3:46:43] Our percentage for what
[3:46:44] percentage of our cip funds
[3:46:47] should go in structurally
[3:46:48] excluded communities So there
[3:46:49] is no clear target.
[3:46:52] So it's hard to track around
[3:46:53] where did you go versus what
[3:46:54] you're allocating.
[3:46:54] And so I want to make those
[3:46:58] comments purposely so that way
[3:46:58] you look at the fiscal
[3:47:03] allocation for emergencies you
[3:47:03] got to balance the fact that we
[3:47:04] don't have a clear goal or
[3:47:05] target for the percentage of
[3:47:08] projects that we should fund
[3:47:09] instructs the excluded
[3:47:09] communities.
[3:47:13] That was not the policy goal.
[3:47:13] The policy goal was to set
[3:47:14] the scoring.
[3:47:17] That's why I gave you
[3:47:18] the numbers because you do
[3:47:18] still see a clear difference.
[3:47:22] And so if you see a clear
[3:47:22] difference of 23% from my
[3:47:26] equity perspective it causes me
[3:47:26] to ask what should be
[3:47:27] the target.
[3:47:28] Although we are still budgeting
[3:47:31] for emergencies that's a
[3:47:31] question that we like to leave
[3:47:32] in this space for that
[3:47:35] conversation.
[3:47:36] I'm hoping that you are
[3:47:40] tracking those numbers.
[3:47:41] The other equity implications I
[3:47:45] mentioned cleaning up the data
[3:47:45] in terms of how our departments
[3:47:46] report when they are requesting
[3:47:50] a project and the identifying
[3:47:50] when it's in a structurally
[3:47:54] excluded community that impacts
[3:47:55] our data processes.
[3:47:59] The third that we found is a
[3:48:00] alignment with the five year
[3:48:04] outlook and a five year capital
[3:48:04] infrastructure planning
[3:48:05] outlook.
[3:48:09] So effectively with aligning
[3:48:10] and having a nexus if we were
[3:48:14] to fund a study for our levees
[3:48:14] for example, you would see that
[3:48:18] funded for perhaps in our five
[3:48:19] year outlook but the work
[3:48:19] wouldn't happen until you look
[3:48:23] at to your plan and get look
[3:48:24] maybe year 3 or 4.
[3:48:24] So our team made
[3:48:28] the observation where you want
[3:48:28] to be planful at looking when
[3:48:29] things are funded and then be
[3:48:33] strategic around when you're
[3:48:33] planning to work.
[3:48:34] This shows up in your planning
[3:48:34] outlook.
[3:48:35] And so as we're looking at that
[3:48:38] we want to have a nexus between
[3:48:39] the two because in one year you
[3:48:42] MAY see an uptake in projects
[3:48:43] based on what was allocated for
[3:48:43] in the five year financial
[3:48:48] outlook.
[3:48:49] And so we noted that there
[3:48:49] might need to be a clear nexus
[3:48:52] as you're reporting on that to
[3:48:53] kind of look at why you have
[3:48:54] more projects in one year
[3:48:56] the five year outlook like your
[3:48:57] five versus year one.
[3:49:00] And so the nexus for the two we
[3:49:01] noticed a gap in the way that
[3:49:01] those two things are aligned.
[3:49:05] And so our recommendation was
[3:49:06] to look at the way in which
[3:49:06] those things communicate with
[3:49:10] each other within the five year
[3:49:10] sequence.
[3:49:15] Those items conclude my
[3:49:15] comments around applying
[3:49:16] the equity lens to operations
[3:49:20] but more pointedly applying an
[3:49:21] equity lens to the percentage
[3:49:21] of projects that were funded.
[3:49:24] Thank you.
[3:49:25] >> All right.
[3:49:30] Thank you for the robust
[3:49:31] presentations by acp and
[3:49:32] the Good work Department of
[3:49:35] Finance with contribution and
[3:49:35] of course the contribution of
[3:49:36] the office of the ipa Clerk
[3:49:37] Please proceed with public
[3:49:40] comment.
[3:49:41] >> Thank you Council PRESIDENT.
[3:49:42] If I can have Blair Beckman
[3:49:43] come up to the microphone and
[3:49:46] Courtney Brown if you can come
[3:49:46] up to the other reserved seats
[3:49:47] at the front.
[3:49:53] Larry you'll have you'll have
[3:50:00] two minutes less.
[3:50:04] Blair Beckman Um, thank you for
[3:50:04] this item.
[3:50:08] Good reporting.
[3:50:09] Good information.
[3:50:09] Thank you.
[3:50:10] This is the third or fourth
[3:50:14] time this item has been here in
[3:50:15] the past three, 4 or 5 months
[3:50:15] now.
[3:50:15] Thank you.
[3:50:16] I mean, we're really trying to
[3:50:19] work on it.
[3:50:20] I'm trying to better understand
[3:50:21] it.
[3:50:21] Thank you.
[3:50:24] Really nice.
[3:50:25] Last public or less
[3:50:29] informational item talking
[3:50:30] about equity that is not only
[3:50:34] serving new equity goals but in
[3:50:35] its goals can actually be
[3:50:35] serving best practices of
[3:50:39] the city and how we can space
[3:50:40] out our projects better
[3:50:40] overall.
[3:50:45] It was really nice to hear.
[3:50:45] Thank you.
[3:50:49] Good luck in these efforts.
[3:50:50] The work I do with tech
[3:50:54] accountability.
[3:50:55] Some issues where we're talking
[3:51:00] about um I think having a good
[3:51:01] procurement process with tech
[3:51:05] making it clear what what our
[3:51:05] capabilities are and what we
[3:51:06] want to practice as a community
[3:51:10] about open public policies and
[3:51:11] sharing of information and
[3:51:16] ideas.
[3:51:16] Making that clear in
[3:51:17] the procurement process for
[3:51:17] these upcoming projects.
[3:51:20] It's set out important goals
[3:51:21] and standards of what people
[3:51:25] can expect from San Diego and
[3:51:26] that we do this well.
[3:51:27] People will want to come here.
[3:51:27] A certain group of people want
[3:51:31] to come here to better address,
[3:51:32] you know, practices of good
[3:51:36] reasoning and open democracy
[3:51:41] and peace instead of war And
[3:51:41] all of its misery.
[3:51:47] And I think if we promote that
[3:51:48] it share something important
[3:51:48] what our future is wanting to
[3:51:52] be about Good luck How a good
[3:51:57] communication between a and how
[3:51:57] we talk about good
[3:51:58] communication skills between an
[3:52:00] openness Thank you.
[3:52:01] Thank you Courtney if you can
[3:52:06] please come forward.
[3:52:06] Good afternoon.
[3:52:07] Thank you.
[3:52:07] Hi.
[3:52:08] My name is Courtney Brown.
[3:52:11] I'm a staff attorney for San
[3:52:12] Diego Coast Keeper and I'm here
[3:52:13] today to echo a message that
[3:52:16] you should be used to hearing
[3:52:17] from Coast Keeper which is
[3:52:18] the urgent need for dedicated
[3:52:22] stormwater infrastructure
[3:52:23] funding.
[3:52:23] As we just heard throughout
[3:52:27] the Abbott presentation and in
[3:52:28] the report stormwater dominated
[3:52:29] the city's capital funding gap.
[3:52:32] And without belaboring points
[3:52:33] that you already know the gap
[3:52:34] between funding needs and
[3:52:34] available and availability
[3:52:38] stretches exponentially every
[3:52:38] year.
[3:52:39] And while this disparity is
[3:52:43] compounded by climate change
[3:52:44] and factors that are not within
[3:52:45] our control, what we can't
[3:52:46] control is how we respond to it
[3:52:50] and you know it's the direct
[3:52:51] result of funding cuts, lack of
[3:52:51] investment and inefficient
[3:52:55] emergency spending Something I
[3:52:56] read in the report and ideas
[3:53:00] report is that emergency
[3:53:00] stormwater spending has surged
[3:53:04] from $8.9 million in fiscal
[3:53:05] year 2021 to $93.6 million in
[3:53:09] fiscal year 2025.
[3:53:10] That's nearly $200 million in
[3:53:10] five years spent reactively
[3:53:15] premium costs on in-kind
[3:53:15] repairs that often need to be
[3:53:16] redone.
[3:53:19] The longer we defer action
[3:53:20] the worse it gets and you all
[3:53:20] know that.
[3:53:21] So I really just want to
[3:53:22] emphasize three points.
[3:53:25] And that's one we strongly
[3:53:25] support The aba's
[3:53:26] recommendation to focus on new
[3:53:29] revenue streams for stormwater
[3:53:30] .
[3:53:30] Two we absolutely cannot cut
[3:53:31] anymore from the stormwater
[3:53:31] budget.
[3:53:36] Doing so would be a recipe for
[3:53:37] catastrophic disaster.
[3:53:40] And three if anything we really
[3:53:41] urge Council to increase
[3:53:42] funding for public education
[3:53:42] surrounding this extremely
[3:53:43] pressing issue.
[3:53:46] The public needs to understand
[3:53:47] how dire the situation is.
[3:53:47] Our aging infrastructure is at
[3:53:52] a tipping point that demand
[3:53:52] urgent action.
[3:53:53] Coast Keeper will continue
[3:53:54] doing everything we can to work
[3:53:54] on this issue and we'd be happy
[3:53:58] to set up meetings to discuss
[3:53:58] how we can work together in
[3:53:59] the future.
[3:53:59] Thanks for the opportunity.
[3:54:03] You have for the five minute
[3:54:04] time we're going to those
[3:54:04] participating remotely.
[3:54:05] We have four people in
[3:54:05] the queue.
[3:54:06] John Stump If you can please
[3:54:06] unmute.
[3:54:07] >> You'll have two minutes to
[3:54:12] proceed.
[3:54:12] Hi.
[3:54:19] First of all very good that we
[3:54:19] saw MS..
[3:54:19] Desmond there.
[3:54:20] Thank you, MS. Desmond.
[3:54:20] Okay.
[3:54:24] There are a couple of things
[3:54:24] that are missing in the report
[3:54:29] or brought up questions we
[3:54:30] didn't talk about the use of
[3:54:31] the new Bell Hall parking fund.
[3:54:36] We didn't talk about
[3:54:36] the coordination with sd g and
[3:54:40] e and really important is what
[3:54:41] should be driving this And it
[3:54:42] relates to MS. Desmond is
[3:54:46] claims where has
[3:54:47] the infrastructure created
[3:54:53] liability and human claims.
[3:54:53] And that's you know I'm only
[3:54:57] thinking about flooding but
[3:54:58] there's also accidents.
[3:54:58] So that should be the next
[3:55:03] thing.
[3:55:04] >> Can you can you hear me?
[3:55:04] Yes.
[3:55:08] Please proceed.
[3:55:09] >> Okay.
[3:55:09] The next thing is stormwater.
[3:55:14] It's not an imposition.
[3:55:15] It is a result of development
[3:55:21] and urban and zation costs.
[3:55:22] You don't really need a
[3:55:26] stormwater program unless
[3:55:27] you've done development where
[3:55:28] you've created a place where
[3:55:32] runoff is forced off
[3:55:33] the property.
[3:55:38] >> The zoo is a prime example
[3:55:38] of that.
[3:55:39] There's also a mistake in
[3:55:39] the description.
[3:55:44] It's not the police firing
[3:55:44] range.
[3:55:45] It's the City Gun and Pistol
[3:55:45] Club.
[3:55:50] So maybe correct that.
[3:55:55] Finally the listing of projects
[3:55:56] is kind of an engineer's
[3:55:56] approach.
[3:55:57] The right approach would be
[3:56:01] Maslow's hierarchy of needs
[3:56:02] where you're talking about
[3:56:07] housing and physical needs of
[3:56:08] people food, air, water.
[3:56:13] And then you're talking about
[3:56:13] safety needs.
[3:56:14] And finally you get to these
[3:56:14] development needs.
[3:56:20] Maslow's hierarchy of Needs
[3:56:20] Thank you.
[3:56:21] >> After the 8700 than
[3:56:34] the original 8700 please unmute
[3:56:34] .
[3:56:35] Thank you.
[3:56:36] Joining me at a seed tree.
[3:56:39] Thank you to both.
[3:56:40] The first two presentations
[3:56:45] were excellent Director Desmond
[3:56:46] I want to tell you I love
[3:56:52] the contextual focus and I love
[3:56:52] the Nexus Focus.
[3:56:57] I'm thrilled to tell you I'm
[3:56:58] able to follow your reporting
[3:57:04] because it's imperative
[3:57:05] physically that in a way it is
[3:57:06] and it's kind of a new language
[3:57:06] for me.
[3:57:10] But I think you it's it's
[3:57:10] doable and I really appreciate
[3:57:11] that.
[3:57:11] So just one thing on
[3:57:15] the reporting the basics of
[3:57:22] mitigation, mitigating risk
[3:57:22] prevention, ladies maintenance
[3:57:23] is my favorite preventive
[3:57:23] maintenance.
[3:57:28] I want you to my own outlook
[3:57:28] involving only one area So take
[3:57:33] a deep breath right now.
[3:57:34] I am not asking for any money
[3:57:39] which will increase the gap.
[3:57:40] This is just a whisper a
[3:57:40] whisper.
[3:57:45] Planning And it's this point of
[3:57:51] time infrastructure cloud based
[3:57:51] Systems Act as a modern digital
[3:57:52] infrastructure in a city
[3:57:58] functioning as the backbone for
[3:57:59] smart city initiatives, data
[3:57:59] storage and public service
[3:58:04] management That's an end of
[3:58:05] quote.
[3:58:05] Can you imagine bodies without
[3:58:09] a backbone starting in 2030?
[3:58:10] I will flip the switch for our
[3:58:15] New York City cloud based
[3:58:15] system infrastructure.
[3:58:16] It's equal to the importance of
[3:58:21] water sewage and transportation
[3:58:21] and so forth.
[3:58:22] So I'm just putting a whisper
[3:58:28] in your ear that we need to
[3:58:28] start with a policy and we need
[3:58:35] to start planning for a more
[3:58:36] outlook and we have to wait to
[3:58:36] the next one.
[3:58:38] But I'm just going to use your
[3:58:39] time has confused my apologies
[3:58:39] the original and then Hector
[3:58:44] talk about a racket.
[3:58:45] I mean this just shows
[3:58:45] the gross willful negligence
[3:58:50] and gross malfeasance that is
[3:58:50] taking place in the city.
[3:58:51] You guys have billions of
[3:58:56] dollars at your disposal to do
[3:58:57] the things that you're supposed
[3:59:03] to do and you neglect to do it
[3:59:03] .
[3:59:04] As we can see that there's
[3:59:05] declining in the storm water
[3:59:05] infrastructure.
[3:59:09] It's passed its life and this
[3:59:10] has been going on for a very
[3:59:11] long time.
[3:59:11] This is like a decades long
[3:59:15] issue just like the Tijuana
[3:59:16] River Valley where you guys are
[3:59:17] taking money from here and
[3:59:17] putting it over there and
[3:59:21] you're not doing what needs to
[3:59:22] be done and yet you want more
[3:59:23] money from the people.
[3:59:23] You're supposed to be good
[3:59:27] stewards of our money and
[3:59:28] you're not.
[3:59:29] And this just shows that when
[3:59:29] you've already had billions at
[3:59:33] your disposal and look at
[3:59:34] the state of the city, it's in
[3:59:34] disarray.
[3:59:35] It is not looking good Even
[3:59:36] though you guys try and paint a
[3:59:40] picture as though that's
[3:59:41] the case and you take our money
[3:59:42] and you don't do what you're
[3:59:43] supposed to do, then you want
[3:59:46] to come after us and say we
[3:59:47] need more money for you to keep
[3:59:47] up with what we were supposed
[3:59:48] to be doing.
[3:59:51] You guys are getting ahead of
[3:59:51] yourself.
[3:59:52] You need to be finishing what
[3:59:53] you've started instead of
[3:59:57] having all these emergencies
[3:59:58] that come into place because
[3:59:59] you are neglecting what you're
[3:59:59] supposed to be doing.
[4:00:04] I mean how much money more
[4:00:04] money do you guys need and
[4:00:10] promises Are you going to make
[4:00:10] when I mean I'm terrified to
[4:00:11] think about these billions of
[4:00:12] dollars that's going to be out
[4:00:15] Your guys is disposable when
[4:00:16] you see the world around us is
[4:00:17] it's crumbling and there are
[4:00:21] people suffering because of
[4:00:21] the choices that you guys have
[4:00:22] made.
[4:00:22] So before you start any new
[4:00:27] projects you need to complete
[4:00:28] the projects that you already
[4:00:28] started and not take money from
[4:00:29] here and over there and
[4:00:33] contract with people that are
[4:00:34] also wasting our money like
[4:00:34] Dreams for Change in downtown
[4:00:39] partnership and doing things
[4:00:39] like having people die on their
[4:00:40] watch and being raped and
[4:00:41] trying to hide it.
[4:00:45] So you guys need to course
[4:00:46] correct because this just shows
[4:00:46] how negligent you took Your
[4:00:47] time has concluded.
[4:00:51] Hector, if you can please
[4:00:52] unmute your final speaker.
[4:00:52] The five minute timer has
[4:00:57] concluded Please proceed.
[4:00:57] >> Thanks for taking my call.
[4:00:58] This is like capital
[4:01:03] infrastructure planning outlook
[4:01:03] in the famous words of Mike
[4:01:04] Tyson.
[4:01:04] Everyone has a plan until they
[4:01:09] get hit in the face.
[4:01:10] The dam is condemned by
[4:01:10] the state.
[4:01:11] They said it's gonna break in
[4:01:11] moment.
[4:01:15] So anybody go down stream from
[4:01:16] the dam in Del Mar?
[4:01:21] I hope they cancel their
[4:01:22] homeowners insurance or update
[4:01:22] I hope State Farm as my carrier
[4:01:26] doesn't have any policies down
[4:01:27] downstream from the dam and
[4:01:27] take them out.
[4:01:32] The recent fires that
[4:01:33] Democratic leadership has
[4:01:33] brought us here, the fires in
[4:01:39] the Democratic leadership.
[4:01:39] No water in the reservoir
[4:01:40] the thing that didn't even work
[4:01:45] And then we had a state farm
[4:01:46] had all those claims and it's a
[4:01:46] total nightmare.
[4:01:50] So hopefully State Farm will
[4:01:51] wake up and insurance company
[4:01:56] will not insure houses down
[4:01:57] stream from that dam When it
[4:01:58] rains it's going to be a total
[4:01:58] disaster city.
[4:02:02] You're going to get sued
[4:02:03] because now you know, it's
[4:02:08] condemned basically from state
[4:02:08] .
[4:02:09] So what can you do?
[4:02:10] Yeah, I don't know what you can
[4:02:11] do but it's a total liability
[4:02:14] Now the warrant So if you
[4:02:15] proceed without fixing it it's
[4:02:16] it's everyone's you know
[4:02:21] the money's there But anyway I
[4:02:22] say divert the Do you want a
[4:02:22] sewer line back into town?
[4:02:26] You want about 45,000 yards
[4:02:32] past border Just convert it
[4:02:33] back into Mexico let those guys
[4:02:34] figure it out put up an earthen
[4:02:37] dam or do you want a sewage
[4:02:38] line back into them and then
[4:02:39] park the actual space in
[4:02:43] Imperial Beach and get rid of
[4:02:44] all that toxic sand that's in
[4:02:44] there?
[4:02:49] You can use that same to build
[4:02:50] a dam in Del Mar and save some
[4:02:50] money.
[4:02:50] Anyway, good luck.
[4:02:57] Here we go again.
[4:02:58] >> Thanks for your time Creator
[4:02:59] Henry Lee It already noted that
[4:03:04] the biometric included other
[4:03:04] speakers will be taken They
[4:03:05] think elsewhere that it could
[4:03:05] be common.
[4:03:07] Thank you for the clerk Again
[4:03:07] this is an information item No
[4:03:08] motion is required.
[4:03:09] I'll turn over to my colleagues
[4:03:12] for any questions and comments
[4:03:13] and we'll start with the Chair
[4:03:13] of the Active Transportation
[4:03:14] and Infrastructure Committee
[4:03:18] Council member Whitman.
[4:03:19] Thank you very much.
[4:03:20] Council PRESIDENT Thank you to
[4:03:25] the staff team, to the eBay to
[4:03:26] this Desmond Desmond I wanted
[4:03:31] to follow up on a point that
[4:03:31] you were emphasizing which was
[4:03:36] that 23% of the funded projects
[4:03:42] are in structurally excluded
[4:03:43] communities and you wanted to
[4:03:43] make sure that we understood
[4:03:48] that and recognize
[4:03:49] the significance of that.
[4:03:50] But I want to be sure I do
[4:03:51] understand exactly what that
[4:03:54] means.
[4:03:55] So first of all, I guess my
[4:04:00] first question is you know what
[4:04:00] how are you defining a
[4:04:06] structurally excluded community
[4:04:06] ?
[4:04:07] Is that a term that I
[4:04:08] personally have used a lot by
[4:04:08] understand because it could
[4:04:12] include within could be
[4:04:12] considered a structurally
[4:04:13] excluded community.
[4:04:13] But I think what you're
[4:04:14] referring to is something that
[4:04:18] has more of a geographically
[4:04:19] identifiable component to it
[4:04:20] And you could you could tell
[4:04:23] you otherwise.
[4:04:24] And then so that we could put
[4:04:25] the 23% in context What
[4:04:30] percentage of the city is in a
[4:04:31] structure, what percent of
[4:04:35] the city is located in
[4:04:36] structurally excluded
[4:04:36] communities?
[4:04:37] >> Great question.
[4:04:42] I'll answer that in two ways.
[4:04:43] One, when I came to San Diego
[4:04:47] there were several definitions
[4:04:48] for the way that we talk about
[4:04:48] a geographic area that have
[4:04:54] different factors.
[4:04:55] And so one way is we call them
[4:04:55] climate equity index zones in
[4:05:00] overlays is in terms of promise
[4:05:01] zones essentially as the same
[4:05:01] areas with different terms.
[4:05:06] And so when we revise a policy
[4:05:07] we made it structurally
[4:05:07] excluded to stop blaming
[4:05:12] the people who live in
[4:05:12] the neighborhood for the issues
[4:05:13] their deficit in their
[4:05:13] neighborhood.
[4:05:17] The second part of your
[4:05:17] question is this team as a
[4:05:23] follow up could do with overlay
[4:05:23] around because we do have
[4:05:24] projects by council district to
[4:05:28] show a geographic overlay
[4:05:29] mapping those projects.
[4:05:30] So we did let for our analysis
[4:05:35] of the equity lands.
[4:05:36] So to your question around
[4:05:37] where they located that it's in
[4:05:37] the promise zone climate equity
[4:05:42] zone areas.
[4:05:43] >> So if you don't use actually
[4:05:43] excluded that's okay.
[4:05:44] The problem is on areas That's
[4:05:44] very helpful.
[4:05:47] Thank you.
[4:05:47] Thank you.
[4:05:48] Council PRESIDENT.
[4:05:48] All right.
[4:05:49] Thank you Council member
[4:05:49] Whitburn.
[4:05:50] We'll go next to council member
[4:05:53] Eli Rivera.
[4:05:54] PRESIDENT, thanks for
[4:05:55] the presentation here.
[4:05:59] Thank you to the idea for your
[4:06:00] work and thank you as always
[4:06:00] for what you provided as well.
[4:06:03] This is always a very important
[4:06:10] conversation And the numbers
[4:06:10] you know they were startling
[4:06:15] Our first year on council and
[4:06:16] they only get more startling
[4:06:21] each year And those numbers,
[4:06:22] you know, represent like real
[4:06:26] tangible impacts on communities
[4:06:27] sidewalks that grandmothers in
[4:06:32] my district, you know, struggle
[4:06:33] to navigate um, homes that are
[4:06:38] at risk from from flooding
[4:06:39] during not even catastrophic
[4:06:39] rain events but basic rain
[4:06:45] events and you know our beaches
[4:06:46] and bays being too dirty This
[4:06:47] woman go on and on and
[4:06:51] the impacts are real And I have
[4:06:51] real concerns that the gaps
[4:06:52] aren't distributed equally And
[4:06:56] I appreciate Kim pointing out
[4:07:03] what she did.
[4:07:04] The Climate Equity Fund exists
[4:07:04] because we acknowledge that we
[4:07:08] have equity in the city so I am
[4:07:09] curious if you can pinpoint
[4:07:14] kind of show us how
[4:07:15] the projects in the outlook are
[4:07:15] sequenced to address
[4:07:19] the communities with
[4:07:19] the largest deficits first and
[4:07:20] if there are any accountability
[4:07:21] mechanisms in place to ensure
[4:07:25] that actually happens rather
[4:07:26] than simply defaulting to
[4:07:27] what's easiest or what feels
[4:07:32] politically acceptable in
[4:07:32] the moment.
[4:07:33] >> Great nuance question and
[4:07:39] I'll call and run and care
[4:07:40] until answer Being there
[4:07:41] originally was written into
[4:07:41] the resolution for the Climate
[4:07:44] Equity Fund.
[4:07:44] I can't say the allocation of
[4:07:45] that.
[4:07:46] It was not a 1 to 1 in terms of
[4:07:48] the way we do projects.
[4:07:49] So I know that just from being
[4:07:50] a part of the process to
[4:07:51] identify projects So I do
[4:07:55] appreciate the nuance around
[4:07:55] that fund being used in those
[4:07:56] particular areas.
[4:07:56] So perhaps a follow up but I
[4:08:00] don't know if you've got Yeah,
[4:08:01] I mean Karen, you can first
[4:08:06] walk them through the data
[4:08:07] points that considered in
[4:08:08] compiling the report and then i
[4:08:12] can put some much light on
[4:08:13] the Dash 14 and how it's
[4:08:13] implemented.
[4:08:18] I do think that when one thing
[4:08:18] that I want to point out before
[4:08:19] I dive into all the details is
[4:08:24] this is designed to be a high
[4:08:25] level programmatic really
[4:08:29] forward looking report.
[4:08:30] Councilmember I think I think
[4:08:31] the one true mechanism that we
[4:08:35] have to make sure that people
[4:08:36] stay on point that dollars are
[4:08:40] allocated that we're going to
[4:08:41] the highest neighborhoods first
[4:08:41] is the budget development
[4:08:42] process, the actual budget
[4:08:46] development and adoption
[4:08:47] process.
[4:08:47] As part of this effort we
[4:08:53] collect the information for for
[4:08:53] structurally excluded
[4:08:54] communities.
[4:08:57] We looked first at really
[4:08:58] funding those things that were
[4:08:58] already in the pipeline.
[4:08:59] We wanted to finish those
[4:09:03] things.
[4:09:04] If there were projects that
[4:09:05] were in construction that had
[4:09:06] new needs pop up finishing
[4:09:09] those fully funding
[4:09:10] construction for projects that
[4:09:10] were in design all of those
[4:09:15] things happen and they're kind
[4:09:16] of they're not competing but
[4:09:17] they are definitely overlapping
[4:09:21] and corresponding interest in
[4:09:21] that.
[4:09:22] We are looking both at
[4:09:22] the stage of the project
[4:09:27] the available funding sources
[4:09:28] where we might have community
[4:09:29] only or park funds that are you
[4:09:33] know specific to communities of
[4:09:33] concern or not that we are
[4:09:39] allocating those restricted
[4:09:40] funding sources really getting
[4:09:40] the most that we can we out out
[4:09:44] of those restricted funding
[4:09:45] sources we do take into account
[4:09:51] the 814 scores as well as
[4:09:51] the location of the project and
[4:09:57] where it is in the project
[4:09:58] delivery pipeline.
[4:09:58] I hope that helps.
[4:10:02] Just to shed more light on this
[4:10:03] one again this is a five year
[4:10:03] outlook.
[4:10:04] We're looking into the future.
[4:10:08] I think the main drivers of
[4:10:08] the data collected is the asset
[4:10:09] management information and
[4:10:13] understanding what it's feeling
[4:10:14] and what needs attention
[4:10:19] globally across the entire city
[4:10:20] .
[4:10:21] And then after that as we take
[4:10:21] a closer look to the f y 27
[4:10:26] budget, this is where we trying
[4:10:26] to ensure that there is a
[4:10:27] priority score assigned to each
[4:10:32] project where in 814 we work
[4:10:33] collectively with Council on
[4:10:33] adopting this new policy we
[4:10:39] ensure that to a point
[4:10:39] councilmember that equable
[4:10:40] outcome is coming from
[4:10:44] sustainability standpoint from
[4:10:44] a safety standpoint all those
[4:10:45] different factors are being
[4:10:50] accounted for as we score every
[4:10:51] project and then then we try to
[4:10:52] recommend a project with
[4:10:55] the higher score to be funded
[4:10:55] first.
[4:11:01] Okay we've limited time but I
[4:11:01] do think it's another context
[4:11:07] as well where we're being
[4:11:08] aspirational versus where we're
[4:11:08] actually setting standards in
[4:11:09] the city And this feels like an
[4:11:10] important area to set standards
[4:11:13] and I appreciate that We don't
[4:11:14] want to call it competing but
[4:11:14] it is competing so long as we
[4:11:19] continue to allow ourselves to
[4:11:19] live in a place of scarcity
[4:11:20] rather than the abundance that
[4:11:21] we should be able to exist
[4:11:25] within here in San Diego.
[4:11:26] But in a in a world where we're
[4:11:26] living with scarcity of
[4:11:31] resources that ends up becoming
[4:11:31] competing or we can use all
[4:11:37] sorts different words to
[4:11:38] describe it but we're not doing
[4:11:38] at all.
[4:11:39] And so I understand that
[4:11:43] there's a system in place for
[4:11:44] making decisions But I will
[4:11:44] also say that the budget for
[4:11:50] the building process I'll be
[4:11:50] honest saying that that's
[4:11:51] the time for us to fix and
[4:11:55] reprioritize that I don't think
[4:11:56] that puts us in a really tough
[4:11:57] spot by the time we're at that
[4:12:01] point in the process.
[4:12:02] I don't think it's realistic
[4:12:02] for us to reorder the entire
[4:12:07] list that's been provided to us
[4:12:08] and I know that we would be
[4:12:09] given enormous, enormous
[4:12:09] pushback if we if we try to do
[4:12:13] that if what we were presented
[4:12:14] with the proposed budget
[4:12:15] the council said this is not
[4:12:15] hit the mark when it comes to
[4:12:18] equity and we would order it
[4:12:19] entirely it would blow up
[4:12:20] the budget process And so it
[4:12:24] needs to be better baked by
[4:12:25] the time it gets to us from an
[4:12:25] equity standpoint.
[4:12:31] So that instead we've got real
[4:12:31] funding gaps.
[4:12:37] I do want to talk about how we
[4:12:38] spend and we've talked about
[4:12:38] this before there was mention
[4:12:39] that bundling bike lane
[4:12:39] installations with street
[4:12:41] repaving and utility work has
[4:12:42] helped in terms of being more
[4:12:47] cost effective.
[4:12:48] So my understanding is that
[4:12:48] when we use standardized
[4:12:54] designs and bundle repetitive
[4:12:54] work we stop treating every
[4:13:00] single curb ramp installation
[4:13:01] like a unique engineering
[4:13:01] challenge.
[4:13:02] We can actually bring down
[4:13:02] costs, accelerate delivery.
[4:13:03] It doesn't seem like we're
[4:13:07] doing that across the system
[4:13:07] though.
[4:13:08] You know the thousands of
[4:13:09] street lights that we need to
[4:13:15] install that feels like an area
[4:13:16] where we could be standardizing
[4:13:17] and pre engineering solutions.
[4:13:21] So can you talk to us about
[4:13:22] the extent to which we are
[4:13:23] doing more of standardizing
[4:13:28] design vouching procurement and
[4:13:28] in order to reduce this off
[4:13:29] cost?
[4:13:29] Yeah.
[4:13:33] I mean one of the policy I can
[4:13:33] think of that we were trying to
[4:13:34] implement as we initiated
[4:13:35] project is complete street and
[4:13:38] in exactly to your point
[4:13:39] council member we were trying
[4:13:40] to identify all the different
[4:13:44] assets within this corridor
[4:13:45] that we need to be addressed at
[4:13:46] the challenge as the different
[4:13:51] state that each asset within
[4:13:51] this corridor is and and
[4:13:57] available funding So if we want
[4:13:58] to go and treat the lighting
[4:13:58] the sidewalk, the programs,
[4:14:03] the paving right that that
[4:14:04] present additional cost where
[4:14:05] the priority could be mainly in
[4:14:09] this in the street light So
[4:14:10] we're trying to balance
[4:14:10] the available funding with all
[4:14:14] the conditions of the existing
[4:14:15] assets within that corridor and
[4:14:16] trying to bundle as much as we
[4:14:20] could that making sense to
[4:14:21] advance it all together as one
[4:14:22] project And some of that work
[4:14:26] is identified to be done by
[4:14:27] city forces while other other
[4:14:32] areas require further design
[4:14:33] and been executed through an
[4:14:34] outside contractor.
[4:14:38] So we're trying to at
[4:14:39] the beginning with the project
[4:14:43] we are trying to implement all
[4:14:44] of those policies that
[4:14:45] facilitate the opportunity to
[4:14:49] be more efficient in delivering
[4:14:50] major assets.
[4:14:56] >> I just for me it's not just
[4:14:57] the major assets.
[4:14:57] It's like in fact it might even
[4:14:58] be more important unlike
[4:15:02] the medium and smaller scale
[4:15:03] ones to make sure that we're
[4:15:03] being more efficient there.
[4:15:08] I just want to make that point
[4:15:09] so and I'll just ask for
[4:15:10] the next three minutes now if I
[4:15:10] MAY.
[4:15:13] Council PRESIDENT Yeah, that
[4:15:14] this the structural issue in
[4:15:14] front of us in terms of
[4:15:15] the budget we've talked about
[4:15:19] this for years We were handed a
[4:15:20] multibillion dollar deficit for
[4:15:25] infrastructure That's a reality
[4:15:31] and it is directly related to
[4:15:32] the insufficient amount of
[4:15:33] revenue that the city brings
[4:15:33] in.
[4:15:33] We were not resourced well
[4:15:37] enough for easily 1.4 million
[4:15:38] people that is sitting on
[4:15:39] rotting infrastructure that was
[4:15:40] allowed to erode over
[4:15:46] generations.
[4:15:48] So I do have a what is what is
[4:15:53] the administration's or staff's
[4:15:54] plan to start addressing that
[4:15:59] part of the equation
[4:15:59] the revenue side because
[4:16:00] the council's come up with
[4:16:04] ideas about measures.
[4:16:05] I'm curious if
[4:16:05] the administration's
[4:16:10] considering anything We want to
[4:16:16] take this one Councilmember I
[4:16:22] think we've always tried to
[4:16:23] explore additional revenue
[4:16:24] options to make sure that we
[4:16:28] are at structural balance so we
[4:16:29] can continue the long term
[4:16:30] investment and planning to be
[4:16:33] able to deliver on these
[4:16:34] significant ip backlog.
[4:16:35] I don't think any option is off
[4:16:35] the table and we will continue
[4:16:40] to work on towards whatever
[4:16:41] options we have to be able to
[4:16:42] make sure that we are in
[4:16:42] structural balance.
[4:16:46] The city is well resources well
[4:16:47] resourced to meet our growing
[4:16:52] backlog.
[4:16:52] Okay.
[4:16:53] I think they'll want to
[4:16:53] continue that conversation.
[4:16:58] We've talked a couple of times
[4:16:59] I brought this up and we
[4:17:00] haven't really drilled down too
[4:17:00] much and I'm not an expert in
[4:17:04] this and I will acknowledge
[4:17:04] that But that's why we have
[4:17:05] the smart folks on that side of
[4:17:10] the dais environmental impact
[4:17:11] bonds, as I understand it, have
[4:17:12] been used in on the East Coast,
[4:17:13] the Chesapeake Bay in
[4:17:16] particular to successfully
[4:17:17] improve green stormwater
[4:17:17] infrastructure.
[4:17:22] I believe other cities have
[4:17:23] followed their path Private
[4:17:24] investors fund infrastructure
[4:17:24] up front.
[4:17:25] The city repays based on
[4:17:28] measurable outcomes actual
[4:17:29] flood reduction, actual water
[4:17:30] quality improvement, the risk
[4:17:34] transfer that is real.
[4:17:35] It provides access to private
[4:17:35] capital.
[4:17:39] We have a we have $5 billion in
[4:17:40] stormwater needs depleting
[4:17:45] federal loan and active
[4:17:46] political effort to further
[4:17:51] blow holes in our budget.
[4:17:52] Is there been any exploration
[4:17:52] of environmental impact bonds
[4:17:53] for stormwater infrastructure
[4:17:57] or other sort of creative
[4:17:57] financing mechanisms?
[4:18:03] All I can say that the director
[4:18:04] of Stormwater Todd Snyder's
[4:18:04] been exploring all possible
[4:18:05] options to really address this
[4:18:10] major deficit in
[4:18:10] infrastructure.
[4:18:11] So I'm not sure if you're here
[4:18:15] in the audience Yes, thanks
[4:18:15] Councilmember.
[4:18:16] I can tell you very familiar
[4:18:21] with those programs from my
[4:18:22] general experience in
[4:18:23] the stormwater field I think
[4:18:27] the fundamental need to make
[4:18:28] that type of environmental bond
[4:18:32] program work is you need to
[4:18:33] revenue in the assurance to be
[4:18:34] able to pay the private sector
[4:18:34] back to deliver those outcomes
[4:18:39] And that's where we struggle is
[4:18:40] we're relying on general fund
[4:18:41] primarily So without a
[4:18:44] dedicated revenue source got a
[4:18:45] fee bringing in consistent
[4:18:46] revenue it's really hard to get
[4:18:46] a program like that off
[4:18:51] the ground because you need to
[4:18:52] have a payback mechanism And if
[4:18:52] the payback mechanism is
[4:18:56] general fund competing with
[4:18:57] police, fire libraries, parks
[4:18:58] you know you've got to you've
[4:18:58] got to basically earmark
[4:19:02] the funding for stormwater.
[4:19:03] >> Yeah, but types of projects
[4:19:09] that we need to fund Yes.
[4:19:09] Scale of the projects we need
[4:19:10] to fund all work.
[4:19:10] Yes, absolutely.
[4:19:14] Green infrastructure, flood
[4:19:15] resilience that type of work is
[4:19:15] being delivered in
[4:19:16] the Chesapeake Bay example that
[4:19:20] you brought up.
[4:19:21] So with dedicated revenue is
[4:19:22] that a method financing
[4:19:26] mechanism that you think would
[4:19:27] be appropriate and you want to.
[4:19:28] >> I do I think I think it's it
[4:19:29] helps to get to the type of
[4:19:32] scale that we were talking
[4:19:33] about in terms of our need.
[4:19:34] It allows you to bundle
[4:19:34] projects particularly on
[4:19:38] the water quality side.
[4:19:39] It opens up the potential to do
[4:19:39] water quality improvements on
[4:19:44] private parcels and in addition
[4:19:44] to just public parcels that we
[4:19:45] have land ownership of.
[4:19:46] So I think there's a lot of
[4:19:51] advantages to it.
[4:19:52] It's just a real long term
[4:19:52] financial commitment that's
[4:19:53] tough to make when you're
[4:19:54] reliant on the general fund
[4:19:57] That's that short compared to
[4:19:58] the total needs of the city I
[4:20:02] think so I well I mean thank
[4:20:03] you for that.
[4:20:09] I appreciate the work that
[4:20:09] you've done And I we've been
[4:20:10] talking about it since we got
[4:20:10] here.
[4:20:15] We need dedicated revenue.
[4:20:15] We appreciate that.
[4:20:16] Coast Skipper continues to
[4:20:20] remind us of that.
[4:20:20] We are behind the way we're
[4:20:26] behind because of
[4:20:27] the structural budget deficit
[4:20:27] that we've experienced for
[4:20:28] decades now and
[4:20:32] the under-resourcing of
[4:20:32] the city In this moment we're
[4:20:33] staring at the deficit that we
[4:20:37] just looked at the gap that we
[4:20:38] have We have the leaking club
[4:20:44] the former mayor who left us
[4:20:44] billions of dollars in in
[4:20:50] broken infrastructure and
[4:20:51] meadow lined outside groups
[4:20:52] pursuing a ballot measure that
[4:20:55] would defund $100 million in
[4:20:55] core city services, $100
[4:20:56] million annually and course in
[4:21:01] services which means that all
[4:21:07] of this would get worse and i
[4:21:08] mention that because this
[4:21:08] conversation is not abstract
[4:21:13] like this stuff is impacting
[4:21:13] our neighborhoods.
[4:21:14] We have people who are still
[4:21:14] dealing with floods that
[4:21:18] happened a couple of years ago
[4:21:18] .
[4:21:19] There are parts of the city
[4:21:20] that have no sidewalks, unpaved
[4:21:25] streets, unpaved alleys and we
[4:21:31] are allowing hopefully we're
[4:21:31] not going to allow this group
[4:21:36] of radicals who broke the city
[4:21:37] to try to light it on fire
[4:21:42] through the political actions
[4:21:43] that they're considering right
[4:21:44] now that will not make the city
[4:21:48] leaner.
[4:21:49] It will make things much worse.
[4:21:50] And so I just I felt
[4:21:54] the necessity to say that
[4:21:55] council PRESIDENT Because to be
[4:21:56] staring at what we're staring
[4:21:56] at already and know that there
[4:22:01] are folks who are again
[4:22:01] actively attempting to defund a
[4:22:02] core city service is extremely
[4:22:07] alarming to me because
[4:22:07] the impacts will be felt by
[4:22:08] less stormwater work being
[4:22:09] done, fewer sidewalks being
[4:22:13] repaired, fewer potholes being
[4:22:13] built and that is not
[4:22:14] the effort of anyone who's
[4:22:19] serious about becoming a better
[4:22:20] place to live or quite frankly
[4:22:21] who cares at all that
[4:22:25] the people of San Diego so I
[4:22:25] thank you again for all of
[4:22:26] the work that you have done.
[4:22:31] We have a lot more work to do.
[4:22:32] I do hope that we can build on
[4:22:32] what Kim presented to us and
[4:22:37] see more of a standardization
[4:22:38] in terms of how we approach
[4:22:39] the inequities in terms
[4:22:39] infrastructure, investment,
[4:22:40] the city.
[4:22:41] But I do appreciate the effort
[4:22:44] and taking the extra time.
[4:22:45] Council PRESIDENT I give you
[4:22:46] two of my two of my minutes So
[4:22:48] Councilmember Foster Oh yes,
[4:22:54] Thank you Council PRESIDENT And
[4:22:55] thank you staff for
[4:23:01] the presentation and thank you
[4:23:01] to to my colleagues.
[4:23:06] I think Councilmember Eli
[4:23:12] Rivera touched on a lot And I
[4:23:13] think I also appreciate
[4:23:14] the question of Councilmember
[4:23:18] Wimmer in regards to what is a
[4:23:24] structurally excluded community
[4:23:24] or the terms that we use.
[4:23:30] For me I'll go back in time
[4:23:35] with I want to say my education
[4:23:36] and training.
[4:23:36] I have always used the term
[4:23:37] historically underserved
[4:23:42] communities and I think that is
[4:23:48] a term that is used in quite
[4:23:49] honestly in my time stems from
[4:23:54] the Federal terminology as we
[4:23:59] deal with disparities and
[4:24:00] things of the sort.
[4:24:06] We also used at some point
[4:24:06] the term of communities of
[4:24:07] concern which I never really
[4:24:11] cared for to be quite honest
[4:24:12] And I do appreciate the work at
[4:24:18] the time of our sustainability
[4:24:19] director Cody Hoving that came
[4:24:23] up with the Climate equity
[4:24:24] Index which I think developed
[4:24:29] from a state document that
[4:24:30] really made it specific to
[4:24:31] the city of San Diego and made
[4:24:35] sure that we were including all
[4:24:36] of the appropriate underserved
[4:24:41] communities based on our data
[4:24:42] versus leaving it to
[4:24:47] the Federal legislators in
[4:24:48] the in the state level because
[4:24:54] I am the first to tell you that
[4:24:54] the way they drew
[4:24:55] the opportunities zones just
[4:24:55] baffles me On how you draw a
[4:24:59] line in the middle of
[4:24:59] the street and I can take you
[4:25:00] to the section that was left
[4:25:01] out which is a black arts and
[4:25:05] culture district that has not
[4:25:06] seen any true redevelopment or
[4:25:11] any attention since I was since
[4:25:11] I was a baby.
[4:25:16] To be quite honest.
[4:25:17] But also I'm a little troubled
[4:25:23] in regards to the reference of
[4:25:23] the five year outlook.
[4:25:28] I do agree that if we were to
[4:25:29] come to council and try to
[4:25:34] unwind the proposed cip, I
[4:25:35] think that would be a
[4:25:37] disservice to our process and
[4:25:44] would create several
[4:25:44] challenges.
[4:25:45] I think it is not
[4:25:49] the appropriate method that I
[4:25:50] would recommend and quite
[4:25:51] honestly look forward to
[4:25:55] sitting on the dais and going
[4:25:56] through that level of of of
[4:26:01] information.
[4:26:02] But I think if I recall
[4:26:02] the five year outlook and I'm
[4:26:07] going to refer to it as a
[4:26:08] planning document it is to give
[4:26:13] us the path and the vision to
[4:26:13] move this ip forward.
[4:26:18] And as you hear from our
[4:26:19] Department of Race and Equity
[4:26:24] that 23% of the projects are in
[4:26:25] historically underserved
[4:26:29] communities and 77% are in what
[4:26:30] I will just say are high
[4:26:36] The highest resource areas is
[4:26:37] troubling to me If I am
[4:26:42] interpreting quick points that
[4:26:47] were made here today.
[4:26:48] And so I think we have more
[4:26:48] work to do.
[4:26:49] I also think that I would agree
[4:26:53] with with Kim that we need to
[4:26:54] look at how we're presenting
[4:27:00] this information so that we can
[4:27:00] effectively and efficiently
[4:27:05] receive the information,
[4:27:06] analyzing information and not
[4:27:11] only for council and our staffs
[4:27:12] but also the public because I
[4:27:17] will say that I am used to
[4:27:17] the what I will call
[4:27:18] the bureaucratic dump and where
[4:27:24] you just unload information and
[4:27:25] you just kind of look at
[4:27:25] everything and say Catch me if
[4:27:26] you can.
[4:27:27] And I think we need to get out
[4:27:39] of that Also I will say if I
[4:27:39] can have just a few more
[4:27:40] minutes as I look at
[4:27:46] the council policies and I just
[4:27:47] want to be clear because I have
[4:27:47] since I have been on the dais
[4:27:52] have have taken issue with our
[4:27:53] processes and how we do things.
[4:27:57] I do just want to make a
[4:27:58] comment so that everyone knows
[4:27:58] that I have reached out to
[4:28:03] the city auditor and I have
[4:28:04] asked the city auditor to add
[4:28:09] to his audit potential audit
[4:28:10] list for f y 27 as needed
[4:28:15] contracts based on our recent
[4:28:16] conversations that we have had
[4:28:17] and have also asked the auditor
[4:28:20] to add job order contracts
[4:28:21] which are essentially similar
[4:28:27] to methodology and most
[4:28:28] importantly emergency contracts
[4:28:33] because clearly we are changing
[4:28:34] our method and process and
[4:28:34] actually including a defined
[4:28:40] allocation within our budget
[4:28:41] process for emergency projects
[4:28:41] And and I will continue to say
[4:28:47] this those are done on a time
[4:28:47] and material basis which means
[4:28:52] we are paying a premium and we
[4:28:52] essentially due to
[4:28:58] the emergency way of just about
[4:28:59] every program or certain
[4:29:00] standards that we have as part
[4:29:04] of our municipal code.
[4:29:05] And that's very troubling for
[4:29:05] me.
[4:29:10] I'm also hearing that it seems
[4:29:11] that the emergency contracts
[4:29:11] are going above what
[4:29:17] the initial emergency is and
[4:29:18] that they are actually coming
[4:29:18] out with phase funding which is
[4:29:23] very problematic for me which
[4:29:23] is why I made the request.
[4:29:24] So I want to make sure everyone
[4:29:29] knows that as I was sitting
[4:29:30] here listening to
[4:29:30] the presentation and
[4:29:31] the questions I also sent to
[4:29:35] the city auditory request to
[4:29:40] add Council policy 800
[4:29:40] Dashboard team as now I think
[4:29:41] we have based on
[4:29:45] the information that was
[4:29:46] provided I think we have three
[4:29:47] years worth of implementation
[4:29:51] and data so that we should have
[4:29:52] a clear data set so that we can
[4:29:53] see just how effective that
[4:29:56] policy is.
[4:29:57] The other thing that I will say
[4:29:58] is that really troubles me is
[4:30:02] we made changes to council
[4:30:03] policy 000 Dash 31 in regards
[4:30:09] to the transparency of dc ip
[4:30:13] And at the time if you go back
[4:30:14] that policy was developed to
[4:30:20] what I will say streamline our
[4:30:20] process to allow
[4:30:21] the engineering and capital
[4:30:25] projects in our public works
[4:30:26] team to present their ip and to
[4:30:32] get approval for projects so
[4:30:32] you don't have to bring every
[4:30:33] single project to city council
[4:30:38] and so I'm not sure if that
[4:30:39] actually served us in the best
[4:30:39] interest as we look at the city
[4:30:42] as a whole.
[4:30:43] And so I think that's something
[4:30:48] that we also need to look at
[4:30:49] And I think what I'm seeing is
[4:30:50] that as we are talking about
[4:30:54] equity, I think as we use
[4:30:55] the term nexus as we are
[4:31:00] connecting the dots, I don't
[4:31:01] think there's one policy that
[4:31:05] will give us the proper path.
[4:31:06] I think we have to use all our
[4:31:11] tools, use them together to get
[4:31:11] the outcomes that are needed
[4:31:16] and I just want to make sure
[4:31:17] when I talk about outcome it's
[4:31:22] about leveling that playing
[4:31:22] field, right?
[4:31:28] There's a reason why you hear
[4:31:29] the dissatisfaction when folks
[4:31:32] come from District four When
[4:31:33] you look at what happened with
[4:31:34] the floods, where you look at
[4:31:38] how we have all the unimproved
[4:31:42] streets between four, eight,
[4:31:43] nine and alleys this is not a
[4:31:48] this is not something that is
[4:31:48] made up.
[4:31:49] It's a reality.
[4:31:49] And so I think it is time that
[4:31:54] we continue to work.
[4:31:54] Kym, I would ask and maybe I'll
[4:31:59] see the debate is I do
[4:31:59] appreciate your comments.
[4:32:00] I think it would be good if
[4:32:04] the council can receive those
[4:32:05] comments in a formalized
[4:32:06] fashion in a memorandum because
[4:32:10] I think this is a start of a
[4:32:11] longer and broader conversation
[4:32:15] to continue to right
[4:32:16] the wrongs.
[4:32:16] And again what's really
[4:32:17] troubling is oftentimes you
[4:32:21] hear the city of San Diego this
[4:32:22] is just the way we do things
[4:32:22] right.
[4:32:26] And as you look at the budget
[4:32:27] deficit, as you look at
[4:32:28] the issues that we have and as
[4:32:32] my good friend said, Kevin
[4:32:37] Faulkner is now standing at a
[4:32:38] podium in Balboa Park where he
[4:32:42] played a major part in this
[4:32:48] deficit problem that we have
[4:32:49] And to do what he is doing now
[4:32:50] I think is is such a great
[4:32:53] disservice.
[4:32:54] And quite honestly this honor
[4:32:59] for someone who has sat in
[4:32:59] the mayoral office and to do
[4:33:04] what he's doing to look folks
[4:33:05] in the eye I think is just
[4:33:05] totally unacceptable and speaks
[4:33:10] to his character.
[4:33:11] And so as long as I'm on this
[4:33:15] dais, I think we are going to
[4:33:15] continue to have these
[4:33:16] conversations and continue to
[4:33:17] push forward And I'm going to
[4:33:21] lean on you, Karen I'm going to
[4:33:21] lean on you, Rania I'm going to
[4:33:25] lean on you and leave to get
[4:33:26] this right because we can no
[4:33:30] longer do this.
[4:33:31] Our communities can no longer
[4:33:31] suffer.
[4:33:32] We have folks that have lost
[4:33:36] everything everything And it is
[4:33:42] a long road and I don't know if
[4:33:43] they will ever get back to
[4:33:47] where they were And so thank
[4:33:47] you Council PRESIDENT I'll
[4:33:48] conclude my comments there We
[4:33:53] have a lot of work to do And
[4:33:54] again, Kim, thank you for your
[4:33:58] comments and your work And I
[4:33:58] think it shows why it was so
[4:33:59] important to move
[4:34:03] the Department of Race and
[4:34:03] Equity to the office.
[4:34:04] So thank you.
[4:34:04] All right.
[4:34:09] Thank you.
[4:34:09] Captain Member Foster will go
[4:34:10] next to Council member Board
[4:34:11] Member Thank you and thank you
[4:34:15] for the presentation.
[4:34:16] We heard this it committee
[4:34:16] already so I won't really move
[4:34:17] my comments.
[4:34:17] It's important planning
[4:34:19] document I agree and I'm glad
[4:34:19] we are doing this.
[4:34:23] I do want to again ask about
[4:34:24] our ability to protect the city
[4:34:29] from fire and I look at
[4:34:30] the committee hearing we talked
[4:34:30] about the need for another city
[4:34:31] type study.
[4:34:34] It doesn't have to be city gate
[4:34:35] itself but so do we have that
[4:34:36] in the process where we're
[4:34:37] going to do another study about
[4:34:37] how we're going to prepare for
[4:34:40] fire?
[4:34:41] Are there growing housing
[4:34:41] needs?
[4:34:42] Chief Moran and the audience
[4:34:44] perhaps he could speak to that
[4:34:54] if he's able and council member
[4:34:55] Currently I'm not aware of any
[4:35:00] plan in place to move towards
[4:35:00] another city gate study but I
[4:35:01] can tell you the department is
[4:35:01] open to it.
[4:35:04] That's a discussion that we can
[4:35:05] have with Chief Logan.
[4:35:05] >> Okay.
[4:35:10] What about the mayor's office?
[4:35:11] Yes, more than happy to follow
[4:35:11] up on that.
[4:35:11] Okay.
[4:35:12] The last one was when over a
[4:35:15] decade ago, 2017 I believe when
[4:35:16] it was public.
[4:35:20] Okay.
[4:35:20] That would be helpful.
[4:35:21] I mean with the more housing we
[4:35:25] approve we need we need to make
[4:35:26] sure we can actually protect
[4:35:27] people from fire and respond to
[4:35:30] you know, that's called on that
[4:35:30] in What about the fire training
[4:35:31] facility committee we heard
[4:35:36] there what the land is there we
[4:35:37] are the age we vote But what
[4:35:38] are we going to do about
[4:35:40] building the facility?
[4:35:40] So as I mentioned that
[4:35:41] committee the price tag is a
[4:35:45] big concern.
[4:35:46] Um, we do have property off of
[4:35:50] Copley Drive and we've been
[4:35:50] looking at a phased approach to
[4:35:51] make it more economically
[4:35:55] feasible.
[4:35:56] But as of right now I'm not
[4:36:00] sure exactly when that will go
[4:36:00] into play.
[4:36:01] We're also looking for other
[4:36:05] ways of funding this facility
[4:36:06] such as b three or public
[4:36:06] private partnership and and
[4:36:10] what it can be a regional
[4:36:11] facilities that been used by
[4:36:15] other municipalities And then
[4:36:15] we can prioritize of course our
[4:36:20] fire rescue department when it
[4:36:21] comes to the usage of that
[4:36:21] facility.
[4:36:25] So we're exploring the option
[4:36:26] as well giving the high price
[4:36:28] tag of of constructing such a
[4:36:34] facility.
[4:36:34] >> Okay.
[4:36:35] We still have time.
[4:36:35] We're working closely with
[4:36:39] public utilities department
[4:36:40] about their scheduling for
[4:36:40] phase two and then work into
[4:36:41] this closely.
[4:36:44] So make sure we do not run out
[4:36:44] of time.
[4:36:45] We understand the critical
[4:36:48] operations of this facility
[4:36:49] right now as it's as I said.
[4:36:50] So we're ensuring that we have
[4:36:54] enough time to do
[4:36:54] the transition when the time
[4:36:55] comes.
[4:36:55] Okay.
[4:36:56] And do we do we have an
[4:36:59] estimate about the hangars for
[4:37:02] the wildfire helicopters or
[4:37:02] three helicopters?
[4:37:03] I believe we're close to
[4:37:07] environ environmental clearance
[4:37:12] But the plan that was in place
[4:37:13] and this is an internal meeting
[4:37:14] that I had with staff several
[4:37:18] months ago I think initial plan
[4:37:22] was a little ambitious.
[4:37:23] So I will say our number one
[4:37:23] priority is to get those
[4:37:27] helicopters out of the elements
[4:37:27] So however we can either scale
[4:37:32] back that project and again
[4:37:36] phase it so that future needs
[4:37:37] can be put into place later
[4:37:37] down the road.
[4:37:42] We're willing to to look at it
[4:37:43] differently And I know there
[4:37:44] was a smaller hangar and a
[4:37:47] large hangar If we can
[4:37:47] accomplish what we need, meet
[4:37:51] our operational goals and
[4:37:52] maintain our service to
[4:37:55] the community, we are open to
[4:37:56] going to one hangar As long as
[4:37:57] we can accomplish that and save
[4:38:00] some money.
[4:38:00] Okay.
[4:38:01] I mean maybe the Fire Rescue
[4:38:05] Foundation can help us source
[4:38:06] private dollars to fundraise
[4:38:10] for a project like that.
[4:38:11] Yeah, so that's a conversation
[4:38:15] that we can have with
[4:38:15] the foundation.
[4:38:15] Okay.
[4:38:19] But if I could add facility and
[4:38:20] all the environmental
[4:38:21] permitting requirements that is
[4:38:21] needed to be able to utilize
[4:38:24] that area will be completed.
[4:38:25] So making it ready for any type
[4:38:29] of funding to use as possible.
[4:38:30] Okay.
[4:38:30] Okay.
[4:38:30] All right.
[4:38:31] Thank you.
[4:38:31] I appreciate it.
[4:38:32] Those papers are very expensive
[4:38:34] and very important and very
[4:38:35] useful.
[4:38:35] So I'd like to put a roof over
[4:38:36] their heads.
[4:38:36] Okay.
[4:38:39] Thank you very much.
[4:38:40] Thank you.
[4:38:44] Council member Von Loper.
[4:38:44] I guess I'll wrap up and at
[4:38:45] the risk of now that I've given
[4:38:48] away all my time I want to
[4:38:49] thank you all for being in
[4:38:53] the hot seat for things that
[4:38:53] you inherited And despite your
[4:38:58] very good work it seems a
[4:38:58] challenge to actually make
[4:38:59] progress here.
[4:39:02] The path ahead doesn't look
[4:39:03] very clear given the scale that
[4:39:07] you describe.
[4:39:08] And one thing I didn't hear
[4:39:09] that I want to highlight is I
[4:39:12] think there has been more
[4:39:13] transparency in how we talk
[4:39:17] about our infrastructure
[4:39:18] deficit than I've seen since
[4:39:19] I've been following it for
[4:39:21] the past 1520 years where as my
[4:39:22] colleagues kind of alluded to
[4:39:26] back in the day everybody hid
[4:39:27] behind sewer and water spending
[4:39:27] and look how much
[4:39:30] infrastructure dollars we're
[4:39:31] spending almost all of that
[4:39:32] with sewer and water dollars
[4:39:35] very little was going to any of
[4:39:36] the other infrastructure needs.
[4:39:37] And as we know when we don't
[4:39:40] invest things each out and I
[4:39:40] appreciate the data driven
[4:39:44] approach but it's so hard
[4:39:49] because it's not a static
[4:39:50] world.
[4:39:50] It's a dynamic world.
[4:39:51] Things keep changing on you.
[4:39:52] You don't know what a facility
[4:39:54] is going to age out.
[4:39:55] You don't know what new state
[4:39:56] mandates are going to come and
[4:40:00] hit us.
[4:40:00] You don't know what lawsuit
[4:40:01] there's going to be that forces
[4:40:02] the settlement discussions
[4:40:05] going forward And yet we strive
[4:40:10] to try to be data driven going
[4:40:10] there And it occurs to me that
[4:40:15] again watching over the many
[4:40:15] years I think we get distracted
[4:40:16] by the next good idea.
[4:40:17] I think I remember talking
[4:40:20] about let's have one design for
[4:40:20] fire stations, let's have one
[4:40:21] design for libraries.
[4:40:23] We'll just keep repeating that
[4:40:24] it doesn't work out quite that
[4:40:28] way going forward.
[4:40:29] So I'm curious and I'll follow
[4:40:34] up with Kim on some of the data
[4:40:34] that came up that you came up
[4:40:38] with in terms of what get
[4:40:38] funded.
[4:40:41] That's something when we
[4:40:42] updated 800 Dash 14 and even
[4:40:46] the early days of 814 over
[4:40:46] the years have proven
[4:40:50] particularly important But I
[4:40:51] think there is a larger
[4:40:54] conversation to be had here.
[4:40:55] The other thing in terms of
[4:40:56] the report I appreciate
[4:40:56] the idea actually
[4:40:59] differentiated stormwater
[4:41:00] between flood resilience and
[4:41:01] green infrastructure because
[4:41:01] there's two different things
[4:41:05] driving those future reports I
[4:41:05] think should differentiate
[4:41:10] those as well.
[4:41:11] Still a big number and we still
[4:41:11] can't figure out how to fund
[4:41:12] that but maybe that would be
[4:41:14] helpful.
[4:41:15] I'm going to wrap up there
[4:41:15] because my colleagues asked a
[4:41:16] lot of good questions.
[4:41:19] There was a lot of good
[4:41:19] responses But thank you.
[4:41:20] Thank you for bringing this
[4:41:24] this forward.
[4:41:24] I know everybody's working to
[4:41:25] do better and we'll figure out
[4:41:28] that path.
[4:41:28] >> All right.
[4:41:33] Well oh, Councilmember Campbell
[4:41:34] ,thank you very much, Council
[4:41:34] PRESIDENT.
[4:41:39] I've been on and off lights
[4:41:39] trying to decide if I should
[4:41:40] bring something to the public's
[4:41:43] attention that has maybe
[4:41:47] slipped their viewpoint.
[4:41:48] I've been here seven years now.
[4:41:49] When I first came I noticed
[4:41:52] that we had a big gap in our
[4:41:56] stormwater budget of $2
[4:41:57] billion.
[4:42:01] I see now it's up to probably 5
[4:42:01] billion maybe more.
[4:42:06] Uh, I think the reason for this
[4:42:07] has been actually alluded to
[4:42:15] especially by my colleagues
[4:42:16] Councilmember Rivera and
[4:42:16] Councilmember Foster and that
[4:42:21] is I would say for probably
[4:42:24] the last 150 years I things
[4:42:25] have been ignored that should
[4:42:29] have been taken care of and I
[4:42:30] think they alluded to that.
[4:42:31] But I want to just set out
[4:42:35] simple and plain the cost to
[4:42:39] the consumer for our stormwater
[4:42:43] is $0.98 a month $0.98 a month.
[4:42:47] Now when I first came here I
[4:42:48] looked up other cities in
[4:42:48] California.
[4:42:52] I remember Sacramento at that
[4:42:53] time was $13 a month for
[4:42:57] stormwater We're still $0.98.
[4:43:01] I don't know what Sacramento's
[4:43:01] up to.
[4:43:02] I haven't looked it up lately
[4:43:06] but this is the problem.
[4:43:07] The problem is that we have had
[4:43:11] people elected to office who
[4:43:11] are afraid who have been
[4:43:12] afraid.
[4:43:15] I'm not talking about my
[4:43:16] current colleagues.
[4:43:16] I'm talking about the past To
[4:43:20] say to people plainly you have
[4:43:21] got to pay for what you get.
[4:43:24] Nothing is free.
[4:43:25] Let's be honest You get
[4:43:29] services.
[4:43:30] They cost money.
[4:43:31] How do you expect the city to
[4:43:31] pay for it?
[4:43:35] We don't have a printing press.
[4:43:35] We cannot print our own money
[4:43:38] And so what we have to do is
[4:43:43] collected.
[4:43:44] So if it is I wonder I was
[4:43:47] really happy when you mention
[4:43:48] priorities I'm so glad you guys
[4:43:49] have listed in priority what
[4:43:53] actually we really do.
[4:43:53] We really have to do
[4:43:57] The biggest part of the gap is
[4:43:58] the stormwater.
[4:43:59] Is that the highest priority at
[4:44:00] this time or do we have other
[4:44:05] projects higher priority
[4:44:06] stormwater and transportation
[4:44:09] assets continue to be the two
[4:44:10] highest priorities.
[4:44:10] Okay.
[4:44:14] Well this is a horrible time to
[4:44:17] ask people to pay more but
[4:44:18] $0.98 and go do it folks.
[4:44:19] So I just want the public to be
[4:44:22] aware that they have been
[4:44:23] getting away with $0.98 for I
[4:44:27] don't GOD knows how many
[4:44:28] decades.
[4:44:28] It's ridiculous Prices have
[4:44:32] gone up.
[4:44:33] So just think about it Nobody
[4:44:36] suggesting we do anything about
[4:44:37] that for right at this moment.
[4:44:42] But I'm telling you we have to
[4:44:45] do something about it And then
[4:44:46] one thing we can do is to
[4:44:46] increase it so that it tries to
[4:44:50] start to cover the gap.
[4:44:51] The gap is huge 5 billion.
[4:44:55] The other thing we could do and
[4:44:56] I'd love if the finance people
[4:45:00] would come up and explain about
[4:45:00] bonds and what we could do if
[4:45:05] we issued certain bonds to
[4:45:06] raise money or maybe I'm not
[4:45:06] even using the right in
[4:45:10] the right words to explain what
[4:45:11] we could do But there are
[4:45:15] certain things that governments
[4:45:16] can do to issue investment
[4:45:20] vehicles so that tax free bonds
[4:45:25] or whatever could be issued to
[4:45:26] raise money to help fill that
[4:45:26] gap.
[4:45:29] But still $5 billion That's
[4:45:29] outrageous.
[4:45:30] So if you could help us out
[4:45:34] with that.
[4:45:34] Yes.
[4:45:35] Good afternoon.
[4:45:36] Council members Jody Butler,
[4:45:36] assistant director with
[4:45:38] the Department of Finance like
[4:45:43] MR. Snyder indicated primarily
[4:45:43] the issue is the dedicated
[4:45:44] revenue source.
[4:45:48] The current methodology be
[4:45:49] issue to be used to issue bonds
[4:45:50] of the city which are lease
[4:45:53] revenue bonds rely on
[4:45:54] the existing revenues of
[4:45:58] the general fund which as been
[4:45:59] brought to your attention we
[4:45:59] are reaching our debt capacity
[4:46:02] limit pretty soon So for
[4:46:03] typically a lot of other cities
[4:46:07] could use general obligation
[4:46:08] bonds but that comes with an
[4:46:08] additional tax levy.
[4:46:12] So that's the kind of bonds
[4:46:13] that would come with its own
[4:46:14] revenue source.
[4:46:17] Otherwise we would need some
[4:46:18] other revenue source that we
[4:46:22] can pledge to issue bonds So
[4:46:22] when you say revenue source in
[4:46:27] order to issue the bonds, are
[4:46:31] we talking about a fee for
[4:46:32] stormwater that is actually
[4:46:36] somewhat realistic whereas
[4:46:40] the $0.98 is like from 1850
[4:46:41] the year 1850 If we had when
[4:46:45] there was more here the near
[4:46:45] the year 1950 would be better
[4:46:46] off.
[4:46:49] But is that what you're saying
[4:46:50] as a revenue source?
[4:46:50] In other words if those who
[4:46:51] want to purchase these bonds
[4:46:55] invest in these bonds would
[4:46:56] look at the city and say look,
[4:46:59] they're charging $20 a month
[4:47:00] for the stormwater problem of
[4:47:01] trying to fill the gap We can
[4:47:04] afford to take a chance on
[4:47:04] these bonds.
[4:47:05] That's right.
[4:47:09] We would need to identify a
[4:47:09] dedicated revenue source to
[4:47:10] repay the bonds.
[4:47:10] Right.
[4:47:10] Okay.
[4:47:13] So public listen up.
[4:47:14] I'm being transparent.
[4:47:14] I'm being honest.
[4:47:18] I'm known to be down to earth
[4:47:19] completely Maybe sometimes not
[4:47:23] so tactful.
[4:47:27] But I'm telling you, my dear
[4:47:27] public $0.98 a month and go do
[4:47:28] it.
[4:47:32] So get ready because some time
[4:47:32] in the future hopefully sooner
[4:47:37] than later when things are a
[4:47:37] bit better we're going to have
[4:47:38] to face this reality that we
[4:47:42] must raise our fees on
[4:47:46] stormwater And so I'm very
[4:47:47] sorry and I'm sure all
[4:47:47] the politicians are turning
[4:47:51] bright red and wishing I had
[4:47:52] never brought this up But I am
[4:47:53] bringing it up and I'm going to
[4:47:56] bring up some other stuff.
[4:47:57] The city needs more revenue.
[4:48:00] How do cities get revenue in
[4:48:01] the rest of the United States?
[4:48:05] Several different ways.
[4:48:06] One is the county keeps our
[4:48:11] property tax Sandy Hill County
[4:48:12] gets a buck from each one of us
[4:48:15] more than a buck on properties
[4:48:16] And what do they do with it?
[4:48:18] We get $0.12 back.
[4:48:19] This is not right according to
[4:48:19] state law.
[4:48:23] It's supposed to be based on
[4:48:24] services provided to
[4:48:28] the population involved.
[4:48:29] We have I'm kind of
[4:48:30] interpreting that but I think
[4:48:30] that's what it means.
[4:48:33] I'm no lawyer.
[4:48:34] I'm only a doctor.
[4:48:38] But what I see is that our city
[4:48:38] has one third of the population
[4:48:42] of this county at least maybe a
[4:48:43] bit more than that.
[4:48:46] So we should probably get at
[4:48:47] least one third of our dollar
[4:48:51] back to help our city revenue.
[4:48:52] We had $0.12.
[4:48:52] So when taxpayers call and say
[4:48:57] I pay my taxes, I want this, I
[4:48:57] want that guess what?
[4:48:58] You only pay $0.12 on
[4:49:01] the dollar to the city.
[4:49:01] So that's number one.
[4:49:06] We need more How do we get it?
[4:49:06] The state legislature has to
[4:49:07] change the rules.
[4:49:11] The state legislature has to
[4:49:12] tell the county and maybe other
[4:49:12] counties as well.
[4:49:15] At the same time you've got to
[4:49:16] give more money back to
[4:49:19] the cities from the property
[4:49:20] tax you collect from
[4:49:20] the cities.
[4:49:24] So there's one thing here's
[4:49:25] another thing Most cities
[4:49:25] collect an income tax.
[4:49:30] Income tax is considered very
[4:49:30] fair because it's usually
[4:49:34] graduated The poorer you are
[4:49:34] the less you pay.
[4:49:35] The richer you are, the more
[4:49:39] you pay.
[4:49:40] The state tax is a good example
[4:49:41] The state income tax I'm not
[4:49:44] going to say the federal
[4:49:45] because I think it stinks Right
[4:49:45] now rich people pay less.
[4:49:49] Poor people middle class pay
[4:49:49] more.
[4:49:50] So that's not right.
[4:49:51] That's not how it's supposed to
[4:49:53] be.
[4:49:54] All right.
[4:49:54] Was based on the state income
[4:49:58] tax which is more fair If we
[4:49:59] had a graduated income tax of
[4:50:03] even a half a percent in this
[4:50:03] city, that would help us
[4:50:07] tremendously.
[4:50:08] Another thing another thought
[4:50:09] our 1% sales tax that was on
[4:50:13] the ballot two years ago didn't
[4:50:13] pass.
[4:50:14] I don't think we passed this
[4:50:17] year either because everybody's
[4:50:17] having a hard time even buying
[4:50:18] groceries.
[4:50:23] But sales tax is a this is like
[4:50:23] a flat tax.
[4:50:24] Everybody pays the same on
[4:50:26] whatever they buy a certain
[4:50:27] percent And if we raise it 1%
[4:50:30] we would have had $4 million
[4:50:31] more income we think in which
[4:50:35] case the city would be in
[4:50:36] better shape Still not enough
[4:50:41] certainly not even a crack in
[4:50:41] the $5 Billion storm water
[4:50:45] deficit.
[4:50:46] So anyway citizens I just
[4:50:50] wanted to be open honest I
[4:50:50] think I have ten more months to
[4:50:55] serve and I'm termed out and I
[4:50:55] just want you to know reality
[4:50:59] and and honesty from your city
[4:51:00] government.
[4:51:00] Thank you.
[4:51:01] Thank you.
[4:51:04] Council member Campbell, I
[4:51:05] think we've heard a lot of
[4:51:05] candor this afternoon and I
[4:51:09] appreciate the patience of
[4:51:09] chief.
[4:51:10] I'm in the engineering capital
[4:51:14] project MR. Snyder from Storm
[4:51:19] Water be a Department of
[4:51:20] Finance for your contribution
[4:51:24] to a very robust conversation
[4:51:24] on some of the challenges we've
[4:51:28] inherited that we face going
[4:51:29] forward.
[4:51:29] So we'll close that item again.
[4:51:33] Thank you And with that clerk
[4:51:34] please introduce item 331.
[4:51:35] >> Thank you Council PRESIDENT
[4:51:38] Item 331 is also an
[4:51:39] informational item is City
[4:51:42] council informational training
[4:51:42] on zero based budgeting?
[4:51:43] If you would like to speak on
[4:51:47] this item please be sure to
[4:51:47] submit a speaker slip to
[4:51:48] the front of the room in
[4:51:49] the clear box and if you are
[4:51:52] participating remotely now's
[4:51:52] the time to raise your hand by
[4:51:53] pressing Star nine or the raise
[4:51:56] your hand icon.
[4:51:57] Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
[4:52:16] right, I'm going to kick it
[4:52:16] off.
[4:52:21] Yeah.
[4:52:21] All right.
[4:52:22] MR. Molokai is going to kick it
[4:52:23] off and then we'll have those
[4:52:25] making the presentation
[4:52:26] introduce themselves and let us
[4:52:27] know about how much time you
[4:52:27] expect.
[4:52:27] Great.
[4:52:28] Thank you.
[4:52:28] Council PRESIDENT And council
[4:52:30] members.
[4:52:31] As you are aware, one of
[4:52:31] the council's requirements is
[4:52:35] to receive budget related
[4:52:36] training each year We provide
[4:52:40] you two different trainings.
[4:52:41] One is kind of a item of
[4:52:41] budgetary interest that has
[4:52:44] been expressed by Council and
[4:52:45] one is usually a little bit
[4:52:45] more rote disclosure practice
[4:52:46] of general debt policy etc.
[4:52:49] This is hopefully one of
[4:52:50] the ones that we slightly more
[4:52:50] interesting to you but we
[4:52:51] certainly do appreciate your
[4:52:53] attention regardless we have a
[4:52:54] presentation today to give you
[4:52:57] some background on zero based
[4:52:58] budgeting.
[4:52:58] This was something that was
[4:52:59] discussed pretty significantly
[4:53:02] as a request both from Council
[4:53:03] Committee for Budget and
[4:53:07] Government Efficiency Chair I'm
[4:53:08] going to foster to know more
[4:53:09] about zero based budgeting and
[4:53:09] how it can be used in
[4:53:12] the city's budgeting process.
[4:53:13] As was mentioned in the several
[4:53:17] Council budget priority memos,
[4:53:17] we are lucky enough to be able
[4:53:18] to partner with the Department
[4:53:19] of Finance to provide you
[4:53:22] training.
[4:53:23] Our team will talk a little bit
[4:53:23] about what zero based budgeting
[4:53:26] is and how it works in practice
[4:53:27] And then the Department of
[4:53:28] Finance will jump in to talk
[4:53:28] about some zero based budgeting
[4:53:32] elements of our current budget
[4:53:32] process.
[4:53:33] With that I will turn this over
[4:53:33] to Jill and Alina.
[4:53:37] So she's doing a lot of work at
[4:53:37] the staff table today.
[4:53:41] She and Sergio Alcalde will
[4:53:42] prepare the and present the ipa
[4:53:43] section and then we'll turn it
[4:53:45] over to Ben Battaglia from
[4:53:46] the Department of Finance.
[4:53:46] Great.
[4:53:47] Thank you so much.
[4:53:50] Before I dive into today's
[4:53:50] training I just want to provide
[4:53:51] a little bit of background on
[4:53:52] the City Council financial
[4:53:55] training program that's led by
[4:53:55] our office.
[4:53:58] It was adopted in 2006
[4:53:59] following a report from our
[4:54:00] office that responded to a call
[4:54:03] report recommendation that
[4:54:04] the council receive financial
[4:54:04] training.
[4:54:05] The program calls for two
[4:54:08] trainings a year and four major
[4:54:09] areas of public finance and
[4:54:12] that's including debt issuance
[4:54:13] and administration financial
[4:54:14] disclosure, financial Statement
[4:54:18] overview or the Act four and
[4:54:19] current and multi-year budget
[4:54:19] planning.
[4:54:23] Today's training will be zero
[4:54:24] based budgeting or is eb which
[4:54:28] falls under the current and
[4:54:29] multi-year budget planning
[4:54:29] subject area.
[4:54:30] Today's training comes in
[4:54:33] response to Council's fiscal
[4:54:33] year 2027 budget Priorities
[4:54:38] process where the Budget
[4:54:38] Committee chair Foster
[4:54:39] requested our office in
[4:54:40] the Department of Finance to
[4:54:42] provide a presentation on zbb.
[4:54:43] Our office has actually
[4:54:48] provided training on zbb before
[4:54:48] It was about ten years ago when
[4:54:53] the city did a zbb pilot That
[4:54:53] training referenced in a report
[4:54:56] 16 Dash 16 which is called zero
[4:55:01] based budgeting and examples.
[4:55:01] The information in that report
[4:55:02] generally still applies today.
[4:55:06] So we will be referencing
[4:55:07] information in that report to
[4:55:08] give you a sense of what will
[4:55:10] be discussing today our office
[4:55:11] will cover an overview of zbb
[4:55:15] and how it works In theory
[4:55:16] versus in practice And then
[4:55:16] we'll transition to how
[4:55:17] elements of zbb have been put
[4:55:21] into practice by looking at
[4:55:21] other jurisdictions including
[4:55:22] the city of San Diego's pilot
[4:55:26] program in fiscal year 2017.
[4:55:27] And Department of Finance will
[4:55:31] cover how the city incorporates
[4:55:31] zbb elements into the budget
[4:55:36] process that exist today and a
[4:55:36] discussion of this year's
[4:55:40] effort to zero based external
[4:55:40] contracts for the fiscal year
[4:55:44] 2027 budget and the ongoing
[4:55:45] analysis of general fund
[4:55:48] unclassified employees.
[4:55:49] So let's get into it.
[4:55:50] What is zero based budgeting?
[4:55:54] Zbb is a process that develops
[4:55:55] budget from the ground up
[4:55:58] starting from zero.
[4:55:58] This is different from
[4:55:59] the traditional incremental
[4:56:02] budgeting approach where
[4:56:03] the prior year's budget is used
[4:56:04] as the starting point under zbb
[4:56:07] funding is allocated
[4:56:07] irrespective of what was
[4:56:08] previously budgeted.
[4:56:12] In theory, zbb requires every
[4:56:13] budget request to be thoroughly
[4:56:17] evaluated and approved with
[4:56:17] service levels clearly
[4:56:21] identified and prioritized.
[4:56:22] Zbb breaks down an organization
[4:56:26] into Decision Unit which are
[4:56:27] the lowest level at which
[4:56:28] budget decisions are made such
[4:56:31] as a department division or
[4:56:32] programs can also be used as
[4:56:32] well.
[4:56:36] Each decision unit is supposed
[4:56:36] to develop a detailed overview
[4:56:37] of their activities
[4:56:41] the resources needed to meet
[4:56:42] their goals and alternative
[4:56:46] ways to deliver services.
[4:56:47] These become decision packages
[4:56:47] which outline different
[4:56:51] spending levels and their
[4:56:52] impacts on service delivery.
[4:56:52] According to guidance from
[4:56:56] the government Finance Officers
[4:56:57] Association or give away each
[4:57:01] decision decision Unit should
[4:57:02] prepare at least three decision
[4:57:02] packages.
[4:57:05] The first is your barebones
[4:57:06] package which provides only
[4:57:10] the most essential services.
[4:57:11] The second is current service
[4:57:11] package which continues
[4:57:16] existing service levels.
[4:57:16] And finally the enhanced
[4:57:17] service package which expands
[4:57:20] services beyond what is
[4:57:20] currently provided.
[4:57:21] And each decision package
[4:57:25] should include detailed
[4:57:26] information on inputs such as
[4:57:27] dollars and positions that are
[4:57:30] needed to provide the services
[4:57:30] described in that package as
[4:57:31] well as specific performance
[4:57:35] measures that explain how
[4:57:35] different funding levels would
[4:57:36] affect service levels.
[4:57:40] After all packages are
[4:57:41] developed they are ranked from
[4:57:41] highest to lowest priority
[4:57:42] within the department and then
[4:57:46] management uses these rankings
[4:57:46] along with desired service
[4:57:50] outcomes to make final budget
[4:57:50] decisions.
[4:57:51] So now I'll go into
[4:57:55] the advantages and drawbacks of
[4:57:56] again theoretical zbb in its
[4:58:00] fullest form.
[4:58:00] Cited advantages include when
[4:58:05] cuts are necessary.
[4:58:05] Zbb offers a rational and
[4:58:06] comprehensive way to determine
[4:58:10] budget reductions as opposed to
[4:58:10] across the board cuts.
[4:58:14] It requires taking a closer
[4:58:15] look at everything the city
[4:58:15] spends on soda.
[4:58:16] It's more clearly it can be
[4:58:19] more clearly compared to
[4:58:20] services that provide the most
[4:58:23] value.
[4:58:24] It can provide better insight
[4:58:29] into detailed active use of
[4:58:29] departments.
[4:58:30] It can enhance decision making
[4:58:31] by allowing stakeholders to
[4:58:34] look at the entire budget
[4:58:34] rather than focusing on
[4:58:35] incremental changes to it.
[4:58:39] And finally, zbb focuses on
[4:58:39] performance measures and
[4:58:43] results for programs.
[4:58:44] >> Theoretical zbb also
[4:58:48] presents a number of drawbacks
[4:58:49] such as being extremely time
[4:58:52] consuming and intensive
[4:58:53] Developing, reviewing and
[4:58:54] ranking Numerous decision
[4:58:58] packages requires significant
[4:58:58] time commitment from staff.
[4:58:59] Because of this department
[4:59:03] struggled to create multiple
[4:59:03] service level options and are
[4:59:04] rarely able to develop
[4:59:08] alternative delivery
[4:59:08] approaches.
[4:59:09] Managers MAY also hesitate to
[4:59:12] propose packages that are below
[4:59:13] current spending levels.
[4:59:17] And when there's not full buy
[4:59:18] in for zbb it could lead to
[4:59:19] gaming the process, for example
[4:59:22] by managers offering only a few
[4:59:23] packages to limit choices or
[4:59:26] assigning low rankings to
[4:59:27] popular services knowing they
[4:59:28] are unlikely to be cut.
[4:59:32] Decision packages also reflect
[4:59:36] can also reflect management's
[4:59:37] preferences more than
[4:59:37] the priorities of elected
[4:59:38] officials or the communities
[4:59:42] served.
[4:59:42] And finally, zbb doesn't
[4:59:43] address whether a government
[4:59:44] should be providing a
[4:59:47] particular service in the first
[4:59:47] place.
[4:59:51] Now we will turn to how zbb
[4:59:52] works in practice.
[4:59:56] I'll note that a 2020 dfa paper
[4:59:56] indicates that true or
[5:00:01] theoretical zbb is very rare in
[5:00:01] practice.
[5:00:05] The drawbacks previously
[5:00:06] mentioned make it difficult to
[5:00:06] implement across all
[5:00:07] departments in a large
[5:00:10] organization.
[5:00:10] Some jurisdictions have found
[5:00:11] that zbb efficiencies would
[5:00:15] likely have been found through
[5:00:15] the normal budget process or
[5:00:19] that they should only be using
[5:00:20] zbb elements which makes sense
[5:00:21] for them and only for areas
[5:00:25] where it can have the most make
[5:00:28] the most difference in the next
[5:00:29] few slides Sergio will be
[5:00:30] providing examples of how
[5:00:34] elements of zbb again not for
[5:00:35] zbb have been used by
[5:00:39] jurisdictions successfully.
[5:00:40] Thankfully in the state of
[5:00:41] Georgia previously implemented
[5:00:44] a nontraditional zbb approach
[5:00:44] to review programs against
[5:00:45] their statutory
[5:00:49] responsibilities Purpose cost
[5:00:50] to provide services and desired
[5:00:50] performance outcomes in
[5:00:54] conjunction with its annual
[5:00:54] budget process, Georgia
[5:00:58] evaluated select programs for
[5:00:58] cost effectiveness relative to
[5:00:59] the targeted performance
[5:00:59] measures.
[5:01:03] Georgia's zbb requirement was
[5:01:03] automatically repealed in 2020.
[5:01:04] However, a Senate bill
[5:01:08] introduced in JANUARY of this
[5:01:09] year proposes to make this
[5:01:09] approach permanent.
[5:01:13] Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
[5:01:13] used a Michigan based form of
[5:01:17] zbb to develop its 2013 budget.
[5:01:17] Departments evaluate how their
[5:01:18] existing activities align with
[5:01:22] their mission and outline an
[5:01:23] ideal organizational structure
[5:01:23] to accomplish that mission.
[5:01:27] Their finance office then
[5:01:27] reviewed each department's
[5:01:28] project budget to assess
[5:01:32] whether they were aligned with
[5:01:32] the department's mission and
[5:01:33] the city of Chicago.
[5:01:36] Zbb for its non-personal
[5:01:37] expenditures were was
[5:01:40] introduced in fiscal year 2015
[5:01:41] where each mp line item was
[5:01:45] zeroed out.
[5:01:45] According to Chicago staff,
[5:01:46] the sby approach was again
[5:01:48] proposed during the fiscal year
[5:01:49] 2020 budget process but does
[5:01:49] not appear to have been
[5:01:50] implemented beyond that budget
[5:01:53] cycle.
[5:01:54] From 2012 to 2019 the city of
[5:01:58] Calgary, Alberta and Canada
[5:01:59] evaluated business business
[5:01:59] units outside of the regular
[5:02:00] budget process.
[5:02:04] With support from external
[5:02:04] consultants, Calgary conducted
[5:02:05] reviews of select business
[5:02:08] units to identify changes to
[5:02:09] service levels or delivery
[5:02:13] methods that could reduce costs
[5:02:14] or improve effectiveness.
[5:02:14] Calgary staff said that
[5:02:18] the review process mostly
[5:02:19] improved how services were
[5:02:19] delivered helping them to do
[5:02:23] more without spending more.
[5:02:24] Rather than cutting costs per
[5:02:28] council's action, Calgary will
[5:02:29] be reinstating this review of
[5:02:30] the fiscal year 20 their fiscal
[5:02:36] year 2027 budget.
[5:02:36] The slide notes some of
[5:02:37] the benefits and drawbacks that
[5:02:38] these jurisdictions have
[5:02:41] experienced with the foremost
[5:02:41] hub they put into practice
[5:02:42] starting with the benefits.
[5:02:46] Several of the jurisdictions we
[5:02:47] review reported to have
[5:02:47] generated savings.
[5:02:50] For example in George's first
[5:02:50] year of implementing its zbb
[5:02:53] approach resulting in $8.9
[5:02:54] million in savings and
[5:02:58] Montgomery County generated a
[5:02:59] net of approximately $20
[5:03:00] million by selling a nursing
[5:03:03] home that no longer aligned
[5:03:04] with its mission.
[5:03:04] Jurisdictions also noted
[5:03:08] improvements in its fiscal
[5:03:08] transparency and oversight and
[5:03:09] that legislators were provided
[5:03:13] with a better understanding of
[5:03:13] operations.
[5:03:18] Moving on to noted drawbacks.
[5:03:19] Again, zbb required substantial
[5:03:19] staff time and resources.
[5:03:23] For example, Calgary noted
[5:03:27] spending approximately 8.9
[5:03:28] million cad on the 11 zero
[5:03:28] based reviews it conducted.
[5:03:32] Jurisdictions reported having
[5:03:32] faced resistance and challenges
[5:03:33] related to department buying.
[5:03:36] Jordan noted that if directors
[5:03:37] did not see the value in
[5:03:37] the process it was difficult to
[5:03:41] get valuable information and
[5:03:41] make meaningful changes.
[5:03:45] Jurisdictions also noted that
[5:03:46] it was challenging to implement
[5:03:47] In Chicago, for instance, zbb
[5:03:50] was not applied to personal
[5:03:51] expenditures as it would be too
[5:03:52] complex given their large
[5:03:55] workforce.
[5:03:55] >> Next we will cover several
[5:04:00] lessons learned based off in
[5:04:01] these jurors that in these
[5:04:01] jurisdictions that again have
[5:04:05] implemented only elements of
[5:04:05] zbb.
[5:04:06] First jurisdictions emphasized
[5:04:10] the importance of developing a
[5:04:11] clear implementation plan
[5:04:14] before launching a zbb effort
[5:04:15] and to budget enough time for
[5:04:15] the process.
[5:04:19] Second, zbb should emphasize
[5:04:20] program improvements and
[5:04:20] performance enhancements rather
[5:04:21] than than focusing solely on
[5:04:24] cost cutting.
[5:04:25] Third jurisdictions should be
[5:04:26] should secure a strong
[5:04:30] leadership commitment and
[5:04:30] ensure staff buy in, according
[5:04:31] to Montgomery County's former
[5:04:34] cfo, zbb is only successful
[5:04:35] when leadership is committed to
[5:04:38] the process and willing to use
[5:04:39] the resulting information to
[5:04:40] make tough and politically
[5:04:44] difficult decisions.
[5:04:45] Fourth Council should be
[5:04:45] engaged throughout the whole
[5:04:48] zbb process.
[5:04:49] And finally, zbb needs to be
[5:04:50] tailored to each organization's
[5:04:53] needs and applied only where
[5:04:53] feasible.
[5:04:54] Calgary staff noted that there
[5:04:57] is no one size fits all model
[5:04:58] for their zero based review
[5:05:01] process And in Chicago staff
[5:05:02] recognized implementing zbb for
[5:05:03] mp could help identify savings
[5:05:07] But using it for p was too
[5:05:07] complicated and would not work
[5:05:08] without major modifications to
[5:05:11] their accounting system.
[5:05:12] Moving on to how the city of
[5:05:16] San Diego has used zbb in
[5:05:16] the past.
[5:05:17] In 2015 two council members
[5:05:21] requested the mayor's office to
[5:05:21] implement a zbb pilot process
[5:05:22] for the fiscal year 2017
[5:05:22] budget.
[5:05:26] The performance and analytics
[5:05:27] Department of Banda and
[5:05:27] the Facilities Division within
[5:05:31] the Public Works Department
[5:05:31] were selected to participate
[5:05:32] with both developing developing
[5:05:33] three types of decision
[5:05:35] packages in addition to
[5:05:35] the regular budget development
[5:05:36] process.
[5:05:40] These packages included a core
[5:05:40] decision package reflecting
[5:05:44] only the funding funding needed
[5:05:45] to support mandatory programs
[5:05:45] or services.
[5:05:49] A current decision package
[5:05:50] reflecting the department's
[5:05:50] existing budget levels and
[5:05:54] enhance or efficiency decision
[5:05:55] package which includes funding
[5:05:55] requests to improve programs,
[5:05:59] expand service levels or
[5:05:59] achieve operational
[5:06:00] efficiencies.
[5:06:03] The pilot program was
[5:06:04] structured for program or
[5:06:04] service based budgeting rather
[5:06:08] than the organizational
[5:06:09] organization based budgeting
[5:06:09] model that the city used at
[5:06:10] the time and still continues to
[5:06:13] use today.
[5:06:14] We note that the pilot program
[5:06:18] did not reduce the budgets of
[5:06:19] Panda or the Facilities
[5:06:19] division.
[5:06:20] Instead the pilot program
[5:06:23] increased them.
[5:06:23] Several items from each of
[5:06:24] the departments in hand
[5:06:25] Decision packages were
[5:06:28] converted into budget additions
[5:06:33] in the fiscal year 2017 Budget
[5:06:37] Report from Financial
[5:06:37] management in 2016 noted some
[5:06:38] benefits of the city zbb pilot
[5:06:42] program departments were able
[5:06:43] to more clearly identify their
[5:06:43] funding needs.
[5:06:47] The processing is lower level
[5:06:47] management in the budgeting
[5:06:48] process empowering department
[5:06:51] staff and it also gave decision
[5:06:52] makers insights into
[5:06:52] the department's day to day
[5:06:53] operations and allowed them to
[5:06:56] select different service
[5:06:56] levels.
[5:06:57] The report also noted some
[5:07:01] major challenges of the program
[5:07:01] .
[5:07:02] The pilot required extensive
[5:07:02] manual tracking and analysis
[5:07:06] developing multiple decision
[5:07:07] packages, demanded considerable
[5:07:07] time and effort from staff.
[5:07:11] Good performance measures were
[5:07:11] needed such as the cost of
[5:07:15] different service level options
[5:07:15] .
[5:07:16] And lastly it created costly.
[5:07:16] It created costly, complex and
[5:07:20] time consuming processes.
[5:07:21] On top of gathering data and
[5:07:22] developing multiple decision
[5:07:25] packages, both departments
[5:07:26] still had to perform
[5:07:26] the standard budget process
[5:07:30] work will conclude our portion
[5:07:30] of the training today by
[5:07:34] providing some takeaways.
[5:07:35] Zero based budgeting could
[5:07:36] identify savings by performing
[5:07:39] an in-depth review of
[5:07:40] expenditures but it also
[5:07:44] requires complex time consuming
[5:07:44] and potentially costly
[5:07:45] processes.
[5:07:45] However, there are ways that an
[5:07:49] in-depth review could be part
[5:07:50] of the current budget process
[5:07:50] as the Department of Finance
[5:07:51] will cover in their
[5:07:54] presentation.
[5:07:54] There are also alternatives to
[5:07:55] zbb such as conducting
[5:07:59] strategic programmatic reviews
[5:08:00] during the standard budget
[5:08:03] process or more in-depth review
[5:08:04] .
[5:08:04] More in-depth review outside
[5:08:05] the budget process that MAY
[5:08:08] also produce similar results to
[5:08:08] zbb.
[5:08:09] In terms of budgetary savings.
[5:08:13] When the city piloted a zbb
[5:08:14] program for the fiscal year
[5:08:14] 2017 budget, it resulted in
[5:08:18] budget additions for enhanced
[5:08:18] service levels.
[5:08:19] We know that significant budget
[5:08:23] savings come from reduced
[5:08:23] service levels.
[5:08:24] Council members could become
[5:08:24] involved in service level
[5:08:28] discussions at committee or
[5:08:29] they MAY consider evaluating
[5:08:29] and prioritizing individual
[5:08:33] programs and service services
[5:08:34] rather than entire departments.
[5:08:38] Finally, the budget Committee
[5:08:38] could take a deeper look into
[5:08:39] the zbb efforts.
[5:08:42] The city is already currently
[5:08:43] using including how
[5:08:43] the Department of Finance
[5:08:44] budgets for non-discretionary
[5:08:47] expenditures hourly positions
[5:08:48] as well as the zbb of external
[5:08:49] contracts and services for
[5:08:52] the fiscal year 2027 budget.
[5:08:53] This leads us to your
[5:08:56] presentation and I'll now hand
[5:08:57] it over to you and will tell
[5:09:01] you.
[5:09:01] Thank you Sergio.
[5:09:06] Good afternoon.
[5:09:07] Council PRESIDENT Lacob and
[5:09:07] Council members.
[5:09:08] i'm Ben Battalion Director of
[5:09:08] Finance.
[5:09:11] Today I'll be discussing how
[5:09:11] the Department of Finance is
[5:09:12] incorporating zero based
[5:09:14] budgeting principles into
[5:09:15] the city's current budget
[5:09:16] development process and
[5:09:20] highlighting several additional
[5:09:21] areas where a zero based review
[5:09:24] is being applied to the f y
[5:09:24] 2027 budget.
[5:09:29] >> The city uses various zbb
[5:09:30] approaches in the current
[5:09:30] budget development process.
[5:09:34] Departments are required to
[5:09:34] apply a zero based budgeting
[5:09:35] approach to several key
[5:09:39] categories including
[5:09:39] non-discretionary accounts for
[5:09:44] things like utilities rent and
[5:09:45] debt service information
[5:09:49] technology accounts non
[5:09:50] standard hour positions such as
[5:09:50] interns and other hourly staff
[5:09:54] fixed fringe benefits including
[5:09:55] the annual pension payment.
[5:09:58] Worker's compensation, long
[5:09:59] term disability and retiree
[5:10:00] health as well as public
[5:10:03] liabilities costs.
[5:10:04] Additionally, the Department of
[5:10:05] Finance identifies other areas
[5:10:08] that MAY benefit from a zero
[5:10:09] based review each year.
[5:10:13] For example, a review of fire
[5:10:14] rescue or police overtime
[5:10:14] needs.
[5:10:17] And finally departments are
[5:10:18] required to assess their
[5:10:19] baseline budgets to determine
[5:10:19] if incremental adjustments are
[5:10:23] necessary to maintain or
[5:10:23] enhance existing service
[5:10:24] levels.
[5:10:28] In these cases departments will
[5:10:28] develop a budget adjustment
[5:10:31] proposal to be evaluated and
[5:10:31] considered during the budget
[5:10:36] development process.
[5:10:36] >> Expenditure categories that
[5:10:37] are zero based each year
[5:10:41] represent represent about 40%
[5:10:41] of the total general fund
[5:10:42] budget.
[5:10:46] The fiscal year 26 adopted
[5:10:49] general fund budget includes
[5:10:50] about 836 million of the $2.2
[5:10:53] billion budget that is zero
[5:10:53] based.
[5:10:54] The remaining budget primarily
[5:10:58] consists of budgeted positions
[5:10:58] as well as other non personnel
[5:11:02] expenditures such as supplies.
[5:11:07] >> There was a new focus this
[5:11:08] year on a zero based review of
[5:11:09] external contracts and services
[5:11:12] for the general fund as well as
[5:11:12] some select non general funds.
[5:11:13] Each department was asked to
[5:11:17] review their fy 26 external
[5:11:18] contracts and services budgets
[5:11:21] and itemize how they are
[5:11:22] projected to be spent in
[5:11:22] the current fiscal year.
[5:11:26] By account and contract
[5:11:27] accounts that are part of this
[5:11:27] review include professional
[5:11:31] technical and consulting
[5:11:32] services, insurance fees and
[5:11:36] permits, rent training and
[5:11:37] travel among others.
[5:11:41] Each expenditure was reviewed
[5:11:42] and justified individually with
[5:11:46] projections developed for both
[5:11:47] fiscal year 26 and fiscal year
[5:11:47] 27.
[5:11:51] Departments also documented
[5:11:52] the service levels supported by
[5:11:52] the expenditures and they
[5:11:55] identified whether the costs
[5:11:56] were either ongoing or one time
[5:12:00] in nature.
[5:12:01] >> The information prepared by
[5:12:01] departments is still being
[5:12:05] reviewed and analyzed by
[5:12:05] the Department of Finance.
[5:12:09] However, approximately 250
[5:12:09] million is projected to be
[5:12:10] spent on external contracts and
[5:12:13] services for fiscal year 2026.
[5:12:17] The data shows that the ten
[5:12:18] largest spending categories
[5:12:18] account for about 85% of all
[5:12:22] external contracts and services
[5:12:23] expenditures.
[5:12:27] This concentration helps focus
[5:12:28] review efforts on the areas
[5:12:28] with the most significant
[5:12:32] financial impact.
[5:12:33] The reimbursement agreements
[5:12:33] category represents about a
[5:12:36] quarter of the total projection
[5:12:37] .
[5:12:37] This category primarily
[5:12:38] consists of the transfer to
[5:12:42] the Public Liability Fund and
[5:12:42] transfers to the San Diego
[5:12:43] Housing Commission to support
[5:12:44] shelter operations and
[5:12:49] the eviction prevention program
[5:12:50] .
[5:12:50] >> Looking at the preliminary
[5:12:51] results of the fy 26
[5:12:54] projections, approximately 15.8
[5:12:55] million is in Decreased
[5:12:59] spending was identified across
[5:13:03] the 55 accounts and
[5:13:04] approximately 20.9 million in
[5:13:04] increased spending was
[5:13:07] projected across 40 accounts.
[5:13:07] Overall the net projected
[5:13:11] increase of approximately 5
[5:13:11] million is primarily driven by
[5:13:16] inflation as well as the rising
[5:13:17] cost of doing business.
[5:13:17] This exercise has helped
[5:13:21] departments identify where cost
[5:13:22] savings measures could be
[5:13:22] implemented to help address
[5:13:25] the current year's projected
[5:13:26] budget deficit as well as to
[5:13:26] support other under budgeted
[5:13:30] priorities.
[5:13:31] I want to highlight a few
[5:13:31] examples.
[5:13:34] The police department is
[5:13:35] projecting to exceed their
[5:13:36] external contracts and services
[5:13:39] budget by approximately 2
[5:13:40] million which includes support
[5:13:40] for core essential services
[5:13:43] that cannot be managed in-house
[5:13:44] such as forensic medical
[5:13:44] examinations.
[5:13:49] Translation services and
[5:13:49] interagency agreements with
[5:13:50] the state and the county.
[5:13:53] The Parks and Recreation
[5:13:53] Department is projecting to
[5:13:56] exceed their budget by
[5:13:57] approximately 3 million
[5:13:57] primarily as a result of
[5:14:01] contractual increases as well
[5:14:02] as non-routine joint use site
[5:14:02] repairs And the Transportation
[5:14:07] Department is projecting to
[5:14:07] increase their budget or exceed
[5:14:11] their budget by approximately a
[5:14:11] million primarily due to
[5:14:13] increased contractual costs for
[5:14:19] concrete and asphalt.
[5:14:22] For fy 2027 projections about
[5:14:23] 4.4 million and decreased
[5:14:26] spending was identified across
[5:14:27] 23 accounts and about 16
[5:14:27] million in increased spending
[5:14:31] was projected across 48
[5:14:31] accounts.
[5:14:32] Similar to fy 26, this net
[5:14:36] increase is largely driven by
[5:14:36] inflation and increased
[5:14:40] operating costs which are
[5:14:40] necessary to maintain fy 2026
[5:14:44] service levels.
[5:14:45] The results of this analysis
[5:14:46] will help determine which areas
[5:14:46] of the budget could be
[5:14:49] decreased to support other
[5:14:50] areas which are projected to be
[5:14:51] under budget to maintain
[5:14:54] current service levels.
[5:14:55] For example, the police and
[5:14:55] parks and recreation
[5:14:59] departments are projecting to
[5:15:00] two need an additional
[5:15:00] 1,000,007 million respectively
[5:15:03] and this is primarily due to
[5:15:04] contractual cpi increases for
[5:15:09] their contracts.
[5:15:10] >> In addition to the review of
[5:15:10] external contracts and services
[5:15:14] departments are also conducting
[5:15:15] a comprehensive review and
[5:15:19] inventory of all unclassified
[5:15:20] fired positions across
[5:15:20] the city.
[5:15:21] Departments have been asked to
[5:15:24] document the program or
[5:15:25] divisions Each of their
[5:15:28] unclassified positions oversee
[5:15:29] the key responsibilities of
[5:15:30] each role and the span of
[5:15:33] control for those positions.
[5:15:34] This information will support
[5:15:34] budget decision making and
[5:15:38] organizational review as part
[5:15:39] of the broader effort to
[5:15:39] structurally balance about
[5:15:43] the budget.
[5:15:43] >> In summary, zero based
[5:15:47] budgeting is currently being
[5:15:48] applied to non-discretionary
[5:15:49] accounts spending hourly
[5:15:53] positions, fixed fringe
[5:15:53] benefits and public liability
[5:15:57] costs citywide.
[5:15:58] >> External contracts and
[5:15:59] services are being analyzed and
[5:16:01] justified as part of the fy
[5:16:02] 2027 budget process and
[5:16:06] departments are conducting a
[5:16:07] citywide review of unclassified
[5:16:07] positions to support informed
[5:16:11] budget decisions As the city
[5:16:11] continues its effort to
[5:16:15] structurally balance the budget
[5:16:15] .
[5:16:16] Additional components of zero
[5:16:17] based budgeting MAY be
[5:16:17] incorporated in the future
[5:16:21] fiscal year such as potentially
[5:16:21] zero basing entire budgets for
[5:16:25] specific departments pending
[5:16:25] available resources.
[5:16:26] That concludes my presentation.
[5:16:30] I'm happy to answer any
[5:16:31] questions or thank you to my
[5:16:31] team and to do you all for
[5:16:36] participating with us on this.
[5:16:36] As we move to Councilmember
[5:16:37] question of the comments, just
[5:16:40] reminder we have to pass out a
[5:16:41] survey.
[5:16:42] If you can fill it out to let
[5:16:42] us know what we are doing well
[5:16:44] and how we can improve.
[5:16:45] And with that I'll wrap it up.
[5:16:46] All right.
[5:16:46] Thank you.
[5:16:49] Charles Gillian, Sergio and Ben
[5:16:50] for this training that was
[5:16:53] requested by several
[5:16:54] individuals and partially meets
[5:16:59] our requirements for budget
[5:16:59] training.
[5:17:00] So with that Clark, please
[5:17:04] proceed with public comment.
[5:17:04] >> Thank you.
[5:17:05] Council PRESIDENT We have one
[5:17:05] speaker here in council
[5:17:09] chambers Blair Beckman if you
[5:17:10] can please come forward.
[5:17:10] We currently have five people
[5:17:12] in the virtual queue.
[5:17:17] You'll have two minutes.
[5:17:18] All right.
[5:17:22] Thank you, everyone.
[5:17:22] Uh, pretty good item.
[5:17:23] This is the first time I've
[5:17:27] heard of these efforts and work
[5:17:27] and so it's learning for me.
[5:17:32] I'm a bit behind.
[5:17:32] I'm trying to better
[5:17:32] understand.
[5:17:33] Thank you.
[5:17:37] I know the memo within the memo
[5:17:37] is said Councilperson Lee wants
[5:17:42] to be better understanding this
[5:17:42] issue from previous
[5:17:46] presentations so hopefully he's
[5:17:47] be nice to hear his comments
[5:17:48] and questions on this to know
[5:17:51] today.
[5:17:52] Um thank you that overall
[5:17:56] you're trying to be addressing
[5:17:56] uh not just immediate issues
[5:18:01] but uh you know with your
[5:18:02] capital items previously you're
[5:18:05] really trying to take a long
[5:18:06] term view of how to address our
[5:18:06] issues.
[5:18:10] It's nice to hear.
[5:18:11] I think it's really important
[5:18:11] to do.
[5:18:11] Thank you.
[5:18:15] Um, I know retirement board
[5:18:16] issues can have a really
[5:18:20] important way to look at more
[5:18:20] long term forecasting and ideas
[5:18:24] of how to be budgeting that MAY
[5:18:25] be of help to this entire
[5:18:25] process.
[5:18:29] We're going through right now.
[5:18:30] Thank you very much That um
[5:18:34] Council personnel although Vera
[5:18:35] seems to have very nicely
[5:18:38] described that um and
[5:18:38] Councilperson Campbell that
[5:18:43] revenue is simply really it is
[5:18:44] vital to figure out those ways
[5:18:48] Um we can't just simply cut
[5:18:52] things and say we're caring um
[5:18:53] it takes a lot of effort and
[5:18:54] council personnel over there
[5:18:55] and others really want to do
[5:18:58] this decently and you are
[5:18:58] working on that on the previous
[5:19:02] item.
[5:19:03] Thank you.
[5:19:04] Good luck with what we do well
[5:19:07] together that we save our
[5:19:08] practices together and our best
[5:19:08] selves together.
[5:19:12] That's it's a tough time.
[5:19:13] Good luck how we're creative
[5:19:16] and come up with really
[5:19:17] constructive answers and not
[5:19:21] just other things.
[5:19:22] >> Thank you.
[5:19:23] Thank you for that concluding
[5:19:23] comment.
[5:19:24] The five minute timer has been
[5:19:26] started five speakers in
[5:19:26] the queue starting with John
[5:19:27] Stump.
[5:19:30] After that The Gambler one of
[5:19:34] my favorite subjects budgeting
[5:19:35] .
[5:19:35] First I want to say again
[5:19:39] the way the budget is arranged
[5:19:40] does not It's alphabetical.
[5:19:45] It should be arranged based on
[5:19:46] Maslow's hierarchy of needs
[5:19:50] The things that are most
[5:19:50] essential to the needs of
[5:19:55] people like housing are should
[5:19:57] be on top and then things
[5:20:03] should be in declining order.
[5:20:03] >> Zero based budgeting There's
[5:20:08] an opportunity to add to
[5:20:08] the list that we could zero
[5:20:12] based and that is subsidies to
[5:20:17] activities that are costing
[5:20:18] the city money and could be
[5:20:22] reimbursed that you know what I
[5:20:23] think about is when the city
[5:20:27] sends police or fire or other
[5:20:27] support services like
[5:20:31] ambulances, those organizations
[5:20:32] that require those
[5:20:36] significantly should be
[5:20:37] reimbursing the city so that we
[5:20:37] don't have to think about
[5:20:41] laying off police officers or
[5:20:49] fire workers and then the third
[5:20:49] area that is zero based
[5:20:54] budgeting could be looking at
[5:20:54] is stormwater.
[5:20:58] You know there was a stormwater
[5:21:03] is a development cost.
[5:21:04] It's something you do when you
[5:21:05] build new neighborhoods and you
[5:21:08] cover land.
[5:21:09] So what the combination has to
[5:21:13] be is first fees to develop
[5:21:17] land that's going to cost more
[5:21:22] stormwater impacts the fees
[5:21:22] raising taxes just on the basis
[5:21:26] of water use or something like
[5:21:27] that is not the only way to do
[5:21:32] it and it should No one should
[5:21:36] get a lower rate on it than
[5:21:36] common citizens.
[5:21:37] >> Thank you Your time has
[5:21:38] concluded Gambler If you can
[5:21:40] please unmute.
[5:21:46] After that is 8700 gambler I
[5:21:47] cannot unmute for you There you
[5:21:52] go Daniel here You know what so
[5:21:52] crazy I worked with the county
[5:21:56] of San Diego for 20 years and I
[5:21:57] had the opportunity to help fix
[5:22:01] the budget of the San Diego
[5:22:01] Registrar of Voters.
[5:22:02] The craziest thing is are
[5:22:05] the things that we budgeted for
[5:22:06] really it's just a copy and
[5:22:06] paste job every single time.
[5:22:09] No one at the top really knows
[5:22:10] what is actually in there And
[5:22:14] so I was tasked to go ahead and
[5:22:15] actually do the budget And it's
[5:22:19] not that hard.
[5:22:19] My surprise is the fact that we
[5:22:20] don't do it.
[5:22:23] We don't have supervisors
[5:22:24] making sure that each
[5:22:29] department is properly doing
[5:22:29] this and then you come up with
[5:22:33] that So use it or lose it And
[5:22:34] then when they go ahead and cut
[5:22:35] costs then they go ahead and
[5:22:38] add costs doing special things
[5:22:39] and all that stuff I find it Do
[5:22:40] we actually have supervisor I
[5:22:43] mean do we have any qualified
[5:22:48] people working at the county or
[5:22:48] the city that understands money
[5:22:49] at all or do you guys think
[5:22:53] that the people are just a
[5:22:54] piggy bank for you?
[5:22:54] I mean because that's the way
[5:22:58] that you act.
[5:22:59] I mean that was a way that
[5:23:00] Cynthia Byers, the registrar of
[5:23:02] voters treated it.
[5:23:03] I mean we tripled the cost of
[5:23:03] an election because they were
[5:23:08] lazy to and they just wanted to
[5:23:08] mail out everything without
[5:23:09] doing any security checks.
[5:23:12] That's why we get people like
[5:23:12] Shawn leading us.
[5:23:16] These people are unqualified.
[5:23:17] No one wanted them except for
[5:23:18] the fraudsters and this is what
[5:23:23] we're up to now We have to
[5:23:23] teach you guys how to do
[5:23:24] budget.
[5:23:26] Richardson's going to flat out
[5:23:27] ignore and you're going to
[5:23:27] continue doing what you're
[5:23:31] going to do because you know
[5:23:32] people are going to cheat for
[5:23:32] you.
[5:23:33] I don't like this system.
[5:23:35] I don't like the fact that we
[5:23:36] no longer want qualified people
[5:23:37] working for us and we don't
[5:23:41] have proper supervisors.
[5:23:41] If you want to go ahead and get
[5:23:42] any information on how to
[5:23:46] actually properly do that,
[5:23:47] can't talk to the county of San
[5:23:52] Diego and particularly Nicole
[5:23:52] Alejandro.
[5:23:53] >> So we're going to why didn't
[5:23:54] you up And you know time has
[5:23:57] concluded at 700 if you can
[5:23:57] please let me know after that
[5:24:04] is the original 8700 star six.
[5:24:05] Thank you, Joy.
[5:24:12] Senator cd3, I just have so
[5:24:12] much to say.
[5:24:16] I'm so excited.
[5:24:17] Councilmember Rivera and
[5:24:19] Councilmember Foster the third
[5:24:20] fabulous sharing on that last
[5:24:24] item.
[5:24:25] I was mesmerized.
[5:24:29] It's just good work And in
[5:24:30] being she'll just keep doing it
[5:24:35] that way and and PRESIDENT Kind
[5:24:36] of was so generous with time it
[5:24:39] was just wonderful.
[5:24:40] So on this item of Department
[5:24:44] of Finance five stars because I
[5:24:45] think your implementation of
[5:24:49] the zbb the last time is
[5:24:54] really, really good and I like
[5:24:54] the I.T.
[5:24:59] >> Account being part of that I
[5:24:59] guess you call it the pilot
[5:25:03] project and and the fact that
[5:25:04] you pointed out that you know
[5:25:08] inflation and rising costs are
[5:25:08] really maybe the main thing
[5:25:12] that that hurt us So it's good
[5:25:17] stuff and I call it a hybrid a
[5:25:18] zbb hybrid And I want you to
[5:25:22] continue because I think it's
[5:25:23] too impractical to go all
[5:25:27] the way with it.
[5:25:28] But I do like where it's headed
[5:25:28] And and I just think you're
[5:25:32] doing great in let's just keep
[5:25:33] doing what we're doing, add
[5:25:37] some things, subtract some
[5:25:38] things But it's I think it's
[5:25:38] really, really a good route
[5:25:42] today for our budget.
[5:25:42] So thank you again I have a
[5:25:43] couple of other things that
[5:25:46] I'll give it to you tonight So
[5:25:47] thank you very much.
[5:25:47] Love to all.
[5:25:48] Thank you.
[5:25:49] Next is the original If you can
[5:25:50] please unmute after that Our
[5:25:55] final speaker is 8813.
[5:25:56] Anything you guys talk about
[5:25:56] with the budget it's a little
[5:25:57] bit frightening because you say
[5:26:00] that there's not enough money.
[5:26:00] I don't know how billions of
[5:26:01] dollars isn't enough money to
[5:26:05] do the things that you're quote
[5:26:06] unquote supposed to do And then
[5:26:10] so you come continue Lee after
[5:26:11] the people going like was isn't
[5:26:12] enough when you more for me
[5:26:14] like oh my gosh talk about like
[5:26:15] just robbing people that are
[5:26:20] suffering and you know it too
[5:26:20] and it's all at the hands of
[5:26:21] new guys And this seems like
[5:26:22] more of another way to kind of
[5:26:24] hide things because it then you
[5:26:25] know, are you not keeping up
[5:26:30] with your required means?
[5:26:30] Is this supposed to not be
[5:26:31] happening twice a year and it's
[5:26:34] only happened what I mean as
[5:26:35] far as you documented or it
[5:26:38] could have been before 2016 but
[5:26:39] basically twice in the last 20
[5:26:40] years that it's been in place.
[5:26:43] And so what are we paying for
[5:26:43] with this?
[5:26:44] But if you can sit there and
[5:26:48] say that we're going to go from
[5:26:48] zero and up.
[5:26:49] Well, if you don't look at what
[5:26:50] was spent last year on a
[5:26:53] certain entity or program or
[5:26:58] whatever, then you this seems
[5:26:59] more like you want to hide that
[5:26:59] you've already given say an
[5:27:03] entity like Dreams for Change
[5:27:04] this month's money and we need
[5:27:07] to kind of start from zero and
[5:27:07] say we need to give them this
[5:27:08] much money this year.
[5:27:11] I just think it's crazy because
[5:27:11] like all of the things that
[5:27:16] have been going on especially
[5:27:16] with like the police overtime
[5:27:21] you guys literally or the count
[5:27:21] some of you in the councils
[5:27:25] before you implemented to make
[5:27:26] your employees get back to and
[5:27:26] so you lost a third of your
[5:27:30] police department and we have
[5:27:31] to pay for that because they're
[5:27:35] no longer, you know, full of
[5:27:36] people that can be doing
[5:27:39] the job And so they have to pay
[5:27:40] for overtime.
[5:27:41] And so I mean if you guys quit
[5:27:45] doing things that are making us
[5:27:45] have to pay more, those
[5:27:46] billions of dollars that you
[5:27:49] get should be suffice.
[5:27:50] You need to be good stewards of
[5:27:51] our money and not try and look
[5:27:54] for other ways to hide
[5:27:55] the racketeering that's going
[5:27:55] on.
[5:27:56] It is so clear people just pay
[5:27:59] attention Your time has
[5:28:00] concluded 8813 If you can
[5:28:01] please unmute your final
[5:28:07] speaker.
[5:28:11] Okay So here Amen to that.
[5:28:12] Now it's always a red flag to
[5:28:12] me when you're getting
[5:28:16] information from other
[5:28:16] metropolitan cities like
[5:28:17] Chicago and to utilize it here
[5:28:21] in San Diego if that's not an
[5:28:22] indicator of system slowly
[5:28:26] leading us toward a one world
[5:28:26] government structure I don't
[5:28:30] know what is this These
[5:28:30] packages being presented are
[5:28:31] not beneficial for the people.
[5:28:35] They're only efficient for
[5:28:36] the expansion of government
[5:28:40] control price price I hope
[5:28:40] the staffers in this room
[5:28:41] understand that the work you're
[5:28:42] doing contributes to
[5:28:44] the systems that further
[5:28:45] control and manage people
[5:28:49] including your own loved ones
[5:28:50] Under what is openly discussed
[5:28:51] as the United Nations agenda
[5:28:54] for the 21st century.
[5:28:54] I promise you it does.
[5:28:58] Meanwhile, all of our hard
[5:28:58] earned tax dollars are being
[5:28:59] wasted prioritizing an agenda
[5:29:03] rather than addressing
[5:29:03] the basic urgent needs of
[5:29:04] the people.
[5:29:08] Wake up, catch up.
[5:29:09] More and more people are
[5:29:09] speaking about things like
[5:29:10] the 15 minute city model and
[5:29:12] the broader global frameworks
[5:29:13] being pushed by organizations
[5:29:14] like the World Economic Forum,
[5:29:18] the un and the World Health
[5:29:18] Organization.
[5:29:19] There's no theory about it.
[5:29:22] These discussions are publicly
[5:29:23] documented.
[5:29:23] What's really concerning is
[5:29:24] that people have forgotten
[5:29:27] something very important.
[5:29:28] It was things are sovereign.
[5:29:32] Quite frankly, we were never
[5:29:33] meant to be endlessly governed
[5:29:33] especially not by systems that
[5:29:37] have repeatedly shown
[5:29:38] corruption and a lack of
[5:29:38] accountability.
[5:29:42] So I look forward to the day
[5:29:42] when more people begin to see
[5:29:43] through the smoke and mirrors
[5:29:47] of government both locally and
[5:29:47] federally because once people
[5:29:51] truly see it everything changes
[5:29:51] .
[5:29:52] Thank you.
[5:29:57] That concludes public for this
[5:29:57] item.
[5:29:58] >> All right.
[5:29:58] Thank you, City Clerk.
[5:30:02] This is an information item No
[5:30:02] motions required.
[5:30:03] I'll turn it over to my
[5:30:06] colleagues for questions and
[5:30:06] comments and we'll start with
[5:30:07] the chair of the Budget
[5:30:07] Committee.
[5:30:10] Councilmember Foster Yes.
[5:30:11] Thank you, Council PRESIDENT
[5:30:16] And thank you to the ipa and
[5:30:20] Department of Finance in
[5:30:21] putting this presentation
[5:30:21] together.
[5:30:25] I do appreciate
[5:30:26] the presentation.
[5:30:30] I think there's a lot to unpack
[5:30:34] Um, based on what we just
[5:30:35] received.
[5:30:36] Um, I think there's probably
[5:30:40] for me to be in a more
[5:30:40] comfortable place to have a
[5:30:44] more detailed type conversation
[5:30:44] especially as we look to look
[5:30:49] at um I want to say the areas
[5:30:54] that we currently exercise zbb
[5:30:54] and the outcomes and what those
[5:30:58] have been and the thought
[5:30:59] process that goes into
[5:31:06] the decisions that are made in
[5:31:07] .
[5:31:07] I guess I will I will always
[5:31:11] say this as you look at this
[5:31:11] process, I think I will go back
[5:31:15] to what I have said since day
[5:31:19] one of of serving as a council
[5:31:19] member for the fourth District.
[5:31:23] I think it even speaks more in
[5:31:24] regards to the importance of
[5:31:25] directors to understand their
[5:31:33] departments and their roles
[5:31:33] responsibilities.
[5:31:37] And I'll say that in working to
[5:31:38] core services versus non-core
[5:31:43] type services I think that is
[5:31:43] something that we really still
[5:31:47] need to work on and get our
[5:31:52] arms around in order for I'm
[5:31:53] gonna say any type of budgeting
[5:31:54] to truly truly work especially
[5:31:57] when we are in this situation
[5:31:57] and dealing with this
[5:31:58] structural deficit and we are
[5:31:59] trying to make the decisions
[5:32:02] that we have in front of us
[5:32:03] when we're trying to work to a
[5:32:03] balanced budget.
[5:32:07] Um also I'll go back to that
[5:32:12] that um, you know we did have a
[5:32:12] presentation by the city
[5:32:16] Attorney's office in regards to
[5:32:16] what I will term mandated core
[5:32:17] services.
[5:32:22] I think there's still some more
[5:32:22] conversation that needs to take
[5:32:25] place There to truly land to
[5:32:30] where we have consensus um from
[5:32:35] the mayor's office also with
[5:32:36] this body the aba's office and
[5:32:40] our departments to to make sure
[5:32:41] we are all on the same page and
[5:32:45] operating from a place of
[5:32:45] consensus.
[5:32:50] Um I will say this as well and
[5:32:50] I'm just I'm going to go back
[5:32:51] to your slide.
[5:32:54] I think it's Slide nine where
[5:32:54] we were talking about
[5:32:55] theoretical zbb.
[5:32:59] Um zero based budgeting and
[5:32:59] cited drawbacks.
[5:33:04] Just as I look at this, I think
[5:33:06] any time we are dealing with a
[5:33:07] $6 billion budget and
[5:33:12] complexities the when you start
[5:33:13] drawing into the different
[5:33:18] various um fund accounts in
[5:33:18] the way we do business I think
[5:33:22] it's complex No matter what
[5:33:23] system you use And I think it's
[5:33:27] all a time um a time sensitive
[5:33:32] type type issue and takes time.
[5:33:36] But I am a little in I think I
[5:33:37] understand this when you talk
[5:33:42] about reluctance of managers to
[5:33:43] suggest decision packages.
[5:33:43] When you talk about lack of buy
[5:33:47] in um can lead to gaming
[5:33:47] the system When you talk about
[5:33:51] decision packages are often
[5:33:52] driven by management
[5:33:56] preferences and MAY not reflect
[5:33:57] priorities of stakeholders.
[5:33:58] >> I feel like a lot of this be
[5:34:02] current is currently being
[5:34:03] practiced by the city of San
[5:34:06] Diego in the various
[5:34:07] departments as we are putting
[5:34:08] our budget together.
[5:34:11] And I just have to say you know
[5:34:12] for me when we talk about lack
[5:34:17] of buying can lead to gaming
[5:34:17] the system, I must say I view
[5:34:22] that as simply insubordination.
[5:34:23] If the if the policy is set in
[5:34:27] place and directors are to to
[5:34:32] to then in turn implement and
[5:34:36] execute and there are issues in
[5:34:37] regards to philosophy or
[5:34:42] the desire to do so.
[5:34:43] Um I quite frankly read that as
[5:34:43] insubordination and I think
[5:34:47] that's another conversation
[5:34:48] that needs to be had as we talk
[5:34:49] about the operations of
[5:34:50] the city of San Diego.
[5:34:56] Um other thing that I will say
[5:35:00] and really what I'm interested
[5:35:01] as we looked at are the things
[5:35:03] that you brought up when we
[5:35:09] talk about our
[5:35:09] non-discretionary type items.
[5:35:10] I would like to get a detailed
[5:35:14] sit down with you guys to truly
[5:35:15] understand that.
[5:35:15] I think if you look at our
[5:35:16] budgets internally those
[5:35:20] non-discretionary lines are
[5:35:20] tend to be larger lines with
[5:35:25] just in a council office, right
[5:35:26] versus what our own spend is in
[5:35:26] other areas.
[5:35:30] But we have no say so in what
[5:35:34] that is or how that's developed
[5:35:35] .
[5:35:35] And so I think it would behoove
[5:35:36] all of us to have some more
[5:35:40] insight into those as well.
[5:35:41] And quite frankly, as we talk
[5:35:45] about the one thing that I'm
[5:35:46] losing in here are some of
[5:35:50] the decisions that are made as
[5:35:51] we look at travel, as we look
[5:35:55] at those types of things.
[5:35:56] You know, I have traveled on
[5:36:01] any type of um one of the trips
[5:36:06] we do to on our delegation or
[5:36:07] delegation trips.
[5:36:07] I haven't gone to the state or
[5:36:12] to to on the Mexico trip or to
[5:36:17] D.C. And I'm continuing to um
[5:36:17] to not do those.
[5:36:18] That's a decision that I make
[5:36:22] as the head of my office but I
[5:36:23] don't know if how those types
[5:36:27] of decisions are being made
[5:36:27] right.
[5:36:28] Also as we go into
[5:36:29] the decisions when we purchase
[5:36:33] equipment and vehicles, Right.
[5:36:34] So I think there are some other
[5:36:34] things that that that are that
[5:36:38] play into not only a zbb
[5:36:38] process but just how certain
[5:36:39] decisions are made and how
[5:36:43] those line up as we are
[5:36:44] creating or going through this
[5:36:44] process.
[5:36:48] So I think it's a little more
[5:36:49] complex And then then kind of
[5:36:50] saying hey takes time winding
[5:36:50] down.
[5:36:55] I think there's a lot of things
[5:36:55] that we need to go through.
[5:36:56] But I do thank you for this.
[5:37:00] I think it's a good start.
[5:37:01] I would like to look at
[5:37:01] the outcomes on what you did
[5:37:02] and have a more detailed
[5:37:04] conversation as we go through
[5:37:05] the Budget review Committee and
[5:37:09] as we go to finalize the fiscal
[5:37:09] year 27 budget.
[5:37:10] So I'll be asking those types
[5:37:14] of questions dig digging a
[5:37:15] little deeper.
[5:37:15] And probably having some
[5:37:19] preliminary discussions as we
[5:37:20] as we go into things to give
[5:37:21] you an opportunity to to brief
[5:37:26] my office and to do certain
[5:37:27] things that we can try and be
[5:37:27] as efficient as we can as we
[5:37:28] come to the day.
[5:37:31] So thank you again And that
[5:37:32] concludes my comments.
[5:37:32] Council PRESIDENT All right.
[5:37:36] Thank you Councilmember Foster
[5:37:37] We'll go next to Councilmember
[5:37:37] Eli Rivera Thank you.
[5:37:38] Council PRESIDENT.
[5:37:38] Thanks for this presentation.
[5:37:41] Appreciate it.
[5:37:42] I I'm really glad we're having
[5:37:43] this conversation.
[5:37:45] I think that zero based
[5:37:46] budgeting has an opportunity to
[5:37:51] be a more rigorous and I guess
[5:37:56] honest way of building a budget
[5:37:56] .
[5:37:57] But it also brings me back to
[5:37:58] something I said a couple weeks
[5:38:02] ago and I probably will say in
[5:38:07] a couple of hours and it we
[5:38:08] need it We need to decide who
[5:38:09] we want to be as a city first.
[5:38:13] I don't know if this tool which
[5:38:18] is how I see it can be yielded
[5:38:24] will that as a as effectively
[5:38:25] as it otherwise could be If we
[5:38:26] haven't done that work to
[5:38:30] determine what we should be
[5:38:31] doing in the first place?
[5:38:31] And I think that that was a
[5:38:32] really important takeaway for
[5:38:35] me and I think we're struggling
[5:38:40] with that right now Without
[5:38:41] that without us determining
[5:38:47] what services are essential And
[5:38:47] I appreciate the work that
[5:38:48] COUNCILMAN Foster's doing to
[5:38:52] kind of understand that
[5:38:53] the answer to that question
[5:38:53] from a from a legal sense But I
[5:38:54] think there's a there's a even
[5:38:58] broader question that goes
[5:38:59] beyond the charter about who do
[5:39:04] we want to be what we think is
[5:39:04] essential to deliver to
[5:39:05] the constituents, what outcomes
[5:39:06] are we trying to achieve for
[5:39:09] residents And then once we do
[5:39:10] that we can start asking
[5:39:10] ourselves okay, what are we
[5:39:11] willing to stop doing to do
[5:39:15] less of to to actually get
[5:39:15] there?
[5:39:16] And so I do really hope that we
[5:39:21] have that conversation both as
[5:39:22] a council and with the mayor in
[5:39:23] this budget process in a way
[5:39:27] that gives all of us and
[5:39:33] the residents of the city a
[5:39:34] clear sense of where we are
[5:39:34] trying to go.
[5:39:35] >> I do have just a couple of
[5:39:38] questions and I don't know how
[5:39:44] I'm much you are willing to
[5:39:44] share right now.
[5:39:49] Are there any programs or
[5:39:50] service areas that the idea is
[5:39:51] are most ripe for that sort of
[5:39:51] scrutiny during this budget
[5:39:54] cycle?
[5:40:01] >> So very open ended question
[5:40:02] to some extent everything
[5:40:02] because if you're going to be
[5:40:03] saying in a couple hours we are
[5:40:07] going into this budget cycle
[5:40:08] needing to fill $120 million
[5:40:08] hole.
[5:40:09] Yeah to that extent additional
[5:40:10] scrutiny is important upon
[5:40:13] every item I think some to
[5:40:14] focus on our programs and
[5:40:19] potentially the departments we
[5:40:19] just simply have never
[5:40:20] adequately funded asking
[5:40:21] ourselves if those programs or
[5:40:25] services are really essential.
[5:40:25] If they are then we should
[5:40:26] probably looking at adding
[5:40:26] more.
[5:40:30] If they're not then we should
[5:40:31] probably be asking whether or
[5:40:32] not we should continue to only
[5:40:32] partially fund programs.
[5:40:36] One of the interesting things
[5:40:36] that you see from some of
[5:40:37] the examples to be including
[5:40:41] our own nearly ten years ago
[5:40:42] now is that the cbp exercise
[5:40:42] doesn't always lead to
[5:40:48] expenditure reductions.
[5:40:49] It often leads to folks looking
[5:40:50] at a service level One thing
[5:40:51] that terms of want and that
[5:40:51] requires additional resources
[5:40:57] beyond what we are doing today
[5:40:58] That's one of the things that
[5:40:59] we are likely to run into.
[5:41:02] What we are again faced with is
[5:41:03] a constrained and real lack of
[5:41:04] resources to provide
[5:41:04] the services that we are today.
[5:41:09] So those discussions are going
[5:41:10] to be particularly challenging.
[5:41:14] Yeah, I appreciate that We
[5:41:15] the 2017 pilot was mentioned
[5:41:15] because I think it's actually
[5:41:20] really indicative of how we got
[5:41:20] to where we were at my opinion
[5:41:21] at least we did a process that
[5:41:26] said Oh we actually need to
[5:41:26] resource things better and
[5:41:27] rather than do that and have
[5:41:28] that conversation we said How
[5:41:31] about we just go back to our
[5:41:32] old way of doing things which
[5:41:33] is insufficiently funding
[5:41:33] the things that we say are
[5:41:38] super important to Charles You
[5:41:39] want to respond to that part?
[5:41:42] I the other question I had
[5:41:43] there's this mention of
[5:41:49] the decision packages often
[5:41:49] being driven by management
[5:41:50] preferences that didn't
[5:41:51] necessarily reflect stakeholder
[5:41:51] priorities.
[5:41:55] Are there any what sort of of
[5:41:56] community engagement would you
[5:42:01] recommend to make sure that we
[5:42:02] don't if we were to really,
[5:42:03] really lean into zero based
[5:42:07] budgeting that we don't make
[5:42:08] that mistake habit in this over
[5:42:13] my team but initially I would
[5:42:14] say input sessions like you're
[5:42:15] having now surveys like you're
[5:42:19] going out it's a little bit
[5:42:19] difficult because how many
[5:42:20] people are always going to open
[5:42:26] up an email from a city news
[5:42:27] blast to respond to a survey.
[5:42:27] But that's a that's important
[5:42:30] input on what we believe our
[5:42:31] citizens will likely want to
[5:42:31] see the city do.
[5:42:32] So to the extent that each of
[5:42:37] the council members can reach
[5:42:37] out to their communities to
[5:42:38] figure out what those
[5:42:38] priorities and programs are, I
[5:42:43] think that that is important.
[5:42:44] One note that I would note of
[5:42:45] some of the drawbacks in here
[5:42:50] including certain packages or
[5:42:50] financial preferences that's a
[5:42:51] drawback not just zero based
[5:42:51] budgeting.
[5:42:55] It's not exclusive through
[5:42:56] based budgeting.
[5:42:57] It's a drawback to almost any
[5:42:57] budgeting system that you can
[5:42:58] think of.
[5:43:00] I don't think that there is a
[5:43:01] perfect budgeting process or
[5:43:01] system.
[5:43:06] But that said, in terms of
[5:43:07] trying to ensure that there's
[5:43:07] additional stakeholder input
[5:43:08] turn back to my team If they
[5:43:09] have examples from some of
[5:43:12] the cities that we talked with.
[5:43:13] I would just add I think
[5:43:14] the point that we're trying to
[5:43:14] make there is that a lot of
[5:43:18] the decision packages come kind
[5:43:19] of from the lowest decision
[5:43:24] making level possible that
[5:43:25] could be at the division level
[5:43:25] or even department level.
[5:43:26] I think what we're trying to
[5:43:31] say too is that there needs to
[5:43:31] be input from the elected
[5:43:36] officials level to make sure
[5:43:36] that it does represent
[5:43:37] the service levels that they
[5:43:43] expect to be delivered as they
[5:43:43] understand their public their
[5:43:49] communities desires as well.
[5:43:49] Got it.
[5:43:50] To kind of bring us back to
[5:43:51] the original question of who do
[5:43:51] we want to be?
[5:43:55] What is essential in our eyes
[5:43:55] to deliver to our residents?
[5:43:56] Thank you again for the work on
[5:43:56] this.
[5:44:00] Like I said, I think this is a
[5:44:01] really important practice.
[5:44:01] It's one that I'd like to see
[5:44:02] us lean into more and I think
[5:44:06] we will be selling ourselves
[5:44:07] short in its utility until we
[5:44:08] really articulate as a council
[5:44:12] and alongside the mayor about
[5:44:13] what it actually is that we're
[5:44:13] trying to achieve as a city
[5:44:17] the outcomes we want to deliver
[5:44:18] .
[5:44:18] We haven't hit the mark I don't
[5:44:19] think in terms of clarity there
[5:44:25] and I hope we do better on that
[5:44:25] front.
[5:44:26] >> Thank you, Council
[5:44:26] PRESIDENT.
[5:44:27] All right.
[5:44:27] Thank you.
[5:44:29] I will go next to Councilmember
[5:44:30] Voldemort.
[5:44:30] Thank you.
[5:44:31] I'll be very quick.
[5:44:31] I just want to thank you for
[5:44:36] the training and the comparison
[5:44:37] other cities and to know that
[5:44:37] the cities are already doing
[5:44:38] this in some regard.
[5:44:38] One thing that does alarm me
[5:44:42] about the good work you've been
[5:44:43] doing is in the f y 2026
[5:44:48] impacts of the rule based
[5:44:49] budgeting on external contracts
[5:44:49] and services.
[5:44:50] The good news is that the Board
[5:44:54] of Finances figured out how to
[5:44:55] lower our cost by 15.8 million
[5:44:58] in decreased spending across 55
[5:44:59] accounts but we're still
[5:44:59] outweighed by 20 million
[5:45:02] The projected projected
[5:45:03] increased spending in 40
[5:45:04] accounts and the net increase
[5:45:04] is driven by inflation and
[5:45:05] increased cost of doing
[5:45:09] business And we see a similar
[5:45:10] pattern projected for every 27.
[5:45:15] So that's a huge problem for
[5:45:15] us.
[5:45:15] Are these contracts these
[5:45:16] outside service contract
[5:45:22] contracts that are going up in
[5:45:23] the middle of the contract or
[5:45:24] relocating them or the new
[5:45:24] contracts are coming at a
[5:45:27] higher price?
[5:45:27] It's probably all the above
[5:45:28] across all departments within
[5:45:32] the general fund.
[5:45:33] In some cases we are seeing,
[5:45:34] you know, increased contractual
[5:45:34] costs but then these
[5:45:38] departments are not receiving
[5:45:38] the adequate or appropriate
[5:45:39] budget to support those
[5:45:45] contracts.
[5:45:45] Okay.
[5:45:45] Got it.
[5:45:46] I'd love to hear as we go into
[5:45:47] this budget not love but it
[5:45:47] would be important for me to
[5:45:51] hear as you go into the budget
[5:45:51] cycle about what's happening in
[5:45:52] creating the tariff and
[5:45:53] increase the cost of everything
[5:45:56] around us And what's happening
[5:45:57] with Donald Trump's war in
[5:45:58] the Middle East is now causing
[5:46:01] our energy prices to increase.
[5:46:02] And so I just it's important
[5:46:03] for us to realize what we're
[5:46:08] dealing with externally that we
[5:46:09] can't even control as we try
[5:46:09] and budget.
[5:46:10] This is quite alarming to see
[5:46:13] how much our outside contracts
[5:46:14] have had to increase due to
[5:46:15] inflation the cost of business.
[5:46:16] So thank you very much.
[5:46:16] All right.
[5:46:20] Thank you, gentlemen.
[5:46:21] Not for anybody else in
[5:46:25] the light I'll add okay.
[5:46:30] >> I'll add my thanks for
[5:46:31] the good work and trying to
[5:46:37] break this down in a rather
[5:46:38] brief training session to help
[5:46:38] us kind of understand what
[5:46:42] the opportunity is.
[5:46:43] I think we'll continue to
[5:46:44] struggle to look at a budget in
[5:46:48] which we know that we're
[5:46:49] actually underfunding
[5:46:49] the programs and somehow
[5:46:50] the departments make these
[5:46:54] things work.
[5:46:55] We also know much like
[5:46:56] the earlier item it's not a
[5:47:00] static situation If we could
[5:47:01] just get it right we're not a
[5:47:01] business where we say how many
[5:47:06] widgets per hour do we need to
[5:47:07] build to be able to make a
[5:47:07] reasonable profit?
[5:47:11] It's quite dynamic in terms of
[5:47:12] what is happening out there
[5:47:13] with our constituents, with our
[5:47:18] infrastructure, what is
[5:47:19] happening there with unfunded
[5:47:19] mandates from the state or
[5:47:23] the federal side changing
[5:47:24] dynamics from whoever is
[5:47:25] the elected official and what
[5:47:29] their priorities are and what
[5:47:30] our assets are all make that a
[5:47:35] very challenging situation.
[5:47:36] I guess the only thing I would
[5:47:37] add in terms of what I think of
[5:47:41] rather than to to a certain
[5:47:42] degree zero based budgeting is
[5:47:42] rather the confidence of each
[5:47:47] level of management so that
[5:47:48] given the size of our our
[5:47:48] employee or the number of our
[5:47:53] employees that there has to be
[5:47:54] confident that each level when
[5:47:54] the front line workers say
[5:47:59] you're asking me to do this I
[5:48:00] don't have the resources And my
[5:48:01] favorite one to pick on is
[5:48:05] Parks and Rec.
[5:48:05] We don't increase our budget
[5:48:06] and yet we keep approving new
[5:48:07] parks and we somehow expect
[5:48:11] them to maintain a service
[5:48:12] level with no additional money
[5:48:13] and with more acreage that they
[5:48:17] have to maintain.
[5:48:17] I'm not going to vote against
[5:48:18] new parks because we're
[5:48:19] typically going into our
[5:48:23] under-resourced communities But
[5:48:24] yet how can I look at Parks and
[5:48:25] Rec and say you've got to cut
[5:48:28] your budget to meet our
[5:48:29] projected deficit?
[5:48:30] And I think the other you know,
[5:48:35] we're going to hear hopefully
[5:48:36] we heard last time we did a 6
[5:48:40] P.M. We're going to hear
[5:48:40] another one tonight And it's
[5:48:41] mostly people going to talk
[5:48:45] about what they want to save
[5:48:46] and no one's going to say in
[5:48:46] order to save this.
[5:48:47] I want to cut that And I've
[5:48:51] said it before and people don't
[5:48:52] like it But if you just say
[5:48:52] middle management it doesn't
[5:48:53] tell me anything And I'm
[5:48:56] looking forward to a more
[5:48:57] detailed or greater insight
[5:49:02] about our unclassified and what
[5:49:03] that really means and what
[5:49:09] portion that is of the of our
[5:49:10] total budget and a little bit
[5:49:10] of a spoiler.
[5:49:11] It's a very tiny portion of our
[5:49:15] budget And so that is not going
[5:49:16] to be the solution But it's an
[5:49:16] easy sound bite for people to
[5:49:21] throw out there that doesn't
[5:49:22] help us I think as council
[5:49:23] members to figure out how we're
[5:49:23] going to balance how we're
[5:49:27] going to balance this budget
[5:49:28] And I think it's not there but
[5:49:33] the presentation I think is
[5:49:33] very helpful.
[5:49:34] I think it's going to be
[5:49:34] helpful across all the council
[5:49:38] members So we appreciate when
[5:49:39] you and finance who as I've
[5:49:40] said before I think are more
[5:49:45] transparent than we've seen in
[5:49:45] the past and we should
[5:49:46] recognize that and leverage
[5:49:51] that to be work with the ipa
[5:49:52] does to try to distill all this
[5:49:53] and put it in formats that are
[5:49:56] a little more digestible by
[5:49:56] the council members and our
[5:49:57] staff in trying to make our
[5:50:01] recommendations we have very
[5:50:02] tough conversations over
[5:50:03] the next few months and this is
[5:50:08] helpful and trying to tackle
[5:50:09] that.
[5:50:09] So again I'll thank you for
[5:50:10] that good work.
[5:50:15] So with that again this was an
[5:50:15] informational item and no
[5:50:16] motions required And with that
[5:50:16] we will now recess and
[5:50:20] reconvene open session at 6
[5:52:55] P.M. Or shortly thereafter
[5:53:35] Thank you.
[5:53:40] All right all right Good
[5:53:41] evening.
[5:53:41] I will now reconvene the city
[5:53:44] council meeting on Monday MARCH
[5:53:45] 10th, 2026 to order Clerk
[5:53:46] please please call the roll.
[5:53:46] Thank you.
[5:53:47] Council PRESIDENT Council
[5:53:53] member Campbell Council Member
[5:53:53] Whitburn here.
[5:53:54] Council Member Foster here.
[5:53:58] Council Member on Wolper
[5:53:58] Present Council PRESIDENT Pro
[5:54:02] Tem Lee Council Member Campo
[5:54:03] Council Member Moreno Council
[5:54:07] Member Ella Rivera and Council
[5:54:08] PRESIDENT LaCava present Also
[5:54:08] attending the meeting our Chief
[5:54:12] Deputy City Attorney Brant
[5:54:12] Barletta, independent budget
[5:54:13] analyst Charles Monica and
[5:54:16] myself your city Clerk Diana
[5:54:17] Fuentes Thank you Council
[5:54:18] PRESIDENT All right, Thank you.
[5:54:21] With that please introduce item
[5:54:21] 332.
[5:54:22] Item 332 is an informational
[5:54:26] item The hearing for public
[5:54:27] input on the development of
[5:54:30] the fiscal year 2027 budget.
[5:54:31] If you're hearing council
[5:54:31] chambers please be sure to
[5:54:32] submit a speaker's up to
[5:54:35] the front of the room And if
[5:54:36] you're participating remotely
[5:54:37] now's the time to raise your
[5:54:37] hand Starting nine or the raise
[5:54:38] your hand icon.
[5:54:39] Thank you.
[5:54:40] All right.
[5:54:40] Thank you.
[5:54:41] There won't be any formal
[5:54:41] presentation.
[5:54:44] I'll make some opening remarks.
[5:54:45] I'll turn it over to Charles
[5:54:46] Mollica, our independent budget
[5:54:49] analyst and then he'll turn it
[5:54:49] over to the chair of our budget
[5:54:50] committee council member foster
[5:54:53] And then we'll go straight to
[5:54:54] public comment after that.
[5:54:59] So we'll be running this as we
[5:55:02] did the last opportunity for
[5:55:03] the public on FEBRUARY 23rd Our
[5:55:03] structural budget deficit has
[5:55:07] been a problem grown over time
[5:55:08] with decisions made at various
[5:55:09] times to kick the can down
[5:55:09] the road or take it off
[5:55:13] the back So city employees with
[5:55:13] consequences for service levels
[5:55:14] Last year following
[5:55:17] the rejection of the sales tax
[5:55:17] measure, the council worked to
[5:55:18] preserve essential services and
[5:55:22] trim where possible To achieve
[5:55:23] those service levels We raised
[5:55:23] fines and shared more services
[5:55:27] or cost recoverable and charged
[5:55:28] for parking at Belmont Park.
[5:55:32] Those were hard decisions and
[5:55:32] not actions I wanted to do.
[5:55:33] However, I did make those
[5:55:37] decisions in a vacuum.
[5:55:37] I did not make those decisions
[5:55:38] in a vacuum but instead
[5:55:41] considered the tradeoff impacts
[5:55:42] to rec centers, libraries and
[5:55:43] public restrooms which would
[5:55:46] have had to have been closed
[5:55:47] for this fiscal year.
[5:55:47] There are no feasible new
[5:55:51] revenue sources in my opinion
[5:55:52] and we must get serious about
[5:55:57] cuts.
[5:55:57] Ultimately if I'm going to
[5:55:58] support an expenditure I have
[5:55:59] to balance it with either a
[5:56:01] revenue increase or by cutting
[5:56:01] another service.
[5:56:02] Conversely, if I'm going to
[5:56:05] support cutting or eliminating
[5:56:06] ongoing revenue I need to see a
[5:56:10] replacement revenue or further
[5:56:11] cuts of expenditures.
[5:56:11] And for the public listening
[5:56:15] tonight and participating I ask
[5:56:16] you for your assistance to
[5:56:16] identify where to cut.
[5:56:20] That's a tough thing for us to
[5:56:21] sit up here and make an ask
[5:56:24] where to cut, what services do
[5:56:25] we provide that are no longer a
[5:56:26] priority to you so that we can
[5:56:29] preserve the services that are
[5:56:30] important to you.
[5:56:31] We have to balance a budget and
[5:56:35] a priority needs to come with a
[5:56:36] priority reduction.
[5:56:39] This will be that easy but I
[5:56:39] believe that we can and will do
[5:56:40] this together.
[5:56:43] And with that I'll close.
[5:56:44] Thank you for participating
[5:56:45] tonight either here in person
[5:56:49] or remotely and I'll turn it
[5:56:49] over to our independent budget
[5:56:50] analyst Charles Monica.
[5:56:50] Sir.
[5:56:51] Right.
[5:56:51] Thank you.
[5:56:53] Council PRESIDENT Council
[5:56:54] members So this is
[5:56:54] the council's second evening
[5:56:58] meeting to hear public input on
[5:56:59] the upcoming budget Given
[5:57:00] the deficit that we are facing,
[5:57:00] the next several months are
[5:57:03] going to involve a number of
[5:57:04] very difficult conversations
[5:57:05] and decisions.
[5:57:08] As I noted at our initial
[5:57:08] hearing context is important
[5:57:09] both for council and the public
[5:57:13] to understand how we got here
[5:57:14] and so that both counsel
[5:57:17] the public can have realistic
[5:57:18] expectations as we move into
[5:57:18] those difficult budget
[5:57:22] discussions.
[5:57:23] As my office has noted for some
[5:57:24] time the city has been facing
[5:57:26] significant fiscal challenges
[5:57:27] for years.
[5:57:27] The challenges that we face
[5:57:28] today have been decades in
[5:57:31] the making.
[5:57:32] While San Diego is a large and
[5:57:33] major city, its revenues are
[5:57:36] generally lower than comparable
[5:57:37] cities.
[5:57:37] The taxes that the city does
[5:57:41] charge notably sales taxes and
[5:57:42] hotel taxes are lower sometimes
[5:57:42] significantly so than our peer
[5:57:46] cities and there are a number
[5:57:47] of taxes and fees that the city
[5:57:48] does not charge at all such as
[5:57:51] parking taxes, utility users
[5:57:51] taxes and general obligation
[5:57:55] bond related property taxes
[5:57:56] that other cities often do.
[5:57:57] The proportion of taxes paid by
[5:58:01] city residents that goes to
[5:58:01] the city is also low For every
[5:58:05] dollar paid in property tax,
[5:58:06] only $0.18 comes back to
[5:58:06] the city For every dollar paid
[5:58:10] in the sales tax only $0.13
[5:58:11] comes back to the city And for
[5:58:15] every dollar paid in income tax
[5:58:15] no money comes directly back to
[5:58:19] the city Which means that while
[5:58:20] the city is tasked with
[5:58:20] providing some of the most
[5:58:21] commonly seen and expected
[5:58:24] public services streets, parks,
[5:58:25] police libraries the city also
[5:58:29] receives a relatively small
[5:58:30] proportion of tax dollars to
[5:58:34] provide those services.
[5:58:35] Given the lack of any
[5:58:36] additional revenues dedicated
[5:58:39] to the city it needs to be
[5:58:40] understood that the city's
[5:58:40] ongoing resources are
[5:58:41] insufficient to support its
[5:58:44] current operations.
[5:58:45] The city has been able to get
[5:58:46] by for the last 20 years or so
[5:58:49] by keeping its costs low
[5:58:50] largely through putting off
[5:58:51] infrastructure maintenance and
[5:58:54] keeping city salaries well
[5:58:55] below the median for comparable
[5:58:55] cities in our region.
[5:58:58] Both of those have had long
[5:58:59] term consequences and long term
[5:59:03] costs.
[5:59:04] The city did start making
[5:59:05] progress on infrastructure
[5:59:08] repair and city salaries over
[5:59:09] the last several years but we
[5:59:09] were only able to do so by
[5:59:12] tapping into significant one
[5:59:13] time resources that have since
[5:59:14] been exhausted.
[5:59:18] The city attempted to respond
[5:59:18] to this longstanding structural
[5:59:21] deficit through the 2024
[5:59:21] measure e sales tax measure but
[5:59:22] that ballot item failed and it
[5:59:26] left the city with a real need
[5:59:26] to realign its ongoing services
[5:59:30] with its ongoing resources.
[5:59:31] And that's where we are today
[5:59:32] and that's really where we've
[5:59:34] been for the last two years.
[5:59:35] Last year about this time we
[5:59:38] were facing a $260 million
[5:59:39] deficit which we closed through
[5:59:43] totaling reserve contributions
[5:59:44] of about 60 million of
[5:59:47] implementing roughly $100
[5:59:48] million in new revenues and
[5:59:49] fees to offset expenses that
[5:59:49] would have otherwise fallen to
[5:59:53] the general fund And by making
[5:59:53] about $100 million in painful
[5:59:57] cuts to city services such as
[5:59:58] library hours this year we are
[5:59:58] also facing a significant
[6:00:02] deficit for the upcoming year
[6:00:05] of roughly 100 to $120 million
[6:00:06] and that reflects continued
[6:00:06] delays to reserve contributions
[6:00:10] New revenue sources that we
[6:00:11] expanded over the last year
[6:00:11] have at this point also been
[6:00:16] tapped And the appetite for new
[6:00:16] revenues in the immediate
[6:00:17] future seems limited which
[6:00:20] means that the projected
[6:00:21] deficit we face today will have
[6:00:21] to be closed by and large
[6:00:25] through cuts.
[6:00:26] Finding enough cuts to close
[6:00:26] that deficit will be hard but
[6:00:30] by law the city's budgets need
[6:00:31] to be balanced and we cannot
[6:00:31] spend money that we do not have
[6:00:35] to begin accounting for
[6:00:35] the city's long term needs
[6:00:36] especially its long deferred
[6:00:40] infrastructure needs New
[6:00:40] revenue will ultimately be
[6:00:41] required But as we move into
[6:00:44] the fy 27 budget process we
[6:00:44] need to ensure that our
[6:00:45] expenditures match the revenues
[6:00:49] that we already have in hand
[6:00:50] today.
[6:00:50] To that end, as we have
[6:00:51] discussions tonight and as we
[6:00:55] continue to discuss the budget
[6:00:55] over the next several months,
[6:00:56] we need to be realistic about
[6:00:59] what we can fund with
[6:01:00] the resources that we have and
[6:01:00] we should focus our
[6:01:01] conversations on a core
[6:01:05] services that the Council and
[6:01:06] the public want to see
[6:01:06] maintained and frankly areas
[6:01:10] where the city can afford to or
[6:01:11] needs to pull back on or reduce
[6:01:15] services.
[6:01:15] This will be difficult but
[6:01:16] necessary conversations.
[6:01:16] And to that end I look forward
[6:01:20] to hearing comments tonight
[6:01:20] from the Council and from
[6:01:21] the public without pitched over
[6:01:27] to Councilmember Foster.
[6:01:32] Thank you Charles for those
[6:01:32] comments.
[6:01:33] I thank you.
[6:01:37] Council PRESIDENT, for
[6:01:38] convening this meeting and
[6:01:39] thank you to the community for
[6:01:42] being here tonight.
[6:01:43] I cannot say this enough This
[6:01:47] is a tough budget cycle and we
[6:01:48] cannot continue business as
[6:01:48] usual.
[6:01:49] And as the mayor prepares his
[6:01:52] proposed budget, it's critical
[6:01:53] that staffing services and
[6:01:57] resources are aligned
[6:01:57] efficiently and that any
[6:01:58] adjustments are communicated
[6:02:02] clearly to residents.
[6:02:03] Reductions must be strategic,
[6:02:06] proportional and protect core
[6:02:07] services such as public safety,
[6:02:08] clean streets and functioning
[6:02:13] libraries, parks and recreation
[6:02:13] centers.
[6:02:14] For me equity remains a guiding
[6:02:18] principle and we must apply it
[6:02:18] carefully as we make difficult
[6:02:19] decisions and the public's
[6:02:23] voice is essential during this
[6:02:24] process.
[6:02:24] So I strongly encourage
[6:02:25] residents to complete
[6:02:28] the mayor's budget survey and
[6:02:29] to be vocal about your
[6:02:29] priorities and reduction
[6:02:34] recommendations.
[6:02:35] Your input matters and it will
[6:02:35] help shape a budget that
[6:02:38] balances fiscal responsibility
[6:02:39] with community needs.
[6:02:39] And tonight is another
[6:02:40] opportunity to share your
[6:02:44] feedback.
[6:02:45] Additional public comment
[6:02:45] meetings will be held on MAY
[6:02:48] 4th and MAY 18th.
[6:02:49] So please mark your calendars
[6:02:49] and please participate.
[6:02:53] There are challenging choices
[6:02:54] ahead but together with
[6:02:57] community input the city can
[6:02:58] build a budget that is
[6:02:59] equitable, effective and
[6:03:03] protects the services families
[6:03:03] in this.
[6:03:04] And protects the services
[6:03:05] families in this city rely on.
[6:03:09] I look forward to hearing
[6:03:10] public comment and again as my
[6:03:14] colleagues have said earlier
[6:03:15] today, this truly is about what
[6:03:20] type of San Diego do we want to
[6:03:20] be.
[6:03:21] And Council PRESIDENT That
[6:03:24] concludes my comments.
[6:03:25] And again, thank you for
[6:03:26] holding this hearing.
[6:03:26] Thank you, sir.
[6:03:30] And thank you for your leading
[6:03:30] the Budget Committee
[6:03:31] conversations with that clerk.
[6:03:35] Please proceed with public
[6:03:35] comment.
[6:03:35] Thank you.
[6:03:36] Council PRESIDENT.
[6:03:37] We do have several speakers
[6:03:40] here and online.
[6:03:41] We'll be going down to a minute
[6:03:42] and a half.
[6:03:46] Jacob Daughtry, if you can
[6:03:47] please come forward to
[6:03:47] the microphone after that if I
[6:03:48] can have the following
[6:03:52] individuals please come forward
[6:03:53] to the yellow reserved seats.
[6:03:56] Kelly Nephew Stephen Schmoke,
[6:03:57] Katherine Titans Ramsey and
[6:03:57] Liliana Soriano.
[6:04:01] If you can all please come up
[6:04:02] to the front row and you can
[6:04:02] begin when ready.
[6:04:07] Good evening Counsel My name is
[6:04:08] Jacob Forte and I work for
[6:04:08] the San Diego lgbt Community
[6:04:09] Center.
[6:04:13] I need to continue to fund
[6:04:13] the center's prevention work
[6:04:14] through the opioid settlement
[6:04:17] funds or any other funds that
[6:04:18] are available.
[6:04:18] Our community is being
[6:04:19] abandoned at the federal level.
[6:04:23] Lgbtq helpless individuals are
[6:04:24] dying from opioids at higher
[6:04:25] rates not because of who they
[6:04:28] are but because of how
[6:04:29] the world has treated them.
[6:04:30] Trauma, family rejection and
[6:04:30] the stress that comes from
[6:04:33] being part of idealized.
[6:04:34] These aren't just talking
[6:04:34] points.
[6:04:35] These are the reasons why
[6:04:38] people walk through our doors.
[6:04:39] According to the National
[6:04:43] Institute on Drug Abuse, 6.7%
[6:04:43] of lgbtq adults misused
[6:04:44] prescription opioids or heroin
[6:04:48] in the past year compared to
[6:04:49] just 3.6% of the general
[6:04:49] population.
[6:04:49] Nearly double.
[6:04:53] And yet only 28% of treatment
[6:04:54] facilities in this country
[6:04:58] offer any lgbtq plus specific
[6:04:59] services.
[6:04:59] The center provides affirming
[6:05:04] trauma informed care that works
[6:05:05] because it needs people and
[6:05:05] their full identity.
[6:05:06] The federal government has made
[6:05:10] it clear what their position is
[6:05:11] and now this Council must
[6:05:11] continue to step up for our
[6:05:12] community.
[6:05:12] Thank you.
[6:05:13] Yield back.
[6:05:14] Thank you.
[6:05:20] Next is Karina.
[6:05:21] >> Good evening, council
[6:05:21] members.
[6:05:22] My name is Corinne a few and
[6:05:25] their pronouns are she her?
[6:05:26] On behalf of the San Diego lgbt
[6:05:27] Community Center I request
[6:05:31] continued funding through
[6:05:31] the Opioid Settlement Fund or
[6:05:32] other funds available to
[6:05:32] the Center Substance Use
[6:05:36] Disorder Prevention and
[6:05:37] Education Work.
[6:05:37] Research shows that lgbtq plus
[6:05:38] folks particularly our youth
[6:05:42] are at a higher risk of using
[6:05:43] and abusing substances that
[6:05:43] there's this gender
[6:05:48] heterosexual peers.
[6:05:48] The center's work around
[6:05:49] substance use disorder revolves
[6:05:50] around prevention and education
[6:05:52] acknowledging that effective
[6:05:53] intervention begins before
[6:05:54] opioid use even becomes
[6:05:54] problematic.
[6:05:58] The center's strategy directly
[6:05:59] addresses the root causes that
[6:06:00] are significant risk factors
[6:06:00] for substance abuse youth
[6:06:04] disorder including minority
[6:06:04] stress, family rejection and
[6:06:05] trauma all of which
[6:06:10] disproportionately affect lgbtq
[6:06:10] plus individuals especially our
[6:06:11] youth.
[6:06:11] At a time where our federal
[6:06:12] government continues to
[6:06:15] threaten funding to lgbtq
[6:06:16] serving organizations, we call
[6:06:17] upon our city leaders to
[6:06:22] continue to boldly invest in
[6:06:23] the center affirming culturally
[6:06:24] competent services that mirror
[6:06:24] communities where they are at.
[6:06:26] Thank you.
[6:06:32] Thank you, Steve and Jamal.
[6:06:38] I'm Stephen Small While I am
[6:06:38] involved with the friends of
[6:06:39] the San Diego Public Library
[6:06:40] and the Friends of the North
[6:06:44] Park Library, I I'm speaking
[6:06:45] tonight as an individual.
[6:06:45] Thank you by the way for
[6:06:46] the opportunity to present my
[6:06:49] comments.
[6:06:50] San Diego will not be a first
[6:06:50] class city if its libraries and
[6:06:55] rec centers are only open some
[6:06:55] of the time the mayor and his
[6:07:00] staff simply don't get it when
[6:07:01] they use All right words about
[6:07:06] libraries and rec centers their
[6:07:07] actions and that is what counts
[6:07:11] All the sacrifice libraries and
[6:07:12] rec centers for other budget
[6:07:12] priorities.
[6:07:13] But the council has recognized
[6:07:18] the importance of libraries and
[6:07:18] rec centers in the past and it
[6:07:19] can do so again.
[6:07:23] Please consider making small
[6:07:24] cuts in the budget for police
[6:07:29] fire And yes, your staff's so
[6:07:29] that all libraries and rec
[6:07:30] centers regardless of what
[6:07:35] overall cuts they MAY have to
[6:07:35] take can be open for decent
[6:07:36] hours.
[6:07:40] Seven days a week.
[6:07:41] That is a core service.
[6:07:41] Thank you.
[6:07:43] Thank you.
[6:07:49] Next is Catherine.
[6:07:50] Good evening.
[6:07:50] I'm Catherine Terrence and I'm
[6:07:56] a member of the River library
[6:07:56] in the area.
[6:07:57] I believe that libraries are
[6:07:57] the great equalizers in our
[6:08:01] society.
[6:08:02] It is essential that all 37
[6:08:03] branches of our library stay
[6:08:06] open seven days of the week so
[6:08:07] that all can use them to learn
[6:08:08] to study, to find an internet
[6:08:12] connection and to prosper.
[6:08:13] When we fund the libraries we
[6:08:13] are telling young people and
[6:08:17] other students that they matter
[6:08:18] and that we care about their
[6:08:18] future.
[6:08:19] Thank you very much.
[6:08:33] Thank you Ramsey.
[6:08:34] So at the last budget
[6:08:35] discussion I kind of went on a
[6:08:35] little bit of a tangent about
[6:08:39] immigration rights and I didn't
[6:08:39] have any budget solutions to
[6:08:40] add to that.
[6:08:45] But what I really want to see
[6:08:45] this year is what I had
[6:08:46] the idea of doing is instead of
[6:08:52] having a direct way to you
[6:08:52] know, use general fund to pay
[6:08:57] for funding our defense for
[6:08:58] detainees and ice detention or
[6:08:58] legal observers are also being
[6:08:59] harassed by the federal
[6:08:59] administration.
[6:09:04] I have I had an internal
[6:09:05] conflict of if I wanted you
[6:09:05] guys to fund that directly
[6:09:06] the fences or what to do with
[6:09:10] that So what I think the best
[6:09:11] solution in this case is to use
[6:09:11] the existing civilian resources
[6:09:15] like the media pages, like
[6:09:16] the staff resources and
[6:09:16] whatever We have to first of
[6:09:22] all verify groups that have
[6:09:22] links to these are to
[6:09:27] the immigrants and verify that
[6:09:28] they are real Because I did
[6:09:29] have conversations with people
[6:09:29] at meetings that want to make
[6:09:30] donations but they also don't
[6:09:33] know for sure what are valid
[6:09:34] links, what are about
[6:09:35] the people to donate to.
[6:09:35] So if we have some city staff
[6:09:39] working on that I would be
[6:09:40] great.
[6:09:40] Also from the mayor this
[6:09:41] morning he posted a graphic
[6:09:45] saying overall crime dropped by
[6:09:45] 6.3%.
[6:09:46] Voters decreased by 25% and
[6:09:50] crimes against person by 3.2%.
[6:09:50] General trends is the crime
[6:09:56] across all across all levels is
[6:09:56] decreasing.
[6:09:57] I'd be great if we could reduce
[6:09:57] some of that apd budget and
[6:09:58] move it towards immigration
[6:10:03] protection.
[6:10:03] >> Thank you.
[6:10:04] Thank you.
[6:10:08] This is live unit So you know
[6:10:08] after Liliana Blair Beckman
[6:10:16] Andrew Banner Natalia Natalie
[6:10:17] Roski and Edward of all to if
[6:10:18] you can please come up to
[6:10:18] the other resources at
[6:10:21] the front please proceed.
[6:10:21] Thank you.
[6:10:22] Hi Counsel My name is Liam
[6:10:22] Soriano and I serve as
[6:10:23] the director of policy at
[6:10:23] YouthBuild.
[6:10:26] We are a youth advocacy
[6:10:26] organization and today I am
[6:10:27] honored to represent young
[6:10:28] people many from throughout
[6:10:32] your districts.
[6:10:32] Truly young people cannot
[6:10:33] afford for programs to be cut
[6:10:34] That includes libraries, parks
[6:10:38] and rec centers since they're
[6:10:39] the home of many of those
[6:10:39] programs.
[6:10:40] I also specifically want to
[6:10:43] elevate the opportunity to
[6:10:44] support the Office of Child
[6:10:45] Abuse success in your
[6:10:45] individual memos.
[6:10:46] Their existence is critical for
[6:10:50] youth to thrive in this city.
[6:10:51] Lastly, I do acknowledge
[6:10:51] the budget deficit and under
[6:10:55] the same breath we need to
[6:10:56] acknowledge the current
[6:10:56] economic crisis many families
[6:10:57] face or will face with
[6:11:01] the situation that's going on
[6:11:02] in our country And many of
[6:11:03] the constituents are struggling
[6:11:08] economically and so are their
[6:11:08] children.
[6:11:09] Therefore it is imperative to
[6:11:09] support young people.
[6:11:10] Please continue to support
[6:11:14] youth and I look forward to
[6:11:14] meeting with all of your
[6:11:15] officers individually.
[6:11:15] Thank you.
[6:11:16] Thank you.
[6:11:20] Blair Wickman All right.
[6:11:25] Thank you And thank you for
[6:11:26] the beginning words of
[6:11:27] Councilperson pastor and how to
[6:11:27] frame our conversation.
[6:11:32] I think I hope we can be good
[6:11:32] for ourselves in the coming
[6:11:37] year.
[6:11:38] I wanted to work on just some
[6:11:43] overall broad brushstrokes of
[6:11:43] how my idealism what I want to
[6:11:48] be thinking and working towards
[6:11:49] to begin.
[6:11:50] I hope we can continue to have
[6:11:55] I can continue to have open
[6:11:56] conversations with customers in
[6:11:56] the club and the council
[6:12:00] persons themselves about
[6:12:01] revenues and the use of general
[6:12:06] fund issues versus specific
[6:12:07] goals of things like parking
[6:12:07] fees.
[6:12:08] I hope that we can continue an
[6:12:08] open conversation on
[6:12:12] the subject and work together
[6:12:13] towards a good narrative.
[6:12:13] So I think we all can be
[6:12:18] eventually agreeable upon Good
[6:12:19] luck how we can do that It's
[6:12:20] important to figure that out as
[6:12:24] a full community process and I
[6:12:25] wouldn't be trusting and non
[6:12:26] fearful I think of budget
[6:12:30] issues before pre-covid we were
[6:12:31] really working on a future that
[6:12:35] was creating new funding
[6:12:36] program and funding streams
[6:12:37] that were really inventive and
[6:12:37] creative.
[6:12:41] Covid changed that and we're
[6:12:42] back into the regular patterns
[6:12:43] of you know, getting a lot of
[6:12:44] money and then taxing everybody
[6:12:44] for it.
[6:12:48] I hope we really work on
[6:12:49] different ways to be funding
[6:12:50] things in the future.
[6:12:50] >> It takes a lot of creative
[6:12:51] effort.
[6:12:51] Good luck.
[6:12:51] Teamwork.
[6:12:54] Thank you.
[6:12:54] >> Thank you.
[6:12:59] Next we have Andrew Benner this
[6:12:59] .
[6:13:06] >> Good evening Council members
[6:13:06] .
[6:13:06] Thank you.
[6:13:07] COUNCILMAN Henry Foster along
[6:13:08] with council members I support
[6:13:08] a kind of a social equity
[6:13:12] program along with the mayor's
[6:13:12] office.
[6:13:13] My name's Andrew but yes, I'm
[6:13:13] 39 years old, born and raised
[6:13:17] in south San Diego District
[6:13:17] four I'm here to speak in
[6:13:18] strong support of the cannabis
[6:13:19] social equity program.
[6:13:23] For too long the war on drugs
[6:13:23] disproportionately target
[6:13:24] communities of color and caused
[6:13:25] generational harm.
[6:13:29] Now that this industry is legal
[6:13:30] is only just that those same
[6:13:31] communities have a fair shot at
[6:13:32] the economic opportunities they
[6:13:35] create.
[6:13:36] We need more than just a plan
[6:13:36] on paper.
[6:13:37] We need funded technical
[6:13:37] assistance and bid waivers to
[6:13:41] bring down the high barriers to
[6:13:42] entry.
[6:13:42] We need more licenses.
[6:13:43] Please prioritize and fully
[6:13:44] fund these equity measures to
[6:13:47] ensure San Diego's cannabis
[6:13:48] industry is inclusive and just
[6:13:49] And I urge the Council to fully
[6:13:54] fund and prioritize these
[6:13:55] equity measures to ensure
[6:13:55] Santiago's cannabis industry is
[6:13:59] as diverse and resilient as
[6:13:59] the city itself.
[6:13:59] >> Thank you.
[6:14:00] Thank you.
[6:14:05] Next is Natalie Raskin.
[6:14:06] >> Hi Natalie Rafiki Thank you
[6:14:06] for hearing me today.
[6:14:11] So I have a couple ideas or
[6:14:11] after doing research it says
[6:14:12] the city auditor found that 13%
[6:14:13] of the police calls were
[6:14:17] reviewed and could have gone to
[6:14:18] police investigative service
[6:14:23] officers instead of regular
[6:14:23] police officers which would
[6:14:28] have led to 100 shows cost
[6:14:28] about 2.8 million to 10 million
[6:14:33] less per year.
[6:14:39] >> Cutting floc is another idea
[6:14:39] .
[6:14:40] Might be it be cut So
[6:14:41] potentially I'll be homeless
[6:14:44] again and I don't really think
[6:14:45] that this is what they should
[6:14:51] be doing to people.
[6:14:52] This seems like excessive
[6:14:52] excessive time ticketing make a
[6:14:53] some.
[6:14:57] These are just some and with a
[6:14:57] safe parking lot that allows
[6:15:02] our bees that are not overnight
[6:15:03] I'm looking at reliving this so
[6:15:07] instead of police officers
[6:15:08] being able to be somewhere
[6:15:14] besides harassing people that
[6:15:15] MAY be women in their vehicles
[6:15:15] because the bees have gotten
[6:15:19] cut, I think cutting some of
[6:15:20] their overtime and suggesting
[6:15:26] what I researched about that
[6:15:26] police and investigative
[6:15:27] service officers.
[6:15:27] Thank you.
[6:15:31] Thank you.
[6:15:32] If we can please have a word
[6:15:37] about this to.
[6:15:38] >> Good evening Council
[6:15:38] members.
[6:15:42] My name is of automotive staff
[6:15:43] Cannabis Social equity is
[6:15:44] important to the city of San
[6:15:44] Diego because legalization
[6:15:48] should not only create revenue
[6:15:49] for those already positioned to
[6:15:50] benefit, it should also create
[6:15:55] opportunity for the people and
[6:15:56] communities that were most
[6:15:56] harmed by prohibition.
[6:15:57] For years cannabis laws were
[6:16:00] enforced in ways that
[6:16:01] devastated families, limited
[6:16:02] economic mobility and left
[6:16:02] lasting damage in neighborhoods
[6:16:07] that are still trying to
[6:16:08] recover.
[6:16:08] Now the cannabis is a legal and
[6:16:09] profitable industry.
[6:16:12] San Diego has a responsibility
[6:16:13] to make sure equity is not
[6:16:14] treated like an afterthought.
[6:16:19] A real social equity program
[6:16:19] means access to business
[6:16:20] opportunities, job creation and
[6:16:21] pathways to ownership for
[6:16:25] people who were shut out of
[6:16:26] shut out for generations.
[6:16:26] Pardon me.
[6:16:27] It means recognizing that
[6:16:31] justice is not just about
[6:16:31] ending harmful policies but
[6:16:32] also repairing the damage was
[6:16:33] caused.
[6:16:36] San Diego should be leading on
[6:16:37] this issue not falling behind
[6:16:37] If we're serious about
[6:16:38] fairness, inclusion and
[6:16:43] economic opportunity then we
[6:16:44] must create a system that gives
[6:16:44] impacted communities a real
[6:16:45] chance to participate and
[6:16:48] succeed.
[6:16:49] Social equity is not a favor.
[6:16:50] It is a necessary step towards
[6:16:50] justice.
[6:16:54] Thank you.
[6:16:55] Thank you.
[6:16:55] That does conclude public
[6:16:56] comment here in Council
[6:17:01] chambers We are having some
[6:17:01] technical difficulties with
[6:17:02] the chair timer so I am going
[6:17:03] to be sharing the screen myself
[6:17:05] and doing it as a one stop shop
[6:17:06] So please bear with me on
[6:17:17] the shared okay okay Starting
[6:17:23] with we have six people in
[6:17:24] the queue I've started the five
[6:17:25] minute timer starting with
[6:17:25] Katherine Douglas.
[6:17:28] If you can please unmute you'll
[6:17:29] have a minute and a half.
[6:17:29] Thank you.
[6:17:34] It goes without saying that
[6:17:34] public safety is your number
[6:17:35] one responsibility.
[6:17:36] Chief Paul announced amazing
[6:17:40] numbers yesterday at a press
[6:17:40] conference and the only way to
[6:17:41] maintain those and even improve
[6:17:46] on those is to continue to
[6:17:46] fully fund public safety.
[6:17:52] It affects everything all
[6:17:53] persons in all parts of our
[6:17:58] city as we work on the 2027
[6:17:58] budget you must start a fresh
[6:17:59] zero based budget based
[6:18:03] budgeting across the board
[6:18:04] there's a need for more
[6:18:05] frontline workers and less
[6:18:05] middle management.
[6:18:09] Many say they should be
[6:18:10] outsourced to experts who can
[6:18:10] do the job for less.
[6:18:14] San Diego deserve an honest
[6:18:15] assessment of our pension
[6:18:16] liabilities, the structural
[6:18:16] deficit and the real cost of
[6:18:21] deferred infrastructure Not
[6:18:22] assumptions, not optimistic
[6:18:27] projections Real numbers.
[6:18:28] Pension obligations must be
[6:18:28] honored but failing to plan for
[6:18:33] them responsibly defends
[6:18:33] the deficit.
[6:18:34] Delaying infrastructure repairs
[6:18:35] only guarantees higher costs
[6:18:39] later and without a clear
[6:18:40] financial picture, budgeting
[6:18:41] becomes guesswork Instead of
[6:18:44] stewardship.
[6:18:45] This isn't about blame.
[6:18:46] It's about accountability.
[6:18:51] Before raising taxes, cutting
[6:18:52] services or approving new
[6:18:53] programs show the public
[6:18:57] exactly where the city stands.
[6:18:58] This is a minimum standard for
[6:18:58] responsible governments.
[6:19:05] No more guesswork that has seen
[6:19:05] disastrous results such as
[6:19:06] the trash in the Balboa Park.
[6:19:07] Thank you for that.
[6:19:10] Including comment Your time has
[6:19:11] concluded.
[6:19:11] And next is Hector.
[6:19:16] If you can please unmute.
[6:19:16] >> All right.
[6:19:22] Thanks for taking my call.
[6:19:23] It's going to be a tough budget
[6:19:24] cuts and I think all the budget
[6:19:29] cuts anything south of 94
[6:19:29] freeway at one hour there
[6:19:35] anything north of the freeway
[6:19:35] you got to cut three hours or
[6:19:36] three times more.
[6:19:39] One cut down in the south gets
[6:19:40] four cuts or three cuts in
[6:19:46] the north.
[6:19:46] The south has been neglected
[6:19:47] for decades.
[6:19:48] Just passing law anything What
[6:19:51] is libraries Bathroom clean
[6:19:52] Whatever it is sidewalks get
[6:19:57] put in north of 94 you got to
[6:19:58] put three sidewalks in south of
[6:19:58] 94.
[6:20:03] So I kind of do it that way.
[6:20:04] Plus I think we should go a
[6:20:04] different direction.
[6:20:09] You could think Donald Trump
[6:20:10] and ice with the drop in
[6:20:10] the crime rate everyone's
[6:20:15] afraid to get deported so
[6:20:16] they're not doing the legal
[6:20:16] stuff.
[6:20:17] So they came in and then we got
[6:20:21] to have a new committee.
[6:20:21] It's coming When the vice
[6:20:22] PRESIDENT Shows up for that
[6:20:23] broad thing we could have a new
[6:20:26] committees the rapid
[6:20:27] deportation Committee and get
[6:20:30] rid of the 80,000 guys on on
[6:20:31] welfare that are illegal aliens
[6:20:37] and no more money to the law
[6:20:38] firms for illegal aliens $1
[6:20:43] million Let them do it pro bono
[6:20:44] But we should not be giving
[6:20:44] legal fees to illegal aliens.
[6:20:45] They're not they're not
[6:20:49] American citizens.
[6:20:49] That's your number one.
[6:20:50] Thanks.
[6:20:50] Protect the American citizens.
[6:20:55] It's simple as that.
[6:20:55] That's the number one rule.
[6:20:56] Thank you.
[6:20:56] Thank you.
[6:20:58] Next is the original If you can
[6:21:05] please unmute.
[6:21:06] >> Wow what a perfect time to
[6:21:06] say.
[6:21:07] That's pretty interesting
[6:21:11] because you guys want to know
[6:21:12] what you think You should cut
[6:21:13] your salaries, you should cut
[6:21:13] the mayor salary.
[6:21:14] You should cut all the people
[6:21:16] who work ensuring that nothing
[6:21:17] gets done around us, their
[6:21:18] salaries get cut but then you
[6:21:22] can go into your private action
[6:21:23] plan where you guys are
[6:21:24] implementing things that have
[6:21:24] nothing to do with saving
[6:21:25] the planet Even though that you
[6:21:28] were perpetrating.
[6:21:29] And so that's the case And go
[6:21:30] ahead and cut all of those
[6:21:35] things because it is impeding
[6:21:36] your ability to provide housing
[6:21:36] to get people off the streets.
[6:21:40] It is impeding our ability to
[6:21:41] travel all under the guise of
[6:21:42] saving the planet while you
[6:21:46] guys refuse to acknowledge all
[6:21:46] of the things that are
[6:21:47] happening in
[6:21:47] the geoengineering, the cloud
[6:21:52] seeding and things that took
[6:21:52] place in JANUARY 2021.
[6:21:53] So you guys sit here and you
[6:21:57] want to act like you know
[6:21:58] you're doing things that are
[6:21:59] bettering our community when in
[6:21:59] fact you're not you're spending
[6:22:03] money that isn't going towards
[6:22:04] what it should.
[6:22:04] We already saw that you guys
[6:22:05] need like $5 billion just to
[6:22:06] make up for the storm
[6:22:10] infrastructure because it's
[6:22:10] like 150 year old problem.
[6:22:11] I mean when are you guys
[6:22:12] actually going to use our money
[6:22:16] wisely and not take the money
[6:22:17] that people worked very hard
[6:22:18] for and throw it away?
[6:22:19] I mean you throw it into your
[6:22:23] pockets in your friend's
[6:22:23] pockets but it's like I mean
[6:22:24] and then you come out to
[6:22:25] the people for more money.
[6:22:25] When is that going to stop When
[6:22:28] you actually going to do your
[6:22:29] job and not make people like
[6:22:34] cry like that Because they're
[6:22:35] just wanting to survive in
[6:22:36] the community that you are
[6:22:36] pretending to protect.
[6:22:41] You're time has concluded and
[6:22:41] has a five minute timer.
[6:22:42] There are six speakers in
[6:22:43] the queue and no additional
[6:22:46] speakers will be taken after
[6:22:47] the Gambler If you can please
[6:22:52] unmute.
[6:22:59] Gambari can I go and gamble
[6:22:59] here?
[6:23:03] Well I understand that you guys
[6:23:04] got the money cut to go ahead
[6:23:05] and do the infrastructure and
[6:23:10] all that stuff and so you had
[6:23:10] to go to different programs in
[6:23:15] that.
[6:23:16] I don't understand why you keep
[6:23:17] on trying to tax That's why you
[6:23:22] don't investigate the programs
[6:23:22] that you have, why you don't
[6:23:23] even look back at the rules
[6:23:24] that we put in and see whether
[6:23:29] or not that they work.
[6:23:30] All we're trying to do is
[6:23:30] continuously put Band-Aids on
[6:23:31] and I can go on and tell you
[6:23:34] how you can make money right
[6:23:34] now for the county but you
[6:23:35] don't have to.
[6:23:40] Texas adopt technology and
[6:23:41] landfills and we could start
[6:23:45] making like $150 million a year
[6:23:45] for the county of San Diego.
[6:23:46] We can go ahead and fix our
[6:23:51] infrastructure.
[6:23:51] We don't have to rely on taxing
[6:23:52] people when we could just
[6:23:57] recycle our plastic and turn it
[6:23:58] into basically money fuel
[6:24:02] graphene and we could in our
[6:24:03] infrastructure it's not that
[6:24:03] difficult.
[6:24:04] But instead do you want to go
[6:24:09] ahead and find a way to cut
[6:24:10] money from the people that are
[6:24:10] struggling the most which is
[6:24:13] only going to cost one thing
[6:24:14] and one thing only?
[6:24:15] You needed to put more money to
[6:24:15] help more people out.
[6:24:19] There are organizations that
[6:24:20] you have focus on illegal
[6:24:20] immigrants.
[6:24:21] You send so much money of our
[6:24:24] money to illegal immigrants You
[6:24:30] want to go out and clean this
[6:24:31] dirt on how much we lose from
[6:24:31] all this.
[6:24:35] >> Your time has concluded.
[6:24:36] Next speaker is Becky Rapp.
[6:24:42] If you can please unmute.
[6:24:42] Good evening.
[6:24:43] My name is Becky.
[6:24:48] And tonight I would like to
[6:24:48] speak to the proposed expansion
[6:24:49] of the feed program and
[6:24:50] the serious financial concerns
[6:24:55] it raises for the city of San
[6:24:55] Diego.
[6:24:56] City was already facing a
[6:24:59] significant budget deficit at a
[6:25:00] time when our city's finances
[6:25:00] are fragile.
[6:25:01] Every decision involving public
[6:25:06] resources should be scrutinized
[6:25:06] to the highest level.
[6:25:07] Programs like Feed require
[6:25:07] staff oversight, permitting
[6:25:12] compliance monitoring and
[6:25:12] enforcement.
[6:25:13] All of that comes with real
[6:25:14] cost to the city and the public
[6:25:18] has not seen a clear breakdown
[6:25:18] of what expanding this program
[6:25:19] will actually cost taxpayers.
[6:25:24] Without that transparency
[6:25:25] moving forward would be
[6:25:25] irresponsible.
[6:25:29] If the city adds 36 additional
[6:25:29] permits essentially doubling
[6:25:30] the number of pot shops in San
[6:25:35] Diego, that would be a major
[6:25:36] policy shift with long term
[6:25:36] regulatory and financial
[6:25:41] impacts.
[6:25:41] Across California many social
[6:25:42] equity cannabis programs have
[6:25:47] struggled and only a small
[6:25:47] number of businesses
[6:25:48] successfully open while cities
[6:25:53] continue to absorb
[6:25:53] administrative burden.
[6:25:54] In many cases these programs
[6:25:54] have failed to generate
[6:25:55] meaningful tax revenue or
[6:25:59] reduce the illicit market.
[6:26:00] At a time when San Diego must
[6:26:05] focus on essential priorities
[6:26:05] like public safety
[6:26:06] infrastructure and core city
[6:26:07] services expanding a program
[6:26:11] with uncertain outcomes could
[6:26:11] an already fragile budget.
[6:26:12] I urge the Council to
[6:26:17] prioritize fiscally responsible
[6:26:17] responsibly and do not and do
[6:26:22] not bring the c program
[6:26:23] forward.
[6:26:23] Thank you.
[6:26:24] Thank you.
[6:26:24] The next speaker is Christine
[6:26:28] Wellborn.
[6:26:29] >> If you can please unmute.
[6:26:35] Hi, I, I don't think you should
[6:26:35] ask for another dime from
[6:26:36] taxpayers until you either
[6:26:40] repeal or amend measure l so
[6:26:41] that your pay raises are not
[6:26:42] linked to those of the superior
[6:26:46] court judges.
[6:26:47] It's simply not fair.
[6:26:48] Nobody in the private sector
[6:26:48] gets raises as frequently as
[6:26:53] you all do Plus you're going to
[6:26:53] get pensions and every.
[6:26:54] It's just not right.
[6:26:58] So please don't ask taxpayers
[6:26:59] to take on this burden without
[6:27:00] you doing something as well.
[6:27:05] Also, Gloria, salary is higher
[6:27:05] than that of Newsom's.
[6:27:06] We need to get rid of
[6:27:10] the strong mayor system that
[6:27:11] has not worked out so well.
[6:27:12] It doesn't matter what party
[6:27:17] our mayor is.
[6:27:17] It's just not working.
[6:27:18] Eliminate middle management
[6:27:18] roles.
[6:27:23] MR. McCarver, you said you
[6:27:24] wanted specifics.
[6:27:24] Okay, Let's get rid of
[6:27:25] the middle management roles
[6:27:29] that are unclassified meaning
[6:27:30] they aren't part of the civil
[6:27:30] service system.
[6:27:35] Do away with those first and
[6:27:35] then deal with the rest one by
[6:27:36] one.
[6:27:36] Go through it by line item.
[6:27:40] Thank you.
[6:27:41] Have a nice night.
[6:27:42] Next is 8700 If you can please
[6:27:48] unmute.
[6:27:48] Thank you.
[6:27:55] Joining me out of district
[6:27:56] three first of all council
[6:27:56] member Foster the third.
[6:27:59] You said something today about
[6:28:00] mandated core services and I
[6:28:06] don't get that but I think it's
[6:28:07] key for us public to know that
[6:28:08] and can see that list from
[6:28:12] the attorney.
[6:28:13] I don't know why we need it.
[6:28:14] We ought to know right away
[6:28:17] what our mandated core services
[6:28:18] .
[6:28:18] That would help me certainly
[6:28:19] make my decisions.
[6:28:19] So please, please, please tell
[6:28:24] us what that's about.
[6:28:25] Well, I've said this before and
[6:28:28] I'll say it again We are one
[6:28:29] people which make us one
[6:28:29] family.
[6:28:30] That includes everybody.
[6:28:36] The homeowners, the tourist,
[6:28:36] us, rich people.
[6:28:37] The poor people.
[6:28:40] The underserved people.
[6:28:41] Our employees.
[6:28:41] Everybody.
[6:28:42] We're all sitting around this
[6:28:49] table at the kitchen table.
[6:28:50] Make it come you know, just to
[6:28:53] vote And we have to cut the pie
[6:28:53] .
[6:28:54] How do we do it?
[6:28:54] I don't know.
[6:28:59] The big picture is it's person
[6:29:00] .
[6:29:00] I'm a public.
[6:29:01] I don't sit at the seats that
[6:29:01] you do.
[6:29:05] I can't see all these huge
[6:29:06] realm of uses and purchases and
[6:29:12] assets and liabilities.
[6:29:13] From my perspective you it's
[6:29:13] like for libraries and parks
[6:29:19] and police and public health
[6:29:19] and use.
[6:29:20] i don't know what to say but I
[6:29:20] will say this.
[6:29:23] Parks can be close to one per
[6:29:24] district.
[6:29:24] I'm sorry I concluded I'm sorry
[6:29:29] your time has concluded 2036 If
[6:29:30] you can please unmute by
[6:29:38] pressing star six 2036.
[6:29:38] Hello.
[6:29:44] Yes please proceed with your
[6:29:45] comments.
[6:29:45] >> So yes thank you council
[6:29:46] members for allowing us to
[6:29:51] participate in the balancing of
[6:29:52] the 2027 budget.
[6:29:57] I would like to emphasize six
[6:29:57] controls that I think you
[6:29:58] should follow.
[6:29:59] One is that the City of San
[6:30:03] Diego tax based is a high cost
[6:30:04] of living population due to
[6:30:09] lower cost states.
[6:30:10] Certainly there are some We're
[6:30:10] looking to implement a voting
[6:30:14] type function in San Diego
[6:30:14] which would be similar to
[6:30:15] the federal budget which is
[6:30:19] probably about 22,000 staff
[6:30:19] cuts at the federal level.
[6:30:24] So third in particular
[6:30:25] implementation of pension
[6:30:29] reform by implementing a
[6:30:30] defined contribution pension by
[6:30:36] the defined benefit pension.
[6:30:37] Fourth, I think that you should
[6:30:37] put up a good reason for this.
[6:30:40] Of course as you know is
[6:30:41] the council has voted to
[6:30:41] unsustainable cost of living
[6:30:47] increases for city staff.
[6:30:48] I would often also cut up I
[6:30:48] would be across the board stuff
[6:30:54] because in all departments that
[6:30:54] could be done through
[6:30:55] the donation function.
[6:31:00] But what I do recommend that
[6:31:00] you do not do you do not
[6:31:01] consider local income tax.
[6:31:04] Do not meet the water and sewer
[6:31:05] fund to supplement the general
[6:31:10] fund that has occurred in
[6:31:11] the past.
[6:31:11] >> Thank you for considering my
[6:31:12] comments, sir.
[6:31:12] Thank you.
[6:31:17] Our final speaker is Francine
[6:31:18] Maxwell, if you can please on
[6:31:18] me.
[6:31:18] Okay.
[6:31:19] Good evening.
[6:31:20] Francine Maxwell Southeastern
[6:31:23] San Diego resident.
[6:31:24] I'm looking for bold leadership
[6:31:24] during this time.
[6:31:25] Let's do something that you've
[6:31:25] never done before.
[6:31:28] Respect council policies.
[6:31:32] I think it's 700 dash ten 700
[6:31:33] dash 14 But the interpretation
[6:31:34] is that nobody is bold enough
[6:31:39] to raise the leases for these
[6:31:40] nonprofits that are doing
[6:31:40] things that the city isn't
[6:31:41] doing.
[6:31:41] That's interpretation.
[6:31:45] So again, let's look at
[6:31:46] the leases and let's increase
[6:31:47] their leases especially in
[6:31:47] Balboa Park.
[6:31:52] Before you add another tax to
[6:31:53] us taxpayers you have options.
[6:31:58] You can look at Ace parking and
[6:31:59] look at the leases that you
[6:31:59] give them.
[6:32:00] You get they give us no breaks
[6:32:00] in the city.
[6:32:04] So why is the city giving them
[6:32:04] so many breaks?
[6:32:05] There are so many other options
[6:32:10] before you doing the easy road
[6:32:10] .
[6:32:11] You did You did something that
[6:32:12] nobody has ever done before
[6:32:17] which is increase our trash
[6:32:17] fee.
[6:32:18] That used to be political
[6:32:18] suicide but it wasn't Joe
[6:32:19] The public good at the planning
[6:32:20] group hit us in the gut.
[6:32:23] So the planning group Power has
[6:32:23] gone from the community
[6:32:24] constituents for their voices.
[6:32:27] So hit somebody else in the gut
[6:32:28] .
[6:32:28] As we prepare for this.
[6:32:29] Appreciative of the extra night
[6:32:30] meeting that you gave
[6:32:34] the taxpayers.
[6:32:35] I really appreciate you having
[6:32:36] such a long day to day.
[6:32:37] And I'm sure you guys are what
[6:32:40] most people take off on Friday.
[6:32:41] But I know the council
[6:32:41] PRESIDENT MAY not work.
[6:32:46] But again, you have options
[6:32:47] that you can hit other people
[6:32:47] first before you hit our parks
[6:32:48] and libraries.
[6:32:49] Thank you for allowing me to
[6:32:53] speak.
[6:32:53] Thank you.
[6:32:54] If you raise your hand if
[6:32:55] matter has already concluded.
[6:32:55] There are no additional
[6:33:00] speakers will be taken today
[6:33:01] But if you have comments please
[6:33:01] feel free to email them to city
[6:33:02] at San diego.Gov and those will
[6:33:03] be distributed.
[6:33:06] I would like to note these that
[6:33:07] I did receive 19 comments in
[6:33:07] favor two comments in
[6:33:08] opposition to your comment form
[6:33:11] which had been distributed to
[6:33:11] the council.
[6:33:12] Thank you Council PRESIDENT.
[6:33:12] All right.
[6:33:13] Thank you City Clerk for
[6:33:13] managing that.
[6:33:17] Thank you to everybody that
[6:33:18] showed up in person those who
[6:33:18] participated virtually to that
[6:33:22] we really appreciate their
[6:33:23] input.
[6:33:23] I'm going to turn it over to my
[6:33:28] colleagues for their comments.
[6:33:29] Councilmember Elevado Thank you
[6:33:29] Council PRESIDENT.
[6:33:34] Appreciate the opportunity to
[6:33:34] have another evening session.
[6:33:35] Thanks for everyone who came
[6:33:40] down here and who called in
[6:33:40] Appreciate the priorities that
[6:33:41] you all shared.
[6:33:46] I agree with everyone who said
[6:33:46] that our libraries, our parks
[6:33:47] rec centers are core city
[6:33:52] services that there are folks
[6:33:52] who depend on those services
[6:33:57] and those programs.
[6:33:59] And I heard a mix of of just to
[6:34:04] be frank you know, reality
[6:34:05] about how difficult of a budget
[6:34:06] situation that we're in and you
[6:34:14] know, I think I said it earlier
[6:34:15] today a couple weeks ago if
[6:34:19] what we want as a city is a
[6:34:19] city where every library in
[6:34:23] the city is open seven days a
[6:34:24] week, every every hour that
[6:34:29] folks would want it open
[6:34:30] The same for our rec centers
[6:34:30] and parks that are clean and
[6:34:35] safe and roads that are
[6:34:36] well-paved and sidewalks that
[6:34:36] don't have cracks in them and
[6:34:41] responsive public safety you
[6:34:41] name it.
[6:34:42] This has to be a better
[6:34:42] resource city and I think
[6:34:46] that's where the tension lies
[6:34:47] Oftentimes in this conversation
[6:34:53] this council took extraordinary
[6:34:53] steps at the council PRESIDENT
[6:34:59] Reference to avoid devastating
[6:35:00] cuts last year And I understand
[6:35:04] the frustration with some of
[6:35:05] those steps And but for those
[6:35:11] steps the cuts have happened
[6:35:12] and and the fears that you have
[6:35:13] today would have been
[6:35:16] the realities that people would
[6:35:17] be facing today.
[6:35:23] And I, I say that because not
[6:35:24] to let us off the hook for
[6:35:24] those decisions was
[6:35:25] the decision that we made.
[6:35:29] We do stand by them or change
[6:35:30] them but we're going to need to
[6:35:30] hear from more people who want
[6:35:34] the city to be well resourced
[6:35:35] And we're going to have to have
[6:35:36] a real conversation about who
[6:35:41] we ask to provide those
[6:35:42] resources who we aren't willing
[6:35:43] to ask more from and who are
[6:35:47] willing to ask more from.
[6:35:48] But it all starts again
[6:35:48] determining as a city who we
[6:35:49] want to be, what we want to be,
[6:35:53] what we want to provide.
[6:35:53] I think we can do more.
[6:35:54] I know that the resources exist
[6:35:59] within the city to to meet
[6:36:00] hopes and aspirations of
[6:36:01] the people in this room.
[6:36:04] But the people that the people
[6:36:05] in this room work for and work
[6:36:09] with.
[6:36:10] So I just I'm going to keep
[6:36:11] hammering that home because
[6:36:15] that's the situation that we're
[6:36:15] in.
[6:36:21] And the other thing that I
[6:36:22] mentioned earlier but I'm going
[6:36:23] to mention again if libraries
[6:36:27] matter to you, if parks matter
[6:36:28] to you, if supporting people
[6:36:33] who are struggling with
[6:36:34] substance addiction matters to
[6:36:34] you.
[6:36:39] If any city service matters to
[6:36:40] you, you should know that
[6:36:41] the former mayor of the city
[6:36:45] and a group of big business
[6:36:45] radicals are attempting to
[6:36:50] defund a core city service at
[6:36:51] the tune of $100 million plus
[6:36:51] that would devastate
[6:36:52] the services that the city is
[6:36:56] able to provide And they're
[6:36:57] doing it in the guise of
[6:37:02] punishing us.
[6:37:03] It will not punish us.
[6:37:04] It punishes the people of this
[6:37:04] city.
[6:37:08] It makes our job more difficult
[6:37:08] for sure.
[6:37:09] But ultimately who will suffer?
[6:37:10] It's everyone who wants to see
[6:37:14] libraries open rec centers,
[6:37:15] open parks, clean public safety
[6:37:15] that's responsive.
[6:37:20] And so I cannot emphasize this
[6:37:21] enough because the person who
[6:37:26] used to be the mayor of this
[6:37:26] city who knows full well what
[6:37:31] the impacts will be, who left
[6:37:31] this place a disaster with
[6:37:37] rotting infrastructure and a
[6:37:37] employee a workforce that had
[6:37:42] no morale that had 30 to 40%
[6:37:43] vacancies in core departments
[6:37:48] is now attempting to light
[6:37:49] the city on fire so they can
[6:37:50] try a political maneuver in
[6:37:53] the years to come.
[6:37:54] And everyone who cares about
[6:37:55] these services needs to speak
[6:38:00] up and stand up against that.
[6:38:01] So I know that probably my
[6:38:01] colleagues who heard a bit of
[6:38:02] this tirade earlier but I just
[6:38:05] think it's super important that
[6:38:06] folks know what's going on
[6:38:06] here.
[6:38:07] They're going to say they're
[6:38:11] punishing politicians because
[6:38:12] that's popular.
[6:38:12] That's easy thing to say.
[6:38:13] We're that that's fine.
[6:38:17] That's the job we signed up
[6:38:17] for.
[6:38:18] People are going to come at us
[6:38:21] But who will actually suffer if
[6:38:22] they are successful Because
[6:38:23] everyone who I named earlier
[6:38:23] and the folks who showed up who
[6:38:28] took the time to show up here
[6:38:29] on the evening to talk about
[6:38:29] things you care about, you
[6:38:30] should know that that's
[6:38:33] happening And I really do hope
[6:38:33] that you all will push back
[6:38:34] against that.
[6:38:34] >> Thank you, Council
[6:38:35] PRESIDENT.
[6:38:35] All right.
[6:38:39] Thank you, gentlemen.
[6:38:40] >> I will go next to
[6:38:41] Councilmember Mumford and thank
[6:38:45] you very much to everybody who
[6:38:45] came out tonight to voice their
[6:38:46] concerns, opinion, thoughts on
[6:38:47] our city budget.
[6:38:49] You know, big cities around
[6:38:50] the nation are going through
[6:38:51] what we are going through here
[6:38:51] in San Diego which is
[6:38:55] significant cost increases and
[6:38:56] significant budget deficits.
[6:38:56] We are not the only ones.
[6:39:01] There are forces beyond our
[6:39:02] control terrorists and
[6:39:03] international war is being
[6:39:03] declared that a rise in
[6:39:06] the cost of everything And we
[6:39:07] are struggling here in
[6:39:07] the local government to provide
[6:39:08] the best service we can And it
[6:39:12] is my top priority to make sure
[6:39:13] that goodness forbid somebody
[6:39:14] calls 911 in our city that are
[6:39:18] responsible professional
[6:39:18] responders shows up on time
[6:39:19] every time whether that's an
[6:39:22] ambulance, a firefighter, a
[6:39:23] lifeguard, a police officer.
[6:39:24] It is critical that if you call
[6:39:27] 911 you get the help you need.
[6:39:28] We also need to make sure we
[6:39:29] take care of our crumbling
[6:39:29] infrastructure.
[6:39:30] The longer we let it go,
[6:39:33] the more expensive it becomes
[6:39:33] to fix.
[6:39:34] And we've seen it everywhere
[6:39:35] from the heart of Balboa Park
[6:39:38] to our library to our parks,
[6:39:39] our roads every day And it's
[6:39:40] going to be harder with our
[6:39:44] cost increases going up.
[6:39:44] I also want to thank the folks
[6:39:45] who came in from our lgbt
[6:39:49] center who talk about
[6:39:50] the ongoing need to do
[6:39:50] something for mental health
[6:39:51] treatment in our city and our
[6:39:54] region.
[6:39:55] There's a reason that the city
[6:39:56] of San Diego sued the major
[6:39:56] opioid providers years ago and
[6:40:00] we're still grappling with
[6:40:00] the effects of the addiction
[6:40:01] crisis they caused.
[6:40:05] So I will continue to be a
[6:40:06] champion to make sure that we
[6:40:06] do fund or subsidize treatment.
[6:40:10] And I have seen the federal
[6:40:10] government retreating from its
[6:40:11] basic responsibilities into
[6:40:12] mental health substance abuse,
[6:40:16] hiv aids treatment.
[6:40:16] And so we here in the city of
[6:40:17] San Diego need to take
[6:40:18] the reins and make sure our
[6:40:21] lgbtq community among others is
[6:40:21] is protected.
[6:40:22] So happy to keep fighting for
[6:40:22] that to make sure that we do
[6:40:27] get people off of our streets
[6:40:27] and off of drug use get it's
[6:40:28] been awful to see what
[6:40:31] the major companies have done
[6:40:32] to our American society.
[6:40:33] So just thank you everyone for
[6:40:33] being here.
[6:40:36] It's going to be a very, very
[6:40:37] tough budget cycle But I do
[6:40:38] have faith that our colleagues
[6:40:41] all want to work together on
[6:40:42] this and make sure that we make
[6:40:42] cuts that are smart if we have
[6:40:43] to.
[6:40:43] Hopefully we won't but we
[6:40:46] likely will.
[6:40:47] And I agree with my colleagues.
[6:40:47] I know across the board cuts we
[6:40:51] have communities that are
[6:40:52] vastly different and have
[6:40:53] different needs and we can be
[6:40:56] more precise and make sure that
[6:40:57] we take care of everyone from
[6:40:58] the seniors, you know, in
[6:40:58] Rancho Bernardo who need
[6:41:01] cooling centers in my district
[6:41:02] to students all over the city
[6:41:03] who have different
[6:41:03] opportunities to have library
[6:41:06] hours when they need them on
[6:41:07] Monday nights for example.
[6:41:08] We can do this in a way that
[6:41:08] makes sure that everybody is
[6:41:12] taken care of rather than
[6:41:13] across the board straight cuts
[6:41:13] that would hurt everyone
[6:41:14] equally to be honest.
[6:41:18] So I know everyone up here is
[6:41:18] working very hard on that and
[6:41:19] continue to let us know what
[6:41:23] your priorities are, what you
[6:41:24] want to what you want to see
[6:41:25] and your government because
[6:41:25] we're here to to listen.
[6:41:26] So thank you.
[6:41:28] Council PRESIDENT All right.
[6:41:28] Thank you Council member Von
[6:41:31] Wolpert All out If you thought
[6:41:37] things go one of the things I
[6:41:38] should have said at
[6:41:41] the beginning that I was remiss
[6:41:42] .
[6:41:42] You know, we wanted to give
[6:41:43] the public a direct opportunity
[6:41:47] to participate in the budget
[6:41:47] conversations.
[6:41:48] You should know that there are
[6:41:48] a lot of people right now hard
[6:41:52] at work diving into the budget,
[6:41:52] actually looking into the kinds
[6:41:56] of things that you brought up
[6:41:57] the so-called middle managers
[6:42:01] conversation not looking at new
[6:42:02] revenue ideas given how
[6:42:07] aggressive we were last year.
[6:42:08] And so we're taking very
[6:42:09] serious But a lot of people are
[6:42:12] working right now.
[6:42:12] We just wanted to see what
[6:42:13] the public's priorities might
[6:42:17] be and we got a lot of good
[6:42:17] conversation.
[6:42:18] So I'm very appreciative of
[6:42:21] your willingness to be candid
[6:42:22] in sharing those thoughts with
[6:42:26] I actually transcribed all that
[6:42:27] so I can make sure that I
[6:42:32] remember going forward and if
[6:42:33] that individual that has ideas
[6:42:33] about how to make money can
[6:42:37] actually send us some specifics
[6:42:37] on that I'd love I'd love to
[6:42:38] hear it.
[6:42:41] That sounded like an
[6:42:41] interesting business priority
[6:42:46] but I'll leave it there And
[6:42:47] unless I have any other
[6:42:51] comments we'll give it to MR.
[6:42:52] Monica for a closing
[6:42:52] announcement.
[6:42:53] >> Thank you council members
[6:42:56] and thank you to everyone who
[6:42:57] came out to give testimony.
[6:42:58] I just wanted to note that as
[6:42:59] we move through the next couple
[6:43:02] of months, public participation
[6:43:02] is absolutely critical in
[6:43:03] ensuring that the city is
[6:43:07] making the best decisions for
[6:43:08] the public and on the public's
[6:43:08] behalf.
[6:43:09] To that end, each year my
[6:43:12] office does put together a
[6:43:13] public budget crash course
[6:43:17] where we talk about the city's
[6:43:18] budget process, how equity can
[6:43:18] be incorporated into the city's
[6:43:22] budget and then dollars that
[6:43:23] are in the budget where they
[6:43:24] are and more frankly where they
[6:43:24] are not.
[6:43:27] Sometimes our course this year
[6:43:28] will be on MARCH 24th at 5
[6:43:28] P.M..
[6:43:29] It is open to the public.
[6:43:32] It is interactive.
[6:43:32] We will give a presentation but
[6:43:33] we also take questions as they
[6:43:33] come in.
[6:43:37] So I encourage folks to
[6:43:37] participate.
[6:43:38] You can find additional
[6:43:38] information on that course at
[6:43:42] our website which is San
[6:43:42] diego.Gov/ipa and look forward
[6:43:46] to any participation.
[6:43:47] >> Thank you PRESIDENT All
[6:43:47] right.
[6:43:51] Thank you for that Charles on
[6:43:51] protocol let me remind folks
[6:43:52] this was an information item in
[6:43:56] no motion was required and
[6:43:56] without any further comment we
[6:44:01] will now adjourn Counsel to
[6:44:02] the next regularly scheduled
[6:44:02] council meeting on Monday MARCH
[6:44:05] 16th, 2026 at 10 A.M..
[6:44:06] And again thank you to all of
[6:44:10] you that came out this evening
[6:44:10] and sharing your thoughts as
[6:44:11] well as those who participated
[6:44:14] virtually And thank you to city
[6:44:14] 24 for the coverage.
[6:44:15] >> Thank you The city clerk and