San Diego, CA
Morning Report: Council Narrowly Overrides Some – Not All – Mayoral Vetoes
The San Diego City Council narrowly voted Monday to override some but not all of Mayor Todd Gloria’s moves to reverse changes to the city’s budget that the Council approved earlier this month.
After an initial failed attempt to bat back all of the mayor’s proposed line-item vetoes, a six-member majority voted to accept Gloria’s push not to count on $3 million in projected revenue from digital billboards the city doesn’t now have to balance the budget.
They also nixed a plan to hire a new chief operating officer who would take back duties that the mayor has taken on since he fired ex-top city bureaucrat Eric Dargan.
Other Council concessions: The 6-3 majority also voted not to restore Arts, Culture and Community Festivals grant funding that community leaders rallied to bring back and to partially reduce funding for stormwater projects and new Fire-Rescue positions meant to increase the city’s brush fire prevention efforts.
What a Council majority wouldn’t change: The City Council is sticking by revenue assumptions for paid parking at Balboa Park and at the San Diego Zoo, and for credit card transaction fees on parking meters. It’s also sticking with its plan to move staffers now in the Office of Race and Equity into the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst and to hire a new director. The budget the City Council approved also called for the elimination of two high-level city bureaucrats known as deputy chief operating officers who typically oversee multiple city departments and functions, two city communications positions and two management positions in the police and compliance departments.
Councilmembers Jennifer Campbell and Stephen Whitburn rejected these proposed changes while Vivian Moreno, who also rejected the budget the City Council approved on June 10, said she couldn’t support either proposal unless the city dramatically increased funding for stormwater projects.
What the mayor is saying: Gloria wants you to know that if things don’t pan out with budget projections, it’s the City Council’s fault.
“While the Council has now chosen to partially override certain vetoes, I remain concerned that these actions could still weaken our ability to stay on stable financial footing,” Gloria wrote in a statement shortly after the City Council vote. “If their assumptions don’t hold, they’ll be responsible for the fallout: midyear cuts, layoffs, facility closures, brownouts, and broken promises to the communities we all serve.”
What the Council’s saying: Council President Joe LaCava said immediately after the budget vote that he stands ready to schedule votes on budget changes as needed – and ahead of quarterly budget updates if necessary.
Before and during Monday’s vote, some councilmembers criticized the mayor’s line-item vetoes and argued Gloria was failing to respond to the demands of both the City Council and community members who spoke up at budget hearings.
Another Big COO Vote Coming Today
Last month, our Lisa Halverstadt broke the news that the city’s former top bureaucrat, who Mayor Todd Gloria belatedly said he fired for cause, had reached a tentative $146,000 settlement with the city.
Today the City Council is set to vote on that proposed settlement, which is larger than the three months of severance that ex-COO Eric Dargan sought when he was abruptly dismissed in February.
The proposed settlement follows Dargan’s March discrimination lawsuit against the city alleging that Gloria reneged on a pledge to pay him three months’ severance after a dismissal – and an admission by Gloria’s office that he was fired rather than laid off.
In a report to the City Council about the proposed settlement, Assistant City Attorney Travis Phelps rejected the notion that the city was admitting it had mishandled the situation.
“The settlement is a business decision and the result of a compromise and dismissal of the litigation proceedings and is not an admission of liability by any party,” Phelps wrote. “(The) city and its representatives specifically disclaim any liability or responsibility to (the) plaintiff.”
Reminder: Under the city’s strong mayor form of government, a chief operating officer reporting to the mayor has typically overseen day-to-day city operations. After Dargan’s firing, Gloria took on that role in addition to his mayoral duties. The City Council has been skeptical of how this is working, hence an initial budget move to try to force Gloria to hire a replacement for Dargan. Gloria successfully batted back that change during Monday’s second City Council budget vote.
County Supe Votes to Watch Today
County supervisors are set to vote today on a proposed $8.6 billion budget.
The Union-Tribune noted that county officials pitched closing a projected $139 million shortfall by reducing capital spending and eliminating 190 positions, most of which are in the county’s Health and Human Services Agency.
The county board’s two Democrats last week highlighted county staff projections that the Trump administration-backed “Big Beautiful Bill” could cost the county $286 million annually.
On that note: Today, Democratic Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe will propose a plan to have county staff do a deeper dive on potential impacts and propose strategies to address those new costs, including potentially dipping into county reserves or seeking grants.
Refresher: The two Democrats’ proposal to make it easier to dip into the county’s large reserve fund failed earlier this year. The District 1 supervisors’ race will tip the political leanings of the county board, meaning the county is more likely to tap into its reserves if Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre is elected and likely kill it if Chula Vista Mayor John McCann wins the seat.
One more county vote: Supervisors Montgomery Steppe and Republican Joel Anderson are each more quietly proposing to spend up to $20,000 each from their office budgets to attend a six-day September Global Policy Leadership Academy field study on mixed-income housing in Vienna, Austria.
In a joint board letter, the two supervisors write that their participation in the LeSar Development Consultants trip will support county efforts to “increase affordable housing supply, reduce homelessness, and pursue sustainable development.”
“By authorizing this travel, the board will support Supervisor Anderson and Supervisor Montgomery Steppe in gaining valuable insights and learning best practices that can inform San Diego County’s efforts to increase affordable housing supply, reduce homelessness, and pursue sustainable development,” the letter reads.
What the supes are saying: Anderson declined to comment on the item, which will for now appear on the county’s consent agenda which is generally approved with little discussion. A spokesperson for Montgomery Steppe shared a statement that reiterated points in the board letter.
“Supervisor Anderson and Supervisor Montgomery Steppe were both invited to participate in this field study as panelists, sharing insights from San Diego’s housing efforts while learning from Vienna’s internationally recognized housing model,” spokesperson Ariel Gibbs wrote.
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In Other News
The Morning Report was written by Lisa Halverstadt and Andrea Sanchez-Villafaña. It was edited by Andrea Sanchez-Villafaña.
San Diego County will be the center of NASCAR nation this weekend, with fans flocking to Naval Base Coronado for three days of events.
This is the first-ever Cup race held in San Diego County and the NASCAR community is also presenting it as its way of celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy.
Tickets are completely sold out, but locals can still get in on the fun at various event and activities taking place across the region.
Here’s what to know about this one-of-a-kind weekend in San Diego. Full coverage of NASCAR San Diego Weekend can be found at sandiegouniontribune.com/tag/nascar.
What is NASCAR San Diego Weekend?
The three-day event begins with Friday’s Craftsman Truck Series race, continues with an O’Reilly Auto Parts series race on Saturday and wraps Sunday with the Anduril 250.
Grandstands with a capacity for 40,000 fans have been erected, with another 10,000 spectators expected to occupy standing areas around the grounds.
Here’s a turn-by-turn look at Naval Base Coronado’s race circuit
When is it taking place?
Parking lots, which are on base, open each day at 7 a.m. and gates open at 9 a.m.
The Craftsman Truck Series takes place Friday at 4 p.m. The O’Reilly Auto Parts series race blasts off at 2 p.m. Saturday. The main event, NASCAR Cup Series Race, happens Sunday at 1 p.m.
A race-by-race look at NASCAR’s San Diego Weekend
Each day will also feature entertainment, driver Q&As and other activities.
Where is it?
Naval Base Coronado will host the weekend’s activities. All fans in attendance must carry a valid government-issued photo ID at all times.
Going to this weekend’s NASCAR races in Coronado? Here’s what you need to know
All event parking will be located on Naval Base Coronado. There is no event parking available within the city of Coronado.
Who is racing?
Shane Van Gisbergen, Tyler Reddick, Mike McDowell, Chase Elliott and Ty Gibbs are just a few of the names to expect this weekend. A full lineup can be found at nascarsandiego.com/nascar-san-diego-mission-lineup.
These 13 Cup racers could all win Sunday’s Anduril 250 in Coronado
How to watch on TV:
Craftsman Trucks Series race: 4 p.m. Friday on Fox Sports 1
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race: 2 p.m. Saturday on The CW
NASCAR Cup race: Sunday at 1 p.m. on Prime Video
Local events:
San Diegans have a range of options for getting in on the fun of NASCAR weekend in Coronado, including meet and greets with drivers, watch parties and fan zones.
Your guide to fan events during NASCAR San Diego Weekend
More coverage:
CORONADO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — Final preparations are underway for NASCAR’s historic race weekend at Naval Base Coronado, where stock cars will compete on an active military installation for the first time in the sport’s history.
Crews, race teams, military personnel, first responders and event staff spent Thursday putting the finishing touches on the temporary road course as thousands of fans prepare to descend on the base for the inaugural event.
“The countdown is on,” as organizers work to transform portions of the installation into a race venue unlike any NASCAR has hosted before.
“It’s a very proud moment for NASCAR and myself and my company for being part of it,” said Jordan Litchko, a NASCAR production partner with ignition production. “It’s the America 250, so what a year to celebrate and be here on the naval base.”
Officials say the event marks the first time a NASCAR national series race has been held on a military base, bringing one of America’s most recognizable motorsports directly onto a working military installation.
Unlike traditional oval tracks, competitors will tackle a temporary road course built specifically for the event.
“It’s a road course race, which adds way more excitement, so it’s going to be ultra challenging,” Litchko said.
Thursday’s preparations included long lines of team members, vendors, staff and emergency personnel picking up credentials and completing security and base access requirements ahead of race weekend.
Meanwhile, drivers and crews got their first close look at the unique layout, which winds through portions of the base and presents a challenge far different from a conventional speedway.
With large crowds expected throughout the weekend, organizers are encouraging fans to plan ahead and allow extra travel time. Traffic delays are anticipated around Naval Base Coronado and nearby access points as spectators arrive for the event.
After months of planning and construction, the wait is nearly over.
On Friday, engines will roar to life aboard Naval Base Coronado, marking a milestone moment for NASCAR and creating a new chapter in the sport’s history. By the weekend’s end, fans will witness a race unlike any ever held before — stock cars competing on a military base in the heart of San Diego.
SAN DIEGO (CNS) – The City of San Diego is beginning to install 286 metered parking spaces this week in downtown San Ysidro in an effort to increase parking turnover, it was announced Thursday.
To develop the plan, city leaders worked with the San Ysidro business community. Revenue collected from the meters is reserved for transportation, parking and safety improvements in San Ysidro.
“Feeding parking meters feeds neighborhood repairs, and we can’t wait to get to work for the San Ysidro community,” said Naomi Chavez, interim director of the city’s Transportation Department. “This new parking zone will bring long overdue change that will help support local business activity and generate revenue that will be reinvested directly into improving neighborhood quality of life in San Ysidro.”
Crews began preparing the bases for the meters last week and installation work is expected to last through June. According to the city, these will be multi-space meter kiosks and drivers should be aware that they will need to go to the nearest kiosk to pay for parking since there won’t be a meter at each space.
Metered parking goes into effect on July 1 and will be enforced 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, excluding holidays. The parking rate is $2.50 an hour, with a maximum time limit of four hours.
City-led parking studies determined vehicles were parking on the streets of the neighborhood for hours or days at a time, making street parking for the area’s businesses scarce.
Drivers who customarily use free street parking when traveling across the border to Mexico are encouraged to use “one of the many paid off-street parking lots in the area,” a city statement read.
“The findings [of the parking study] clearly demonstrate the need for action. High parking occupancy on unregulated segments, along with data showing that 37% of vehicles exceed the existing two-hour limit and an average parking duration of over five hours, indicate that current conditions reduce turnover and limit access for local businesses and visitors,” wrote Alfredo Ripa, president of the San Ysidro Community Economic Development Corporation. “The proposed introduction of approximately 286 metered spaces, along with better signage, clearer designations and continued enforcement, represents a thoughtful and data-driven approach to improving parking availability and supporting economic activity in the community.”
Areas where the meter kiosks will be installed include:
— East San Ysidro Boulevard between Border Village Road to Camino De La Plaza (both sides);
— Border Village Road between East San Ysidro Boulevard (north) to East San Ysidro Boulevard (south), (both sides);
— Front Street between Border Village Road to end of cul-de-sac (south side);
— Bolton Hall Road between East San Ysidro Boulevard to Border Village Road (south side);
— Louisiana Avenue between East San Ysidro Boulevard to end of cul-de- sac (south side);
— Virginia Avenue between East San Ysidro Boulevard to Border Village Road (both sides); and
— East San Ysidro Boulevard between Willow Road and East Park Avenue (south side).
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