Influential Democratic Club Comes Out for Steppe for San Diego City Council President
By Kip Eischen – Secretary, Point Loma/OB Democratic Club
Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe showed us the very best of what a City Council President could be. She has exported the values of her district to the city at large. Thanks to Montgomery Steppe the privacy of San Diegans in all council districts is more respected and the city rests assured that the San Diego Police Department will operate with oversight from their communities.
Montgomery Steppe is ambitious and inclusive in pursuit of solutions to constituents’ needs. When the smart streetlight program infringed on all San Diegans’ privacy rights in yet another lopsided contract that drained taxpayers, Montgomery Steppe effectively worked to defund it. As the community awoke to a reckoning over police practices, Montgomery Steppe turned action into administration; she helped to pass Measure B that coupled effective policing together with an independent community review board.
Her opponent for the council presidency, Dr. Jen Campbell, works against her district. How can we burden the entire city with Dr. Jen Campbell’s leadership? Campbell supported Measure E amidst the loudest opposition from her own community; now the new heights of an impending building developer free-for-all loom over our neighboring Midway District. Campbell’s permissive approach to short-term rentals will harm San Diego’s working residents.
The Point Loma/OB Democratic Club invited Montgomery Steppe and Campbell to its last two online meetings. When Campbell attended she refused questions about Measure E’s community impact. She abruptly left our meeting. Campbell’s sudden and sensational exit from the meeting was a reminder of what her leadership had already made apparent; Campbell has left her community behind.
Montgomery Steppe showed us the power of coalition-building during the Sunday evening that she spent with our club. She listened. She answered questions. She put community first. Montgomery Steppe’s leadership is needed to face economic and health recovery from COVID-19, housing affordability and policing.
So at November’s Point Loma/OB Democratic Club meeting I made a motion to support Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe for City Council President in a break from the area’s current Councilmember Dr. Jen Campbell. The club’s body joined in support. I hope you will too.
The Point Loma/OB Democratic Club supports Monica Montgomery Steppe for City Council President,
About Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe
Monica Montgomery was born in San Diego and attended Bonita Vista High School. While in high school she fought with school officials over a ban on wearing bandannas that she felt unfairly targeted the three percent of students who were black. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Spelman College and a law degree from California Western School of Law.
Montgomery worked as a San Diego City Hall staffer for Councilmember Todd Gloria during his term as interim mayor, Mayor Kevin Faulconer, and Councilmember Myrtle Cole. She resigned from her position in Cole’s office the day after Cole made remarks arguing police officers were justified in racially profiling black residents. After leaving the City, Montgomery joined the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties as a criminal justice advocate.
Monica was elected to San Diego City Council District 4 in November 2018, defeating Myrtle Cole. This marked the first time that an incumbent had failed to be reelected to the City Council since 1992.
She married Steven Steppe on August 22, 2020.
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How dare you question our all-knowing councilmember Dr. Doolittle! Just who do you think you are to be entitled to such consideration?
How do I express my objections and concern about Jen Campbell running for City Council President?? Is there a City council website?? thanks..