Here are some brief thoughts and observations about the candidates running for District 2 of the San Diego City Council. I attended the candidate forum last night in Liberty Station — and the cavernous hall was packed — a great turnout. Someone told me the hall had a capacity of 200 or 250. Lots of gray heads.
Six candidates were on the stage: Richard Bailey, Paul Suppa, Mandy Havlik, Jacob Mitchell, Nicolle Crosby and Josh Coyne.
League of Women Voters did a great job in organizing the forum, which was co-hosted by the Point Loma Association.
Opening Statements
Bailey wants us to “stand up to city hall,” as does Suppa and Havlik. Suppa says San Diego is in a state of crisis due to its budgetary problems. Our city, he says, spends twice the national average on the police department, and that we need to “stop overtime for police.”
Havlik knows the city is in trouble. She expressed her love for the community, has spent years serving the community, has stood up against bad projects and her campaign is “grassroots and people-powered.”
The youngest candidate on the stage was Jacob Mitchell, who became the crowd favorite for his honesty and naivete. But nobody thinks he can win.
Crosby wants “reliable community services,” which she knows something about being a deputy city attorney. She’s against “outside interests” having too much sway in our town and in the district.
Coyne is a Point Loma resident and lives with his husband and dog.
Measure A — Tax on vacate homes
Sheila, the moderator, asked a yes or no question: do you support Measure A, the tax on vacate homes. The “yes’s” were from Mitchell, Crosby and Coyne; the no’s from Havlik, Suppa and Bailey.
Midway Rising
Definite supporters included Crosby — who’s against the 30 foot-height limit, and Coyne — who called out those opposed as “obstructionists.”
Bailey, Suppa (not enough infrastructure) and Havlik were against the project, although everyone agreed that the Midway District needed help. Couldn’t tell where Mitchell was as he at first said he was for it, and then described why he’s against it.
What Have You Done for District 2?
Suppa is an attorney and has helped many clients; he’s helped homeless people and picked up trash. Mitchell has also helped homeless people and once gave an organ to a stranger. Bailey owns two businesses in the district and has about 2 dozen employees who also mostly live in the district. He’s also launched two citizen initiatives — one against Balboa Park parking fees and the other against the trash fee tax.
Havlic asked, “What haven’t I done?” She’s currently first chair on the Peninsula Community Planning Board, is involved in the Sunset Cliffs Park committee, is in the Rotary Club. Coyne has been the D2 city council rep (for Jen Campbell — who he didn’t name outloud) for three and half years, worked many hours during COVID, and he “showed up everyday.”
Crosby is the Clairemont Town Council president and also the PTA president at her daughter’s school.
The Mayor’s Budget
It’s safe to say that all the candidates were against Gloria’s budget. Although Coyne had the softest opposition to it. He wants to “protect public safety”, homeless funds and thus is against cuts to those areas. Coyne kept emphasizing that now is a “great opportunity” to do great things for San Diego, and also pressed the argument that government does a lot of good things for people.
Crosby pushed for more grants to help fund government and its projects. Suppa says the budget is “way out of whack.” Bailey kept saying we don’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem, and we need to slash mid-manager roles. Havlik also agreed to cut middle-management and go after TOT funds. She gave one of the only criticisms of another candidate of the evening when she took Crosby to task for seemingly to offer grants as the answer to budget shortfalls — which Crosby later refuted.
The Homeless Question
Bailey asserted homeless people have risen by 50% over the last 10 years, and that 50% of emergency calls are for homelessness. He wants the SDPD to change their “4 contact policy.” Cosby said we need to “manage public spaces.”
Suppa blurted out, we “can’t have encampments” and we need to protect children. Havlik said the city is not partnering enough with non-profits, and needs to colloborate with the County, and that there’s not enough shelter places. Mitchell said most money for homelessness goes to NGOs. Coyne said he’s tired of all the talk (and not enough action) about homelessness, and also raised the issue that there’s “no accountability from other cities.”
Control of Liberty Station by Outside Company
No one was in favor of an outside private company taking over Liberty Station, except Bailey, who claimed that only a privately-managed entity would make the place run better, as he’s not in favor of city government doing things itself, and favors managed competition.
San Diego as Sanctuary City and Stance on ICE
Mitchell said ICE should go after criminals, not people at Home Depot. Havlik forcefully stated she supports sanctuary cities, not terrorizing people, and is not in favor of ICE
For Crosby it’s not the SDPD’s job to do the bidding of the federal government. Community safety is important to her and that we can’t “force people back to the shadows,” and quoted from the Statute of Liberty. Suppa doesn’t support the current federal administration; ICE agents need a judge to sign their warrants, that ICE agents disrespect the Constitution, and then received the only positive crowd reaction when he said he likes his ice crushed.
Coyne likes San Diego leading the way as a border city. Bailey countered the trend by saying “We’re a nation of laws,” but was against the violence of ICE.
OB Pier
The moderator asked ‘Are you for repairing or replacing the OB Pier?’
Havlik said she wants to “revitalize it and reopen it.” The pier was a great economic driver for downtown OB. Crosby wants to replace it — with grant money. Coyne recognizes we need a new pier and he wants the city to go after the state for the money. If this was San Franciso, he said, the state would have already paid for it, or words to that effect.
Bailey wants to reopen the pier but doesn’t know where the money will come from. The pier is another example, he said, of city government mismanagement. Mitchell admitted a new pier will take a long time, and that it’s a “low priority” for the city.
Suppa said a new pier would cost $200 Million, but we could find the money if we budgeted our money better ($300 million from SDPD overspend). We need to act now, he said, because the city is currently liable. “A surfer could get hit by a chunk of concrete and be killed.”
Repeal of Balboa Park Parking Fees and Trash Tax Fee
Crosby said people are “super angry” about the trash fee and that we shouldn’t pay for parking at our “gem.” For Bailey, the trash fee was a “bait and switch”, but he believes the city should get out of the business of trash collection, and of course, he wants to repeal the Park fees.
Coyne said the city can’t solve the money crisis “with fees and taxes.” “Invest in the city, and start with Balboa Park.” Like most, Havlik was also against the parking fees and the trash fee.
Last Question: What are your plans for increasing public input and increasing transparency?
Suppa: the city is facing a looming bankruptcy due to the budget. Mitchell: we need an auditor, and also community planning groups need help, have open meetings.
Bailey: need more accessibility; the current councilmember is “MIA.” We need to “reconstitute community planning groups.” Havlik also emphasized the CPGs and called for public surveys. Crosby wanted councilmembers to “show up,” and didn’t want staff or the mayor to spring surprises, and “no secrets.” Coyne said we need a strong form of city manager, and that “the council needs to act stronger.”
There you have it — a series of observations and thoughts taken from my notepad and 6 pages of scribbled notes.
Just one more question… Who is backing your campaign? After all, SCOTUS has legalized bribery, money is speech, corporations are people, and payback is expected. At least one candidate has the jump in my Loma Portal neighborhood so lets start with you, RB.