San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo says he has found a pot of money the city can use to re-open more than a dozen Mission Bay restrooms closed in early July as part of budget cutting. He wants the city to use “the $1.8 million in budgeted election costs that were freed up last month when a possible November ballot measure got postponed,” as the U-T reported yesterday.
The freed-up money became available last month when the council’s Rules Committee delayed indefinitely — but at least until 2028 — a ballot measure proposed by Councilmember Kent Lee to shrink the mayor’s power, reports the U-T.
By closing 13 of the 28 restrooms that serve tourists and locals alike at Mission Bay Park, the city is saving a whopping $546,000 in maintenance and cleaning costs.
Campillo says the closures are creating a public health hazard because park visitors have begun relieving themselves in grassy areas and other locations. In a July 15th memo to the mayor, Campillo wrote,
“Redirecting those funds would address an immediate community need and help restore a basic public service that is essential to the safe and enjoyable use of Mission Bay Park. Our constituents have asked for it.”
Yet Mayor Gloria rejects Campillo’s proposal. He claimed he shares the councilmember’s concerns, but says it would be financially risky to reopen the restrooms using the newly available money.
Reporter David Garrick wrote:
In a Friday memo to Campillo, Gloria said the city faces potential new expenses — ones that were not included in the budget — that warrant holding on to the whole $1.8 million. Those include preparations for and fallout from what’s expected to be an unusually rainy winter, thanks to El Niño conditions, as well as the possibility the city will need to fund a special election to replace Councilmember Marni von Wilpert if she wins a seat in Congress.
Gloria also expressed concerns that the volatile geopolitical climate could damage tourism and reduce city revenue from hotel and sales taxes. “Given these unknowns, I believe the prudent course is to preserve these one-time funds until we have greater clarity regarding both our fiscal obligations and our available resources,” the mayor said in his memo.
The mayor also said the city must continue to find ways to reduce its ongoing expenditures, contending that using one-time election money to cover an ongoing expense would contradict that effort.
“The city continues to face the difficult reality that we do not currently have sufficient ongoing resources to sustain all existing service levels while also maintaining the infrastructure our residents rely upon,” Gloria said. “These are challenging but necessary choices.”
Campillo responded Monday and said the Mission Bay restrooms should be an obvious exception to the general idea of not spending one-time money on ongoing expenses. He said:
“Right now, we know people are relieving themselves in public. Basic public services like restroom infrastructure should never have been cut in the first place.”
Campillo cited the needs of seniors and for families with young children for the restrooms. Many park-goers are also complaining about long lines at the restrooms that remain open. He called the mayor’s stance shortsighted, and argued tourism will suffer if the restrooms remain closed and tourists get repelled by the lack of sanitation and cleanliness.
As Garrick reported:
Campillo was part of a unanimous council vote in favor of the new budget on June 9, so he essentially approved the restroom closures. But on Monday, Campillo said he had lobbied for cuts to middle managers instead. During budget deliberations, Campillo singled out the Mission Bay restrooms as a concern.
“When we cut something as basic as restrooms, restroom maintenance and general park upkeep, we send a message to the tourism stakeholders who help sustain our city budget — attracting visitors who also contribute to our budget — that their contributions are not valued,” he said back then.
Gloria said he might make a different decision on the restrooms in the future. “We will continue evaluating service levels citywide based on available revenues, operational capacity, and community need,” the mayor said. “I fully expect Mission Bay Park to be part of those discussions as we develop the fiscal 2028 budget.”
Yet, locals and tourists can’t wait until fiscal year 2028 for relief. The closed restrooms remain another example of the shortsightedness of City Hall, much like the parking meters in Balboa Park. One step forward, two steps back. A reader with memory might ask, ‘Didn’t Gloria learn any lessons about the health crisis in the early days of his administration with closing downtown restrooms?’
The answer has to be ‘no’ if you look at his current actions.
Is there a place called Toadville ?
This is what happens when ego gets in the way of common sense. It’s obvious Todd is inflicted with an extreme case of Napoleon complex which has fogged his brain. I wonder if this incompetence could lead to recall.