San Diego City Council Meeting - June 23, 2025

On Monday, June 23, 2025, the San Diego City Council convened to consider overriding Mayor Todd Gloria's line item vetoes of the FY2026 budget adopted by the council on June 10, 2025. The meeting involved a mayoral address, Independent Budget Analyst (IBA) testimony, extensive public comment, and council debate. The council first voted on a motion to fully override the vetoes, which failed 4-5, then approved a modified override motion 6-3, thereby adopting the budget as modified by the council.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Tristan Beerie (District 3 resident) urged a full override, calling the mayor's veto a "tantrum" and arguing cuts harm marginalized communities.
• Claire Snyder (Youth Will) opposed cuts to CPPS, ACCF, stormwater, and brush management, stating they disproportionately affect Black, brown, and vulnerable residents.
• Noah Yik (Center on Policy Initiatives) commended the council for restoring libraries, parks, rec centers, and equitable funding, urging override.
• Petros Hagos highlighted the importance of libraries, parks, rec centers, and the Office of Race and Equity.
• Tom Lowry and Rob McGargle (Friends of San Diego Lakes) advocated restoring all nine city lakes, opposing the mayor's veto.
• Felix Lopez (Logan Heights TDC) supported continued CPPS funding for Districts 8 and 9.
• Naila Fronts (Trans Family Support Services) urged not cutting CPPS and ACCF grants, noting they support trans and non-binary youth.
• Karina Pugh (San Diego LGBT Community Center) urged retention of CPPS and ACCF funding.
• We Tran (Config Voices) expressed exhaustion, noting small cuts compared to total budget, and questioned equity.
• Cesar Javier criticized the mayor and council for neglecting clean air and community health.
• Shane Harris (People's Association of Justice Advocates) called for restoring CPPS funding, responsible fiscal management, and fire brush enforcement.
• Karen Austin (Alvarado Estates Fire Safe Council) urged override to fund brush management positions.
• Pam Wilson (Scenic San Diego) opposed digital billboards, alleging political donations influenced the budget.
• Sparky Mitra (District 4 resident) criticized the mayor's cuts to community programs vs. police funding.
• Nicole Lilly (Our Time to Act) called the mayor's vetoes disrespectful and urged override.
• Catherine Douglas urged downsizing middle management and restoring fire and COO positions.
• Mike Fratale (University City) asked for fire brush and stormwater funding, cutting communications positions.
• Mary Soriano (La Jolla Town Council) stressed brush management funding to prevent fires.
• Julie Porter (Lived Experience Advisors) requested override to prioritize human needs.
• Natalie Rashkin opposed cuts to nonprofits, warning against tech-driven austerity.
• Rachel Hayes (Lived Experience Advisors) supported override for youth programs.
• Andrea Ebbing questioned $142 million in "other pay" and stormwater issues.
• Joy Sanyata suggested keeping Race and Equity in HR, but noted structural deficit issues.
• Margaret Marshall (Lao American Organization) opposed cuts to arts, culture, and festivals.
• Calvin Barrios (Laborers Local 89) opposed restoring $3 million from billboard digitization, citing need for industry talks.
• Blair Beekman favored cutting ALPRs instead of billboard revenue.
• Sarah Anderson asked to override arts and culture cuts.
• Adam Heard (Outfront Media) supported digital billboards as revenue source.
• Lori Saldana urged funding a short-term rental study and suggested council salary cuts.

Seven remote speakers also commented, including John Stump (supported paid zoo parking), Jesse (supported override for community investments), Jana Zawatsky (supported override), Kathleen Lippett (opposed billboards), Nancy Beam (Surge San Diego) opposed veto and police overtime overspend, Kayla Appenzoller (opposed mayor's budget), and Judy Strang (supported override for Sunday library hours but opposed Office of Race and Equity). Approximately 41 web comments in favor and 7 opposed were received.

Discussion Items

• Mayor Gloria's Remarks: He urged the council to sustain his veto, stating his budget was responsible and balanced, and that a full override would risk mid-year cuts. He emphasized addressing the structural deficit.
• IBA Comments: Charles Matica detailed the mayor's veto: $4.4M in expenditures, $3.5M in revenues, $1.4M for five positions, and $478,000 in other resources. He warned that $21M in public safety overtime assumptions were optimistic and that council-added revenues (e.g., paid parking, billboard digitization) were speculative.
• Council Debate:
  • Councilmember Foster (Budget Chair) made the initial motion for full override, arguing the council's restorations were responsible and the mayor's "slush fund" label was disgraceful.
  • Council President Pro Tem Lee seconded, noting the council's additions were only 1% of the general fund and that the mayor's overtime assumptions were riskier. He criticized cuts to community and cultural organizations.
  • Councilmember Elo Rivera supported full override, advocating for abundance over austerity and criticizing the mayor's use of communications for political messaging.
  • Councilmember Campillo opposed full override, citing the $3M billboard revenue as unrealistic and noting the IBA's warnings. He favored a middle ground.
  • Councilmember Von Wilpert emphasized brush management and lake restoration as priorities and expressed openness to compromise.
  • Councilmember Campbell supported the mayor's budget, arguing the council's revenue projections were speculative and the budget must be balanced. She questioned the legality of moving the Office of Race and Equity to the IBA.
  • Councilmember Whitburn opposed full override, stating the Office of Race and Equity should not be placed under IBA and that paid parking revenue assumptions were unrealistic without careful stakeholder engagement.
  • Councilmember Moreno reiterated his earlier opposition due to reduced stormwater funding.
• After the full override motion failed 4-5, Councilmember Foster offered an alternate motion overriding most vetoes but excluding certain items (ACCF restoration, multidisciplinary outreach team, COO position, billboard digitization, finance office consolidation, and police program coordinator). It also reduced funding for brush management, stormwater, and short-term rental study, and transferred five positions (including race and equity director and coordinator) to the IBA with reduced funding. The motion was seconded by Council President Lacava and passed 6-3.

Key Outcomes

• First Motion (Full Override): Failed 4-5 (Councilmembers Campbell, Whitburn, Moreno, Campillo voting no; Foster, Lee, Elo Rivera, Von Wilpert, Lacava voting yes – actual roll call not fully recorded, but count confirmed as 4-5).
• Second Motion (Modified Override): Passed 6-3 (Councilmembers Campbell, Whitburn, Moreno dissenting). The council overrode most of the mayor's line item vetoes, except for: ACCF restoration ($450,000), multidisciplinary outreach team ($250,000), COO position ($225,000), billboard digitization ($3 million), Department of Finance office consolidation ($282,000), and reduction of police program coordinator ($196,452). The motion also reduced brush management enforcement by $764,701, stormwater MPE by $581,847, and short-term rental occupancy study by $50,000. Additionally, the council transferred five FTE positions (including the Office of Race and Equity director and program coordinator) to the Office of the IBA, with the director funded at $250,000. The budget as modified becomes the adopted FY2026 budget. Council President Lacava committed to docketing necessary implementing items and budget adjustments as needed.