San Diego Economic Development Committee Meeting - January 31, 2018
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San Diego Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee Meeting - January 31, 2018
The Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee met on January 31, 2018, to discuss tourism marketing district reports, the 2018 state and federal legislative platform, resolutions on concealed carry reciprocity and offshore oil drilling, and the committee's work plan. The meeting included public testimony and votes on several items.
Consent Calendar
- The minutes and committee record of actions from November 9, 2017, were approved by unanimous consent.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Martha Welch (non-agenda public comment) criticized the Port of San Diego for leaving a scar on Harbor Drive, complained about MTS bus route changes, and alleged that the county uses illegal taxes without voter approval. Her comments were noted.
- Concealed Carry Reciprocity (Item 2): Multiple speakers testified in opposition to the resolution. Mike Johnson (SD Must) argued it would protect law-abiding citizens. Joseph Holyfield, Joe Dramisi, Wendy Halfin, Michael Schwartz, Ryan Holmes, Daniel Gray, Chuck Everling, and Scott Gould all opposed the resolution, stating that CCW holders are law-abiding and that the presentation contained inaccuracies. Speakers in favor included Sandy Housley and Carol Landale, who argued that the bill would lower California's strict standards to the weakest state laws.
- Offshore Drilling (Item 3): Speakers in favor included George Courser (Sierra Club), Ryan Vaughn (Surfrider Foundation), Larry Emerson (San Diego 350), and Sabine Prather (Sierra Club). They emphasized the risks of oil spills and seismic air gun blasting to marine life and the economy.
Discussion Items
1. Tourism Marketing District Reports (Items 5 & 6)
- Destination Master Plan (Experience San Diego 2040): Brian Hughes, Executive Director of the San Diego Tourism Marketing District (TMD), presented a 20-year strategic plan. The plan aims to increase TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax) collections from $933 million (2013-2017) to $1.33 billion over the next five years. Key pillars include leisure, branding, transportation, and meetings. Initial projects focus on the Los Angeles leisure market, Balboa Park promotion, and the Chinese visitor market. The plan also includes a goal to expand the convention center. Committee members asked about hotel room revenue projections and the feasibility of a direct LA-San Diego rail line. The report was received.
- FY 2017 TMD Performance Report: Hughes reported that TOT rose 9% in FY 2017, with an overall ROI of 26:1 (for every dollar of TMD funds, $26 in hotel revenue was generated). Occupancy and average daily room rates increased. The committee discussed cultural tourism spending, the need to diversify funding applicants and board membership, and the impact of the loss of the Poinsettia Bowl. The report was received.
2. 2018 State and Federal Legislative Platform (Item 1)
- Patrick Buteller (Director of Government Relations) and Denise Garcia (Director of Binational Affairs) presented the platform. Key priorities include homelessness (the Big 11 mayors are sponsoring a bill for crisis funding), housing, support for SB 635 (state Promise Zone), opposition to offshore drilling, support for San Onofre nuclear waste removal, Midcoast Trolley funding, DACA, and resolution of Tijuana River Valley sewage issues. Committee members proposed amendments: oppose solar tariffs, monitor telecom preemption (SB 649), support border water infrastructure, address broadband antitrust, include CCA (community choice aggregation) language, add labor standards, and soften TNC mandates. The motion to approve the platform with amendments passed unanimously.
3. Resolution Opposing HR 38 and S 446 (Concealed Carry Reciprocity) (Item 2)
- Carol Landale and Wendy presented a resolution opposing bills that would force states to recognize concealed carry permits from other states, including those with weaker standards. They argued it would endanger public safety and law enforcement. Committee members debated: Mr. Alvarez and Ms. Bree supported the resolution; Mr. Kirsey opposed, stating it was not a city issue and that the bill was intended to protect law-abiding citizens like the Philadelphia mother. The resolution passed 3-1 (Chair Ward, Vice Chair Bree, and Councilmember Alvarez in favor; Councilmember Kirsey opposed).
4. Resolution to Protect Coast from Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling (Item 3)
- Brady Bradshaw (Oceana) presented a resolution opposing new offshore oil and gas leasing in U.S. waters, including off California. He noted that the draft proposal includes waters three miles from the coast, and that seismic air gun blasting harms marine life. The committee discussed the economic impact (tourism supports 89,000 jobs in San Diego County) and the need for an exemption similar to Florida's. Councilmember Bree offered amendments to add language about the military's training missions. The resolution passed unanimously 3-0.
5. Committee Work Plan (Item 4)
- The committee adopted its 2018 work plan, which includes a focus on workforce development, economic justice, and other priorities. The motion passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Minutes approved unanimously.
- Legislative Platform: Approved with amendments (unanimous).
- Concealed Carry Reciprocity Resolution: Approved 3-1, to be forwarded to full City Council.
- Offshore Drilling Resolution: Approved unanimously (3-0), to be forwarded to full City Council.
- Committee Work Plan: Adopted unanimously.
- Next Meeting: Scheduled for February 22, 2018, at 2:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Our assistant city attorney Daphne Scogan, uh Patrick Viteller from the Mayor's Office, Jeff Kawar from the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst, and Lucas O'Connor from my office, our committee consultant. We will begin today with approval of the minutes and the committee record of actions from November 9, 2017 will be approved by unanimous consent unless pulled for discussion. Seeing none, those are approved. We'll be moving forward with non-agenda public comment. Members of the public will have two minutes to address the committee on an item not on the agenda. And we do have one person who has submitted a request to speak, and that would be Martha Welch. Well, this is a one-year admin versus the butt uh and uh um uh um and um uh uh um the restaurant on on Harbor. And um we uh nothing's built there. The port told they were gonna be a brilliant is going there, but not nothing's there. It is a scar on on Harbor is gone. And they told lies of something because they didn't tell us about that. And the was gone, but they didn't tell what happened to it because it's a scar right now. And uh if if you build a year, it's a year or so. Um MTA saw also the green line doesn't meet the um the trial of Imperial. It used to be a San Diego the train stop or the blue skull old time. So this is where the county does this all the time. And the governor uh all these all these taxes is the county just out because they don't want to do it themselves, so they have build all these stuff. They're illegal because property property tax has RTC IP on your property tax. We didn't vote for that, you see, and just came up. So you if we know we didn't vote for that also. So this was this is going on because also sales tax. The state has six percent, but we didn't vote for the other thing except but one but point three five uh only in two thousand and four. Because um so this 40 years. So this is what you do in the county, and uh makes all these quasi and also the all the financial, they're all the financial, but they're bonds. They don't build anything, it's just like the city. They just build stuff and they don't um they don't um do anything building. This is just financial stuff. I don't know, it doesn't build anything, it's just debt. So they all do the same thing. MTS um lies to us and change the bus change the bus stops like 11 is broken up. The 929 doesn't go where it used to do, the 11 stops nowhere uh nowhere doesn't connect to the 12. Um it's it's not good what they do in this county with all these little things. Thank you, Ms. Welch. Uh comments are noted. Uh do we have any committee member comments? Seeing none, uh are there any comments from the city attorney, IBA, or mayoral staff. Great. We're gonna move on. We're actually gonna take two items out of order to accommodate one of our presenters. So we're gonna move forward with our information item first and here two reports from the tourism marketing district. So we're gonna advance on the agenda really quick and then come back to the discussion agenda. We'll begin with item number five, receiving a report, the destination master plan experience San Diego Destination 2040, commissioned by the San Diego Tourism Marketing District Corporation. Welcome. If you could uh introduce yourself for the microphone when you're ready, and about how many minutes do you need to morning. I'm Meredith Dibden Brown with the Economic Development Department Department, and with me is Brian Hughes, who is the executive director for the San Diego Tourism Marketing District Corporation, and the presentation is 10 minutes. Welcome. Thank you. Thank you very much, Meredith. Again, my name is Brian Hughes.
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