San Diego City Council Rules Committee Meeting - June 5, 2024

The Rules Committee convened on June 5, 2024, at 2:00 PM (though the meeting began at 5:00 PM UTC per the transcript) to consider five ballot measure proposals for the November 2024 election. The committee approved minutes from April 18, 2024, and heard public testimony on multiple items. All discussion items were advanced to the full City Council unanimously, except for the redistricting measure which was continued to a future meeting.

Consent Calendar

• The committee approved the minutes from the April 18, 2024, Rules Committee meeting unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item 1 (Stormwater Revenue Measure): 19 in-person speakers and several virtual speakers provided testimony. Supporters included residents affected by the January 22 floods, representatives from labor unions (AFSCME Local 127, Teamsters Local 911), environmental groups (Climate Action Campaign, San Diego 350, Coastkeeper), and community organizations (Alliance San Diego, San Diego Green New Deal Alliance). They emphasized the need for dedicated funding to prevent future flooding, protect water quality, and address historic underinvestment in communities of color. Opponents, including a resident who worked in stormwater maintenance, argued the city had neglected maintenance and should not pass the burden to taxpayers. Some business groups (IEA, Chamber of Commerce, NAIOP) expressed conditional support, urging a lower tax rate, clearer credit programs, and phase-in periods.
• Item 2 (Sales Tax Measure): Speakers included union representatives (AFSCME Local 127, Teamsters Local 911), a resident of District 2, and a representative from MEA. They expressed strong support for the measure to fund infrastructure and services. One speaker raised concerns about the ballot language using "one cent" instead of "one percent." Another speaker opposed the general purpose tax, citing distrust due to past city financial decisions (e.g., Ash Street lease).
• Item 3 (Ethics Commission Charter Amendment): Virtual speakers mostly supported the measure, emphasizing the need for transparency and independence. One speaker criticized the city's past handling of ethics issues.
• Item 4 (School Board Election Process): No public comments were made.
• Item 5 (Redistricting): One virtual speaker expressed general concerns about redistricting leading to inconsistency.

Discussion Items

• Item 1: Stormwater Revenue Ballot Measure – Council President Sean Elo-Rivera and Council President Pro Tem Joe La Cava presented a proposed parcel tax of $0.07 per square foot of impermeable surface, estimated to generate $129.6 million annually. The measure would exempt low-income seniors, government, schools, nonprofits, and religious properties. Revenue would be dedicated to stormwater infrastructure only, with a Citizens Oversight Committee and annual audits. The measure is designed to comply with ACA1 (55% approval threshold). Councilmember Moreno suggested amending Section 10B to require the City Auditor to conduct performance and financial audits, which was accepted as an amendment to explore. Councilmember Campillo raised concerns about excluding maintenance expenses and the need for a robust credit program. The committee voted 5-0 to forward the measure to the full council.
• Item 2: One-Cent Sales Tax Ballot Measure – Mayor Todd Gloria and Councilmember Campillo proposed a 1% general purpose sales tax increase (from 7.75% to 8.75%), generating approximately $400 million annually for neighborhood infrastructure and city services. The measure includes quarterly monitoring reports and annual independent audits. Councilmember Moreno expressed concern about competing sales tax measures and the need to build public trust. Councilmember Lee noted the potential for debt financing to accelerate infrastructure improvements. The committee voted 5-0 to forward the measure to the full council.
• Item 3: Ethics Commission Charter Amendment – City Attorney Mara Elliott presented a revised proposal to amend the charter to increase the Ethics Commission's independence. Key changes: the commission would appoint its executive director without council confirmation; the executive director could initiate investigations without prior commission approval; the commission could hire special counsel; and the council would be required to provide sufficient funding. The appointment process for commissioners was removed from the charter amendment and will be handled via municipal code later. Councilmember Campillo questioned the phrase "sufficient funding" and the use of "special counsel." The committee voted 5-0 to forward the measure to the full council.
• Item 4: School Board Election Process – Andra Green, General Counsel for San Diego Unified School District, proposed a charter amendment to eliminate a primary election when there are two or fewer candidates. A second proposed change (shortening the timeline for write-in candidates) was withdrawn and will be addressed via municipal code. The committee voted 5-0 to forward the measure to the full council.
• Item 5: Redistricting Ballot Measure – Councilmember Lee moved to continue work on the proposed redistricting ballot measure (by Liana Cortez and Ashika Srinivas) to a future Rules Committee meeting, not before the November 2024 election, citing the need for more time to develop a robust appointment process. The motion passed 5-0.

Key Outcomes

• Item 1 (Stormwater Revenue): Unanimously forwarded to full council with an amendment to explore using the City Auditor for audits.
• Item 2 (Sales Tax): Unanimously forwarded to full council.
• Item 3 (Ethics Commission): Unanimously forwarded to full council.
• Item 4 (School Board Election): Unanimously forwarded to full council.
• Item 5 (Redistricting): Continued to a future committee meeting with no specific date, not before November 2024.
• The next Rules Committee meeting is scheduled for July 24, 2024, at 2:00 PM.

Non-Agenda Public Comment

• Speakers addressed topics including budget process, peace initiatives, immigration policy, and concerns about sanctuary city status.