Rules Committee Meeting Summary - November 19, 2025

The Rules Committee convened on November 19, 2025, to address public comments regarding the future of the FLOC vending contract, legislative process improvements, and transit occupancy tax collection. The committee also reviewed a new Citywide Inclusive Public Engagement Guide and heard initial discussions on fifteen ballot measure proposals submitted by the public for the June 2026 election. Public speakers and council members debated the necessity of voter-approved measures versus direct legislative action, with significant focus on housing equity, resource allocation, and government transparency.

Consent Calendar

• The committee unanimously approved the minutes from the October 22, 2025, Rules Committee meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Blair Beekman: Expressed support for reviewing the FLOC vending contract, citing a deadlock in Oakland's safety committee as a lesson. He advocated for finding a more responsible vendor over the next six months.
• Manny Rodriguez: Stated a concern regarding the lack of legislative proposals from council members, suggesting rules changes to require each member to propose a specific number of ordinances annually to accelerate city problem-solving.
• Catherine Rhodes: Expressed full support for a ballot measure to reclassify online travel companies as hotel operators to increase transit occupancy tax revenue, arguing the county treasurer's past action increased taxes without a vote and that no legal barriers exist.
• Lori Saldania: Expressed gratitude for the free speech environment in San Diego and encouraged the council to learn from the costs of high legislative volumes in the state legislature.
• Henry (Zoom): Expressed a desire for a "Mayor's Questions" session similar to the UK Prime Minister's questions to increase mayoral accessibility and accountability regarding spending.
• Blair Beekman (Minutes Comment): Requested clearer economic explanations regarding wage increases for maintenance workers in future meetings.
• Lori Saldania (Minutes Comment): Urged committee members to give more standing to constituents like Paul Kruger regarding surplus land to avoid potential litigation.
• Mary Young: Expressed concern that the financial burden of attending meetings (estimated at $100) prevents full-time workers from engaging, calling for the city to cover these costs or hold meetings at accessible times/locations.
• Ann Feggy: Expressed support for the engagement guide but noted a lack of community involvement in the $10 million urban forestry grant application process.
• Catherine Rhodes: Expressed concern that the Mayor is inaccessible and recommended recording mayoral staff meetings for public access.
• Howard (Zoom): Expressed support for moving council meetings to Mission Valley for better parking access and safety compared to downtown.
• Tanisha Jean Martin: Expressed a position that the engagement guide should be led by competent community leaders rather than just staff for authentic training.
• Mary Young (Item 5 Comment): Expressed disappointment that the engagement guide focuses on staff rather than ensuring community informed consent, criticizing the lack of statistically significant sampling in city engagement.
• Mary Young (Item A Comment): Supported the ballot measure requiring on-site affordable housing in high-resource areas to combat redlining and poverty concentration.
• Blair Beekman (Item A Comment): Expressed full support for mixed-income housing goals, framing it as a necessary conversation to bring lower-income residents into higher-income areas.
• Hethera (Item A Comment): Expressed support for the measure as a means to affirmatively further fair housing by stopping the off-siting of affordable units in concentrations of poverty.
• Lori Saldania (Item A Comment): Expressed full support for on-site inclusionary housing to break the cycle of redlining and allow for intergenerational wealth building in all neighborhoods.
• Mary Young (Item B Comment): Expressed support for the ballot measure to restrict low-income housing to low-resource areas, citing a lack of access to groceries and services in current concentration zones.
• Hethera (Item B Comment): Expressed support for the measure, arguing that non-discretionary low-income housing using government funds should be constrained by fair housing laws.
• Francine Maxwell (Item B Comment): Expressed support for the measure and called for bold leadership to stop the concentration of poverty in under-resourced communities.
• Mary Young (Item C Comment): Expressed strong support for a park equity bond to ensure open spaces for children in underserved neighborhoods.
• Hethera (Item C Comment): Expressed support for the bond to fund land acquisition in underserved areas.
• Francine Maxwell (Item C Comment): Expressed full support for the bond, criticizing current park and rec allocations that favor affluent areas.
• Blair Beekman (Item D Comment): Expressed support for the ballot measure to require ADA compliant sidewalks for transit projects, emphasizing a shared, holistic process with the community.
• Lori Saldania (Item E Comment): Expressed agreement with the proposal to reimburse community planning groups for successful appeals, noting the current $1,000 fee acts as a double penalty for under-resourced communities.
• Francine Maxwell (Item E Comment): Expressed full support for reimbelling appeal fees, arguing it is an issue of equity to stop discouraging civic engagement.
• Catherine Rhodes (Item E Comment): Expressed agreement that recouping the $1,000 fee upon a successful appeal is a fair idea.
• Blair Beekman (Item F Comment): Expressed curiosity about whether the mailed notice mandate stems from recent ADU and trash issues, hoping it would lead to a better-organized system.
• Lori Saldania (Item G Comment): Expressed support for a stormwater runoff fee, highlighting the disproportionate harm to under-resourced communities and the need for better infrastructure protection.
• Lori Saldania (Item H Comment): Expressed support for analyzing the garage and storage space tax, noting merit in distinguishing between business-use and residential garage conversions.
• Jay Powell (Item I Comment): Expressed support for a public power utility study, citing past failed studies and the high cost of current utility rates.
• Catherine Rhodes (Item I Comment): Expressed full support for public power, criticizing the city for sitting on $394 million in a fund instead of using it to offset costs.
• Lori Saldania (Item I Comment): Concur with the need for a public utility to address the disparity between high utility costs and low wages in hospitality.
• Lori Saldania (Item K Comment): Encouraged the council to consider the proposal to create neighborhood elementary school districts within the broad context of city-school intersections.
• Hethera (Item K Comment): Expressed support for local school control, noting that poverty rates correlate better with school resources than location.
• Lori Saldania (Item L Comment): Expressed concern that splitting the unified school district is a dangerous direction given the critical integration of schools with civic health and poverty services.
• Harry Bobbins (Item M Comment): Expressed support for a ballot measure to update coastal height limits, arguing the current arbitrary 50-year-old law fuels inequality.
• Manny Rodriguez (Item M Comment): Expressed full support for updating height limits as a direct method to build affordable, rent-controlled units in high-resource coastal areas.
• Michael (Phone): Expressed strong support for the height limit reform to unlock housing growth and address affordability.
• Lori Saldania (Item M Comment): Expressed skepticism that removing height limits will automatically result in affordable housing, citing past failures to build such units regardless of regulations.
• Catherine Rhodes (Item M Comment): Opposed the ballot measure, suggesting proponents should self-fund the measure and arguing it would likely fail if the public perceives it as allowing tall towers.
• Michael (Phone): Expressed disagreement with the notion that tall towers are opposed, stating dense housing increases affordability.
• Blair Beekman (Item N Comment): Expressed support for the transparency measure regarding jail expenditures, linking it to the need for better integration of social services and law enforcement.
• John Stump (Item N Comment): Expressed strong support for the transparency measure, calling for a committee study to understand county payments.
• Catherine Rhodes (Item N Comment): Expressed full support for the transparency measure, noting ignorance of the city's jail payments.
• Lori Saldania (Item N Comment): Expressed full support for the transparency measure, linking it to accountability regarding private correctional corporations.
• Blair Beekman (Item O Comment): Expressed support for free Sunday parking at Balboa Park, emphasizing the importance of keeping prices low and accessible.
• Paul Kruger: Expressed support for the ballot measure, noting an overwhelming public desire for democratic voice on the parking issue.
• Latisa Ruiz: Expressed support for free Sunday parking to relieve the financial burden on families.
• John Stump (Item O Comment): Expressed full support for the ballot measure or committee referral, calling the current parking system an embarrassment given the city's budget struggles.
• Catherine Rhodes (Item O Comment): Expressed support for free parking but recommended the city immediately implement it for the public if it has exemptions for volunteers and staff.
• Lori Saldania (Item O Comment): Expressed support for the measure, suggesting coordination with museum free days to boost attendance and accessibility.

Discussion Items

• Citywide Inclusive Public Engagement Guide: Staff presented the guide, defining engagement principles (community relationships, clear communication, inclusion, transparency). The Independent Budget Analyst (IBA) recommended prioritizing funding for translation, child care, and transportation, and using neighborhood-level data. Public commenters noted the guide focuses on staff training but lacks mandatory operation for community consent and criticized the high cost/effort for working-class attendees to participate. Councilmembers Rivera and Campio discussed the guide's implementation standards and the difficulty of breaking informational silos.
• **Ballot Measure Proposals **(Robert Campbell) The committee discussed measures regarding: (A) On-site affordable housing in high-resource areas; (B) Restricting low-income housing in low-resource areas; (C) A park equity bond; (D) ADA compliant sidewalks; (E) Reimbursing appeal fees; (F) Mailed notices; and (G) A stormwater runoff fee. Councilmembers Rivera and Campio expressed support for the goals but cited high election costs and existing legal mandates (Baker settlement) as reasons not to place them on the ballot immediately. Councilmember Moreno noted these items should be handled via the housing committee. Public speakers strongly supported measures A, B, C, and G to address redlining and resource inequality.
• **Ballot Measure Proposals **(John Stump) Proposals included: (H) A garage/storage tax; (I) A public power utility; (J) Unified school board control; (K) Neighborhood school districts; and (L) Elementary/High school district creation. Councilmember Rivera noted that San Diego Community Power (Phase 1) is already underway and a public power feasibility study (Phase 2) is nearing completion. The committee discussed the complexities of school district boundaries and the potential for local control to address equity, but no motion was made to advance them to the ballot.
• **Ballot Measure Proposals **(Respect Bird Rock) Harry Bobbins presented a measure to update the coastal height limit. While public speakers expressed support for the goal of increasing housing supply, the Chair expressed significant reservations due to recent court strikes of similar measures and the complexity of drawing new boundaries without community consensus.
• **Ballot Measure Proposals **(Shane Harris) Proposals included: (N) Transparency in jail expenditures and (O) Free Sunday parking at Balboa Park. The committee agreed to refer the jail transparency measure to the Budget Committee or IBA for data analysis (Councilmember Rivera) or to docket it for disclosure. Regarding parking, the public and committee members expressed strong support for the public benefit, though the meeting ended before a final voting decision could be made due to a loss of quorum.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes: Unanimously approved.
• Engagement Guide: Accepted as an informational item; staff to coordinate training with HR and further refine administrative regulations for right-of-way work. IBA will assist with implementation data and equity monitoring.
• **Ballot Measures **(Campbell) No motion was made to advance any of Campbell's proposals (A-G) to the ballot. The committee committed to holding further community conversations and requested data on current affordable housing off-siting practices from staff.
• **Ballot Measures **(Stump) No motion to advance. The committee noted that some proposals (Public Power) are already being studied by the city.
• **Ballot Measures **(Respect Bird Rock) Disposed of without motion due to legal uncertainty regarding coastal height limit ballot measures and lack of consensus on boundary lines.
• **Ballot Measures **(Harris - Jail Transparency) The Committee did not vote due to the end of the session. Chair Lacava requested the item be docketed for the Budget Committee or IBA to analyze existing data on county jail costs.
• **Ballot Measures **(Harris - Parking) No final decision reached; the Chair noted the meeting adjourned due to loss of quorum and indicated a special meeting may be called to finish this business.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned with a notice that a special meeting may be convened to complete the agenda before the 2026 cycle. The next regular meeting is scheduled for January 28, 2026."