A sexual harassment scandal isn’t the only controversy facing Mayor Bob Filner. Andrew Keatts checked in on three others: “pay-to-play development deals, an improperly funded trip to Paris, misuse of a city credit card or the near-failure to pay that credit card’s bill.”
One commenter, Matthew Finnegan, argued that only the sexual harassment scandal justifies calls for the mayor to resign.
The behavior toward women is really excessively unacceptable in the mayor of San Diego. For me that’s what this has become about. He is done. How can we move on most constructively? Get ready for picking who is next and work on saving what’s been positive.
If it was just the other issues I’d be a supporter.
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to have security in the same cabin as the mayor of the eighth largest city. What’s the practice of the top 10? If it’s not uncommon, change the policy. If it is uncommon, work to manage Filner’s expectations. If it’s not budgeted, then the mayor accepts that his will cause a deficit. For personal expenses, rework the policy. Honestly if the mayor wants to just say I’m going to run up $XXK of stupid expenses and take it to the voters next term, I’m OK with it. I wouldn’t get creative legally to find a felony as a solution.
On the developer stuff, I don’t think when the city is negotiating that the developers voluntarily throw in much towards green space, parking, traffic management or neighborhood improvement unless required by code or if it’s in their financial interest in most cases. There seem to be more than a few instances where projects are given exceptions to agreements once construction is underway.
An argument is made using the investment already made that a variance must be granted. If it’s reasonable to negotiate a contribution to the general fund or wherever is appropriate, I think that’s a good idea. If there is no such process and the mayor shoots from the hip with a solution and wants to take that to the voters, I’m OK with that, too. It’s not, lets say best practice, but that too should go to the voters.
I think a process should be put in place where the higher of either the market value of the easement or the value of the betterment derived is required for the easement to be granted. If that would stop the development, staff can review the situation and make a recommendation representing the city’s interest.
Bottom line, I have a hard time seeing some people work with and around Filner without being in a hostile work environment. I can’t picture a CEO or any C-level person lasting days let alone weeks or months in this situation.
Finnegan’s comment excerpt has been edited for clarity and style. See anything in there we should fact check? Tell us here.
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