The opponents of Prop C are so afraid of accountability and reform at City Hall that they have resorted to shameful scare tactics and deceit to fool the voters. You’ve probably seen their slick ads on TV claiming that Prop C will undermine police and fire. They contain not one ounce of truth. 
Here are the facts:
First, Prop C does NOT authorize managed competition for police and fire services. In fact, Prop C keeps in place clear protections for Police and Fire contained in Charter sections 57 and 58 to ensure these positions are done “subject to civil service regulations.” As two City Attorneys have opined and as courts across the state have upheld, this requires that our police and fire personnel be bona fide civil servants. Prop C does nothing to change those safeguards, and in fact, that is by design. The police and fire unions know this as well. That’s why in court papers they filed in September, the police and fire unions reserved the right to change their position later if Prop C passes. A perfect example that the unions don’t even believe what they are telling the voters.
Second, it is absolutely absurd to think that the mayor and/or council would even be able to outsource police and fire. The public would not stand for it. (Hint: The unions know this and that’s why they are shamelessly and erroneously using this argument in their campaign. They know how absurd this concept is.) In fact, on October 9, the City Council passed a resolution that further clarifies this point and prohibits the outsourcing of public safety personnel. A no-brainer vote for sure, but yet another protection that will keep police and fire safe.
Third – and perhaps most ironically – Prop C will actually allow our community to make more investments in public safety, not less. In fact, experiences across the country show that cities and counties that use Prop C’s managed competition reforms have been able to cut costs in their overhead and administrative budgets and redirect those cost savings into other citizen services – such as adding police and fire personnel. The same will be true in San Diego.
Finally, I always say, if you want to discover the real truth behind a debate, “follow the money.” In my next post I’ll address the real motives and the real people behind the effort to fool voters in San Diego.