The California Senate approved legislation today by a 30-7 vote that would alter the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority’s management structure.
State Sen. Christine Kehoe, D-San Diego, introduced a bill that would require board members to be elected officials, cut the $171,648 annual salaries paid to three executive committee members and trim the number of board members from nine to seven. It would strip the authority of its land-use planning abilities at the county’s regional airports.
She is expected to offer amendments that would allow board members to continue being appointed and that would keep its size at nine. Three members would be appointed by the city of San Diego, two by San Diego County and four by regional groups of cities. Land-use authority would stay with the authority under those amendments, which are expected to be introduced within the next month.
Voting against the bill were state Sens. Dick Ackerman, R-Tustin, Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, Jim Battin, R-Riverside, Dave Cogdill, R-Fresno, Bob Margett, R-Glendora, George Runner, R-Lancaster, and Mark Wyland, R-Carlsbad.