Aguirre: Mayor’s Corrupt

Wow. So City Attorney Mike Aguirre apparently called Mayor Jerry Sanders “corrupt” at a press conference earlier in the day.

I wasn’t able to go. I assume there’ll be some news about it. But the press release for Aguirre’s event read as follows:

City Attorney Michael Aguirre will brief the news media about the March 31, 2007 Agreement between the San Diego County Regional Airport-Authority and the City of San Diego for Executive Loan of Services of Airport Authority Employee Theodore (Ted) C. Sexton, which violates Section 40 of the San Diego City Charter.

The Charter provides that the City Attorney “prepare in writing all ordinances, resolutions, contracts, bonds, or other instruments in which the City is concerned, and to endorse on each approval of the form or correctness thereof…”

The agreement was prepared without the knowledge of Aguirre. However, the Airport-Authority’s legal counsel’s signature is on the document.

I had called the Mayor’s Office Tuesday trying to bait him into responding to related accusations by Aguirre earlier in the week.

I just got this e-mail from mayoral spokesman Fred Sainz (I’m just going to publish it all):

Scott:

I hope this email finds you well. As Evan may have told you, Mike held a news conference just a little bit ago on the Sunroad issue and called Jerry “corrupt.” We’re not taking the bait. Jerry feels strongly that he has to be the adult in the relationship and not allow the issue to degenerate into name calling. As I described to you earlier in the week, the mayor’s relationship with Mike is analogous to the relationship between a parent and their adolescent. The adolescent oftentimes makes statements that are outrageous, inaccurate and hurtful. The parent has to maintain their composure, not take the bait and remember that they are the adult. That’s what we intend to do.

The entire purpose of the Aguirre news conference was to question the Airport Authority’s lending of Ted Sexton to the City. Ted was lent to us to help us determine whether or not the City should be in the airports business and whether the Airport Authority is better equipped to run our two airports. His responsibilities are articulated well in the attached document.

Mike is stating that Sexton was brought to the City for the express purpose of changing the landing patterns at Montgomery to accomodate (sic) the Sunroad building. Nothing could be farther from the truth. There will be no change to those landing patterns. Jerry fully supports reducing the building in size to 160 feet.

I wanted you to be aware of the issues at hand here and what Jerry said when he met with the press after Aguirre’s news conference:

• Public safety is my #1 priority.
• I will not be satisfied until the Sunroad building is reduced in height to 160 feet. The FAA has told us that they won’t be satisfied until that happens and I stand by them.
• I support the City’s lawsuit against Sunroad.
• There will not be any alternative landing approaches at Montgomery Field. No one that broke the law should be accommodated. The status quo will remain in place until the building is reduced in size.
• As of right now, planes only have to circle to the north or the south ½ of 1% of the time – it’s only in Santa Ana conditions with low cloud coverage. 99% of the time planes land from the east at Montgomery. That will continue.
• With regard to Mr. Sexton, he came here in late March to help the City determine whether the City should be in the airports operation business. It may very well be that the Airport Authority is better suited to operate our 2 airports.
• As I have said, we are taking a look at every city operation and this may be a good example of an operation that may be better off being done by someone other than the city.
• Loaned executives are a best practice in the public sector. The City is receiving Mr. Sexton’s services for free.
• The City Attorney was aware of this being the case. This issue was discussed at a Rules Committee meeting in early April. Mr. Aguirre’s representative was there. They said nothing and to date, we have not received any letters from them objecting to this practice.
• The City has had 3 loaned executives. It’s a good thing. We get the services of very competent professionals for free.

  Thanks and let me know if you need anything else.

  Fred

— SCOTT LEWIS