The county grand jury released a report today urging San Diego to make its redevelopment efforts more transparent.
The report from the advisory body says the city’s two redevelopment nonprofits, the Southeastern Economic Development Corp. and Centre City Development Corp., should post more information on their websites, including conflict-of-interest disclosures, their bylaws, IRS tax returns and budgets.
The grand jury says the city should give the mayor a meaningful role in redevelopment activities, but strip him of his position as executive director of the city’s Redevelopment Agency. The report says the city’s adoption of the strong mayor form of government didn’t adequately address the mayor’s role in redevelopment activities.
That echoes the position of Councilwoman Marti Emerald, who said in a recent memo that she doesn’t support Mayor Jerry Sanders’ proposal to increase mayoral authority over SEDC and CCDC.
“I strongly urge my colleagues to restart the public discussion of San Diego redevelopment policy: its mission; its resources; its structure and governance in by scheduling hearings at the earliest possible opportunity,” Emerald wrote.
City Councilwoman Donna Frye also recently voiced her opposition to the mayor’s overhaul plan, saying that SEDC and CCDC should be eliminated and their duties folded into the city’s existing Redevelopment Agency in the wake of scandals at both organizations.