Chula Vista Mayor John McCann knows that the odds – or at least the voter registration numbers – aren’t in his favor as he runs to replace San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas on the county’s powerful Board of Supervisors.
He’s a Republican in a district where Democrats outnumber Republicans more than two to one. And many of his policy positions represent a sharp break from the Board’s recent left-leaning orientation. Overall, San Diego politics have grown more blue in recent years. Why does McCann think he can, and should, prevail?
In an extended interview with Voice of San Diego (the third in our series of such interviews) McCann described himself as a “moderate Republican” who has won elected office “six times” in Chula Vista, where Republicans also are badly outnumbered.
He said San Diego County voters are frustrated by what he described as a “hyper-partisan” tendency on the current Board, which, until Vargas’ sudden resignation late last year, was controlled by Democrats. McCann pointed to what he said was a successful track record greenlighting new home development in Chula Vista, attracting businesses, lowering crime by boosting law enforcement and getting homeless people off the streets via a combination of compassion and “tough love.”
If elected, McCann would flip the Board back to Republican control, radically reshaping politics in the county. He said he intended to “support every citizen, whether you’re Democrat, Republican [or] independent…My main job is to look after my constituency, and I am here to find solutions for everyone.”
Related: Seven candidates are running to fill Nora Vargas’ District 1 seat on the county board of supervisors. (Union-Tribune)
Sacramento Report: Wildfire Aid Under Trump Still TBD
During his visit to California, President Donald Trump met with state leaders to discuss wildfire aid, following the devastating Pacific Palisades and Altadena fires in L.A. While Trump has previously threatened to withhold funding to California, state Sen. Brian Jones said this meeting was rather cooperative. However, there is still no concrete idea for what wildfire aid looks like for California.
Local impact: San Diego has long faced the threat of wildfires. Last week, first responders worked to contain the Border 2 fire at Otay Mountain, which was contained at 6,625 acres. As Sacramento Report writer Deborah Brennan writes, how the state and federal governments handle aid in L.A. could set a precedent for future recovery efforts here.
Funding is another major concern. Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged $2.5 billion in state aid for L.A’s fires, but losses are estimated to be much higher. Originally, lawmakers wanted to utilize the state’s climate bond funds, but Bay Area representatives pushed back, arguing that bond dollars should not be allocated to one area of California. So, the money will come from a general fund instead.
Locally, fire protections have improved since the devastating 2003 Cedar Fire and 2007 Witch Fire. SDG&E upgraded power lines, and county leaders recently approved a new helicopter, water transport vehicles, and expanded brush clearance. Jones said he will do “everything I can to help agencies and departments apply for it,” in reference to funding allocated for aid.
Read the Sacramento Report here.
VOSD Podcast: Much ADU at City Council
On the latest episode, our hosts explain why San Diego’s City Council wants to get rid of an accessory dwelling program.
The pod crew gets into how we got here and what this means for San Diego’s housing production. Listen to the full episode here.
Dig deeper: For the Politics Report, editor Scott Lewis unpacks how the Council’s vibe shift on ADUs went down last week. He also has an update on La Jolla’s efforts to separate from the city of San Diego.
The Politics Report is for members only. Read more here.
In Other News
- The San Diego Padres announced they re-signed catcher Elias Díaz for another year. (AP)
- San Diego has a new poet laureate: Paola Capó-García. (KPBS)
- President Donald Trump’s spending cuts delay a $1 billion federal loan for a Lithium Valley project. (inewsource)
The Morning Report was written by Jim Hinch and Alina Ajaz. It was edited by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña.