Last month, Jason Romero, the assistant superintendent for human resources at the Chula Vista Elementary School District, resigned for unexplained reasons.
A copy of Romero’s resignation agreement obtained by Voice of San Diego through a public records request shows Romero’s departure will cost the district more than $360,000.
In a joint statement, both the district and Romero characterized Romero’s departure as voluntary, saying the district made no findings of wrongdoing against him and he did not resign in lieu of termination.
The district did not respond to other questions.
The agreement specifies that the district will pay a total of $364,824 in connection with Romero’s departure – $217,324 to Romero plus $147,500 to a law firm representing Romero for unspecified “attorneys’ fees and costs.”
The agreement also requires that the terms of Romero’s resignation be kept confidential and prohibits both Romero and the district from making disparaging or damaging comments about one another.
Politics Report: It’s Vacation Rental Week, Again
Almost five years after San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and the City Council passed regulations and fees for vacation rentals, we are about to begin another battle over them.
On Wednesday, the City Council’s Rules Committee will officially consider Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera’s proposal to tax whole-home vacation rentals and empty second homes $8,000 per year (he dropped the per-room calculation).
Our Scott Lewis wrote about how Elo-Rivera has shifted to focusing on the potential that the tax could create more housing opportunities as its primary benefit. Either the tax will force homes onto the for-sale or rental market or it will bring the city money for services.
Opponents responded that it won’t create a single new home.
Members can read the Politics Report here.
Dispatch from City Hall: ‘Welcome to the People’s Office’
Late last week, protestors took command of Mayor Todd Gloria’s office lobby. Police officers arrested six people.
Our Mariana Martínez Barba was there watching it all unfold.
On Friday morning, individuals demanded a meeting with Gloria to discuss concerns about what police officers can do during interactions with Immigration Customs Enforcement agents. Later that day, the six individuals barricaded themselves inside the lobby. They were in there so long they ordered food.
“We got some burritos in here, we made sure we’re fed, got some hydration in – because this is the people’s office,” said a man through the lobby’s glass doors. “And we gotta take care of the people.”
Gloria said in a statement that his staff had met with the group the week before. Activist Tasha Williamson, who was outside the lobby, also confirmed this meeting, but said the mayor was not present. The group had demanded to meet with the mayor.
“In my State of the City address last week, and through the executive order I signed in July, I made it clear that the San Diego Police Department does not participate in federal immigration enforcement,” he said in his statement.
San Diego Police Capt. Ryan Hallahan said they arrested six people under charges of trespassing and possible vandalism.
Related: San Diego politicians had a lot to say about the killing of a man by federal agents in Minneapolis Saturday morning. “Kristi Noem should resign – or be impeached,” wrote Rep. Sara Jacobs about the secretary of homeland security.
“Abolish ICE. Block their funding. Prosecute the murderers,” wrote Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera. He called on the city to prohibit any future hiring of the agents involved into city employment.
And when President Donald Trump issued a statement calling on Democratic mayors and governors to “cooperate with the Trump administration to enforce our nation’s laws, rather than resist and stoke the flames of division,” Mayor Todd Gloria said no.
“Reckless and lawless actions by federal agents are making our communities less safe and fueling division and chaos. San Diego will not cooperate with that,” he wrote.
Sacramento Report: Cue the Suspense
The race is on for bills trying to get across the finish line.
That includes Assemblymember David Alvarez’s proposal, Assembly Bill 35, to help climate projects funded by a voter-approved $10 billion climate bond to be disbursed more quickly, writes Nadia Lathan.
Bills introduced last year are running up against a deadline next week, leading to a frenzy among lawmakers to get them passed. Alvarez’s proposal is expected to go up for a floor vote in the Assembly this week.
Suspense day also came and went at the legislature in a not-so-suspensful way. In short, lawmakers this week looked at which remaining bills from last year would advance after being placed in a “suspense file” where lawmakers decided in private if they’ll move forward.
Mayor Todd Gloria was also in Sacramento this week advocating for more homelessness funding dollars and Encinitas Democrat Catherine Blakespear has plans to reintroduce a bill that would force counties to help cities with the costs of shelters.
Read the Sacramento Report here.
VOSD Podcast: Wonder Woman Is Cautiously Optimistic
San Diego’s at a pivotal moment in its history according to Mayor Todd Gloria. Following his state of the city address the podcast crew digs into all the promises and announcements he shared on his big day.
Will the Convention Center actually get its much needed makeover? Can the city tackle the Sports Arena and Golden Hall redevelopments?
And what is really going on with the mayor’s “extremely functional” relationship? The hosts dig into this and more.
Plus: Now you can watch the podcast and listen to it or listen and watch or a little of both on YouTube.
In Other News
- A poll showed 80 percent San Diegans want parking fees in Balboa Park repealed or reduced. The poll conducted by Survey USA for The San Diego Union-Tribune and 10News comes after increased pressure from residents and other local stakeholders to call off paid parking. (Union-Tribune)
- San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria wants to put the city auditor’s budget on the chopping block. At an audit committee meeting last week, the mayor proposed shaving 7 percent from the city’s independent office responsible for investigations into complaints regarding financial fraud, waste, and impropriety. The committee rejected the cuts. (CBS 8)
- Two years after the January floods, survivors in Shelltown are calling for the city of San Diego to do more to maintain storm channels and are hoping to win dozens of lawsuits against the city. (KPBS)
- Records show despite a county policy that restricts work with immigration officials, San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez repeatedly ignored it – as she said she would when the Board of Supervisors passed the policy. (inewsource)
The Morning Report was written by Mariana Martínez Barba. It was edited by Andrea Sanchez-Villafaña.