This post has been updated.
Turns out, it’s hard to get all nine councilmembers to a City Council meeting.
Even if it concerns the city’s gaping $118 million budget deficit.
Every year, the city of San Diego begins its budget review process for the upcoming fiscal cycle in the spring. City Council President Joe LaCava told Voice of San Diego it has been tough to get colleagues to meetings.
“That’s just not a good look for the Council,” LaCava said. A few weeks ago, he had to end a meeting early because they didn’t have a quorum. “I find it a little embarrassing.”
The City Council has nine councilmembers. Five members must be present to have a quorum so they can hold a meeting and conduct official city business. If the Council has less than five members, they must end a meeting.
LaCava said they have run into scenarios where they are at risk of losing quorum or end up losing quorum. This can delay meetings, policy discussions and votes.
In an email shared with Voice, LaCava expressed his frustration to colleagues after they lost quorum at an April 7 meeting. They did not reach the non-agenda public comment portion of the meeting.
“This is not the first time and, sadly, unlikely to be the last,” he said in the email. “I get it. You make plans. You have busy calendars. To be blunt, that is no excuse for not letting Luz, Heidi, or my team know if you have hard stops. You know this. With no advance warning, it eliminates options to save the meeting.”
District 2 Councilmember Jennifer Campbell has been absent from all the budget review committee meetings.
Margaret Doyle, communications director for Campbell’s office, said the Councilmember has been “dealing with some minor health issues” and monitors the budget meetings at home.
In response to LaCava’s email, Doyle said their office will notify as far in advance about her absences as possible. “Although it is of course difficult to predict how she’ll be feeling more than a few days in advance,” she said.
District 5 Councilmember Marni von Wilpert and District 7 Councilmember Raul Campillo have also been absent for some meetings.
“Like many elected officials, she navigates occasional scheduling conflicts,” said Joshua Stewart, communications director for von Wilpert in an email statement. “But she and her office remain fully involved in budget deliberations, giving voice to District 5 residents and protecting the services working families and neighbors rely on.”
Von Wilpert is also running for the 48th Congressional district seat.
A communications representative from Councilmember Campillo’s office said he was absent from the latest public hearing on the budget because it was rescheduled. The meeting was originally slated for Monday, May 18, but then cancelled due to the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego.
The representative said he had a prior out-of-town commitment, and the meeting was rescheduled during legislative recess.
Still, Council President LaCava told us that budget review committee meetings are booked on the yearly legislative calendar. The meetings dates were shared in a city report in October of last year.
District 4 Councilmember Henry Foster, who is chair of the budget committee, underlined the importance of the meetings.
“Council and committee meetings are where the public’s business gets done, and I believe we all have a responsibility to communicate, coordinate, and keep that work moving,” said Foster. “I take that responsibility seriously. My focus is on showing up for District 4, doing the work, and making sure our communities have a voice in the decisions before us.”
Correction: This post has been updated to correct the Council districts for Councilmembers Henry Foster and Marni von Wilpert.
Henry represents District 4 not 8
I have respect for anyone who steps forward for political office, that said it is a commitment and should be taking seriously. Meeting dates are known far in advance and should be top priority of office holders. It is very disrespectful to the electorate when an elected official misses a meeting. The Council should consider a policy of withholding pay if meeting is missed.
The city charter lets you be absent a lot. Most other people would have been likely layed off.
I miss work, i get fired. They miss work they don’t even apologise.
That’s what happens when arrogant and entitled children get elected to San Diego’s city “clowncil”. It’s pathetic how these elected officials act.
The audacity of San Diego City Council. They should all be replaced. We need people who actually care. These councilmembers are out of touch. They’re just there to collect a paycheck, by doing the bare minimum.
Exactly. If you notice, the entitlement and arrogance that most (but not all) display quickly increases as their terms go on. If the arrogant clowns get elected to a second term, they become absolute trash because they feel untouchable.
If the little pruned runt “doctor” from District 2 can’t get her health together so that she can do her job, she needs to resign immediately. She claims to be monitoring meetings from home but we all know that is bullsh!t. She’s eating bon bons while collecting a paycheck at home doing NOTHING!
The other one running for 48 should be a disqualifier as well. How do you get paid running for the next office?