The People’s Business – October 13, 2026
Four Committees meet this week. Rules will hear an item at exposing dark money and banning shadow campaigns. Public Safety considers responses to two Grand Jury reports. Environment will look at a contract for vacuum pumping services for a wastewater treatment facility. Land Use and Housing will consider items related to Midway Rising.
From the Office of Council President Joe LaCava
Rules Committee Meeting – October 14, 2026 – 9 a.m.
Item 1 – Approval of Committee Minutes
Item 2 - Ending Perpetual Fundraising Ordinance
The City of San Diego's Election Campaign Control Ordinance (ECCO) currently allows fundraising to begin at different times depending on when a candidate files their paperwork. The proposed amendment would set one consistent starting line exactly one year before the election, giving every candidate the same window to raise and spend funds.
The period during which candidates may raise and spend campaign funds would begin at the same point for every candidate, aligned with the corresponding campaign disclosure periods for the applicable primary election.
The purpose is straightforward in shortening the season of fundraising to keep the focus on governing, and making sure the viability of candidates is judged by support rather than by who started raising money first.
Item 3 - Amendments to the San Diego Municipal Code to Expose Dark Money and Ban Shadow Campaigns
Today, wealthy and powerful special interest groups, corporations, and individuals can secretly spend unlimited amounts of money promoting their preferred future candidate for office without ever having to disclose how much was spent or who was behind the money.
During campaigns, those same wealthy and powerful special interest groups, corporations, and individuals can use political action committees (PACs) to spend unlimited amounts of money to support or oppose ballot measures and candidates for public office while hiding behind phony names created for the specific purpose of deceiving the public about the true source of the money being spent.
This item proposes closing those gaps in San Diego’s campaign finance rules by requiring disclosure of “shadow campaign” spending, requiring campaign communications to name top funders and the true source of the campaign spending.
Item 4 - Presentation from the Funds Commission, Council Policy 000-26
In accordance with Council Policy 000-26, the Funds Commission will provide an update to the Committee regarding the status of the funds being supervised by the Commission.
There are currently seven funds under the supervision of the Funds Commission, which include the Cemetery Perpetuity Fund, Edwin A. Benjamin Memorial Fund, Effie E. Sergeant Memorial Fund, Gladys Edna Peters Memorial Fund, Jane Cameron Fund, Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve Fund and Phillip L. Green Memorial Fund.
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Public Safety Committee Meeting – October 14, 2026 – 2 p.m.
Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda
Consent Agenda
Item 1 – Approval of Committee Minutes
Item 2 – Item has been removed
Item 3 - Authorization to Enter into a Contract with Rotorcraft Support Inc. for Helicopter Maintenance and Administrative Support to the Police Department.
The San Diego Police Department is requesting approval to authorize the execution of a contract with Rotorcraft Support Inc. to provide maintenance and administrative support services to the Police Department’s four Airbus helicopters for a term of five years and a contract total not to exceed $11,696,200.
Discussion Agenda
Item 4 - Proposed Response to Grand Jury Report – “San Diego Commission on Police Practices”
The Grand Jury report “San Diego Commission on Police Practices” includes four findings and five recommendations, of which two recommendations are directed at the City Council; the remaining recommendations are directed at the Mayor and San Diego Police Department.
The proposed joint response covers these findings and recommendations. The City’s response is due to the Presiding Judge of the San Diego Superior Court by November 20, 2026.
Item 5 - Proposed Response to Grand Jury Report - “Playing with Fire: The High Stakes of Low Inspection Completion"
The Grand Jury report “Playing with Fire: The High Stakes of Low Inspection Completion” includes nine findings and nine recommendations, of which three are directed to the Mayor and the City Council. T
he proposed joint Mayoral and Council response in IBA Report 26-23 covers these findings and recommendations. The City’s response is due to the Presiding Judge of the San Diego Superior Court by December 9, 2026
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Environment Committee Meeting – October 15, 2026 – 1 p.m.
Item 1 – Approval of Committee Minutes
Item 2 - Authorization to Execute a Contract with Patriot Environmental Services, Inc. (ITB 10090443-26-A) to Provide as needed Vacuum Pumping Services at Public Utilities Wastewater Treatment Facilities
This item requests authorization to execute a five year contract with Patriot Environmental Services, Inc, in an amount not to exceed $12,100,000.00. The contract will be utilized across multiple wastewater treatment facilities for as-needed vacuum pumping services to remove heavy solids, sewage, grit, sludge, stormwater, and other accumulated materials in support of facility maintenance, weather events, and other operational needs.
Item 3 - SDG&E Presentation on Climate Equity, Customer Equity, and Undergrounding
As a component of the Electric and Gas Franchise agreements, SDG&E and the City of San Diego executed an Energy Cooperation Agreement outlining actions and commitments that furthered the City’s policy and energy objectives.
One of these commitments is for SDG&E to offer to present to the appropriate City Council Committee once a year on utility undergrounding, customer equity, and climate equity initiatives. This item is for information only.
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Special Land Use and HousingCommittee Meeting - October 16, 2026 – 1 p.m.
LU & H Committee Meeting Agenda
Consent Agenda
Item 1 – Approval of Committee Minutes
Item 2 - Authorize the City of San Diego to Accept Donation of Endowment Funds for Long-term Management of Clayton Vernal Pool Preserve
This action is to authorize the acceptance of a monetary donation from developer JL Xpress, Inc. in the amount of $561,477.92 to create a non-wasting endowment account for the long-term management of the Clayton Vernal Pool Preserve (Preserve), which consists of 17.24 acres of biological open space located in the Otay Mesa community.
Item 3 - Accept a donation of approximately 8.56 acres of land in East Elliott, identified as Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 366-050-11 and 366-050-13, from the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation
This item proposes accepting a donation of approximately 8.56 acres of undeveloped land, consisting of two parcels identified as Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 366-050-11 and 366-050-, located west of Sycamore Canyon Road in the East Elliott area of San Diego, from the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation.
Item 4 - Declare City-owned real property at 4069 30th Street, San Diego, CA (Property), "surplus land" under the Surplus Land Act (California Government Code sections 54220-54234)
This item would declare City-owned real property at 4069 30th Street, San Diego, CA (Property), “surplus land” under the Surplus Land Act.
The City-owned property located at 4069 30th Street is situated in the North Park community and was acquired by the City in 1987 for the development of a Mid-City Multi-Service Center. The site consists of approximately 6,970 square feet of land and is improved with a two-story office building totaling approximately 7,960 square feet. The building is currently vacant following the departure of the previous tenant in February 2026.
Item 5 - 25-year Franchise Agreement between the City of San Diego and JET Infrastructure Holding IA, LLC
This action is to grant a Twenty-Five year Franchiseto JET Infrastructure Holding IA, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, for the continued operation and maintenance of an existing pipeline in the City right-of-way. The pipeline is used exclusively to transport and deliver jet fuel to San Diego International Airport
Discussion Agenda
Item 6 - Request Approval of the Disposition and Development Agreement between the City of San Diego and Midway Rising LLC, a Delaware limited liability company for the City-owned property located at 3500, 3250, 3220, and 3240 Sports Arena Boulevard within the Midway-Pacific Highway Community of San Diego and related actions
This item would Request to approve the Disposition and Development Agreement between the City of San Diego and Midway Rising LLC, a Delaware limited liability company for the redevelopment of the under-utilized, 48.5 acre City-owned real property located at 3500, 3250, 3220, and 3240 Sports Arena Boulevard within the Midway-Pacific Highway Community of San Diego.
It would be redeveloped into a mixed-use, affordable housing project and make related findings regarding the Project’s fulfillment of economic opportunity objectives consistent with Government Code section 52201, certify Subsequent Environmental Impact, adopt California Environmental Quality Act Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations, and adopt a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program.
Item 7 - Intention to form an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District for the Redevelopment of the San Diego Sports Arena Site
This item would approve a resolution of intent to form the proposed Midway Rising Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (Midway Rising EIFD). Approval of a resolution establishing the Midway Rising EIFD Public Financing Authority (PFA) as the governing body of the proposed Midway Rising EIFD.
On March 11, 2024, City Council approved a resolution supporting the exploration of an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District, or similar alternative funding mechanism to assist with redeveloping the San Diego’s Sports Arena site.
Since the last update to City Council in September 2025, the City and Midway Rising have continued to move forward with negotiations, as well as evaluation of the feasibility of an EIFD. City staff, including the Economic Development Department and Department of Finance, propose to move forward with the Resolution of Intent, which is the first step towards the formation of an EIFD to provide funding for the Midway Rising redevelopment project.
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