Monday, June 5, 2017 - NEWS RELEASE

San Diego – Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer today released the following statement in response to the City Council’s decision to remove funding for a November 2017 special election from the Fiscal Year 2018 Budget:

“A City Council majority is supporting the unprecedented step of blocking a public election by stripping funding from the budget. This short-sighted move results in denying the public a vote and getting nothing accomplished for our city.

The City Council majority wants to make San Diegans wait for more road repairs, wait to address the homeless crisis, wait to bring back tourism jobs, and jeopardize a chance to get a major league sports franchise.

I intend to use my veto authority to restore the special election funding, while still retaining the added funding for our police, so the City Council can take an up-or-down vote on these urgent ballot measures.

The City Council should not ignore these time-sensitive issues – and give San Diegans the opportunity to vote this year.”

The City Council voted to approve the overall $3.6 billion budget, but four Councilmembers – Chris Cate, Mark Kersey, Scott Sherman and Lorie Zapf – expressed their strong support for funding the special election. The City Charter requires a supermajority of the City Council – six of nine votes – to override a mayoral veto.

CONTACT: Craig Gustafson at (619) 453-9880 or cgustafson@sandiego.gov