Smart people will oppose ‘strong mayor’ measure

By Frances O’neill Zimmerman

La Jolla resident

What is Carl deMaio doing opining in the La Jolla Light? He represents folks up in the Scripps Ranch area on the City Council.

Oh, I get it. He is urging us to vote for a proposition in June that ultimately may make his ambitious self the “strong mayor” of San Diego.

Well, no thanks.

Smart people will vote no on Prop. D, which makes “Strong Mayor” permanent. They will join the respected League of Women Voters and the Sierra Club and vote no on Prop D, and here are the reasons:

Prop. D weakens the City Council’s ability to meet neighborhood needs such as parks, open libraries, repair of broken streetlights, sewers, streets and sidewalks, clean beaches and public safety. In lieu of neighborhood services, Prop. D will bring more downtown redevelopment and trophy building projects.

Prop. D disproportionately concentrates political power in the mayor’s office, giving undue access to influence peddlers and the usual monied interests that finance mayoral elections.

Prop. D requires us to create and pay for an additional City Council seat.

Prop. D removes the mayor from public scrutiny at televised City Council meetings where there are recorded votes and public debate on issues.

Prop D. permits the mayor’s public relations flacks to block the flow of public information to media, citizens and City Council staff’s constituent services.

Prop. D permits politized mayoral appointees to run City departments rather than qualified and experienced civil servants.

Finally, take a look at the money going into the Prop. D campaign.

Developers and downtown businesses paid to get it on the ballot and they are paying even more for the TV time, the robo-calls to our homes and the junk mail fliers. Why do you imagine such huge amounts of money are behind this push?