The mayor’s proposed budget, Midway Rising, and public control over Liberty Station were on the docket at the latest forum showcasing District 2’s options for their next city council member.
Not surprisingly, Midway Rising, a massive development in the heart of the rundown Midway District, was at the forefront of some residents’ minds.
Six of the seven candidates who are appearing on the June ballot showcased their positions on Midway Rising and more at the Liberty Station Conference Center in a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters, along with the Point Loma Association.
They’re vying over the District 2 seat, which includes the Peninsula, Mission Bay Park area and Clairemont, and is currently held by Jen Campbell, who is termed out.
Over 250 people attended the forum to hear the candidates’ views on the district’s most pressing issues, with Midway Rising chief among them. Most of the candidates agreed that the area needs some serious TLC, but their thoughts on how the area should be developed vary.
Nicole Crosby, a former deputy city attorney living in Clairemont, said that Midway Rising needs to happen to revitalize the area, but it needs to have transportation baked into the plans.
Richard Bailey, the former mayor of Coronado who recently moved to Point Loma, said that the sheer size of the project is not necessary. He dug into to the Surplus Land Act – which makes public land available for sale and prioritizes developments that include low-income housing – as a detrimental piece of this puzzle.
Paul Suppa, an attorney who lives in Point Loma, steered away from rhetoric that the site needs to be revitalized and stated plainly that the project should have been “dead on arrival.”
Josh Coyne, a former city staffer who now works with the Downtown Partnership and lives in Point Loma, referred to his previous work on early stages of the plan and said he’s ready to see it happen soon.
Jacob Mitchell, a chemist and lifelong Point Loma resident, said he feels conflicted about the actual development on the basis of the current incentives for wealthy developers. However, he would support the project with community cooperation.
Mandy Havlik, a community volunteer living in Point Loma, said she would not support the project. She brought up the recent California Supreme Court ruling reinstating the height limit in the Midway District and said the project would be breaking the law.
Residents had ther potential land developments on their minds too.
Mary Sypkens has lived in Point Loma since 2009 and volunteers on the “Mean Green Team,” part of the Point Loma Association that maintains the peninsula’s public spaces. She said that in the time she’s lived there, the public space has deteriorated.
Currently, Liberty Station’s largest leaseholder, Seligman Group, wants to own part of the property and is currently suing the city arguing that it doesn’t have plans to redevelop it. This could force a sale.
Except for Bailey, each candidate agreed that the city should work to keep Liberty Station under the city’s ownership.
“For us to think that we’re going to do another bad real estate deal and just give it away for free, we should be rioting,” Crosby said. “Not that I’m inciting anything, but it is truly important for us to take seriously the value that that space has to our community.”
Others echoed this concern about the idea of a developer taking control of a prime community space in Point Loma.
“They [Seligman] want to steal our property. And they want to steal our money,” Havlik said.
Sypkens’ husband, Scott, chimed in that infrastructure and maintenance issues are structural problems. He echoed Bailey’s closing statement that there is a “lack of city pride” in maintaining resources and relationships with constituents.
The Sypkens said they were pleasantly surprised with Mitchell’s knowledge of the issues, but for now, they are eyeing Havlik and Coyne as the best candidates for their votes. When it comes to Bailey, Scott said he would like that he is a “disruptor,” but can’t get behind the former mayor’s politics.
“I don’t believe he’s not a Republican anymore,” Sypkens said.
Bailey made his politics clear in response to evaluating the city’s sanctuary status. Each of the five others at the forum said they would uphold the city’s current practice of not cooperating with ICE’s immigration enforcement, but Bailey did not.
“But for some reason it started becoming increasingly controversial, and I think that’s due to the rhetoric at a national level. I also think it’s due to rhetoric at the local level,” Bailey said.
“We should want our local officials cooperating with federal officials for the betterment of our communities, not for their political causes.”
Bob Boriss, 82, a Clairemont resident at the forum, said Bailey seems like the prime candidate for him. He’s looking for someone who will make tough decisions regarding the budget.
The crowd, aware of the mayor’s proposed budget, listened as candidates answered prompts about what they would protect and what they would slash as part of the city council.
Mitchell, Crosby, Havlik and Suppa all addressed the cuts to arts and culture. Crosby, Mitchell and Coyne, specifically questioned why the mayor would cut an element of the budget that creates revenue.
Havlik and Bailey both advocated slashing middle management. Suppa and Mitchell suggested cutting back on police funding.
Where Crosby suggested the city take on a more aggressive approach in applying for one-time grants for projects like the Ocean Beach pier, Havlik and Bailey criticized the idea of grant-funding in their own remarks.
Lyle Bellar, an Ocean Beach resident, is looking for someone who is an engaged, present representative who considers community input. He said that he is undecided on who to vote for but, “in the end, it’s going to boil down to trust.”
Mireya Miner contributed to this report.
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