SAN DIEGO - Last Friday, California Common Cause, the League of Women Voters and Neighborhoods for Clean Elections presented a debate between San Diego mayoral candidates Jerry Sanders and Donna Frye. The debate, held at the UCSD Price Center Theatre, was the first of seven to be held prior to election day, which is Tuesday, November 8.
Winning the coin-toss, Sanders gave his opening statement, in which he highlighted several key issues, including the budget and pension fund deficits.
“We’re in the midst of the most serious crisis we’ve ever been in,” said Sanders. He stipulated that these crises were aggravated by a lack of openness in the way the city conducts its business. “We’re talking about politicians who say one thing, then go behind closed doors and do another. We’re also talking about a culture in which city hall views citizens as adversaries instead of partners.”
In her opening statement, Frye was quick to point out, “For those of you who know me, you know that my public life has been defined by fighting for open and honest government.”
Panelists posed questions to the candidates on a wide range of topics, including the city’s pension fund deficit, campaign financial practices, the new “Strong-Mayor” form of government adopted by the city, and issues concerning the possibility of a new stadium for the San Diego Chargers.
When asked about how he would handle the city government’s new strong-mayor format, Sanders described the position of mayor as “the CEO of an 11,000 member, $2.2 billion enterprise,” and cited his experience as the Chief of Police, his work for the United Way and the Red Cross. According to Sanders, “One of the things that we need to do is get ourselves back on a firm footing. We need to do that by having a strong ethical basis for the way we pursue city governance.”
Responding to the same question, Frye said, “My first plan is to make sure that you know that the mayor is accountable to you. The second thing I would do is structure the mayor’s office much differently than it is now. I envision my strong-mayor office to be cabinet-structured, and I would eliminate the position of City Manager, because when the voters voted for the strong-mayor, the mayor became the City Manager.”
Frye also said she would spend much more time talking with the people than have the mayors of the past, and that her cabinet would be comprised of people from the community who reflect the diversity of San Diego, instead of “business as usual” politics.
Sanders echoed Frye’s statements about spending more time in the community. The candidates seemed to agree that the new form of government would allow the next mayor to do that.
As to the position of City Manager, Sanders said his City Manager, who he compared to a Chief Operations Officer of a corporation, would be Admiral Ronne Froman. “The reason I want someone like Admiral Froman, is because she has run the largest navy region in the world.”
Both candidates outlined their financial plans. Both call for streamlining city government.
Frye pointed out large unpaid debts owed to the city by several redevelopment agencies, the collection of which would provide $500 million in funding for city services. She also promised, “The thing I would do the first day that I was elected, would be to make sure that the city ceased to recognize as a liability the illegal [pension] benefits,” which she said would bring an additional $500 million to city coffers.
Sanders disagreed, saying the city couldn’t legally cut pension benefits without court approval. Instead, he stated his intention to use the possibility of bankruptcy proceedings as leverage to force labor unions to renegotiate pension benefits for the city’s workers.
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Responding to a question about keeping the Chargers in San Diego by providing public lands for a new stadium or a ticket guarantee, Sanders said, “I hope I don’t look that dumb.” He called for public discussions with the Chargers. According to Sanders, there is no dialogue between the team and the City Council. He said the Chargers are on their own, it’s up to them to sell San Diegans on paying for a new stadium, “and that’s going to be a tough sell.” He asserted that all of the city’s resources would have to be used to pay for city services, saying, “We don’t have any money.”
Sanders also cited environmental issues concerning the Chargers current home, Quaalcom Stadium, specifically, the fuel storage facilities to the northwest. “Who knows what’s under that stadium parking lot?”
Frye disagreed with Sanders on several points, saying the Chargers had agreed to work with the City Council, and that “we know what’s under the stadium.”
“We know exactly what’s happening with that tank farm, we have leaking, and the City of San Diego is in the process of requiring Kinder-Morgan, who owns the tank farm, to clean that up.”
Frye asserted that any deal for a new stadium for the Chargers must “benefit the people of San Diego.” She said any deal must include a provision for public parklands in Mission Valley.
The debate concluded with questions from the public.
Although there are several areas in which the candidates by and large agree, most notably on the issue of open government, their presentations and styles are miles apart. Sanders hopes to present himself as a business-minded outsider and financial reformer, while Frye styles herself as the people’s candidate, a role many San Diegans believe she epitomizes.
The debate was the first in a series of seven scheduled meetings between the two candidates. The debate can be viewed in its entirety website online.
A second debate was held on Wednesday, October 5th. The next debate will be held at Miramar College on Friday, October 7th, at 7 PM. Donna Frye has posted her entire campaign schedule on her website. Jerry Sanders' website, includes his schedule and his detailed fiscal recovery plan.
Sanders and Frye were the two top candidates chosen by voters in the recent special mayoral election. The run-off between the two candidates is scheduled for November 8, 2005.
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