Republicans warn Democrats have votes to pass SANDAG’s Regional Transportation Plan

December 9, 2021

KUSI Newsroom,

Posted: December 9, 2021

Updated: 5:19 PM

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is set to vote on their $163 BILLION Regional Transportation Plan Friday (tomorrow).

The plan is designed to build public transit projects throughout the county, with more emphasis on certain areas compared to others. But, San Diegans and many SANDAG Board members themselves are outraged about all of the new taxes included in the proposal.

To date, the only SANDAG Board member willing to come on KUSI News and support the plan publicly is the unelected Chief Executive Officer, Hasan Ikhrata. No other alleged supporters are willing to put their face on TV in support of raising taxes on San Diegans. Furthermore, SANDAG’s voting system gives more weight to the cities with larger populations, meaning the cities of San Diego and Chula Vista together hold 50% of the vote.

Both San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and Chula Vista Mayor Mary Salas are expected to be in favor of the plan. Neither of which have accepted offers to detail their support to the public on KUSI News.

Opponents, all of the elected Republicans, are not hesitating to voice their opposition.

County Supervisor Jim Desmond, San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones and El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells have led the fight in opposition to the plan, but due to the weighted voting system SANDAG uses, it has been an uphill battle.

KUSI’s Ed Lenderman spoke to all three Thursday on Good Morning San Diego, as they detailed why they expect the controversial Regional Transportation Plan to pass.

SANDAG Board of Directors as of November 24, 2021

Chair
Hon. Catherine Blakespear

First Vice Chair
Hon. Todd Gloria

Second Vice Chair
Hon. Alejandra Sotelo-Solis

Chief Executive Officer
Hasan Ikhrata

City of Carlsbad
Hon. Matt Hall, Mayor
(A) Hon. Priya Bhat-Patel, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Keith Blackburn, Mayor Pro Tem

City of Chula Vista
Hon. Mary Salas, Mayor
(A) Hon. Steve Padilla, Councilmember
(A) Hon. John McCann, Councilmember

City of Coronado
Hon. Richard Bailey, Mayor
(A) Hon. Bill Sandke, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Mike Donovan, Councilmember

City of Del Mar
Hon. Terry Gaasterland, Mayor
(A) Hon. Dave Druker, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Dan Quirk, Councilmember

City of El Cajon
Hon. Bill Wells, Mayor
(A) Hon. Steve Goble, Deputy Mayor

City of Encinitas
Hon. Catherine Blakespear, Mayor
(A) Hon. Joe Mosca, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Kellie Hinze, Councilmember

City of Escondido
Hon. Paul McNamara, Mayor
(A) Hon. Mike Morasco, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Consuelo Martinez, Councilmember

City of Imperial Beach
Hon. Serge Dedina, Mayor
(A) Hon. Ed Spriggs, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Paloma Aguirre, Councilmember

City of La Mesa
Hon. Jack Shu, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Mark Arapostathis, Mayor
(A) Hon. Bill Baber, Councilmember

City of Lemon Grove
Hon. Racquel Vasquez, Mayor
(A) Hon. Jennifer Mendoza, Councilmember
(A) Hon. George Gastil, Councilmember

City of National City
Hon. Alejandra Sotelo-Solis, Mayor
(A) Hon. Mona Rios, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Marcus Bush, Councilmember

City of Oceanside
Hon. Christopher Rodriguez, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Ryan Keim, Councilmember
(A) Vacant

City of Poway
Hon. Steve Vaus, Mayor
(A) Hon. John Mullin, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Caylin Frank, Councilmember

City of San Diego
Hon. Todd Gloria, Mayor
(A) Hon. Vivian Moreno, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Marni von Wilpert, Councilmember

Hon. Jennifer Campbell, Council President
(A) Hon. Raul Campillo, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Joe LaCava, Councilmember

City of San Marcos
Hon. Rebecca Jones, Mayor
(A) Hon. Sharon Jenkins, Mayor Pro Tem
(A) Hon. Ed Musgrove, Councilmember

City of Santee
Hon. John Minto, Mayor
(A) Hon. Laura Koval, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Rob McNelis, Councilmember

City of Solana Beach
Hon. Lesa Heebner, Mayor
(A) Hon. David A. Zito, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Jewel Edson, Councilmember

City of Vista
Hon. Judy Ritter, Mayor
(A) Hon. John Franklin, Councilmember
(A) Hon. Joe Green, Deputy Mayor

County of San Diego
Hon. Terra Lawson-Remer, Supervisor
(A) Hon. Nora Vargas, Supervisor

Hon. Joel Anderson, Supervisor
(A) Hon. Nora Vargas, Supervisor

California Department of Transportation
(Advisory Member)
Toks Omishakin, Executive Director
(A) Gustavo Dallarda, District 11 Director
(A) Ann Fox, Deputy Director

Metropolitan Transit System
(Advisory Member)
Hon. Paloma Aguirre
(A) Hon. Vivian Moreno

North County Transit District
(Advisory Member)
Hon. Tony Kranz
(A) Hon. Sharon Jenkins
(A) Hon. Priya Bhat-Patel

Imperial County
(Advisory Member)
Hon. Jesus Eduardo Escobar, Supervisor
(A) Mark Baza, Imperial County Transportation Commission

United States Department of Defense
(Advisory Member)
Dennis Keck, Navy Region Southwest, Executive Director
(A) Steve Chung, Navy Region Southwest

Port of San Diego
(Advisory Member)
Hon. Garry Bonelli, Commissioner
(A) Hon. Dan Malcolm, Commissioner

San Diego County Water Authority
(Advisory Member)
Mel Katz, Director
(A) Consuelo Martinez
(A) Hon. Mona Rios

Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association
(Advisory Member)
Hon. Cody Martinez, Chairman,
Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation
Hon. Erica Pinto, Chairwoman,
Jamul Indian Village of California

Mexico (Consulate General of Mexico)
(Advisory Member)
Hon. Carlos González Gutiérrez
Cónsul General of Mexico
(A) Hon. Mario Figueroa
Deputy Cónsul General of Mexico
(A) Hon. Natalia Figueroa, Vice Consul

San Diego County Regional Airport Authority
(Advisory Member)
Gil Cabrera
(A) Johanna Schiavoni