I personally will not vote for a sales tax increase until the council reverses any commercial/industrial zoning to residential changes they can and puts a charter amendment on the ballot forbidding councils from doing this in the future. We are so low in sales tax revenue because councils have made us a bedroom community. We need vibrant industrial and commercial centers to provide jobs and income to the city. We have one of lowest sales tax incomes in the county.
Also it is outrageous and totally out of line with other cities what our part time council people and full time mayor get paid—more than in San Diego city with a strong mayor form of government for a whole lot less work.
Chula Vista has a city manager form of government and the charter specifically forbids council members from interfering in any way with the way he manages the city. Their salaries are so high because the mayor’s salary is 66 % of a Superior Court judge’s salary (which constantly goes up) and the council members get 40% of her salary. We need a charter amendment to change this. $70,000 for a part time council position with a pension and all health benefits is ridiculous.
Mary Salas of Chula Vista was the sixth-highest paid mayor in California in 2015, while San Diego’s Kevin Faulconer was 10th, according to state figures, Mayor Salas was paid $136,785 and received more than $50,000 in health and retirement benefits. Faulconer earned $96,974, with around $19,000 in benefits. Our city employees were 87th at $63,093 and San Diego 100th at $60,938. Chula Vista residents need to demand changes in salary be on ballot with any tax increase.
Theresa Acerro resides in Chula Vista.
