Aug 04, 2026 Special City Council

[00:00:01]

MY FRIENDS. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.

[1.CALL TO ORDER]

I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THE INTERPRETER. TAKE A MOMENT TO EXPLAIN THE CITY'S INTERPRETATION SERVICES THAT WILL BE OFFERED FOR THIS EVENING CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. THE FOLLOWING WILL BE AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR OUR SPANISH SPEAKING PARTICIPANTS.

MUY BUENAS TARDES. EL CABILDO, THE NATIONAL CITY CONTINUA OFRECIENDO INTERPRETACION SIMULTANEA AL ESPANOL.

SI NOS ACOMPANAN LA TRANSMISION EN VIVO VIA ZOOM Y DE SER ESCUCHAR EN ESPANOL, POR FAVOR OF INTERPRETATION, Y SELECCIONE ESPANOL APARECE AL CORTES DE SU PANTALLA.

SI NO LO VE SIMPLEMENTE DAR CLIC EN SU CELULAR O TABLETA LOS PUNTOS MAS LUEGO SELECCIONE INTERPRETACION Y FINALMENTE ESPANOL PARA QUIENES PREFIEREN ACOMPANARNOS EN PERSONA EN LA SALA DE CABILDO, O LA SALA DE CONFERENCIAS CONTAMOS CON RECEPTORES PARA Q ES EL INTERPRETACION SIMULTANEA AL ESPANOL POR FAVOR SOLICITA EL RECEPTOR A LA SECRETARIA MUNICIPAL.

GRACIAS. AND THANK YOU, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND AS A REMINDER, IF WE COULD ASK EVERYONE TO SILENCE ANY ALL CELL PHONES OR OTHER DEVICES IN THE CHAMBER, PLEASE. APPRECIATE THAT. WITH THAT, I WOULD CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.

A LIVE WEBCAST OF THE MEETING MAY BE VIEWED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.

IF YOU'RE WATCHING LIVE VIA ZOOM AND VIEWING THE SPANISH VERSION OF THE MEETING, INTERPRETER INSTRUCTIONS WILL APPEAR IN THE CHAT BOX AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN.

FOR THOSE WHO PREFER TO SIT IN THE CHAMBER, HEADSETS ARE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE LIVE SPANISH TRANSLATION.

PLEASE SEE THE CITY CLERK'S DESK TO CHECK OUT A HEADSET AND THE NOTICE AGENDA AND INFORMATION ON THE CITY OF NASHVILLE CITY'S WEBSITE INFORMS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT THEY MAY SUBMIT A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OR A PUBLIC COMMENT ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, EITHER IN PERSON, BY SUBMITTING A SALMON COLORED REQUEST TO ENTER A COMMENT QUEUE SLIP.

AND THAT WILL BE GOING OVER TO OUR CITY CLERK'S OFFICE OR NOT OFFICE, BUT DESK AND VIA ZOOM BY REGISTERING ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND THEN RAISE YOUR HANDS DURING THE, DURING THE ITEM TO COMMENT OR EMAILING NO LATER THAN FOUR HOURS BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING.

ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED ARE DISTRIBUTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL BEFORE THE MEETING AND ARE PUBLISHED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, IF RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE. WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? HERE. PRESENT. HERE. PRESENT. PRESENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

CAN WE PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? REMAIN STANDING FOR AN INVOCATION.

REMEMBER YOUR MONEY. THANK YOU. PLEASE STAND READY.

BEGIN. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

PASTOR, PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL CITY CLERGY ASSOCIATION.

LET'S BOW OUR HEARTS TO PRAY FOR THIS EVENING.

GRACIOUS LORD, WE'RE THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL. ONE MORE TIME.

YOU BRING THIS COUNCIL TOGETHER. WE'RE AWARE, OH GOD, THAT YOU SET PERSONS IN LEADERSHIP AND IN GOVERNMENT.

AND TONIGHT, LORD, WE WANT TO PRAY FOR THE MAYOR, THE VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, AND ALL THOSE WHO ARE INVOLVED TODAY.

TONIGHT, LORD, IN MAKING DECISIONS. WE'RE THANKFUL FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT EVEN TONIGHT AROUND OUR COUNTY, AS WE HONOR THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT PROTECT US.

WE'RE. THANK YOU FOR THE CHIEF HERE IN NATIONAL CITY, THE CAPTAINS, SERGEANTS ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LINE, THOSE WHO NIGHTLY DAILY PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY.

WOULD YOU WATCH OVER THEM AND ALSO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AS WELL? WE'RE THANKFUL, LORD, THAT WE LIVE IN SUCH A TIME AND SUCH AN AGE, IN SUCH A PLACE WHICH WE CALL THE 91950, WHERE THEY CAN CONVENE AND HANDLE THE DECISIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE TODAY IN YOUR WORD REMINDS US YOU WOULD KEEP US IN PERFECT PEACE IF OUR MINDS ARE STAYED ON YOU AND ALL THAT'S ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING. LORD, MAY THERE BE COHESIVENESS, MAY THERE BE HUMILITY, MAY THERE BE WORKABILITY. AND MOST OF ALL, MAY THEY BE PEACE.

IN THE CHAMBERS TONIGHT, WORKING OUT THE SITUATIONS ON THE AGENDA HERE THIS EVENING.

WE'RE THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT WE HAVE TAKING NOTHING FOR GRANTED.

WE WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE GIVEN US HERE IN THE 91950 IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY.

AMEN. THANK YOU. PLEASE BE SEATED. WITH THAT, WE WILL NOW HEAR PUBLIC

[5.PUBLIC COMMENT]

[00:05:03]

AND FOR OUR COUNCIL 100 FOR OUR CITY CLERK, CHAPPELL WILL REPORT THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC COMMENTS.

AND EACH SPEAKER WILL BE ALLOWED TWO MINUTES ON THAT ONE.

AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO. HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE AT THIS POINT? JUST TWO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR REPRESENTING AT THE LARGEST FILIPINO AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP FESTIVAL ON JULY 18TH AT NTC PARK.

THAT IS THE LARGEST FESTIVAL IN THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO.

AND NATIONAL CITY WAS WELL REPRESENTED. MANY BUSINESSES WERE PARTICIPATING SPONSORING, NAMELY VALERIO'S BAKESHOP, SAN DIEGO, PORKY'S, LECHON, CUJO EATS, AND A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS AND RESIDENTS.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING AND ALSO PRESENTING A PROCLAMATION TO OUR COMMUNITY, FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WE CELEBRATED THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE TREATY OF MANILA.

AND IF MANY IN THE ROOM DO NOT KNOW, THAT IS OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY FROM THE UNITED STATES AFTER BEING COLONIZED FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS.

AND FOR DIPLOMATIC FOR DIPLOMATIC GESTURE, THERE IS THE PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP DAY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE CELEBRATED AT NTC PARK, WHICH IS ALSO HISTORICAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE MANY FILIPINOS CAME BY WAY OF THE MILITARY, AND THEY MARCHED ON PREBLE FIELD, WHERE WE HOSTED THE EVENT.

WE WOULD LOVE TO HOST AN EVENT HERE IN NATIONAL CITY, BUT WE TOO ARE AFFECTED BY THE BUSINESS TAX.

BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER ON THE AGENDA.

SO BUT I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.

I KNOW THAT THERE WERE MORE REPRESENTATIVES THAT WOULD HAVE LIKED TO ATTEND.

THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING GOING ON EVERY WEEKEND, BUT THANK YOU FOR SPENDING YOUR TIME WITH US.

THANK YOU.

THANK GOD YOU'RE HERE. WALKING THROUGH MY NEIGHBORHOOD, IT STRUCK ME HOW LITTLE PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN THE LAST SIX YEARS.

TRASH IS EVERYWHERE. SACHSE TOXIC DUMP REMAINS.

HOMELESS CAMPS HAVE EXISTED BEHIND THE WEED SHOP THAT YOU ALL PERMITTED ON HARBOR DRIVE.

THE ABANDONED CARS REMAIN. GRAFFITI IS CHRONIC VACANT BUSINESSES.

BLIGHT ARE MAJOR STREETS. AND. SO WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? YOU'VE RAISED YOUR SALARIES 30%, ADDED PERSONAL ASSISTANCE AND GIVEN THEM PENSIONS.

YOU ATTEMPTED TO MAKE OUR CITY A CHARTER CITY WITH MORE POWER FOR YOURSELF.

YOU CARVED OUT SMALL ELECTORAL DISTRICTS TO RUN IN AND TRIED TO START PRIMARIES, TOO.

YOU'VE ATTEMPTED TO TAX PROPERTY, INCLUDING THE HOMES OF THE POOREST AND THE MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. YOU'VE WASTED PROPERTY PROPOSITION D BONUS SALES TAX, AND YOU'VE SPENT DOWN MILLIONS IN THE EMERGENCY SAVINGS ACCOUNT WHILE GIVING BIG SALARIES, AND YOU'VE NOT BROUGHT IN ENOUGH COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY. NOW YOU PROPOSE TO TAX THE POOR AND NATIONAL CITY AGAIN, THE IDEA THAT WE'VE GIVEN THIS GROUP OF HIVE SO MUCH POWER IS A SAD NOTION.

THE SALES TAX WAS INCREASED IN 2006, AND YOU'VE.

AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE. OVERSPENDING HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE. IN FACT, THE SYSTEM LIKE THIS ALWAYS RUNS AMOK.

MUCK, A SYSTEM WHERE MR. RODRIGUEZ TAKES CAMPAIGN MONEY FROM THE CITY'S FIREFIGHTERS AND THE WORKING WATERFRONT BUSINESS PARK, AND THEN HE SUPPORTS NEW TAXES. WE CAN SEE IT.

THE MANNER THIS GROUP HAS PURPOSELY SPENT DOWN THE CITY SAVINGS ACCOUNTS WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RESERVES POLICIES IS SIMPLY ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY THIS CALL.

THREE OF YOU ARE UP FOR ELECTION THIS YEAR. MR. TRANSPARENCY BUSH AND MR. ACCOUNTABILITY RODRIGUEZ ARE NOT UP FOR ELECTION.

THE VOTERS WILL DECIDE WHAT ROLE THE THREE OF YOU WILL PLAY.

BUT YOU OTHER TWO. I THINK YOU NEED TO RESIGN FROM OFFICE AND NOT COME BACK TO THESE SEATS.

WE DON'T NEED YOUR POLITICAL TACTICS, YOUR SPENDING HABITS, YOUR ATTACKS ON THE POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS RESIDENTS OF NATIONAL CITY.

JUST RESIGN AND WE MIGHT SEE SOME CARETAKERS COME IN AND STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT.

GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. I'VE BEEN COMING TO THESE MEETINGS FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.

BEFORE THESE LAST TWO YEARS, I WAS NEVER, EVER PUBLICLY HERE SPEAKING AT ONE OF THESE MEETINGS,

[00:10:01]

YES IT IS. IT IS ELECTION TIME. BUT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE.

WE NEED TO FOCUS ON DOING WHAT IS RIGHT. WE HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES AND A LOT OF TALENTED PEOPLE THAT CAN HELP THE CITY. AND YET, BECAUSE OF YOUR PERSONAL AGENDAS AND BECAUSE OF YOUR GREED, YOU ARE DESTROYING OUR CITY.

AND AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, RON, YOU'RE BROKEN, YOU'RE BUSTED, AND YOU CAN'T BE TRUSTED.

THERE'S BEEN MANY A TIMES THAT YOU'VE LIED UNDER OATH, ALONG WITH MR. MARTIN READER. YOU SAY ONE THING AND THEN YOU SAY ANOTHER THING.

WE NEED TO GET BACK TO LEADING WITH THE TRUTH.

WE NEED TO GET BACK TO HELPING THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY.

WE NEED TO GET BACK TO BASICS. AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, JUST SAY, I DON'T KNOW.

LET PROFESSIONALS HELP YOU INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY.

THERE ARE RESOURCES OUT THERE, BUT DON'T PRETEND THAT YOU KNOW WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW.

IT IS OKAY TO BE NOBLE AND HUMBLE AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I DON'T KNOW.

MANY TIMES I'VE HAD TO DO THAT MYSELF IN OUR BUSINESS.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH SAYING, I DON'T KNOW, BUT DON'T PRETEND THAT YOU KNOW AND THAT YOU CARE WHEN YOU DON'T.

I'M TIRED OF THE GREED OF THIS CITY. I'M TIRED OF THE GREED OF YOU, RON, AND YOUR ASSISTANT.

AND THIS NEEDS TO STOP. THANK YOU.

FOR. OKAY. THANK YOU. NOW WE GO INTO OUR REGIONAL

[6.REGIONAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS (Limited to Five (5) Minutes each)]

NOTHING TO REPORT. REPORT THERE. OKAY, MR. CHAIR.

NOTHING TO REPORT. WE WERE DARK IN JULY. OKAY.

NOTHING TO REPORT. THANK YOU. JUST REPORTING THAT WE HAD A MEETING AND WE'RE CERTIFIED THAT THE FARE INCREASE, WHICH I THINK WENT TO SANDAG, PASSED SANDAG, SO THERE'S A FARE INCREASE, BUT IT'S THE FIRST IN I THINK IT'S BEEN 13 YEARS.

SO IT'S ALL WE HAVE TO REPORT THERE. OKAY. AND ONCE AGAIN, SINCE MOST EVERYONE WAS ON DARK IN JULY, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT EITHER ON THAT ONE. WITH THAT WE WILL GO INTO CONSENT CALENDAR.

[7.CONSENT CALENDAR]

THAT WILL BE PULLED AND THEN IT WILL COME BACK AT A LATER DATE.

7.4 IS GOING TO BE PULLED. ALSO THAT ONE DOES NOT NEED COUNCIL ACTION.

SO 7.4 WILL BE PULLED ALSO.

BEING PULLED. MR. MAYOR, I JUST, IF I MAY. YES.

7.2. I JUST HAVE SOME CLARIFICATION. AND ONE OF THE ITEMS NEEDS TO BE REMOVED, BUT I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT COUNCIL ADOPT THE REMAINDER OF THE DOCUMENT.

OKAY. INSTEAD OF BRINGING IT BACK AT ANOTHER TIME. I THINK WE CAN ACHIEVE THE SAME RESULT.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY. IF WE CAN DO THAT, THAT WILL SAVE US A LITTLE TIME IN THE FUTURE THEN.

OKAY. SO WE WILL LEAVE 7.2 ON THE CALENDAR. AND BUT WE WILL ADDRESS IT, PULL IT FOR FOR DISCUSSION AND FOR AMENDMENT.

OKAY. WITH THAT WE HAVE. ON WHICH ONE? 7.2. 56789 TEN. THROUGH THE CHAIR. YES, I'M PULLING 7.6. OKAY. IT'S ALREADY BEEN PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU. YEAH. OKAY. SO HIT ME WITH THOSE NUMBERS ONE MORE TIME.

SEVEN. 7.2. 7.3. 7.6, 7.9.

7.10. OKAY. AND, AND LET ME SAY FOR THE RECORD, ON 7.6, I WILL BE ABSTAINING.

[00:15:07]

AND SO THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT.

SURE. AND OKAY WITH THAT. I THINK WHAT WE HAVE LEFT THERE.

YOU'RE PULLING. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE REMAINDER OF THE CONSENT ITEMS. I SECOND THAT, MR. CHAIR. 7.5. OKAY, SO THAT LEAVES.

THAT ONLY LEAVES IN SEVEN, FOUR, SEVEN, FIVE, SEVEN AND EIGHT.

YOU SAID THAT WE PULLED SEVEN. 7.4 FOR CITY MANAGER ACTION.

SO IT'S 7.57.7 AND 7.8 MISTER CHAIR. 77.4 HAS BEEN PULLED BECAUSE IT DOES NOT NEED ACTION. YES. SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO APPROVE 7.57 AND EIGHT.

OKAY. WITH THIS MOTION. IS THAT. OKAY. OKAY. YEAH.

SO AS I SAY, SEVEN FOUR, SEVEN FOUR TO JUST TO PULL IT OFF THE AGENDA.

757778. SO WE'LL CARRY THERE. OKAY. WITH THAT WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THAT PORTION OF THE CALENDAR PLEASE VOTE. AND THAT PASSES.

OKAY. SO LET'S BRING UP SEVEN TWO. THOMAS. RIGHT.

[7.2 Adopt a Resolution Updating the Salary Schedule for Certain Non-Represented Temporary Part-Time Positions.]

SO THAT'S THE POINT I'M MAKING. THANK YOU. OKAY.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THOMAS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAY ON POINT? OKAY. YEAH. BUT WE GOT WE GOT A REPORT COMING, COMING RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS RICK SANDERS, INTERIM HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.

THANK YOU FOR PULLING ITEM 7.2. ONE OF THE SALARIES ON THIS TABLE WAS INADVERTENTLY INCLUDED.

POLICE. CADET IS A UNPAID VOLUNTEER POSITION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

AND SO IT ERRONEOUSLY HAS A SALARY ATTACHED TO IT, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE COUNCIL REMOVE BUT APPROVE THE REMAINDER OF THE DOCUMENT, WHICH BRINGS ALL OF OUR OTHER POSITIONS UP TO THE CURRENT MINIMUM WAGE.

WHAT IS THE HIS PLEASURE. MAYOR. I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 7.2 FIRST STRIKING POLICE CADET FROM THE CHART AND PER STAFF DIRECTION. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION IN THEIR MOTION AND A SECOND. OKAY, WE DO HAVE THAT. ANY DISCUSSION? YES, YES. I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THIS IN DETAIL AND I'M HAPPY TO MEET LATER WITH OUR POLICE CHIEF ABOUT THIS, BUT I APPRECIATE THE POLICE CADET PROGRAM AT SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL.

I KNOW WE HAVE WHY WE HAVE TO PULL IT REALLY ENCOURAGE US TO, TO FIND A WAY TO GIVE OUR STUDENTS STIPEND OR SOME KIND OF COMPENSATION FOR THIS AND HAVING A PATH TO, YOU KNOW, BEING OUR POLICE OFFICERS SOME DAY.

SO THE DISCUSSION FOR A LATER TIME, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD.

ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT.

WE DO HAVE A MOTION A SECOND, PLEASE VOTE. OKAY, NEXT WE GO TO 7.3.

[7.3.Annual Appropriations Limit for Fiscal Year 2027]

I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS A $93 MILLION BUDGET.

I ONLY WISH THEY THEY HAD ANOTHER THEY HAD ANOTHER PIECE OF PAPER THAT SAID THAT HOW THEY COULD PAY FOR IT.

I MEAN, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO MEET $93 MILLION? THANK YOU.

[00:20:07]

AND HERE'S AN AREA THAT I FIND INTERESTING ABOUT APPROPRIATIONS AND BUDGET.

I HOPE IN THE FORTHCOMING BUDGET DISCUSSIONS WORKSHOPS, THAT WE HAVE AN EDUCATION SECTION ABOUT WHAT IS AN APPROPRIATION, WHAT ARE THE LIMITS ON APPROPRIATION, HOW IS THIS AFFECTED BY THE BY THE BUDGET? WHERE'S THE ENCUMBRANCES, WHERE'S THE EXPENDITURES AND WHERE'S THE FUND BALANCE? BECAUSE SOMETIMES I THINK WE GET A LITTLE CONFUSED IN THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD IN THE LAST THREE YEARS OF WHAT ALL THIS MEANS.

SO YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT THIS RIGHT NOW AND I SEE THERE'S LIMITATIONS AND I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS OF WHAT IT MEANS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO DO THAT OR IF YOU CAN HAVE IT FOR.

AND WE HAVE THE FORTHCOMING BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, SOME FUNDAMENTAL EDUCATION PIECES BEFORE WE GET INTO THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS.

THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING FOR. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES THE COMMENT FOR THAT ITEM.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO THAT'S THE COMMENTS WE HAVE ON 7.3.

COUNCIL WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 7.3 SECOND.

OKAY. WE HAVE MOTION. LET'S START THIS OVER HERE.

THERE WE GO. MOTION AND SECOND. OKAY, THERE IT IS.

OKAY. NOW PLEASE VOTE, MR. CHAIR. COMMENT. OH, OKAY.

THANK YOU. WE HAD A ROBUST DISCUSSION WITH CITY MANAGER DURING MY BRIEFING AND HE'S LOOKING INTO THE JUSTIFICATION PART OF THIS OF THIS REPORT.

THANK YOU MAYOR. WITH THAT, PLEASE, PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES. ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE GO TO OR WE PULL.

OKAY, SO THEN WE GO TO SEVEN. FIVE. THIS APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO THE LEASE AND OPERATING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY AND NATIONAL AMERICAN GOLF CORPORATION TO ADJUST THE GOLF COURSE FEE SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE AUGUST 5TH, 2026.

MAYOR. THAT ITEM WASN'T PULLED. IT WAS 7.60. I'M SORRY.

[7.6.Notice of Decision – Planning Commission Approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the On-site Sale of Beer, Wine, and Distilled Spirits (ABC Type-47) and Live Entertainment at an Existing Restaurant (Manila Bistro).]

WE DID HAVE A LETTER ON THAT ONE, DID WE NOT ON 7.5.

YES. OKAY. SO FOR THE RECORD, THERE WAS A LETTER RECEIVED ON THAT ONE.

7.6 IS THE MOST DECISION. I'M GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO THE VICE MAYOR, AND I'M GOING TO WITHDRAW FROM VOTING AND DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU MAYOR. YOU'LL SEE. OKAY. THANK YOU.

FOR 7.6. DO WE HAVE A REPORT FROM STAFF ON THIS ITEM? ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR 706? OH, I'M SORRY MARTIN.

GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR. COUNCIL. PUBLIC STAFF.

MARTIN REEDER, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS JUST A NOTICE OF DECISION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION TO APPROVE LAST WEEK.

AND THIS WOULD BE THE TIME EITHER TO FILE THE REPORT OR TO HOLD IT OVER FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.

WE TYPICALLY DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A REPORT OTHER THAN TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID SAY.

SO WE WE ANTICIPATING THIS BEING PULLED. WE'LL HAVE A FULL REPORT AT THE NEXT MEETING.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DIRECTOR REEDER, THROUGH THE CHAIR.

YES, PLEASE. I PULLED THIS I PULLED THIS ITEM BECAUSE THIS IS IN MY DISTRICT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS ITEM FOR A FUTURE DATE. IS THERE ANY LIMITATION ON THE TIMING, ANY CONCERNS AROUND THAT? NO. WE'VE ANTICIPATED THIS AND WE'RE READY TO COME BACK ON THE 18TH.

OKAY. SO MISS YAMANI, IS THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION? YES, MA'AM. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? WE CANNOT ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE CONTINUED.

THANK YOU. AND ANY MORE COMMENTS FROM THE DAIS? MADAM VICE MAYOR. JUST A REMINDER TO THE COUNCIL SINCE THIS WAS PULLED AND PULLED FOR THE PURPOSE OF MOVING IT TO A PUBLIC HEARING, I WANT TO REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT THIS ITEM WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU IN A QUASI JUDICIAL CAPACITY.

SO YOU NEED TO TREAT IT AS SUCH. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY NO PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE HELD.

AND THERE SHOULD BE NO COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER FOR THAT REMINDER.

I OKAY. CAN I GET THE MOTIONS UP ON THE SCREEN, PLEASE?

[00:25:02]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES THROUGH THE CHAIR.

COMMENT COUNT WITH MAYOR MORRISON ABSTAINING.

YES. THANK YOU. I HAVE NEIGHBORS WHO CAME BY TODAY TO SPEAK ON 7.6.

THIS WILL BE IN PUBLIC RECORD. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING.

BUT IT WILL BE DISCUSSED IN A FUTURE DATE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. AND I PASS THE FLOOR BACK TO MAYOR MORRISON.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. SO NEXT WE GO TO OUR WARRANT REGISTRIES AT SEVEN NINE AND 710.

[Items 7.9 & 7.10]

HOW'S THAT? THESE ARE JUST THESE ARE JUST THE INTERESTING THINGS THAT I FOUND IN THE WARRANTS.

WARRANT REGISTERED 47 AND 48. ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS.

THE THE BURLINGTON, BURLINGTON. NORTHERN SANTA FE.

FOR THE BAY. SHARE. BAY SHORE BIKE SEGMENT, 19,000 FOR THE.

DO WE HAVE ENOUGH? ARE WE GETTING ARE WE BEING REIMBURSED FOR THE GRANT MONEY ON THIS FOR 19,000.

I'M SURE THIS IS FOR CROSSINGS, BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

HERE'S THE OTHER THINGS.

IN THE DIRT, WE RECEIVE A CHECK FOR STRING DRAIN REPAIR FOR 335,000.

DICK MILLER CONSTRUCTION WILL RECEIVE 297,000 FOR THE TOYEN PARK IMPROVEMENTS.

THE CITY ATTORNEY HAD LEGAL SERVICES FOR 29,000.

THE CITY MANAGER HAD TS WORLDWIDE WORLDWIDE, LLC.

RAMADA AND HOTEL STUDY 12,500.

POLICE HAD MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS. DOOR AND GATE CONTROL FOR DISPATCH $4,700.

THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR BURKE. WILLIAM. FOR BURKE.

WILLIAMS, 38,000. FOR THE. FOR THE CLERK FOR FRIEDMAN.

IMOGEN. DOCUMENT SCANNING $4,500. THE PAYROLL ON THIS PAYROLL WAS 01,617,000. THE GAS ELECTRIC BILL WAS 102,000.

FOR THE METRO, SEWAGE TRANSPORTATION WAS 1,971,000.

ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS WAS 40. COSTCO FIRE PROTECTION 4200.

SAN DIEGO MECHANICAL HVAC MAINTENANCE 9500. FINANCE IS GOING TO PAY THE CITY OF HIGHWAY $20,000 FOR EQUITY ADJUSTMENT PAYMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS A COMPRESSED AIR COMPRESSOR FOR $65,000. THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS ANOTHER LEGAL SERVICE FOR 65,000.

AMAZON CAPITAL FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A RANGE FINDING BINOCULARS 2300 AND THE DISCORSO LEGAL SERVICES 20,300 AND FINANCE IS PAYING. BANK OF AMERICA 200 190,000 FOR 207 FOR 2217 ENERGY EFFICIENT SERIES BONDS.

THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER ON THOSE TWO ITEMS? THAT CONCLUDES THE COMMENTS. OKAY. SO IF WE COULD, MR. MAYOR, ON BOTH ITEMS 7.97 AND 7.9 7.10. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT SECOND. OKAY.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. SEEING NO OTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE.

[00:30:04]

ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE GET INTO STAFF REPORTS. FIRST ONE IS 8.1.

[8.1 Consideration of a Business License Tax Reform Measure for Placement on the November 3, 2026, General Municipal Election Ballot.]

HE'S GOING TO LEAD OFF ON THAT ONE. YEAH. I'LL JUST MAKE A COUPLE OPENING COMMENTS, MISTER MAYOR, AND THEN TURN IT OVER TO PEDRO GARCIA, WHO WILL PROVIDE A BACKGROUND AND PRESENTATION.

SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE AS LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS YOU'RE NOT MAKING DECISIONS THAT ARE GOOD AND BAD.

YOU'RE MAKING DECISIONS THAT ARE HARD AND HARDER.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO HAVE A STRUCTURALLY UNBALANCED BUDGET AND THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A COMBINATION OF SERVICE REDUCTIONS.

ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES. NEW REVENUES. AND THAT USUALLY YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE, THROUGH A COMBINATION OF THOSE, THOSE THREE ITEMS. THAT'S TYPICALLY THE APPROACH YOU HAVE AVAILABLE.

AS, AS YOU NOTED EARLIER THIS EVENING DURING THE CONSENT AGENDA YOU HAD THE THE APPROPRIATIONS LIMITS AND YOU KNOW, I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THAT $93 MILLION FIGURE WASN'T, WASN'T THE APPROPRIATION THE CITY IS MAKING. IT IS THE MAXIMUM APPROPRIATION THAT A CITY, OUR CITY CAN MAKE BASED ON THE REVENUES THE POPULATION GROWTH AND COST, COST OF LIVING.

THAT'S A STATE MANDATE. IT GOES BACK TO 1979.

AND ALL CITIES ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THAT REPORT TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE.

THE INTENT BEHIND THAT WAS SIMPLY TO CONTROL THE GROWTH OF GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES.

WE ARE AS A CITY, $15 MILLION BELOW WHAT OUR GAN LIMIT WOULD ALLOW.

SO, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST IN PERSPECTIVE, EVEN THOUGH THE REVENUES AREN'T THERE BY STATE LAW, THIS CITY COULD BE SPENDING $15 MILLION MORE THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET.

SO OBVIOUSLY THESE DECISIONS ARE, ARE DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE CONSEQUENCES ARE REAL.

BUT THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY. SO PEDRO, IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND RUN THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU DOUG. FOR THE RECORD, PEDRO GARCIA, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE. HELLO, MAYOR. DEPUTY VICE MAYOR.

COUNCIL MEMBER. PUBLIC. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.

SO TONIGHT WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, AGAIN, THE BUSINESS LICENSE TAX REFORM AS OUR CITY MANAGER JUST MENTIONED.

WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THIS MATTER QUITE SOME TIME. SO I'VE MADE A MORE CONCISE, REFINED PRESENTATION FOR THIS EVENING TO REALLY TALK ABOUT OUR BUDGET, WHAT THE RATE STRUCTURE IS GOING TO BE LOOKING LIKE, WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE, AND COUNCIL ACTION.

SO RIGHT NOW, I WANT US TO JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THE SCREEN.

THIS IS AN OUTLOOK OF OUR BUDGET AND WHAT IT'S LOOKING LIKE, WHAT THE MAKEUP OF IT IS, THE MANDATORY AND THE DISCRETIONARY.

AND I'LL JUST LEAVE THAT UP FOR EVERYONE TO TAKE A LOOK AT.

BUT OF COURSE, THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY IS PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND THAT IS VERY APPARENT AND AND REFLECTIVE IN OUR BUDGET.

ALMOST $54 MILLION. AND THE INTENT OF THE BUSINESS LICENSE TAX REFORM IS TO TRY TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY THAT BOTH BENEFIT THE RESIDENTS AND THE BUSINESSES OF THE COMMUNITY.

SO RECENTLY, WE ALSO HAD A PUBLIC POLL PERFORMED OF REGISTERED VOTERS IN NATIONAL CITY.

APPROXIMATELY A LITTLE OVER 400 REGISTERED VOTERS WERE POLLED ON THIS, AND THE LIKELY SUPPORT FOR THIS MEASURE AFTER THE POLLING WAS COMPLETED WAS APPROXIMATELY 71%.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ROSE THAT APPROVAL RATE TO 77%.

WITH SOME OF THE TOP COMMUNITY PRIORITIES BEING, OF COURSE, PUBLIC AREAS KEEPING THEM SAFE AND CLEAN, RECRUITING AND RETAINING FIREFIGHTERS AND PARAMEDICS.

MAINTAINING FIRE PROTECTION, REPAIRING STREETS AND POTHOLES, AND, OF COURSE, MAINTAINING 911 RESPONSE.

SO THIS DOES INDICATE THAT THE MEASURE WOULD BE VIABLE FOR NOVEMBER 2026 BALLOT.

[00:35:07]

SO WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT TODAY AND WHAT IS CURRENTLY OUR RATE STRUCTURE AND WHAT ARE WE PROPOSING? SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE FLAT RATES BASED OFF OF A TIERED GROSS RECEIPTS MODEL.

BUT WHAT EXISTS IN THAT RIGHT NOW IS THAT THERE'S AN INEQUITY IN IT.

WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT OUR TOP 100 BUSINESSES CURRENTLY REPORT APPROXIMATELY 50% OF THE REPORTABLE GROSS RECEIPTS THAT COME TO THE CITY, BUT THEY'RE ONLY PAYING 29% OF THE TAX ASSESSMENT.

AND THAT TOTALS CUMULATIVELY TO ABOUT $760,000 IN ANNUAL BUSINESS LICENSE.

REVENUE TO THE CITY. OUR PROPOSED RATE STRUCTURE CREATES A MORE EQUITABLE MODEL BASED OFF OF PERCENTAGES.

WITH THE $25 ANNUAL FLAT RATE FOR MICROBUSINESSES THAT GROWS $25,000 OR LESS, AND WITH THE VARIABLE RATE OF 0.1% TO 0.3%, DEPENDING ON WHAT BUSINESS CATEGORY YOU ARE IN.

SO I WANT US TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON THIS SLIDE.

THIS IS THE ILLUSTRATIVE BUSINESS IMPACTS THAT STAFF PUT TOGETHER RECENTLY.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS ON WHAT THE IMPACT OR BURDEN WOULD BE.

AND THIS IS A GOOD SNAPSHOT OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IN DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES THAT EXIST IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW.

SO I WANT TO KIND OF GO ONE ONE BY ONE REAL QUICK.

AND I WANT TO START OFF WITH THE FIRST ONE, ICE CREAM PUSHCART.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT THIS WOULD BE A PASS THROUGH, AND THAT WOULD BE A PASS THROUGH TO THE CUSTOMERS OF NATIONAL CITY, AND THAT IT CARRIES A HEAVY BURDEN. BUT WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO HERE WAS TO EXPLICITLY DISPLAY WHAT THAT BURDEN WOULD BE IF PASSED ON TO THE CUSTOMERS BY THE OWNERS OF THE BUSINESSES IN NATIONAL CITY.

SO AN ICE CREAM PUSHCART, WHICH WE ALL KNOW AS THE MAN IN NATIONAL CITY, LET'S JUST SAY THAT THEY GROSS RECEIPTS, THEY GROSS ABOUT $25,000 A YEAR. THAT'S APPROXIMATELY $2 A MONTH.

AND THAT IS APPROXIMATELY HALF A CENT PER $5 ITEM.

SO THAT MEANS IF THEIR ICE CREAMS WERE SELLING AT $5 AND THEY WANTED TO PASS THROUGH THAT PERCENTAGE OR THAT TAX TO THE CUSTOMER, THAT $5 ITEM WOULD GO UP HALF A PENNY. IN THE EXAMPLE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD BAKERY, WE'RE USING A GROSS RECEIPTS OF $1 MILLION, AND THAT NEIGHBORHOOD BAKERY WOULD BE AT 0.1%, THEIR ANNUAL TOTAL WOULD BE $1,000 ON A MONTHLY BASIS.

THAT'S $83. AND LET'S JUST SAY EACH ITEM THEY SOLD WAS $5.

THAT PASS THROUGH WOULD BE HALF A CENT AS WELL.

ON A RESTAURANT, 1.5 MILLION GROSS RECEIPTS WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $1,500 A YEAR.

$125 A MONTH AND TWO AND A HALF CENTS ON A $25 RECEIPT.

GOING ON TO LAUNDRY SERVICE. IF WE WERE TO CALCULATE AT A $1.2 MILLION GROSS RECEIPTS FOR THEM, THEIR PASS THROUGH ON A $15 TRANSACTION WOULD BE $0.03.

ON AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT GROSSES $5 MILLION WITH 200 UNITS, SHOULD THEY PASS IT ON TO THEIR RENTERS, IT WOULD BE $6 PER UNIT PER MONTH. AND LASTLY, THE EXAMPLE THAT WE'VE SEEN QUITE OFTEN IS AN AUTO DEALERSHIP IN THE CITY.

IF THEY WERE TO SELL A $60,000 VEHICLE, THE PASTOR WOULD BE $60 ON THAT.

AND JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT THIS WAS ALL BASED OFF OF THE OPTION ONE.

SO HERE'S A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT THE RATE STRUCTURE OPTION ONE LOOKS LIKE.

AS MENTIONED, $25 FLAT RATE FOR ANY BUSINESS GROSSING $25,000 OR LESS, 0.1% FOR RETAIL IN GENERAL, 0.2 PERCENT FOR CONTRACTORS AND SERVICES, AND 0.3 FOR PROFESSIONAL AND PROPERTY RENTAL.

PLEASE, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ANNUAL TAX LIABILITY CAP ON BOTH OPTION ONE AND TWO.

STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED TO PUT A CAP OF $150,000 ON THAT.

OPTION TWO ALL IS PRETTY MUCH IDENTICAL, EXCEPT THAT FOR GENERAL RETAIL.

OPTION TWO STAFF IS RECOMMENDING SLASHING THAT IN HALF, AND IT WOULD BE AT 0.05%.

AND IT WOULD REDUCE OUR OVERALL REVENUE BY APPROXIMATELY $1.4 MILLION, PUTTING US AT A NEW ESTIMATED ANNUAL REVENUE OF

[00:40:04]

SO THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION AGAIN. I KNOW WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THIS AT LENGTH.

I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE WHAT STAFF IS LOOKING FOR FROM COUNCIL ON THIS, WHICH IS SHOULD COUNCIL DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A BALLOT MEASURE, SELECTING WHAT RATE STRUCTURE? APPROVING IT TO BE PLACED ON THE BALLOT, AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVING ELECTION DOCUMENTS AND AUTHORIZING THE TIMELY FILING OF ALL THOSE DOCUMENTS. SO THAT'S MY PRESENTATION THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TO PRESENT THIS.

AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. BUT THE FLOOR IS YOURS.

MAYOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WE HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC.

BUT IF THERE'S ANY DIRECT QUESTIONS, I THINK WE'VE SEEN THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

RIGHT. SEEING NOTHING, WE GO OVER TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO START WITH ZOOM. WE HAVE ONE ON ZOOM AND THEN THE REST WILL BE IN PERSON.

OKAY. MOLLY KIRKLAND.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS MOLLY KIRKLAND WITH THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RENTAL HOUSING ASSOCIATION. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU THIS EVENING.

YOU HAVE OUR LETTER, SO I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF AND RESPECT EVERYBODY'S TIME.

BUT WE DO ASK THAT YOU VOTE AGAINST PLACING THIS MEASURE ON THE BALLOT.

WE UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL ISSUES THE CITY IS FACING AND THE IMPORTANCE OF FUNDING VITAL SERVICES.

AND I THINK YOU'LL FIND THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL BUSINESSES HAVE HAVE A STAKE IN NATIONAL CITY'S FINANCIAL HEALTH, BUT WE DON'T THINK THIS MEASURE IS THE ANSWER FOR RENTAL HOUSING.

SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE CONCERNED THAT THE HIGHEST RATE WOULD APPLY TO RENTAL HOUSING COMMUNITIES.

TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, RENTAL HOUSING STAKEHOLDERS WEREN'T ENGAGED DIRECTLY ABOUT THIS.

AND THIS IS IN A CITY WITH A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RENTAL HOUSING STOCK AND RENTERS.

AND I THINK, IMPORTANTLY, THE PROPOSALS BEFORE YOU TODAY ARE NOT NECESSARILY MEASURED OR PHASED IN.

IT'S BEEN GRANTED, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY BUT IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ALL OR NOTHING NOT PHASED IN AND THE RATES ARE HIGHER THAN IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR RETAINING AND ATTRACTING BUSINESSES, INCLUDING HOUSING PROVIDERS? SO WE HOPE YOU'LL TAKE SOME MORE TIME, MAYBE GO BACK TO THE DRAWING TABLE AND REALLY ENGAGE ALL STAKEHOLDERS ON THIS BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I THINK EVERYBODY WANTS TO HELP NATIONAL CITY BE SUCCESSFUL.

IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF HOW WE GO ABOUT IT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MAYOR. BEFORE WE GET STARTED ON THE COMMENTS HERE IN THE CHAMBER, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT WE HAVE TWO NON COMMENT IN OPPOSITION. SO FOR THE RECORD THEY'RE IN OPPOSITION BUT THEY DON'T WISH TO SPEAK.

IS THAT CORRECT. OKAY. CORRECT. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO SAY? YES. JUST SORT OF A QUESTION. BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT RHETORICAL FOR THE AUDIENCE AND ALL THE BUSINESSES THAT COME OUT.

SO I JUST ASK THAT IN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF WORKSHOPS AND WE'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF YOU.

APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS. SO I JUST ASK THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FOR THIS TO BE A PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION.

WHAT ARE YOU FOR? I'VE HEARD A LOT OF YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING THIS.

IT'S THE QUESTION OF WHETHER IT'S ON THE BALLOT. SO IT WOULD HELP ME, AND I THINK IT WOULD HELP ALL OF US ON THE DAIS. WHAT ARE WHAT WOULD YOU IDEALLY LIKE TO SEE? SO I'M JUST TRYING TO KIND OF GUIDE SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE DISCUSSION FOR, FOR MY BENEFIT AND OUR COLLECTIVE BENEFIT.

THANK YOU. CYNTHIA FULLER QUINONEZ. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, CYNTHIA FULLER QUINONEZ.

I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT AS A LANDLORD AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNER HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING ALL DUE CONSIDERATION TO ME AND TO OTHERS, REPEATEDLY SPEAKING IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND SO MANY BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE AGAINST GOING FORWARD WITH WITH THIS BALLOT MEASURE.

WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE CITY NEEDS STABLE REVENUE, BUT THIS TYPE OF TAX, ONE THAT INCREASES COSTS REGARDLESS OF PROFIT MARGINS, HITS SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE MINE THE HARDEST BUSINESSES KEY TO NATIONAL CITIES VITALITY.

FOR LANDLORDS LIKE ME, IT RISKS RENT INCREASES FOR MY TENANTS AT A TIME THEY CAN LEAST AFFORD.

THESE ALSO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, IT DOES NOT ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF OUR FISCAL DEFICITS, NOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL HARM THAT COSTS ALL OF US.

[00:45:01]

SPEAKING TO COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH ADDRESSING YOUR ISSUE ON THE WEST SIDE, WE HAVE NEARLY 100 ACRES OF THAILAND PARKING LOTS, GENERATING LITTLE TO NO REVENUE, TOO FEW JOBS AND SIGNIFICANT HEAT THAT ROUTINELY EXACERBATES OUR WORST IN SAN DIEGO POLLUTION, BETTER CITY AND PORT LAND USE, PLUS SECURING INVESTMENT IN 21ST CENTURY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ANCHOR TENANTS LIKE PISHA, UNDERTAKEN WITH BROAD COMMUNITY INPUT, IS ESSENTIAL TO RESTORE NATIONAL CITY'S ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL VITALITY, GENERATING MORE INCOME AND JOBS WITH LESS HARM PER ACRE.

THE WAY FORWARD IS PARTNERSHIP, NOT POLARIZATION.

TODAY, I AGAIN RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE COUNCIL DIRECT STAFF TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH BUSINESS OWNERS, THE CHAMBER AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY THE PORT OF SAN DIEGO INCLUDED, TO CRAFT NEW LAND USE AND REVENUE STRATEGIES THAT STRENGTHEN THE CITY.

THANK YOU. SHARON CLOWARD. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I'M ADVERTISING OUR UPCOMING OPERATION CLEAN SWEEP EVENT.

TODAY FEELS A LITTLE BIT LIKE GROUNDHOG DAY. YOU'VE HEARD FROM ME BEFORE, AND I'M BACK TO REINFORCE MY PREVIOUS COMMENTS.

THIS TAX IS NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME. WHY THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN LESS THAN TRANSPARENT.

SO THE JUSTIFICATION SERIOUSLY IS IN QUESTION.

YOU JUST DRAFTED YOUR GAVE YOUR DRAFT ORDINANCE LAST NIGHT.

YESTERDAY A 30 PAGE DOCUMENT. NO ONE HAS HAD TIME TO READ THAT.

WHAT IT IS FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR BUDGET TO EVEN MORE RECENT TROUBLING EXAMPLES.

A NUMBER OF ACTIONS HAVE OCCURRED, OR EVEN IN THE PLANNING STAGES THAT APPEAR TO BE DRIVING THIS DECISION, RATHER THAN THE STATED REASON, WHICH IS THAT YOU HAVE NO CHOICE FROM PAY RAISES TO LITIGATION COSTS.

MUCH OF THIS HAS BEEN VERY WELL DOWNPLAYED, INCLUDING THE LAST BUDGET, EVEN THOUGH THEY THEY SEEM TO BE BIG DRIVERS.

THESE THINGS RIGHTLY BEG THE QUESTION IS THIS REALLY A REVENUE ISSUE OR IS IT A SPENDING ISSUE? WE IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, BOTH LARGE AND SMALL, OUR CUSTOMERS, YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE BEING ASKED TO PAY THIS TAX BILL.

THE TRUTH, HOWEVER, APPEARS TO BE DIFFERENT, PARTICULARLY, PARTICULARLY WHEN VIEWED THROUGH THE LENS OF RECENT BUDGET DECISIONS.

IT IS FOR THESE REASONS, WE BELIEVE THIS TAX IS NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME.

WE ARE ASKING FOR THIS TRUE PARTNERSHIP BY THE CITY AND THOSE WHO ARE BEING ASKED TO PAY THE BILL.

THAT INCLUDES FULL TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ON SPENDING, WHICH THEN CAN LEAD TO A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THE RIGHT REVENUE MAY REALLY BE NEEDED. THAT MEANS NO TAX AT THIS ELECTION YEAR, AND MORE WORK FOR THE NEW CITY MANAGER AND YOU AS THE AS THE REPRESENTATIVES.

WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND WE ARE HERE TO WORK THROUGH THIS ISSUE WITH YOU.

THANK YOU. HAVE OUR COMMITMENT. THANK YOU. SCOTT ACOSTA EXCUSE ME.

JOHN ACOSTA FOLLOWED BY JOANNE FIELDS. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON Y'ALL. I'M I LIVE IN CHULA VISTA, FIRST OF ALL, BUT I'M I'M A SENIOR IN THE VETERANS.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL AFFECT ANY TAX INCREASE WILL BE THE VETERANS OF THE SENIOR COMMUNITY.

THERE'S A LOT OF VETERANS THAT LIVE HERE. YOU KNOW, THEY LIVE HERE, ESPECIALLY HERE, BUT THEY DO NOT VOTE FOR HIM IN NATIONAL CITY.

SO THEREFORE, IF YOU PUT IN THE BALLOT, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO VOTE NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT WILL AFFECT THEM.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE. SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GUYS HAVE $50 MILLION IN THE RED IS BECAUSE OF MISMANAGEMENT.

YOU GUYS OVERSPEND ON PROJECTS YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO.

AND NOW YOU'RE SPENDING, YOU'RE GETTING TO RECOUP THE MONEY THAT YOU OVERSPEND AND MISMANAGED.

WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST TO MR. RIOS, WHO YOU KNOW, WHICH I LIKE HIS PRESENTATION TO DOING TO WORK ON A WORKSHEET AND SEE HOW THEY COULD CUT THEIR SALARY AND MAKE UP THE MONEY. YOU OVERSPEND TO SEE HOW ANXIOUS YOU ARE TO SPEND THE MONEY, YOUR MONEY ON PROJECTS AND LEAVE THE SENIORS AND THE VETERANS ALONE DO NOT INCREASE OUR TAXES.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I TALKED TO MR. RODRIGUEZ AGO, SAID ONLY FOR BIG BUSINESS, BIG, BIG BUSINESS.

I'M NOT GOING TO SWALLOW THE COST. BIG BUSINESS ARE GOING TO BRING IT DOWN TO THE SENIOR COMMUNITY AND THE VETERANS, THE VETERANS THAT HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO SPEND THE MONEY HERE, MONEY THAT DO NOT HAVE SENIORS DO NOT HAVE BECAUSE THEY ARE ON A FIXED INCOME.

[00:50:01]

THE SENIORS AND THE VETERANS IN THE MILITARY, MILITARY SERVICEMEN THAT LIVE HERE IN NATIONAL CITY, THE NATIONAL CITY, IT IS KNOWN AS A MILITARY CITY.

BECAUSE AT THE BASE RIGHT HERE AND WHEN YOU TEXT INCREASE, THAT'S TAKING MONEY FROM THEM THAT THEY REALLY NEED.

SO THEREFORE, IF YOU'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR THE BUDGET, SET UP A WORKSHEET AND CUT THE SALARY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. JOANNE FIELDS.

WE'VE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN HOW THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT BUSINESS.

BUT ALL BUSINESSES HAVE NOT BEEN AT THE TABLE.

THERE ARE FOUR LARGE GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE DISCUSSION WORKING WATERFRONT, NATIONAL CITY CHAMBER, MILE OF CARS. AND I KEEP FORGETTING THE FOURTH ONE.

BUT WE HAVE ETHNIC. WE HAVE ETHNIC CHAMBERS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.

WE HAVE THE WOMEN'S CENTER BUSINESS CENTER THAT'S HERE IN NATIONAL CITY THAT HAS NOT BEEN AT THE TABLE.

THE RESIDENTS DO NOT HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S AT STAKE.

HOW DID THE GAP EVEN HAPPEN? WE GOT TO START THERE BEFORE WE START TRYING TO FILL A GAP.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THE BLEEDING IS, YOU CAN'T PUT A BAND-AID WHEN IT NEEDS STITCHES.

IT'S STILL BLEEDING AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S COMING FROM.

OR IT'S AT LEAST IT'S NOT CRYSTAL CLEAR WHERE THAT'S COMING FROM.

SO BEFORE YOU ASK ANYONE TO PUT A BAND AID, STITCHES OR ANYTHING, WE NEED TO LEARN WHERE IT'S AT.

AND YES, I BELIEVE EVERYONE, OUR STAKEHOLDERS, OUR RESIDENTS WANT TO FUND WHAT IS NEEDED.

OF COURSE, WE WANT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS TO BE PAID WHAT THEY NEED FOR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AND 911 TO BE FULLY FUNDED. BUT IF WE CAN'T FUND IT, WHY DID IT HAPPEN? HOW DID IT HAPPEN? THE URGENCY TO TO VOTE TODAY TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT IS, IS NOT IT? YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE FIXING. COMPLETELY AND IT'S NOT FAIR.

SO WITH THAT, I ASK YOU TO VOTE DOWN UNTIL IT'S CRYSTAL CLEAR FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS AND VOTERS TO HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF OF THE OUTCOME OF THIS INITIATIVE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

SCOTT KUFNER FOLLOWED BY JOEL TABANO, FOLLOWED BY MARK PHILLIP SANTOS.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF.

I REPRESENT MOSSY NISSAN. WE'VE BEEN OPERATING ON THE MILE FOR 44 YEARS, GENERATING INCOME AND SERVING THIS COMMUNITY.

I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING TIME TO MEET WITH US.

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY MEETINGS PRIVATE MEETINGS, JUST IN DIFFERENT OF OUR BUSINESSES, TOWN HALLS.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE IT SHOWS THAT YOU ARE LISTENING TO US AND HEARING WHAT THIS COULD DO FOR OUR BUSINESSES.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. I'M ASKING FOR A NO VOTE ON THIS PROPOSAL TONIGHT.

OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS SHOWN GOODWILL IN TRYING TO ASSIST AND IN THIS CRISIS THAT THE CITY FINDS ITSELF IN.

THE BEST, BEST PATH FORWARD IS A HEALTHY BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT WILL GENERATE MORE INCOME.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE EAGER TO DO TO ADDRESS COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH'S REQUEST.

WE DON'T HAVE A FULL PLAN YET. WE'RE JUST WE ARE EAGER TO DO THAT, THOUGH, AND WORK TOWARDS THAT.

THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO, IS WORK TOWARDS THIS TYPE OF THING.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT THERE'S BEEN TALK ABOUT WE DON'T PAY OUR FAIR SHARE.

I'VE SEEN IT IN THE STAFF REPORT AND THE SURVEY FOR SOMEONE WHO CREATES SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 60% OF THE CITY'S INCOME, NOT ME PERSONALLY, BUT OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THAT IS DIVISIVE.

AND THAT'S NOT THE WAY WE WANT TO WORK FORWARD.

WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU. WE'RE NOT BILLIONAIRES ACROSS FROM CENTRAL PARK.

WE'RE HARD WORKING BUSINESS PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY SERVING THE, THE, THE MEMBERS AND THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

SO WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR A NO VOTE ON THIS SO THAT WE CAN COME TO THE TABLE AND COME UP WITH A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD WORK.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE STRUCTURE CHANGE IS REQUIRED AND NEEDED.

[00:55:03]

AND SO WE ASK FOR A NO VOTE. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. JOEL BARLOW AND MARK SANTOS WILL FOLLOW.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR. GOOD EVENING, CITY STAFF. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE AND IN DOING THIS MEETING. THE REASON I'M HERE IS BECAUSE, ONE, MY FAMILY'S BEEN HERE FOR OVER 60 YEARS. WE AND I'M HERE FOR TWO REASONS.

ONE IS THE RETAIL SIDE AS WELL AS THE RENTAL APARTMENT AND RESIDENTIAL SIDE ON THE RETAIL.

ON THE RETAIL SIDE, WE DEVELOPED MARKET ON EIGHTH.

WE DID THAT AS A CATALYST FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE WANTED NATIONAL CITY TO THRIVE.

WE WANT NATIONAL CITY TO KEEP THRIVING WITH THIS BUSINESS TAX THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO HALTER. IT'S GOING TO IT'S GOING TO PUT A STOP ON BUSINESSES WANTING TO COME INTO THE COMMUNITY.

I THINK IT NEEDS TO HAVE A BETTER CATALYST, MORE SYNERGY.

AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THE ENTIRE EIGHTH STREET FILLED WITH COMMERCIAL VENDORS THAT ARE THRIVING WITH WITH WALKABILITY.

AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP, YOU KNOW, SAFETY, SAFETY WITH PEOPLE WALKING AROUND NATIONAL CITY BOULEVARD, THE SAME THING. THERE'S A LOT OF VACANCIES. WE NEED MORE RETAIL BUSINESSES TO COME IN.

AND I DON'T THINK THIS BUSINESS TAX, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN TODAY, IS GOING TO HELP THAT SITUATION.

THE SECOND THING IS THE RENTAL SIDE, THE RENTAL HOUSING SIDE, I THINK IT'S, IT'S VERY BURDENSOME FOR LANDLORDS.

IT'S THE HIGHEST TAX AMONGST ALL THE DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF HOW IT'S GOING TO BE TAXED.

AND MOST OF ALL, I'M NOT AGAINST SOME TYPE OF WAY TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE IN THIS BUDGET CRISIS, BUT HAVING TO PUSH THIS THROUGH THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN TODAY, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE THOUGHT IN THE MATTER.

AND RATHER THAN RUSH IT THROUGH THIS SYSTEM, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN MEETING ALMOST EVERY DAY WITH CERTAIN CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS.

AND WE'RE TRYING TO HELP SOLVE THIS ISSUE. BUT I THINK YOU NEED THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO HELP SOLVE THIS.

YOU CAN'T EXCLUDE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THEY NEED TO THEY NEED TO HELP WITH THIS CIRCUMSTANCE.

I MEAN, IT WAS IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT CREATED BY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, BUT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WILL HELP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS VERY MUCH. MARK SANTOS FOLLOWED BY JENNIFER BALL. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LETHARGY IN MY FACE.

I'VE BEEN WORKING ENDLESSLY FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS WITH THE OPENING OF OUR NEW SIDE OF THE BAKERY.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MARK FILIP VALERIA SANTOS. I'M THE OWNER OF VALERA'S BAKE SHOP. I'D LIKE TO FIRST THANK THE COUNCIL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO HEAR THE CONCERNS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, EVEN WHEN WE DON'T AGREE.

HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN OPEN DIALOG MATTERS.

MY STANCE HAS NOT CHANGED ON THE GROSS RECEIPTS TAX MEASURE.

I STILL AM OPPOSED TO IT IN ITS CURRENT FORM.

HOWEVER, I HOPE THIS ISN'T THE END OF THE CONVERSATION, BUT RATHER I HOPE IT IS THE BEGINNING OF A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO CREATE A REFORM OF A REFORM, A TAX STRUCTURE THAT IS FAIR, PREDICTABLE AND SUPPORTS BOTH THE CITY'S NEEDS AND THE BUSINESSES THAT HELP DRIVE OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.

THIS PROCESS HAS SHOWN THAT WHEN BUSINESSES IN THE CITY SIT DOWN TOGETHER, WE CAN PRODUCE THOUGHTFUL IDEAS AND MEANINGFUL ALTERNATIVES.

I HOPE THAT COLLABORATION DOES NOT END AS I AM SURE THERE ARE SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE AT THE TABLE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. JENNIFER BALL.

FOLLOWED BY KAREN MCMANUS. EVENING, MEMBERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT.

AS YOU KNOW, MY NAME IS JENNIFER BALL. I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF BALL AUTOMOTIVE GROUP.

I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE MILE OF CARS. AND I OPPOSE THIS GROSS RECEIPTS TAX LIKE IT'S BEEN SAID BEFORE.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION, AND I STILL AM FRUSTRATED BY THE SPEED AT WHICH THIS WAS GIVEN TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

IT WENT TOO FAST. I AM DISAPPOINTED IN THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY FROM THE CITY.

EVEN AS OF YESTERDAY, THE ORDINANCE IS FINAL.

DRAFT DIDN'T GET RELEASED UNTIL AFTER 5 P.M. AND IT'S OVER 53 PAGES LONG.

AND I ASK HOW MANY OF YOU ACTUALLY READ IT? I DID.

UNDER THAT NEW ORDINANCE, THE AUTO DEALERSHIPS COULD BE COMBINED INTO TWO SEPARATE CATEGORIES CATEGORY A AT 0.5% OR 0.1%, PLUS CATEGORY D AT SERVICES AT 2%. THE CITY MAY CLASSIFY OR APPLY THE HIGHEST AVAILABLE TAX TO THE WHOLE BUSINESS IF IT WANTS TO.

IT CLAIMS THAT INDEPENDENT AUDITORS WOULD REVIEW THE TAX PROGRAM ANNUALLY, AND THE CITY WOULD REPORT HOW THE REVENUE WAS SPENT.

BUT IT'S JUST GOING TO THE GENERAL FUND. SO HOW WOULD THAT BE REPORTED? THERE'S NO NEW BALLOT LANGUAGE. IT STILL SAYS THAT IT'S ONLY A TAX ON LARGE BUSINESSES.

AND YET YOU'VE NOW DECIDED THAT A MICRO BUSINESS IS 25,000.

SO IT'S A GROSS RECEIPTS A YEAR. SO NOW IT'S ALL BUSINESSES.

[01:00:04]

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS TAX DOES. THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS BALLOT LANGUAGE SAYS.

AND IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY OR THE RESIDENTS.

EVEN WITH THE CAP OF 150 000 PER YEAR, IT'S STILL OVER $12,000 A MONTH IN STRAIGHT EXPENSE FOR A BUSINESS.

SO I ASKED THE COUNCIL TO WORK WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO CREATE A BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP, TO GIVE MORE TIME TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING THAT'S MORE EQUITABLE TO ALL BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY ONES THAT GIVE HIGH GENERATING SALES TAX TO THE CITY, AUTO DEALERSHIPS AND NATIONAL CITY. ONLY ONE OF THEM WOULD FIT THE 40 MILLION GROSS RECEIPTS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. SO THAT IS NOT AN HONEST COMPARISON.

THANK YOU, KAREN MCMANUS, FOLLOWED BY MIRIAM MENDOZA.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF.

ON BEHALF OF THE CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT THE VOICE OF OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS HEARD.

OUR BUSINESS ADVISORY TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO ADDRESS THE CITY'S SIGNIFICANT BUDGET DEFICIT, MUCH OF WHICH IS PROPOSED TO BE ABSORBED BY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGH A GROSS RECEIPTS TAX INITIATIVE.

UNDER THE PROPOSAL, MANY BUSINESSES COULD SEE THEIR BUSINESS LICENSE FEES INCREASE BY AS MUCH AS TEN TIMES THEIR CURRENT AMOUNT, REGARDLESS OF WHAT OTHERS SUGGEST. LET ME BE CLEAR THIS IS NOT A ANY ARGUMENT ABOUT INCREASING BUSINESS LICENSE FEE. WE RECOGNIZE THAT THESE FEES HAVE NOT BEEN ADJUSTED SINCE 1978, AND THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT THE FAULT OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE ANY INCREASE SHOULD BE REASONABLE, TRANSPARENT AND IMPLEMENTED IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT PLACE AN UNDUE BURDEN TO OUR BUSINESSES AND HELP DRIVE OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND EMPLOY MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS.

WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. OPPORTUNITY TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE CITY TO FIND A BALANCED SOLUTION THAT ADDRESSES FISCAL CHALLENGES WHILE SUPPORTING BUSINESS GROWTH AND ECONOMIC VITALITY, AND WE URGE YOU TO OPPOSE THE INITIATIVE TONIGHT TO ALLOW OUR BUSINESS ADVISORY TEAM TO WORK WITH YOU TO FIND A SOLUTION, OF WHICH WE HAVE SEVERAL PROPOSALS AND AND TO REVIEW THE BUSINESS LICENSE STRUCTURE.

SO ALL BUSINESSES ARE RESPECTIVELY REPRESENTED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MARY ANN MENDOZA, FOLLOWED BY JACK.

SORRY, I DON'T KNOW YOUR LAST NAME. JACK. FOLLOWED BY MALIK HARRIS.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MARY MENDOZA, AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE MORE THAN 2000 BUSINESSES REPRESENTED BY THE SAN DIEGO REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THE CHAMBER STRONGLY OPPOSES THE PLACING OF A GROSS RECEIPTS TAX MEASURE ON THE NOVEMBER 2020 BALLOT.

WHILE WE RECOGNIZE THE FISCAL CHALLENGES FACING THE CITY, THE PROPOSED INITIATIVE WOULD HAVE BROAD IMPACTS ON BUSINESSES, RENTERS AND CONSUMERS THROUGHOUT NATIONAL CITY. AS HOME TO MORE THAN 4000 BUSINESSES, MOST OF THEM SMALL, FAMILY OWNED AND MICROBUSINESSES.

NATIONAL CITY ECONOMY IS DRIVEN BY EMPLOYERS THAT ARE ALREADY NAVIGATING RISING OPERATING COSTS AND THE BROADER CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH CALIFORNIA'S HIGH COST OF LIVING.

DESPITE THE WORKSHOP HELD JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO WHERE BUSINESSES EXPRESSED SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS, THE PROPOSED INITIATIVE REMAINS LARGELY UNCHANGED.

IT CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN A THRESHOLD FOR SMALL BUSINESSES FAR NARROWER THAN CALIFORNIA'S DEFINITION OF A SMALL BUSINESS, AND FAILS TO ACCOUNT FOR KEY OPERATING EXPENSES.

IT ALSO CONTINUES TO TAX GOODS AND SERVICES MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE REACHING THE END CONSUMER, ULTIMATELY INCREASING COSTS NOT ONLY FOR BUSINESSES BUT ALSO RESIDENTS.

IN ADDITION, THE PROPOSED BALLOT LANGUAGE CONTINUES TO OVERPROMISE HOW REVENUES WILL BE USED, CREATING EXPECTATIONS THAT MAY NOT BE GUARANTEED IN PRACTICE.

WHILE WE APPRECIATE CITY STAFF'S EFFORTS TO ENGAGE WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THE PROCESS REMAINS INCOMPLETE AND HAS NOT PROVIDED STAKEHOLDERS WITH A MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW AND EVALUATE THE PROPOSAL.

IN FACT, THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE LANGUAGE ONLY BECAME PUBLICLY AVAILABLE YESTERDAY, LEAVING THE PUBLIC WITH JUST ONE DAY TO REVIEW THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE BEFORE COUNCIL TODAY FOR A PROPOSAL OF THIS MAGNITUDE THAT IS SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR MEANINGFUL PUBLIC INPUT.

FOR THESE REASONS, WE RESPECTFULLY URGE THE COUNCIL TO OPPOSE THE INITIATIVE FROM BEING PLACED ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT AT THIS TIME, AND INSTEAD PURSUE A MORE TRANSPARENT AND COLLABORATIVE PROCESS TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS THE CITY'S FISCAL CHALLENGES WITHOUT PLACING ADDITIONAL BURDENS ON THE BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS THAT DRIVES NATIONAL CITY'S ECONOMY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU JACK.

HI, MY NAME IS JACK HERE FROM CUISINE MARKET AND DELI RIGHT HERE IN NATIONAL CITY OVER 50 YEARS.

ON BEHALF OF NMA, ALL SMALL MOM AND POP STORE.

THEY INFORMED ME REALLY, THE INCREASES IN THESE FEES CAN BE VERY HARD FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE SMALL BUSINESSES WITH

[01:05:04]

SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A PART OF RUINING THE BUSINESS INSTEAD OF DOING IT ANY BETTER, YOU KNOW? SO I WANT YOU GUYS TO BE A LITTLE CAREFUL WITH THE SMALL LIMITED INCOME BUSINESSES.

AND WE'RE ALL WORRIED ABOUT THE CITY. THIS IS OUR SECOND HOME.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WITH A LIMITED INCOME, IT'S REALLY HARD.

YOU KNOW, WITH THE FEE THE WAY THEY'RE GOING NOW, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD, YOU KNOW? SO ANOTHER THING IS THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE TIME FEE OR IS THIS MORE TO COME ON THAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MALIK HARRIS. FOLLOWED BY GEORGE KING, FOLLOWED BY FRANK PLANT.

HI. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MR. MAYOR.

MY NAME IS MALIK HARRIS. I'M THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AND GROWTH MANAGER AT AUSTAL USA, AND I'M HERE TO RESPECTFULLY URGE THE COUNCIL TO OPPOSE ADDING THE BUSINESS LICENSE TAX REFORM TO THE TO THE BALLOT.

ALSO, USA EMPLOYS SEVERAL NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS AND SUPPORTS A BROADER NETWORK OF LOCAL WORKERS, SUPPLIERS AND BUSINESSES. A TAX WOULD INCREASE THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS AND WOULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND OUR RESIDENTS.

FOR BUSINESSES LIKE OURS THAT COMPETE IN THAT, IT WOULD ADD ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT AFFECT COMPETITIVENESS AND FUTURE INVESTMENT DECISIONS AND ABILITY TO SUSTAIN AND CREATE LOCAL JOBS.

ULTIMATELY, THOSE IMPACTS WOULD BE FELT ON NOT ALSO USA, BUT BY THE NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES WHO DEPEND ON THESE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. WE SUPPORT NATIONAL CITY'S CONTINUED GROWTH, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THE PROPOSAL COULD DAMAGE THE VERY BUSINESSES AND JOBS THE CITY SHOULD BE WORKING TO RETAIN AND ATTRACT. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COUNCIL TO OPPOSE THIS BALLOT MEASURE, AND WHEN I WAS A KID, I WOULD GET IN TROUBLE A LOT AT SCHOOL.

SO I GET TO TAKE THE NOTE FROM THE TEACHER, PUT A SHEET OVER IT, AND I TRY TO HAVE MY MOTHER SIGN IT.

SHE WOULD NEVER DO IT. SHE'D ALWAYS LOOK AND SHE WOULD SIGN, YOU KNOW, READ WHAT SHE HAD BEFORE SHE SIGNED THE PAPER, PUTTING OUT THE INFORMATION LAST NIGHT. IT DOESN'T GIVE YOU ENOUGH TIME TO READ THAT NOTE.

SO BE LIKE MY MOTHER. SHE'S A SMART WOMAN. WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU. WE WANT TO WORK TOGETHER. THANK YOU.

GEORGE KING. FOLLOWED BY FRANK PLANT.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MY NAME IS GEORGE KING WITH THE PACIFIC SOUTHWEST ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS HERE TO REGISTER OUR OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED TAX. WE'VE MADE OUR CONCERNS KNOWN REGARDING THE APPORTIONMENT.

WE STILL HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD BE CALCULATED FAIRLY.

THE ALL THE OTHER CONCERNS THAT WE'VE HAD ARE RELATING TO THE BUSINESS STRUCTURE, THE WAY THAT BROKERS AND AGENTS WORK.

THE COMMISSIONS ARE EARNED BY THE AGENTS. THE BROKERS ARE SET UP WITH THE LICENSED INTERNATIONAL CITY.

BUT WHEN THE COMMISSION COMES THROUGH, IT'S PASSED ON MOSTLY TO THE AGENT.

ASIDE FROM THAT, THE BROKER ALSO HAS OPERATING EXPENSES IN TERMS OF THE INSURANCE COSTS, THE KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON, PAYING FOR MLS AND PAYING FOR THE DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT THE AGENTS NEED.

SO THE WAY THAT THE STRUCTURE IS SET UP FOR FOR A REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE REALLY CREATES A TIGHT MARGIN, CAN CREATE A TIGHT MARGIN WHERE A BROKER COULD POTENTIALLY JUST END UP FACING OPERATING AT A LOSS IF THEY CONTINUE TO STAY IN NATIONAL CITY.

AS FAR AS WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO SEE I ALSO ECHO CONCERNS ABOUT HAVING A ROBUST, THOROUGH DISCUSSION ABOUT WHERE EXPENSES ARE AT.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PSR WOULD SUPPORT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO SEE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

FRANK PLANT, FOLLOWED BY SOPHIE SYLVESTER, FOLLOWED BY BEN SANCHEZ.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS FRANK PLANT WITH SAN DIEGO COLD STORAGE, 1240 WEST 28TH STREET HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.

WE'VE BEEN A BUSINESS HERE IN NATIONAL CITY SINCE 1996, AND I'M HERE TO VOICE MY OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED BUSINESS TAX OVERHAUL.

I UNDERSTAND THE CITY FACES A DEFICIT, AND FEES HAVE NOT BEEN REVIEWED FOR PERHAPS 50 YEARS.

THE SINGLE TAX CANNOT BE THE PRIMARY REMEDY FOR THIS DEFICIT OF OVER.

IT LOOKS TO ME THAT IT WOULD ACCOUNT FOR 60% OF THIS OVER THE DECADES.

IT SHOULD ALSO BE RECOGNIZED THAT MANY BUDGETS HAVE EXISTED WITH DEFICITS AND SURPLUSES.

THEREFORE. THEREFORE, WHILE THIS BUSINESS TAX IS AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR THE CITY, THE CURRENT PROPOSAL PUTS A DRAMATIC INCREASE ON THE BUSINESSES TO BRIDGE THE CURRENT SHORTFALL. THIS IS NOT THE SOLUTION. NATIONAL CITY HAS A UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY UNLIKE ANY OTHER IN SAN DIEGO.

THIS RELATIONSHIP NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED. AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE.

I UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THE CURRENT PROPOSAL WILL ACHIEVE THE LONG OR SHORT TERM RESULTS DESIRED AND MAY CREATE ADDITIONAL ISSUES DOWN THE

[01:10:02]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SOPHIE. FOLLOWED BY BEN SANCHEZ, FOLLOWED BY EDWARD NIETO.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR MORRISON. COUNCIL MEMBERS SOPHIE SILVESTRI WITH THE PATIENT GROUP REPRESENTING PORSCHE AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES, THE TERMINAL OPERATOR OF THE NATIONAL CITY MARINE TERMINAL AND STEVEDORING AND TERMINALS, THE STEVEDORES OF NATIONAL CITY MARINE TERMINAL, WHERE TEAMSTERS AND LONGSHOREMEN COME TO WORK EVERY DAY.

IT FEELS LIKE WE'VE BEEN SPRINTING SINCE JUNE, SINCE A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES BECAME AWARE OF THIS.

AND LIKE OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED, I TOO HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO READ THROUGH ALL OF THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE THAT WAS RELEASED LAST NIGHT.

ANY PROPOSED CHANGE TO THE BUSINESS LICENSE STRUCTURE SHOULD BE DEVELOPED THROUGH A TRANSPARENT AND INCLUSIVE PROCESS.

IT'S IMPORTANT WE HAVE MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES AND TIME TO PROVIDE INPUT ON BOTH SPENDING AND REVENUE.

WHAT WE ARE FOR WE'RE FOR REFORMS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC GROWTH AND MAINTAIN NATIONAL CITY'S COMPETITIVENESS.

WE ARE FOR ENCOURAGING BUSINESSES TO PARTICIPATE IN AN APPROACH THAT AVOIDS CREATING BARRIERS TO BUSINESS INVESTMENT, EXPANSION, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, JOB CREATION.

OUR GOAL IS TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO DEVELOP A FAIR AND BALANCED SOLUTION THAT BENEFITS EVERYONE THAT WORKS, LIVES AND VISITS NATIONAL CITY. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

LET'S DO IT. LET'S FORM IT. WE'RE READY. AND WHEN I SAY THAT, I MEAN IT.

I WILL CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE TO COLLABORATE, TO TREAT YOU WITH RESPECT, TO LISTEN TO WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY TO DEVELOP A STRUCTURE THAT'S FAIR, THAT'S TRANSPARENT, THAT IS SUPPORTIVE OF CONTINUED INVESTMENT, JOB CREATION, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.

I THINK THE CITY WILL BE STRONGER IN THE END WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BEN SANCHEZ.

FOLLOWED BY EDWARD NIETO.

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MY NAME IS BEN SANCHEZ.

I AM DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS WITH PNG GLASS INNOVATIONS AT 910 HOOVER AVENUE.

WE ARE A SMALL BUSINESS. WE HAVE ABOUT 3 TO 5 EMPLOYEES.

WE HOPE AND PRAY THAT WE CAN GROW TO 8 TO 10 EMPLOYEES SOMEDAY.

BUT THE STATE OF THE BUSINESS FOR US IS VERY TOUGH RIGHT NOW.

WE FALL UNDER THE CONSTRUCTION DIVISION, WHICH PUTS US AT A POINT TWO.

WHILE IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, WE'LL AVERAGE MAYBE $400,000 A YEAR, WHICH SOUNDS GREAT, BUT BEING ABLE FOR US TO ALSO BALANCE A BUDGET IS A CHALLENGE.

LIKE I SAID, THERE'S MAYBE 3 TO 5 EMPLOYEES, BUT WE'RE PAYING OUT INSURANCE FOR OUR VEHICLES, FOR OUR WORKERS COMP GENERAL LIABILITY. WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THE CONTRACTOR BOND AND WE HAVE TO PAY FOR EMPLOYEE BONDS JUST TO GIVE A FEW. AND THAT RUNS INTO THE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR.

AS THE DIRECTOR, I SEE THE FINANCIALS. AND UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE DAYS WHEN THAT BANK ACCOUNT GETS CLOSE TO ZERO.

AND THAT'S A SCARY, SCARY THING. I DON'T REALLY WANT TO REHASH A LOT OF WHAT'S BEEN SAID BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME EXCELLENT POINTS BEING MADE HERE.

I LOVE THE IDEA OF COLLABORATION. I WAS TOLD OF A MEETING AT THE NATIONAL CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THE DAY BEFORE.

THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME GOING TO ANYTHING OF THIS NATURE.

AND YOU HAVE SOME REALLY, REALLY SMART, INTELLIGENT PEOPLE THAT ARE A PART OF YOUR COMMUNITY.

AND WHAT I'M HEARING NOW IS THE IDEA OF COLLABORATION, WHICH I THINK IS GREAT.

I'LL GIVE A COUPLE QUICK ANALOGIES. THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY.

YOUR CITIZENS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY. I GO TO MCDONALD'S, THE NUMBER 11.

FORGET ABOUT IT. IT'S NOT WHAT IT ONCE WAS. AND THERE'S A MACHINE NOW.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. THANK YOU. ANITA.

FOLLOWED BY A PERSON WITH A LAST FOUR DIGIT PHONE NUMBER.

DIGITS OF 9396. I'M ASKING THAT YOU VOTE THIS DOWN.

I'M A LONG TIME RESIDENT AND A SMALL OWNER. GET THAT? I'M A RESIDENT, NOT A BIG BUSINESS. I'M SPEAKING AGAINST THIS, OKAY?

[01:15:04]

THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN SOLVING PROBLEMS. THE FIRST STEP IN SOLVING ANY PROBLEMS. YOU HAVE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE. AND THIS COUNCIL HASN'T DONE THAT IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

AND THAT'S BEEN THE CAUSE OF LEADING UP TO THIS DEFICIT THAT YOU'RE NOW USING TO PENALIZE BUSINESSES WITH.

SO YOU CANNOT SOLVE A PROBLEM IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE WE'RE DEALING WITH.

NATIONAL CITY NEEDS A COUNCIL WITH THE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE AND DISCIPLINE TO SOLVE THESE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS IN THE EARS, TO OPEN UP AND PAY ATTENTION. SO NOT ONE YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T NEED TO.

THAT'S NOT ONE TO REALLY TURN TO TAXPAYERS AND ASK BUSINESSES FOR MONEY.

YOU GOT TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. SO WHAT I'M ASKING.

I'VE TALKED ABOUT ABOUT THE $13 MILLION DEFICIT.

LOOKING BACK, YOU'VE GOT TO BE HONEST AND RECOGNIZE WHAT'S CAUSING THE POOR DECISIONS THAT YOU MADE.

AND YOU'RE THE ONES THAT CAUSED THIS. YOU'VE ACTUALLY MADE COMMITMENTS BEFORE REALIZING WHETHER YOU HAD THE REVENUE STREAMS TO PAY FOR THE STUFF.

THAT'S NOT A SERVICE. THAT'S JUST PLAIN GOVERNANCE MISMANAGEMENT.

I CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT. SO ANYWAY, WHEN I'M OUT, WHEN I'M FOR, I'M ASKING BEFORE ASKING RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS TO PAY FOR MORE.

IDENTIFY THE REAL CAUSES. FULLY EVALUATE THE THE CITY SPENDING.

COMPLETE THE MISSING FINANCIAL ANALYST EXHAUST EVERY REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE.

OTHERWISE YOU'RE ASKING. YOU'RE RISKING MAKING MORE MAJOR FINANCIAL CATASTROPHES BASED ON INCOMPLETE INFORMATION AND MAKING LONG TERM FINANCIAL CONDITIONS EVEN WORSE.

YOU'VE ALREADY DONE IT TO GET US INTO THE BUDGET DEFICIT, SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING IT AGAIN.

IF YOU PASS THIS THING WITHOUT THIS TAX, WITHOUT INCOMPLETE, WITHOUT INCOMPLETE, WITH INCOMPLETE INFORMATION.

SO DO THE ANALYSIS. FIND OUT WHAT THE REAL ECONOMIC BENEFIT IS FOR THE BUSINESSES.

YOU KNOW, THE THING IS YOU NEED A BUSINESS PLAN A TAX PLAN WITH A BUSINESS PLAN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PHONE NUMBER ENDING 9396.

YOU COULDN'T PRONOUNCE MY LAST NAME ANYHOW THAT'S A TOUGH ONE.

BOEH BY GREG BAGBY, CAPITAL HOLDINGS. MAYOR. COUNCIL STAFF, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANKS FOR COMING. I KNOW YOU WANT TO BE HERE.

I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF MEETINGS, AND, YOU KNOW, I HEAR WHAT EVERYBODY'S SAYING.

MY HOME. I HAVE A BUDGET, AND I HAVE TO LIVE BY IT.

IF I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, I CAN'T SPEND IT. AND OUR BUSINESS IS I HAVE A BUDGET.

IF I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, I CAN'T SPEND IT. BALANCE PLAN IS LOOKED AT AS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY BENEFICIAL TO THE PORT.

I'M LOOKING AT SPENDING OVER $60 MILLION ON A PROJECT.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THINGS LIKE THIS AND YOU GO, WHAT IS IT? WELL, IT'S TEN TIMES THE FEES THAT I'M CURRENTLY PAYING.

YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS A COST OF LIVING, IT WOULD GO UP, BUT IT WOULD BE A THIRD OF WHAT'S PRESENTED IN THIS PROPOSAL. TALK ABOUT SERVICES AND GOD, I WANT THE SERVICES.

BUT YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY, I DON'T FEEL LIKE I GET THE SERVICES ANYHOW.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE NEED SOME AUSTERITY IN OUR LIVES, IN OUR COUNTRY, IN OUR CITY, IN OUR BUSINESSES AND OUR FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, TO INCREASE WHAT WE SAVE AND WE NEED TO SPEND LESS.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY GOOD PROJECTS OUT THERE THAT WE ALL WANT TO DO, BUT WE CAN'T AFFORD THEM.

YOU KNOW, WHERE IS THAT GOING TO LEAVE US? SO I STILL CAN'T GET BEHIND THE PROPOSAL.

AND I HOPE THAT YOU VOTE AGAINST THIS FOR THIS EVENING.

47 YEARS IS A LONG TIME TO GO WITHOUT AN INCREASE.

THAT APPEARS TO BE MISMANAGEMENT TO ME. THAT'S THAT WASN'T ON MY WATCH.

AND I KNOW THIS IS YOUR WATCH, AND MANY OF YOU ARE NEW, AND CERTAINLY YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HERE FOR 47 YEARS, BUT THERE'S A WAY TO CORRECT IT. I DO THINK THAT OUR BUSINESSES ARE ALREADY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. MONA ESSER ENRIQUEZ AND FOLLOWED BY JEREMY DAY, FOLLOWED BY GORDON RUTHERFORD. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS MARIA ENRIQUEZ AND I'M REPRESENTING THE SMALL BUSINESS, THE HOME DAYCARES, THE SMALL PRESCHOOLS. WE ALREADY STRUGGLING WITH.

I MEAN WE PAYING SO MUCH IN INSURANCE, RENT WORKERS COMP AND EVEN HOME DAYCARES NOW WE HAVE TO PAY WAGES, MINIMUM WAGE ON, I MEAN, OUR EMPLOYEES AND IT'S VERY HARD TO COMPETE.

[01:20:02]

SO UNFORTUNATELY FOR US, WE'RE STRUGGLING SO MUCH AND WE HAVEN'T GOT A RAISE FROM THE CITY.

I THINK I ALREADY TALKED TO YOU FROM THE COUNTY SINCE 2012.

SO WE ARE MANAGING OUR, OUR PAYROLLS AND ALL THE BILLS WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE GOT SINCE 2012. SO IF YOU INCREASE THIS, IT'S GOING TO BE AN ON OUR PARENTS AND OUR RENT AND MORE INSURANCE.

SO I JUST WANT YOU TO AT LEAST CONSIDER AND THINK ABOUT OUR STRUGGLES.

WE WORK FROM 5:00 IN THE MORNING. AND SOMETIMES I HAVE FRIENDS THAT I INVITED TO TO THE MEETING, BUT THEY'RE STILL WORKING. WE STOPPED WORKING AT 7:00, SOMETIMES EIGHT.

SO WE ARE STRUGGLING EVEN NOW. THE, THE, THE CITY TOOK AWAY OUR FOUR YEAR OLDS.

SO WE'RE COMPETING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS NOW.

SO IT'S GETTING HARDER AND HARDER FOR US TO MAINTAIN OUR BUSINESSES.

SO PLEASE. LIKE I SAID, WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU AND WE WANT TO HELP YOU.

I UNDERSTAND THE THE WE HAVE TO MANAGE OUR MONEY.

AND IT'S NOT JUST YOUR MONEY, IT'S EVERYBODY'S MONEY.

SO PLEASE VOTE NO RIGHT NOW AND LET'S WORK WITH US.

I MEAN, I KNOW I'M JUST A SMALL BUSINESS, BUT WE CAN HELP.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JEREMY DE. FOLLOWED BY GORDON RUTHERFORD.

THERE WE GO. MAYOR. VICE MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND STAFF. MY NAME IS JEREMY DE.

I PROUDLY SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL CITY FIREFIGHTERS.

AND I RISE IN SUPPORT OF THIS MEASURE AND RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR VOTE TO PLACE IT BEFORE THE VOTERS OF NATIONAL CITY.

THE CURRENT BUSINESS LICENSE RATE ESTABLISHED DECADES AGO, SIMPLY DOESN'T REFLECT THE REALITIES OF NATIONAL CITY IN 2026.

SINCE THEN, OUR CITY HAS GROWN. OUR ECONOMY HAS CHANGED, THE COST OF PROVIDING SERVICES HAS INCREASED, AND THE DEMANDS PLACED ON OUR COMMUNITY HAVE EVOLVED.

I HAVE GONE ON RECORD FOR DISAGREEING WITH PROJECTED STRUCTURAL, STRUCTURAL DEFICITS AND PREVIOUS FISCAL YEARS, BUT I AM IN BELIEF THAT THIS YEAR AND NEXT ARE DIFFERENT.

WE DON'T NEED TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR TO FEEL AND SEE THE EFFECTS OF THE STRUCTURAL DEFICIT.

WE HAVE ALREADY FROZEN TWO FIREFIGHTER POSITIONS AND AYE PLANS CHECKER WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THESE TYPES OF CUTS HAVE HAPPENED IN MANY OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS, WITH A POTENTIAL OF MORE TO COME AS WE ATTEMPT TO BALANCE THE CURRENT BUDGET YEAR.

THE IDEA THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADOPT THIS TAX, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO LOOK INTERNALLY AT BALANCING EXPENSES IS JUST NOT TRUE.

WE HAVE HEARD THE COMMENTS MADE HERE AND AT THE WORKSHOP TWO WEEKS AGO, AND WE BELIEVE THERE IS A CONSENSUS IN THE ROOM THAT NATIONAL CITY NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING. THE DISAGREEMENT IS IN THE AMOUNT OF THE REFORM TO BE IMPLEMENTED.

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS OF AGREEING TO A COMPROMISE ON THE RATES AND TO A SOLUTION TO ASSIST THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HARDSHIPS TONIGHT, NOT IN SIX MONTHS OR YEARS FROM NOW. AND PLACE IT ON THE BALLOT FOR THIS NOVEMBER.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, MOVING THE MEASURE FORWARD IS ABOUT GIVING OUR RESIDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE WHAT'S BEST FOR NATIONAL CITY, WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM. WE BELIEVE THE VOTERS ARE CAPABLE OF WEIGHING THE FACTS, HEARING BOTH SIDES, AND MAKING AN INFORMED DECISION. LET THE RESIDENTS DECIDE WHETHER A SYSTEM DESIGNED NEARLY 47 YEARS AGO STILL MAKES SENSE FOR THE NATIONAL CITY OF TODAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GORDON RUTHERFORD, FOLLOWED BY THOMAS REICH.

THANK YOU. I'M GORDON RUTHERFORD, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE PORT OF SAN DIEGO SHIP REPAIR ASSOCIATION.

I DON'T LIVE IN NATIONAL CITY, BUT WE'VE GOT AT LEAST A COUPLE OF DOZEN BUSINESSES IN THE ASSOCIATION THAT DO BUSINESS HERE IN NATIONAL CITY. I'LL KEEP MY REMARKS VERY BRIEF. I UNDERSTAND YOU GOT A DEFICIT.

YOU NEED TO MAKE IT UP SOMEHOW. I THINK IF YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED YOUR TAX RATES IN HOWEVER MANY YEARS, THAT MAY BE A PROBLEM. I THINK WHAT'S PROBABLY GOTTEN MORE PEOPLE'S ATTENTION THAN ANYTHING IS STICKER SHOCK.

TRYING TO FIX IT ALL AT ONCE IS PROBABLY NOT THE BEST WAY TO GET PUBLIC BEHIND YOU.

BY MY QUICK CALCULATION, SITTING BACK HERE BECAUSE I JUST LOOKED AT THIS TODAY, YOU KNOW, FOLKS THAT WERE PAYING $371 ON $1 MILLION GROSS RECEIPTS ARE NOW GOING TO HAVE A BILL OF 1000.

[01:25:02]

SO I THINK THERE'S I ECHO THE SENTIMENTS THAT OTHER FOLKS HAVE HAD TO VOTE AGAINST THE CURRENT PROPOSAL AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT'S MORE EQUITABLE AND A LITTLE LESS SHOCKING TO THE SYSTEM, AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO BALANCE OTHER THINGS TO KIND OF MEET IN THE MIDDLE SOMEWHERE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THOMAS REICH.

I, I'VE READ THE BALLOT. I'VE READ THE BALLOT, THE EXHIBITS, TWO EXHIBITS.

AND I, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY THE SAME. THEY GO FROM 0.05% TO 2.3%. BUT SO THE FIRST ONE GOES TO 01010. LET'S SEE, OH ONE. THEY'RE THEY'RE HALFWAY.

THE THING, THE THING WITH THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS THIS.

THE PRESENTATION DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYTHING LIKE THE BALLOT.

THE BALLOT SAYS THAT THE THE TAXES FOR THE BUSINESS, SMALL BUSINESS TAX IS CAPPED AT A CAPPED AT 150,000 FOR THE $25 AND THE. IT. THAT'S ALL.

AND IF YOU WOULD, WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION FOR THE THING FOR THIS PROPOSAL, TELL US HOW MANY HOW MANY REGISTERED VOTERS ARE IN NATIONAL CITY AND WHAT THE TURNOUT IS AND WHAT PERCENTAGE HAS TO PASS THIS TO TO PUT THIS MEASURE IN EFFECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MIKE THOMAS.

FOLLOWED BY SHERRY GOGI. FOLLOWED BY NANCY CASTELLANO.

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS MIKE THOMAS. I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF LOCAL 29 AND I'M.

WE ARE HERE TODAY TO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE, AND ALSO THE BUSINESS OWNERS IN THIS COMMUNITY. WE'RE A BIG LABOR FORCE. AND SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE GOTTEN TO SEE.

AND EVERYONE. AND YOU'VE ALL GOTTEN TO SEE ME.

WE'VE BEEN I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE DAY ONE WITH MY PRESIDENT CRYSTAL CRUZ.

WHAT'S MORE ALARMING, I'M GOING TO KIND OF USE YOUR OWN WORDS AGAINST YOU.

YOU GUYS ALL SIT HERE AND SAY YOU ARE RUNNING A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS, BUT YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS BACKGROUND.

SO WITH ALL THAT SAID, IF WE IF THIS THIS MEASURE PASSES AND IT GOES THROUGH.

WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN? RIGHT. WE AS LEADERS, MYSELF, CRYSTAL, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO TAKE A STEP BACK.

MAYBE WE DON'T GET A PAY RAISE. MAYBE WE HAVE TO REALLY SCRUB OUR BOOKS AND LOOK WHAT'S GOING ON.

WE DON'T SIT THERE AND HAVE CITY MANAGERS WHERE I BELIEVE THIS ONE IS YOUR FOURTH ONE IN HOW LONG? HE CAME HERE THREE WEEKS. YOU GUYS TRIED TO SLIDE THIS IN.

IT GOT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE BUSINESS OWNERS.

AND THEN WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO? YOU GASLIGHTED US.

WHY WE'RE DOING THIS. A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE SITTING IN THIS ROOM TODAY CAME TO YOU WITH SOLUTIONS AND WANTED TO WORK.

YET YOU DISREGARDED WHAT THEY SAID. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT TELLS ME? YOUR MIND WAS ALREADY MADE UP, AND THAT'S ALARMING.

YOU'RE SITTING THERE PUTTING A LOT OF PEOPLE AT RISK HERE, THE BUSINESS OWNERS.

WHO'S NOT TO SAY THEY JUST TRAVEL ONE MILE TO THE LEFT, TO THE SOUTH AND TAKE THEIR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE.

WHAT MAKES YOU DON'T THINK THEY'LL GO TO THE RIGHT AND GO A MILE TO THE NORTH AND TAKE IT ELSEWHERE? YOU REALLY HAVE TO SIT BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND REALLY RUN IT LIKE A BUSINESS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL STAFF AND RESIDENTS.

I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, NAMELY MY NAME, CHERI.

REALLY? I'M ON THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. I'M AN EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER.

SIX WEEKS AGO, WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS. NOBODY DID.

IN SIX WEEKS AGO, WE FOUND OUT AND I HIT PAVEMENT.

I WENT TO 40 BUSINESSES IN DISTRICT THREE WHERE I LIVE, AND DISTRICT ONE, AND NONE OF THEM KNEW ABOUT THIS.

BUT WHERE'S THE TRANSPARENCY? YOU DIDN'T TELL ANYBODY.

SO WE ALL REACHED OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORS, TO OUR BUSINESSES.

[01:30:04]

GET A ROUND TABLE WITH OUR BUSINESSES. LET US SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND GET THIS GOING.

I'M ALSO SPEAKING AS A RESIDENT RIGHT HERE IN NATIONAL CITY IN DISTRICT THREE.

NONE OF MY NEIGHBORS KNOW ABOUT THIS. THIS IS FALSE.

IF YOU SAY WE WILL NOT BE AFFECTED AS RESIDENTS, WE WILL BE.

BECAUSE IT'LL ALL TRICKLE DOWN INTO OUR STORES, OUR MARKETS, OUR DAYCARE, ALL OF IT.

IT'S GOING TO COME BACK TO US. SO WE NEED TO SIT DOWN.

YES, WE AGREE. IT NEEDS TO BE DONE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.

BUT SIX WEEKS IN THE TIME THAT TIME FRAME DOESN'T WORK IN ANYBODY'S IN BUSINESS AND I RUN A BUSINESS.

I CAN'T MAKE A DECISION THAT BIG IN SIX WEEKS.

THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT EVERYBODY. WE REALLY NEED TO SIT BACK AND LOOK AT THIS, AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO DO THIS.

THANK YOU. NANCY CASTELLANO, FOLLOWED BY LEE CLARK.

GOOD EVENING, COUNCILMAN AND MAYOR MORRISON. NANCY CASTELLANO, BUSINESS OWNER FOR 23 YEARS IN NATIONAL CITY.

TONIGHT IS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT FROM 4 TO 8 AT KIMBALL PARK.

IT'S A NATIONWIDE COMMUNITY BUILDING CAMPAIGN WHERE CITIES LIKE NATIONAL CITY BRING RESIDENTS TOGETHER WITH POLICE AND FIRE WORKERS.

AND THAT'S WHERE I WOULD RATHER BE. BUT I'M HERE SPEAKING BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO.

OUR CITY IS OFFERING POLICE AND FIRE FAIR WAGES, AND WE'RE PAYING THE RETIREMENT AS PROMISED.

BOTH BOTH OF THESE THINGS ARE PART OF THE REASON FOR THE BUDGET DEFICIT.

THIS OPTION ONE BUSINESS TAX LICENSE IS JUST ONE PART OF A PLAN TO MAKE NATIONAL CITY WHOLE AGAIN.

FOR 40 YEARS, SEVEN YEARS, WE HAVE NOT RAISED THE BUSINESS LICENSE TAX.

I DON'T KNOW WHY MISINFORMATION NOW HAS MADE MANY GOOD PEOPLE THINK THAT BUSINESSES WILL BE CLOSING, MOVING AWAY, RAISING THEIR PRICES. AND THAT'S NOT TRUE.

95% OF THE PEOPLE ARE OF THE BUSINESSES. HERE ARE SMALL BUSINESSES, BUSINESSES WITH SALES OF $100,000 PAY $50. HOW IS THAT GOING TO MAKE THEM MOVE AWAY? SALES OF 500 000 PAY 250 A YEAR. IT'S PLUS PROBABLY THE JUNK FEE.

BUT THESE ARE NATIONAL. THESE ARE 95% NATIONAL CITIES, 4000 BUSINESSES.

AND I THINK THAT THAT IS FINE FOR BUSINESSES THAT MAKE $10 MILLION IN SALES.

THEY WILL PAY $5,000. THE NATIONAL CITY RATE IS $1,750.

AND THAT IS WHAT THEY WILL PAY IF YOU DID NOT PASS THIS TONIGHT.

IF THIS IS PASSED, IT WILL GO TO THE NOVEMBER 3RD ELECTION WHERE THE CITIZENS WILL MAKE A DECISION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR AND FOR THOSE WHO MAKE $1,000,100 MILLION.

GOD BLESS THEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. THAT MEANS I'M DONE.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY. OKAY. LEE. CLARK.

THANK YOU. LOUISA MCCARTHY. FOLLOWED BY MPV.

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. TODAY'S AGENDA ITEM IS QUITE CONTROVERSIAL.

WHAT A COINCIDENCE THAT IT'S RIGHT NOW DURING THE RIGHT BEFORE THE VOTING.

YOUR LAST ATTEMPT RON, TO BE RELEVANT. YOU'VE BEEN SITTING IN THAT CHAIR FAR TOO LONG.

IF YOU REALLY CARED ABOUT THE BUSINESSES, THEN YOU PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING MANY YEARS AGO.

YOU CLAIM THAT YOU'VE BEEN IN POLITICS 33 YEARS.

WELL, THERE'S THE SAYING POLITICIANS AND DIAPERS NEED TO BE CHANGED REGULARLY FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BUSINESSES? YOU HAVEN'T HAD A JOB IN A LONG, LONG TIME.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BEING A BUSINESS OWNER? WAKING UP IN THE MORNING, DOING YOUR INVENTORY, BEING PASSIONATE DOING YOUR ECONOMICS.

YOU DON'T KNOW. YOU HAVE NO FORMAL EDUCATION.

[01:35:04]

OR FAMILY. WHY? BECAUSE YOUR WIFE WAS HERE NOT TOO LONG AGO, ASKING FOR A DIVORCE.

BECAUSE YOU HAD BEEN ABUSING HER PHYSICALLY. IT'S IN.

IT'S IN THE RECORDINGS. YOU. EVERYBODY CAN SEE THAT.

SO WE ARE GETTING TO KNOW RON MORRISON, THE TRUE RON MORRISON.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING UP, AND A LOT OF THE PEOPLE HERE, THE RESIDENTS WILL BE VERY INTERESTED TO READ ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING OUT ON THE HEADLINES, ALL YOU'RE DOING AND YOUR ASSISTANT, SADLY.

DON'T WORRY, THIS IS MY TIME. SO ANYWAY, THIS IS POLITICAL AND THIS IS ALL ON YOU.

THIS IS JUST A STUNT. SO GUYS, GET WITH IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MPV.

GOOD EVENING AGAIN. MY QUESTION TO YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS IS WHO PUT THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA? WHO INITIATED THIS BUSINESS TAX REFORM. WHO ASKED THE STAFF TO PUT THIS.

BALL ROLLING. WHO DO YOU KNOW DO ANY OF YOU KNOW AND WHY NOW? RIGHT. ONE WEEK, ONE WEEK BEFORE RON MORRISON IS HAS DECIDED TO FILE TO BE A MAYOR OR NOT ONE WEEK. WHY NOW? WHY WASN'T THIS PUT IN THE BALL ROLLING A YEAR AGO? TWO YEARS AGO, THREE YEARS AGO, FOUR YEARS AGO? DO YOU EVER ASK THAT QUESTION? ISN'T IT A COINCIDENCE THAT IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW? OBVIOUSLY, WE NEED MORE TIME. WE NEED MORE RESEARCH TO DO A PROPER JOB AT DOING WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY.

YOU CAN'T TAKE DECISIONS THIS BIG AND JAM THEM DOWN PEOPLE'S THROAT AT THE LAST MINUTE.

YOU NEED TO DO A THOROUGH HOMEWORK ON WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED, TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE, BUT OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE THIS IS RHETORIC ON RON MORRISON'S PART, EVERYBODY'S GOT TO DROP WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO PUT THIS MEASURE ON THE BALLOT WHEN IT'S NOT NECESSARY.

THINK ABOUT THE POLITICAL AGENDA BEHIND THIS.

BE OPEN MINDED. DON'T BE SO CLOSED MINDED. LOOK AT REALITY.

DEAL IN REALITY. LOOK AT THE FACTS. PLEASE LOOK AT THE FACTS.

DON'T GO BY WHAT HE IS SAYING. IF HE'S SAYING I LIKE SO AND SO, KNOW THAT IT'S THE OPPOSITE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR COMMENTS.

THE ONE PERSON THAT DID LEAVE, I WANT TO NOTE THAT HE WAS IN OPPOSITION.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO LOOK OVER TO OUR CITY MANAGER.

ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE WE. YEAH, I DO WANT TO POINT OUT A FEW NOTES I TOOK HERE.

YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE'VE COMMUNICATED THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR 2027, THE CITY IS FACING A $13 MILLION DEFICIT.

THAT GROWS TO $15 MILLION IN 2028 AND $30 MILLION IN 2029 IF NOTHING IS DONE.

I HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT RESIDENCES, RESIDENTS, AND AND THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT BUSINESSES.

EVERY DECISION THAT'S MADE UP HERE, EVERY DECISION THAT'S MADE IN MY OFFICE OR THROUGHOUT THE CITY AFFECTS RESIDENTS, AFFECTS THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THAT'S WHY WE EXIST.

THE REVENUE SOURCES FOR THE CITY. EVERY DOLLAR WE GET IS FROM A TAXPAYER, A BUSINESS PERSON, A HOMEOWNER. EVEN IF IT'S GRANT MONEY, IT CAME FROM FEDERAL INCOME TAX.

STATE INCOME TAX. SOME TAX THAT WAS LEVIED AGAINST A BUSINESS OR A RESIDENT WITHIN A CERTAIN JURISDICTION.

[01:40:04]

IF WE CUT WHICH WE KNOW WE HAVE TO THIS FIRST YEAR THAT THIS IS IMPLEMENTED 2029, 2028 MEANS THAT WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A BIG GAP TO FILL BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN THE FIRST DOLLAR OF THIS NEW TAX IS RECEIVED. AND THAT'S THE $13 MILLION.

SO THE SOLUTION HERE IS, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT'S IT'S THREE PRONGED.

IT'S THE REVENUE SIDE. IT'S THE EXPENSE SIDE.

IT'S LOOKING AT GRANTS. IT'S A COMBINATION OF THINGS.

BUT WE KNOW AT LEAST $6 MILLION OF CUTS NEED TO BE MADE IF THIS GOES TO THE BALLOT AND IF IT'S APPROVED BY THE VOTERS WITH THAT $6 MILLION IN CUTS, WE'RE LOOKING AT IMPACTS TO PARKS, RECREATION, SENIOR SERVICES. THAT'S VETERANS, THAT'S SENIORS, THAT'S YOUTH LIBRARY OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE COSTS IN OUR STREETS, OUR FACILITIES AND OUR FLEET.

FREEZING VACANT POSITIONS ALREADY BEEN ANNOUNCED HERE.

IMPACTS TO PUBLIC SAFETY. WE'VE ALREADY ASKED FOR POSITIONS TO BE FROZEN IN POLICE AND FIRE.

THOSE ACTIONS ARE NECESSARY. THEY HAVE TO BE MADE.

BUT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT COVERING THIS DEFICIT WITH JUST COSTS, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS GOING TO BE HEAVILY IMPACTED. RESIDENTS, RENTERS IN THIS COMMUNITY ARE GOING TO BE HEAVILY IMPACTED BECAUSE THIS COMMUNITY DEPENDS ON THE SERVICES THE CITY PROVIDES MORE THAN MOST COMMUNITIES, WEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T NEED THE SERVICES THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDES.

I'VE WORKED IN THEM. I, I KNOW WHAT TYPE OF SERVICES PEOPLE USE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.

THIS COMMUNITY DEPENDS HEAVILY ON THE SERVICES, AND IF WE CAN'T PROVIDE THEM, IT IS GOING TO IMPACT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY HAVE CHOSEN TO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY. WHO DO BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH THAT I'VE LOOKED AT THE BUDGET.

I'VE BEEN FIRE HOSE EFFECT WITH THIS ISSUE SINCE I ARRIVED HERE AS A CITY MANAGER.

AND THERE AREN'T A LOT OF SOLUTIONS ON THE REVENUE SIDE.

WHATEVER THAT SOLUTION IS, IT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE SAME PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM.

HOW YOU SLICE THAT $7 MILLION UP. THAT'S PERCENTAGES.

IT'S STILL A NUMBER THAT WE HAVE TO USE AS A TARGET.

AND I'M HAPPY TO MEET WITH BUSINESS COMMUNITY ROUND TABLES.

THE AUGUST 18TH MEETING I WILL BE REQUESTING THE COUNCIL TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR PRIOR TO BASE BUDGETING.

THAT'S A FIRST STEP IN BUILDING THAT TRANSPARENCY.

EXACTLY WHAT I HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY THIS EVENING, BE TRANSPARENT, HELP US OR LET US HELP YOU SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.

WELL, THE FIRST THING WE HAVE TO DO IS GET THE INFORMATION, THE DATA IN IN A FORMAT THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU.

SO OTHERWISE WE SPEND AN AWFUL LOT OF TIME JUST GOING THROUGH THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, THE RESTRICTIONS, THE REGULATIONS THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO KNOW TO HELP US FIX THESE PROBLEMS. SO THIS, THIS STEP IS JUST PLACING IT ON THE BALLOT.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK WE CAN DO BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER, AND I'M OPEN TO SPENDING TIME WITH ANYONE THAT'S INTERESTED IN TRYING TO FIND THOSE SOLUTIONS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE COME BACK TO THE INTERESTING PART. AND THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED HAVING DISCUSSION AND MAKE DECISIONS.

MAYOR. WE HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT ON ZOOM. WE DID HAVE ONE MORE.

STILL STUCK IN ZOOM. OKAY, LET'S TAKE CARE OF THAT FIRST.

TRUTH. TRUTH. PLEASE MAKE YOUR COMMENT.

[01:45:07]

IT'S NOT COMING THROUGH. WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HEAR HER COMMENT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL GO ON. AND IF SHE COMES BACK IN.

THANK YOU. OKAY. WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

BUT ANY COMMENTS AT THIS STAGE? KICK IT OFF.

I JUST ASKED, I SAW YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE REACHING FOR IT OR NOT.

I'LL KICK IT OFF. OKAY. I'LL LET YOU GO FOR IT.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR COMING. COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN SOME CASES, FRIENDS, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING DIALOG FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

AND GRANTED, IT HAS NOT BEEN A LONG TIME. AND I THINK A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT COMMUNITY HAS BROUGHT UP HAVE BEEN MORE THAN VALID IN THE NEED TO HAVE A LONGER PERIOD TO DISCUSS THESE VERY IMPORTANT ITEMS THAT HAVE A.

LARGE IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE AS A CITY NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON.

WE'VE HAD THESE DISCUSSIONS IN PRIVATE AND IN OPEN OF WHAT OUR CITY HAS BEEN DEALING WITH OVER THIS LAST YEAR.

AND HONESTLY, WE WE REALLY NEEDED TO START THE DISCUSSION WHEN WE APPROPRIATED THE FUNDS BACK IN DECEMBER.

AND THAT WAS A PUBLIC VOTE THAT WE TOOK. AND SO AT THAT TIME WE SHOULD HAVE STARTED DIALOG THEN.

NOW WITH THAT SAID IT HAS BEEN A VERY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE, I THINK IN MOST WAYS TO HAVE HONEST DIALOG WITH OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, LARGER BUSINESS OWNERS SOME LABOR GROUPS AS WELL ON WHAT THIS WOULD IMPACT OUR CITY.

AND SO I AM OF THE BELIEF THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE THAT, AND I LIKE THE SUGGESTIONS THAT MANY OF THE BUSINESSES MADE, INCLUDING HAVING AN ONGOING BUSINESS ADVISORY GROUP WITH THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY GOING FORWARD.

THERE'S A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WAY OUR CITY FUNCTIONS AND WHERE OUR CITY SHOULD PRIORITIZE FUNDS.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING I HAVE ALSO COMMITTED TO IN PRIVATE AND IN PUBLIC TO CONTINUE TO DO.

IT'S ALSO BEEN DISAPPOINTING ON SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT HAS GONE OUT THERE AND SOME OF IT, SOME OF IT IS I THINK COMING FROM A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE IDEOLOGICAL POSITIONS AND WHATEVER YOUR INDIVIDUAL POLITICAL IDEOLOGICAL POSITION IS, SOME OF THE FACTS THAT THE PARTICULAR INITIATIVE HAS DO NOT CORRELATE WITH SOME OF THE PUBLIC STATEMENTS THAT CONTINUE TO BE MADE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT KIND OF LARGER AND SMALLER BUSINESSES THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED.

AND ONE THING WHEN WE STARTED THIS DISCUSSION, I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE ONE OF THE BEST PERFORMING TARGETS IN THE COUNTRY.

DO YOU ALL KNOW WHERE IT IS? DO YOU KNOW WHERE IT IS? IT'S HERE. IT'S IN PLAZA BONITA, ONE OF THE HIGHER PERFORMING WALMARTS IN THE COUNTY.

DO WE KNOW WHERE IT IS? IT'S HERE ON HIGHLAND, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE VERY LARGE BUSINESSES THAT DON'T PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE INTO THE GROWTH OF OUR CITY.

YET THEY'RE ASKED TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE IN OTHER CITIES.

AND SO I THINK THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS EQUITY AND AT THE SAME TIME, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT SMALLER BUSINESSES, WHICH IS WHY I PARTICULARLY LIKE THE DISCUSSION AND THE MODIFIED OR OPTION TWO.

I'M OPEN TO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES YOU KNOW, WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS, BUT SOMETHING THAT IS MUCH MORE REASONABLE FOR BUSINESSES.

AND I THINK JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS YOU KNOW, I THINK BETTER, YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT A BUSINESS EARNING $1 MILLION UNDER THE OPTION TWO AND IT IS A RETAIL SALES OPTION, HOW MUCH WOULD THAT PARTICULAR BUSINESS LICENSE FEE AMOUNT BE UNDER OPTION TWO WOULD BE $500.

SO $1 MILLION BUSINESS GROSS RECEIPTS, $500. CORRECT.

AND SO THE AVERAGE, LET'S SAY IN AND OUT IN OUR CITY, ACTUALLY, THE AVERAGE IN AND OUT MAKES ABOUT 4 TO $5 MILLION A LITTLE HIGHER.

IT'S ABOUT 6 TO 7. BUT TOMATO, TOMATO, OKAY. 6 TO 7.

[01:50:01]

HOW MUCH WOULD THAT BE FOR A, A VERY HIGH PERFORMING BUSINESS IN OUR CITY AT $6 MILLION GROSS RECEIPTS WITH OPTION TWO AT 0.0 5%, THAT'D BE APPROXIMATELY $3,000. THE $3,000 FOR A IN AND OUT TO OPERATE IN OUR CITY.

THAT'S CORRECT. HOW MUCH DO THEY PAY NOW? I DON'T KNOW, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

YEAH. BUT IF I HAD TO EQUATE IT SOMEWHERE, PROBABLY SOMEWHERE AROUND $1,000.

$1,000. HOW ABOUT HAVING, FOR EXAMPLE, THE OPTOMETRY CENTER HERE AT COSTCO? HOW MUCH WOULD THEY PAY UNDER THE PROPOSED OPTION TWO? AND I KNOW SOME OF THAT COULD BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY KNOW.

BUT YEAH, THAT ONE, IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE ME A SECOND.

YEAH. RIGHT. THERE'S A PROPOSED CAP ON THE BUSINESS WHICH WOULD BE AT AT 150.

THEY WOULD BE AT THE CAP. THEY WOULD BE AT THE CAP AT AT 150,000.

UNDER BOTH MODELS. UNDER BOTH MODELS. CORRECT.

AND HOW MUCH DO THEY PAY NOW. SOMEWHERE IN THE RANGE OF $2,000.

HOW MANY OPTOMETRY CENTERS ARE THERE IN THE COUNTRY.

TWO. SO THERE'S TWO OPTOMETRY CENTERS THAT. WHAT DO THEY DO? THEY. THEY MANUFACTURE ALL THE OPTICAL LENSES FOR EVERYONE'S PRESCRIPTION GLASSES IN THE COUNTRY.

THERE'S ONE THERE'S BASICALLY TWO MANUFACTURERS THAT PROVIDE ALL THE LENSES TO ALL THE COSTCOS IN THE COUNTRY.

AND AGAIN, THE CAP WOULD BE $150,000 BUSINESS LICENSE FEE.

THAT'S CORRECT. AND HOW MUCH WOULD THEY HOW MUCH DO THEY CURRENTLY PAY? AGAIN, JUST TO REITERATE. ROUGHLY AROUND $2,000.

SO SOMETIMES IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT WHAT IS PRESENTED BEFORE US AND LOOK AT THIS IN TERMS OF EQUITY, BECAUSE INDEED SOME OF THIS WOULD OVERWHELMINGLY IMPACT THOSE VERY HIGH PERFORMING BUSINESSES IN OUR CITY, WHICH WE VALUE AND CARE FOR, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THOSE ARE JOBS.

BUT THERE'S ALSO AN IMPACT TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT THOSE BUSINESSES CREATE INEVITABLY.

AND WHETHER IT IS HAVING, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE VISIT WALMART, I SEE THE REPORTS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF CALLS TO WALMART. I SEE THE REPORTS TO A LOT OF LARGER BUSINESSES.

WE HAVE A LOT OF CALLS TO THOSE BUSINESSES AS WELL.

AND IT IS OUR JOB AND OUR DUTY AS A CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT EVERYBODY, INCLUDING OUR BUSINESSES, INCLUDING OUR RESIDENTS. AND SO I REALLY SEE THIS AS, AS A EQUITY COMPONENT.

BUT ALL THAT ASIDE AND IDEOLOGICAL POSITIONS ASIDE, ULTIMATELY, IT'S NOT ANY ONE OF US, ANY ONE OF OUR DECISIONS.

I BELIEVE IT IS NOT MY DECISION. IT IS NOT THIS COUNCIL'S DECISION.

IT IS NOT THE MAYOR'S DECISION. IT IS NOT ANY ONE INDIVIDUAL OR BUSINESS DECISION.

I MEAN, ULTIMATELY, INITIATIVES THAT ARE PUT ON THE BALLOT ARE DECIDED BY THE VOTERS.

AND I THINK I AM OF THAT BELIEF THAT ULTIMATELY THE VOTERS DECIDE WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT OR NOT SUPPORT, OR WHO THEY WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT AND NOT SUPPORT.

AND SO I DON'T THINK IT'S OUR POSITION OR MY POSITION TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR THEM.

I THINK THAT'S UP TO THE VOTERS TO MAKE. BUT BUT I GENUINELY APPRECIATE THE VERY HONEST AND FRANK CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE HAD, AND I WANT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO MAKE OUR CITY A BETTER PLACE. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE PROCESS.

AND I'M ANXIOUS TO HEAR MY COLLEAGUES. BUT AGAIN, I'M GENUINELY THANKFUL FOR THE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE TO MAKE OUR CITY BETTER. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. IT'S DIFFICULT ON MY PART AS A BUSINESS OWNER ON THE DAIS.

I REPRESENTED BUSINESSES IN MY CITY AS THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, I REPRESENTED THE LARGEST REAL ESTATE AGENCY IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY, PACIFIC SOUTHWEST ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS.

AND YOU GUYS ARE HERE TODAY LOOKING AT ME AS YOUR REPRESENTATION.

BUT I ALSO HAVE A FIDUCIARY TO THE CITY THAT I REPRESENT, TO THE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE PLEDGED TO SERVE.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO TELL YOU THAT. LOOK, I HAVE STUDIED EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, GRILLED MY COUNSEL AND MY CITY MANAGER AND STAFF.

AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S NOT MY DECISION.

IT'S THE DECISION OF THE PEOPLE BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO THE TO THE VOTERS AND LET THEM MAKE THE DECISION IF THEY WANTED TO STOP THE SERVICES,

[01:55:06]

SO IN THE BALLOT, WE'RE GOING TO REMOVE IT, BUT IT WILL BE IN THE ORDINANCE.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. SO YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO LISTEN TO MY OTHER COLLEAGUES ON WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS WOULD BE ON THIS ON THIS REFORM THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TO PROPOSE AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIX.

YES. 47 YEARS. MISMANAGEMENT, I DON'T KNOW. I'M ONLY HERE THREE AND A HALF YEARS.

I LOOKED INTO IT, GRILLED, ASKED QUESTIONS. AS I AS, AS A BUSINESS OWNER, I LOOK AT THE BOTTOM LINE AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE ARE VERY TRANSPARENT. WE TELL EVERYBODY THE TRUTH.

THIS ARE YEAR OVER YEAR OF DEBT SERVICE THAT THE CITY HAD TO TAKE CARE OF.

AND SO YOU KNOW, WE ARE PUT IN A POSITION WHERE WE CANNOT CATCH UP ANYMORE BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE USING A 47 YEAR OLD FEES IN A 2026 YEAR.

HOW CAN WE START? HOW CAN WE CONTINUE DOING THAT BUSINESS? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WITH, WITH THAT KIND OF FEE, IT'S DIFFICULT.

SO WE LOOK AT ALL OF THIS AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, I'M IN OPTION ONE AND OPTION TWO.

I LOOK AT OPTION TWO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN TO BE ABLE TO AND THERE ARE LANGUAGES THERE THAT THAT MAY BE YOU KNOW, I MEAN, LIKE THE 150 CAP IN THE BALLOT.

BUT I WOULD LEAN TOWARDS OPTION TWO. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, TO, TO PUSH FORWARD TO THE VOTERS.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO LISTEN TO THE OPINION OF MY COLLEAGUES.

THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU. I SO APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF MY, MY COLLEAGUES AND I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM MY, THE, THE, MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVEN'T SPOKE.

I WANT TO START BY THANKING REALLY FROM THE START, OUR CITY STAFF FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER IN SUCH A RUSHED TIME.

SPECIFICALLY, I WANT TO CALL OUT PEDRO GARCIA, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER.

AND PEDRO, I THINK YOU WERE GIVEN AN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TASK.

I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A LATER DISCUSSION. AN UNCOMFORTABLE DISCUSSION PERHAPS ABOUT HOW THAT HAPPENED, WHY THAT HAPPENED, AND SOME ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE DECISIONS ABOVE YOU FOR THAT.

AND WE SHOULD DO THAT MORE OFTEN. BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, MOVE, MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE THIS WAS A TOUGH POSITION YOU WERE PUT IN, BUT I THINK THE PRESENTATION, THE DATA ANALYSIS YOU DID SHOWING THE NUMBERS ABOUT JUST THE BREAKDOWNS, I THINK WAS REALLY HELPFUL. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND DOING ALL THE OUTREACH TO THE BUSINESSES.

AND I GOT A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS FROM THE PEOPLE HERE ABOUT YOUR LEVEL OF WORK. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, PEDRO.

I WANT TO THANK HEIDI FOR WORKING THIS ENTIRE WEEKEND ON THIS ORDINANCE.

AND I KNOW IT WAS LATE AND I, I APOLOGIZE TO THE PUBLIC AND THE MEMBERS HERE FOR THAT ORDINANCE LANGUAGE BEING LATE AND THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY FOR WHY THERE, WHICH WAS THE CONSULTANT HDL.

SO AGAIN, ACCOUNTABILITY, WE NEED TO HAVE MORE OF THAT CONVERSATION AND BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT IT.

SO THAT SHOULD HAPPEN. AND THEN I WANT TO THANK DOUG FOR DOUG.

YOU JUST CAME IN AND THIS YOU WEREN'T THE CAUSE OF, OF THIS DEFICIT AND YOU'RE TRYING TO FIX.

I KNOW IT'S A REALLY TOUGH JOB, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.

SO AND THEN FINALLY, I WANT TO THANK THE BUSINESSES AND THE COMMUNITY FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO, TO COME OUT. SO I WANT TO ADDRESS THE BUDGET DEFICIT AND SOME OF THE CAUSES.

I WANT TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS, AT LEAST WHAT I SEE.

AND THEN I HAVE AN IDEA FOR A MOTION. AND I'LL SAY THIS, SO I DO SUPPORT REFORM OF OUR BUSINESS LICENSE TAX.

AND AT THIS POINT, AND I'M WILLING TO HEAR MY COLLEAGUES, BUT I DO NOT SUPPORT PUTTING THIS ON THE 2026 BALLOT AT THIS POINT.

AND I CAN SAY WHY. AND I'M STILL OPEN TO HEARING MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS.

SO JUST ADDRESSING THE BUDGET DEFICIT AND THE CAUSES, I THINK FOR ME YOU KNOW, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY THERE'S,

[02:00:07]

BUT JUST AGAIN, FOR ME, TRANSPARENCY, WHAT I TRULY IN MY HEART BELIEVE AND WHAT KIND OF ORGANIZATION I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE.

I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST OVERARCHING CAUSE IS OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND A LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY.

I THINK SOME FOLKS ALLUDED TO EVEN MISMANAGEMENT.

AND I WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOME OF THAT MISMANAGEMENT.

PART OF IT WAS THE TURNOVER OF OUR CITY MANAGER.

AND I'LL SAY WITHOUT NAMING NAMES, THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE WORST DECISIONS THAT I'VE MADE ON COUNCIL SUPPORTING A PARTICULAR CITY MANAGER WHO'S NO LONGER WITH US.

SO THAT LED TO A LOT OF ISSUES WITH OUR DIRECTORS, A LOT OF ISSUES WITH TURNOVER LAWSUITS AND INVESTIGATIONS.

AGAIN, I KNOW THIS IS UNCOMFORTABLE TO TALK ABOUT, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD BE HONEST ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THIS DEFICIT DIDN'T COME FROM JUST ONE THING. IT CAME FROM A LOT OF THINGS. SO SO IT HAS BEEN SOME LEVEL OF MISMANAGEMENT AT THE CITY MANAGER LEVEL.

BUT AND I WILL SAY TOO, BECAUSE I THINK WE SHOULD BE HONEST AND TRUTHFUL ABOUT THIS.

SO I DO REGRET THAT DECISION. I MAKE MISTAKES TOO.

BUT I DO WANT TO SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT IT WAS TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES, VICE MAYOR MOLINA AND MAYOR MORRISON, THAT ADVISED US AGAINST THAT. AND THEY ENDED UP BEING RIGHT ABOUT THAT, ABOUT THAT MISMANAGEMENT THAT ENDED UP BEING.

SO I DO WANT TO GIVE A CREDIT THERE. SO, BUT RIGHT, RIGHT NOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND I THINK WE SHOULD ALL GIVE DOUG A CHANCE TO RESTRUCTURE OUR ORGANIZATION. AND DOUG, AGAIN, YOU'VE WORKED REALLY HARD.

AND TO PUT THIS FORWARD FOR OUR CITY ADDRESSING THIS DEFICIT.

BUT I ASK, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU ALSO, AND WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY MADE SOME COMMITMENTS AND ALREADY STARTED DOING THIS, THAT WE CHANGED THE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE, THAT WE ARE MORE TRANSPARENT BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHERE WE ON THIS DAIS HAVE ASKED QUESTIONS AND HAVE LEARNED ABOUT OUR OPERATIONS, AND WE'RE DISCOURAGED SOMETIMES EVEN AT THE DIRECTOR LEVEL, FROM US ASKING QUESTIONS OR FROM US LEARNING ABOUT OPERATIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR ORGANIZATION.

AND WE AREN'T HERE TO GET INVOLVED WITH PERSONNEL.

WE'RE NOT HERE TO MICROMANAGE YOU, DOUG, BUT WE ARE HERE FOR OVERSIGHT AND TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ROOT SOMEONE I THINK IT WAS JOANNE, THAT SAID EARLIER THAT WE CAN'T FIX THE PROBLEM IF WE DON'T KNOW YOU KNOW WHAT THE CAUSE OF IT.

SO COUNCIL, WE SHOULDN'T INTERFERE WITH OPERATIONS, BUT WE SHOULD KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND I THINK AS A PUBLIC AGENCY, THE THE PUBLIC SHOULD, WE SHOULD BE AS TRANSPARENT WITH THE PUBLIC AS POSSIBLE.

SO SO AND I, AND I HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT YOU'RE DOING THAT, THAT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME AND TAKING CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK, BUT THE OTHER ISSUES THE BUDGET DEFICIT. IT'S AT THE END OF THE DAY.

EXPENSES. WE DID GIVE HISTORIC RAISES AND I THINK DESERVED RAISES TO ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES.

WE BROUGHT THEM UP THE MEDIAN, ESPECIALLY OUR MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION.

THAT WAS THEY NEEDED THAT. THEY DESERVED THAT.

WE NEED TO BE COMPETITIVE AND TREAT THEM FAIRLY.

SO THERE IS BUT THERE IS A COST TO THAT. AND SO THAT, THAT WAS PART OF IT.

I DON'T REGRET THAT. I'M VERY PROUD THAT WE, WE GAVE THAT.

BUT I THINK NOW I WANT TO HEAR FROM THE DIRECTORS AND THE EMPLOYEE GROUPS AND JUST THE EMPLOYEES, WHAT ARE THEIR IDEAS FOR REVENUE GENERATION? WHAT ARE THEIR IDEAS FOR CUTTING EXPENSES, ESPECIALLY FROM THE ON THE GROUND PEOPLE? SO I DON'T THINK DECISIONS SHOULD BE TOP DOWN. I THINK WE SHOULD SOLICIT FROM FEEDBACK FROM EMPLOYEES.

SO BUT SO THAT WAS ONE CAUSE WE SHOULD JUST BE HONEST ABOUT THAT.

THE OTHER CAUSE IS LAWSUITS AND THE INCREASE OF OUR LIABILITY INSURANCE PREMIUM HAS DOUBLED.

AND SOME OF THAT HAS BEEN JUST NATURAL INCREASES.

BUT A LOT OF THAT HAS BEEN. I BRING IT BACK TO THE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY.

SOME OF THE LAWSUITS THERE WERE EMPLOYEES THAT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE LAWSUITS.

THEY'RE STILL THEY WEREN'T HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT.

SO WE NEED TO HAVE A WAY TO TALK ABOUT THAT AS LEGALLY APPROPRIATE IN, IN CLOSED SESSION AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT POLITICIZING OUR PERSONNEL OR OUR ISSUES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE SAME WAY WHERE WE GIVE CONSTRUCTIVE, POSITIVE FEEDBACK TO DIRECTORS AND EMPLOYEES WHEN THEY DO GOOD, WE SHOULD ALSO BE HAVE THE SAME TOKEN WHEN THINGS AREN'T GOOD, WHEN THERE'S BEEN MISTAKES MADE. SO I THINK THAT GOES BACK TO THAT.

SO ON THE EXPENSES, THERE'S SOME OTHER ITEMS THAT I THINK WE CAN STILL CUT.

ON THE REVENUE PART OF IT, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADDRESSING REVENUE, MORE PARKING, UNCOLLECTED FEES.

I THINK THE THERE'S SOME OTHER INITIATIVES, POTENTIALLY HOTEL TAX.

WE'VE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS. SO THERE'S STILL SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES THAT AGAIN, WITH OUR OUR CITY MANAGER THAT I THINK WE COULD REALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.

SO THAT'S, SO I JUST WANT TO BE, WHAT I SEE IS WHAT THE CAUSES WERE FOR FOR THE DEFICIT.

[02:05:06]

THERE'S ALWAYS IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN MAKE. I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOME OF THE MISTAKES THAT I'VE DONE ON THIS, ON THIS DAIS, BUT I FEEL LIKE I'VE TRIED TO BE REALLY HONEST AND TRANSPARENT.

AND I DO BELIEVE IN EACH OF OUR OUR STAFF, THE CURRENT STAFF WE HAVE NOW, EVERY SINGLE ONE THAT WE CAN, WE CAN WORK THROUGH THIS, THIS DEFICIT. SO I, I, I, I ASK THE BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT THAT.

SO ON THE REFORM THE BUSINESS LICENSE TAX REFORM THE REASON WHY I DON'T SUPPORT IT GOING TO THE 2026 BALLOT. I JUST OVERALL IT'S BEEN TOO RUSHED.

IT AS MUCH AS I DO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT AND I WANT TO SEE A REFORM I THINK THAT IT WAS JUST TOO LATE IN THE OUTREACH. AND YES, WE HAVE A DEFICIT AND THIS IS LIKE URGENT, BUT I, I FELT GOOD ABOUT THE LAST WORKSHOP AND SOME OF THE OUTREACH WE'VE DONE TO THE BUSINESSES THAT, THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO SUPPORT REFORM AND WE CAN WORK TOWARDS A SPECIAL ELECTION IN 2027 AND STILL GET IT HOPEFULLY ON THE 2028 BALLOT.

SO, BUT I THINK I SAID THIS IN A PREVIOUS WORKSHOP I DON'T WANT THE BUSINESSES THAT THE FOLKS WHO CAME HERE TO PULL THE RUG UNDER US FROM UNDER US EITHER, LIKE I'VE HEARD FROM EACH OF YOU THAT YOU SUPPORT REFORM THIS, THIS REFORM EFFORT, THAT, THAT IT'S BEEN 40 YEARS.

SO I'VE HEARD YOU GUYS AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION.

WHAT WHAT WOULD YOU SUPPORT? AND I HAVE, AND I APPRECIATE THE CHAMBER BECAUSE THE CHAMBER DID PUT TOGETHER SOME HIGH LEVEL IDEAS AND I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH ALL OF THEM. I THINK I SAW A COUPLE OF IDEAS FOR ALTERNATIVES THAT HAD A FLATTER TAX.

SO I WANT TO SEE A MORE PROGRESSIVE STRUCTURE LIKE THE ONE THAT WE AT LEAST HAVE OUTLINED.

BUT TO BE, TO BE FRANK, I THINK WE NEED MORE, WE NEED TO DO MORE BUDGET WORK ON THIS.

WE NEED TO TAKE THE TIME AND DO MORE OUTREACH AND LOOK AT SOME ALTERNATIVES AND WHAT WE CAN DO.

AND I THINK WE COULD DO THAT WITH WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

SO WITH, WITH THAT, I HAVE AN IDEA FOR A MOTION THAT I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT WITH WITH MY COLLEAGUES BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THAT WE CAN STILL ADDRESS THESE, THESE BUDGET ISSUES AND, AND WORK WITH OUR CITY STAFF, WITH THE BUSINESSES, THE COMMUNITY TO COME UP WITH A, HOPEFULLY A COMPROMISE BECAUSE I THINK, AND I, AND I ENCOURAGE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES TO TO SUPPORT THE EFFORT, AN EFFORT TO KEEP THIS GOING BECAUSE I, I DO WORRY JUST BEING HONEST ABOUT THE POLITICS OF IT.

WE HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO EDUCATE VOTERS ON THIS.

AND SO, AND WE WON'T BE IF WE PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT, WE WON'T HAVE TIME TO.

AND I WE'VE HEARD THE OPPOSITION. SO I THINK IT'S A WASTE OF EVERYONE'S TIME AND RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY THE BUSINESSES. I DON'T WANT THEM SPENDING ALL THIS POLITICAL MONEY ON A CAMPAIGN AGAINST IT.

I WOULD RATHER WORK WITH YOU GUYS AND TRY TO COME UP WITH A COMPROMISE FOR THE 2027.

SO I'M PUTTING MY FAITH AND HOPE AND TRUST THAT WE CAN WE CAN DO THAT.

SO, BUT THAT'S WHY I WANT TO ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE STILL KEEP THIS GOING THAT WE, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE PARTNER WITH THE CHAMBER THAT ONE OF MY EARLY SUGGESTIONS EARLIER THIS YEAR IS THAT WE PAY THE CHAMBER TO DO SOME OF THIS OUTREACH AND CONSULTING INSTEAD OF OUTSIDE CONSULTANT BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING THE WORK AND THE CHAMBER, OUR EXPECTATION ON THAT IN CONVENING ALL OF THESE BUSINESSES, WHICH THEY HAVE DONE.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT BUT I THINK THE CHAMBER IS, IS THE BEST VEHICLE TO TO COORDINATE AND WORK WITH YOU ALL IN OUR CITY STAFF ON, ON CONTINUING A COMPROMISE AND FINDING A SOLUTION FOR THIS BUSINESS LICENSE TAX REFORM.

SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO DO THAT. AND I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF THE BUSINESS ADVISORY GROUP.

I THINK THAT COULD BE A VEHICLE OR A MECHANISM TO DO THAT.

SO SO I HAVE SOME IDEAS, SOME LANGUAGE FOR FOR A MOTION TO, TO DO THAT.

AND YEAH, JUST AND THEN I WANT TO ASK THE, THE BUSINESSES AGAIN, PLEASE WORK WITH US, ASK THE DIRECTORS WORK WITH US AS WELL. I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE A HARD JOB AND THERE'S BEEN TURNOVER ON CITY MANAGER'S PART AND SOMETIMES WE EVEN MYSELF, YOU MIGHT FEEL THAT I OVERSTEP AND I'M TRYING TO GIVE YOU DIRECTION OR I'M TALKING TO EMPLOYEES OR ASKING QUESTIONS.

BUT IT'S NOT TO UNDERMINE YOU. IT'S BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE ORGANIZATION.

AND, AND I WANT TO WORK WITH YOU ALL TO LEARN. SO I ASKED THE DIRECTORS TO DO THAT, TO WORK WITH OUR BUSINESSES.

[02:10:02]

LIKE I KNOW IN ELECTIONS COMING UP. BUT IF WE COULD JUST DO THE BEST TO KEEP OUR, YOU KNOW, THE POLITICS OUT OF IT AS BEST AS WE CAN. I MIGHT DISAGREE WITH SOME OF MY, MY COLLEAGUES, BUT BUT I DO THINK WE CAN COME WORK TOGETHER AND COME TO A SOLUTION ON THIS IN THE LONG TERM.

SO, SO THAT'S SO I THINK WE SHOULD PUT THIS OFF AND I, AND I HAVE SOME IDEAS FOR FOR, FOR LANGUAGE.

ON THE I'LL OKAY. OKAY. DAVID, THAT'S YOUR WARNING.

THANK YOU. LISTEN, THANK YOU COMMENTS FOR THE REST OF THE COUNCIL, AND THEN I'LL CALL ON YOU.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. OUR CURRENT STRUCTURE NO LONGER WORKS.

A COMPANY DOING TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THIS CITY CAN END UP PAYING A LOWER EFFECTIVE RATE THAN A FAMILY SHOP ON HIGHLAND AVENUE.

AND I'M NOT GOING TO DEFEND THAT. I THINK I HAVE BEEN CLEAR WITH EVERYONE I HAVE SPOKEN WITH.

I AM IN FAVOR OF UPDATING OUR RATES. WHAT WE'RE REALLY DECIDING TONIGHT IS WHETHER THIS GETS RUSHED TO THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, AND WHETHER THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ENDS UP AS OUR PARTNER ON IT, OR IF THEY WILL OPPOSE IT. OUR BUSINESS OWNERS TELL US THEY JUST NEED MORE TIME AND I BELIEVE THEM.

THESE ARE OUR EMPLOYERS. THEY SPONSOR OUR LITTLE LEAGUE TEAMS. THEY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CITY SERVICES AND ARE ESSENTIAL TO NATIONAL CITY.

MOST OF THEM WON'T GET TO VOTE ON THIS BECAUSE THEY DON'T THEY DON'T RESIDE IN NATIONAL CITY.

THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO KILL THIS. THEY WANT TO WORK WITH US AND I BELIEVE THEM.

THERE IS OPPORTUNITY THERE. WE CANNOT SIT ON OUR HANDS.

WE ARE LOOKING AT A $16 MILLION GAP, AND WE'VE NAMED ABOUT $3 MILLION IN CUTS.

WE HAVE ALL GENERALLY SUPPORTED THESE BUDGETS THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STATE THAT WE ARE IN.

WE NOW SEE WHAT WE MUST DO, THAT WE MUST DO MORE TO FIX THE SITUATION WE FACE.

WE HAVE A PERMANENT CITY MANAGER NOW, AND THIS IS THE MOMENT TO BUILD A BUDGET FROM ZERO.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT TASK. I'VE SAID THIS OVER AND OVER.

WE WILL DO THAT TASK. BUT IF I AM A BUSINESS OWNER WATCHING US ASK FOR 7 MILLION WHILE WE'VE COME UP WITH THREE IN CUTS, I'M GOING TO ASK, WHAT HAS THE CITY GIVEN UP FIRST? AND THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION. I'LL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT ONE BUSINESS OWNER AND FRIEND ASKED ME AT OUR FIRST MEETING.

I WAS ASKED POINT BLANK, WHAT HAS THE COUNCIL DONE OTHER THAN MAINTAIN OUR SLUSH FUNDS? THIS IS, OF COURSE, IN REFERENCE TO OUR $100,000 COUNCIL BUDGETS.

EACH OF US. WHAT HAVE WE DONE OTHER THAN DRIVE DOWN OUR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE TO DANGEROUS LEVELS AND DIP INTO OTHER RESERVES? WHAT HAVE WE DONE OTHER THAN ASK FOR MORE MONEY FROM BUSINESSES IN NATIONAL CITY? IT OCCURS TO ME THAT WE ARE ASKING BUSINESSES AND VOTERS TO TRUST US WITH MORE MONEY.

WHILE WE HAVE DONE VERY LITTLE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE CAN BE TRUSTED TO DO THE RIGHT THING WITH MORE MONEY.

THERE IS A LOT OF HOMEWORK THAT WE MUST DO, BUT NOT ANY TIME TO DO IT IN TIME FOR THIS NOVEMBER.

I WANT TO THANK THE LABOR UNIONS THAT HAVE SAID THAT THEY'RE READY TO SUPPORT THIS.

THEY'VE GOT EVERY REASON TO WANT TO FIX THIS.

BUT I ALSO BELIEVE I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE VOTERS, WE'RE COMING WITH OUR BEST EFFORT, OUR WELL DISCUSSED BALLOT MEASURE, ONE THAT WILL BE SUPPORTED BY OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, NOT ATTACKED AND DESTROYED. NOW. I WANT TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR WITH EVERYONE LISTENING.

I HEAR YOU. YOU ARE ASKING FOR MORE TIME AND THAT IS A REASONABLE ASK.

BUT PLEASE UNDERSTAND. THAT'S IT. LAST ONE THAT THIS BUSINESS LICENSE TAX REFORM IS NECESSARY.

WE MUST HAVE THIS REFORM BECAUSE THE PRESENT STRUCTURE IS DECADES OLD.

IT IS SORELY OUTDATED. IT IS INEQUITABLE. I AM IN FAVOR OF REFORMING THIS BUSINESS LICENSE TAX AND WE NEED TO GET IT

[02:15:04]

WE WILL NEED THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO HELP US GET THIS PASSED AT THE BALLOT BOX.

I WOULD RATHER TAKE A LITTLE LONGER AND HAND OUR RESIDENTS, OUR VOTERS, SOMETHING WE ARE ALL PROUD TO SUPPORT.

I DON'T DOUBT THAT EVERYONE HERE WANTS WHAT'S BEST FOR NATIONAL CITY AND THAT WE CAN GET THERE TOGETHER.

THAT IS THE MESSAGE FROM THE SPEAKERS TODAY. LET'S DO THIS TOGETHER.

AND I AGREE WITH THAT. THANK YOU. OKAY, DAVID. ANY OTHER INTERRUPTION AND WE'LL HAVE YOU ESCORTED OUT.

OKAY. WE'VE WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE WITH YOU ON MEETINGS. OKAY.

OKAY. THE, A NUMBER OF THINGS. THERE WAS A COUPLE LADIES THAT DID MAKE ONE COMMENT THAT I WOULD AGREE ON.

AND THEY SAID, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE FACTS. AND IF YOU WOULD PLEASE IGNORE ALL THE OTHER THINGS THEY'VE SAID, BECAUSE WE GOT SOME KIND OF OBSESSIVE VENDETTA WITH ME.

BUT THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S HERE NOR THERE. SO I APOLOGIZE.

THAT WAS EVEN BROUGHT INTO THE MEETING. BUT, A NUMBER OF THINGS.

THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT AREAS THAT WE'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH.

AND BECAUSE THERE ARE, IT'S A BALANCING ACT. THERE'S SOME PLUSES AND MINUSES HERE ON ALL OF THIS.

WE WERE ONLY JUST. IT WASN'T THAT MANY MONTHS AGO.

VERY, JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, WE WERE UP HERE HAVING SPIRITED DEBATE ON WHERE DID WE EVEN HAVE A DEFICIT OR NOT.

WE WERE ARGUING THAT. AND I MEAN, AND WHERE ARE WE DEFICIT SPENDING? THERE WAS AN ARGUMENT GOING ON ON THAT. AND AND NOW HERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH THIS.

AND IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM. IT IS A LARGE NUMBER AND IT'S NOT GOING AWAY.

AND THE ONLY THING IS, IS IT'S GROWING AND IT'S GOING TO GROW.

THE AND SO IN DECEMBER IT WAS LOOKED AT, THERE WAS A LIST THAT WAS BROUGHT AND WAS BROUGHT BEFORE US AND ON DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COULD BE REVENUE GENERATORS.

AND WE TOLD STAFF, GO AHEAD AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND COME COME BACK TO US WITH IT.

AND THEN IT WAS APRIL. IT WAS BROUGHT THAT, HEY, HERE'S THIS ONE.

WE WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE THIS AND, AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT, PUT OUT A, PUT OUT A CONTRACT WITH A CONSULTANT SO WE CAN FIND OUT REALLY WHAT IS IT? WHAT DOES IT MEAN? WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES? THAT WAS APRIL. JUNE. THERE WAS A PRESENTATION BEFORE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

JUNE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT DATE WAS. OKAY. I HAD A FUNNY FEELING KAREN WOULD KNOW.

JUNE 3RD. I, I SAT IN ON THAT ONE. THAT WAS THE FIRST THAT I ACTUALLY GOT TO SEE ANYTHING ON THIS.

AND IT WAS STILL, THERE WAS A LOT OF TONS OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE WERE JUST, JUST COMING TO IT.

THIS HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER IN A VERY SHORT TIME, AND I APPRECIATE THE STUFF THAT STAFF HAS DONE HAS BEEN HERCULEAN.

I MEAN, IT IS REALLY HAS BEEN NORMALLY THIS PROCESS NORMALLY TAKES A GOOD 18 MONTHS FROM THE TIME THAT YOU START THE CONSULTANT PROCESS.

THIS HAS BEEN LIKE TWO MONTHS, APRIL, LET'S SAY.

WELL, IT WAS SOMETIME IN APRIL, MAY, JUNE. ABOUT THREE MONTHS AT THE MOST.

AND TO PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER AND STAFF AND I KNOW STAFF THIS WEEKEND WAS, YOU KNOW, I KNOW SOME PEOPLE COMPLAINED THAT THE STUFF DIDN'T GET OUT 53 PAGE REPORT DIDN'T GET OUT UNTIL LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.

BUT I DO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE OPEN HERE THROUGH THURSDAYS.

I DO KNOW THAT STAFF WAS UP HERE FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND THEN WORKING ALL DAY MONDAY TO GET THAT, TO GET THAT FINISHED OFF. AND SO IT WAS NOT FOR A LACK OF TRYING.

IT WAS NOT FOR A LACK OF, TRYING TO PUT IN THE EFFORT AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE.

AND, BUT, YOU KNOW, NUMBERS CAN DO A LOT OF THINGS.

YOU KNOW, WE HEARD SOME NUMBERS THROWN ABOUT EARLIER.

AND ONE OF THEM WAS, I THINK IT WAS, WHAT WAS IT, 5480 BUSINESSES? WASN'T THAT, WAS THAT THE NUMBER? OKAY. AND THIS WOULD BE AN INCREASE WITH THE OPTION ONE OF $7.1 MILLION INCREASE OVER WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID.

SO IF I TAKE SO IF YOU WANT TO TAKE IT. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OH, $25 OR.

BUT IF WE TAKE JUST THE AVERAGE, THEN YOU DIVIDE 5480 INTO 7,100,000.

[02:20:09]

SO THERE'S GOT TO BE MORE THAN $6 HERE OR $6 THERE.

IT'S THERE'S A LOT GOING ON THERE. AND SO YOU CAN LOOK AT THE NUMBERS A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

AND ALSO HEARD ABOUT IF YOU HAVE A BUSINESS EARNING $1 MILLION, HOW MUCH THEY DON'T EARN $1 MILLION, THAT'S NOT PROFIT. THAT'S THEIR RECEIPTS. THAT'S THEM BUYING ALL THEIR INVENTORY.

THAT'S THEM PAYING THEIR EMPLOYEES EVERYTHING ELSE. THAT'S ALL IN ON THAT.

SO WHAT I'M, WHAT I LIKE TO SAY IS THIS IS A REALLY COMPLICATED SITUATION.

THAT'S THE REASON IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO PUT THESE THINGS TOGETHER.

AND AND I SAY I DON'T FAULT STAFF. THEY DID A DID I THINK I'VE DONE A HERCULEAN JOB OF TRYING TO DO IT? I THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE TO BE LOOKED AT. BUT NOW AT THE SAME TIME.

WE DON'T WANT OUR BUSINESSES TO SUFFER, BUT. WE CAN'T MAKE UP THESE NUMBERS.

WE ARE GOING TO. EVEN IF THIS WAS TO GO ON THE BALLOT, EVEN IF IT PASSES IN NOVEMBER, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SEVERE CUTS AT THE CITY LEVEL.

AND THAT'S GOING TO MEAN CUTS IN SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE, VISITORS AND BUSINESSES OF NATIONAL CITY.

THAT'S JUST THAT'S A REALITY. THIS AND THIS MONEY WOULD FROM THIS WOULD NOT COME IN UNTIL 2028.

AND IT WOULD NOT FIX THE DEFICIT. IT WOULD BASICALLY COVER THE INCREASE IN THE DEFICIT.

SO WE'VE GOT A TON OF WORK AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE EASY.

THIS IS NOT PAPER CUTS. YOU KNOW, THE REALITY IS THERE'S GOING TO BE AMPUTATIONS.

THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE TO, TO DEAL WITH THE NUMBERS THIS SIZE AND WE DO HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR REVENUE GENERATION THAT REALLY THAT MATTERS. BUT IT TAKES TIME.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WITH IS THE BALANCED PLAN.

BUT THAT WAS PROPOSED IN ITS CURRENT FORM AND PUT FORTH IN 2014.

AND WE'RE ONLY JUST NOW GOT THROUGH THE REGULATORY AGENCIES SO THAT WE CAN START SOME OF THE WORK ON IT.

IT'LL BE A NUMBER OF YEARS BEFORE WE SEE ANY MONEY OUT OF IT.

BUT WE GOT A PLAN TOWARD THAT, AND WE'VE GOT TO GET TO THAT POINT.

AND SO IT'S. SO DIFFICULT AS WE LOOK THROUGH THIS THING BECAUSE THERE ARE NO EASY ANSWERS.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE CASES THAT IS REALLY THE THE SAYING, DAMNED IF YOU DO AND DAMNED IF YOU DON'T.

THIS THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'VE GOT TO AGREE.

I THINK THIS CAKE IS NOT READY TO BE BAKED. BUT WE DON'T WANT TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD EITHER.

BY WHAT I'VE HEARD. I'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF BUSINESSES. I'VE SEEN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN THIS LAST TWO MONTHS, BASICALLY IN JUNE AND JULY. FIRST TIME THEY'VE HEARD ABOUT IT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

I'VE SEEN MORE ACTIVE, MORE ENGAGED, MORE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU GUYS GOT BUSINESSES TO RUN.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T BE INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING IN THE CITY. BUT I'VE SEEN YOU MORE ENGAGED, MORE INVOLVED IN THESE LAST TWO MONTHS THAN I'VE SEEN IN ALL MY YEARS IN THE CITY COMBINED.

THIS THING ONLY WORKS IF YOU STAY AT THAT SAME LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT.

IF. BUT. I THINK WE CAN STILL COME TOGETHER WITH ALL OF THIS IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.

ONE THING WE AS A COUNCIL, NEED TO REALIZE AND SHOW THAT WE REALIZE THE SEVERITY OF THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS, FIND WAYS TO ADDRESS IT THE SAME WAY.

THEN WORKING WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, REALIZING, YEAH, THIS BUSINESS LICENSE DOES NEED TO BE REFORMED.

BUT WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER AND FIND A REASONABLE WAY FOR IT TO DO IT.

I'M, AND I KNOW WE'VE USED CARLSBAD AS AN EXAMPLE.

I DON'T WORRY ABOUT CARLSBAD. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO SEE WHAT WORKS FOR NATIONAL CITY AND WHAT WORKS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN SOUTH COUNTY.

BUT WE'VE GOT TO PUT IT TOGETHER. WE HAVE TO BASICALLY STILL HAVE A SHORT TIMELINE AS THEY NORMALLY THIS THING WOULD TAKE ANOTHER YEAR,

[02:25:05]

WITHOUT THIS AND OTHER ANSWERS AND IT NOT AFFECT YOUR BUSINESSES NOT GOING TO AFFECT YOU AS A RESIDENT IF YOU'RE A RESIDENT.

BUT BUT AS I SAY, I THIS IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE I SAY, I KNOW YOU KNOW ME TODAY I LOOKED OVER AND I SAW THE CITY MANAGER. I SAW THE PAINED LOOK ON HIS FACE. AND I MEAN, HE GOT THROWN INTO A MEAT GRINDER.

WHEN HAS IT BEEN LESS THAN 40 DAYS? AND HE'S BEEN HERE AND HE'S I MEAN, WORKING HIS TAIL OFF TRYING TO COME UP WITH STUFF. AND AS I SAY, WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN DO IT, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE WORK AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF IT AND IT AND WE CAN'T PUT IT OFF. BUT PULLING TOGETHER, I'VE SEEN WHAT THIS CITY CAN DO. I'VE SEEN WHAT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE CITY CAN DO.

AND I KNOW TOGETHER THE COMMUNITY IS SO UNIQUE, SO DIFFERENT.

THIS KIND OF SITUATION WAS HAPPENING. I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU.

OVER IN CHULA VISTA, YOU WOULDN'T SEE IT HAPPENING. IT'S HAPPENING IN SAN DIEGO.

WE KNOW ALL THE BATTLES THAT THEY HAVE. I MEAN, NO ONE AGREEING WITH ANYTHING THERE.

HERE, THE ONE THING WE DO AGREE ON IS THAT WE DO WANT TO WORK TOGETHER.

WE WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN. WE WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING GOOD HAPPEN. WE HAVE TO CARRY THROUGH WITH THAT.

SO I HAVE AN IDEA FOR PROPOSED LANGUAGE. SO I MAKE A MOTION.

EXCUSE ME. COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH, BEFORE YOU MAKE THAT MOTION, WE HAVE ONE MORE PERSON ON ZOOM THAT WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THEIR COMMENT.

THANK YOU. WE DID GET A HOLD OF. TRUTH.

TRUTH. ARE YOU THERE? WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HEAR YOU.

OKAY. THEY SAY THAT THEY CAN HEAR HER ON THE ZOOM SIDE, BUT I, I WE DON'T HEAR HER. SO OUR INTERPRETER IS SAYING HE CAN HEAR HER, BUT I WE CANNOT.

SO I DON'T KNOW EARLIER. WE COULD USE THE INTERPRETER, MAYBE, AND SEE IF HE COULD PATCH IT THROUGH THE INTERPRETER HERE.

HE SAYS HE CAN, SO LET ME TURN HIM OFF, SEE IF HE CAN PATCH IT.

CARLOS, CAN YOU HELP US WITH THIS? CAN YOU HEAR TRUTH? I'M NOT GETTING ANYTHING FROM ANY OF THEM.

TRUTH, CARLOS. THANK YOU. THERE WE GO. SO IT'S TRUTH HERE TO WELCOME YOU ALL INTO THE ACCOUNTABILITY CLUB.

I WANTED TO WELCOME YOU TO. GO AHEAD. TRUTH. GO AHEAD.

TRUTH. OH, YOU CAN HEAR ME NOW. YES, YES. OKAY, GREAT.

SO I AM HERE MYSELF TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO THE ACCOUNTABILITY CLUB WITHOUT AN INTERPRETER.

IT'S WONDERFUL. SO I'VE SEEN YOU GET MAD WHEN PEOPLE TELL THE TRUTH, INCLUDING ABOUT ALL THE CITY JACKETS YOU BUY WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY.

SO THAT WASN'T TRUE. THIS ADMITTED RUSH PROPOSAL REMINDS ME OF CHULA VISTA'S LAST SALARY HIKE SCANDAL.

CORRUPT UNION DRIVEN DRIBBLE TO DRIVE BUSINESSES OUT OF NATIONAL CITY PERMANENTLY.

A $1,000 TAX TO A BAKERY. HOW MANY OF YOU ON THE COUNCIL HAVE ACTUALLY RUN A BUSINESS SUCCESSFULLY? ONE THAT'S NOT PREDATORY REAL ESTATE. BECAUSE IT SHOWS.

BECAUSE NOT ONLY WITHOUT THE EXPERIENCE, YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS AND HOW MUCH EVERY TASK AND EVERY FEE NEGATIVELY IMPACTS A BUSINESS.

BUT ALSO THAT LACK OF EXPERIENCE IS REFLECTED IN HOW THIS COUNCIL HAS FINANCIALLY RUN THE CITY INTO THE GROUND.

THAT'S WHERE THE EXTREME DEFICIT CAME FROM. BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS BLED AND SWEAT TO PROVIDE THIS COUNCIL PLENTY OF CELLS AND PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS,

[02:30:03]

SO HOW ABOUT CUTTING YOUR DISTRICT'S SLUSH FUNDS INSTEAD? THOSE CITIES DON'T HAVE A SLUSH FUND. HOW ABOUT CUTTING YOUR DISTRICT STAFFERS? BECAUSE MOST CITIES DON'T HAVE STAFFERS EITHER.

THEY WORK HARD ON THEIR OWN. WHY CAN'T THIS COUNCIL WORK HARD? HOW ABOUT CUTTING YOUR STIPENDS SINCE YOU FAILED TO MANAGE THE BUDGET STIPEND? MAYOR THE ONLY ONE WHO'S BEEN WARNING ABOUT HOW BAD THE CITY'S FINANCIAL HEALTH IS, AND NOBODY HEEDED IT.

ON TRANSPARENCY. I DON'T THINK A SPECIAL MEETING DURING NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS THE MOST TRANSPARENT METHOD, NOR DOES THE LACK OF INFORMING THE PUBLIC OF WHO'S REALLY BEHIND THIS, AKA CUI BONO.

IF WALMART AND THE MALL ARE THOSE HIGH PERFORMING BUSINESSES, ACCORDING TO JOSE, WHY CAN'T THE CITY MAKE THAT HIGH PERFORMING BUDGET WORK? HOW COME OTHER CITIES LIKE IMPERIAL BEACH AND LEMON GROVE SURVIVE WITHOUT TAXING THEIR BUSINESSES TO DEATH? THE COMMUNIST MINDSET OF STEALING FROM HARD WORKING, SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES TO MAKE GOVERNMENT FAT CATS.

FATTER IS NOT EQUITY, IT'S THEFT. AND THE ONLY RESULT THAT WILL BE AN OBVIOUS DIFFERENCE IS THAT BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO MOVE WHERE THEY CAN KEEP MORE OF THEIR OWN HARD WORK.

REFORM THE CITY WITH MORE BUSH STYLE ACCOUNTABILITY AND OUTREACH.

THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION. THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY COMMENT LATE IN THE GAME.

APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. TRUTH. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION. YES, SIR. I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

SECOND. OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A. SECOND IN THERE.

LET ME GET THIS ALL OVER HERE. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

PLEASE VOTE. I WAS JUST SAYING THAT AGAIN. I NEED TO START THAT OVER AGAIN.

OKAY. SET THE FIRST THE MOTION AND THE SECOND, PLEASE.

NO. OKAY, FINE. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET IN THERE.

OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. YEAH. NOT YET. NO, IT HASN'T POPPED UP YET. DO YOU WANT TO VOTE NOW OR. OKAY.

YEAH. YES. GO AHEAD. SO THAT'S JUST TO CLOSE THE HEARING OR NOT.

THE PUBLIC HEARING. THE PUBLIC COMMENT. SORRY TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY.

MOTION PASSES. SO THAT'S CLOSED. OKAY. I MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT OUR CITY MANAGER TO CONSULT WITH THE NATIONAL CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON BUSINESS LICENSE REFORM

[8.2 Ordering the Submission of a Ballot Measure to the Qualified Voters at the November 3, 2026, Election, Business License Tax]

A BUSINESS LICENSE TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT LOOKS AT OUR BUDGET, THAT REVIEWS THE EXISTING LANGUAGE AND EXPLORES ALTERNATIVES THAT THEY MEET ONCE A MONTH, STARTING IN SEPTEMBER 2026.

THAT'S MY MOTION, AND I'M OPEN TO AMENDMENTS OR THOUGHTS.

SO TO EXPLAIN MY MOTION, I THINK THE CHAMBER IS THE BEST POSITION TO DO THAT.

OUR CITY MANAGER HAS UP TO 50,000 AUTHORITY TO TO DO THAT WORK, TO CONDUCT OUTREACH, TO REACH OUT TO THE DIFFERENT BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY GROUPS, OUR STAFF. AND, AND WE HAVE OUR ECONOMIC CONTINGENCY RESERVE FUND THAT COULD BE USED FOR THAT.

SO THAT'S AND THEN THE FORMATION OF AN ADVISORY, A BUSINESS A TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

I THINK COULD ALSO, I'M NOT PICKING ON WHAT, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, SO I'M OPEN, I'LL LEAVE THAT OPEN.

BUT THAT'S, THAT WAS MY THOUGHT ON, ON THE BACKGROUND OF THIS.

I SECOND THE MOTION THAT WAS. IF I UNDERSTOOD THAT, THAT WAS TO LEAVE IT TO THE DISCRETION OF THE CITY MANAGER AS FAR AS IMPLEMENTATION. I CAN'T HEAR YOU. IT WAS THAT WAS LEAVING THE DISCRETION OF THE CITY MANAGER AS FAR AS IMPLEMENTATION, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THERE'S NOT A LOT OF DEFINITION THERE.

YES. IN TERMS OF THE FORMATION OF A, A A ADVISORY GROUP ON THIS BUSINESS LICENSE TAX.

YES. I WOULD LEAVE THAT UP OR HAVE THE CITY MANAGER BRING THAT BACK, OR IF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY IDEAS ON SOME ADDITIONAL SPECIFICS OF HOW THAT WOULD BE STRUCTURED. I'M OPEN. THROUGH THE CHAIR YES. COULD YOU PUT YOUR MOTION IN A SECOND? THERE WAS A SECOND, RIGHT. THERE'S A DISCUSSION.

THERE WAS A SECOND. YES. OKAY. THERE'S I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST OUR COUNCIL TO SEE HOW, HOW ARE WE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHAT ARE THE LEGALITIES OF THE SPECIAL ELECTION.

WHAT'S THE PROCESS? I CAN ADD THAT TO THE IF THAT'S ADDING TO THE MOTION TO ADD.

I THINK THIS IS A QUESTION BEFORE THE MOTION BEFORE THE MOTION IS VOTED ON.

[02:35:01]

I WANTED TO KNOW THE THE OF THE POSSIBLE PROCESS TO PLACE IT ON A SPECIAL ELECTION.

SO IF THE MEASURE DOES NOT MOVE TONIGHT AND THERE'S A MOTION TO TRY TO PLACE IT ON A SPECIAL ELECTION, THAT MOTION REQUIRES A UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, ALONG WITH EMERGENCY FINDINGS, FOR WHY THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW, AS OPPOSED TO DURING A GENERAL MUNICIPAL STATE CONSOLIDATED ELECTION. AND THE REASON IS THAT OUR STATE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES THAT MEASURES LIKE THIS BE PUT AND CONSOLIDATED WITH THE GENERAL ELECTION.

ABSENT FINDINGS. SO IF THE MATTER DOES NOT GO TO NIGHT BUT IS MOVED TO A SPECIAL ELECTION, IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE THRESHOLD FOR PASSAGE. BUT IT DOES REQUIRE THIS COUNCIL TO HAVE A UNANIMOUS VOTE WITH VERY DETAILED FINDINGS AND AN ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD THAT CAN SUPPORT THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION AS TO WHY IT CANNOT WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT MUNICIPAL ELECTION, WHICH WOULD BE 2028. IN THIS CASE, AND WITHOUT THOSE FINDINGS.

YOU CAN'T GET IT. SO EVEN WITH THE EMERGENCY, YOU'D HAVE TO MAKE CERTAIN FINDINGS AND AN ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD IF THERE WERE A CHALLENGE. CLARIFICATION. YES. IF I COULD, ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE WAS AN ASK TO ACTUALLY SET IT TO A PUBLIC HEARING, BUT TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT WORKING WITH THESE GROUPS AS I UNDERSTAND IT.

CORRECT. AND TO CONSIDER A JUST TO CONSIDER A SPECIAL ELECTION.

YES, I THINK THAT'S TRUE. I THINK THE MOTION WAS HERE.

AND THEN THERE'S A QUESTION. SO NOW I THINK THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION ON THE SPECIAL ELECTION. NOW, YOU GO BACK TO THE MOTION AND FIGURE OUT IF YOU WANT TO AMEND THAT.

WELL, YEAH. SO THEN AS I AS I'M TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT, IF WITH THE MOTION, THAT WOULD BE ONE THING.

IF WE COME BACK THEN AND SAID, OKAY, HERE'S WHAT, HERE'S WHAT'S COME OUT OF THIS GROUP, WE WANT TO SET IT TO A SPECIAL ELECTION.

THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT CRITERIA AT THAT POINT.

THAT'S ACCURATE. OKAY. YES, THAT THAT HAS TO HAPPEN.

THEN TONIGHT IS A VOTE TONIGHT. WELL, IT'S DIRECTION.

YES. DIRECTION ON WHETHER OR NOT TO PLACE AN ITEM ON THE BALLOT, THE BALLOT MEASURE ON THE BALLOT.

SO TONIGHT'S ACTION. YEAH. THE RECOMMENDED IF THERE'S AN ADJUSTMENT TO THAT THEN I THINK THAT WOULD INCLUDE YOU STILL NEED TO VOTE ON THIS. OH YEAH. DEFINITELY. YEAH. WE STILL NEED TO VOTE ON THIS.

AND EITHER WAY, IF YOU GO FORWARD OR GO FORWARD WITH YOUR ALTERNATIVE ITEMS, THEN YES, THAT WOULD COME UP AT THE SPECIAL ELECTION.

BUT WHENEVER WE CALL FOR IT. YEAH. YEAH. THOSE ISSUES THAT YOU BROUGHT UP.

CORRECT. ALL THOSE ISSUES APPLY THEN. THEY DON'T APPLY. THOSE ISSUES DON'T APPLY TONIGHT.

NO. WITH WHAT THAT MOTION WAS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT.

NO, THAT'S NOT MY UNDERSTANDING OF COUNCIL MEMBER MOTION.

OKAY. SO I MY MOTION IS NOT TO PUT IT ON THE 2027 BALLOT.

MY MOTION IS TO CREATE, TO EXPLORE, TO EXPLORE AND TO NEGOTIATE.

WHAT THIS. ADD MORE DETAILS ON THE STRUCTURE AND TO LOOK AT OUR BUDGET.

THAT'S THE CHAIR. YES. IS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DIRECT OUR CITY MANAGER TO WORK ON? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AGENCIES THAT CAN HELP US.

THERE MAY BE OTHER EXPERTS THAT WOULD HELP HIM AS A CITY MANAGER AND NOT, NOT MICROMANAGE HIM AND JUST GIVE HIM THE, THE HOLD OR THE UPPER HAND AS OUR NEW CITY MANAGER TO TAKE CARE OF THE REQUEST THAT YOU HAVE.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN AGREE WITH? SURE.

SO I DON'T THINK IT'S MICROMANAGING TO GIVE DIRECTION TO OUR CITY MANAGER, CITY MANAGER, JUST LIKE OUR CITY ATTORNEY REPORTS TO US.

AND SO I DO THINK SOMETIMES WE SHOULD BE SPECIFIC AND BUT SO I'M OPEN TO ADDITIONAL PARTNERS.

I THINK IT MAKES THE MOST SENSE THAT THE NATIONAL CITY CHAMBER IS THAT GROUP INSTEAD OF ANOTHER GROUP LIKE THE SAN DIEGO REGIONAL CHAMBER OR THE HISPANIC CHAMBER, WHICH TO ME ARE MORE SUBSETS. AND I THINK I DO APPRECIATE THE NATIONAL CITY CHAMBER, WHAT I'VE OBSERVED, THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE WITH THIS, THAT WE ALREADY HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM.

AND SO MY PROBLEM IS IF WE OR MY WHAT I WOULD WORRY IF WE'RE BRINGING IN THIS OTHER ORGANIZATION TO DO OUTREACH.

THE CHAMBER HAS A LOT OF. AND I AND WHEN I SAY THE CHAMBER, I.

THIS TO ME, IT'S NOT INTENDED TO BE RESTRICTIVE TO ONLY CHAMBER MEMBERS.

THIS SHOULD BE THE ENTIRE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, SMALL BUSINESS, LARGE BUSINESS, THE THE PORT, THE SAN DIEGO REGIONAL CHAMBER, HISPANIC CHAMBER, FILIPINO CHAMBER.

SO THAT PART I DON'T WANT TO MICROMANAGE. UNDERSTOOD.

COUNCIL MEMBER. SO THAT MEANS THAT OUR CITY MANAGER WILL HAVE THAT OPTION AND THEN REPORT TO US WHO THAT WOULD BE.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT. WELL, AND THERE MAY BE EXPERT INFORMATION OR CONSULTATION NEEDS TO BE.

[02:40:04]

AND AND ALSO TO, TO BE CLEAR, I THINK WHOEVER WE GET AS A.

IF MY COLLEAGUES AGREE. BUT THE EXPECTATION FROM THE CHAMBER WOULD BE THAT THERE IS NO.

THERE IS A NEUTRAL POSITION ON THIS. AS THEY WORK WITH US TO COME UP WITH A A COMPROMISE AND A SOLUTION.

THE GOAL IS TO REFORM THE BUSINESS LICENSE TAX AND PUT SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT.

SO MY EXPECTATION WOULD BE THAT THE CHAMBER IS NEUTRAL AND WORKS WITH THE CITY MANAGER, OUR STAFF AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ON COMING UP WITH ALTERNATIVES AND PROPOSALS. THAT PART WOULD BE UP TO THE CHAMBER.

THEN IF THEY. SAID THAT PART WOULD BE UP TO THE CHAMBER BECAUSE WE CAN'T DICTATE THAT THEY BE NEUTRAL.

WELL, IN TERMS OF. IF WE'RE. BUT NO, WE CAN IF WE'RE CONSULTING, IF WE'RE PAYING AS AN AGENCY, SOMEONE TO DO OUTREACH OR TO WORK WITH US, THEN WE CAN VERY, AT THE VERY LEAST UNTIL IT GOES ON THE BALLOT OR UNTIL THERE'S THAT POINT, EXPECT THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WORK AGAINST US WHILE WE FORMULATE WHAT THAT IS.

THAT DOESN'T GUARANTEE THEIR SUPPORT OR ANYONE SUPPORT FOR A BALLOT INITIATIVE.

THAT'S JUST US WORKING WITH A, A GROUP TO AND TO ME, THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE.

AND I HAD PROPOSED THAT IN THE PAST, AND I'M FINE WITH IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL LEGAL ANALYSIS THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THAT. BUT BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY WE ALREADY CONTRACT WITH THE CHAMBER, THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE TO ME.

DO WE HAVE AN EXISTING CONTRACT? SO THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, IS TO ALLOW OUR CITY MANAGER, YOU KNOW, I MEAN TO WORK AND REPORT TO US AND SEE YOU KNOW, AND, AND REVIEW THE PROCESSES OR THE, THE RESULTS OF THAT. I JUST, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I JUST WOULD LIKE OUR CITY MANAGER TO HAVE THAT.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THE, THE, THE, THE LATITUDE OF, OF, OF YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WORKING WITH YOU KNOW, I MEAN THIS, THIS PROCESSES AND THE YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THE THINGS THAT HE HAD, HE NEEDS TO DO TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A, WITH A REQUEST, WITH A PROPOSAL OR, OR A NEW PROPOSAL TO US.

YEAH. SO I AGREE WITH THAT. COUNCIL MEMBER. MY THE INTENT IS NOT TO TIE OUR CITY MANAGER'S HANDS, BUT I WANT ENOUGH PARAMETERS THERE JUST BASED ON THE WORK THAT'S ALREADY DONE.

SO THE, TO TO GIVE AT LEAST SOME ADDITIONAL DIRECTION.

SO LOOKING AT OUR BUDGET, LOOKING AT THE CURRENT LANGUAGE, THAT IS GOOD LANGUAGE.

SO I DON'T WANT TO THROW AWAY LIKE OUR STAFF WORKS REALLY HARD ON THIS, SO I DON'T WANT TO THROW THAT AWAY.

BUT THE PARAMETER, THE SPECIFIC DETAIL OF MEETING AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, I'M OPEN TO CHANGING THAT.

I'M OPEN TO DROPPING THAT. I THINK THAT'S REASONABLE ONCE A MONTH BECAUSE THIS IS AN URGENT ISSUE.

AND IF THE CITY MANAGER WANTS TO HAVE MORE MEETINGS, THAT'S FINE.

AND THEN STARTING IN SEPTEMBER 2026. SO IT'S NOT A RUSH IN AUGUST, BUT, BUT I'M OPEN TO THOSE TO SPECIFICS OR ANY OF THE LANGUAGE.

YEAH. SO PROVIDING THE CITY MANAGER THAT LATITUDE, I AGREE.

THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, HIS PREROGATIVE. I, I BELIEVE THAT WITH HIM LOOKING AT ALL THIS IN THE LAST SIX WEEKS THAT HE'S HE'S ON BOARDED, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A, YOU KNOW, A GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICE FOR US TO FOLLOW THROUGH.

HE WILL REPORT TO US. WE WILL GIVE HIM PARAMETERS.

WE WILL GIVE HIM DIRECTIONS WITH REGARDS TO THIS REFORM THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIX.

AND SO LET'S GIVE HIM THAT LATITUDE COUNCIL MEMBERS SO HE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS THAT WE WOULD GIVE.

EXCUSE. MAYOR. OKAY. YES, I HAVE A QUESTION JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.

SO. IF THIS IF THIS PROPOSAL GOES FORWARD, THEN IT MEANS THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE A, THIS WOULD NOT MAKE IT ON THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.

CORRECT. THIS. SO TO BE CLEAR, IT IS A NO FOR ME FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE 2020 6TH NOVEMBER BALLOT.

AND OUR ATTORNEY MENTIONED THE QUALIFICATION, QUALIFICATIONS OR PROCESS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO MEET IN ORDER TO HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION.

CORRECT. BUT THAT ISN'T PART OF THE ACTION THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE TONIGHT.

THAT WOULD BE DETERMINED AFTER THE WORK IS DONE ON OUTREACH AND, AND DISCUSSION WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY OVER IN THE PUBLIC OVERALL.

AND IF THIS DOES NOT, IF THIS MEANS THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE A SPECIAL RIGHT, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL OR NOT, THEN IT MEANS THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE A WE WOULD NOT HAVE AN INITIATIVE UNTIL THE 2028 ELECTION.

IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY. AND THEN AND THEN AND THEN RECEIVING ANY TYPE OF REVENUE WOULD

[02:45:10]

SO I THINK WHAT WE COULD DO IS IF IT, IF IT DETERMINES LATER, WHICH I DON'T THINK WE'RE READY FOR, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE'RE READY TO DETERMINE THE 2027 ELECTION YET, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S A GOOD TARGET GIVEN THE NATURE AND SORT OF THE URGENCY OF THE SITUATION. BUT EVEN IF WE WERE TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT FOR 2026, THE REVENUE WOULD, WOULDN'T BE BE RECEIVED UNTIL 2020 ANYWAY.

SO THE REALITY IS WE STILL HAVE TO ADDRESS THE DEFICIT NO MATTER HOW YOU CUT THIS.

I WOULD RATHER WORK WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ON A COMPROMISE AND NOT RISK A FAILURE OF THIS MEASURE.

THAT WOULD PUT US AND I APPRECIATE WHAT COUNCIL VICE MAYOR MOLINA SAID EARLIER, RISK A FAILURE OF THIS AND SHOW SIGN OF GOOD FAITH AND COLLABORATION WITH THE BUSINESSES, OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THERE'S TRUTHFULNESS. I HEAR YOUR POINT EARLIER COUNCILMEMBER, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MISINFORMATION GOING OUT THERE. SO I THINK WE SHOULD ALL BE TRANSPARENT AND TRUTHFUL ABOUT THE NUMBERS THAT PEDRO AND DOUG AND OUR CONSULTANTS HAVE PUT TOGETHER, BUT ALLOW THAT, THAT BACK AND FORTH.

AND IF IT IS, IF IT DOES, WORST CASE SCENARIO, I THINK HAVE TO WAIT TO THE 2028 ELECTION.

GENERAL ELECTION. THEN I WOULD WANT US TO PLAN FOR THE 20 THAT TAKING EFFECT IMMEDIATELY IN 2029.

BUT AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S GETTING MORE FARTHER DOWN.

I STILL THINK THE OUTREACH NEEDS TO BE DONE. SO JUST ARE WE AWARE OF AN INITIATIVE CALLED PROPOSITION 43 ON A STATEWIDE BALLOT? IT'S AN OPEN QUESTION. WE ARE. DO WE KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? IF THAT INITIATIVE. ARE YOU ASKING ME OR WHO ARE YOU ASKING? JUST AN OPEN QUESTION. I I'M NOT WE DIDN'T DISCUSS THIS BEFORE, ATTORNEY.

BUT THERE IS A PROPOSITION ON THE BALLOT. PROP 43.

I BELIEVE YOU DO KNOW. YES. PROP 43 WOULD WOULD PUT RESTRICTIONS ON SPECIAL REVENUE TAXES, NOT, NOT GENERAL REVENUE TAXES. SO AT LEAST FOR NOW, IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT IT WOULD IMPACT THIS MEASURE.

BUT WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL COME AFTER IT. RIGHT.

RIGHT. SO IT WOULD PUSH THE THRESHOLD TO 66% ON A VERY SPECIFIC INITIATIVE THAT WOULD NOT GO TO THE GENERAL FUND, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THIS DISCUSSION WOULD END UP IN.

RIGHT. WE WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD WE WOULD SUPPORT THE GENERAL FUND, BUT WE ALSO DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RULES WILL BE BASED OFF OF THAT PROP 43 STATEWIDE ELECTION. CORRECT. SO SO WE COULD END UP IN A PLACE WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO PASS SOMETHING WITH A TWO THIRDS THRESHOLD, WHICH WHICH IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT. OKAY. JUST JUST TO CLARIFY THAT.

RIGHT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAVE THE SLIDES UP THERE BECAUSE THIS WAS COVERED NUMEROUS TIMES IN TERMS OF OUR SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE FOR THE CITY.

HOW IS THE BREAKDOWN IN TERMS OF WHERE THE CITY UTILIZES THE FUNDS? BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S SOME MISCONCEPTIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, APPARENTLY, YOU KNOW, SOME INDIVIDUALS ARE USING TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR. AND THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE IN A BUDGET DEFICIT. BUT I THINK LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS WOULD ACTUALLY PROVIDE GOOD INSIGHT INTO OUR EXPENDITURES AT THE CITY.

SO IF THIS DOESN'T MOVE FORWARD, I JUST WANT US TO BE AWARE OF WHAT THAT MEANS IN TERMS OF THE TYPE OF SERVICES THAT WE AS A CITY PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

I REMEMBER SEEING A SLIDE WHERE THERE WAS, OKAY, CAN YOU CAN YOU CITY MANAGER GO OVER THAT SLIDE, PLEASE, TO SEE IF WE'RE LOOKING AT IMMEDIATELY CUTTING SERVICES? WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEAN? I WANT US TO BE AWARE OF THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT IS ONLY FAIR THING TO DO.

SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? OKAY. SO LOOKING AT THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, $13 MILLION DEFICIT DISCRETIONARY FUNDS, THIS IS OUR PARKS, OUR RECREATION SERVICES, THE LIBRARY SWIMMING POOL, NUTRITION CENTER, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. WITHOUT TOUCHING MANDATORY OR PUBLIC SAFETY, ALL OF THAT, ALL OF THAT GOES AWAY.

MANDATORY. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN'T TOUCH.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OUR DEBT SERVICE. THAT'S OUR LIABILITY INSURANCE.

YOU KNOW, THOSE MANDATORY EXPENSES BASED ON, ON STATE LAW, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

SO THAT MEANS IN FISCAL YEAR 2028, WE'RE MOVING DEEPLY INTO PUBLIC SAFETY CUTS.

BY 2030. THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THE CITY IS NO LONGER SOLVENT AND ABLE

[02:50:02]

IT'S IT'S NOT A, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUS YEARS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET SAID DEFICIT, BUT ACTUAL EXPENDITURES CAME IN BETTER THAN EXPECTED.

SO I, I DON'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE I'M TRYING TO SCARE THE COUNCIL INTO SOMETHING HERE, BUT REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CITY BECOMES INSOLVENT.

AND YOU KNOW THAT JUST IF THAT DOESN'T CREATE URGENCY FOR EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY THE CITY MANAGER'S GONE. COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE REPLACED BY A RECEIVER OR TRUSTEE AND, AND THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL MAKES ALL THE DECISIONS. PEOPLE LOSE THEIR VOICE.

SO JUST AS A FOLLOW UP, SO AGAIN, DISCRETIONARY SPENDING, WHICH IS 14 MILLION POOL SERVICES THAT INCLUDE POOL SERVICES CAMACHO GYM SERVICES. NUTRITION CENTER LIBRARY.

SENIOR CENTER. HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DOES THAT COVER? AND LOOK, I'M NOT ASKING THESE QUESTIONS TO SOUND GRIM.

I JUST WANT US TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION. AND IF THAT'S A DECISION WE'RE MAKING GOING FORWARD, IT'S ALL GOOD.

I JUST WANT US TO REALIZE WHAT THIS MEANS FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY.

AND I, I, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS FOR MANY MONTHS AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS AND WHAT IT MEANS.

AND AGAIN, I JUST WANT US TO BE INFORMED AND WE'RE IF WE'RE GOING TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD UNTIL 2030, IT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD. I JUST WANT US TO BE AWARE OF THAT EFFECT THAT WOULD HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY.

I THINK THAT'S A FAIR ASSESSMENT. AND SO I'M I'M.

BUT SO JUST TO RETORT TO THAT BEFORE OUR CITY MANAGER JUMPS IN.

SO I THINK THAT'S A FAIR ASSESSMENT THAT ABSOLUTELY FACTORS IN THE CALCULATION OF JUST MY OWN OPINION.

AND I THINK THAT RISK IS ALSO REAL. IF AND EVEN WORSE, IF THIS FAILS ON THE 2026 BALLOT, WHAT WAS IT, 70%? MARCUS AND I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE POLLS.

I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE LACK OF TIME FOR US TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.

SO I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS. ALL THOSE THINGS ARE REAL.

I JUST WANT US TO BE AWARE, OKAY. HOW MANY? HOW MANY, IF I COULD, ON THAT MAYOR.

EXCUSE ME. I WAS ACTUALLY STILL SPEAKING. SO.

OKAY, WELL, HOW MANY OF THOSE JOBS WERE ACTUALLY BE IMPACTED WITHIN THE DISCRETIONARY SPENDING? JUST A ROUGH, ROUGH ESTIMATE. WE'RE LOOKING AT 100 PLUS AND WHAT, WHAT INDIVIDUAL UNION DO THEY FALL UNDER? OH, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY MOSTLY MOSTLY MEAMEASEIU221 MEMBERS.

OKAY. I JUST WANT US TO BE AWARE OF THIS, RIGHT.

AND THE IMPACT THAT IT'S HAVING OR THAT IT WOULD HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IT IS NOT A SCARE TACTIC. IT IS JUST LOOKING AT A REALITY THAT WOULD BE COMING BEFORE US IF WE GO DOWN THIS ROAD.

AND SO I WANT US TO THINK THIS THROUGH. AND WHAT THAT MEANS GOING FORWARD IF IT DOES GO FORWARD.

ONE SUGGESTION THAT I WOULD HAVE IS TO HAVE A COMMITTEE WITH MAYBE.

INDIVIDUALS WITHIN EACH BUSINESS GROUP EACH CATEGORY TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THEIR GROUPS.

SO WE CAN HAVE A MORE STRUCTURED CONVERSATION WITH OUR MANAGEMENT IN TERMS OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT OUR CITY BUDGET.

SO, SO, YOU KNOW, ALLOWING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO SELECT WHO YOU WANT TO REPRESENT YOU IN ORDER TO HAVE VERY YOU KNOW, FRANK AND VERY TARGETED DISCUSSIONS. SO MAYBE INSTEAD OF HAVING 30 PEOPLE IN A ROOM, RIGHT, MAYBE MAYBE HAVE A CONSTANT DOZEN OR SO TO HAVE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS AND CONVERSATIONS, THAT WOULD BE A SUGGESTION.

VERY FOCUSED GROUP THAT I WOULD HAVE. YEAH, THAT WOULD BE ONE OF MY RECOMMENDATIONS.

IF THIS, IF THIS ACTUALLY MOVES FORWARD. I LIKE THAT RECOMMENDATION.

SO THE SECOND OF THE MOTION IS GOING TO ACCEPT THAT AMENDMENT TO THAT DIRECTION, TO THE CITY MANAGER TO INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CATEGORIES. I'M I'M SUPPORTIVE. AND EACH BUSINESS CATEGORY, EACH BUSINESS CATEGORY.

THANK YOU. AND SEEING AS THE YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL INITIAL CUTS TO SERVICES WOULD

[02:55:02]

I URGE THAT THAT BARGAINING GROUP BE INCLUDED WITHIN THAT CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT'S INDIVIDUALS JOBS, RIGHT? IT'S INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY, THAT SERVICE OUR COMMUNITY, THAT WORK AT OUR SENIOR CENTER AND OUR NUTRITION CENTER, AT OUR POOL, AT OUR PARKS. RIGHT. THAT WOULD WHOSE JOBS WOULD BE IN DANGER.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE THEM IN THEIR LEADERSHIP TEAM WITHIN THE DISCUSSIONS. I'M OPEN TO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

I WOULD WORRY ABOUT THE SO I THINK IN OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE AN HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR LAYOFFS.

WE CAN ALSO AVOID SOME OF THAT. AND I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ON THE DAIS.

SOME OF IT COMES FROM MANAGER CUTS. SOME OF IT COMES FROM SALARIES FROM SOME OF OUR HIGHEST PAID EMPLOYEES ASKING THEM TO SACRIFICE.

SOME OF IT COMES FROM US SACRIFICING OUR COUNCIL BUDGETS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD DISAGREEMENTS WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS DAIS ABOUT THOSE BUDGETS AND THE NECESSITY FOR IT. AND IT'S FOR THE RECORD, IT'S NOT 100 000 ANYMORE.

NOW IT IS. NOW WE EACH HAVE OUR STAFF. SO. BUT I'M OPEN TO SACRIFICING IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT REFORM OR MAYBE IT'S CUTTING HOURS.

SO I'M LOOKING AT A COLLECTIVE SACRIFICE, BUT IT'S ALSO REVENUE GENERATION THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF EITHER.

IT'S EFFICIENCIES. IT'S DOUG HAS SOME HAD DISCUSSED, OUR CITY MANAGER DISCUSSED WITH US JUST SOME CONCEPTS OF SOME RESTRUCTURING AND REORGANIZING THAT WE COULD DO. IT'S SOME OF THE FEE STRUCTURE.

SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT THAT WE CAN THAT WE COULD, WE COULD DO.

WE HAVE OUR ECONOMIC CONTINGENCY RESERVE FUND.

I BELIEVE THE BALANCE KNOW WE HAVE ZERO IN OUR ECONOMIC CONTINGENCY RESERVE FUND RIGHT NOW CUT OUT ENTIRELY.

SO WHAT IS BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE HAVE A $13 MILLION BALANCE CURRENTLY IN THE ECONOMIC CONTINGENCY RESERVE.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE HAVE NOT DIPPED INTO OUR CONTINGENCY RESERVE.

WE CAN SETTLE THAT LATER. BUT I'M SAYING THERE'S IDEAS THAT WE THAT WE CAN DO FOR.

ALSO, WHAT DOES REVENUE GENERATION ALSO LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF PROMOTING OUR BUSINESSES, OUR EVENTS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, ATTRACTING PEOPLE TO NATIONAL CITIES SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE REVENUE.

SO I DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT JUST THE CUTS. THE CUTS IS IMPORTANT.

AND WE SHOULD ALL SACRIFICE ON, ON THE CUTS. BUT WE SHOULD ALSO LOOK AT SOME OTHER CREATIVE IDEAS, OUR PARKING POTENTIAL REVENUE AND OUR PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGY.

AND, AND THERE'S, I THINK A HOST OF OTHER ISSUES AT THE PORT.

THERE'S, THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES THERE, NOT JUST THE LONG TERM ONE, BUT UNDER MSA RENEGOTIATION.

SO, SO THERE'S OTHER THINGS I THINK WE NEED TO HUNKER DOWN ON THROUGH THE CHAIR.

YES, I BELIEVE THAT WE DISCUSSED ALL THOSE WITH OUR NEW CITY MANAGER WHEN, WHEN I, WHEN HE ONBOARDED, I HAD A HEART TO HEART TALK WITH HIM BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT HE'S COMING.

HE'S ONBOARDING TO A $12 MILLION THE PROJECTED DEFICIT.

SO YOU KNOW, BUT WE HAVE TO ALSO THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE IMPACTED, OUR STAFF 120 IN MAY BECAUSE THEY DO OUR PARKS, THEY DO OUR POOLS, THEY DO OUR SERVICES, YOU KNOW, TO THE PEOPLE, TO THE VERY PEOPLE THAT WE PLEDGE TO SERVE. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE HAVE CITY MANAGER ALREADY IS ALREADY LOOKING INTO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THE, THE THE STRUCTURING OF THE MANAGEMENT POSITION THAT THOSE ARE IN HIS YOU KNOW, LIST OF THINGS TO DO. I THINK WHAT'S ON HAND RIGHT NOW IS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, ARE WE WILLING TO REALLY IMPACT THE LIVES OF THE VERY PEOPLE THAT IS SERVICING OUR PEOPLE? THESE ARE OUR STAFF, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU JUST TOUCHED ON ME A THAT TAKES CARE OF OUR PARKS, OUR, OUR YOU KNOW, I MEAN, COMMUNITY SERVICES.

BUT WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED ON OUR PUBLIC SAFETY. ANOTHER 120 PEOPLE THERE THAT TAKES CARE OF THE 62000 PEOPLE OF THE CITY AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, THAT ALSO TAKES CARE OF THE PEOPLE.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE YOU'RE GOING TO IMPACT ABOUT 58 POSITIONS THERE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S ABOUT 320 POSITIONS THAT WE ARE LOOKING INTO THAT OUR CITY MANAGER ALREADY KNOWS WHAT TO DO.

YES. AND THAT WOULD STILL BE THE ISSUE EVEN IF WE PUT THIS ON THE 2026 BALLOT, BECAUSE EVEN IF WE DID, THE REVENUE WOULDN'T START GENERATING UNTIL 2028.

SO NO MATTER HOW YOU CUT. SO I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.

BUT AT THE END OF. OKAY, OKAY, I'M GOING TO GO HERE AND THEN I'M GOING TO SPEAK AFTER.

I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR AND THE CITY MANAGER FOR TAKING US TO THE POTENTIAL REALITY THAT COULD RESULT IF WE ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN REFORMING OUR BUSINESS LICENSE TAX.

[03:00:06]

THAT IS WHAT I AM WORKING TOWARDS, SO I WILL STICK TO THAT.

I WILL STICK AND I WILL HOLD THE FOLKS THAT HAVE PLEDGED TO ME THAT THEY WILL HELP US SOLVE THIS PROBLEM AT THE BALLOT BOX.

I WILL HOLD THOSE PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, BECAUSE THE DIRE IMAGE THAT HAS JUST BEEN DRAWN IN MY HEAD IS UNACCEPTABLE.

THIS CITY CANNOT REACH INSOLVENCY, AND EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, I THINK, UNDERSTANDS THAT.

CRYSTAL CLEAR. SO THANK YOU. THE A COUPLE OF THINGS.

SO A LOT OF THIS STUFF HAS BEEN BROUGHT OUT TONIGHT.

IT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT OUT IN THE OPEN TO SEE THE KIND OF SEVERITY OF ALL OF THIS.

BUT IT WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE POLL AND IT SHOWED THAT THE, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS, WHEN THEY WERE GIVEN THAT POLL, THE ONES THAT WERE SAMPLED, IT WAS LIKE 72% WERE LIKE IN FAVOR YOU AT THE SAME TIME, WE HEAR, WELL, WE CAN'T GO FOR A TWO THIRDS THE. THE DEAL IS THAT POLL WAS BASICALLY WITHOUT A HEAVY RESISTANCE.

IF WE GO OPPOSING EACH OTHER TO NOVEMBER. I, YOU KNOW, AND REALLY TWO THINGS GOING TO TEAR THE CITY UP.

AND I REALLY DOUBT THAT THAT THING COULD PASS EVEN WITH A 50% VOTE.

BUT IF WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND HAVE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY LINKED TOGETHER WITH CITY GOVERNMENT AND SAY, OKAY, CITY GOVERNMENT, WE'RE WE'RE MAKING WE'RE MAKING CUTS, WE MAKE THE CUTS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THEM NO MATTER WHAT. AND THERE'S BUSINESS LICENSE, THERE'S OTHER REVENUES.

BUSINESS LICENSE IS NOT GOING TO NOT GOING TO COVER THIS THING.

OTHER REVENUES. WE START WORKING ON THOSE THINGS TOGETHER AND WE TAKE THAT TO THE PUBLIC.

THEN I THINK WE STAND A MUCH BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING THINGS PASSED, EVEN IF WE HAVE TO HIT A HIGHER THRESHOLD.

AND BUT IF BUT IF WE'RE ALL FIGHTING EACH OTHER AND TEARING THE CITY UP, I DON'T SEE IT GOING ANYWHERE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE US WORKING TOGETHER, CITY WORKING TOGETHER.

AND IN THESE NEXT FEW MONTHS, ALREADY DEMONSTRATING THE CUTS THAT WE CAN MAKE AS SURGICAL AS POSSIBLE, HAVING AS LITTLE IMPACT AS POSSIBLE UPON SERVICES AND UPON OUR EMPLOYEES.

WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO BE GOING, YOU KNOW, GETTING DRASTIC ON OUR EMPLOYEES.

NO ONE'S SAYING THAT. AND UP, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THEN TAKING A LOOK AT POSSIBILITY OF REVENUE SOURCES TO START MAKING UP THIS GAP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO BRING UP MAYOR ON PROP 43, BECAUSE I DO APPRECIATE JOSE, YOU BRING THAT UP BECAUSE THAT'S A RISK. IF IF THAT PASSES NOT TO CAMPAIGN ON THE DAIS, I HOPE IT DOESN'T.

I HOPE THE BUSINESSES. SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP BECAUSE THAT IS A RISK. BUT I DO HAVE ENOUGH FAITH IN OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, DEMONSTRATED FROM WHAT HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR SALES TAX PREVIOUS YEARS, THAT IF THAT WORST CASE SCENARIO, THE TWO THIRDS HAPPENED, IF WE CAN COME TO A COMPROMISE AND GET THEM THEIR SUPPORT AND THE PUBLIC'S EDUCATION WITH ENOUGH TIME, I THINK THAT'S A POSSIBILITY TOO.

SO I, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE THE IDENTIFYING THE RISK AND BUT I THINK IT'S THE MAYOR'S POINT INSTEAD OF FIGHTING ABOUT IT, JUST GIVEN THE TIME CRUNCH, I THINK WORKING WITH THINGS.

AND AGAIN, AND YOU AND EDITORS HAVE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD IDEAS ABOUT OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE UNFAIRLY GOTTEN PUSHBACK ON THAT INTERNALLY. SO AND THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE.

AND IT IS CHANGING. AND I HAVE SEEN AN IMPROVEMENT, AND I APPRECIATE STAFF FOR BEING MORE TRANSPARENT IN MAKING THOSE IMPROVEMENTS. ALL RIGHT.

WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE ON THE FLOOR.

AND JUST AS A LAST COMMENT, MAYOR, I CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE VOTE FOR THIS.

I THINK THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I THINK WE SHOULD LET THE VOTERS DECIDE.

AND LET'S SAY LET'S SAY THEORETICALLY, IF IT DOESN'T PASS, THEN WE COULD STILL HAVE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND SORT OF PUT IN DANGER 100 SEIU, 2 TO 1 LOCAL JOBS, I THINK IS I THINK IS UNFAIR.

SO I WILL BE VOTING AGAINST THE MOTION. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE VERY ROBUST DISCUSSION.

I THINK A LOT OF VERY GOOD POINTS, A VERY SOLID POINTS.

LET'S SEE WHERE THIS GOES. YES, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAD VERY, VERY DILIGENT AND THOUGHTFUL BRIEFINGS WITH OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR COUNCIL AND, AND THE STAFF THAT WORKED ON THIS REFORM.

[03:05:08]

SO I TOO WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. LAST THING I HAVE TO RESPOND TO THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S STARTING TO GET POLITICAL WITH JUST CALLING OUT ONE EMPLOYEE GROUP.

SCORE 221. SO WE HAVE NOT MADE ANY DECISIONS ON THIS DAIS ABOUT WHERE THESE TAX CUTS WOULD BE TARGETED.

SO THAT'S THAT'S NOT FOR US. SO THAT'S STARTING TO GET INTO A FEAR TACTIC THAT I DON'T APPRECIATE AND I DON'T LIKE.

I, WE NEED THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION. ALL OF US NEED TO BE BALANCED.

SO IS THE RISK THERE? YES. BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR TO SEIU TWO, TWO ONE TO THE MTA MEMBERS NO, I'M NOT TARGETING LAYOFFS OR CUTS FOR YOU GUYS.

AND I FEEL LIKE IN YOUR COMMENTS, JOSE, THAT THAT WAS SUGGESTED AND I'M TALKING ABOUT EVERYONE COLLECTING, COLLECTIVELY SACRIFICING COUNCIL MEMBER. I THINK I WAS JUST I JUST LISTENED TO WHAT CITY MANAGER HAD SHOWN US THAT ABOUT 14 MILLION ARE THE SERVICES THAT WILL BE IMPACTED, BECAUSE WE REALLY CANNOT TOUCH THE MANDATORY THAT WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN OBLIGATED TO PAY FOR FOR EMPLOYMENT AND FOR EMPLOYERS FEE.

AND THEN WE, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALSO CUTS AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY.

SO WITH THAT, JUST THE 14 MILLION THAT IS AT THE BOTTOM OF DISCRETIONARY FUNDS THAT WE HAVE ARE THE SERVICES.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, OF THOSE PEOPLE, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO YOU KNOW, I'M NOT POLITICAL.

I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS. SO COUNCIL MEMBER THE FACT IS, PUBLIC SAFETY CUTS WOULD ALSO BE POTENTIAL AND JEOPARDIZE.

DO WE WANT THAT? NO, BUT THERE'S ALSO OPPORTUNITIES FOR EFFICIENCIES.

WE'VE ALREADY PREVIOUSLY DIRECTED FOR OVERTIME CUTS TO BE MADE.

SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS HOLISTICALLY. SO THE PUBLIC SAFETY CUTS AGAIN IT'S NOT JUST TARGETED TO ONE GROUP.

SO THAT IS NOT ACCURATE. COUNCIL MEMBER WITH ALL DUE RESPECT WE COULD CONTINUE ON THAT.

AT THIS POINT I'M GOING TO CALL FOR THE VOTE.

AND SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION. AND A SECOND PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

MOTION PASSES. OKAY. WITH THAT THERE IS NOT THE NEED TO GO TO WE.

WASN'T CLEAR ON THIS MOTION THAT THE 8.1 HAS BEEN HEARD.

SO. 8.1. DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO EVEN CALL A VOTE ON THAT BECAUSE THIS MOTION THIS MOTION DID NOT ADDRESS 8.1 AT ALL. YOU MEAN 8.2 ABOUT 8.1 FIRST.

8.1 FIRST BEFORE YOU GO TO 8.2. SO A PROCESS WIDE IS IT I MAKE A MOTION TO TO REJECT OR VOTE NO ON 8.1. IS THAT WHAT OR WHAT. OPTION ONE AND TWO.

YES. FOR THE POSITIVE MOTION. YEAH. WE WANT A MOTION ON WHETHER OR NOT TO ACCEPT THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.

WE'RE GOING TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE WE NEED A RECORD ON THAT.

OKAY. UNDERSTOOD. OKAY. THANKS. THANK YOU. SO MAYBE IF COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ OR COUNCIL MEMBER YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT MOTION SINCE THEY SUPPORT THAT GIVEN THE COMMENTS THAT MAYBE THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR THE CHAIR. THE RECOMMENDATION OF STAFF, IF I MAY.

8.1 THE RECOMMENDATION OF STAFF SAYS STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CONSIDER PLACING THE PROPOSED BUSINESS LICENSE TAX REFORM MEASURE ON THE NOVEMBER 3RD, 2026, GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION BALLOT.

SELECT A PROPOSED RATE STRUCTURE WITH OPTION ONE IDENTIFIED AS A STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND TAKE ACTION ON THE RELATED ORDINANCE RESOLUTIONS, BALLOT QUESTIONS AND ELECTION DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO SUBMIT THE MEASURE TO NATIONAL CITY VOTERS.

THAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION OF STAFF. BUT DIDN'T WE JUST VOTE ON A MOTION SAYING NOT TO PUT IT ON THE.

THE MOTION DIDN'T INCLUDE THAT. THAT'S. THE PROBLEM IS, THE LANGUAGE OF THE MOTION INCLUDED A NUMBER OF STEPS THAT DIDN'T ADDRESS WHAT WE WOULD DO WITH 8.1. OKAY. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO AMEND THE ORIGINAL MOTION? SO WE ALREADY VOTED ON THAT. SO. SO WE'VE ALREADY WE WOULD WE WOULD WE'VE ALREADY HEARD THE OTHER MOTION.

SO NOW WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATION, CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATION AND PLACE THE ITEM ON THE BALLOT AND ALL THE ATTENDANT MEASURES.

THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO VOTE ON. I KNOW. SORRY.

YEAH. FOR NOVEMBER. FOR NOVEMBER. OKAY. SO PROCEDURALLY I MAKE A MOTION THAT

[03:10:07]

I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M STATING THIS RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER CAN MAKE A MOTION ON WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER.

8.1 AND PLACING AN ITEM ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT.

THAT WOULD BE THE RECOMMENDATION, THE RECOMMENDATION AND THE MOTION. SO I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO NOT PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AND REJECT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR 8.1. IS THAT CLEAR AND LEGALLY APPROPRIATE? THAT'S LEGALLY APPROPRIATE. WE CAN WE TIE IT WITH 8.2? DO WE HAVE TO DO A SEPARATE 8.2? DOESN'T COME IF 8.1 DOES NOT PASS, 8.2 DOESN'T COME INTO PLAY.

YES. AND AGAIN THIS IS FOR THE 2026. NOVEMBER 20TH NOVEMBER 2026.

I FULLY SUPPORT THE REFORM NOT FOR 2026 PUTTING ON THE BALLOT FOR NOVEMBER 3RD, 2026.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO THIS IS A MOTION DEALING WITH 8.1 TO NOT CONSIDER STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.

GO AGAINST STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AND NOT PUT IT ON THE BALLOT FOR NOVEMBER 3RD, 2026.

SO HOW MANY VOTES DO WE NEED FOR THIS TO BE CARRIED? COUNCIL. IT'S GOING TO BE MAJORITY. YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE A SUPERMAJORITY TO PASS IT.

BUT THE REJECTION IS THE SAME. SIMPLE MAJORITY REJECTING IT.

SIMPLE MAJORITY. YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR.

PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES. SO WITH THAT, THERE IS NOT A NEED FOR US TO DEAL WITH 8.2 PROCEDURALLY, 8.28.2 IS DONE. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY. DAVID. DAVID. OKAY. OKAY.

OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY.

OKAY. OKAY. GO GO GO GO. WHAT A PAIN. ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT, WE JUST HAVE A COUPLE QUICK ITEMS HERE BEFORE WE ADJOURN.

WE COULD GET THOSE OUT OF THE WAY. ANYTHING ELSE ON CITY MANAGER'S REPORT?

[9.CITY MANAGER’S REPORT]

OKAY. WHO IS THIS ONE NOW? I THOUGHT WE CLOSED THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

WE DID EARLIER. BUT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

IT'S ON THE AGENDA. SO THIS IS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.

SO IF THEY CAME IN BEFORE THAT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

PEGGY WALKER.

[Additional Item]

OH. HELLO THERE. THANK YOU. WE CAN HEAR YOU. OH, GREAT.

THANK YOU. I HANG ON JUST A SECOND. I'M SO SORRY.

OH. I'M SORRY. MA'AM. CAN YOU COME BACK TO ME? YES. THANK YOU.

AUSSIE.

AUSSIE. PLEASE UNMUTE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.

MOLLY KIRKLAND.

PEGGY WALKER. PEGGY WALKER.

[03:15:07]

I'M A MEMBER OF THE COUNTY TOBACCO CONTROL COALITION, AND I MENTOR A YOUTH GROUP STUDYING THE HAZARDS OF DISCARDED TOBACCO WASTE.

A RECENT ARTICLE IN THE U. T OUR YOUTH GROUPS ATTENTION DISCUSSING THE TOLL THAT TOBACCO TAKES ON AQUATIC LIFE AND THE OCEAN, AND SUGGESTING THAT WE START TREATING CIGARETTE BUTTS AS TOXIC WASTE, NOT JUST TRASH.

AND I BRING THIS HERE TONIGHT TO SHARE A RESPONSE TO THAT UT ARTICLE SUGGESTING THAT POLICY MAKERS LIKE YOURSELVES TAKE THREE STEPS TO HELP REMEDY THE TOXIC TOBACCO WASTE PROBLEM. AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE REQUIRING EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY FEES FOR TOBACCO PRODUCTS, PHASING OUT MANUFACTURE AND SALE OF CELLULOSE ACETATE FILTERS, WHICH ARE CIGARETTE BUTTS, AND THREE MANDATING RETAILER OR MANUFACTURER TAKE-BACK PROGRAMS FOR DISPOSABLE E-CIGARETTES.

THIS IDEA IS GAINING RECOGNITION AS A RESPONSIBLE WAY TO CONTROL TOBACCO LITTER, AND I ASK YOU, AS POLICY MAKERS, TO CONSIDER ADDING SUCH POLICY TO THE CITY'S TRL.

IT WOULD SHIFT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TOXIC WASTE DISPOSAL TO COMPANIES THAT ARE PROFITING FROM TOBACCO, AND WOULD BE A POSITIVE STEP FOR AN ENVIRONMENT CONTINUALLY SUBJECTED TO TOBACCO POLLUTANTS.

I THINK THAT ALL OF US WHO LIVE NEAR THE BEACH CAN APPRECIATE THAT CIGARETTE BUTTS ARE THE MOST COMMON FORM OF OCEAN TRASH.

EACH BUTT IS A CAPSULE OF MICROPLASTIC AND CHEMICALS CAPABLE OF CONTAMINATING UP TO 500L OF WATER THAT POSES SERIOUS RISKS TO WILDLIFE IN THE OCEAN AND TO WATER QUALITY.

THOSE FILTERS CAN TAKE TEN YEARS TO DEGREE TO DEGRADE WHILE RELEASING TOXIC AND CARCINOGENIC CARCINOGENS.

CARCINOGENIC. EXCUSE ME. CHEMICALS. I JUST ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THIS KIND OF TOXIC WASTE SOLUTION IN THE TRL.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU MAYOR.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OKAY. CITY MANAGER DIDN'T HAVE ANY MORE REPORTS.

ANYTHING FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS? START DOWN HERE ON MY LEFT. WE DID NOT MAKE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.

[10.ELECTED OFFICIALS REPORT]

I'M SURE IT WAS WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. I WAS ABLE TO RUN THERE BEFORE THE MEETING AND SAID HELLO TO ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WERE THERE.

I'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE AGAIN THE JUNIOR TENNIS TOURNAMENT OR CLINIC THAT'S HAPPENING AT EL TOYON AT OUR TENNIS COURTS.

6 TO 12 YEARS OLD. IF YOU HAVE KIDS AT THAT AGE, PLEASE BRING THEM THERE.

WE STILL HAVE SEVEN WEEKS TO GO. THANK YOU. OKAY.

DOWN HERE. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS WAS A TOUGH NIGHT AND THIS WAS A DIFFICULT DECISION, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE DISCUSSION FROM ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES AND ALL OF STAFF'S WORK ON THIS AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S FOLKS THAT WORKED ON THIS ARE DISAPPOINTED, AND I'LL SAY, I'M SORRY TO DISAPPOINT YOU, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I REALLY THINK THAT THIS IS A POSITIVE STEP.

I, I THINK WE CAN GET OUR BUDGET IN ORDER AND WORK TOGETHER.

AND I'M OPEN TO ANY CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK, ANY IDEAS AND OUTREACH.

SO I LOVE THIS ORGANIZATION AND WANTED TO THRIVE.

AND I DO BELIEVE THAT ALL OF US ON THIS DAIS DO.

SO I WANT TO GET TO WORK. BUT AND I APPRECIATE THE CITY MANAGER, DOUG, THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, YOU'VE WORKED REALLY HARD IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SUPPORT YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU TO STAFF.

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK. THANK YOU, PEDRO, AND THANK YOU, HEIDI, FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE THIS WEEK AND PAST MONTHS. FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. I TRULY BELIEVE THIS IS WORK THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RELY ON FOR WHEN THE TIME COMES, TO HAVE THIS BE A SUCCESSFUL EFFORT. I WILL WORK WITH YOU TO CONTINUE IN THAT SUCCESS.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AND I'D LIKE TO ECHO THOSE COMMENTS.

YOU KNOW, A TON OF WORK WAS DONE IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

AND I THINK WE JUST NEED TO BUILD UPON THAT, THAT WORK AND THE ALL THE EFFORT AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WENT INTO THAT AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS THING RIGHT AND WE GET EVERYBODY TOGETHER, BOTH SIDES ALL TOGETHER.

AND SO THAT WE CAN PUSH THIS THING PAST WHATEVER, WHATEVER BALLOT, WHATEVER WE GOT TO DO TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

[03:20:03]

NOTHING TO REPORT. OH, OKAY. WE DIDN'T HAVE A CLOSED SESSION. THAT'S RIGHT. WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.