Council Stays With Budget in Spite of Controversy

The San Diego City Council, meeting in a special session Monday, turned down a request by Councilwoman Judy McCarty to rescind its tentative approval of the $644-million 1987 municipal budget.

On June 19, the City Council passed a resolution approving the budget, which included hefty increases for the police and planning departments. But the public vote has been controversial because of press reports that some of the council members met privately beforehand to hash out last-minute budget items--meetings that may be forbidden by the state’s open meeting laws.

McCarty asked her colleagues to rescind the June 19 vote and open up public testimony again “so the public will have confidence in the decisions that were made.” Council members turned down her request on 4-3 vote. Several pointed out that two more public hearings would be held on the budget this month before it is officially approved.

Also Monday, council members asked the city attorney’s office to makes plans for a seminar to tell them when they can legally talk to each other and constituents about public issues. One of the subjects at the seminar will be the state Brown Act, which requires public meetings for most council discussion and votes.

During discussion Monday, former school board member and City Council candidate Robert Filner told council members that those who attended the private budget meetings were “arrogant” and owed an apology to the public.

Councilman Uvaldo Martinez, who attended a private meeting on the budget in Councilwoman Gloria McColl’s office, said it was “intellectually dishonest” for Filner to base his comments on newspaper accounts.

“I resent the implication that I, in fact, would meet and conspire to deliberately exclude the public from any decision-making process,” Martinez said.

On May 23, the San Diego Tribune filed a civil suit against the City Council, claiming it violated the Brown Act with its private budget meetings.

On May 24, City Atty. John Witt refered the matter to the district attorney for possible criminal investigation.