Cities Turn to Port for Revenue

The mayors of the five cities in the San Diego Unified Port District--San Diego, Imperial Beach, Chula Vista, Coronado and National City--appeared before the port commissioners Tuesday, asking for money in the form of greater reimbursement for public services now provided on port property.

By a 6-0 vote (Commissioner Dan Larsen was absent), the board agreed to draft a proposal, to be presented to the state attorney general’s office, that would allow the Port District to pursue the possibility of paying the cities more for such services as police and fire protection and street maintenance.

The cities have long provided such services on or near Port District tidelands, but, in the words of San Diego Mayor Maureen O’Connor, they now need to turn to “any and all” revenue sources because they are strapped for money.

Port District Director Don Nay recently said the port’s annual revenue now exceeds expenditures by more than $40 million, and the port supports “in principle” the idea of paying the cities greater fees for public services.

However, he and some of the commissioners have cited outstanding litigation against the port as a drawback, as well as demands by the America’s Cup Organizing Committee to help fund that event, and state guidelines and laws that govern the distribution of port revenues.

“This is not going to be an answer to our problems,” O’Connor said, in reference to San Diego’s $60-million budget deficit, “but certainly it will help.”