Speaker 1: (00:00)
San Diego city council has a new president after a surprising vote result yesterday afternoon. Yes. I would like
Speaker 2: (00:07)
To vote. Yes. In favor of council, president elect Shawn LA Rivera. Thank you.
Speaker 3: (00:13)
Uh, clerk, please call the roll. It's that passes 8 2 1 with, uh, council, president Campbell voting. No
Speaker 1: (00:20)
With that council member, Sean ELO Rivera representing district nine takes over after the incumbent council president Dr. Jen Campbell, who was unable to get the votes needed for another term. And what many considered to be a formality KPBS? Metro reporter, Andrew Bowen joins us with details. Andrew. Welcome.
Speaker 4: (00:38)
Hi Jade. Thanks.
Speaker 1: (00:40)
So what happened? Yesterday's city council meeting?
Speaker 4: (00:43)
Well, it started with council member, Steven Whitburn, whose voice you heard just at the beginning there nominating, uh, council president Campbell for a second year in that position. Pretty shortly thereafter. Another council member spoke up and asked whether he could make a substitute motion. Um, Campbell ended up shutting that down she's as council president in charge of the meeting, but it immediately kind of let everyone know that something was up. And so the end result was then a five to four vote in against keeping Campbell as council president. After that, the meeting got a little confusing. Um, Campbell took two recesses to consult with city attorneys on rules and just how you know, meetings are allowed to run and motions going here and there and everything. There were some awkward moments where Campbell was clearly not happy. Uh, and some council members were withholding their votes until it, you know, they knew for certain who was gonna be the next council president. Uh, ultimately as you heard, the council voted eight one to elect Sean ILA as the council president, and the only no vote came from, uh, former council president, Jen Campbell,
Speaker 1: (01:48)
And there are yearly votes to choose the city council president. So why was the result here such a surprise? Well,
Speaker 4: (01:55)
Every year since this position of council president was created in 2006, when the city switched to a strong mayor form of gun government, the, the council president has always gotten at least two years in that position. And, uh, the election, the, the bigger election is usually in even numbered years, right after a new city council has taken office that that's when the, the bigger debate is happening. Uh, and odd numbered years are more of a formality where you're just sure take another year. But the important thing that's different here is that Campbell Jen Campbell was one of the most controversial choices for council president in city history from the very beginning last year. Uh, some of our listeners may remember there was this huge community based campaign to elect Monica Montgomery's step as council president she's is the only black elected official in city government.
Speaker 4: (02:46)
She's a former civil rights attorney. She's very popular in her district. And her supporters saw her as just a better person to lead the city on many of its important issues among them racial equity, which was a huge, uh, part of the conversation last year and still is of course. So, uh, Campbell had lost, uh, she, she had support from the political establishment and was elected last year in a five to four vote. But the fact that that vote was so narrow and the vote was so contentious, really just laid the foundation for ultimately what happened yet. And
Speaker 1: (03:19)
Council member, Chris Kate seemed to play a crucial role in preventing Dr. Jen Campbell from remaining as council president. Can you explain what went on there?
Speaker 4: (03:28)
Chris Kate is the only Republican left in elected office in city government. And so last year he was one of the five who supported Campbell for this position, uh, siting with the more moderate Democrats on the council on Monday, he cited with the councils for progressives in voting against Campbell, uh, having a, a second year in that job, he didn't explain what changed his mind. All we got was a tweet, uh, after the vote took place saying congratulations to the new council president. And he said, I appreciate the relationship we've built and look forward to working with you in 2022. So it's possible that Kate and Campbell had some policy disagreement that they're not really talking about in the open, but I think his tweet is a reminder of the fact that building and maintaining relationships is a really important part of politics. And, uh, we should also acknowledge Campbell. Didn't just lose the confidence of what colleague in Chris, Kate. She also failed to gain the confidence of all of the colleagues who didn't vote for her last year. So that was really her downfall
Speaker 1: (04:28)
And council, president ILO Rivera, whose district includes areas such as city Heights. The college area down to south Krest is a relative newcomer to the council. Tell us more
Speaker 4: (04:38)
About him. Uh, he's an attorney I trade, uh, he led a nonprofit that seeks to empower youth before he entered city government. He's had a somewhat unlikely rise in politics, actually in 2018, he won a seat on the community college district board, uh, beating out a former city council member who in that race was seen as the favorite. And then in last year, years, city council race for district nine, he faced a very well funded opponent who had support from establishment Democrats and labor unions, but then that candidate ended up having to withdraw from the race after, uh, reporting on some campaign finance missteps that he had made. So Sean Eve has had a very fast, and some would say surprising rise in local politics, although he's very charismatic. So, uh, you know, if you, if you get to know him and speak with him and, and watch him in council meetings and how he interacts with his, his colleagues, I think, you know, you might find this rise a little less surprising, and
Speaker 1: (05:37)
Here's some of what he had to say soon after his election. We've
Speaker 5: (05:41)
Got a lot to do. Um, and I really do look forward to working with each of you to ensure that every single community in our city gets the services and supports they need.
Speaker 1: (05:51)
And what is council member ELO Rivera's vision for the council and how might it differ from his predecessors?
Speaker 4: (05:58)
Well, he is definitely a progressive, certainly more progressive than Jen Campbell, but at the same time, he's also shown willingness to compromise with the more moderate colleagues on the city council. Probably the most notable example is his vote in favor of the city's contract with SD G and E. Uh, his fellow progressive was on the council had voted against it, but he supported it. And in the process extracted some last minute concessions that arguably got the city a, a better deal in that, in that, uh, equation. I, I think one of the fundamental questions in San politics right now is what is the purpose of the city council, especially when the entire city government and by Democrats, which was not the case up until a co uh, just last year really does the city council just rubber stamp the mayor's agenda, or do they pursue their own policies and create sort of a competition with the mayor in comparison with Campbell? I think ELO Rivera leans toward the latter in, in a sort of a leading a strong council that pursues own agenda. And, uh, as you heard there, I think he's very interested in equity in making sure that all of the, the areas of the city that have been historically underinvested in get their fair share of resources. So he's, uh, you know, definitely one to watch. And I think we'll be, um, following that certainly in the next year,
Speaker 1: (07:16)
I've been speaking with K PBS, Metro reporter, Andrew Bowen, Andrew.
Speaker 4: (07:20)
Thank you. Thank you, Jade.
