San Diego’s New Mayor On Public Health, Economic Crises

Speaker 1: 00:00 Mayor Todd Gloria explores what the city can do to help struggling businesses. Speaker 2: 00:05 Yes, my hope is that we can focus on a shop local campaign that would encourage San Diego fans to keep as much of their money. Local Speaker 1: 00:12 I'm Maureen Kavanaugh. This is KPBS midday edition Speaker 2: 00:24 [inaudible] Speaker 1: 00:24 And the mayor says his identity as a gay person of color opens opportunities in San Diego. Speaker 2: 00:31 I'm hopeful that, uh, my presence in this office is a communication of what's possible in this great city of ours and that the vision and the agenda that I've been dancing will be one that allows stories like mine to multiply across every neighborhood in San Diego Speaker 1: 00:44 And some holiday events to enjoy in town from the safety of home, stay with us for midday edition. Coming up next Today is the first full day in office for new San Diego mayor, Todd, Gloria, he and five new city council members were sworn in yesterday in a virtual ceremony. Gloria's inauguration speech called for a new vision of San Diego as a big city. Speaker 2: 01:17 If we dream big work together and believe in San Diego, we can accomplish anything. Speaker 1: 01:24 Mayor Gloria promised in his first 100 days in office to focus on San Diego's major problems of homelessness and the public health and economic crisis created by COVID-19 in the backdrop of the mayor's address came the twin headlines that vaccine approval is moving forward. And the number of newly diagnosed COVID cases in San Diego County Thursday, once again, topped 2000 and joining me is San Diego mayor. Todd, Gloria. Welcome to the show. Thank you so much. You've spoken many times and in your speech yesterday about San Diego, starting to think and act like a big city. How do you see that Mindshift actually influencing action on our big problems like homelessness and public health? Speaker 2: 02:10 Well, those two things are directly connected for me because we spend so much time talking about issues that I think many other cities have successfully address. It means that we never get to the big issues that everyone seems to struggle with. And so that means that we, you know, chase our tail for years when it comes to short term vacation rentals and issue that many other cities have successfully regulated. Uh, then we never get around to the big issue of homelessness, housing, affordability, infrastructure, and climate action. So my hope is that we can swiftly deal with many of the issues that have been on the civic list of things to do in order to free up the space, the time the resources, the bandwidth to tackle the issues that I hear the most from San Diego is about. And that's homelessness, housing affordability in the state of our transportation system. Speaker 1: 02:56 Now, during your first 100 days in office, you promised to introduce a strategy to address the health economic and housing crisis caused or worsened by COVID-19. Can you give us maybe a preview or a kind of a framework of that strategy Speaker 2: 03:14 Involve certainly inter-governmental cooperation. I think one of the exciting things about this most recent election is not just the election of a new mayor and council, but the election of a new majority at the County board of supervisors. But I think can refresh, deepen and strengthen our relationship between the state and the County acknowledging the County has the lead responsibilities for public health response, but the city can be a fruitful partner on things like, uh, small business relief, tenant, uh, assistance. And the list goes on. Uh, my focus is going to be making sure we're advocating Washington DC for meaningful federal relief advocating in my old, uh, office up in Sacramento for additional state relief. And we're working with our partners at the County here within the four walls of city hall. My hope is that we can focus on a shop local campaign that would encourage San Diego ins to keep as much of their money local, hoping to support the businesses that are struggling in our neighborhoods and having the city join that effort by leading by example, concentrating more of our spending on supplies, contracts, and services here in the city of San Diego. Speaker 2: 04:15 I think that could be determinative between the number of businesses that survive this difficult time determinative about the number of San Diegans that are employed in our community and who earned paychecks that they can spend in our neighborhoods to help support other businesses. We will be doing other announcements right now. I'm huddling with our team here at city hall to make sure that what we propose is feasible deployable and can be done swiftly enough to make a difference for those folks who are currently hurting. Speaker 1: 04:39 You've mentioned that a new city council was also seated yesterday and the city council chose a new council president yesterday, Dr. Jennifer Campbell, over council member, Monica Montgomery step. It was a close vote and a hard-fought struggle. How do you see tensions stemming from that vote influencing your Speaker 2: 04:59 Well I'm hopeful that we can move past that. Um, I recognize I've had experiences with tough, uh, council, president votes myself in the past. Uh, and I think the goal has to be collectively that we move forward, uh, working currently with council, president Campbell on a list of committee assignments, uh, uh, to make sure that we utilize the talents and skills of all of our council members to the most benefit of the people of San Diego. Uh, I think that will be a positive step forward and then working on a collaborative agenda. I know that council president Campbell, as well as council member Montgomery and every city council member has priorities for their districts and for the city. We're in close collaboration with those offices, understand how those align with my priorities and my vision for our city and how we can get the most done as quickly as possible. Barring these are difficult times people are turning to the government for help and assistance and leadership. I'm hopeful that we can meet those high expectations because the times have really demanded. Did you or your seek to influence Speaker 1: 05:58 The outcome of the council president selection in any way? Speaker 2: 06:01 No. Quite to the contrary, I have had a long, positive working relationship with both of the candidates who sought the council presidency. Many of you may know that council member Montgomery once worked in my office and, uh, Jen Campbell and I have been friends for years. I could work with either of the candidates. Uh, and I recognize and remember my own experience with Merril involvement and accounts of president vote. Um, I didn't think it was appropriate, then it is not appropriate now. Uh, so we allowed that decision to be made by the councils themselves. And we are now in the business of governing with that council and trying to move the city forward. We hear that Speaker 1: 06:34 Leaders in the house are still struggling to get a COVID economic relief package passed before the end of the year, time and hopes are fading for that. What does San Diego do without that help from Washington? Speaker 2: 06:47 Well, it's not good news. If our leaders in Washington cannot come to a compromise on additional economic stimulus Marina, remind your listeners that meaningful federal relief has not happened since, uh, back in March. And so we have lifted several months now without additional federal stimulus, uh, and it would be in the state to go another week, another month without it for here in San Diego, we're currently dealing with a $45 million mid-year budget gap. We're projecting a $124 million budget deficit for our next fiscal year. Uh, and so federal relief could be a determinative about whether or not we can continue to provide appropriate levels of neighborhood services. If we can continue to make sure that we are protecting, uh, key employment, uh, sectors like our firefighters, our lifeguards or librarians. Uh, and so I spent a part of my day yesterday, I'll be spending a part of my day today reaching out to our congressional delegation, making sure they understand very clearly what the stakes are for our city and why we so much need them to come together and pass something sooner rather than later. Speaker 1: 07:49 Does that do to your agenda though, if we don't get that help? Speaker 2: 07:52 Well, we'll have to adjust it, you know, and I'm dealing with that right now. In fact boy, and after taking the oath and providing, uh, my speech and listening to the other speeches, uh, the first thing I did was have a meeting with, uh, my finance department and understand the current state of affairs and what the menu of options available to us are. I can tell you very clearly, uh, without additional federal relief, uh, the kinds of tests that we may have to look at would be a pretty significant, uh, we will figure out every way that we can responsibly balance this budget, limiting impacts to neighborhoods. Uh, but it certainly would be a lot easier, uh, with federal relief, much as you saw that was done earlier this year with the federal cares act dollars that really allowed the previous administration and council to fill in their significant budget gap, uh, with those federal relief dollars. Speaker 2: 08:34 Again, this is urgent, it's critical. I recognize the new Biden Harris administration. They passed into this of their own, uh, but we need help right now. Uh, we need help, uh, after the new administration takes, uh, takes office in Washington, DC, uh, this again will be determinative about what levels of service we can provide to the community, uh, with regards to my agenda, you know, listen, a lot of what we're talking isn't necessarily direct spin from our general fund. A lot of it exists is the current spending out of our general fund. I think about our homeless services programs, a level of spending that is higher than we've ever spent. And yet I don't think San Diego is really feel like they're seeing the results that they expect, uh, from that high level of spend, uh, when it comes to homeless services. I think that the regulatory relief that could help increase the amount of housing supply in our community, that doesn't necessarily have a huge price tag, but it would make a huge difference to San Diego. And so I believe we can get creative and still make progress on the vision that I have for our city. Again, it would be a lot easier with additional federal assistance. Speaker 1: 09:31 There's been a Corona virus outbreak among homeless residents in the convention center. So my question is, do you still think keeping that facility open into the new year is a good idea as opposed to reopening some of the city's bridge shelters for the homeless? Speaker 2: 09:47 Well, I think that some of the challenges we're seeing at the convention center, uh, may also occur at the grid shelter. So, you know, you're talking about a large numbers of folks in a confined space. What I'm asking my team right now is to help me understand, uh, what we could take, the dollars that we're currently spending and making sure that we're providing as much shelter as possible for this vulnerable part of our community right now, I think it's not appropriate to close that shelter in part because the convention center, uh, has, uh, no customers coming in, uh, anytime soon and we have this new stay home order. Uh, and I think that it's inappropriate to tell people to stay at home while simultaneously, uh, throwing hundreds of San Diego out of the home that they've known for the last number of months. Um, I believe that we can find the funding to keep the convention center operating for a few more months. Speaker 2: 10:33 Um, much of that will require additional council authorization, which we are currently developing a proposal for their consideration. Uh, but ultimately Marie, we opened up the convention center because we thought that would be, uh, one of the ways that we could reduce the transmission of COVID-19, uh, up until this week, I think that has been largely successful or that outbreak, uh, that you're seeing at the convention center is fairly representative of the outbreak we're seeing in our region as a whole. Um, and we, uh, are testing everyone. We are isolating those who are the testing positive or showing symptoms. Uh, we're doing, I think everything right when it comes to the response, obviously we don't want to have any transmission within our, any of our shelters. Um, and that's going to be a challenge in the going forward with this level of spread, uh, not just amongst our own shelter population, but amongst our entire population here in San Diego County Speaker 1: 11:19 And mayor Gloria, you talked yesterday in your inauguration speech about being the first person of color, the first openly gay person to be the mayor of San Diego. What do you think that brings to San Diego leadership that we haven't had before? Speaker 2: 11:34 Well, Maureen, when I was growing up here in San Diego, you know, I didn't see people like me in government and it there's a saying that, you know, if you haven't seen it, you can't be it. I'm hopeful that my presence in this office communicates to more of our young people who are people of color or LGBTQ youth, but frankly, really any San Diego that they can see someone like me in this role and hopefully broaden their expectations for what is possible for them. I also really feel like I have very much a set of the city, a product of San Diego. And I hope that the opportunities that I've been able to experience in my life are opportunities that we're able to give to more San Diego. And that's why you see me, uh, advocating for climate action in order to preserve the city that we love for future generations advocating for more housing. So that folks who work hard can actually afford to live in this great city of ours advocating for more transportation infrastructure, because it's critical for getting people to and from jobs. So I I'm hopeful that, uh, my presence in this office is a communication of what's possible in this great city of ours and that the vision and the agenda that I'm advancing will be one that allows stories like mine to multiply across every neighborhood in San Diego. Speaker 1: 12:41 And I've been speaking with San Diego mayor, Todd, Gloria. And thank you so much for speaking with us. Thank you, Maureen. This is KPBS mid day edition. I'm Maureen Kavanaugh, holiday themed arts events are in the air this weekend, and everything is available for you to safely experience from home, plus for something completely different, a new virtual exhibition of art that has nothing to do with this season. Joining me is KPBS arts producer and editor, Julia Dixon Evans, with all the details. Hi Julia. Speaker 3: 13:25 Hi Maureen. Thanks for having me Speaker 1: 13:27 Now. Hanukkah began last night and you have a great family friendly event for us. Tell us about the temple and the secret code. Speaker 3: 13:35 Yeah. So this is a partnership between several theaters and new village arts is bringing it to our region virtually it's a kid participation interactive virtual program. Parents can download some printables or write out the text for the kids and gather a few household items to have on hand for the sleep thing. These are small groups, um, about 10 kids per seating so that the actors can interact with each of them. And there's a few showings set the day, each day until Hanukkah ends. Next Friday, the premise is a brother and a sister team sharing stories from their grandpa's story book. While the detectives, the audience will try to solve clues and crack the secret code to get into the temple. So there's plenty of action and lots of stories and Hanukkah history. It's cute and can be a little bit silly. So I think parents and grade schoolers will especially love it. Here's a tiny sneak peek when we say clue, hold it up. So we know what everyone has it and what you do. Speaker 1: 14:45 [inaudible] Speaker 3: 14:46 That's that J company you theater's production of the temple and the secret code it's presented in our partnership with San Diego's new village arts. So it's a great way to support our local theater company too. And as a side note, new village arts is also presenting a stream on demand version of their Holly jolly cabaret show that drops starting on Monday. So contemporary holiday hits show tunes with local actors and singers. Plus I preview of their own brand new original holiday musical, and that will hit the stage hopefully and the 2021 holiday season. Speaker 1: 15:21 So new village arts has plenty going on this holiday season. There J company, youth theater partnership on the temple. And the secret code brings us that family Hanukkah interactive play with performances each day through December 18th. Now, many of our beloved holiday performance traditions are built around singing, but singing together is one of the hardest things to pull off during this pandemic. So how are some choral groups still bringing us performances this year? Speaker 3: 15:51 Yeah, it really is hard to pull off, but so many local groups are still making great things happen. Let's take a look at soccer pro fauna. There are local choral ensemble. Who've been churning out some really inventive, adaptive work during the pandemic. So they have a rendition of Gary Newman's cars, for example, with all the singers in cars. And it turned out as a really cool video that they're free virtual holiday concert takes place. Saturday night, they'll screen some past performances of recent holiday concerts and previous recordings and director. Juan Carlos Acosta will host the event based bringing in some of the composers to discuss the works. One of the cool things about this event is that much of the music is written by living compressors. A great example is their performance seven arrangement of angels. We have heard on high by LA based Filipino composer, Sonder choy. Here's a sample [inaudible] Speaker 1: 17:39 That's Sacra. Profounder performing an arrangement of angels. We have heard on high part of their free virtual holiday concert tomorrow at seven in the visual art world. There's a new interactive virtual exhibition from the SDSU art gallery. Tell us about upon closer inspection. Speaker 3: 17:59 Yeah, this just opened this week with works from three women artists, each from a different discipline and background that showed digs into things like West African heritage rituals identity and the trauma of the slave journey through photography or drawings and textiles that pull from the stories of Vietnamese refugees and one intriguing method. Artists, Claire warden use a saliva on film and other Mark making processes and photography in her work. And that tries to understand the narratives of power and identity. It's not only really incredible works of art, but it's an impressive platform too. It's like a virtual tour where you can navigate through the gallery on your computer or your touch screen and tap each work as it's hanging on the walls to see it close up or read the card is not the same of course, but it really does make me feel more like I'm wandering the gallery than just clicking through pictures online and also not a holiday theme in sight. Speaker 1: 18:59 Okay. Upon closer inspection is on view from the SDSU art gallery in a new virtual exhibition, 24 seven. Now through the end of March and finally a little so Cal rock and roll Los Lobos will live stream a special holiday show from the belly up tonight. Speaker 3: 19:19 Yeah. So Los Angeles based Los Lobos who are famous for their rock takes on traditional and popular Mexican teams, as well as bringing a folk influence into top 40 music. And they were regulars on the belly-up station in the before times. And they're bringing a holiday show to us. Now with the theme were still at home for the holidays and that's streaming tonight. Here's a little clip from a Los Lobos rendition of love drama, or the branch from the holiday album. They released last year. It's in a regional folk style known as sown roadshow from the Vira cruise region in Mexico and LA. That is also a traditional holiday custom where neighbors decorate branches and parade through the streets. Here's my mama Speaker 4: 20:23 [inaudible]. Speaker 1: 20:23 And so the drama from Los Lobos, they're streaming tonight at 7:00 PM from the belly up, you can find more arts and winter holiday events and sign up for the weekly KPBS arts newsletter@kpbs.org slash arts. I've been speaking with KPBS arts editor and producer, Julia Dixon Evanson, Julia, thanks a lot. Speaker 3: 20:45 Thank you. And have a good weekend.