Hello Neighbor,

This month, the City Council held a hearing on water rate increases. I opposed the proposed water rate hike — and will continue to do so until the City administration takes meaningful steps to begin rebuilding public trust. Read below to learn why.

Meanwhile, I’ve had a much more enjoyable time in recent months outside the Council Chambers — connecting with many of you at the Mira Mesa Street Fair as well as with numerous residents in a Town Hall at Vi at La Jolla Village. And with fall in full swing, I’m looking forward to more community events like Movies in the Park and our upcoming community cleanup with I Love A Clean San Diego. Check out the info below, and I hope to see you out there!

Last week, I opposed a proposal to increase water rates by 63% over four years. I want to be upfront with you about why — and why I’ll continue my opposition until we see real change in how the City administration engages with the Council and communicates with the public.

First off, I am committed to investing in our water system and to making tough decisions to keep our City running — we want water to come out of the faucet when we turn it on, and we don’t want broken water mains creating sink holes in our streets. But we cannot do this while eroding public trust — and that starts with being clear, honest and transparent about why these decisions are needed and how the administration plans to address the real impacts of rising cost of living. And in my opinion, that’s not happening.

With that in mind, I cannot and will not in good conscience vote in support of raising water rates on San Diego families until we see the substantive and necessary changes from our City's executive leadership that will ensure the City is listening to the community, engaging earnestly with Councilmembers, and clearly communicating the strategic direction of City Hall during this challenging time — because right now, it’s clear that things need to be done differently.

Watch my full remarks here: