Three candidates for city council in San Diego’s 6th district tackled questions ranging from local traffic and parks to a stadium for the Chargers and the minimum wage at a forum Monday sponsored by the Mira Mesa Town Council.
Candidates Chris Cate, Carol Kim and Mitz Lee answered a series of questions compiled by the town council, and then took questions from the audience of nearly 100 at Mira Mesa High School. Candidate De Le left after the opening statements, and candidate Jane L. Glasson did not attend.
District 6 is currently represented by Lorie Zapf, but after redistricting her residence ended up in District 2, where she is running for the seat vacated by Mayor Kevin Faulconer.
At Monday’s forum, the issue of the city helping to finance a new stadium for the San Diego Chargers drew strong statements from the candidates.
Kim warned against “corporate welfare” in the form of tax dollars for a private stadium.” The Chargers are a valuable community point of pride,” she said. “But we have such a backlog of things we should be paying for.”
Cate described the Chargers as a “regional asset” which the entire county, not just San Diego, should support, but said any public investment must be evaluated in business terms. “Whatever decision is made, the stadium has to be multipurpose,” he added.
Lee said no tax dollars should be spent on a stadium but stressed that she remained open-minded and would study the situation as a council member.
In closing statements, Kim, an education consultant, thanked the audience and urged them to get their friends and neighbors involved in the election.
Cate, vice president of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association, said his business background gives him the “experience to hit the ground running on day one.”
Lee, a long-time community activist who served as a trustee of the San Diego Unified School District, said she is a cancer survivor and as a result “not someone who’s going to run away from a tough fight.”
The 6th district includes Mira Mesa, Miramar, Kearny Mesa and parts of Rancho Penasquitos and Clairemont Mesa.
The forum was moderated by Chris Jennewein, editor and publisher of Times of San Diego.
