San Diego City Councilman Raul Campillo Monday announced his intention to bring a ballot measure for the November 2022 election forward to the council’s Rules Committee on Wednesday to “Safeguard San Diego” by bringing the city into compliance with state law for infrastructure funding.
Since the 2012 passage of Measure A established a prohibition on union-backed Project Labor Agreements, Campillo said the city has been ineligible for millions of dollars of state funding. The Safeguard San Diego proposal is intended to update the city’s contracting policies to prevent it from continuing to lose access to those funds.
“Since banning Project Labor Agreements, the city has been ineligible for state funding for our critical projects,” he said at a news conference Monday morning. “This means our roads, our firehouses, our core city services. I am proud to be bringing this item forward on Wednesday to Safeguard San Diego and give residents the opportunity to vote to open up our city to all sources of infrastructure funding.”
Union leaders and other elected officials joined Campillo at his news conference.
“This measure will ensure San Diego can continue receiving millions of dollars in state funding for streets, parks, housing, and other neighborhood investments,” said Council President Pro Tem Stephen Whitburn. “It will also help the city support local workers and businesses. I look forward to meeting with San Diego voters and discussing how this measure will grow our economy and improve our city.”
Proposition A, which passed with 58% of the vote in 2012, amended the San Diego Municipal Code to prohibit the city from requiring a Project Labor Agreement on city construction projects, except where required by state or federal law, or as a condition of the receipt of state or federal funds.
“Common sense efforts like this one will make sure that the city and its taxpayers receive its fair share of state funding for infrastructure, and will also empower the city to hire local workers for good paying jobs,” said Brigette Browning of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council. “Safeguard San Diego is a simple but important fix to our city contracting rules that will put us back in compliance with state law and ensure there are no unnecessary impediments to our ability to access every resource available to us to repair and maintain our communities.”
City News Service contributed to this article.