In a heated exchange during Tuesday’s Chula vista City Council meeting, Mayor John McCann leveled serious allegations against Local 89 of the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA). McCann claimed that the union attempted to influence his support for a contentious ballot measure by offering not to fund his opponent in this year’s mayoral race.

The proposed measure, which aims to amend the city’s charter, includes significant changes such as increasing councilmembers’ pay and extending term limits. The measure has sparked strong opposition from residents, leading to a contentious debate at the city council meeting.

Allegations and Denials

McCann stated that Kelvin Barrios, LIUNA’s director of government affairs, made the offer during a meeting last month. According to McCann, Barrios suggested that if he supported placing the ballot measure on the ballot, the union would not fund his opponent in the upcoming election.

“I was informed if I supported placing the ballot measure on the ballot they would not fund my opponent in the election,” McCann said from the dais during the debate. He described the offer as a quid pro quo and expressed his belief that such deals are unethical.

Barrios vehemently denied McCann’s accusations, stating that it was McCann who sought assurances that the union would not spend money against him in the general election. “In no way was I trying to tie consideration of [the ballot measure] to political spending,” Barrios said. “This is the mayor making a false accusation.”

The Proposed Ballot Measure

The ballot measure, drafted by LIUNA Local 89, proposes changes to 13 sections of the city’s charter. Key provisions include extending term limits from two to three terms, increasing council salaries by 59%, and establishing a City Ethics Commission with subpoena authority.

Mayor McCann raised objections during the discussion, noting that neither the Charter Review Commission nor the Ethics Commission had reviewed the proposal. He also highlighted the significant pay increase for council members, which would raise their salaries from $64,000 to $110,000.

“Does anybody at the city of Chula Vista over the last several years, remaining in the same position, get a 59% pay increase?” McCann asked. “How about you in the private sector?”

Barrios defended the proposal, arguing that the pay raises would make the position more accessible to working-class candidates. “So those pay raises Chula Vistans should be able to run for city council and not have to have a $500,000 savings or their house paid off,” Barrios said.

City Council’s Decision

After hearing from more than 45 public speakers, almost all of them opposed to the ballot measure, the City Council voted 4-1 to pull the measure from the november ballot. The council referred the measure to the city’s Charter Review Commission for further consideration and public input.

The council’s decision came after a lengthy debate, with several public speakers urging the council to reject the measure as written. Resident Norma Toothman, who has served on both the Ethics and the Charter Review Commission, expressed concerns about the process, noting the city was “unaware of any community engagement before this proposal was brought forward.”

“Because of this extremely short timeline, the city has been unable to present it to the Charter Review Commission, the very body for evaluating charter changes,” Toothman said. “While not legally required to review a charter amendment before the city council places it on the ballot, it’s the normal expected and the good governance practice to do so.”

The council’s decision to pull the measure from the ballot reflects the contentious nature of the proposed changes and the need for further public input and review.