The City Council voted 5-3 Monday to not override the veto by Mayor Bob Filner over the appointments of attorney Rafael Castellanos and businessman Marshall Merrifield to the Port Commission.
Six votes were needed and Councilmembers Marti Emerald, David Alvarez and Sherri Lightner voted to accept Filner’s veto Jan. 18.
Council President Todd Gloria joined with the Republicans on the Council, Kevin Faulconer, Lorie Zapf, Scott Sherman, and Mark Kersey to vote to override the veto but fell one vote shy.
“We sent the mayor two qualified candidates. The mayor sent back red tape and delay,” said Faulconer. “With his veto, the mayor is willfully delaying crucial issues before the Port.”
Filner cited the vacancy in District 4 as a key reason to veto the appointments, saying that the district is unrepresented currently because of the resignation of Tony Young Dec. 31. A special election will be held March 26 with a run-off in May.
Filner also criticized the process and procedures in selecting Castellanos, a Democrat, and Merrifield, a Republican, Jan. 7. Filner wrote the “selection process was flawed,” and said the Council should set “minimum qualifications” for nominees who “demonstrate knowledge of port operations and functions.”
Gloria disagreed and said both Castellanos and Merrifield were qualified for the job. He said the only current Commissioner who represents the city is Bob Nelson, who was sworn into office in Jan., 2011. Nelson is a member of the LGBT community.
“With the decision today, we are disenfranchising not just the residents of District Four, but all residents of the city of San Diego by not giving them representation on the Port for the next several months,” said Gloria.
Sherman, who made the unsuccessful motion to override the veto, said the veto was “a purely political vote,” and added that Filner wanted two Democrats to sit on the Port Commission.
“The process has been rigged from the beginning,” said Kersey, who seconded the unsuccessful motion.
Lightner was also critical of the appointment process and said her committee, the newly formed Rules & Economic Development Committee, will hold a workshop March 6 to go over this subject.
Before the Council voted Jan. 7 for Castellanos and Merrifield, Emerald brought an unsuccessful motion seeking a delay in the vote until after voters in the Fourth District have selected a councilmember. A vote on the Port Commission vacancies will likely not occur until after a new councilmember in the Fourth District is elected and who will likely be a Democrat.
The person representing the City on the port commission should know at least SOMETHING about Port ops. And what does political affiliations have ANYTHING to do with Port ops?