Morrison bows out as National City mayor after decades of public service – San Diego Union-Tribune

National City Mayor Ron Morrison was swept into public office the same year Bill Clinton was elected president, joining the City Council at a time when by his own telling the city was confronting stifling budget challenges, murders every week and a rampant drug and gang problem.

The killings have declined along with drugs and gang violence. But the fiscal challenges facing National City are more pronounced than ever and a host of litigation and legal judgments still hang over the longtime mayor’s hometown.

Morrison, who is known around town as “Mr. National City” and sports a vanity license plate that reads “NATCITY,” announced Saturday that he would not seek re-election to the office he has held for 16 of the past 20 years.

“Like anything, there is a time for things to come to an end,” said Morrison, 76, who was surrounded by friends and supporters on the steps outside City Hall. “It has been a privilege to serve the people of National City.”

The unexpected retirement came at the beginning of only the second news conference Morrison called in his decades of public service. In his farewell address, the mayor lambasted some political rivals and endorsed several others.

Morrison warned that outside interests are pushing the city to spend beyond its means and said the current budget needs trimming as soon as possible to avoid running out of money.

Just last Tuesday, at the close of yet another acrimonious City Council meeting, City Manager Doug Schulze disclosed that the city is quickly running out of money and could face insolvency as soon as 2030.

The mayor said he will not be a lame duck in his final months in elective office. He plans to institute a hiring freeze in coming weeks and re-examine a senior nutrition program he said is broadly taken advantage of by people who do not live in the city.

“We are not going to feed the rest of the world,” Morrison said.

National City Mayor Ron Morrison announces his decision not to seek reelection, ending a decades-long career at National City Hall on Saturday morning. (Jeff McDonald / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

National City managed to pass a balanced budget in June, but the annual spending plan relies on reserves to meet all of its financial commitments.

In addition to approving staff raises and new positions at City Hall, the City Council resisted adopting tax increases, business fees and other revenue sweeteners that would keep the city from dipping into its savings to pass a budget.

In his parting announcement, Morrison said he is committed to restoring fiscal responsibility to his hometown.

“What has happened these last few years is something I have been fighting against,” he said.

Morrison said he was retiring from politics and would no longer involve himself in city elections.

But at the same time he endorsed three people he said best reflect the traits of committed public servants — District 4 Councilmember Marcus Bush for mayor, District 1 Councilmember Luz Molina for re-election and Edward Nieto for the District 3 council seat.

“It’s not about who you like or dislike; it’s not about who you agree with,” Morrison said. “It’s about electing people that love National City and will do what’s best for the city.”

Bush, who attended the announcement outside City Hall, said he was grateful for Morrison’s vote of confidence and that he looks forward to making the difficult decisions needed to balance the budget.

“The most important thing I take to heart is that you want someone (as mayor) who loves this city,” Bush said. “True love is telling our employees not what they want to hear but what they need to hear.”

Nearby, National City Chamber of Commerce executive director Karen Azhocar McManus said Morrison’s announcement was bittersweet.

“I have known Ron for many years, (but) this is a changing of the guards,” she said. “He has served honorably but it is time for him to enjoy the rest of his life and keep that spirit of keeping National City first.”

Daniel Perez, a National City resident who works as a loan officer, also attended the 40-minute announcement. He said Morrison has consistently pushed to preserve city resources but has been outvoted on the five-member board.

“Ron has done a great job. He’s really pulled his weight as a public figure in National City,” Perez said. “There is a dais and you need the votes to make a decision.””

The longtime mayor departs a city government that is not only confronting insolvency. Morrison leaves the city awash in litigation, investigations and legal judgments that have handcuffed city finances in recent years.

Last year, a San Diego County jury awarded former National City police officer Ashley Cummins $10 million in damages for sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation claims she leveled against co-workers and supervisors.

As the city continues to litigate the jury’s findings, the award has ballooned to some $15 million — almost half the National City Police Department budget.

Also last year, Morrison and executive assistant Josie Flores-Clark were accused of wrongfully influencing a proposed car wash, gas station and convenience store on vacant property just south of the La Vista Memorial Park and Cemetery.

Developer Adeeb Brikho withdrew his application after the city planning commission rejected the plan.

But according to Councilmember Jose Rodriguez and several speakers at a particularly contentious public meeting in April 2025, Morrison and Flores-Clark accepted kickbacks and favors from the proposed developer — accusations both officials strongly denied.

A lawsuit aimed at forcing the city to release emails and other records that could reveal improper communications has been stuck in court for more than one year.

In a June tentative ruling, however, a judge denied the plaintiff’s motion to compel the release of texts and emails under the California Public Records Act, or CPRA.

“Despite this ruling, the court has serious concerns with respect to the relationship between the developers of the project and the city’s leadership,” the judge said. “However, no legal authority was cited to allow the court to address this issue within a CPRA proceeding.”

The legal dispute was presented at a follow-up hearing July 24 and a decision in the case is pending.

Rodriguez, who is challenging Bush for mayor on the November ballot, issued a statement Saturday praising the mayor’s longtime service but said City Hall is desperate for a change at the top of the government.

“Mayor Morrison and I did not always agree, but I respect his many years of service and his commitment to National City,” he said. “Now it’s time to talk about National City’s next chapter and the new leadership our community urgently needs.”

Morrison’s term will end in December, weeks after the upcoming November election.