{"id":410443,"date":"2026-07-24T05:48:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T05:48:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/410443\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T05:48:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T05:48:10","slug":"how-a-union-backed-bid-to-overhaul-chula-vistas-government-unraveled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/410443\/","title":{"rendered":"How a Union-Backed Bid to Overhaul Chula Vista\u2019s Government Unraveled\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last month, a prominent San Diego County labor union launched an <a href=\"https:\/\/voiceofsandiego.org\/2026\/06\/09\/union-aims-for-major-overhaul-of-chula-vistas-government\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ambitious effort<\/a> to re-engineer Chula Vista\u2019s elected government.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Representatives of Local 89 of the Laborers International Union of North America drafted a 30-page-plus initiative for the November ballot that, if adopted by voters, would have made <a href=\"https:\/\/voiceofsandiego.org\/2026\/07\/16\/south-county-report-chula-vista-is-on-the-verge-of-radically-reshaping-its-government\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">major changes<\/a> to how city leaders are paid, elected and do their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The initiative included a 70-percent salary increase for the city\u2019s part-time city councilmembers, a smaller raise for the full-time mayor, an additional third term in office for elected officials and changes to contract bargaining rules that stood to benefit some of the city\u2019s public employee unions.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After factoring in pension and benefit costs, the councilmembers\u2019 salary increase was even larger than an initial estimate by city staff.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The proposal was arguably the most significant change to Chula Vista\u2019s government in at least a generation.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It represented a striking bid for influence by a labor union that has spent millions in recent years to become a major player in San Diego County politics.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To meet an Aug. 7 filing deadline, the union had just six weeks to muscle the proposal through the city\u2019s public approval process.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Addressing the City Council on June 16 shortly after submitting the measure for approval, Kelvin Barrios, LIUNA\u2019s director of government affairs, said the initiative\u2019s intent was to modernize Chula Vista\u2019s government and make it easier for people from all economic backgrounds to hold elected office.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThese reforms would increase transparency\u2026strengthen accountability [and] create additional opportunities for public engagement,\u201d Barrios said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There was just one obstacle.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chula Vista voters.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earlier this week, just one month after Barrios addressed the City Council, a restive cross-section of city residents packed the Council\u2019s wood-paneled chambers to voice their fury at what they characterized as a naked attempt by a deep-pocketed interest group to take over their city.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hooting, clapping and brandishing signs with images of the city\u2019s four Democratic city councilmembers dressed as red-nosed clowns, residents said they weren\u2019t buying the rhetoric about transparency and accountability.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou are opening yourselves to the charge you are servants of the union, not servants of the people,\u201d said Planning Commission Vice Chair Jerome Torres in an address to councilmembers.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis union proposal is bad policy. It\u2019s bad politics. It sets a dangerous precedent,\u201d Torres said. \u201cWhy inflict this\u2026disrepute on our city?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe are watching you,\u201d more than one speaker warned.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Councilmembers heard the message.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just a week earlier, several of the Council\u2019s Democratic members had expressed interest in key parts of the ballot initiative and sloughed off efforts by Republican Mayor John McCann to halt it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Tuesday, they practically competed to see who could kill it first.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Residents erupted in cheers when Councilmember Michael Inzunza announced his opposition and proposed referring the measure to the city\u2019s Charter Review Commission for further review.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m against anything going on the ballot,\u201d said Inzunza. \u201cI want the public and the [city\u2019s] Board of Ethics to weigh in.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Council voted 4-1 in favor of Inzunza\u2019s proposal, with only Councilmember Cesar Fernandez opposed. Fernandez said he didn\u2019t want to short-circuit further opportunities for public input.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Councilmembers also voted 4-1 for a proposal by Mayor McCann to strip out all mentions of the salary increase and other compensation-related changes before sending the initiative to the charter commission.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe desire to help the city thrive should be driven by service to the community, not by a larger paycheck,\u201d McCann said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Until Tuesday, LIUNA had enjoyed a run of success in Chula Vista.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the last two election cycles, the union spent more than $200,000 backing all four Democratic members of the five-member City Council, along with City Attorney Marco Verdugo.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The union also spent more than $100,000 this year backing the successful primary campaign of Chula Vista Elementary School District Trustee Francisco Tamayo, who in November will face McCann in a general election contest for Chula Vista Mayor.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement following Tuesday\u2019s Council meeting, Barrios conceded defeat. But he said the union intended to try again.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThough we did request that the Council move a measure forward to the ballot this year, we welcome the additional review by the Charter [Review] Commission,\u201d he said. \u201cWe look forward to these transparency measures moving forward in the near future and encourage the commission to look at increasing voter participation by proposing moving the mayoral election to the presidential year.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Residents on Tuesday made the reasons for their opposition clear.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The problem, they said, was not necessarily the ballot measure\u2019s proposals.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Several speakers on Tuesday expressed support for beefed up lobbying and ethics rules.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Others said more time in office or turning City Council service into a full-time job could help improve the quality of city leadership.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What voters objected to were many of the same things opponents of a <a href=\"https:\/\/voiceofsandiego.org\/2026\/05\/20\/county-board-dems-advance-governance-reform-power-play\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">strikingly similar union-backed overhaul<\/a> of San Diego County government have criticized this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Simply put, they felt the measure was too much, too fast, too underhanded, too self-serving and too divorced from voters\u2019 actual priorities.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt feels as though you\u2019re trying to push this significant change under the radar,\u201d resident Sandy Chavez said to councilmembers. \u201cHow can anyone justify such an enormous pay raise, especially at these times?\u2026The people you represent are struggling. Many do not earn in a year what you earn in a part-time position.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Residents noted the ballot measure kept changing every time councilmembers discussed it, creating the impression a massive government overhaul was being assembled on the fly.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They asked why the measure, which proposed 13 changes to the city\u2019s governing charter, had not been submitted first to the city\u2019s Charter Review Commission, a customary initial step in government reform efforts.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They were angry that neither city leaders nor the union had made efforts to alert or consult them.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chula Vista historically has been a working-class city.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nevertheless, many residents expressed deep skepticism about the motives of LIUNA, which they seemed to regard as a not wholly trustworthy powerbroker.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re seeing the results of the union cartel come to town,\u201d said longtime resident Rosie Vasquez in an interview shortly before Tuesday\u2019s meeting. \u201cThis Council has been hand-picked to do what\u2019s happening tonight.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Council\u2019s four Democrats appeared caught off guard by McCann\u2019s ability to rally opposition.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last week, when the ballot measure first appeared for public discussion on the City Council\u2019s agenda, McCann came prepared with a speech criticizing it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe have for decades had good government in Chula Vista,\u201d McCann said. \u201cWe work together and work with the community and listen to the community. I\u2019m very concerned when you look at this item. It has 13 charter amendments on one item.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McCann methodically forced his Democratic colleagues to take a stand by making a series of motions to slow down the ballot measure\u2019s progress and solicit more public feedback.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Councilmembers declined to back the motions.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just a handful of residents were present for the July 14 meeting. Most said they hadn\u2019t heard of the measure until that evening.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Days later, McCann went before TV news cameras and denounced the measure. He rallied allies and held a press conference Tuesday morning.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Word spread, opponents mobilized and by Tuesday night, just one week after councilmembers appeared on track to move the ballot measure forward, an angry crowd assembled at City Hall.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McCann made the most of the moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In opening remarks, he dropped a bombshell, accusing an unnamed LIUNA representative of trying to buy his support by promising not to oppose McCann\u2019s re-election bid if he let the measure through.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The audience gasped.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Barrios, the union representative McCann referred to, vehemently denied McCann\u2019s accusation in an interview following the meeting.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn no way was I trying to tie consideration of [the ballot measure] to political spending,\u201d Barrios said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McCann doubled down with a follow-up statement Wednesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy focus will always be on transparency, fiscal responsibility and protecting taxpayer dollars,\u201d he said. \u201cThroughout this process, I was committed to telling the community the truth about this proposed money grab and ensuring residents understood its impact.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Wednesday, John Moot, a local attorney and former Chula Vista City Councilmember, sent a letter to the mayor and city councilmembers asking them to request an investigation by the city\u2019s Board of Ethics into how the ballot measure was drafted and rushed through the city\u2019s approval process.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat is particularly offensive about what occurred is that it had all the indicia of a bribe being offered in plain sight,\u201d Moot wrote.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McCann\u2019s claim of a quid pro quo seemed to crystalize voters\u2019 feeling that their elected leaders were ignoring them.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even the head of one of the city\u2019s main public employee unions, which arguably stood to benefit from some of the measure\u2019s proposals, took to the speaker\u2019s podium to lambaste the Council.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">City leaders recently told employees they did not plan to match salaries paid by other public agencies, Maida Estrada, president of the Association of Chula Vista Employees, said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNow you\u2019re asking for raises for yourselves?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shortly after, Inzunza made his motion and the ballot measure was dead.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Note to Readers: I\u2019ll be away next week attending a journalism workshop in New York, so there will be no South County Report. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The workshop is focused on municipal finance issues. I\u2019m hoping to return with new skills that will help me shed more light on the finances of South County\u2019s government agencies.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Have a great week, South County!\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\n\tRelated Posts<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Last month, a prominent San Diego County labor union launched an ambitious effort to re-engineer Chula Vista\u2019s elected&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":410444,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[74,76,75],"class_list":["post-410443","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-diego","tag-san-diego","tag-san-diego-headlines","tag-san-diego-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/410443","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=410443"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/410443\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/410444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=410443"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=410443"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=410443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}