The Chula Vista City Council last week voted on the make up of a Citizens’ Oversight Committee to monitor the spending of about $176 million in projected revenue generated from a half-cent sales increase over 10 years.
As part of November’s approval of Measure P, an oversight committee must be in place by the end of the year.
The responsibility of the committee includes drafting an annual report, reviewing the finance department’s spending reports to ensure the money from the tax is being spent appropriately for infrastructure and public safety—not on other expenses since the funding will go directly the general fund and not earmarked for infrastructure.
The council took three different actions for the 16-member committee.
They unanimously voted to change the number of members from 11 to 16 by adding additional members nominated by the chief of police and the fire chief. The Council felt it was important to include nominations by both chiefs because 40 percent of the money generated from the tax will be used for public safety needs such as the construction of new fire stations and the purchase of new police cars.
They also agreed to add two designated member with one of them being from the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment and the other by the County Labor Council.
Lastly, the council, in a 3-2 vote increased the at-large number from four to five and members must apply with the city clerk, with the council picking whom they would like to interview. An at-large member is a member of the public who serves on the committee.
Aguilar opposed the item because she said she would like to see a council member from their respective district nominate a member for the committee rather than having the city council vote.
“What I suggest is that in this case we ask each district representative to nominate someone from their district, maybe more than one person. And then the council would act to ratify or not that individual person,” she said.
