Absent from serving the city of Chula Vista as an elected official for nearly a decade, former mayor Steve Padilla could return to the dais as a councilman if voters elect him Nov. 4.
It would be Padilla’s fourth term on the City Council.
Although Padilla, 47, has not set policy for the city in years, he said he is familiar with the issues facing Chula Vista, as he served two-terms as a councilman and one-term as mayor.
However, Padilla’s time as mayor was marred by controversy during his last year, ultimately costing him reelection in 2006 against his successor Mayor Cheryl Cox.
Turmoil that sullied Padilla’s mayoral term includes accepting paycheck advances from the city 10 times and receiving double advances on two occasions.
Padilla also made use of a personal bodyguard, paid for by the city with a base pay of $10,000 a month.
Padilla said he has put his troubles behind him and feels that now is the time to run for city council again.
“I had more successes when I was on the city council and the mayor than I was in controversy,” he said.
“I was a very effective mayor and an effective member of the city council and I have a lot to offer to help this community move forward.”
Those successes Padilla highlights include instituting the first citywide ethics training, firing city manager John Goss, and launching the university park and innovation district.
Padilla also credits himself and his staff for building up the city’s budget and reserves to 30 percent.
“I wasn’t afraid to take risks and I had a lot of successes and a lot of good forward progress on a lot of issues,” he said.
Despite those accomplishments, Padilla admittedly also made mistakes.
He said taking out pay advances was a mistake because of the bad image that was cast upon him.
“I was permitted to do it, I didn’t break any rules doing it. But it really sent the wrong signal to the community and to my staff that I was arrogant, that I was entitled, that I was someone I’m not.
“And I think that is the thing I regret the most. And a mistake like that I have learned from and will never be repeated.”
Padilla said he also hired a personal bodyguard at the city’s expense because he had received anonymous threats.
“The bodyguard was hired to save taxpayer money, because it was less expensive than using the police department,” he said.
“I think in the end it turned out to be a mistake because of the perception that people didn’t understand that. And I think that ironically if I’d just have used the police department as we always did, and never hired the private person, even though it would have caused more controversy I don’t think it would have been as big of an issue.”
Padilla said he’s “grown” and “learned” from the two situations. He also said he is much older and wiser.
“Of course when you’re in office, either volunteering or in office for that many years as I was, you’re going to have some successes and you’re going to make some mistakes. So that’s how I kind of look at it,” he said.
Padilla is the owner of The Aquarius Group, a consulting firm that is involved in public policy and advocacy work.
Some of Padilla’s clients include Sustainable San Diego and the Berg family, property owners in the coast.
Recently Padilla served as a consultant for the Berg family who were in a battle with the city of Chula Vista and San Diego Gas and Electric over the undergrounding of power lines on the bayfront.
Aquarius Group’s office is located on Murphy Canyon Road in San Diego, but Padilla said he is in the process of finding another location because of the high rent.
His company is in San Diego and not Chula Vista because he has clients all over the county, so he needs to be centrally located, he said.
“Like many Chula Vistans, I struggled for a while. Like many Chula Vistans right now, my house was upside down, was not sustainable for me to keep and I had to sell it.
And while a notice of default was sent to him, Padilla said his home in Otay Ranch was not foreclosed on.
Padilla said he currently resides in the family home he grew up in on Harvard Street.
He said he moved back into that home last October from to help his Dad out with a private matter.
“I had to sell my (Otay Ranch) house in a short sale in 2009, because it’s no fun starting a business right at the time the whole world economy collapses.”
In August the California tax board issued a $3,683 lien against him but that debt has been paid, Padilla said.
Prior to entering the political world, Padilla served 13 year with the Coronado Police Department in the domestic violence and child abuse division.
Padilla left the department after his divorce in 1999 and received custody of his daughter, Ashleigh, at the time.
Padilla said a main reason as to why he left the police force was to spend more time with his daughter.
Padilla said as a councilman he would make a difference in the lives of Chula Vistans.
“I’m fighting for what’s right,” he said.
