In National City, this year’s politics are very curious. A switch of mayors from Mr. Ron Morrison to Ms. Sotelo-Solis has yielded little progress, except for a new appointed incumbent for this year’s elections.
Gonzalo Quintero has been mostly quiet at city council meetings, always falling in line with the mayor. With the difficulty of the COVID pandemic, public participation has been been severely shut down. I believe that city issues of controversy, high expense, or long-term consequence should not be on the agenda until open meetings can be held. We are still in a shut down and the election creeps closer.
They say, “politics makes strange bedfellows,” and that is seen as Ms. Sotelo-Solis supports Quintero in a campaign in which she has also played the role of Democratic Party leader. But it seems that Quintero has taken campaign money from conservatives in our community.
Lincoln Club donations are noted. Business community money? The Mile of Cars? Property owners and high-rise housing developers who are going to be given a green light to densify Old Town National City? Now they might not all be Republicans, but they certainly have different goals than most residents of National City and most Democrats, too. It looks like National City politics, as a business, as usual for Sotelo- Solis and Quintero.
Locally, in this curious political season, there is much to worry about. Two controversial and long term issues hang over the city. These issues are cannabis stores and bars and a big increase in housing density of our neighborhoods.
Last fall, Ms. Sotelo-Solis spearheaded the proposal to allow cannabis retail and bars in the city. That proposal has gained support with Quintero’s appointment. But the issue to allow Cannabis retail has been kept under wraps during the campaign. No questions asked of the candidates? Likewise, consultants have been working on plans that will change whole neighborhoods from single- family to high-rise apartments.
It all comes down to timing with the city management and doing things without too much public input. So why is it so quiet at City Hall? The strategy is to avoid exposing favored city council candidates to a controversy prior to election?
There is a candidate for NC city council who is not under the haze of the new NC establishment. I think Mr. Jose Rodriguez is an independent thinker we need on the City Council in National City. He is not afraid to discuss stopping gentrification, increasing home ownership and other issues. He is a real Democrat, an advocate for residents and workers. In this curious and complicated political season, you should study the candidates for what is said and also for what is hidden from view.
Ted Godshalk resides in National City.
