Some electeds are loathe to chime in on issues taking place outside their bubble, job description or comfort zone.
The popular reasoning, for both Democrats and Republicans, is that unless they can exercise direct influence over an issue as a legislator there is no point or relevance in discussing the topic. There is some merit in that approach.
If, for example, the California Senate considered a bill that placed restrictions on irrigation systems found primarily in the Central Valley, it would have no direct or immediate effect on the day-to-day lives of National City residents. Council members in that city could be forgiven for not having an opinion on the matter.
On another level, when Sweetwater Union High School District was wobbling against the ropes because it had been battered by a barrage of corruption scandals, Chula Vista City Council members and candidates talked about reforms and safeguards they would consider to avoid another debacle.
Clearly it was an example of politicos driving out of their lane, expressing opinions and solutions about issues over which they had no direct control. And while their remarks could not lead to practical solutions, they did reveal individuals’ approach to a problem that had far ranging effects on the community in which they lived.
Insight to a person’s character, as revealed through their words and actions, is valuable when it comes time to decide who should have the power and responsibility of leadership.
On Tuesday, when Chula Vista Councilwoman Pat Aguilar was discussing the council’s proposed support of California Senate Bill 54, legislation that would place limits on the role of state and local law enforcement agencies in immigration enforcement, a federal issue, she said that while the action had no practical effect on the way Chula Vista does business the issue was a question of values.
Voting to support or not support SB 54 was a way for the world to see the values “we have here in the city of Chula Vista,” she said.
Some may deride the council for taking public action on a state and federal issue. The argument would be they need to stick to issues of filling potholes, cleaning parks, public safety and strengthening the local economy — the jobs they were hired to do.
Clearly the role of local police in immigration enforcement is a public safety issue. In this particular case the council’s action was merely symbolic, a way for them to convey to the rest of the country and the world where Chula Vista stands when it comes to cooperating in policies that alienate a massive segment of the population.
SB 54 placed limits on the role of local police in immigration enforcement. Mayor Mary Casillas Salas, council members Pat Aguilar and Steve Padilla supported the bill. Council members John McCann and Mike Diaz voted against it.
They all demonstrated what their and this city’s values are.
