Of course it’s not over until it’s over—and even then there can be second, third and fourth chances—but for now you can start priming the brooms and assembling the moving boxes.
The 2022 gubernatorial campaigns are over. The interpersonal political bickering can be lowered from boiling to simmer.
In Chula Vista Republican John McCann was comfortably ahead in his race for mayor against Ammar Campa-Najjar.
As of early Thursday morning nearly 55.17% of the city’s voters cast their lot with McCann as opposed to the 44.83% who chose Campa-Najjar.
In layman’s terms that’s 19,407 people out of 35,176 who believe McCann will do a better job leading the county’s second largest city for the next four years.
The perennial politician has a significant workload in front of him.
A significant challenge, though not necessarily the highest priority among the politically minded, are the homeless residents in the city.
They are not going anywhere. They’ve been dispersed, of course, and famously expelled from Harborside Park but their presence is still felt throughout the city and the region. Will McCann come up with a workable solution that he can convince his four council colleagues to adopt, or will he pass the responsibility onto the police?
He also needs to come up with a plan that will help low- and middle income Chula Vistans who are un-or under-insured. The ones who can’t afford to miss a day from work.
The ongoing pandemic by now should have brought into a glaring spotlight how inadequate the healthcare system is and how much of a burden the cost of getting sick is on people who are relied on not only by their families but their communities, too.
COVID-19 ravaged Chula Vista and South County in large part because the working class who live here—who provide the essential services that keep communities moving—are not adequately equipped with proper healthcare, which should be viewed as a public safety issue.
All this amidst a growing structural deficit that will force the mayor and council to find solutions that will appease residents with no reduction of services and no added financial obligations. While dealing with inflation.
Good luck to the winners.
