Del Mar Mayor Terry Gaasterland supports changes to SANDAG’s weighted voting structure

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – A group of bipartisan leaders representing some of the county’s cities today demanded the San Diego Association of Governments reconsider the weighted system the body uses to vote at its meeting next Friday.

The group make up 10 of the 19-member SANDAG board, representing a majority of the votes but a minority of the weighted votes. The board is heavily weighed in favor of the city and county of San Diego, which represent 57.4% of the county’s population and 57% of the board’s vote and which did not sign a joint letter released Thursday demanding the item be placed on Jan. 13’s board meeting agenda.

“We need to set the weighted vote aside and listen to each other again. Overriding a tally vote disenfranchises the smaller cities — collectively 50% of the region,” said Terry Gaasterland, Del Mar Councilwoman, continuing, “let’s pursue balanced planning that treats the needs of all residents equitably and fairly.”

The 10 signing members include the representatives for some of the largest cities such as Oceanside and Escondido, but also some of the smallest — Del Mar, Coronado and Poway among them. Weighed out according to the certified Jan. 1, 2022 population, the signees of the letter represent municipalities making up 23.5% of the county’s population and 24% of the weighted vote.

Currently, the weighted votes from San Diego and Chula Vista heavily outnumber the other regions in San Diego County, and the representatives from these two regions are expected to support the unpopular mileage tax. Mayor Todd Gloria from San Diego, and Chula Vista’s Councilwoman Cardenas.

Democrat Councilwoman Terry Gaasterland explained her issues with SANDAG’s weighted voting structure in more detail with KUSI’s Paul Rudy on Good Morning San Diego.