How Todd Gloria’s Administration Has Fallen Short on Transparency and Accountability
Todd Gloria’s ethical lapses are many:
- Sued for improper collection of campaign funds. Fined by the Ethics Commission.
- Says that he’s the son of blue collar workers, but his father “has been in aerospace management for more than 20 years.” (La Prensa, 8/4/2020)
- In September 2022, it was revealed that Mayor Todd Gloria had chosen a development company for the Midway/ Sports Arena project, after the developer had contributed $100,000 to a special committee formed to support Todd Gloria in the 2020 election. Objections were also raised that the chosen developer was not qualified for a project this large.
- Improper disclosure of “behested” donations to favorite projects (U-T, 6/2/2023). Fined again by the Ethics Commission.
- The mayor’s lack of attention to appointments kept the Ethics Commission from doing their work. There were so many vacancies that they couldn’t hold meetings.
- Other Boards and Commissions were neglected also. City reports showed that most had vacancies and members who served beyond the end of their terms while waiting for replacements.
- Why did Todd Gloria fail to appoint people to Board and Commissions when needed? Many San Diegans are willing to serve on volunteer committees. He has a staff member assigned to the task of appointments. The unavoidable conclusion is that Todd Gloria likes to run the city his way, without the citizen oversight which comes from fully-functional Boards and Commissions. The mayor delays new appointments while his staff looks for people who agree with him.
- What happens after a board or commission gets enough members appointed by the mayor, so that the group can meet and make recommendations? The mayor wants to control what they say! In July 2024, the mayor’s administration released a draft Code of Conduct for board and commission members. Two items in particular were objectionable to many people.
- City employees could not be criticized in a public setting.
- All comments to the news media would have to be cleared by the mayor’s administration.
KPBS Public Media wrote:
“Mayor Gloria’s efforts to centralize power by limiting the independence of boards and commissions is a disturbing trend. It reflects his desire to sideline oversight, undermining the democratic processes that hold him accountable.”
Taken separately or all together, these ethical incidents are troubling. All San Diegans who believe in following the law and avoiding improper influences should be concerned about the ethical record of Todd Gloria.