Monday could be a big day in San Diego in the battles going on in Mission Valley and downtown.
That’s the day the City Council will probably consider taking a vote that could decide whether the Soccer City development plan for the Qualcomm Stadium site and an expansion of the downtown convention center have a chance of both becoming realities.
The council may override Mayor Falconer’s veto of the 8-1 action by council members this week that stripped the city’s budget of the five million dollars necessary for the city to hold an unscheduled special election this November.
For several days now a battle has been going on behind the scenes by both sides on the issue with the mayor trying to get some of the council members who voted against funding the special election to come to his side so his veto will not be overridden and that he can get enough council votes to get a special election actually scheduled for November
If the mayor gets what he wants, both the Soccer City initiative and the hotel tax hike to pay for expanding the convention center and providing some money for the homeless and for street repairs would go to voters this November.
If the mayor isn’t able to convince enough council members to join his side, then a special election to decide both measures would have to wait till November of 2018.
And at this point, the soccer city folks say that’s too late and the tourism folks who want a bigger convention center say delaying things could end up costing more and helping tourism less.
So all eyes will be on city hall starting Monday and San Diego’s mayor will be hoping that June gloom this month is only about the weather.