Dear Neighbor,

It's time to make your voices heard!

Tomorrow marks California's 2024 Presidential primary election, and your vote is your voice and your power.

You don't have to wait until election day to vote. You can return your completed ballot to an official Registrar of Voters ballot drop box at any of our City’s public library locations.

Voting is how we shape the future of our city and nation. Your vote is a stake in the policies, leaders, and direction our community takes.

By participating in the primaries, you directly influence the candidates who will represent your values and advocate for your concerns. Whether you care about housing, homelessness, education, healthcare, infrastructure, public safety, social justice  — or anything else — your vote can be a catalyst for change.

So please, make sure you take part in shaping the future of our great city, our state and our nation.

See you at the polls!

As always, it’s an honor to serve as your Mayor. 

City Collaborates with FEMA to Stand Up Disaster Recovery Center 

A new Disaster Recovery Center is open at the Mountain View Community Center at 641 S. Boundary St. 

City of San Diego residents affected by the Jan. 22 storm can now get in-person support in applying for federal disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 

A second Disaster Recovery Center is also open at the Spring Valley Library, serving residents from the City and throughout San Diego County. The Disaster Recovery Centers, operated by FEMA in collaboration with state and local partners, are open seven days per week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Language interpretation and assistive technology equipment will be available at both locations.

People are encouraged to submit applications online through the FEMA web portal at DisasterAssistance.gov or through the FEMA mobile app before going to the Disaster Recovery Center. People impacted by the storm have through April 19, 2024, to apply for assistance.

FEMA’s Individuals and Households Assistance Program provides financial assistance and services to eligible individuals and households who are uninsured or underinsured. While not a substitute for insurance, the financial assistance is intended to help meet basic needs and supplement disaster recovery efforts.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is also offering low-interest disaster loans up to $500,000 to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, survivors must first contact FEMA at www.disasterassistance.gov. SBA will be at the Disaster Recovery Center providing one-on-one assistance to disaster loan applicants. Additional information and details on the location of disaster recovery centers is available by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955.

• More news for people impacted by the storm: The Internal Revenue Service announced tax relief for San Diego individuals and businesses affected by Jan. 21's flooding. These taxpayers now have until June 17, 2024, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments. 

San Diego and California Making Progress on Fighting Illicit Fentanyl  

San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents recently announced that they seized more than 12 pounds of fentanyl after a vehicle stop on Interstate 8.

San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents discovered numerous vacuum-sealed packages containing blue M30 fentanyl pills concealed within a vehicle.

The driver and passenger, and the narcotics and vehicle were turned over to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department for further investigation.

This seizure is part of the recently announced Operation Apollo, a joint regional operation by federal, state, and local agencies working to combat the threat from fentanyl and other illicit narcotics.

This bust is just the latest in ongoing efforts to stop the flow of illicit fentanyl across our border. From Oct. 1, 2023 – Jan. 31, 2024, San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents have seized more than 200 pounds of fentanyl. In fiscal year 2023, agents seized 1,285 pounds of fentanyl.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta also recently announced a joint operation in San Diego County resulting in the felony arrest of a suspect and the seizure of 720,000 fentanyl pills.

On February 9th, 2024, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Fentanyl Abatement & Suppression Team (FAST) -- in collaboration with the California Department of Justice San Diego Fentanyl Enforcement Program (SD FEP), the United States Border Patrol (USBP), and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSD) -- arrested an individual driving a vehicle containing a large quantity of fentanyl in Alpine.

This massive bust shows how the California Department of Justice is all-in when it comes to protecting California families from the dangers of fentanyl.

A total of 110 packages were removed from the vehicle with a total combined weight of 158.5 pounds. The packages contained blue pills with “M30” markings and the initial investigation determined the pills contained fentanyl

In addition, Governor Gavin Newsom just released 2023 numbers when it comes to fentanyl busts. Last year, California seized a record 62,000 pounds of fentanyl. That’s enough lethal doses of fentanyl to kill the global population — nearly twice.

California National Guard-supported operations resulted in the record seizure of 62,224 pounds of fentanyl in 2023 — a 1066% increase since 2021.

The devastating impact of fentanyl continues tearing through our communities, claiming lives and leaving families shattered.

That’s why these efforts to shut the illicit fentanyl market down are so crucial. All levels of government must continue to intensify efforts in cracking down on this poison and doing everything we can to combat the fentanyl crisis.

• Call for San Diego stories: I am a proud sponsor of Senator Tom Umberg’s Alexandra’s Law, which would hold illicit fentanyl dealers accountable. In order to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and learn how best to assist Californians struggling with addiction, Senator Umberg has been collecting stories that help give lawmakers a better understanding of how this crisis has impacted local families and our community. You can text your story or leave it in a voicemail by calling 619-800-0717. All responses will be kept anonymous.

State Funding to Help San Diego Prevent Gun Violence 

Assemblymember Brian Maienschein has secured $2.2 million in State funding to help our city keep guns out of the wrong hands.

In today’s world, where national news of mass shootings is an all-too-common occurrence, this is government taking action, and saving lives.

The funding will support the city’s Gun Violence Restraining Orders program and Gun Violence Response Unit, which was created by City Attorney Mara Elliott in 2017. Since its inception, the program has removed more than 1,500 deadly weapons from dangerous situations.

I want to thank both Assemblymember Maienschein and our City Attorney for their work to reduce gun violence in San Diego.

And Assemblymember Maienschein didn’t just secure this funding and call it a day. He’s also introduced two bills this year that will strengthen our state’s gun laws and save even more lives – and I am proud to announced that that the City of San Diego will wholeheartedly support Assembly Bills 2519 and 2739.

Perhaps this country’s greatest failure is its inability to meaningfully address gun violence. We simply must do better at getting deadly weapons out of the wrong hands. 

I’ve been proud to help lead on this effort, including when I served in the Assembly alongside Mr. Maienschein and passed legislation banning gun shows at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

As Mayor, I signed a nation-leading ghost gun ban, authored by Councilmember von Wilpert, and led in the City in supporting and sponsoring bills to reduce gun violence, including state bills to expand the 5-year gun ownership ban for people convicted of elder and child abuse, restricting concealed weapons in sensitive public sites like near schools, and making our ghost gun ban statewide.

I’m proud to say the California has been a leading partner in our efforts to do something about this crisis, and with Assemblymember Maienschein’s help and our City Attorney’s leadership, San Diego is leading on this critical public safety priority to keep our communities safe.

Honoring SDPD’s Women in Blue  

I was proud to join the Women in Blue luncheon. We honored our women serving in law enforcement, including Asst. Chief Albrektsen, who's been with our San Diego Police Department since 1985 and is set to retire soon. Asst. Chief Albrktsen, who was given the Lifetime Achievement honors, can rest assured that her work with SDPD has helped pave the way for many more women in blue for us to celebrate in the future. We proudly have hundreds of women who serve our communities with strength, dedication, and integrity, but there’s always room for more!: www.joinsdpdnow. 

Shining a Light on Those Who Continue the Fight for Equal Rights 

We commemorated the legacy of Bayard Rustin at City Hall with the Bayard Rustin Honors hosted by City's Human Relations Commission. Each of the honorees embody Rustin’s ideals of equality, dignity, and the belief that change is possible when we stand together. This year's honorees included Kim Desmond, Chief of Race and Equity for the City of San Diego, whose unwavering commitment to advancing racial equity is shaping a brighter future for our city; Henry Wallace, a 69-year resident of District 4 whose advocacy and activism have left an indelible mark on our community; and Bruce Cohen, an esteemed producer whose work in film and entertainment has not only entertained, but also shed light on critical social issues.  

Celebrating Read Across America Week in Skyline  

Thank you to Freese Elementary in the Skyline neighborhood for helping me participate in Read Across America Week this year. Read Across America is a nationwide reading celebration created by the National Education Association that happens on and around March 2, the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss. The initiative works to promote literacy and encourage children to read. This year, I read "Horton Hatches the Egg," a story about the importance of responsibility and commitment.  

Supporting San Diego's Girl Scouts 

It's Girl Scouts cookie season — and I got to hear the sales pitches from some of our local Girl Scouts! I love the cookies, but I love the business and goal-setting skills they learn even more. To all of our local Girl Scouts across San Diego: good luck this season!