San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria is rejecting a proposal to use some newly freed-up city money to reopen more than a dozen Mission Bay Park restrooms that closed early this month as part of sweeping budget cuts.
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The request comes from Councilmember Raul Campillo, who wants the city to reopen the restrooms with some of $1.8 million in budgeted election costs that were freed up last month when a possible November ballot measure got postponed.
The city is saving $546,000 in maintenance and cleaning costs by closing the restrooms — 13 of the 28 that serve visitors to Mission Bay Park.
Campillo says tourists and other park visitors have begun relieving themselves in grassy areas and other locations, and that as a result the closures are creating a public health emergency.
“Redirecting those funds would address an immediate community need and help restore a basic public service that is essential to the safe and enjoyable use of Mission Bay Park,” Campillo said in a July 15 to the mayor. “Our constituents have asked for it.”
Gloria says he shares Campillo’s concerns about the impact of eliminating a basic public service at one of the city’s most popular tourist destinations — but the mayor also says it would be financially risky to reopen the restrooms using the newly available money.
In a Friday to Campillo, Gloria said the city faces potential new expenses — ones that were not included in the budget — that warrant holding on to the whole $1.8 million.
Those include preparations for and fallout from what’s expected to be an unusually rainy winter, thanks to El Niño conditions, as well as the possibility the city will need to fund a special election to replace Councilmember Marni von Wilpert if she wins a seat in Congress.
Gloria also expressed concerns that the volatile geopolitical climate could damage tourism and reduce city revenue from hotel and sales taxes.
“Given these unknowns, I believe the prudent course is to preserve these one-time funds until we have greater clarity regarding both our fiscal obligations and our available resources,” the mayor said in his memo.
The mayor also said the city must continue to find ways to reduce its ongoing expenditures, contending that using one-time election money to cover an ongoing expense would contradict that effort.
“The city continues to face the difficult reality that we do not currently have sufficient ongoing resources to sustain all existing service levels while also maintaining the infrastructure our residents rely upon,” Gloria said. “These are challenging but necessary choices.”
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Campillo said Monday that he agrees in general with the idea of not spending one-time money on ongoing expenses, but he said the Mission Bay restrooms should be an obvious exception.
“Right now, we know people are relieving themselves in public,” Campillo said. “Basic public services like restroom infrastructure should never have been cut in the first place.”
He said convenient restrooms are particularly important for seniors and for families with young children. Many park-goers are also complaining about long lines at the restrooms that remain open.
Campillo also called the mayor’s stance shortsighted, arguing that tourism will suffer if the restrooms remain closed and tourists get repelled by the lack of sanitation and cleanliness.
Campillo was part of a unanimous council vote in favor of the new budget on June 9, so he essentially approved the restroom closures. But on Monday, Campillo said he had lobbied for cuts to middle managers instead.
During budget deliberations, Campillo singled out the Mission Bay restrooms as a concern.
“When we cut something as basic as restrooms, restroom maintenance and general park upkeep, we send a message to the tourism stakeholders who help sustain our city budget — attracting visitors who also contribute to our budget — that their contributions are not valued,” he said back then.
Gloria said he might make a different decision on the restrooms in the future.
“We will continue evaluating service levels citywide based on available revenues, operational capacity, and community need,” the mayor said. “I fully expect Mission Bay Park to be part of those discussions as we develop the fiscal 2028 budget.”
The freed-up money became available last month when the council’s Rules Committee delayed indefinitely — but at least until 2028 — a ballot measure proposed by Councilmember Kent Lee to shrink the mayor’s power.
These are the of the closed restrooms: El Carmel, Ventura Point, Bonita Cove East, Hospitality Point, Vacation Isle West, South Shores, North Cove, Crown Point South, Ski Beach North and Ski Beach Middle, Tecolote North, Playa Pacifica III and De Anza South.
The city also has a full interactive map of its public restrooms, including hours and closures.
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