JosephA Raso
CHULA VISTA, CA 91910
Telephone
Good Evening August 5, 2025
I stand before you tonight not because I expect this three- minute presentation to change minds— but because the record must reect the truth. Chula Vista is at a breaking point, and urgent action is needed to correct a string of costly, avoidable mistakes by the Chula Vista City Council. Here' s just a partial list:
1. Tenant Protection Ordinance ( No. 3527):
Despite clear warnings from city staff and Council Member Jill Gálvez, Council passed an ordinance that threatens small landlords with $ 5, 000 daily nes. The result? Landlords precautionary rent increases causing a surge in homelessness— predictable, preventable, and now undeniable.
2. Downtown Sidewalk Dining Ban:
Your relentless push to eliminate sidewalk dining in the Downtown Village has crushed local foot trafc and driven small businesses to close their doors. This wasn’ t just poor judgment— it was economic sabotage.
3. Cell Tower at 2nd & G:
You approved a cell tower in a residential neighborhood despite unanimous opposition from residents and the availability of a more suitable commercial location. That decision reects a disturbing disregard for community input and basic common sense.
4. $ 10 Million for 36 Motel Rooms at Palomar Inn:
Allocating $ 277, 000 per unit for motel room remodels is not just wasteful— it borders on scal malpractice. What exactly are we buying? Golden drapes and diamond- encrusted carpeting?
WrittenCommunications - PC
Raso - Received8/5/2025
5. Unsustainable Downtown Landscaping Plan:
You’ ve forced already struggling businesses to spend $ 50, 000 annually to maintain a landscape plan requiring vegetation that must be replanted each year— and that consumes hundreds of thousands of gallons of water. This is irresponsible, environmentally unsound, and economically damaging.
6. No Plan to Bring Residents Downtown:
If you truly want a thriving village with more “ feet on the street,” then where is your plan to attract downtown residents? A simple, urgent solution: waive building permit fees for small residential developments 10– 15 units), and offset the cost by increasing fees for larger ones.
7. City Attorney Appointment Without Process:
Appointing Miss Tiffany Allen to a $ 355, 000 position without a competitive process risks undermining her from day one. Skipping a Request for Qualications” creates a perception of favoritism that could damage internal morale and staff cooperation— precisely what she needs to succeed.
This isn' t just about bad policy— it’s about the future of our city. You’ ve made decisions that have hurt families, businesses, and public trust. I urge this Council to stop dismissing comments from the community as noise. The people of Chula Vista deserve better— and they deserve it now.
Sincerely,
Joseph A. Raso
WrittenCommunications - PCRaso - Received8/5/2025