Filner Reflects on Past Week's News

Mayoral-elect’s business didn’t end when his opponent conceded

After a marathon campaign and a turn-around victory Wednesday morning, mayor-elect Bob Filner can finally call an end to his fight for top office in City Hall.

But his business didn’t end when his opponent, Councilman Carl DeMaio, conceded.

In the days that followed, the city’s legal team filed an unprecedented lawsuit against the state, lame-duck mayor Jerry Sanders was appointed to a major role in the region’s business community and local labor unions dropped a lawsuit that will accelerate the construction of a new Convention Center on San Diego’s bay front.

The flood of news certainly wasn’t the vacation Filner had hoped for at the end of his run.

Filner will be working closely with Sanders as the latter heads the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. Though the two have been cordial since Tuesday, Sanders endorsed DeMaio in the election and Filner has promised to lead the city in a different direction than Sanders did.

Nevertheless, Filner, appearing diplomatic and circumspect while recording a segment of this week’s “Politically Speaking” with Gene Cubbison, said he’s glad that Sanders will be the lead advocate for San Diego’s business development.

“You know I think it’s great that a former mayor is going to be in that position,” Filner said. “He knows the issues, the demands, the constraints.”

Filner was doubtful of City Attorney Jan Goldsmith’s recent decision to team up with thee municipal unions to sue the state over a law recently signed by Gov. Jerry Brown.

The state law, AB1248, is in conflict with San Diego’s own pension reform measure because it requires all city employees to enroll in Social Security. San Diego’s voter-approved measure Prop. B comes with the option of enrolling in Social Security or a 401(k)-style plan – but only through labor negotiations.

“I’m not sure why that suit was necessary,” Filner said of the city lawsuit. “[Goldsmith] has concerns about the nature of a charter city and how we should be respected by Sacramento and I agree with him. But I think this could be resolved at a conference table instead of in a court room. How we deal with our employees is going to be settled at the bargaining table anyway.”

Goldsmith later appeared on “Politically Speaking” and said the lawsuit would ensure that those negotiations do happen.

Filner also gushed over his fiancée Bronwyn Ingram, who he said will be an active advocate in the homeless community – in addition to being a great first lady, he said.

Watch the whole show with more on Filner’s reaction to the city’s news this week, plus analysis of the presidential election from two local pundits this Sunday at 9 a.m. after meet the press. Highlights from the show will be posted online right after.
 

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