Over 100 people gathered at The Center to hear mayoral candidates Donna Frye and Jerry Sanders address issues relating to the GLBT community at The Center’s Community Coalition Breakfast last Friday, Oct. 21. The city of San Diego will elect its new mayor in a Nov. 8 run-off election.

Sanders, who has been vague on his stance on same-sex marriage in the past, directly addressed the issue during his opening remarks at the breakfast.

“As you know, I don’t support same-sex marriage, but that’s only because of the religious reasons,” he said. “I believe civil unions and domestic partnership benefits should be supported and should be supported for everybody. As I marched along with The Center for the gay Pride parade, I saw the banners that said, ‘Equal Rights No More No Less.’ I believe that very deeply.” Sanders added that he would oppose any constitutional amendments to limit GLBT rights.

Frye, who has been vocal about her support of same-sex marriage throughout her campaign, said, “I support marriage equality and I oppose any action, any legislation and policies that would try to change that….”

Both candidates discussed their financial recovery plans extensively during their opening speeches and again during the question and answer period, which was moderated by Jeffrey Wergeles, director of development at KPBS.

Sanders touched on his plan to alleviate the financial crisis through a combination of salary freezes, layoffs and work furloughs.

“It includes the closure of an existing pension plan for new employees and replaces it with a plan that the city can afford,” he said. “It also includes eliminating top and middle management positions to reduce costs and increase accountability.”

Sanders attacked Frye’s plan, claiming it is based on deficits and doesn’t add up. Sanders said it is impossible to assign a figure to the financial problem without a city audit, which has yet to be completed.

“Her plan relies on a given $50 million from terminating pension benefits she says are illegal, but only a court of law can determine if those benefits are illegal,” said Sanders. “All her stunt would do is put taxpayers on the hook for expensive litigation, hundreds of millions of dollars of damages, and years and years in the court system.”

Frye defended her plan, saying San Diego needs to make additional payments of $250 million a year just to meet its general fund financial obligations and maintain the current level of service to the public. Part of these funds would come from stopping further payments of illegally approved benefits, saving the city $50 million, she said, and another $48 million in savings would come from reducing staff levels of 500 non-public safety workers.

“Immediately upon being elected, and Mr. Sanders is correct, I will seek to recognize the illegally granted benefits for current employees,” said Frye, who also read a statement from City Attorney Mike Aguirre supporting her plan. “…When you are going into court, after already in court on this issue – in case Mr. Sanders did not know – there is no reason, when the city attorney has told us those benefits are illegally granted, that we would take a position contrary to that.”

Frye proposes instituting a temporary half-cent sales tax increase for the city that would generate an estimated $100 million annually. She said the decision to approve the increase would come before voters.

Sanders said the voters would never pass the proposed tax increase.

In turn, Frye objected to Sanders’ strategy to rely mostly on budget cuts. “Anybody that tells you that the city does not need new revenue – and that we can do it simply by cutting, or selling off assets, or getting into more debt – is not being honest with you,” she said.

The candidates were also asked about their position on the Boy Scouts’ preferential land lease in Balboa Park, a contentious issue because of the Boy Scouts’ policy on excluding gays and atheists from the organization.

As a City Council member, Frye voted against the lease, citing it as a violation of San Diego’s Human Dignity Ordinance. “It is illegal for the city of San Diego to even consider leasing to any organization that discriminates. I think it’s a very cut and dry issue,” she said.

Sanders said the Boy Scouts should be entitled to use Balboa Park at the discounted rate, and said the organization is an important resource for youth. “First of all, we need to change the attitude with Boy Scouts of America and the local Boy Scout chapter,” he said. “Obviously we are bound by court rulings.”

Both candidates addressed the growing problem of crystal methamphetamine and drug addiction within the GLBT community and San Diego overall. Sanders, who was involved in the meth task force when he was San Diego’s chief of police, said the city needs to work closely with the community to effectively address the issue. He also said the city needs to crack down on meth labs in San Diego and transportation of meth across U.S. borders.

Frye said she agrees with Sanders, and believes treatment and education are equally important. She added that it’s even more important to have the budget available to actually focus on drug problems.

Both candidates said they would support needle exchange programs in the city.

When asked about keeping a GLBT advisory board if elected mayor, Frye and Sanders both said they would. Sanders said he thinks it’s important to have GLBT representation in top and middle management, on various committees and on boards throughout city government. Frye said hiring and appointing staff does not guarantee that GLBT concerns will be addressed.