Gay & Lesbian Times: If you were the elected City Council member for District 3 today, what would you be doing to help solve the city’s financial problems?

Stephen Whitburn: I would be devoting myself to the people of this district. I would be an honest, hard-working public servant who is dedicated to improving life in the district and the city as a whole. We want to feel safe in our neighborhoods, so I would be working to reverse the increase in crime that we’ve seen in the past six months. We want to be proud of how well-maintained our neighborhoods are, so I would be working to fix the streets and the sidewalks and working to make some areas more attractive. But safe and welcoming neighborhoods take money. We need to improve our city’s financial situation. So I would be working to get accurate information about the city’s finances out in the open as quickly as possible. I was a reporter for many years. I’m passionate about open and honest government, and once we have a real understanding of our finances, we can make informed and prioritized decisions about where to allocate funding and look for creative ways to get other things done.

GLT: If the SEC brings a civil case against Councilmember Toni Atkins or any of the current council members, should they resign their seat? Why or why not?

SW: I don’t see any benefit to speculating on that. Let’s deal with what happens if and when things happen.

GLT: The San Diego Union-Tribune has called for those council members implicated in the Kroll report to approve the Kroll report’s recommended solutions or resign and make way for those willing to move forward. Do you agree? Why or why not?

SW: I think that the recommendations in the Kroll report ought to be thoroughly discussed, and that is what the City Council is doing this week. The council members have more information at their disposal to assess some of the merits of the recommendations in the Kroll report. I am certainly in no position to offer an independent analysis on the Kroll report. As more information comes out in the coming months, I think we will have a better idea of how helpful the Kroll report was.

GLT: Do you support the 301 University project in Hillcrest? Why or why not?

SW: Based on what I know, I probably would have voted against it. I respect Councilmember Atkins’ vote and the viewpoint of those who support the project, but I think I would have gone the other way on that one. The building’s 12-story height is out of character with the neighborhood. The new condos and businesses will add more traffic congestion to the neighborhood, and many people in the area are opposed to it. Some people like the fact that it will add parking. We do need more parking there. That has to be a priority, but we can look for ways to add parking that are embraced by more of the local residents and that are consistent with the character of the neighborhood. I serve on the Greater North Park Community Planning Committee and I appreciate the complexity of these types of issues. I attended a workshop this past weekend that grew out of the debate of 301 University. Hopefully these issues will encourage lots of people to get involved in planning what we want our neighborhoods to look like in 10 to 20 years.

GLT: Has Councilmember Atkins done enough in light of the continued attacks against members of the GLBT community residing in District 3? Would you be doing anything differently?

SW: People don’t feel as safe on the streets as they did six months ago. Over the past six months, there has been a 17-percent increase in street robberies, whether targeted against people who are LGBT or not. There’s been an 18-percent increase in auto thefts. There’s been a 14-percent increase in commercial burglaries in the Police Department’s Western Division, which includes Hillcrest and University Heights and North Park in District 3, as well as several other neighborhoods. The number of police officers on the streets has declined. San Diego’s financial difficulties have led to less competitive wages and benefits for city police officers, so many have taken jobs with other departments. As residents, we have to recognize the situation and be cautious and watch out for each other during this increase in crime. We need to make public safety a top priority as we climb out from the city’s financial problems. We all want to feel safe in our neighborhoods.

GLT: If you had one piece of advice for Councilmember Atkins, who you’re seeking to replace in 2008, what would it be?

SW: I don’t offer advice to Councilmember Atkins.

Gay & Lesbian Times: If you were the elected City Council member for District 3 today, what would you be doing to help solve the city’s financial problems?

Todd Gloria: It’s difficult to say what I would do directly. Until the SEC completes its work and all the facts are known, I’m not sure there is a way to create a comprehensive plan to put the city back on good financial footing. My intention would be to work with the mayor and my council colleagues to get the city back into the bond market, to improve our city services and to institute reforms that would restore the public’s confidence in its government.

GLT: If the SEC brings a civil case against Councilmember Toni Atkins or any of the current council members, should they resign their seat? Why or why not?

TG: I don’t think it’s appropriate to answer hypothetical questions, and I’m not going to speculate on an ongoing investigation. What I would say is that if I’m elected to the City Council in a few years, my job is going to be to unite this district and move us forward on a reform agenda, not look back in past judgment.

GLT: The San Diego Union-Tribune has called for those council members implicated in the Kroll report to approve the Kroll report’s recommended solutions or resign and make way for those willing to move forward. Do you agree? Why or why not?

TG: The council more or less agrees to the Kroll recommendations. It’s the 2003 financial statement that they’re holding up. That’s been the editorial for the last week. Is that what you’re talking about? My understanding is that the council is reviewing all reports and statements. They’re asking tough questions. They’re doing the kind of oversight that we need to restore public confidence in the city’s government. That says to me that they’ve actually internalized Kroll’s recommendations, which is a positive step.

GLT: Do you support the 301 University project in Hillcrest? Why or why not?

TG: Many people will disagree on this project. From where I stand, it doesn’t appear to conform to community character, and it sets a bad precedent for our neighborhood. The public parking proposed on the site, it would be a welcome amenity but I prefer to see a building a bit shorter, that steps back from University Avenue.

GLT: Has Councilmember Atkins done enough in light of the continued attacks against members of the GLBT community residing in District 3? Would you be doing anything differently?

TG: I applaud Toni’s leadership, particularly around the hate crimes that occurred at Pride this year. The first responsibility of government is to ensure the safety of its citizens, and I think that Toni stepped up and did that very well, along with the rest of our city’s leadership, the police department, the D.A.’s office. I think that while the attacks were a horrible thing, I do applaud what she and the others in our city’s leadership did to take immediate action and capture the people that did the crime.

GLT: If you had one piece of advice for Councilmember Atkins, who you’re seeking to replace in 2008, what would it be?

TG: I can say what I’d like to see at council. For me, as someone who’s worked for a legislative body, I’d like to see the council adopt a very rigorous oversight structure that reflects the recent change to the strong-mayor form of government. A true legislative branch with an independent analysis, professional staff, autonomy, that really provides checks and balances in our city government. I don’t think that’s news to Councilmember Atkins. The council working together needs to create a legislative branch of government that is truly a check and balance with the strong mayor.