VETERANS

San Diego has had a long association with our nation’s military. As is the case for many San Diegans, the Navy is what brought my family to our city. Each of my grandparents came to San Diego courtesy of the Department of Defense and like many before and after them, they stayed and built a life in our community.

Our county is home to a quarter of a million veterans. More servicemembers discharge from the military in San Diego than any other place in the United States. The large existing population of veterans and the influx of new veterans from current conflicts abroad mean that the needs of those who have served our country will be a central concern for San Diego now and for years to come.

I have been privileged to be active in the San Diego veteran community for nearly a decade. From volunteering at the annual Stand Down for homeless veterans at San Diego High School to working every day to help veterans get the benefits they earned, I have enjoyed my association with this community of patriots and would continue to make a contribution to the veterans community as a member of the City Council.
As a Councilmember I would:

Pass an Expanded City Veterans Hiring Policy. With new veterans discharging each day in San Diego, it would be wise to do what we can to have these highly trained and dedicated individuals come to work for our City. Currently, the City has a very limited veterans hiring policy that applies to a relatively small number of those who served. I would seek to provide a veterans hiring preference to any veteran who served full time in excess of 180 days in the U.S. armed forces and who has been honorably discharged or retired from such service within the past 10 years. Additional credit would be considered for “disabled veterans” as defined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Fund the Veterans Shelter on Pacific Highway. Veterans Villages of San Diego (VVSD) is a nationally renowned nonprofit that works with homeless veterans to overcome substance abuse problems and achieve independence. As a San Diego Housing Commissioner, I have helped appropriate millions of dollars to construct an expanded facility for VVSD to serve our City’s homeless veterans population. I will continue these efforts as a member of the City Council and will work with VVSD to complete its vision of a 325 bed facility on Pacific Highway for our homeless veterans so they have the support their need to put their lives back together.

Complete the Veterans Memorial Garden. Phase One of the Veterans Memorial Garden at Inspiration Point in Balboa Park was dedicated on Veterans Day 2005. Two additional phases of the garden are planned but have yet to be completed. These phases would honor the veterans of the sea and land services and would create additional green space in an important corner of Balboa Park. The first phase was completed with generous private donations and a state grant. We can work aggressively to find similar funding sources to complete this monument to San Diego’s veterans in our City’s crown jewel.

I acknowledge that veterans issues are generally outside the purview of the City Council and that these concerns must not overshadow the municipal core missions of public safety and infrastructure. But I think our historic relationship with the military and large population of veterans in our region requires San Diego to pay special attention to their needs. As we anticipate the return of thousands of additional servicemembers, I think we must lead on this issue by ensuring that our region can accommodate the employment, housing, and health care needs of our veterans.

Finally, to those who have served our nation in uniform, I thank you for your service. I am committed to be a voice for veterans on our City Council.