September 11, 2009 at 4:55 PM

Top Contestants

The San Diego Reader

By Dorian Hargrove | Published Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009

The results have been tallied and the Chula Vista city council has spoken -- through a two-paragraph press release dated September 9. The top three finalists to replace councilmember John McCann during his yearlong deployment to Iraq are planning commission member Mitch Thompson, contractor Kevin O'Neill, and former interim port commissioner William Hall.

In the month since the council decided to fill McCann's seat in early August, Chula Vista residents were anxious to see how mayor Cheryl Cox and city councilmembers Pamela Bensoussan, Rudy Ramirez, and Steve Castaneda would select an interim councilmember.

In all, 27 qualified applicants submitted the necessary paperwork to the city clerk's office, but the city council revealed little information on the selection process, leading some residents to feel the process was rigged.

"I didn't know they were releasing the names, but I did expect them to do so hastily. This isn't a surprise," says Ed Herrera, President of the Chula Vista Civic Association and McCann supporter.

Ever since the council decided to fill McCann's seat, the name Herrera expected to see was Mitch Thompson’s, a close friend and political ally to councilmembers Bensoussan, Castaneda, and Ramirez. Thompson was recently selected to head up the effort to increase the city's sales tax.

"[The Chula Vista Civic Association] predicted that Mitch Thompson was the favorite for the interim position, even before he applied, even before they decided to fill the vacant [council seat]. This camaraderie has opened the floodgates to backroom deals. It just looks politically motivated."... Continue to full article