With increased fees for parking meters and car-related violations making headlines this year, it would seem fair and prudent (if not legally mandated) for elected officials to follow the same laws as their constituents.
On a regular basis, however, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria’s official vehicle is parked near City Hall on Third Avenue near C Street in seeming violation of three parking laws.
The San Diego Sun photographed the mayor’s black Chevrolet SUV (with exempt license plate) parked in a red zone, too close to an intersection (per the city’s “daylighting” law) and partially blocking a driveway for the San Diego Civic Center Stage Door.
Speaking anonymously, a city employee with specific knowledge of the situation said, “The mayor parks there all day, every day. He’s the mayor. When are people going to realize poor people get ticketed and the rich people can do anything?”
Publicly detested parking meter fees, parking violation fines and many city services were increased this year as Mayor Gloria’s administration attempted to balance a city budget burdened with a quarter-billion-dollar deficit.
The daylighting law went into effect January 1, 2025, and the city began enforcing it on March 1. The law mandates that cars not be parked within 20 feet of a sidewalk at an intersection (even if the curb has not yet been painted red). The intent is to improve intersection visibility for drivers and pedestrians.
In the case of the mayor’s car being parked on Third Avenue, the curb is painted red and C Street is a thoroughfare fraught with unusual peril since it includes trolley tracks.
The city of San Diego issued 13,000 daylighting citations totalling $1.4 million from March 1 to September 18, according to The San Diego Union Tribune.
This year, the daylighting fee was increased to $117.50 from $65. If the mayor’s car was parked in this spot a roughly estimated 145 working days after enforcement, the accumulated fee just for daylighting would be $17,037.50.
According to San Diego Municipal Code Section 81.0104: “…Official vehicles displaying “exempt” license plates may park at meters without payment. They are also permitted to park longer than the time limit posted on meters…This exemption does not apply to commercial loading zones, red zones, bus stops, taxi stands, and passenger (white) zones that are otherwise reserved for special types of vehicles or specific activities. All other violations are subject to citation.”
The Sun sought comment from the mayor’s office and from the city department that oversees Parking, Community Parking Districts, Shuttle Services, Shared Mobility Devices. Neither spokesperson responded by press time.
UPDATE: After publication of this article, a San Diego Police Department spokesperson emailed The Sun a statement indicating the parking spot for the mayor’s vehicle would be changed to a new, undisclosed location. The statement read:
“The Mayor’s vehicle is part of SDPD’s Executive Protection Detail and its parking is determined by public safety considerations to allow for the Mayor’s safe and efficient access to and from City Hall. In an environment where we’re seeing increasing threats on public officials across the nation, SDPD has identified a new area that provides the same level of safety and efficiency in accordance with traffic safety laws.”
Attorney Mitchell Mehdy, who since 1988 has been known locally as “Mr. Ticket,” said rules should apply to everyone.
“If it’s an ambulance or an emergency situation, parking in a red zone is acceptable,” Mehdy said. “But they’re red zones because they’re unsafe, hazardous areas for some reason. People who work for the government should not be above those they are governing.”
Allowing an elected leader to flaunt the rules sets a dangerous precedent, Mehdy said.
“Today’s greatest danger is the temptation of power,” he said. “It’s intoxicating. We see it in all levels of government. In San Diego, can’t the city just issue the mayor a parking space in a city lot?” SDSun
