National City Council adopts campaign contribution and pay changes, keeps remote public comment and asks staff to study immigrant legal-defense and cannabis‑lax

The National City City Council met Feb. 18 in the council chamber and took several policy and procedural actions, including adopting two ordinances and approving changes to how the city handles public comment and agenda materials.

The council adopted an ordinance to adjust campaign contribution limits to track changes (second reading and adoption) and also approved an ordinance adjusting compensation for the mayor and councilmembers. The compensation ordinance passed 4–1, with Councilmember Rodriguez recorded voting no. The body approved the remainder of the consent calendar, several warrant registries and administrative items earlier in the meeting.

The council also reviewed and amended City Council Policy 104 (Rules and Procedures and Order for City Council meetings). After discussion the council voted to alter how written public comments are accepted and to retain remote public-comment access (Zoom/call‑in) subject to a registration requirement; the council directed staff to return to a future meeting with options for in‑chamber translation/headset access and cost estimates. Councilmembers debated whether remote comment reduced incentives for in‑person participation or expanded equity and access; the ultimate vote retained remote access while changing the written‑comment deadline and asking staff for follow‑up analysis.

Two council members used the meeting’s 10‑day “10.5” request process to ask the council to put agenda items on a future meeting. Councilmember John Rodriguez asked staff to develop options for a legal‑defense fund or other assistance for National City residents who face immigration enforcement; the council voted to agendize the request and directed staff to coordinate with community providers and the city attorney for legal review. Vice Mayor Marcus Bush asked the council to agendize a discussion about aligning cannabis business hours with state rules; the council agreed to return the item for fuller discussion, including any legal issues related to permits and development agreements.

The council heard a presentation from the local nonprofit A Reason to Survive (ARTS), which described youth programs, public‑art projects, and paid internships reaching hundreds of National City residents. Jose Lopez, ARTS advancement coordinator, said the organization served more than 1,000 National City residents during the last fiscal year and was expanding school‑based programming: “We look to uplift youth to become confident, compassionate, and courageous community builders through the transformative power of creativity.”

Public comment focused on several recurring themes: several speakers urged the council to adopt a tobacco retail license and other measures to reduce youth access to flavored tobacco and vapes; other commenters urged caution on expanding hours or new uses for cannabis consumption lounges, citing public‑safety and secondhand‑smoke concerns. Gloria Salas, co‑chair of the National City Coalition for Better Health, told the council the coalition supports a tobacco retail license “in order to better control illegal sales of tobacco‑related products to minors.” Representatives of a licensed cannabis consumption lounge, Sessions by the Bay, urged the council to consider changing the city’s operating‑hour limits to match state rules, saying tighter hours push customers to unregulated vendors and reduce city sales tax revenue.

Councilmembers and staff also reported on regional boards and ongoing projects: Sweetwater Authority PFAS workshops, SANDAG economic projections and Transnet revenue outlooks, and MTS operational analyses. Staff announced a March 4 mid‑year budget meeting (4 p.m.) and that a strategic‑planning session will be scheduled in April.

What the council decided and what happens next

- Ordinances: The council adopted an ordinance to adjust campaign contribution limits and an ordinance establishing mayor/council compensation. The compensation ordinance passed 4–1 (Councilmember Rodriguez voting no). The adopted campaign‑finance ordinance updates City Code chapter 2.75 to align contribution limits with CPI adjustments.

- Policy 104 (public comment and meeting procedure): The council amended the policy to change the written‑comment submission deadline (previously 1 hour before the meeting) to allow earlier submissions, retained remote public comment (Zoom/call‑in) under a registration requirement, and asked staff to return with options and costs for in‑chamber translation/headset arrangements.

- Agenda requests (10.5 requests): The council agreed to place on a future meeting agenda a proposal from Councilmember Rodriguez to develop a legal‑defense fund or coordinated program for National City residents facing immigration enforcement; staff was asked to work with community groups and the city attorney and return with options. The council also agreed to hold a future discussion about changing local cannabis business hours to align with state rules; the city attorney and staff were asked to assess legal and permit impacts.

- Presentation: A Reason to Survive presented its annual summary of programs and events, noting youth apprenticeships, murals, and school‑based arts programming reaching hundreds of students.

Key quotes

- Jose Lopez, advancement coordinator, A Reason to Survive: “We look to uplift youth to become confident, compassionate, and courageous community builders through the transformative power of creativity.”

- Gloria Salas, co‑chair, National City Coalition for Better Health: “We are advocating for a tobacco retail license program in order to better control illegal sales of tobacco‑related products to minors.”

- Alex Aon, representing Sessions by the Bay: “National City actually has the most restricted hours of all municipalities in the county that regulate cannabis.… Aligning our hours with state regulations is a simple yet impactful change that will help licensed businesses thrive, protect public safety, and generate more tax revenue for the city.”

Council direction to staff and follow‑up

- Staff was directed to prepare agenda materials and legal review for the proposed legal‑defense fund and for possible amendments to cannabis operating hours.

- Staff will return with cost estimates and options for providing in‑chamber translation/headset access in addition to the current live translation provided via the meeting livestream.

- The city manager announced a March 4 mid‑year budget discussion (4 p.m.) and said a strategic planning session will be scheduled in April.

Meeting context and next steps

The council’s action to retain remote public comment while changing the written‑comment deadline reflects continuing debate across the region about balancing access with meeting efficiency. The council’s requests to develop options for a legal‑defense fund and for a cannabis‑hours discussion signal areas likely to return to the council for policy decisions that will require more detail, legal review and potential budget implications.

The council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for March 4; staff indicated the legal‑defense and cannabis items will be scheduled for a future meeting after additional staff and legal work.