Several Chula Vista City Councilmembers Monday announced they will bring forward a resolution at Tuesday’s City Council meeting to support Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ongoing lawsuit challenging federal tariffs put in place by the Trump Administration.
Among those who spoke at a Monday morning news conference were Deputy Mayor Carolina Chavez and Councilman Cesar Fernandez, who said the tariffs threaten the economic stability of the border region.
“We cannot stay silent as harmful new tariffs threaten the stability of our businesses, the livelihoods of our residents and the future of our economy,” Chavez said while speaking in front of Chula Vista City Hall.
The resolution argues that Chula Vista’s Otay Mesa Port of Entry alone is responsible for billions in trade and is being impacted by the tariffs. Assemblyman David Alvarez, D-San Diego, and former Attorney General of Baja California Antonio Martinez Luna joined the speakers.
“These tariffs have increased costs, introduced economic uncertainty, and undermined key sectors vital to the region’s economy — not only tourism and trade, but also manufacturing, supply chain logistics, and small businesses that depend on binational cooperation,” the resolution to be brought before the five-person council reads.
“The city of Chula Vista recognizes that the strength of our regional economy is directly tied to the health and efficiency of our border infrastructure and cross-border relationships — any disruption at the border reverberates across local industries and households.”
Ultimately, the resolution would carry no legal weight. If passed, it would express support for Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta’s lawsuit but would not require any action. The suit argues that Congress has the power of the purse and can control tariffs, not the President unilaterally.
“This is recklessness at another level. The geopolitical impacts are outsized. The trade impacts are outsized,” Newsom said in April. “No rationale, no plan, no conscience to what it’s doing to real people.”
White House spokesperson Kush Desai attacked Newsom’s efforts when the suit was announced, saying, “Instead of focusing on California’s rampant crime, homelessness, and unaffordability, Gavin Newsom is spending his time trying to block President Trump’s historic efforts to finally address the national emergency of our country’s persistent goods trade deficits.”
While the resolution may not necessitate any action, it may be a savvy political play to help decide the fate of the county. Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, a Republican, was one of two top vote-getters in April’s special primary election to replace former-San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas, who retired abruptly late last year.
The vote could serve as a litmus test for McCann’s Republican credentials and a way to tie him to President Donald Trump in a district where Kamala Harris received significantly more votes in the 2024 presidential election. McCann was the top vote-getter in the April Special Election, receiving 42.38% of the vote over second place — and his opponent in July — Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre.
San Diego City Councilwoman Vivian Moreno and Deputy Mayor Chavez finished third and fourth. They, like Aguirre, are Democrats and all three accrued a total of 53.55% of the vote total. If Democrats support Aguirre in similar numbers to Harris, it would present a problem to McCann.
The special election to select a new supervisor for District 1, which covers most of the South Bay, is set for July 1.
City News Service contributed to this article.
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