1 week ago
2
This year’s race to represent San Diego’s southeastern neighborhoods on the City Council looks more competitive than expected, with incumbent Henry Foster facing a community activist who’s raising far more money than he is.
Martha Abraham, a longtime nurse and single parent, emerged politically during last year’s high-profile fight over a housing policy in Encanto that neighbors charged was racist. Now she is also criticizing Foster for supporting charging drivers to park in Balboa Park.
Incumbents rarely lose San Diego City Council races. It’s only happened twice since 1992, but both those losses — by Myrtle Cole and Lorie Zapf — were relatively recent in 2018.
Foster, who represents District 4, could also be vulnerable to anti-City Hall sentiment in many San Diego neighborhoods fueled by outcry over parking in Balboa Park, city policies on backyard apartments and other issues.
“My blood pressure rises at the thought of being taxed to visit a public space,” Abraham said. “It has transformed something that belonged to all of us into something only some of us can afford.”
Foster defended paid parking and said last week he still supports it.
“I stand by my vote on Balboa Park parking,” he said. “My voting record reflects leadership. I do share in the public’s frustration surrounding the matter, as the implementation by the mayor has been poorly executed.”
Foster noted that he has opposed other recent policy changes that have i...
English (US) ·