The City Attorney is an important position in San Diego, and a more vigorous campaign to choose the next lawyer for the City should continue on to the November election. 
The lone Republican candidate, Robert Hickey, is trying to win the election outright on June 7. Hickey is facing four Democratic candidates that are vying for a place in a November runoff election.
Out of all the candidates, Gil Cabrera is the best qualified to lead the City’s legal team and give honest, comprehensive, and defensible legal advice to the Mayor and City Council.
As we have seen in recent years, many big decisions made by the City are challenged in court. Whether it be a tax plan to fund the convention center, approval of a new development, or dealing with the seals at La Jolla Cove, the City is the target of legal challenges.
Giving competent legal advice to the Mayor and City Council is the main job of the City Attorney. That person is the chief lawyer for the City in legal cases as well. The City Attorney’s office is one of the largest law firms in San Diego, handling a wide range of legal cases including accident claims against the City, legal challenges, and DUIs, along with domestic violence and consumer protection cases.
Cabrera has a strong history of working on improving the way our City government works. He previously served as Chairman of the City’s Ethics Commission, the office that oversees campaign and lobbying regulations downtown. Under his leadership, new laws were enacted to require more transparency of campaign contributions to city council and mayoral candidates, disclosure of fundraising by individuals with interests before the city council, and enforcement of campaigns regulations.
In 2000, Cabrera was appointed by then-Police Chief David Bejarano to serve on the Use of Force Task Force to review police policies. The Task Force, which Cabrera co-chaired, released a 2001 report recommending 100 changes to the SDPD’s procedures on the use of force by officers. Those changes were implemented into the Department’s new policies.
Cabrera now serves on the Convention Center Board of Directors, and has helped keep the venue at record occupancy levels. He is the Chairman of the Center’s Budget Committee, overseeing its $33 million annual budget. Cabrera understands the issues of expansion and ongoing funding of the Convention Center, two issues that will be front and center in the continuing debate about the choices the City faces in dealing with various competing proposals for stadiums.
And Cabrera’s legal expertise is also well suited for the job of City Attorney. He has counseled clients from small businesses and startups to large corporations. Cabrera was appointed by the Judges of the U.S. District Court to serve on the Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representative Committee. He has served on the Board of the San Diego Taxpayers Association. Cabrera has also served as a Judge Pro Tem in Superior Court, handling hundreds of Small Claims and Traffic Court trials.
Cabrera is endorsed by Congressman Scott Peters, Councilman Todd Gloria, former Senator Dede Alpert, and California State Controller John Chiang, as well as six retired judges including former judge and San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy.
Gil Cabrera is a qualified, experienced lawyer that would represent San Diego very well as City Attorney.