San Diego officials continue to solicit donations to favored charities

San Diego public officials continued to rely on their elected positions throughout 2025 to solicit donations to favored causes from companies and others with interests before the city.

The so-called behested payments — donations to charities made at the request, or behest, of elected officials — totaled more than $150,000 this year, according to records on file with the San Diego City Clerk’s Office.

The largest donation was a $100,000 gift disclosed by Councilmember Henry Foster, who reported the donation from Airbnb to the San Diego Parks Foundation on Nov. 28. The money is earmarked for a new skate plaza in Encanto.

The $100,000 gift came as the San Diego City Council considers adding a measure to next year’s primary ballot that would impose a new tax on vacation rentals of $5,000 for each bedroom.

Councilmember Vivian Moreno reported three separate behested payments worth a total of $20,000.

The Laborers International Union Local 89 donated $10,000, and Marathon Petroleum and Carpenters Union Local 619 each gave $5,000, records show. The money went to the San Ysidro Women’s Club to help fund scholarships.

The laborers union has Read Entire Article