What does the City attorney do?
The Chula Vista City attorney is the city’s top lawyer. As such, the city attorney leads an office that provides legal council on myriad issues and provides the legal services needed to implement public policy.
The office works with all of the city’s boards and commissions and each of its municipal departments including: the city clerk’s office, police and fire departments and public works.
It is staffed by a team of 10 full-time attorneys, one risk management specialist, three administrative assistants, interns and one manager. The office also works with outside council to help with lawsuits and other issues that require specialized legal experience and knowledge.
Main issues?
The reason why Chula Vista is having a special election
The reason Chula Vista is having a special election for the city attorney, is because voters elected a dead candidate in the November 2022 election.
The winner, Simon Silva, died of cancer before the election and died after his name could be removed from the ballots.
The San Diego Democratic Party and former Chula Vista Mayor Mary Salas continued to support Silva after he died.
A total of 59,975 votes were cast in the November 2022 election. Silva defeated Daniel Smith, who is now going by Dan Smith Diaz, by 679 votes.
Special election costs
While campaigning for Silva in 2022, San Diego Democratic Party Chairwoman Rebecca Taylor incorrectly told the San Diego Union-Tribune that if Silva won the election, “our duly elected city officials will follow the city charter to fill the vacancy.”
After Silva won, Chula Vista’s city charter called for a special election. This will cost taxpayers as much as $2 million.
In February, Chula Vista hired an outside law firm to provide legal services until voters elect a new city attorney.
The city awarded a contract not to exceed $350,000 to the Lounsbery Ferguson Altona & Peak law firm.
How are candidates campaigning?
Two candidates recently got into a legal battle over the official job description listed on the ballot, La Prensa first reported.
Bart Miesfeld took Marco Verdugo to court over Verdugo’s use of “Deputy City attorney,” as his occupation on the ballot.
Verdugo is a senior associate with the Burke, Williams & Sorensen law firm, which serves as outside counsel for cities like Coronado and Solana Beach.
Although he works as a deputy city attorney for Coronado and Solana Beach, Verdugo is technically not a deputy city attorney employed by a municipality. A judge had Verdugo change his occupation to “City’s attorney.”
Miesfeld was appointed Chula Vista City attorney from 2008 to 2010, before it became an elected position.
Candidate Dan Smith Diaz narrowly lost the November 2022 Chula Vista City attorney election to Silva.
Smith Diaz is a former Federal Public Defender who now has a private law firm in downtown Chula Vista.
He was listed as Daniel Smith on the 2022 ballot. He told KPBS that his 99-year-old mother, who is Latina, asked him to use his full name in the upcoming election.
Even though Miesfeld worked in Chula Vista for 20 years, the Smith Diaz and Verdugo campaigns have criticized him for living in La Jolla and just recently moving to Chula Vista.
Who are the candidates?
Bart Miesfeld
- Former Chula Vista City attorney, 2008-2010
- More than 20 years of experience in the Chula Vista City attorney‘s Office
- Endorsed by state Assemblymember Steve Padilla and former Chula Vista Mayor Mary Salas
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Dan Smith Diaz, candidate for Chula Vista City attorney.
Dan Smith Diaz
- Federal attorney and small business owner
- Lost the 2022 City attorney election by one percentage point
- Longtime Chula Vista resident
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Marco Verdugo, Chula Vista City attorney candidate.
Marco Verdugo
- Senior Associate with Burke, Williams & Sorensen law firm
- Former deputy city attorney for the city of San Diego
- Endorsed by Chula Vista Council members Alonso Gonzalez, Carolina Chavez and Andrea Cardenas
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