Carl DeMaio
Encyclopedia
Carl DeMaio is an American
elected official in San Diego, California
. He serves as a San Diego City Council
member representing City Council District 5. He was elected to a four-year term in 2008. He is a Republican
, although city council positions are officially nonpartisan per California
state law.
District 5, with a median household income
(as of 2008) of $95,211, is the second most wealthy district of San Diego's eight electoral districts. It includes the neighborhoods of Rancho Bernardo, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Sabre Springs, Mira Mesa, Sorrento Mesa
, Scripps Ranch, and San Pasqual Valley.
, but spent his early childhood in Orange County, California
where his family moved in the late 1970s. His mother died in 1990, two weeks after his father abandoned the family. DeMaio was taken in by Jesuit priests and enrolled in boarding school at Georgetown Preparatory School
. After completing high school, DeMaio completed college early, receiving a degree in International Politics and Business from Georgetown University
.
While attending college DeMaio worked as a political intern in Washington, D. C., ultimately landing a job with the Congressional Institute
. DeMaio served as the Institute's Director of Planning. DeMaio worked in Washington from 1994 to 1999. After college, DeMaio established The Performance Institute, a for-profit think tank that provided training for government officials, followed by the American Strategic Management Institute, which was modeled on The Performance Institute and provided training and education in corporate financial and performance management. DeMaio sold both companies to the Thompson Publishing Group in late 2007.
DeMaio was a member of the Citizens Budget Project, an effort to streamline California's state government following the recall of Governor Gray Davis
.
DeMaio moved to San Diego in 2002 as a result of his work with the Performance Institute. That year he appeared in front of the San Diego City Council to award the city for having the most efficient government in California. In 2004, however, he claimed that San Diego's official predicted budget deficit of $27 million was in fact closer to $80 to $100 million.
Since then, DeMaio has advocated for changes in the budget process in San Diego. DeMaio has also lobbied for a federal law that would impose rules on public pension plans modeled after ERISA.
On the city council DeMaio is vice chair of three committees: the Natural Resources and Culture Committee, the Budget and Finance Committee, and the Audit Committee.
Upon taking office, DeMaio released a number of studies and proposals on city employee compensation packages and pension benefits. DeMaio argued that salaries and benefits of city employees should be trimmed to more sustainable levels consistent with the local labor market. DeMaio also opposed construction of a new City Hall.
In 2010, DeMaio supported the addition of a citizen initiative to the November ballot that would have made it easier for the city to outsource jobs. However, the measure was rejected by the county registrar of voters after a random sample concluded that DeMaio had not gathered enough valid signatures. DeMaio also campaigned against a proposal to boost the city's sales tax by a half-a-billion dollars over five years. DeMaio argued instead to reduce the budget deficit through spending cuts and pension reform. In November 2010, DeMaio released a five year fiscal reform plan dubbed the "Roadmap to Recovery," advocating for a variety of pension reforms, the reduction of city employee salaries and benefits, and opening city services up to competitive bidding.
In 2011, DeMaio filed papers declaring that he would run for Mayor of San Diego in 2012, when current mayor Jerry Sanders
will be termed out of office. In June 2011, DeMaio formally declared his intent to run for Mayor of San Diego.
reported that a Wikipedia user who worked in DeMaio's office made significant favorable edits to the councilman's Wikipedia page. A previous CityBeat blog post also noted that over the past eighteen months, "several users have noted that the page had 'severe' neutral-point-of-view problems." In the article, DeMaio's spokesman confirmed that his office had created and edited the page.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
elected official in San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He serves as a San Diego City Council
San Diego City Council
The San Diego City Council is the legislative branch of government for the city of San Diego, California. The city councilmember seats are all officially non-partisan by state law. There are currently 8 members of the city council, which will be expanded to 9 members in 2012 under the terms of a...
member representing City Council District 5. He was elected to a four-year term in 2008. He is a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, although city council positions are officially nonpartisan per California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
state law.
District 5, with a median household income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
(as of 2008) of $95,211, is the second most wealthy district of San Diego's eight electoral districts. It includes the neighborhoods of Rancho Bernardo, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Sabre Springs, Mira Mesa, Sorrento Mesa
Sorrento Mesa, San Diego
Sorrento Mesa is a neighborhood of San Diego, California. It is located in the northern part of the city, east of Interstate 805, on the mesa overlooking Sorrento Valley. University City lies to the south, the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve to the north, and Mira Mesa to the east...
, Scripps Ranch, and San Pasqual Valley.
Life and career
DeMaio was born in Dubuque, IowaDubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
, but spent his early childhood in Orange County, California
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
where his family moved in the late 1970s. His mother died in 1990, two weeks after his father abandoned the family. DeMaio was taken in by Jesuit priests and enrolled in boarding school at Georgetown Preparatory School
Georgetown Preparatory School
Georgetown Preparatory School is an American Jesuit college preparatory school for grades 9 through 12. It is the oldest all boys school in the United States, and the only Jesuit boarding school in the country...
. After completing high school, DeMaio completed college early, receiving a degree in International Politics and Business from Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
.
While attending college DeMaio worked as a political intern in Washington, D. C., ultimately landing a job with the Congressional Institute
Congressional Institute
Founded in 1987, the Congressional Institute is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to helping Members of Congress better serve their constituents and helping their constituents better understand the operations of the national legislature. The Institute sponsors major conferences as well as a...
. DeMaio served as the Institute's Director of Planning. DeMaio worked in Washington from 1994 to 1999. After college, DeMaio established The Performance Institute, a for-profit think tank that provided training for government officials, followed by the American Strategic Management Institute, which was modeled on The Performance Institute and provided training and education in corporate financial and performance management. DeMaio sold both companies to the Thompson Publishing Group in late 2007.
DeMaio was a member of the Citizens Budget Project, an effort to streamline California's state government following the recall of Governor Gray Davis
Gray Davis
Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who served as California's 37th Governor from 1999 until being recalled in 2003...
.
DeMaio moved to San Diego in 2002 as a result of his work with the Performance Institute. That year he appeared in front of the San Diego City Council to award the city for having the most efficient government in California. In 2004, however, he claimed that San Diego's official predicted budget deficit of $27 million was in fact closer to $80 to $100 million.
Since then, DeMaio has advocated for changes in the budget process in San Diego. DeMaio has also lobbied for a federal law that would impose rules on public pension plans modeled after ERISA.
San Diego City Council
DeMaio ran for the termed-out Brian Maienschein's District 5 San Diego City Council in 2008. He won the seat in the June primary election, defeating his opponent, former Solana Beach Fire Chief George K. George, with 66% of the vote, making him the first openly gay man to be elected to the council.On the city council DeMaio is vice chair of three committees: the Natural Resources and Culture Committee, the Budget and Finance Committee, and the Audit Committee.
Upon taking office, DeMaio released a number of studies and proposals on city employee compensation packages and pension benefits. DeMaio argued that salaries and benefits of city employees should be trimmed to more sustainable levels consistent with the local labor market. DeMaio also opposed construction of a new City Hall.
In 2010, DeMaio supported the addition of a citizen initiative to the November ballot that would have made it easier for the city to outsource jobs. However, the measure was rejected by the county registrar of voters after a random sample concluded that DeMaio had not gathered enough valid signatures. DeMaio also campaigned against a proposal to boost the city's sales tax by a half-a-billion dollars over five years. DeMaio argued instead to reduce the budget deficit through spending cuts and pension reform. In November 2010, DeMaio released a five year fiscal reform plan dubbed the "Roadmap to Recovery," advocating for a variety of pension reforms, the reduction of city employee salaries and benefits, and opening city services up to competitive bidding.
In 2011, DeMaio filed papers declaring that he would run for Mayor of San Diego in 2012, when current mayor Jerry Sanders
Jerry Sanders (politician)
Gerald Robert "Jerry" Sanders is an American politician, Mayor of San Diego, California, and former Chief of Police.-Personal life:...
will be termed out of office. In June 2011, DeMaio formally declared his intent to run for Mayor of San Diego.
Wikipedia controversy
In February 2011, San Diego CityBeatSan Diego CityBeat
San Diego CityBeat is an alternative weekly newspaper in San Diego, California that focuses on local progressive politics, arts, and music. It is published every Wednesday and distributed around San Diego county, although with a focus on the city of San Diego itself, with a weekly circulation of...
reported that a Wikipedia user who worked in DeMaio's office made significant favorable edits to the councilman's Wikipedia page. A previous CityBeat blog post also noted that over the past eighteen months, "several users have noted that the page had 'severe' neutral-point-of-view problems." In the article, DeMaio's spokesman confirmed that his office had created and edited the page.