Showing her focus on saving taxpayer dollars, Sherri Lightner voted yesterday to approve no more than $50,000 to pay outside legal counsel for city employees subpoenaed as part of litigation related to Proposition B.

A previous action brought to the Council by the City Attorney in June asked for up to $250,000.  Lightner requested the item be brought back with more information, and she and her council colleagues were able to trim the potential bill by $200,000.  Ray Ellis has criticized Councilmember Lightner repeatedly in his campaign for her original vote in which she would not approve the larger tab.

“Ray Ellis would have signed what was essentially a blank check, to be paid by the taxpayers of San Diego,” said Lightner. “That is no way to do business, especially when we are focused on developing better financial practices that secure this City’s long term fiscal health.”

On June 26, the City Attorney had asked City Council for $250,000 dollars for the retention of outside counsel.  Lightner asked that the City Attorney return with basic information such as the name of the firm or attorney to be hired, the city employees to be represented, the scope of the representation and a better estimate of the fees the City would be charged.

“Ray Ellis doesn’t understand the basic job of a City Councilmember,” Lightner commented.  “I do and I put that knowledge to use for the taxpayers every day.”

For more information about Sherri Lightner and her re-election campaign, visit www.sherrilightner.org.