San Diego officials continue to solicit donations to favored charities

Jeff McDonald, The San Diego Union-Tribune on Dec 23, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

SAN DIEGO — 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 spent heavily on local politics in recent years.

Councilmember Marni von Wilpert reported a single gift of $5,000 that was donated by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 135 to Equality California, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group.

Mayor Todd Gloria disclosed the greatest number of behested payments in 2025 — although they totaled much less than he reported in his first four years as the city’s top official.

Gloria disclosed five payments during the calendar year, totaling just over $28,000. Almost half of that helped pay for a new sign at the Clairemont Community Park to honor fallen San Diego Police Officer Austin Machitar, who was killed in a 2024 pursuit.

The mayor also disclosed soliciting a $10,000 gift from Jamul Indian Village of California to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund to support a champagne brunch fundraiser, records show.

Gloria also reported two payments from For All of Us, the nonprofit entity he set up when he was first elected mayor. The reports show $1,500 from that entity was sent to San Diego Pride, and $4,500 went to the San Diego Economic Development Corp.

Solicitations on behalf of the mayor’s charity have dropped significantly since The San Diego Union-Tribune disclosed the formation of the organization in 2023.

Gloria reported more than $300,000 in behested payments last year. He also was fined $10,500 by the San Diego Ethics Commission for failing to properly comply with reporting requirements.

Behested payments are an often overlooked benefit enjoyed by elected officials across California. They are completely legal donations to specific causes favored by public officials — so long as they are disclosed.

Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer reported millions of dollars in solicitations, much of it to benefit a charity he set up to direct support his office. The One San Diego entity was shut down soon after he vacated the Mayor’s Office.