Mayor Todd Gloria Appoints Bethany Bezak as Chief Operating Officer as San Diego Council Advances Dark Money Election Reforms

Mayor Todd Gloria Appoints Bethany Bezak as Municipal Chief Operating Officer

SAN DIEGO, California — In a major administrative restructuring designed to enhance operational performance and accountability across city departments, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria announced the executive appointment of Bethany Bezak as the city’s next Chief Operating Officer (COO) in mid-October 2026. The appointment, which heads to the full City Council for formal confirmation, marks a decisive shift as Mayor Gloria returns to a traditional administrative hierarchy following a period of direct executive oversight.

Bezak, an accomplished civil engineer and veteran infrastructure administrator who previously spearheaded the city's Transportation Department and stormwater compliance programs, will oversee day-to-day operations across 40 departments and more than 11,000 municipal employees. Her immediate operational mandate focuses on modernizing internal utility billing systems, resolving public records audits, and executing capital infrastructure schedules.

City Council Rules Committee Unanimously Forwards Dark Money Campaign Reforms

Inside City Hall, the City Council’s Rules Committee voted unanimously to advance a robust package of campaign finance and government ethics reforms championed by Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera under the civic banner 'Bring San Diego Politics into the Light.' The legislative package institutes the Ending Perpetual Fundraising Ordinance, establishing strict post-election campaign fundraising cutoffs and barring elected officials from perpetual campaign finance collection.

Crucially, the statutory measures close existing disclosure loopholes governing independent expenditure committees, mandating real-time transparency for digital political advertisements, barring shadow candidate committees, and ensuring voters know the precise identities of political donors before casting their ballots.

Council Evaluates Safe Sleeping Site Operations and Housing Transition Pathways

Addressing regional homelessness, the City Council reviewed quarterly performance data from municipal safe sleeping sites, directing the San Diego Housing Commission to bolster on-site behavioral health clinics, substance treatment navigators, and rapid housing vouchers. Council members stressed that while safe sleeping sites provide essential transitional shelter, delivering permanent supportive housing remains the city's ultimate priority.