One week out: Special election to fill county supervisor vacancy looms

State of play: The policy stakes between Democratic Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre and Republican Chula Vista Mayor John McCann have come into sharp focus in the six months since Supervisor Nora Vargas' resignation.

• Multiple proposals currently face a partisan split, including one to unleash budget reserves to prevent spending cuts and another to pursue a county tax measure.

Friction point: Escalating federal immigration enforcement in San Diego and across California has also emerged as a major issue.

• Aguirre in January told Voice of San Diego a proposal to further limit county involvement in federal deportation was a "mistake" but told KPBS this month she supports it.
• McCann did not respond to a Union-Tribune reporter's questions about an ICE raid in South Park but said in a debate last week the raids were "not good" and enforcement should be targeted at drug lords, not dishwashers.

Zoom in: Since the primary, McCann's campaign has faced scrutiny for a 2021 letter he wrote to President Trump supporting clemency for a South Bay businesswoman who was in jail for fraud, Inewsource reported.

• After her release, the woman donated to McCann's 2022 mayoral campaign — and was separately convicted in a second fraud scheme.

The other side: McCann's campaign has hit Aguirre for her $2,600 unpaid county property tax bill and another $7,000 in debts that creditors have sued her for. She agreed to a county repayment plan after the attacks began.

The bottom line: Last week's debate largely focused on the county's budget outlook, with McCann emphasizing that spending is forecast to exceed revenue in the coming years.

• Aguirre argued that she does not support a tax increase, though in March she was not as resolute, as the Union-Tribune reported.

What's next: Ballots hit District 1 mailboxes at the beginning of the month, and can be returned by mail or drop box through Tuesday, July 1.