Not so steady as she goes, Mayor Faulconer

Polling data released on August 7 by Raise Up San Diego claims strong community support for an increase in the minimum wage and provision to provide workers with paid sick leave. It also indicates that mayor Kevin Faulconer could lose voter support of his broader agenda if he follows through with a promised veto of the minimum-wage law passed by the city council.

Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, headed by Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg, questioned 500 registered voters in San Diego between July 31 and August 4. The results showed 63 percent of respondents were supportive of the new ordinance, with 40 percent expressing "strong" support. Opposition was at 32 percent, with 19 strongly against the measure.

Respondents were also questioned about a potential ballot measure to overturn the council vote — 59 percent said they would not vote for such a proposition, and 33 percent said they would vote to repeal the new law.

Further, 41 percent of voters said they would be less likely to support Faulconer if he proceeds with a veto, with 25 percent saying their opinion of the mayor would not change regardless of his stance.

Faulconer has ten business days from the council's second reading of the proposed ordinance on July 29 to either sign the law or veto it, though the move would be largely symbolic, given the council's 6-3 supermajority that could override the veto.