San Diego Councilmember Raul Campillo believes asking hard questions and standing up for residents with “inconvenient” beliefs got him kicked off the City Council’s pivotal Land Use and Housing Committee. Campillo, who was replaced on the committee Wednesday by Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, says he’s being punished for not being a “yes” man and debating too vigorously during meetings. “Council committee assignments where controversial issues are discussed seem to be reserved for those willing to say ‘yes’ or go along with the program,” Campillo said. But simply going along with ideas presented by Mayor Todd Gloria’s staff would be a disservice to his constituents and the city, Campillo said. “Some folks might not like my prosecutorial style or my probative questions,” he said. “Too bad — that’s what many ideas and items around here clearly need.” Campillo said he was frustrated to have been told by Councilmember Kent Lee, the committee’s chair, to postpone until next year a proposal to streamline housing project approvals, and now he won’t be able to follow through. He called his delayed proposal “something that constituents and businesses and unions wanted to see, something that could reduce housing costs and something that could spur jobs in our region.” Council President Joe LaCava, who recommended Campillo be removed, said Wednesday that the move wasn’t about Campillo but was prompted by Whitburn asking to leave the Audit Committee and join Land Use and Housing. “It was a change that was requested that I thought made a lot of sense,” LaCava said. He noted that Campillo will still get a chance to discuss housing-related proposals and policies when those items come to the full City Council for a final vote after being discussed at committee. “There are multiple ways for council members to raise their voices, whether it’s objections or support or advocacy,” LaCava said. But Campillo said committees are where crucial work happens. “Committees matter because this is where real discussions and real work can happen,” he said. “Committees are where council members introduce ideas, challenge assumptions and get into the depth of what the ideas will do.” Campillo said he plans to consistently use the full eight minutes he’s allotted to discuss council agenda items any time the council debates an item forwarded by the Land Use and Housing Committee. “I will continue to ask hard questions and speak for residents whose concerns may be politically inconvenient, yet still deserve to be heard,” he said. Campillo said his goal in asking tough questions is more transparency at City Hall. “I want a more accessible and more transparent San Diego — one where ideas can be debated openly at length, not punished for being expressed,” he said. He said he has no problem with Whitburn, saying he appreciates the diligence and contributions of his colleague. The swap of Campillo for Whitburn was one of only two committee assignment changes for 2026 — the fewest in recent memory. The other change is Councilmember Henry Foster replacing Whitburn on Audit. The only other notable change is the elimination of the Select Committee on Addressing Cost of Living, a panel LaCava created last winter. He gave no explanation Wednesday why the panel, which had been led by Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, was eliminated. Leadership of every council committee will remain the same in 2026. Foster leads the Budget Committee, LaCava leads Rules, Elo-Rivera leads Environment, Marni von Wilpert leads Public Safety, Whitburn leads Active Transportation and Infrastructure, Campillo leads Economic Development, Vivian Moreno leads Audit and Jennifer Campbell leads Community and Neighborhood Services. In appointments to outside agencies, LaCava and Gloria will keep their spots on the board of the San Diego Association of Governments. The city’s four representatives on the board of the Metropolitan Transportation System will remain Gloria, Whitburn, Moreno and Elo-Rivera. ...read more read less