SAN DIEGO -- Councilmember Todd Gloria today was unanimously elected president of the San Diego City Council, as the city celebrated the inauguration of Mayor Bob Filner.

Gloria, who is openly gay, represents District 3 that includes the LGBT-dominated areas of Hillcrest and North Park. The redrawing of council districts also means that Gloria represents Downtown.

Friends,

[Monday night], the City Council approved plans to restore pedestrian-only access through the heart of Balboa Park.

There is no place that ignites the passions of San Diegans like Balboa Park, and the plans to remove cars from the park stirred controversy to new levels. I am grateful that our City is home to a place of such importance – historically, civically, and personally. The vote I cast to approve the Plaza de Panama project reflects my respect and appreciation for what is known as the jewel of our City.

Smoking in apartments and condos in the city of San Diego could be banned if a proposed ordinance becomes official.

The proposal, which was recently reviewed in a City Council committee, would give non-smoking tenants the power to make their living environments smoke-free. Right now, landlords have the choice to designate their rental properties smoke-free under a state law that was enacted Jan. 1.

SAN DIEGO -- Mayor Jerry Sanders applauded the City Council’s 6-2 vote on Tuesday to create the Convention Center Financing District, a critical step toward expanding the city’s waterfront Convention Center.

The formation of the financing district allows a vote to proceed this spring in which hoteliers will decide if they want to tax their guests, with the proceeds of that assessment being used to pay a large share of the debt service for the construction bonds. The tax must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the city’s hoteliers.