Antonio Martinez is running for San Diego City Council District 8 for the third time, as the San Ysidro School District, where he has served on the Governing Board for nearly 14 years, faces significant financial problems.
Martinez has been a member of the school board since December 2012. He advanced to the November 3 general election, where he will face Gerardo Ramirez, chief of staff to outgoing District 8 Councilmember Vivian Moreno.
The campaign marks Martinez’s third attempt to represent District 8. He lost the 2018 election by 549 votes and was defeated by Moreno in 2022.
A School District Under Fiscal Pressure
The San Ysidro School District was classified as being at high risk of fiscal insolvency in a March 2026 report by the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT).
The report examined the district’s financial condition and found that it had received a negative certification for its 2025-26 first interim budget. For 2024-25, the district’s unrestricted operating deficit reached nearly $3 million, compared with a $1.6 million deficit projected only months earlier.
FCMAT identified several factors behind the district’s financial situation, including declining enrollment, increasing salary and benefit costs, the use of one-time funding for ongoing expenses, and decisions involving collective bargaining agreements.
The report also noted that the school board approved a collective bargaining agreement without certification from the acting superintendent and chief business official that the agreement was financially affordable over its full term.
Martinez’s Tenure on the Board
Martinez has been part of the Governing Board throughout the period covered by the fiscal report.
The FCMAT review also identified issues involving internal controls, position control, payroll, financial projections and cash-flow management.
The district’s financial difficulties therefore form part of the record surrounding Martinez’s nearly 14 years on its governing board as he now seeks a seat on the San Diego City Council.
The November election will determine who represents District 8, with Martinez and Ramirez competing for the seat.
