Less than six months into the job, Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee says he hates politics and “the toxicity of City Hall” so much that he considered quitting.
At this week’s City Council meeting, Lee, a Hollywood entertainer who handily won his first elected position representing the District 6 in November, launched into a surprising diatribe about the difficulties and frustrations of holding public office.
His comments came at the same meeting where the council passed, without comment, its latest response to the 2023-24 San Joaquin County Civil Grand Jury report, which delves into what it says are ingrained troubles at City Hall.
Lee never mentioned the report, and his remarks did not appear to have been connected to it. He began by saying he was traveling in Mexico when he was recognized by a woman for his role in city government. She asked him how he liked it. Lee’s reply: “I’ll be honest with you. I’m not enjoying the experience.”
He added that his feelings are not because he doesn’t believe in the work, in the city or the people.
Rather, it is because “I don’t believe in politics. I don’t like politics.” In particular, he takes issue with City Hall.
“This is the most toxic experience I’ve ever had in my entire life,” Lee said, adding that he has endured “a lot of trauma” in his life, but “this building is extremely toxic. It’s very high school.”
He said staff needs to be held accountable to change the culture.
That culture is at the heart of the critical Grand Jury report sent to the city a year ago. In fact, it uses some of the same terminology invoked by Lee.
“City employees have lost confidence in the City Council’s ability to ensure a non-toxic and non-threatening working environment,” the report states. It points to “ongoing bullying and intimidation from individuals connected” with a social media platform, the 209 Times.
The Grand Jury made a series of recommendations, from adopting rules for city employees who receive threatening communications to reestablishing trust in the city’s ethics hotline.
In their latest reply, city officials said they are making progress on the report’s key points.