San Diego Firefighters Union Targets Councilmember Over Station

The union claims Councilmember Henry Foster delayed a permanent fire station in Skyline Hills for too long.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Unions

Bold flat-color editorial illustration depicting an unfinished concrete building foundation with protruding steel rebar, evoking stalled municipal infrastructure projects. — San Diego Councilmember Henry Foster faces criticism from Local 145 over the multi-year delay in completing a permanent fire station in Skyline Hills. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Local 145, the union representing San Diego firefighters, is criticizing Councilmember Henry Foster over the prolonged delay of a permanent fire station in Skyline Hills. The union argues Foster failed to secure necessary funding, while the councilmember contends union officials are misinformed about the status of the project.

Why it matters

The dispute highlights political tensions surrounding infrastructure priorities in San Diego as the union has moved to endorse Martha Abraham for the District 4 seat. The ongoing lack of a permanent facility has become a focal point in the local council election.

The Skyline Hills temporary fire station has been in operation for 11 years while the permanent station project faces a $26 million funding gap. Design work for the new facility was completed in spring 2026.

The players

Henry Foster

He is a San Diego Councilmember who currently serves as the chair of the City Council budget committee.

Local 145

This is the labor union that represents firefighters working for the City of San Diego.

Martha Abraham

She is the candidate for the District 4 council seat who has received an endorsement from the firefighters union.

The details

Local 145 launched a campaign mailer and social media video targeting Henry Foster, the chair of the City Council budget committee, for the lack of progress. The city awarded an architectural design contract for the project in 2023, three years after it was first advertised in August 2020.

The temporary Skyline Hills station opened in early 2015.
The design contract for the permanent station was advertised in August 2020.
The architectural design contract was awarded in 2023.
Design work for the station was completed in spring 2026.
Public criticisms between the union and councilmember occurred in October 2026.

Political Context

This dispute marks a departure from the typical consensus-driven approach of the San Diego City Council budget committee's capital improvement prioritization process. The opposition argues that infrastructure funding should be prioritized based on emergency response needs rather than political cycles.

Residents of Skyline Hills continue to rely on a temporary facility that has been in place for over a decade. The ongoing funding dispute directly impacts when the community can expect the completion of a permanent station designed to improve local emergency service capacity.

The takeaway

Infrastructure projects often stall due to complex funding requirements that can span several years. Voters should examine the specific budgetary roles of their local representatives when evaluating campaign claims regarding delayed public projects.