Richard Bailey
@RichardPBailey_ โข 4,821 subscribers
53rd Mayor, City of Coronado ๐๐ผโโ๏ธ๐๐ผโโ๏ธ๐ด๐ผโฐ
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The City of San Diego issued 12K tickets totaling $1.3M to unsuspecting drivers for parking within 20โ of an intersection - even if the curbs are unmarked. Although Californiaโs daylighting law applies statewide, cities have discretion on whether to issue citations before or after curbs are painted red. San Diego is issuing tickets regardless of the curb is red or not. If this was truly about improved sight lines and pedestrian safety, San Diego would paint the curbs red before issuing tickets.
Richard Bailey100,268 Aufrufe โข vor 10 Monaten
In 2025, the City of San Diego spent $7M to clear tent encampments. However, since the city rarely issues citations or makes arrests for violations, there is little accountability for violating the law so encampments come right back - often within hours of being cleared. The result is that some city blocks were cleared over 100 times last year. The sad reality is that, according to the State of Californiaโs 2023 study on homelessness, most of the chronically homeless are suffering from addiction. Without meaningful consequences for their actions, itโs unlikely theyโll ever get help on their own. Allowing tent encampments is not compassionate to those living on the streets and itโs not fair to the rest of the general public who deserve clean and safe public spaces.
Richard Bailey23,745 Aufrufe โข vor 1 Monat
How to close San Diegoโs $610 million spending gap without cutting services, raising taxes, or nickel-and-diming residents: Return staffing to 2015 levels (population is basically the same) โ $220M 12% productivity gain from software/systems since 2015 โ $95M Right-size staffing โ pension contribution savings โ $130M Completely reform the homeless services model thatโs been enabling the problem โ $35M Use managed competition for all city services (trash, parks, etc.) โ $50M Reduce firefighter & police overtime through staffing, policy & priority call reforms โ $25M Optimize real estate (sell/repurpose 101 Ash St + consolidate empty offices) โ $25M Shift misdemeanor prosecutions to the DAโs office like every other city in the county โ $20M Total = $600M+
Richard Bailey49,931 Aufrufe โข vor 5 Monaten
Two restrooms, two different standards. Both restrooms are owned by the city and both restrooms are open to the public. But one restroom is maintained by the city while the other restroom is maintained by a private company. Can you guess which one is maintained by the city?
Richard Bailey23,142 Aufrufe โข vor 2 Monaten
How much does the City of San Diego spend on pensions? It turns out, itโs a lot. A new forecast from the city just predicted the annual pension contribution will be $410M - 20% of the Cityโs entire general fund budget. That means approx 20 cents for every dollar of general fund taxes, will go to pay retirement costs. According to the city report, the combination of record high staffing and generous pay increases is causing this large increase. Itโs not the fault of city employees for accepting a generous pay package, but it is the fault of city leaders making unsustainable management decisions, especially while city performance decreases. Without a major organizational restructuring, the City will likely be forced to dip into GF reserves in FY 2027 and be out of money by FY 2028.
Richard Bailey32,293 Aufrufe โข vor 5 Monaten
The new paid parking at Balboa Park starts today and is expected to generate barely 1/10th of 1% of the City of San Diego's entire budget for FY 2026. Although most San Diegans do not regularly visit Balboa Park, the vast majority are opposed to paid parking as it represents the latest example of a mismanaged City that is out of touch with the people it represents.
Richard Bailey27,275 Aufrufe โข vor 6 Monaten
A few days ago, a bartender at Moeโs Steakhouse in Mission Beach was stabbed 7 times and nearly killed by a repeat criminal that was supposed to be in prison until 2027 but had been released 18 months early due to Californiaโs Proposition 57. Despite a lengthy rap sheet, the alleged attacker served just half of a 3 year prison sentence. According to the state of California, nearly 2/3 of all convicts are arrested again within 3 years of release but just 17% actually return back to prison.
Richard Bailey38,292 Aufrufe โข vor 9 Monaten
The City of SD just released its latest budget numbers andโฆ.it isnโt looking good. Despite all of the new fee increases, the City just posted a $23M deficit for Q1. The latest report confirms, the City does not have a revenue problem, it continues to have a spending and management problem that can only be solved through organizational reforms and a renewed focus on prioritizing the Cityโs core responsibilities.
Richard Bailey29,140 Aufrufe โข vor 6 Monaten
Iโm excited to share that Iโm planning to run for San Diego City Council ๐ Campaigns are a team sport and I need your help ๐ค If you want to see a nonpartisan, commonsense, back to basics approach to local government then please visit to sign up and pledge your support. If we get enough support, weโll launch our campaign in a few days to make a difference for San Diego!
Richard Bailey20,770 Aufrufe โข vor 4 Monaten
The City of san Diego only has about $200M in GF reserves which is enough to fund just five weeks of city operations. Despite record high tax revenue of $2.1 billion last fiscal year, the city failed to put any additional funds in the reserves which leaves the city increasingly vulnerable to unforeseen revenue decreases and expense increases. In 2019, the City had about 19% of annual revenues in reserves but that number has now dropped to 11% - below the City established policy of 16.7%. The City has some one-time funds it can tap before using reserves, but at the current burn rate, the city is likely to be completely out of money within just 18-24 months.
Richard Bailey19,100 Aufrufe โข vor 5 Monaten
$10/HR ๐ ฟ๏ธ downtown for Padres games starts today for all of usโฆ.except SD city staff. City Hallโs message to downtown workers and visitors is to โtake transit.โ But the city doesnโt tell its own staff to take transit. Instead the city actually uses your tax dollars to subsidize city employee parking downtown near city hall. In 2015, the City Council approved a parking contract that uses general fund revenue to subsidize city employee parking in downtown lots near city hall leaving employees paying just $2/day or less than $0.25/HR. The contract is still in effect and costs taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. New parking meter revenue will free up general funds to continue subsidizing parking for city staff while all of us pick up the tab to help close the cityโs $250M deficit.
Richard Bailey31,048 Aufrufe โข vor 10 Monaten
Does San Diego have a revenue problem or a spending problem? Last year the city took in record tax revenue of nearly $2.1B. But spending, fueled by excessive staffing increases, is rising even faster which created the $240M structural deficit. Even with the record spending and staffing, the cityโs own metrics show that performance for core city responsibilities is worse now than before. Taxpayers are paying more for less.
Richard Bailey30,501 Aufrufe โข vor 10 Monaten
An โaffordable housingโ project at San Diego City College is costing taxpayers $900K+ per unit while nearby market-rate developments cost just $350-$450K per unit. This is the latest in a series of โaffordable housingโ projects built by government agencies, at taxpayer expense, that are costing taxpayers 2X what higher quality units cost to build. To learn why affordable housing projects costs more to build than market rate projects, follow along.
Richard Bailey20,314 Aufrufe โข vor 7 Monaten
The City of SD approved a $2.8M contract for extended tram service and an on-demand shuttle for Balboa Park visitors, volunteers, and workers. The service is meant to transport visitors parking further away from their destination because of the new parking fees. The City is funding the two year, $2.8M contract using the same Balboa Park parking fees that are causing visitors to park further away.
Richard Bailey15,039 Aufrufe โข vor 6 Monaten
The City of San Diego just passed a $25/hr minimum wage for some hotels, Sea World and Petco Park, but not for city workers. According to the City Council, employees at these businesses deserve a โliving wage,โ but what about workers at the other businesses? What about the workers at City Hall? The City acknowledged they canโt expand this to workers at City Hall because itโs too expensive. If the City is unwilling to subject themselves to their own policy, maybe itโs just bad policy.
Richard Bailey17,718 Aufrufe โข vor 9 Monaten
Another new tax is being proposed by the City of San Diego. This time the City is considering an annual $5K per bedroom tax on Airbnbs in addition to the 11.75-13.75% tax on revenue they already pay. The $5K per bedroom tax would also apply to second homes. Proponents say Airbnbs reduce longterm rental availability and drive up housing costs. However, the same Councilmember that is supporting this new tax, voted in 2022 for the existing regulatory structure that allows 1% of the housing stock to be rented on a short-term basis. Today, just 0.85% of housing stock in the City of San Diego are short-term rentals which is less than the current cap. If policymakers really wanted to force Airbnbs to convert to longterm rentals, they could simply amend the existing ordinance and lower the allowed cap on Airbnbs. By passing a new tax, instead of amending their current ordinance, this proposal seems less like a play for more housing and more like another money grab to bail out a city struggling to balance its budget.
Richard Bailey16,005 Aufrufe โข vor 8 Monaten
The City of San Diego is now planning to charge hotels $15K per space for valet parking in downtown. Up from just $600 annually, a city rules committee just approved the increase to $15K. The full city council will vote on the issue soon. Charging hotels the full โlost revenueโ of a parking space, as if it were fully occupied 365 days per year 24/HRs per day might seem like it makes senseโฆafter all why shouldnโt hotels pay that? Three reasons: 1) parking fees were never meant to balance the budget - theyโre meant to cover the nominal maintenance costs and generate turnover to provide greater access to areas. 2) the spaces would not be used 365/24 if they were freed up so at least some discount should be applied to the projected lost revenue of $15K. 3) the downtown hotels were designed with a valet parking plan that was already approved by the city based on the rates previously established. This is yet another policy that will make businesses think twice before investing in San Diego.
Richard Bailey15,023 Aufrufe โข vor 9 Monaten
The San Diego City Council and Mayor accepted a pay raise earlier this year despite facing a $250M+ structural deficit due to their own policies. Was the pay raise a lot? No. Does it make a material difference in the budget? No. But if elected officials are raising our fees and taxes while providing lower quality service in return, they should at least share in the cuts by declining the raise themselves. *note: video was originally published in May 2025
Richard Bailey14,122 Aufrufe โข vor 10 Monaten
The County of San Diego is quietly preparing a new tax measure for the 2026 ballot. Between the City of San Diego, County of San Diego, and SANDAG, there could several tax increases on the 2026 ballot: -City of SD sales tax -City of SD bedroom tax on airbnb and 2nd homes -County of SD sales tax -County of SD transfer tax -SANDAG sales tax Until government agencies undergo major structural reform to get back to the basics, more tax and fee increases are likely on the way.
Richard Bailey11,833 Aufrufe โข vor 8 Monaten
City fees for rec leagues like Volo Sports are increasing by nearly 200% to help the city close a $250M structural deficit. The deficit is fueled by excessive staffing which grew by 43% in the Parks and Rec department even while the cityโs population was flat. Now the city is forcing league organizers to pay for the cityโs bad financial decisions which will undoubtedly be passed onto the players.
Richard Bailey10,804 Aufrufe โข vor 10 Monaten
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