COMMON GOOD SD
COMMONSENSE POLICIES FOR THE
GOOD OF SAN DIEGO
COMMON GOOD SD
COMMONSENSE POLICIES FOR THE
GOOD OF SAN DIEGO
BETTER POLICIES FOR A BETTER SAN DIEGO.
COMMON GOOD SD
THE MISSION OF COMMON GOOD SD IS TO UNITE SAN DIEGANS AROUND A COMMONSENSE SET OF POLICIES FOR THE GOOD OF SAN DIEGO.
RICHARD BAILEY IS THE FORMER MAYOR OF CORONADO AND A LOCAL SAN DIEGO BUSINESS OWNER. TO CREATE THE SET OF COMMON GOOD SD POLICIES, RICHARD RELIED ON HIS EXPERIENCE TO IDENTIFY THE PRIMARY PURPOSES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE BEST POLICIES FOR ACHEIVING THOSE PURPOSES.
WHEN CITY HALL FOCUSES ON BETTER POLICIES, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THRIVE AND "AMERICA'S FINEST CITY" STOPS BEING A SLOGAN AND STARTS BEING A STANDARD.
REFOCUS ON CORE CITY RESPONSIBILITIES.
Governance Problem
Governance Solution
Governance Solution
The City brought in a record $2 billion in tax revenue last year yet still ran a record deficit. To cover the gap, City Hall raided one-time funds, nearly doubled trash fees, hiked parking rates citywide, and is now charging for parking at Balboa Park, the Zoo, and soon, the beaches.
Residents are paying more and getting less because City Hall has lost focus on core responsibilities like safety, infrastructure, and clean public spaces.
Meanwhile, the City Council keeps handing more power to unelected staff, cutting the public out of key decisions.
Balancing the budget with temporary fixes and avoiding public input is not leadership, it’s bad governance.
Governance Solution
Governance Solution
Governance Solution
A well-run city lives within its means, balancing the budget without new fees or one-time gimmicks.
Responsible leadership prioritizes core city services like public safety, infrastructure, and clean public spaces.
Residents deserve a city that delivers more, not one that charges more and performs less.
Good governance means transparency, accountability, and public participation where residents have a voice and elected leaders make the big decisions in full view of the public.
Balancing the budget through focused discipline and engaging the public in decision-making, that’s leadership, and that’s good governance.
Budget Problem - $610M
Budget Problem - $610M
Budget Problem - $610M
San Diego took in a record $2.1 billion in revenue during last fiscal year but the operating deficit grew to approx. $250M.
However, the city is deferring maintenance on streets and facilities while failing to fund reserves to an appropriate level bringing the true spending gap to $610M annually. According to the City's own data, performance is falling in nearly every department despite the record spending and staffing levels.
San Diegans are getting less while paying more.
Budget Solution
Budget Problem - $610M
Budget Problem - $610M
The city does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem.
The city must go to zero-based budgeting, restructure City Hall to focus on core city services, implement managed competition to bid out services like trash collection, audit and reform the homeless services model, and make infrastructure funding a formulaic decision, not a political one.
These reforms would close the $610M gap while funding core city services and infrastructure.
Public Safety Problem - 33 min
Public Safety Problem - 33 min
Public Safety Problem - 33 min
The total number of police officers today is lower than it was in 1999. Meanwhile, the homeless population increased by 25% despite spending $200M+ from 2021-2025 and is responsible for about 50% of all emergency calls. This combination has resulted in an average police response time of 33 min+ for priority 1 calls.
Public Safety Solution
Public Safety Problem - 33 min
Public Safety Problem - 33 min
The Police Department must hire 300 additional officers, restructure it's organization so more officers are available for patrol, and reform approach to engaging with homeless so criminals are held accountable and resources are better deployed to protect the general public with response times that achieve department goals.
Housing Problem - 6%
Housing Problem - 6%
Housing Problem - 6%
From 2018–2024, 74% of new housing permits in San Diego were for 5+ unit buildings, mostly studios and 1BR, and many built with no parking. Only 6% were single-family homes, leaving families with few housing options and neighborhoods without balanced growth.
Housing Solution
Housing Problem - 6%
Housing Problem - 6%
Focus on balanced growth that respects neighborhood character, prioritizes family-sized homes, and enforces minimum parking standards.
Advocate for local control in zoning decisions.
Transportation Problem - 34%
Transportation Problem - 34%
Transportation Problem - 34%
Of the 6,600 miles of streets maintained by the City of San Diego, 34% are rated as “poor” or worse due to underfunding street maintenance by $120M annually. Streetlights now take electricians 500+ days to fix.
Transportation Solution
Transportation Problem - 34%
Transportation Problem - 34%
Establish dedicated funding formula for street repair and maintenance to close the $120 million annual shortfall and end the cycle of neglect. Use performance-based contracts that pay electricians and repair crews based on results, not hours worked—so streetlights are fixed in days, not years.
Infrastructure Problem - 500+
Infrastructure Problem - 500+
Infrastructure Problem - 500+
Basic infrastructure needs are being underfunded or deferred altogether. From facilities including park restrooms, to sidewalks, and storm drains, the city is not prioritizing basic infrastructure investments. Streetlights now take electricians 500+ days to fix.
Infrastructure Solution
Infrastructure Problem - 500+
Infrastructure Problem - 500+
Adopt performance-based contracts with clear Service Level Agreements. For example, requiring that streetlights be repaired within 7 days of being reported Streamline internal processes to cut red tape and empower frontline crews to act immediately instead of waiting months for approvals.
Public Spaces Problem - 184%
Public Spaces Problem - 184%
Public Spaces Problem - 184%
In effort to close the budget deficit, the City of San Diego increased the permitting fees for adult leagues by as high as 184%. Meanwhile, many of the public facilities are dirty, unsafe, and in a state of disrepair.
Public Spaces Solution
Public Spaces Problem - 184%
Public Spaces Problem - 184%
Establish a dedicated maintenance fund for parks and recreation facilities so user fees actually go toward cleaning, safety, and repairs.
Implement performance-based maintenance contracts that reward crews for keeping fields, restrooms, and playgrounds in top condition.
Permit fees should be rolled back to provide greater access to public spaces.
Anti-Business Problem
Anti-Business Problem
Anti-Business Problem
The City is making doing business in San Diego even harder with long permitting times, increasing costs for compliance, arbitrarily higher wages, and a hostile relationship to the business community.
Pro-Business Solution
Anti-Business Problem
Anti-Business Problem
The City's role in fostering a healthy business environment is to provide the basic infrastructure, maintain clean and safe public spaces, and stop imposing burdensome policies that make doing business more costly.
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