Larry Turner, left, and Todd Gloria, right, compete for the city’s top job. Source: Campaign Websites

ANALYSIS: Did San Diego mayoral candidates tackle issues San Diego City College values most?

In their second debate Todd Gloria, Larry Turner lay out their priorities if elected

Jordan Bell, Luke Bradbury, and Daniela Luna

October 29, 2024

San Diego mayoral incumbent Todd Gloria faced off against challenger Larry Turner in a fierce debate hosted by KPBS on Thursday, Oct. 3 ahead of the Nov. 5 election.

In the second of the two scheduled debates, KPBS moderators focused on issues of housing and homelessness, the city’s economy, and public safety.

Housing and homelessness are chief among the issues plaguing the minds of City College Community Agenda respondents with 62.4% citing it as their lead concern going into Election Day.

On these issues, Gloria looks to use his next term to further the development of shelters and housing, as well as fleshing out mental health reform aimed to address the homelessness crisis in San Diego.

Turner, a Marine Corps veteran and San Diego police officer, hopes to facilitate enough beds in safe camping spots in order to accommodate anyone who needs them.

On issues related to the economy, another area of high concern for respondents of the City College Community Agenda, the candidates offered differing stances on Measure E which proposes raising the local sales tax by 1%.

Turner criticized the measure, arguing that it would be a heavy burden on citizens facing financial hardships.

“Everybody will tell you –every specialist is – the poorest among us are the ones that suffer with an increase in sales tax,” Turner said.

Gloria said the sales tax will aid in offsetting the city’s infrastructure deficit of $9.3 billion over the next five years.

City Times Media listened to the debate in order to identify statements from both candidates that described their plans and policies should they be elected. Below, CTM has organized these statements in accordance to the issues raised in the City College Community Agenda.

CTM did not include statements made by the candidates that were not directly related to their plans, focusing on exactly what each both candidates sought to accomplish.

The City College Community Agenda is an ongoing survey of City community members, in both English and Spanish, asking what issues and questions they want candidates to address as they compete for their votes. If you have not submitted your issues and questions to the survey, please do so today.

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Economy and Taxes

Marie Lindsey, Knight’s Table administrative assistant, restocks shelves with snacks available for students at City College’s food pantry Tuesday, March 14, 2023. Photo by Sven Domingos/City Times Media

A man, who gave his name as Russell, works on fixing a phone across the street from the future site of City College’s 800-student affordable housing complex, Tuesday, Oct. 15. Photo by Danny Straus/City Times Media

Housing and Homelessness

Gloria:

“Our data shows that over 80% of the folks who are accessing our safe sleeping sites are accessing our homeless shelter system for the very first time. This is helping us to reach folks who we’ve never been previously able to bring in off the streets, surround them with the services to diagnose the underlying cause of their homelessness, and then help us address it.

“We have to build more housing. We have got to get people into permanent housing. My administration has been vocally and very clearly pro housing. As we build more housing, this will help the issue.”

“You’ve seen me use the responsibilities of the Office of the Mayor to go to Sacramento and get the most substantial behavioral health reforms in our state’s history in over 60 years in the care court and conservatorship reform. Passing Proposition one. Now is the time to implement it. So I want the opportunity for four more years to continue to expand our outreach, continue to expand our shelters, build more housing and implement that mental health reform so that we can get the most vulnerable off of our streets for good.”

Turner:

“I want them to stay in there for the shortest amount of time we can, until we get the beds for them. Everyone deserves a bed. This is one of the richest cities in the history of the world. This is one of the richest countries in the history of the world. It’s a very low bar to say to have a bed for every person out on the street, every San Diegan that’s suffering out there.”

“I want them to stay in (safe camping sites) for the shortest amount of time we can, until we get the beds for them. Everyone deserves a bed. This is one of the richest cities in the history of the world. This is one of the richest countries in the history of the world. It’s a very low bar to say to have a bed for every person out on the street, every San Diegan that’s suffering out there.”

A man, who gave his name as Russell, works on fixing a phone across the street from the future site of City College’s 800-student affordable housing complex, Tuesday, Oct. 15. Photo by Danny Straus/City Times Media

Transportation

The San Diego Trolley UCSD Blue Line coasts by the Central Library. The Blue Line extension connects City College with all three major universities by light rail, and connects San Ysidro directly to University Town Center in La Jolla. Photo by Philip Salata/City Times Media

Protest at County Administration Building

Criminal Justice

Protests for Black Lives Matter continue ten days after the killing of George Floyd. Protestors wore face masks as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Melisa Cabello-Cuahutle/City Times (Melisa Cabello-Cuahutle)

What about the rest of our most important issues?

College Affordability/Access

The candidates did not address this during the debate

Election Reform and Politics

The candidates did not address this during the debate

Foreign Policy

The candidates did not address this during the debate

Immigration Reform

The candidates did not address this during the debate.

Gun Control

The candidates did not address this during the debate

Healthcare and Reproductive Rights

The candidates did not address this during the debate.

Civil Rights and Inequalities

The candidates did not address this during the debate.

Climate Change and Environment

The candidates did not address this during the debate.

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