Morning Report: An Unexpected Year in South Bay Politics

Pick a narrative from America’s politics-obsessed national conversation, and most likely South County will disprove it, writes our South County reporter Jim Hinch. 

A Southern California native who grew up in Orange County, Hinch delights us with an honest review of the ways South Bay San Diego surprised him during his first year on the beat.

“This place is so diverse – demographically, geographically, economically and culturally – that it is a kind of world unto itself. And like any world, it is too big and complicated to reduce to political cliches,” he says.

For example, the U.S.-Mexico border defines the region culturally, economically and geographically. But local political leaders almost never talk about it. When the Chula Vista City Council enhanced protections for immigrants and further limited police cooperation with federal officials, only two residents spoke during public comment.

In Vista, a city 50 miles north of the border, the same issue drew more than 500 people for the debate.

And while Democrats outnumber Republicans two to one in South County, not one of its cities are led by a Democratic mayor. 

“Democrats sometimes grumble to me about their current lack of mayoral power in South County. But I have noticed that South County Democrats often act like Republicans,” Hinch writes.

South Bay residents want politicians to pave the streets, improve the parks, make things cheaper and neighborhoods safer.

Are those Democratic issues? Republican issues? South County voters don’t seem to care, Hinch says. 

Read the full story here. 

What Else We Learned This Year: It’s our 20th year on the planet as a non-profit news organization. And some of our journalists reflected back on the revelations of their reporting. 

Education reporter Jakob McWhinney dutifully tracked how student enrollment crashed as San Diegans had fewer children and the cost of pretty much everything a family buys increased. 

Environment reporter MacKenzie Elmer watched local politicians walk back promises to do something about climate change as budgets tightened.

North County reporter Tigist Layne showed how previously development-resistant coastal cities stopped blatantly defying state housing laws. Instead they’re quietly supporting a statewide ballot measure to take back local control over land use decisions.

Check out a rundown of our top 10 most-read stories this year.

In Other News

• San Diego County has new leadership in its elections office, the $1.9 billion behavioral health services office and its technology office. (Union-Tribune)
• While national home prices rise, San Diego’s dropped for a fifth consecutive month. (Union-Tribune)
• Family of a San Diego man killed by a fallen tree branch is suing the city of San Diego. (CBS 8) A eucalyptus branch fell and killed a child over the summer and his family is also suing the city. (Voice of San Diego)
• Here’s 70 free things to do in San Diego County, compiled by the Union-Tribune. 

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