By Jeff McDonald / San Diego Union-Tribune / April 8, 2026
State election regulators have issued a formal warning to former Coronado mayor and current San Diego City Council candidate Richard Bailey after he failed to properly disclose personal investments in multiple stocks over three years.
The decision from the California Fair Political Practices Commission, which enforces the state Political Reform Act, came in the wake of a sworn complaint filed against Bailey.
“Your actions violated the Act by failing to timely disclose stocks on your 2020, 2021 and 2022 annual SEIs,” or statements of economic interest, the FPPC said in its March 16 decision letter to Bailey.
Regulators said Bailey was issued a warning rather than a monetary fine because he cooperated with state investigators and quickly amended the filings in question.
“The information in this matter will be retained and may be considered should an enforcement action become necessary based on newly discovered information or future conduct,” the letter added.
Bailey said the reports were filed in errors years ago, and he noted that he corrected them soon after learning of the omissions.
“At the time, I did not believe stock holdings needed to be included in the local disclosures since the local policy would not materially impact share price of multinational corporations like Google or Amazon,” he said.
“Once it was brought to my attention, based on my federal filings which did include those holdings, I promptly amended the local forms to ensure all disclosures were compliant,” he added.
California’s Form 700, the statements of economic disclosure that public officials are required to submit every year, are clear about which personal interests must be reported. Schedule A-1 is titled, “Investments: Stocks, Bonds and Other Interests.”
Bailey, who was a registered Republican for years before leaving the party in recent months, is running against six other candidates for the District 2 seat on the San Diego City Council. He was mayor of Coronado from 2016 to 2024.
No on Bailey
Fifth Column
I had to fill out statement of economic interest forms for virtually my entire pubic sector career. Sometimes I had to list everything, sometimes it was just to report “no reportable interests.” It is very clear that stocks and other investments need to be reported. I even had to disclose my wife’s clients, as I was entitled to my community property share of her income.
Not filling out the forms correctly is a big red flag for me. If he didn’t understand, that’s bad. If he understood and just didn’t disclose, that’s also bad.
Bailey: “I did not believe stock holdings needed to be included” on a form titled “Stocks, Bonds and Other Interests.”
Being able to complete a form should be a basic requirement for a local representative.
No on Bailey.
No on cheats.
He’s as trustworthy as Trump
Very similar behavior as Donald Trump. Entitled lifelong politicians who think the rules don’t apply to them.
I am thoroughly disappointed in these comments and particularly in the comparisons to Trump. He filed the forms correctly with the Feds which is how CA even learned about the error. Then, because he cooperated and immediately rectified the filing, the complaint was dismissed. None of you have made an error with a government filing? Did the omission harm anyone? Seriously this rag has it in for him. So much for unbiased, fair reporting.
Yea, we’re biased when a candidate has a big fat (R) surrounding their name & ideology.
I agree with you completely, Carol. Do we even know what holdings Todd has? Oh, but he’s democrat so let’s give him a pass. The bias of this platform is showing again.
Let’s keep it local and try to fix the mess the 100% democrat city hall has created. Or this city will be in bankruptcy come November. But again, that may not be as important as party for you diehards? Good luck!
OB Rag has never claimed to be unbiased. It very much as (and always has) touted itself as a progressive leaning blog.
Is this the same Carol Richter who, along with her husband, gave $1M to the Lincoln Club? It’s so weird how the only people chiming in to support Trump loving Richard Bailey are Republicans! It’s almost like they’re just trying to decieve everyone in D2 about who he really is! We don’t want a MAGA carpetbagger leading D2 and I can’t wait for him to lose.
Yes. We were new to the political financing system and received poor advice about the Lincoln Club. The funds went to Larry Turner’s campaign. I’ve been an independent for decades and did not vote for T. But I won’t be voting for Kamala or Newsom.
You must believe this guy who voted for trump twice is an Independent (like yourself?). I think he has only one skill… Misdirection through social media.
Spot on.
Not true. He was reported by a citizen of coronado who noticed his filing was incomplete. Thats the value of open access to the e-files.
Bailey has several issues with financial reporting spanning over three years. Not an “honest mistake”. Check out richardbaileyforsandiego.com, a parody site that tells you who he really is. Coronado hates him.
Bailey’s ethics lapses show he’s unfit for council. If he truly believes he can “make a difference” in local governance finances, why settle for a district seat? Run for mayor—if he has the experience and vision he claims. Instead, this looks like a calculated stepping stone from Coronado, complete with a fresh “no party preference” label and recent move to Point Loma. San Diego deserves better than opportunistic half-measures and disclosure dodges.
So “politics over policy” is the preferred approach here. How has that been working for you?
So “expediency over honesty” is the preferred approach where you come from. How has *that* been working for you?
D2 knows a carpetbagging MAGA when it sees one. Richard is doomed.
What if Bailey had a total turnaround after going to a sweat lodge, taking schrooms and then denouncing Trump, ICE and MAGA?
Carol, the problems with our current situation are due to Todd Gloria’s corrupt practices and his devotion to his developer friends who give him money. Second, Jennifer Campbell is non-existent in representing our community and is just a rubber stamp for whatever Todd wants.
How about a Democrat who has been fighting and speaking out for our community for over 6 years? How about a Democrat who is not “beholden” to developers? How about a Democrat who supports the 30-foot height limit? That would be Mandy Havlik.
Mandy has been living in our District and representing our district for several years (not months like Bailey).
Mandy is the 1st Vice Chair of the Peninsula Community Planning Board. She is involved with the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Advisory Group. She has led the fight against Midway Rising and the 30-foot height limit. She has brought e-bike training to our local schools. When COVID hit she worked with the Mayor’s office to turn one of our local schools into a food distribution hub. She is currently working on a proposition to increase the TOT taxes paid by hotel guests to help fund the city’s budget problems. And she in not beholden to either developers or the Lincoln Club. She regularly attends City Council meeting to speak and to represent our community. She will rein in ADUs and STVRs and prioritize affordable housing with parking. She supports responsible development with necessary infrastructure upgrades. Mandy is a Democrat who will seek changes to the current City Hall problems, not politics as usual.
I Am well aware of Mandy and her volunteer work and appreciative of her efforts. However she has no educational background or work experience to qualify her to be on the city council of the 8th largest city in the country. We’ve had too many unqualified people on the council for years. I can also promise you that Richard will not be beholden to any party, person, union or developer. None. I’m going to make this my last comment as this group is just too political and judgemental. Agree to disagree.
I agree with Carol. While I appreciate Mandy’s community work, what business experience does she have? We have an exploding deficit and are on the brink of bankruptcy and Mandy’s simple answer counter this financial peril is increase hotel tax?
What about cutting the city staffing bloat? What about pausing salary increases? What about dealing with the powerful MEA union?
I share Carol’s view that being the 8th largest city in our country, we must put party politics aside and fine out who is going to right the financial ship which is Richard’s strength.
For the record, Richard has been a small business owner specializing in watercraft rentals in Mission Beach. Richard also enjoys beach volleyball. So to label him a carpetbagger is not justified since he has a connections to the District.
But I too will cease writing anything further here since whatever we say that does not support the Democrat party is ostracized. Good luck and may the most qualified person win.
Nicole Crosby is the qualified candidate hands down. And the city is not on the brink of bankruptcy; every city is struggling with TRUMP and Doge slashing everything for their billionaire friends’ tax cuts. Bailey is a clown.
Mayor Todd Gloria and City Union backed District 2 Candidate Nicole Crosby is working for herself and the Unions. Nicole Crosby’s legal qualifications are putting us on the brink of bankruptcy. These City cost increases have NOTHING to do with President Trump. We are failing locally all by ourselves.
FYI on Nicole Crosby’s Candidate Statement and phrasing from her website.
“She spent ten years on her union’s negotiating team securing fair contracts for her colleagues.”
“As a longtime union member, Nicole has negotiated employment contracts during lean budget years like those facing the city today.”
See Transparent California.
From 2021 to 2022, as part of the DCAA REO union negotiating team Nicole Crosby’s total pay and benefits increased by +$108,421, a +52% rise in one year, for the same job title of Deputy City Attorney. The same year in 2022 she ran for City Council District 6 and left the race early.
In 5 years, from 2019 to 2024, Nicole Crosby’s employee compensation more than doubled, with Total Pay and Benefits increasing +$220,568.61 or +132%. To $388,000 in 2024. There is no info yet for 2025.
According to the City’s Compensation Reports, in 4 years from 2020 to 2024, the City Attorney Department had an increase of +94 employee positions or +22.3%. For what?
The City’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports (ACFR) document that in 5 years from 2020 to 2025 the City Attorney Department’s Expenses Increased +$28.4 million or +46%.
With City Attorney Department Salary and Wages Increasing +$21.2 million or +60% in 5 years.
The City of San Diego is broke and our neighborhoods are suffering from the generous pay and pension increases gifted by our Strong Mayor Todd Gloria, and his weak City Council. With self-serving raises negotiated by Nicole Crosby.
snowflakes.
Snowflakes? That’s rich coming from someone who continues to want to mask their posts with ‘D2 stays blue’? Ha! That a good one.
I don’t think you know what “snowflake” means Lisa but your constant melting down about people being mean to a carpetbagging MAGA Trump Republican trying to represent this district is why I called you one. Also you keep saying he’s going to do all these things but the math of the council continues to be a fact that doesn’t care about your feelings. Richard Bailey doesn’t care about this district, will in no way be able to force the 8 dems on council to do what he wants, will definitely isolate the district from representation on committees as he will never be a chair and will ensure that D2 goes to the back of the line for all funding requests, all while Baileuy prepares to run for Mayor. This guy is why people hate career politicans and I can’t wait for him to lose just like Lori Zapf, Bonnie Dumanis and Kevin Faulconer.
I hope you realize that making small changes to the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) wording in the Municipal Code would bring in $125 million more annually. BIG DEAL. Plus the San Diego County Lodging Association and Online Travel Company (OTC) Booking . com is on board with the Ballot Measure to keep our existing TOT in San Diego instead of gifting our money away to out of state and international Online Travel Company (OTC).
In 9 years the up to 3.25% Convention Center Expansion TOT tax from Measure C will cease to be collected, unless an unneeded +$1 BILLION Convention Center Expansion starts construction. Otherwise, the 3.25% TOT goes away. Mandy’s simple answer to stop the financial peril of losing the existing $77 million Measure C TOT and an additional $50 million with a 4% Replacement TOT will actually solve the City of San Diego’s structural budget deficit. On the backs of visitors, not taxpaying San Diegans.
Imagine the annual +$250 million in TOT if both ballot measure are approved by voters in November 2026.
With the 4% TOT as a Special Tax with 1% for Homeless; 1% for Infrastructure including new Ocean Beach and Mission Beach Lifeguard Stations; 1% for penny for the Arts, Library, and a Balboa Park Conservancy; and 1% for Convention Center Improvements.
As Albert Einstein said: Keep it as simple as possible, but no simpler.
Somehow, according to both of you Bailey apologists Lisa and Carol: inexperience disqualifies Mandy Havlik from assuming office? What kind of backward-ass backhanded BS is that?
What experience did Susan Golding have? What experience did Lori Zapf have? What experience did Kevin Faulconer have? What experience did Bailey have?
For that matter, in all fairness:
What experience did Donna Frye have? What experience did Maureen O’Connor have?
What experience did anyone ever elected have, regardless of political party?
What a BS excuse. If Bailey cannot be reasonably expected to be competent enough (or let’s be real, honest enough) to accurately fill out simple campaign forms then he seems either incompetent, dishonest or just plain unqualified for the job for himself.
Richard Bailey is beholden to the gun lobby and Corporate interests and was the biggest Trump MAGA Coronado has ever seen. He’s not “non-partisan” and was on the central committee with Amy Reichart and those MAGA types until March of this year when he changed to independent. During his tenure Republicans dropped from 50% to only 36% Republican. He ran them off because he was so MAGA and now pretends to be an independent. Carol, you obviously have been hoodwinked.
Go to your room.
Hi Carol:
Usually I would agree with you. I am a registered Civil Engineer with a Masters and I value education.
However, Mandy Havlik is whip-smart and a Singular human being. She gets it. She graduated high school early at 15, with a college scholarship in Arizona. Due to her forced child marriage she did not get the opportunity to go to college. Please do not hold her lack of formal education against her. She reads. She understands, She already leads through her volunteer work. Mandy has thoughtful civic solutions. And she should not be discounted for being a mother and a Navy-wife. And working for free throughout her community instead of starting her own business.
Link to 03/30/2026 the Women’s Hour podcast with Patricia Law on KNSJ.com. On Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Clarification and Replacement Ballot Measures with Mandy Havlik and Katheryn Rhodes.
https://tinyurl.com/20260330a
Not disparaging Mandy but I am just supporting the most talented candidate who has experience in business, finance and public service which is Richard Bailey. I have not discussed education but at this moment of time we need a candidate who will hit the ground running to help turn around our city’s fiscal disaster.
I support what Carol says and think you guys need to tamp down the hysteria and have more civil discussion.
So being the mayor for a city of 17,000 people, having a watercraft rental business and playing beach volleyball makes someone qualified to be on the City Council of the 8th largest city?
Randy, I so agree with you. Renting jet skis in Mission Bay is a sleazy way to make money. It doesn’t qualify this guy for anything. It makes him the enemy of peace and quiet and of safety on the water.
That is comical coming from someone who lives in Rancho Bernardo. When was the last time you were down in Mission Bay?
Every article that mentions Richard Bailey is a flash point and all the more reason to stereotype and generalize with character asassinations. This is what was done to Larry Turner, a decent person and dedicated public servant. But people attacked his character and made false accusations. So, Todd was elected.
Now you are doing the same thing. I have not said nasty things about any of the challengers, I am just talking about solutions to the problems that have overcome this city and have put it in near financial collapse.
Stop the continued name-calling and visceral attacks on character of someone you have not met.
Please try to build up the candidate you support without tearing down others, especially ones you have never met.
This is shameful.
Larry Turner was a machination to siphon votes away from Genevieve Jones Wright in the Primary Elections.
I and several other constituents can confirm that we offered, on numerous occasions after the primary election, to volunteer for Turner’s campaign. Turner’s campaign seemingly went dark shortly after the primaries, and not one of us received any replies, not even one. Several people I know throughout the city offered donations for yard signs and their requests went unanswered.
Hardly seems like the actions of a viable candidate for office of the Mayor of the second largest city in the most populous state in the country.
I still don’t see where stating the truths about Richard Bailey is character assassination. He is a Trump loving MAGA carpetbagger who only moved to D2 to further his political career and in the course of doing so has thrown away 10 years of his political identity to try and win – all while doing it in the most transparent way possible. Why would we elect someone who will give up everything just to win office? We don’t want someone so power hungry that they’ll just give up their beliefs to win. I’m excited to see him lose and lose, in the words of his guy Trump, BIGLY.
He also has been lurking in these comments and has never corrected any of us who call him out on who he is so clearly he doesn’t have a correction!
What is the source of your MAGA comments and conviction that he’s a major Trumper? I’ve spoken to him for hours about politics, local and national, and your acusaciones don’t hold up. And why is he throwing away 10 years of his life by moving? As Coronado doesn’t offer any additional political opportunities, of course anyone would have to move. Why is he power hungry? Your accusations are unfounded as IMO you’ve never met him. How do you know he’s lurking?
What’s my source that he’s a MAGA trumper? He was, up until a few months ago, a Republican elected official and central committee member. He went on Tucker Carlson multiple times. He said in the comments of the OB Rag article titled “Is Richard Bailey – Former Republican and Former Mayor of Coronado — Campaigning for the District 2 San Diego City Council Seat?” that “I didn’t vote for Kamala Harris”. He’s been a Republican his whole life. So who do YOU think he voted for Carol?
For additional evidence if he was a secret never-trumper he probably could have revealed it at any time to huge recognition. Instead, when asked by the Voice of San Diego why he decided to throw away his entire political ideology he said –
“I think if you go back and like look through just about all of my public commentary, of all the videos, tweets, social media, posts I’ve made, over the years, not just recently, but like over my 12 years, four years on the City Council and eight years as mayor, you’re hard pressed to find many partisan comments that are… where I talk about red or blue, Republican or Democrat. I like policy, and I think that there’s this growing appetite amongst people across the political spectrum for just good policy, and leaving the politics off the table. I mean, we’re seeing that right now with a lot of voters, regardless of whether they registered as Democrats or Republicans.They’re just dissatisfied with the current state of the city. And they’re, they want someone that I think is a serious leader, that cares more about policy than politics.”
Does that sound like a guy who is becoming an NPP for any other purpose than accumulating power through a pretty firm belief he can trick enough people in D2 to think he’s not a Republican (including using Mamdani’s font and color scheme to run?). No “I can’t support a monster like Trump anymore” or “I didn’t leave the Republican Party the Republican Party left me” but simply “yeah look if I say I’m a republican I’m done so let’s just suggest a world where politics and policy aren’t connected”
I’ve seen enough of him since he was elected in 2016 to know that this guy will do anything to get into power because he just did – he moved from the place he was the mayor of and dropped all of his political beliefs. It’s almost good enough to be a defintion of power hungry.
If you’ve spoken to him so much I would ask you to do two things – ask him to come onto this website and tell us who he voted for in 2016 – 2024, a crucial piece of information all voters should know, and also consider – you and Lisa and every other Republican who comes in here saying “hey let’s put policy over politics” – why you’re buying the obvious thing that he’s selling you. Do you really want to support someone who is willing to go against everything they’ve ever believed in so flippantly that you think they’re trustworthy? We’ve seen this with JD Vance, another guy I’m sure Richard loves, and we simply don’t need that here.
I would ask you, Lisa and every other Bailey supporter
Yes. At least he was mayor. What business positions has Mandy held? But you don’t need to answer that because this conversation is going nowhere on this platform. Good luck!
Lisa, the government is not a business. The government does not produce widgets nor services to sell for a profit. Furthermore, there are few if any “businesses” for someone to be considered a “business” leader of, due to unbridled corporate acquisitions.
Bailey held a board position for a “corporation.”
Corporations are void of accountability and ONLY serve shareholders at all costs, morally, empathetically, or with any discernible decency. Herein lies the problem with conflating “business” leaders with “Corporate” leaders and expecting any kind of efficacy when placed into public office, because there has been no shortage of former CEO’s or board members unsuccessfully running the City, County State and Federal Government into the ground for the last 75 years.
The government is supposed to represent and carry out the will of the People.
It is equally disingenuous and preposterous for you to imply that corporate acumen (not business acumen as you imply) plays any kind of role in effective leadership. To the contrary, there are no shortages of studies equating the legal diagnosis’ and definitions of psychopathy with the traits of successful corporate CEO’s.
What are generally considered “Good” corporate leaders often display charisma, strong performance, and a desire for achievement. They are able to manipulate by influencing others to follow their lead. Corporate psychopaths are able to manipulate others into following them and even convince them to engage in behavior that they may find unethical. Sound familiar?
A major difference between a psychopathic leader and a non-psychopathic leader lies in the ability to feel empathy, responsibility for others, and a commitment to obey the law.
Lisa and Carol, I am a Progressive, a proud hippie-live-and-let-live Liberal. And I hate the California Democratic Party and One Party Rule probably more than anyone else I know because I take the time to do my homework.
First came the Bailey BS shenanigans of “claiming” Independence but not following it through and remaining a registered Republican. (Just in case he could get some of that Party campaign cash.) But it was only after Bailey received word that Republican campaign cash wouldn’t be happening, that he actually changed his party affiliation to Independent.
Now we find out that Bailey knowingly falsifying documents and subsequently claiming it was an innocent mistake should seal his fate for everyone altogether. He only admitted it because he got caught.
Perhaps you and Carol have been manipulated by Bailey’s charisma, because the way you both run interference for him by trivializing and excusing his behavior away is a textbook definition of it.
I for one would like to believe that what drives both you and Carol is the reality that you two are just as fed up with the corporate trolls that make up the One Party Rule that almost every other reader and contributor on the OB Rag is. We all have way more commonality than we credit ourselves with. The difference being, the vast majority of OB Rag Readers hold “the Party’s” feet to the fire, daily, and we don’t excuse abhorrent behavior away to maintain an undeserved and unrealistic loyalty to distorted ideologies.
We are living in George Washington’s worst nightmare, a two party system where Americans put Party above Country.
Bottomline is we need accountability, and unaccountable CEOs like Bailey are not going to provide it to us.
So here’s a very short list of successful people without a college degree:
Harry Truman
William McKinley
Frank Lloyd Wright
Steve Jobs
Bill Gates
Mark zuckerberg
Stephen Spielberg
So what educational background are you looking for to make someone worthy?
Sorry Arlene, you misconstrued me. I have never discussed educational background. I was talking about business or job experience in the private or public sector. Do you know if Mandy has this experience? Richard does and that is why I am endorsing him.
From Judi Curry & her ‘conversation of sorts’ with Bailey…. ‘The candidate openly admits he voted for Donald Trump in all three elections and would do so again.’
MY GOSH!… Isn’t that enough!!!
That’s not true. Either Judy misunderstood or she’s lying. He wouldn’t do so again and even if, he’s not so stupid as to say so in public and certainly not during a “conversation of sorts”. You all will believe anything. Sad.
“Wouldn’t do so again” is a comically if not ridiculously low bar to judge a (supposedly former) Republican since it can never be tested. If Bailey voted for him three times then we know who he is.
There’s a bunch of local activists who view the maxim “all politics is local” as central. They like what he says about local issues and ignore his national views. Some of the pro-Bailey folks are so fed up with city hall — for good reason — that they want to return to the GOP-led good ol’ days. Progressive democrats view the scandals in city hall as Democrats acting like Republicans.
Frank,
As a 54 year old who grew up in San Diego I fall back on the advice of a smart uncle. He told me the best democracy is a standoff where the issues had to be debated between opposing voices. What I have seen in the past and now is a one party rule and that always leads to unchecked power and corruption. With the city and county we now have unchecked power and poor results.
“power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”
This applies at all levels of our government from local planning groups to Wasungton.
Thank you for having this forum.
As you’re 50, did you object during the one-party rule in San Diego when the Republicans held a monopoly on both the County Board and the City Council?
You missed the point, Frank. JD is talking about one-party rule today. The past is the past, let’s look to the future for change from this political corruption at all levels of government.
Let boot out incumbents and focus on that.
Those who don’t learn from the past, are bound to repeat it.
Yes, and remember “trust but verify?” That’s what we need to do and realize the big money two-party system is corrupt and broken. That means Dems as well as Republicans. San Diegans have lost all trust in this current all-dem city hall. We have the opportunity to elect an Independent for D2,
a Dem for D4 and a Republican for D6. That will expand the discussion on issues and hopefully bring a strong spine to the council to push back on Todd’s agenda and implement staffing cuts. I am sure Raul Campillo will welcome the new coalition so he is not hitting his head against the wall trying to get legislation.
We also must modify Measure L (2018) to bring it back for a vote.
Yes. Same as now, unchecked back room corruption.
At the Clairemont Planning Board District 2 Candidate Forum, only Mandy Havlik brought up the subject of getting rid of Middle Managers.
While Mayor Todd Gloria’s favorite and Municipal Employees Association (MEA) candidate Nicole Crosby touts her negotiated pay increases as part of the negotiating team for the Deputy City Attorney union.
“MORE GOOD NEWS – MEA HAS SECURED AN ADDITIONAL 8% SPECIAL SALARY INCREASE FOR MANAGEMENT ANALYSTS – TO BE ADDED TO THE 9.5% GENERAL SALARY INCREASE IN NEW 3-YEAR CONTRACT
Author: MEA Staff | Date published: 04/7/2026.
As a follow up to MEA’s E-blast regarding contract negotiations, MEA’s Tentative Agreement (TA) with the City includes an additional 8% special salary increase for Assistant Management Analyst, Associate Management Analyst, Senior Management Analyst, Records Management Analyst, and Senior Records Management Analyst job classifications.
Accordingly, and assuming this TA is ratified by MEA’s membership, employees in these job classifications will receive the following general and special salary increases over the 3-year term of this agreement:
Year 1 (FY 2027) – 2%
July 1, 2026: 2% (general salary increase)
Year 2 (FY 2028) – 7.5%
July 1, 2027: 3.5% (general salary increase)
January 1, 2028: 4% (special salary increase)
Year 3 (FY 2029) – 8%
July 1, 2028: 2% (general salary increase)
January 1, 2029: 4% (special salary increase)
January 1, 2029: 2% (general salary increase)
Each general and special salary increase compounds when implemented, which means that over the next two and a half years your pay will steadily grow to be 18.8% higher than today!
Congratulations on this well-earned additional pay increase. If you have any feedback or questions, please contact MEA at info@sdmea.org or 619-264-6632.”