From the Richard Baily Campaign
San Diego is facing serious challenges. A growing budget deficit, mounting infrastructure backlogs, and declining basic services didn’t happen overnight – they are the result of years of bad policy, irresponsible spending, and a lack of accountability at City Hall. Fixing these problems will require better policies from experienced leadership with a clear vision for how city government should function..
That’s why I’m proud to endorse Richard Bailey for San Diego City Council.
Bailey is by far the most qualified candidate in the field and centers his entire campaign platform around policies, not politics.
Richard brings something that is increasingly rare in government today: a deep command of the actual policies and decisions that shape our city. He understands the details of the budget, the regulatory environment, and the structural challenges facing San Diego in a way that few elected officials, let alone candidates, do.
Just as important, Bailey has already demonstrated the ability to lead. As a successful two-term Mayor of Coronado, he built a reputation for focusing on policies over politics and fulfilling the core responsibilities of local government – maintaining infrastructure, keeping neighborhoods safe, and responsibly balancing the budget. Bailey was also spot on when it came to tackling the regional issue of homelessness through commonsense policies that emphasized accountability first, not last. In addition to getting the basics of local and regional policies right, Bailey also made the environment a top priority by working in a bipartisan fashion to help secure the federal funding and legislation necessary to finally address the Tijuana sewage issue.
Richard also has the education and analytical background to tackle complex policy challenges, with a degree in Business Finance and a master’s degree in Economics.
Equally important to his education, Bailey also brings the kind of real-world experience that is lacking in public office. He has a background working in finance for a Fortune 500 company, giving him a strong understanding of budgets, financial management, and organizational accountability. He also owns two businesses that have operated in the district for years, which gives him a firsthand understanding of how city policies affect workers, entrepreneurs, and families trying to make a living in San Diego.
The same policies and leadership that created the problems we see today at City Hall will not be able to solve them.
San Diego deserves better.
Richard Bailey has the experience, the knowledge, and the independence to bring real accountability and balance to City Hall. I’m proud to endorse Richard Bailey for City Council and encourage all of San Diego that wants to see a change at City Hall support him as well.
Larry Turner
Retired U.S. Marine Lieutenant Colonel
Retired SDPD Officer
Larry Turner ran for San Diego Mayor in 2024 and carried City Council District 2 by 7 points.
The OB Rag has a standing offer to all D2 candidates: we will publish your policy statement up to 1,000 words on the Rag.
I have a question for Larry Turner: since you did so well in D2 during the mayoral campaign in 2024, why didn’t you then run for D2 council seat?
No longer lives in OB.
Larry Turner had such an opportunity but was basically Biff Tannen from Back to the Future.
Glad you posted this, Frank. It’s simply obvious, Richard Bailey is head and shoulders above the rest.
He is the only big threat to the municipal unions which is why the local Dem party is spending money on cheap shot mailers that are not even worth recycling; just throw in the trash. So lame and so same old big money political gamesmanship.
A change is going to come to city hall and the union-supported challengers to Richard are scared as heck and they should be.
Party loyalty gave you Todd Gloria and now our city is broken. So maybe it’s time to put the party labels away.
RICHARD P. BAILEY FOR DISTRICT 2 CITY COUNCIL – the obvious choice
We only posted this because the Rag has a standing offer to post one policy paper by each of the D2 candidates; this is Bailey’s. As you know, Lisa, the Rag has endorsed Mandy Havlik.
Lisa you keep saying that Republican Richard is going to change City Hall but you’ve yet to put together a plan of “how”. Even if he were to win – which he will not, he’s a MAGA republican carpetbagger running it what will be the biggest blue wave since 2006 – how does he possibly change the dynamics of an 8-1 city council with a Democratic Mayor while basically pushing for Carl DeMaio-era policies (which is a huge reason why we’re here in the first place!). He’s also looking to blow a massive hole in the budget by undoing the trash fees with no plan to do anything to make up for those dollars. Finally he’ll immediately be running for Mayor and not paying attention to D2 at all. If he were to win – which, for the second time, he will not, instead he’ll lose by 10 plus points just like Zapf, Faulconer and Dumanis – he’d isolate this district even further, not have any chairs on any committees and be at the end of constant 8-1 decisions. He’ll be a net negative for D2, with both him and the rest of the council ignoring this district.
Good thing he’s going to get blown out in November. Hope he only sublet his place in Coronado. He can do the reverse of the homeless folks he sent across the bridge and head back there himself.
ANYONE BUT RICHARD P. BAILEY FOR DISTRICT 2 CITY COUNCIL – the obvious and inevitable choice.
Not about party labels, but commitment to our district. If people are looking for someone to rock the boat at city hall, ok. But I’m voting for a member of my district who has deeper roots in the community. I’m so tired of politicians moving around town to get another elected gig.
Supporting Mandy, why Frank, I didn’t see that coming.
Question for you to ask Mandy:
If elected to D2 would she plddge to fight back against the municipal unions? Initiate a ruling to cut staffing by 40% and forego salary raises until the ciyy’s budget is balanced?
I doubt if she’d take such a Republican position as that broad sweep, Lisa. Unions are not the problem. It’s the developer-driven scandals and scams and the reluctance of those cemented into Gloria’s control of part of the Dem party to change or admit the truth, or to act more like Democrats and not Republicans.
Gee, Frank, I’m not republican, never have been but am a fiscal conservative. So, what you are condoning is the democrat candidates continuing to live above their means while in office under the control of the municipal unions, breaking the backs of taxpayers. I guess that’s ok with you as long as those feeding off the trove are democrats?
Interesting logic.
Frank, you really feel that the unions are not part of the problem? How is it possible for any elected official to strongly negotiate with the organization that represents voting citizens? Conflict of interest. Hasn’t been a reasonable contract in years and the unions have done nothing to help the city with the current fiscal problems. They’re as much of a contributor as the developers.
Why aren’t you all complaining about Josh or Nicole for taking PAC money from these bad actors and then the PACs go negative?
I objected to her broad sweep against “municipal unions.” Does that include the fire fighters’ union, the police officer’s association, the city attorneys’ association, the union that garbage collectors belong to? What about the union for park and rec workers, the lifeguards’ union?
Being anti-union is such a old-school Republican talking point, I object.
That does not mean I support certain unions that wield unduly amounts of influence due to huge donations to PACs. Plus I haven’t supported union leaders who assisted Jen Campbell with her Great Compromise on short-term rentals. Or union leaders accurately accused of sexual harassment allegations.
Like every institution, there are, proverbially, “good apples” and “bad apples” in unions. But overall, unions play a vital role in society and have paved the way for things we take for granted, like the 40-hour work week, the 8-hour day, vacations, workers’ compensation, better working conditions, bringing some democracy into the workplace.
You should be proud that other candidates are “complaining” about Bailey, that they perceive him as a threat to their winning.
Hi Lisa.
I know Mandy Havlik wants to Amend Article IX (Retirement) Section 143.1 of the San Diego City Charter to Delete the Unelected City Union’s automatic VETO vote on all Pension matters and Payments, and give the decision making and financial power back to the City Council where it belongs.
“Unless required by law or agreement, the measure eliminates existing requirements to obtain a majority vote of employees or retirees in the retirement system for changes affecting
their benefits.”
https://tinyurl.com/20260312b
These words came from Carl DeMaio Proposition. Instead of just changing this very important City Charter Section 143.1 VETO vote, Carl put in everything he ever wanted.
This small change in our City Charter Section 143.1 in 2012 was the only reason late former Mayor Filner had the unions sign a 5-year pensionable pay freeze on 06/30/2013, that would have ended the pension crisis forever by 2018.
Instead i-mayor Todd Gloria started using City Charter Section 117(a)17 to create Non-Union Middle Managers that were allowed to get 2x to 3x their original union pay by being exempt from Classified positions. The 5 year pensionable pay freeze never happened due to a legal loophole that is out of control. Now our Pension debt is higher than ever at $3 to $4 billion instead of being solved by 2018.
What about Richard Bailey ? Would Richard want to get rid of the Union’s VETO vote on anything pension related ?
Has anyone actually spotted Bailey in Point Loma/OB? Are we sure he lives here or does he “live” here in the same was Larry Turner did?
The fact that we do not see him supporting small businesses in district 2 says a lot about him.
ANYONE BUT RICHARD P. BAILEY FOR DISTRICT 2 CITY COUNCIL – no MAGA for District 2
Of course he lives here. Bought a place in Pt Loma.
His voter registration says 92107…. Regardless, he isn’t showing up in PL or OB.
He’s trying to be the viral guy like Mamdani but without the charm because all he does is whine and complain. If there is nothing he likes about San Diego, why is he even here?
Side note, wish he was just renting because that would increase our chances of getting rid of him sooner. Just like Larry when he lost.
Bailey was at the Tuesday night candidate forum put on by the OB Planning Board.
That was essentially a business meeting for him and does not count as supporting local businesses.
I am simply pointing out that he does not seem interested in getting to know the business owners and voters in the district he wants to represent.
Larry it is nice hearing from you. Hope you and your family are doing well.
Just imagine this budget season if you were our Strong Mayor and leading us instead of Mayor Todd Gloria.
What is your take on Richard Bailey’s stance on giving away our Liberty Station NTC Park and $23 million in hoarded RDA Cash for NTC Channel improvement to private national lessee Seligman Property for $2 million in debt? Without analyzing or reading the Liberty Station NTC Park Agreement or the 4 year lawsuit filings, Richard Bailey automatically sided with private Billionaires over District 2 residents. All in the name of Republican talking points about Managed Competition. This is the only time in recent history that Mayor Todd Gloria was right and fought for the public’s interest.
Luckily the City will retain the property and its on it way to being free from taxing agency agreement, hopefully the lawsuit will end, and the $23 million can now be spent along the NTC chennel within the Park, instead of being sabotaged by the Liberty Station Master Lessee Seligman Property.
Since the issue of gifting Liberty Station NTC Park is almost already settled in the City of San Diego’s favor and we will keep the park public, please see if you could change Richard Bailey’s mind and have him take back his uninformed policy decision.