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Why this matters San Diego’s footprint is growing, but its ability to serve the bigger city isn’t. While the city’s operational budget has grown 28% since 2022, its capital budget has not kept pace. Two years ago San Diego city leaders quietly formed a high-level task force of top executives and department heads to plan how to spend what seemed the salvation for the city’s entrenched budget problems.

Why this matters Encinitas residents have been calling for traffic improvements throughout the city in recent years, especially after 12-year-old Emery Chalekian was killed while crossing Encinitas Boulevard in April 2025. After crossing the intersection at her daughters’ elementary school for years, Encinitas mom Abby Brown became increasingly worried about the drivers who speed through the intersection.

Why this matters San Diego has historically struggled to fulfill its own goals for arts funding — and the latest proposal still is $3.45 million short of the city’s arts funding levels this fiscal year. San Diego councilmembers may restore the city’s arts funding to $10.35 million under a deal announced last week. The plan comes after Mayor Todd Gloria proposed slashing all but $2 million from next year’s budget, drawing fierce opposition from arts groups and their advocates.

Following Mayor Gloria’s budget cuts and weeks of protest from advocates, city leaders have put forth a plan. It includes a key donation.

Why this matters The Imperial Beach school closure comes as many districts across San Diego County see declining enrollment. As sixth graders at Central Elementary in Imperial Beach lined up to receive their certificates of promotion on Friday, some of the younger students on campus blew bubbles, munched on snacks, and hung out with friends as teachers packed up their belongings inside classrooms once filled with color. The campus looked like most do on the last day of school.

Why this matters Proponents of more police surveillance technology say cameras can help law enforcement prevent crime and solve cases. Opponents argue these cameras could infringe on privacy. Imperial Beach officials will let law enforcement install cameras to track license plates and people across the city. The councilmembers’ unanimous vote Wednesday authorized the city manager to negotiate a future contract with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office to install six cameras.

Why this matters Amid a wave of data center proposals in and around Imperial County and a flurry of moratoriums on such developments in area cities, county supervisors are considering hitting pause themselves on the projects that have generated public health concerns and that require vast energy and water resources.

Why this matters North City has been praised as a development that reinvigorates San Marcos’ downtown and helps the city meet its housing goals. But one family says it’s at their expense. One day in December, Liz Santos lay down in an easement next to her house to prevent a bulldozer from crossing into her property. It was the last remaining effort she could think of to protect her family’s three-decade-old land in San Marcos.

Why this matters How to fix San Diego’s housing shortage is a problem that has dogged city leaders for years. Opponents of a San Diego ballot measure that would heavily tax second and third homes left vacant for most of the year are declaring victory. The first round of unofficial results released Tuesday night showed 58% voting no on Measure A. Thousands of additional votes, including any ballots mailed after June 1 and in-person votes, still must be counted in the coming days.

Why this matters The proposal calls for 59 of the 397 apartment units to be affordable for low-income families. That would allow the developer to build as high as 59 feet as opposed to the site’s previous height limit of 46 feet. Hundreds of apartment units could come to Carlsbad if the city’s Planning Commission approves a development on Wednesday.