Business Insights
(Under) Performing Arts Center — El Cajon’s civic leaders wrestle with how best to get the East County Performing Arts Center back on its financial feet, while Poway and Escondido seem to have found the right formula — for now.
Charting a New Course — A San Diego boatyard owner fulfills a childhood dream, making what he believes is a smart business move. But will it keep the 67-year-old business afloat?
Tax Revolt — A small-business man has dedicated the next seven years to championing tax reform, believing a national sales tax would be more fair than the current income tax — and spark an unprecedented economic boom.
Jobs: Disturbing Trend — Employment trends do not bode well for San Diego’s middle-income earners as economists call for education reform, less protectionism and greater job-training opportunities.
Titan: Geared for Growth — Rebounding from a corruption scandal, might the defense contractor be back on the auction block as its cofounder and CEO steps down after 24 years?
Clean Air Act — A small San Diego company (Ethos Environmental Inc.) is playing a big role in reducing air pollution in Beijing as China clears the air for the 2008 Olympics.
Muddied Water — A private company (Poseidon Resources) wants to provide a public agency with a local water source—something San Diego desperately needs—but the deal is bogged down over control issues at the expense of the greater public good.
Economic Outlook 2005 — San Diego's economy should continue to outpace the rest of the state and nation, buoyed by job growth and consumer spending. But if consumer confidence wanes, economic recovery could reverse course.
Terminal Blues — Nearly 200 cruise ships called on San Diego last year, funneling quick cash into the local economy. But the cruise lines are treatening to take their business elsewhere if the terminal isn't upgraded soon.
More Bugs in the System — With spending abuses and lack of oversight at the San Diego Data Processing Corporation in the public spotlight, elected officials called for its dissolution——then did an about-face and put off making a decision until after the November election. See: Bugs in the System
Business Ethics: An Oxymoron? — “Ethics” is the buzzword in business circles these days in the wake of corporate book cooking, insider trading and backroom deal-making.
Water: Salty Issues at Stake — The county water authority vows San Diego will get its seawater desalination plant, but negotiations with a private developer have bogged down and threaten further delays.
Gateway's Gamble — The fabled Poway company is transforming itself from PC maker to purveyor of consumer electronics. Brilliant move, or cowpath to disaster?
Housing Woes: Smart Growth vs. No Growth — The rising cost of housing and traffic gridlock threaten to derail the region’s economic growth.
Passing the Torch at SAIC — Bob Beyster, the one-and-only CEO of the mega-research and engineering firm, is stepping down after 34 years at the helm.
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Feature Articles
Pop Goes the Bubble? — Although some neighborhoods are starting to see declines in median home prices, residential values are at or near all-time highs. Experts disagree on whether a crash is on the horizon.
A City in Crisis — After more than a year of investigation and frustration, hollow explanation and legal intimidation, San Diego’s elected officials appear no closer to untangling the sticky web of fiscal folly that has brought the city to the brink of bankruptcy.
Note: San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy resigned two days after this story hit the streets. See earlier story: The City Hall Shell Game
First-Place Winner, Government Malfeasance category, San Diego Press Club awards, 2005.
Water Worries — Water spilling over the Lake Hodges dam notwithstanding, San Diego needs ever more of the precious liquid. But at what cost? And to what degree are egos and politics undermining regional decision making? (Part III of the Preserving Paradise series)
(Un)Affordable Housing — Fueled by low interest rates, San Diego has the second-most expensive housing in the nation as demand outstrips supply and threatens to put the brakes on the region's economic growth. (Part II of the Preserving Paradise series)
Transit Without Teeth — Despite the clout it wields with transportation dollars, the San Diego Association of Governments is powerless to make the decisions needed to manage the county's chatoic growth. (Part I of the Preserving Paradise series)
Bugs in the System — Critics of the tax-dollar-funded San Diego Data Processing Corporation say the technology company is an antiquated idea that solves problems the city doesn’t have — and it’s run like a fiefdom by CEO Roger Talamantez while championed by San Diego City Councilman Jim Madaffer.
Note: This article broke the story about the fiscal improprieties at the DPC; two and half months later, Roger Talamantez resigned. See follow-up stories: DPC Chief Resigns Amid Reports of Lavish Spending and More Bugs in the System
The City Hall Shell Game — Chronic underfunding and phonied-up financial statements have brought a projected $2.6 billion deficit in the city of San Diego’s pension and health benefits. What will it take to bail it out? Winner, Best of Show, San Diego Press Club. See follow-up story: A City in Crisis.
The Quest for a Cure — Custom vaccines, targeted therapy, nanotechnology: The future of cancer treatment and prevention is right here.
Southeastern Shall Rise Again — Southeastern Economic Development Corporation has proven naysayers wrong and convinced fearful residents of the long-term benefits of redevelopment. But some of SEDC’s bigger challenges lie ahead.
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