We had 3 of the 4 member of the show in for the first traditional episode of 2026. Scott, Jakob, and Bella discussed the hottest issue to hit San Diego in 2026...BALBOA PARK PARKING FEES. Plus, they get into the crowds that swarmed the tide pools, RV parking at the beach, and a decision on the Midway District height limit.

We had 3 of the 4 member of the show in for the first traditional episode of 2026. Scott, Jakob, and Bella discussed the hottest issue to hit San Diego in 2026...BALBOA PARK PARKING FEES. Plus, they get into the crowds that swarmed the tide pools, RV parking at the beach, and a decision on the Midway District height limit.

This is Voice of San Diego’s weekly spitfire roundup of news. We cover local and regional politics, the environment, education, the border and more. This show features our investigative reporting and interviews with lawmakers and other special guests.

This is Voice of San Diego&rsquo;s weekly spitfire roundup of news. We cover local and regional politics, the environment, education, the border and more. This show features our investigative reporting and interviews with lawmakers and other special guests.

Voice of San Diego Podcast

How About Them Parking Fees?!

On this episode of the VOSD Podcast, host Scott Lewis sits down with Michael Zucchet, general manager of the San Diego Municipal Employees Association.

They get into pension underfunding and the failed 2024 sales tax measure. (Oh yeah, this is a very nerdy episode.) They also unpack a heated debate over whether San Diego’s workforce is bloated — as some critics claim — or stretched thin by hundreds of new parks and services added since 2015.

Also on the show: They also get into labor costs and pensions, a trash-bin “lid lifter” mandate and questions over the Port Commission’s handling of Harbor Island.

0:00 Intro
1:10 The City's Pension Underfunding History
5:25 Revenue Measures: Trash Fee & Hotel Tax
7:57 Sales Tax Attempts & the 2024 Measure
11:25 Debating the City's Workforce Size
15:50 Budget Cuts in the "Era of Austerity"
24:15 Clarifying What Layoffs Really Mean
27:20 The City's Reactive Budget Cycle
30:31 New Revenue Ideas & Rollout Growing Pains
35:46 Labor Costs, Pensions & Wages
43:58 The "Lid Lifters" Trash Bin Controversy
47:10 New Parks Without New Staff
50:24 Port Commission & Harbor Island
52:58 Closing & Credits

On this episode of the VOSD Podcast, host Scott Lewis sits down with Michael Zucchet, general manager of the San Diego Municipal Employees Association.
They get into pension underfunding and the failed 2024 sales tax measure. (Oh yeah, this is a very nerdy episode.) They also unpack a heated debate over whether San Diego&rsquo;s workforce is bloated &mdash; as some critics claim &mdash; or stretched thin by hundreds of new parks and services added since 2015.
Also on the show: They also get into labor costs and pensions, a trash-bin &ldquo;lid lifter&rdquo; mandate and questions over the Port Commission&rsquo;s handling of Harbor Island.
0:00 Intro 1:10 The City's Pension Underfunding History 5:25 Revenue Measures: Trash Fee &amp; Hotel Tax 7:57 Sales Tax Attempts &amp; the 2024 Measure 11:25 Debating the City's Workforce Size 15:50 Budget Cuts in the "Era of Austerity" 24:15 Clarifying What Layoffs Really Mean 27:20 The City's Reactive Budget Cycle 30:31 New Revenue Ideas &amp; Rollout Growing Pains 35:46 Labor Costs, Pensions &amp; Wages 43:58 The "Lid Lifters" Trash Bin Controversy 47:10 New Parks Without New Staff 50:24 Port Commission &amp; Harbor Island 52:58 Closing &amp; Credits

Mike Zucchet Wants to Cut City Services

On this bonus episode of the VOSD Podcast, the crew sits down with Prebys Foundation CEO Grant Oliphant. They discuss efforts to revitalize downtown's Civic Center, including a planned partnership between the city of San Diego, San Diego Community College District, and possibly, the San Diego Unified School District.



Also on the show: The crumbling state of City Hall and a nod to Balboa Park needing similar attention.



0:00 Intro & Guest Welcome
4:41 History of Redevelopment Attempts
14:08 Three Moves: Experts, Buildings, Vision
15:21 San Diego Unified Declines to Join the JPA
21:59 What Is a JPA? (Explainer)
26:48 The Vision for the Civic Center
34:23 Callback: Joe LaCava's Hot Take
41:43 City Hall's Physical Dysfunction
44:05 Grant's Hot Take: Balboa Park & a Treasures Tax
47:07 Closing & Sign-Off

On this bonus episode of the VOSD Podcast, the crew sits down with Prebys Foundation CEO Grant Oliphant. They discuss efforts to revitalize downtown's Civic Center, including a planned partnership between the city of San Diego, San Diego Community College District, and possibly, the San Diego Unified School District.
 
Also on the show: The crumbling state of City Hall and a nod to Balboa Park needing similar attention.

0:00 Intro &amp; Guest Welcome 4:41 History of Redevelopment Attempts 14:08 Three Moves: Experts, Buildings, Vision 15:21 San Diego Unified Declines to Join the JPA 21:59 What Is a JPA? (Explainer) 26:48 The Vision for the Civic Center 34:23 Callback: Joe LaCava's Hot Take 41:43 City Hall's Physical Dysfunction 44:05 Grant's Hot Take: Balboa Park &amp; a Treasures Tax 47:07 Closing &amp; Sign-Off

The Vision for San Diego's Civic Core

The Voice of San Diego crew sits down with City Council President Joe LaCava to unpack a controversial Sacramento maneuver reviving the Midway Rising development, revisit the Mission Bay bathroom closures and who's really to blame for the budget fallout, and dig into La Jolla's secession talk. The conversation closes on lighter fare — SeaWorld's fireworks-to-drone-show transition and the escalating conflict between beachgoers and La Jolla's growing sea lion colony.

0:00 Welcome & Guest Intro: Council President Joe LaCava
0:45 Midway Rising & the SB 344 "Gut and Amend"
8:35 City Council's Land Use Process & Timeline
15:39 Traffic Concerns in OB and Point Loma
16:47 Mission Bay Bathrooms: The Follow-Up
24:23 Who's to Blame for the Budget Cuts?
29:34 La Jolla Secession Talk
33:00 District 2 Election
35:13 State Mandates & Budget Pressure
36:44 SeaWorld: Fireworks vs. Drone Shows
39:37 Sea Lions and the La Jolla Cove Closure

The Voice of San Diego crew sits down with City Council President Joe LaCava to unpack a controversial Sacramento maneuver reviving the Midway Rising development, revisit the Mission Bay bathroom closures and who's really to blame for the budget fallout, and dig into La Jolla's secession talk. The conversation closes on lighter fare &mdash; SeaWorld's fireworks-to-drone-show transition and the escalating conflict between beachgoers and La Jolla's growing sea lion colony.
0:00 Welcome &amp; Guest Intro: Council President Joe LaCava 0:45 Midway Rising &amp; the SB 344 "Gut and Amend" 8:35 City Council's Land Use Process &amp; Timeline 15:39 Traffic Concerns in OB and Point Loma 16:47 Mission Bay Bathrooms: The Follow-Up 24:23 Who's to Blame for the Budget Cuts? 29:34 La Jolla Secession Talk 33:00 District 2 Election 35:13 State Mandates &amp; Budget Pressure 36:44 SeaWorld: Fireworks vs. Drone Shows 39:37 Sea Lions and the La Jolla Cove Closure

How About Them Parking Fees?!

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