End of a Nat City Era
National City Mayor Ron Morrison drives around town in a black Ford Mustang with a license plate reading, “NATCITY.” For 34 years, he has defined politics in his scrappy, diverse, working-class hometown.
His surprise retirement announcement last weekend marks the end of an era in an urban linchpin of San Diego’s industrial economy. But Morrison is making his way to the door even as his city faces existential questions about its future.
City finances are headed toward insolvency, we recently [reported] last week. And more fundamentally, a chorus of concerned residents says the city needs a new economic vision and a reset after years of turnover among top bureaucrats and dysfunction among elected leaders.
Morrison said he’s proud of many accomplishments, most notably a renewal of civic pride following a previous era of rampant gang violence, widespread neglect and shady political dealings.
Even the budget, he said, could have been worse if he hadn’t applied the brakes to what he called some of his fellow city councilmembers’ free spending ways.
“Everyone is realizing there’s a problem and starting to realize the severity of it. Until you get to that point, nothing can be done.”—National City Mayor Ron Morrison
Bonus: Go behind the scenes to see the taxidermy and Wild West arcana in Morrison’s City Hall office.
Voice of San Diego | August 13, 2026
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