San Diego Deserves Better
- Media
- Aug 13
- 2 min read
Why are politicians working overtime to make life harder here?
San Diego is already one of the most expensive places to live in America, yet our so-called leaders seem determined to pile on more costs, more hassles, and more frustration. They spend and spend, take more and more of your money, and somehow expect you to thank them for it.
These same politicians love to claim they’re “helping lower costs.” In reality, they’re doing the exact opposite, crushing working families and making it harder for seniors to get by. Just this past month, here’s what they’ve done:
Starting next month, parking meters in a half-mile radius around Petco Park will jump to $10 an hour during “special events” — Padres games included. Not only that, they’ve already eliminated hundreds of parking spaces and are extending paid parking hours as late as 10 p.m. So now families, downtown workers, and small businesses all get squeezed.
By October 1st, 300 spaces around Balboa Park will no longer be free. The City Council approved new meters at $2.50 an hour, up to four hours a day, every day of the week. This is just the first step toward charging for parking inside the park itself.
Residents are opening bills that are $100+ higher than expected. The City blames a “dry winter” and has locked in inflated sewer charges for the entire year — even if you cut back on water use today. And this is before the next rate hike takes effect in January.
Our metro area now leads the country with a 4% inflation rate, driven by rising costs in nearly every sector — food, medical care, cars, housing, and gas. For all the political promises to make life more “affordable,” we’re moving in the opposite direction.
On July 1st, the State raised gas prices again — making California’s the most expensive in the country — all because of their own policies. A 1.6-cent per gallon gas tax hike pushed the total state gas tax to about 61 cents per gallon, and stricter low-carbon fuel standards are driving costs even higher. Travel to Arizona or Nevada and you’ll see prices a dollar or two lower per gallon. The cost difference isn’t an accident — it’s the direct result of decisions made by the supermajority in Sacramento.
The truth is simple: these politicians aren’t working for you. They’re working to grow government, grow revenue, and grow their own power — and you’re paying the price.
San Diegans deserve leaders who will fight to make life easier here, not harder. I’ll keep calling out the hypocrisy, demanding accountability, and pushing for real solutions that put working families and seniors first.
It’s time to stop the insanity.
San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond | August 13, 2025
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