South County’s Economic Future
- Media
- Apr 30
- 2 min read
South County’s four mayors – Paloma Aguirre of Imperial Beach, John Duncan of Coronado, John McCann of Chula Vista and Ron Morrison of National City – appeared onstage together Tuesday and did their best to predict their region’s economic future at a time of economic and political uncertainty.
One word summed up their discussion at the annual South County Economic Development Council Economic Summit at the Liberty Station Conference Center in San Diego: “Headwinds.”
Several of the mayors used that term to describe what they foresee for their cities and the rest of South San Diego County.
“We’re at the bottom of the food chain,” Morrison said, referring to cities’ relative lack of power over state, national and international developments that impact cities’ economies.
Aguirre cited “the big-T elephant in the room: Tariffs.” Duncan said the entire regional economy was imperiled by the ongoing sewage crisis in the Tijuana River, which he said threatens not only residents’ health but also tourism and major new business initiatives, such as a luxury resort hotel opening later this year in Chula Vista.
McCann also cited tariffs as a problem and lumped in with them what he described as overly rigid and prescriptive state housing rules that “take away local control [and] hurt cities for being able to build housing.”
Duncan joked about another elephant in the conference center ballroom: The fact that Aguirre and McCann are currently locked in a tight race to fill a vacant seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.
Duncan took a diplomatic approach: “I’m happy one of these two mayors will be our next Supervisor,” he said.
There was no politicking on the summit stage. Though the race between Aguirre and McCann promises to be bruising, the two were cordial during the morning’s discussion. Both pointed out that they have worked together in the past, including traveling with a bipartisan delegation of local leaders last year to secure additional federal funding to address the sewage issue.
“We have worked well together,” Aguirre said. Her words were echoed by McCann: “It’s a collaboration,” he said.
By Jim Hinch | April 29, 2025 | Voice of San Diego
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