“Maintain,” “preserve,” “mitigate”—these are the verbs of a city stuck in place. This blog reveals how San Diego’s budget language avoids solutions, lowers public expectations, and leaves core issues unresolved.

Modern economies often function like parasites—extracting labor and resources while giving little back. Learn how we can build systems that prioritize people and the planet.

Between 2012 and 2022, San Diego's middle management exploded—while community services shrank. This post examines how administrative bloat quietly undermines equity, public trust, and the city's frontline priorities.

Why does San Diego, one of the wealthiest cities in the world’s richest nation, always act like it’s broke? This post uncovers the hidden logic behind our city’s budget “crises”—and why they’re more about political choice than economic necessity.

Public service is supposed to be about people. But for many government employees, it feels like isolation in plain sight.

After a decade of federal, military, and now city work, I’ve seen how rigid structures silence frontline voices, crush morale, and erode trust. From the rise of DOGE to the failure of internal leadership, the message is clear: top-down governance is collapsing under its own weight.

It’s time we build something new—from the ground up. This piece explores how we get there, and why worker voice isn’t just a perk—it’s governance.