The mayor is just flat ignoring the budget the city council passed and will not fire the top managers the Council cut. And you thought budget drama was over. 

Local water managers are demanding an apology from one of their colleagues. Apologies after demands for apologies are always the best apologies. We’ll explain why this matters. 

And Jakob published an extraordinary analysis and maps this week of how many fewer kids there are in San Diego schools. Why that is.

 

SHOW NOTES

SEGMENT 1 

Meet the Beat: Voice in North County

Join our North County reporter, Tigist Layne on July 24 at the Escondido History Museum at 6 p.m. to talk about the stories she’s watching that impact residents in North County.

Seats are limited. RSVP at vosd.org/events.

Politifest

Buy Your Tickets for Politifest 2025

Politifest is back on Oct. 4, and this won’t be our usual public affairs summit.  This year, we’re bringing together community leaders to go head-to-head in our first ever Solutions Showdown. Hear their ideas and cast your vote on which proposals you think could solve the biggest issues facing San Diego.

Save on tickets with early bird pricing at vosd.org/politifest

SEGMENT 2 San Diego City Budget

Mayor: Nah, I Won’t Be Laying Staff Off

by Mariana Martínez Barba

July 15, 2025

SEGMENT 3  Where’d the Kids Go

San Diego County’s Schools Have 27,000 Fewer Students Than a Decade Ago. It Will Get Worse.

Over the past decade, enrollment at San Diego County public schools has decline by about five percent. That means there are 27,000 fewer students in local schools. State officials are projecting rates of decline will only get worse, which will force educators to make some hard decisions. 

by Jakob McWhinney

July 15, 2025

SEGMENT 4 Water Wars

Water Managers Want Apology

by Scott Lewis

July 9, 2025

Scott Lewis, CEO and editor in chief at Voice of San Diego.

Andrea Lopez-Villafaña, managing editor

Bella Ross, social media producer

Jakob McWhinney, education reporter and theme music composer.

Xavier Vasquez, podcast producer

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