Carl DeMaio
Republican Party

Background: 

Carl DeMaio was born in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1974. He was raised in Orange County from early childhood until he was 15, which is when his father left the family two weeks before his mother died of cancer.  DeMaio finished high school at Georgetown Prep, a prestigious Jesuit high school in Washington D.C., after earning a scholarship. DeMaio went to college at Georgetown University and earned a degree in international politics and business.

DeMaio went on to build two private businesses which specialize in training government employees, the Performance Institute and the American Strategic Management Institute. He moved to San Diego in 2002 and has been a city council member since 2008.

Budget and Pension Reform:

DeMaio would close the current city employee pension program he claims is taking up much of the city budget and offer individual 401-(K) retirement accounts.

Job Creation: 

DeMaio’s “Pathway to Prosperity” plan outlines his vision to get San Diego fiscally back on track.  He is against new taxes and fees and aims to make it easier to own and operate a small business in San Diego. His plan includes an online approach to city paperwork and what DeMaio believes is a fair way to bid for public contracts.

Fix infrastructure: 

DeMaio plans to fix San Diego’s potholes and aging infrastructure by prioritizing infrastructure bonds that could not be used for other means.

More accessible government: 

DeMaio pledges to allow San Diegans to see all city employee compensation and pensions online, as well as have the majority of city services online by 2015.

Source: www.carldemaio.com

Bob Filner
Democratic Party

Background: 

Bob Filner was born in Pittsburg in 1942 and has devoted his life to public service. When he was 18 and a student at Cornel University he was arrested and taken to a state penitentiary in Jackson Mississippi for fighting racial segregation by taking part in a Freedom Ride.

Filner earned a doctorate in the history of science from Cornell University and taught history at SDSU for 20 years. He became a member of the San Diego City School board in 1972 and was elected to city council in 1987. Filner has been south San Diego’s United States congressman since 1992.

Jobs: 

Filner plans to rev up the Port of San Diego and make it a chief economic and commercial engine. He also wants to create a stronger demand for solar power through the public sector.

Youth and education: 

As Mayor, Filner would partner with public agencies and non-profits to create opportunities for young people to have internships in many city departments and identify needs of students that are not being met. More money would be set aside for parks and libraries. Also, free passes on public transportation would be available to students.

Transfer of power: 

Filner believes that local neighborhoods know their issues best.  He plans to create a Neighborhood Investment Corporation which would allow neighborhood control of funds.

Small Business: 

Filner wants to make sure that small business have an equal opportunity to bid for contracts, and would require that 15 percent of public contracts go to small business.  He also wants to provide a small business exemption of the business license fee.

Source: http://www.bobfilnerformayor.com/