Mayoral candidate Nathan Fletcher today delivered a major address detailing his vision and plans to make San Diego the World’s Most Innovative City. After being introduced and endorsed by local philanthropist and sports innovator Bill Walton, Fletcher laid out his vision for the future of San Diego.
“The World’s Most Innovative City won’t just be a slogan; it will be who we are as a city, as a region. Innovation must be the cornerstone of everything we do,” said Fletcher.
Fletcher laid out plans in four key areas: economic development, education, city government and quality of life. He also discussed his economic plan, which contains specific goals to build the innovative economy that include:
- Creating 130,000 new jobs by 2020
- Increasing the number of patents generated by the San Diego region by 33% by 2020.
- Focusing on increasing the amount of venture capital San Diego receives by 33% by 2020.
- Increase exports from our region 33% by 2020. That would amount to a $5 billion per year increase, bringing San Diego’s total exports to more than $20 billion annually by 2020.
- Increasing the median household income 33% by 2020. That increase of over $18,000 would bring regional median income to close to $60,000 a year.
Fletcher also laid the groundwork for his education plan he will release in the coming weeks. “The bottom line is that our world has changed, but the way we educate our children largely has not,” Fletcher said. “In order to attract and retain the kinds of innovative companies that will create good-paying jobs at all levels of the economy, we must have workers who are prepared to compete with the entire world. We also have a moral obligation to ensure that every child in San Diego—regardless of their race or parents’ income level – has access to the American Dream. And that access is a quality K-12 education.”
The World’s Most Innovative City requires the world’s most innovative city government. Fletcher detailed his plans to bring City Hall into the modern era and streamline city government. He called for “City Hall 2.0,” a city government for the future. Fletcher believes it is his obligation as mayor to put in place policies that ensure the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs make San Diego their home.
“Improving San Diego’s quality of life is vital to making it the World’s Most Innovative City,” said Fletcher. “It is time to rethink the basics, including parks, libraries, transit and transportation system, beaches and bays.
“Making San Diego the World’s Most Innovative city will require a new generation, a new energy, a new approach and a new vision,” Fletcher added. “This new generation must be more focused on delivering results than on petty politics and finger-pointing. As mayor, I will build broad coalitions, drive bold ideas and focus on delivering results for the people of San Diego. It is time to have a new conversation about the future of San Diego,” said Fletcher.
Comments 2
Wow, projections to 2020 – why not 3 years from now? would 1/10th or 1/5 of these projections occur? Sounds like Obama saying elect me for 4 more years so I can finish the job. I’m hoping to have flying car by 2020, are you planning for that? Unfortunately we have government making sure we live in ‘high speed rail’ zones and building more bicycle paths than roads for the true reality of San Diego. Sounds like ‘hope and change’ to me.
Miss Right,
2020 would be the end date of the second term of Fletcher as Mayor. Since I am sure he has aspirations beyond Mayor, it sounds to me like he is laying out some very objective criteria for the voters to judge him on. As you point out, other politicians set goals for long after they have left office so there is no way to hold them accountable. Maybe you should have given Fletcher a little more credit.