From the North County Times…
Oceanside has numerous strengths that other cities can only dream about: an oceanfront harbor and the neighboring beaches that abut it; a near-perfect climate; a world-famous mission that draws tens of thousands of visitors per year; a nearby military base that provides a solid tax base.
And yet, compared with its neighbor to the south, Oceanside has continually struggled in its economic development efforts. Oceanside’s auto dealers left town for Car Country Carlsbad; its department stores ended up at the Plaza Camino Real.