Without the checks and balances provided by investigative reporting, democracy simply won't survive at any level.
-- Kathryn Waer, San Carlos

Government

A Race for Judge That's Intriguing -- for Once

Normally there are no sparks and no surprises in Superior Court elections. But one race is bucking that tradition -- and could break prosecutors' two-decade-long stranglehold on the bench.

Time Already Running Short for 2012 Budget

If the city wants to increase taxes or institute new fees to help close a $77 million deficit lurking next year, it'll need to decide soon. Very soon.

  • Updated: January 27

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San Diego's Easiest Financial Fix Is Its Most Complicated

City Hall could try to wipe away an enormous amount of debt with the snap of its fingers, but how it would all play out afterward is anything but clear.

Cops and Deputies Reject Dumanis on Endorsement

The district attorney is running unopposed for a third term, but a handful of recent events has her on the outs with an influential law enforcement consortium.

County Government Resents Bearing Safety Net's Burden

The wide gulf between poor residents and social welfare programs in San Diego County results from an ingrained political culture and a battle between the county and state that's dragged on for decades.

San Diego's Safety Net: Riddled With Gaps

A VOSD investigation finds that the county government's historical resistance to provide social welfare programs has left a wide chasm between last-resort aid and those on the bottom rungs of economic survival.

The Two Filners

He's a crusty curmudgeon who's fought with presidents, raised hell and gotten thrown in the slammer. But in the district, he's a perceptive and inexhaustible campaigner who's had to work hard to stay relevant in a changing district.

Sanders: San Diego Is a Model Government

The mayor pledges to offer a long-term fix for the city's budget problems within the next 18 months.