Mayor Todd Gloria takes direct control of San Diego’s city operations amid a deepening fiscal crunch—reshaping public services and raising questions about leadership and community impact.
SAN DIEGO – As San Diego grapples with a budget shortfall, Mayor Todd Gloria has taken the unusual step of assuming the city’s top administrative post in addition to his mayoral duties, streamlining leadership at City Hall and triggering a broader conversation about governance, accountability, and public service delivery.
In a wide-ranging interview with Voice of San Diego published on July 30, 2025, Gloria confirmed that he officially eliminated the position of chief operating officer (COO), traditionally the second-highest executive in the city, and absorbed those responsibilities himself. This means the mayor is now directly overseeing department heads and key city operations, a consolidation he describes as both efficient and cost-saving.
“I’m getting multiple bites at the apple rather than being presented with a fully baked idea,” Gloria said, describing how his hands-on approach allows him to influence department decisions earlier and more directly.
Gloria said the move is helping the city address a multimillion-dollar deficit without resorting to mass layoffs or cutting essential programs. His office trimmed its own budget by 10%, and most staffing reductions were achieved through attrition rather than terminations.
Still, the budget cuts are having visible effects. Residents should expect slower response times for services such as streetlight repairs, graffiti removal, and public education campaigns like “Think Blue,” the city’s stormwater pollution prevention initiative. Library hours and recreational programs have been preserved, but less-visible services may continue to experience delays.
The budget belt-tightening follows years of fiscal strain exacerbated by pandemic-era deficits and rising operational costs. Gloria has maintained that the decision to centralize operations was necessary to balance the budget while protecting public access to core city services.
For the Filipino American community in San Diego—one of the largest in the United States—Gloria’s role carries added significance. Born to a Filipino, Dutch, and Native American father and Puerto Rican mother, Gloria became the first Filipino-American mayor of a major U.S. city when he was elected in 2020. His election marked a historic milestone in Asian American and Pacific Islander political representation.
Gloria has consistently emphasized the importance of leadership that reflects the communities it serves, citing his personal connection to San Diego’s neighborhoods and his lifelong commitment to public service.
Community advocates say budget decisions that affect public maintenance, neighborhood safety, and youth programs are especially critical in historically underserved areas—including those with large Asian-American populations.
As Gloria continues his term, the move to centralize city leadership under his direction is likely to face scrutiny—but it also sets a precedent for a more direct, executive-style approach to municipal governance. Whether the consolidation yields lasting efficiencies or invites future criticism may depend on how well services are delivered in the months ahead.
