1. JOBS, JOBS, JOBS
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2. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
The late U.S. Senator Bobby Kennedy used to say, “Most people see things as they are – and ask why? I
dream of things that never were – and ask why not?”
Why not build a city where good jobs are plentiful? Why not create an economy where clean industries
can prosper? Why not promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship that can make the world a
better place?
Bob Filner’s plan to create good jobs is not, like his opponent’s, just a roadmap of redundancy, but a set
of unique proposals that can make a significant difference in the historical trajectory of job, income and
investment growth in the region. It can make our City more competitive, our businesses more profitable,
and our workforce more self-sufficient.This plan envisionsjobs across industries that combine our
“green” sectors (alternative energy, efficiency technology) with the “blue” sectors (maritime trade, ship-
building, ocean research) into an Aqua Economy.
Bob Filner has identified specific goals that are essential to moving San Diego forward toward a stronger,
diverse base of well-paying jobs. Implementation of this plan will add 50,000 jobs in the city by 2020,
with a focus on jobs that pay at least an average of $50,000. The Filner Plan aims to accomplish these
goals by growing the Aqua Economy, expanding the capacity of the Port, leading the creation of a
Southern California Innovation Cluster,local preference in construction, and resurgence of niche
manufacturing. The plan also calls for prioritized employment of veterans.
While in Congress, Bob Filner has been a champion of good jobs.He has worked in a bipartisan fashion to
secure funding for our defense industry, biotech and stem cell research, veterans employment, facilities
construction, and border entry projects. He has been a stalwart in international trade, having
represented U.S. interests in countries around the world.
Bob Filner will bring these decades of leadership and experience to serving as your Mayor. No longer will
San Diego be held hostage by special interests – and we will finally put people first!
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3. Contents
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 4
FILNER PLAN OF ACTION ............................................................................................................................... 6
5 Goals: Working together to work better ........................................................................................... 7
Diversity in our Economy ...................................................................................................................... 7
I. THE PORT AND THE AQUA ECONOMY ....................................................................................................... 9
1. Global perspective to trade ........................................................................................................ 10
2. Strategic Port and Military Investment ....................................................................................... 11
3. Intermodal infrastructure ........................................................................................................... 12
4. Marine highways, short sea shipping.......................................................................................... 13
5. Revitalize Fisheries ...................................................................................................................... 14
6. A Quality Undertaking for American (AQUA) Jobs...................................................................... 14
II. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INNOVATION CLUSTER ................................................................................ 16
III. LOCAL JOBS ............................................................................................................................................ 19
IV. MANUFACTURING ................................................................................................................................. 20
V. VETERANS EMPLOYMENT ....................................................................................................................... 21
A Job-Creating Legislative Record ............................................................................................................... 22
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4. INTRODUCTION
With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, San Diego’s economy began a dramatic shift. While therest of
the nation went through a brief recession beginning in 1990, San Diego was impacted worse than the
rest of the nation. Declines in active duty military spending coupled with the loss of defense contractors
such as General Dynamics, which had provided tens of thousands of middle income jobs, made the
recession here both deeper and longer. City government (including Councilman Bob Filner), however,
reacted aggressively and, working with large and small business interests andhigher education leaders,
implemented a comprehensive economic development plan.By 1997, San Diego was regarded as a
national model in how to fundamentally change a local economy. The plan focused on high technology
industries – both by transitioning defense contractors to new, commercial uses and assisting the
blossoming biotechnology sector – and on the small business sector - which historically supports the
greatest job growth during a recovery. As a Member, and then Deputy Mayor, of San Diego’s City
Council while that plan was being developed and implemented, Bob Filner was proud to play an active
role in San Diego’s economic resurgence.
With the 2007 global economic collapse driven by Wall Street, again San Diego has suffered. But unlike
the City’s efforts in the early 1990s, local government has done little to respond to these economic
challenges. While the global and national economies are the main components driving the local
economy, we showed in the 1990s that by acting locally we can strongly and positively influence our
economic fate.
Nationally, there are glimmerings of economic hope.Yet San Diego’s unemployment rate remains well
above the national average. Local defense expenditures since 2003 have helped to mitigate the worst
effects of the Great Recession, but with the nation’s military operation in Iraq ended and in Afghanistan
being drawn down, San Diego may soon see significant declines in defense spending. If we do not take
aggressive steps once again to restore our economy, we will continue to be mired in economic
stagnation.
In terms of average annual wage per job, San Diego has still not recovered from the loss of
manufacturing jobs in the 1970s. During the 1981-1982 recession, our standard of living fell below the
nation’s and the gap is widening.1This is because in the past two decades, the region has been adding
eight low-paying jobs for every one high‑paying job. The figure below2 shows that even when adjusted
for inflation, the average wage per job in San Diego in 2010 pays less than the average wage per job in
1972. And when compared to statewide statistics, real wages in San Diego have been trailing during the
last decade.
1
SANDAG, San Diego Regional Economic Prosperity Strategy 2008.
2
Originally published by the VoiceOfSanDiego.org on January 30, 2012.
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5. There are still almost 68,000 people unemployed in the city of San Diego who are willing and able to
work.3In addition to the unemployed, one-in-five workers is underemployed,which includes people who
are working fewer hours than they would like to, and those whohave not looked in the last four weeks,
perhaps because they were disappointed by the lackluster job market.
The combined impact of job losses and lower wages is felt on the overall economy of the region. During
the recession, retail sales in San Diego fell by $12.1 billion, as battered consumer confidence and
slimmer wallets led to severe cutbacks in household spending.
3
California Employment Development Department, unemployment data for April 2012 is not seasonally adjusted.
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6. FILNER PLAN OF ACTION
To bring San Diego into the 21st century, Bob recognizes the need to build our economy in a sustainable
manner. We are emerging from the deepest recession that most of us have experienced in our lifetime.
As San Diego rebuilds our local economy and adds jobs, it is important to attract and retain quality high
paying jobs in diverse sectors. Bob Filner has identified five goals that are essential to moving San Diego
forward toward a stronger, diverse base of well-paying jobs. The Filner Plan to accomplish these five
goals involves fully utilizing the Port of San Diego and a budding Aqua Economy sector, leading the
creation of a Southern California Innovation Cluster and preparing for a resurgence of local
manufacturing.
Bob Filner has a record of championing good jobs locally, and supporting the defense and biotech
industries in our region. As Mayor, he will work to attract more middle-class jobs to the region.
The Filner Plan of Action
Our Assets: Natural, human and intellectual capital
Natural amenities, good climate
Location: border with Mexico, on the Pacific Rim
Universities, research institutes, community colleges
A vibrant and growing “innovation cluster” of industries
America’s Finest Workforce
Our Liabilities: Lack of opportunity, infrastructure and leadership
High unemployment, underemployment, particularly among
young people
Disproportionate number of low-wage jobs
Crumbling transportation infrastructure
Limited access to capital and investments
Constrained by leadership at federal, state level
Our Goals:
Add 50,000 jobs in the city by 2020
Encourage jobs that pay $50,000+
Grow the Aqua economy, adding 6,000 good jobs by 2020
Attract investment in the Southern California Innovation Cluster
Prioritize employment of veterans
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7. 5 Goals: Working together to work better
As Mayor, Bob Filner has the following goals to attract, create and sustain good jobs for our region’s
workforce:
1. Achieve “full employment”4 in our city, with our private and public sectors creatingat least
50,000 jobs by 2020.
2. Build a robust middle-class by attracting industries that pay an average wage at or above
$50,000, and assisting other local industries in improving their average wages.
3. Create 6,000 jobs in the Aqua Economy, by pursuing a Strategic Plan for more public and private
investment to the Port and increase the competitiveness of our region’s goods-movement
economy.
4. Create a Southern California Innovation Cluster extending from Los Angeles to the border that
positions us to be a globally competitive region. This cluster would attract thousands of good
jobs and over a billion dollars annually in venture capital to San Diego.
5. Establish a Veterans Employment Department within the Mayor’s Office to ensure that veterans
are given the opportunity to be self-sufficient in civil life.
Growing San Diego’s economy will require that we expand opportunities for middle class jobs, continue
to diversify the businesses that import dollars to the region, and support small businesses that are key
to job growth and revitalization of our communities. These are the three legs of a stable economic base.
Diversity in our Economy
San Diego’s economic base – the source of dollars coming into the region for local recirculation– has
historically come from manufacturing, defense (both uniformed services and defense contractors), and
tourism. Manufacturing has been waning nationally and locally for decades because of
globalization.However, we have retained important pockets of manufacturing, especially in the Rancho
Bernardo area. While defense spending declined in the early 1990s, increases during the two Middle
East wars have provided a buffer of sorts for San Diego’s economy. Currently, about 25% of San Diego’s
economic base derives from defense spending, and the city faces challenges in maintaining that share.
San Diego took advantage of every economic development tool available during the 1990s.
Unfortunately, the City’s current economic development effort is not coordinated either regionally or
even locally within City Hall. For example, city policy calls for an Economic Development Plan to be
updated every five years–yet the current plan was last updated in 2001. The city’s Independent Auditor
has found that the economic development strategy is outdated, lacks clear objectives, and is not
4
“Full employment” refers to a stable-state economy, with enough jobs being added to keep up with the
population growth.
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8. coordinated with the Capital Improvement Plan.5To make matters more confusing, economic
development activities are now carried out in two separate departments. Bob Filner welcomes the City
Council’s commitment to streamlining their efforts by establishing a standing Committee on Economic
Development. The growth of local jobs is primarily driven by the growth of our home-grown businesses,
many of which seek a well-educated workforce. As Mayor, he will work closely and cooperatively with
the City Council to ensure that we operate an effective and well-coordinated economic development
program to diversify our economic base and support the kind of innovation that will be an essential
component of San Diego’s economic future.
Industries with higher average wages:
 Information, Technology
 Manufacturing
 Professional and Business Services
 Financial Services
Industries with average wage around $50,000:
 Construction
 Education and Health Services
Industries with lower average wages:
 Retail and wholesale trade, transportation
 Personal and other services
 Leisure and Hospitality
Source: California Employment Development Department, ranked
by 2010 annual average wage per job.
In the absence on an economic development strategy, the city has been drifting towards jobs that are in
the lowest paying industries. In order to build a robust middle-class, the city needs tofocus strategically
on industries that pay an average wage at or above $50,000, and incentivize other industries in
improving their average wages. It makes good business sense to invest in industries that yield the
highest returns on investment in terms of economic impact on all San Diegans.
5
Office of the City Auditor, City of San Diego, Report 13-006; Performance Audit of the Economic Development
Program. http://www.sandiego.gov/auditor/reports/fy13_pdf/audit/13-006_econdev.pdf
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9. I.THE PORT AND THE AQUA ECONOMY
We have a beautiful bay, with a waterfront where thousands of San Diegans go to work.The maritime
industry consists of more than 1,400 companies producing over $14 billion of direct sales and a
workforce of almost 46,000 jobs spread across an array of traditional and technology-oriented
sectors.6 Indeed, some economists estimate that the industry may directly or indirectly be
supporting as many as 120,000 jobs in the region.
Bob Filner contemplates an economy that combines our “green” sectors (alternative energy,
efficiency technology) with the “blue” sectors (maritime trade, ship-building, defense, ocean
research) into an “Aqua Economy”. Aqua Economy is a cluster of industries that support maritime
operations, maritime technology, defense, ship-building, ocean research, climate science, fishing,
and aqua energy in San Diego. These “Aqua Jobs” span across blue-collar jobs, white-collar jobs and
green-collar jobs, are oriented towards the water, include innovations for sustainability, and are
well-paying.
The anchor of the Aqua Economy is our Port. It is the largest break-bulk port in the state, importing and
exporting cargo that does not fit easily in containers.7The Port’s two cargo terminals process almost $6
billion in imports and $71 million
in exports annually. One of the
largest clients of the Port is Dole
Food Company, Inc. This company
operates in a “niche
market”because their products
(bananas) are perishable and
consumed within the region that
they are delivered.According to
the National University System of
Policy Research, the two maritime
terminals operated by the port
play an increasingly important
role in the region’s economy:
$1.7 billion in regional economic activity: That is the equivalent of 4.5 Super Bowls, 12 U.S. Open
Golf Championships, or 60 Holiday Bowls. This impact also exceeds the annual economic impact
of the San Diego Convention Center.
19,000 jobs are associated with the activities at the maritime terminals.
6
San Diego Maritime Industry Report, 2012.
7
“Economic and Fiscal Impacts of the Port of San Diego”, Economics Research Associates, 2007.
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10. The jobs they create are high paying. On average, Port positions pay 28 percent more than the
region’s median (private sector) wage. Certain professions, such as longshore workers, clerks,
and dock foremen, pay more than double and triple the region’s median wage.
The cruise-ship business is also an important part of our Aqua Economy. The Port estimates that each
ship beginning and ending a cruise in San Diego contributes about $2 million to the local economy.
Strategic Plan of Action
Bob Filner aims to create 6,000 jobs in the Aqua Economy by 2020.He will bring more public and private
investment to the Port and increase the competitiveness of our region’s goods-movement and cruise-
ship economy. Although the San Diego Unified Port District is a separate agency from the city, three
commissioners (out of seven) are appointed by the City of San Diego. Hence the Mayorhas a significant
role in regional policy-setting and as a spokesperson.
These are the five strategic areas that Mayor Bob Filner will focus on:
1. Global perspective to trade
We are located on the rim of the Pacific Ocean, the largest, deepest ocean in the world that is the
gateway to emerging markets in Asia and Latin America. Nearly a quarter of the state of California’s
economy can be attributed to international trade, along with more than 500,000 jobs for California
workers and approximately $7 billion in state and local tax revenues collected annually.8
However, we are nowhere near the capacity of what we can do. As Mayor, Bob Filner will utilize the
platform of Mayor to bring goods-movement and goods-movement jobs to the Port of San Diego. He
will work with Port District officials to make trade (and trade-related businesses) a priority. He will take
aggressive action to secure international trade opportunities:
Bob Filner will reach out to local San Diego businesses to increase local use of the Port of San
Diego, for both imports and exports.
Bob Filner will increase exports from our region33% by the year 2020. This is a $5 billion
increase, which would lead to $20 billion in total exports annually by 2020.As our green energy
sector (such as the manufacture of solar turbines) grows, our exports will grow.
Bob Filner will give personal attention to the expansion of international trade, and will lead
trade missions across the border and overseas.He will bring in business from new and emerging
markets, including China, India, Australia, Brazil and Peru.He will work with our friends in Mexico
so that the San Diego Port can increasingly serve the growing Mexican manufacturing industries.
He will bring closer together the large Filipino community in the region with the Republic of the
Philippines. He will personally welcome trade missions to our city.
8
California Association of Port Authorities (CAPA).
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11. Recently, the selection of the Port of San Diego by the Brookings Institute for its Metropolitan
Export Initiative is exciting news for our region. We now have an opportunity for ground-up
collaborationbetween our regional civic, business, and political leaders to create and implement a
Metropolitan Export Plan (MEP). This export plan will apply market intelligence to develop targeted,
integrated export-related services and strategies to help our port better connect domestic firms to
global customers, in order to meet our export goals.9 For example, the Minneapolis-St. Paul region is
working towards a plan to double the region’s exports in 5 years.10 As Mayor, Bob Filner will
immediately convene our regional leaders, and the Port of San Diego, to set export targets, and
work with them to implement the export plan.
2. Strategic Port and Military Investment
The Port of San Diego serves an important role in national defense as one of only 17 “strategic ports” in
the United States and #1 strategic port on the west coast. According to the Commander of U.S. Navy
Southwest Region, Rear Admiral Dixon Smith, 18.4 million pounds of military cargo has gone through the
10th Avenue Marine Terminal and the National City terminalin the last two years. This ranks the Port of
San Diego 6thamongst the 17 strategic ports in the U.S.11
The San Diego region includes the largest concentration of military personnel in the world – some
60,000 sailors and 40,000 marines. The naval base includes 57 home-ported ships and 34,000 military
9
Brookings Institute. http://www.brookings.edu/about/projects/state-metro-innovation/mei
10
Minnesota Trade Office.
http://www.positivelyminnesota.com/Data_Publications/Publications/Reports/Minneapolis-
St._Paul_Export_Plan/Minneapolis-St._Paul_Export_Plan.pdf
11
Rear Admiral Dixon speaking at a recent panel discussion video posted at:
http://www.portofsandiego.org/maritime/3146-port-of-san-diego-strategic-port.html
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12. and civilian employees. 12Our geographic location on the Pacific Ocean, and proximity to the Army’s
national training center at Fort Irwin in the Mojave Desert,gives us a strategic advantage. In addition,
our Port offerssecure, deep-water berths, and good inland infrastructure (such as connections to
highways and rail).As a result, the Port handled 15 major military cargo loadings and unloadingsbetween
2007 and 2010.13 About a quarter of these consisted of stryker unit refurbishments, which alone
created $93 million in contractor work and 2,000 jobs for the region.
The private sector, too, plays a role, since General Dynamic NASSCO is the only major shipbuilder on the
west coast. The Navy uses their facilities for ship repair as well as to build new vessels.
Bob Filner recognizes the importance of the Port in terms of national security, to provide infrastructure
and services necessary for military and deployment activities, in terms of vehicles and equipment in and
out of the homeland. Through a collaborative relationship between the Navy, Port and the private
defense industry in San Diego, Bob Filner proposes the followingas Mayor:
Maintain our “strategic port”designation, and bringing federal funds to San Diego to continue
our active role in homeland defense at the two marine terminals.
Work with waterfront businesses (like General Dynamics NASSCO and BAE Systems) and Navy to
more effectively utilize Port real estate and build an infrastructure to grow their operations.
Actively support our major fleet support installations at the Naval Base in San Diego, which is
one of only two in the U.S.
3. Intermodal infrastructure
Every dollar invested in the Port yields
$2.80 in economic activity for the region.
However, the growth of our Port in the 21st
century is constrained by our infrastructure
and real estate. In order to be competitive
and efficient, there needs to beseamless
goods movement from ship to trucks or
from ship torail.
The National City terminal has some land
that is used by Pasha for car offloading and
storage before being transported to
dealers. However, there is not much more
room for container storage. This is because
it operates on tidelands that generate
12
Port of San Diego, The Working Waterfront, April 2012.
13
Port of San Diego, Maritime Factsheet, 05-05-2012.
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13. complementary real estate revenue. The Port is also affected by urbanization and gentrification, which
leads to incompatible land uses juxtaposed.
As Mayor, Bob Filner will bring local governments (like cities, county, Port, SANDAG) together to focus
on the infrastructure needs of our region’s goods movement, and explore the following:
Plan an intermodal infrastructure that combines roads, rails and bridges to move goods
in and out of the port synchronously.
Pool local resources (like TransNet) and seek federal public-private resources (like a
proposed “Infrastructure” Bank) to invest inbuilding the intermodal infrastructure.
Explore an inland port located eastward that operates as a distribution facility and is
connected by an east-westrail-line to one of the terminals.
Provide transitional-use zones in city areas bordering Port tidelands to provide
protection for our urban neighborhoods even as we expand our maritime industry.
4. Marine highways, short sea shipping
Short sea shipping is a form of domestic transportation that uses water barges and smaller vessels for
moving cargo, rather than land modes like highways or rail. The M-5 Marine Highway Corridor runs
along the west coast.14 This highway provides a viable means of water-based transportation and should
be utilized by the Port. It would not only ease traffic congestion from containers on land-based
highways, but also ease air pollution from trucks driving through surrounding neighborhoods.
The marine highway is a potential game-changer for goods movement through San Diego. As Mayor,
Bob Filner will establish our Port as a major node within the U.S. marine highway network by taking the
following steps:
Develop a Marine Highway Initiative that examines the role of our port within the
highway system that is appropriate to our location and growth objectives, byworking
cooperatively with sister cities that are part of the San Diego Port, as well as destination
M-5 ports, including Seattle, Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Outreach to businesses that will locate to San Diego to service the maritime highway
operations.
Seek federal grant funding (U.S. Department of Transportation, Marine Administration)
for a container-on-barge service route serving California and Washington.
14
U.S. Department of Transportation, Marine Administration.
http://www.marad.dot.gov/ships_shipping_landing_page/mhi_home/mhi_home.htm
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14. 5. Revitalize Fisheries
San Diego has a small boat fishing industry with about 130 fishermen who catch swordfish, California
spiny lobster, rockfish, red sea urchin, sharks, halibut, rock crab, albacore tuna, lobsters, California
sheephead, spot prawn and other live fish contributing to 2.5 million pounds valued at $7 million in
landings in 2008.15There are four ports in the region:Driscoll’s Wharf, Tuna Harbor, Mission Bay and
Oceanside, of which the first two are within the jurisdiction of the Port of San Diego. Our region exports
sea urchins.
However, over the decades, the fishing industry has experienced a significant decline, mainly because of
regulatory barriers and global competition. At the same time, there is a growing demand for fresh,
sustainable seafood in the region. In response, the Port is currently implementing a Commercial
Fisheries Revitalization and Coastal Public Access Plan. The plan calls for a facility for fishermen to sell
fish directly to the public.
As Mayor, Bob Filner will reinvigorate the fishing industry by building a San Diego’s version of Pike’s
Place for local consumption, restaurants, tourism, and healthy eating for school children.
There is a significant untapped market for recreational fishing in California, which could be anchored in
San Diego. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has signed a 10-year lease
with the Port for home porting of its newest vessel (Reuben Lasker, named after late Professor Lasker at
Scripps Institute) as well as office at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal. The vessel is one of the most
technologically advanced in the world, and will conduct surveys for fish, marine mammals and turtles off
the west coast of North America and in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. A new NOAA fisheries vessel
in San Diego brings an estimated $27 million annually in direct economic contributions, creating
approximately 24 local jobs.
6. A Quality Undertaking for American (AQUA) Jobs
The Aqua Economy consists of many technology and intellectual property-based firms that encompass
sectors as diverse as seafood, ship-building, ocean energy, defense, robotics and clean water
engineering. They have a global focus, but are often rooted in local research institutionslike Scripps
Institute of Oceanography, Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute, NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science
Center, and the USD Department of Marine Sciences and Environmental Studies.Even though some of
the customer base may not be local (especially for those serving the energy sector), they benefit from
local talentand complementary services by clustering together.
According to a recent BusinessWeek report, biotech innovators in San Diego are leading the way in
producing fuel from green goo (algae). These job creators are clustered around our UC, Scripps and Salk
15
Port of San Diego. http://www.portofsandiego.org/commercial-fisheries.html
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15. research institutions. Biofuels from algae are the top clean technology priority for policymakers in
California, on a path to produce fuel on an industrial scale by 2015. Aircrafts could start using biofuels in
5 years. The algae industry has an $81 million in economic activity in the region and creates 466 local
jobs. 16
As Mayor, Bob Filner recognizes the need to tap into local strengths to serve a constantly-changing
global marketplace of ideas and innovation. Bob Filner wants to grow the Aqua Economy by pursuing
the following:
Create PortTechSD by partnering with the Port and the Maritime Alliance.This is a technology
incubator similar to PortTech LA to attract and mentor entrepreneurship that will enable the
Port of San Diego, and ports worldwide, to meet their environmental, energy, security and
logistics goals.
Establish a Desalination and Clean Water Technology Center of Excellence that would develop,
test and find commercial applications for new water purification technologies. This could be
either in conjunction with PortTechSD, or as a separate public-private partnership.
Expand economic opportunities for young San Diegans through the Youth Development Office
(proposed in Bob Filner’s Youth & Education Plan), by partnering with the maritime industry
cluster, the Navy, and our maritime research institutions.
Establish a national Maritime Robotics Center of Excellence which would focus the region’s
efforts and broaden awareness as it could serve as a national test bed.
Tie the green and blue technologies closer together by encouraging such areas as wave energy,
use of algae as biofuel, and ocean sources of food.
16
Bloomberg BusinessWeek. October 11, 2012. “Algae are a Growing Part of San Diego’s Appeal”.
http://www.businessweek.com/printer/articles/75568-algae-are-a-growing-part-of-san-diegos-appeal
15

16. II. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
INNOVATION CLUSTER
The Innovation Economy encompasses one-in-ten workers, and consists of high-tech, IT, life sciences,
chemical technology, clean energy technology, robotics, and similar fields focused on science and
engineering. This is a key driver of our economy, since for every new job created in high-tech, five
additional jobs are created.17Southern California is home to nearly 32,000 such companies, which
together represent an enormous base of talent for driving new company formation. Many brick-and-
mortar businesses in what has become “traditional” innovation like online services,entertainment, art,
consumer sports, and military/defense are reinventing themselves through technology.
There are thousands of well-paying jobs in this region that are waiting to be filled with talented workers,
and hundreds of entrepreneurs waiting to connect with the right investment. These are four focus areas
in the Innovation Economy:
I. Life Sciences and Bioscience: This is an industry that is a life saver globally, using science to treat
diseases. San Diego’s biotech industry is the third largest in the nation, clustered around Scripps
Research Institute, Salk Institute and the University of California, San Diego. In San Diego
County, the combined contribution to the local county economy of the bio-pharmaceutical
manufacturing and biotech R&D industries is almost $8 billion, generating 34,000 jobs and $66
million in local tax revenues. Our region is home to global biotech companies like Amlyn
Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer.
II. Communications, Semiconductors and Wireless Technology:An industry that makes us smarter,
excelling in smartphone chips and telecommunications code. San Diegans’ownDr. Irwin Jacobs
led the commercialization of wireless voice and data communication. There are over 6,000
technology employers in San Diego employing 140,000 workers. Qualcomm alone employs
about 10,000 high-wage workers, and was listed within Fortune’s top 25 companies to work for
in 2012.
III. Clean Technology: Clean energy jobs are part of the larger Aqua Economy.With a California
requirement (AB 32) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% by 2020, there is considerable
demand for alternative energy and energy services.
IV. Software and Multimedia Programming:An industry withgrowing demand from healthcare,
education and entertainment for programmers.Some of the offshored programming is coming
back to the U.S. According to the San Diego Software Industries Council, there are about 6,000
vacant information technology jobs in the county.
17
Moretti, Enrico. 2012. The new geography of jobs.
16

17. To the extent that innovation is technology-agnostic , there is a lot of convergence as well as cross-over
that occurs within these sectors. A sharing of ideas, partnerships and near-sourcing, and access to state-
of-the art research are catalyzed by the clustering of these industries and institutions within southern
California.
For 30 years, CONNECT has been providing support for entrepreneurs to grow their ideas into successful
businesses. Ithas assisted in the formation and development of over 2,000 local businesses, and is a
global model of business incubation, by linking
inventors and entrepreneurs with the
resources they need for commercialization of
innovative products in high tech and life
sciences. CONNECT was a key player in San
Diego’s emergence from the recession in the
early 1990s, and it should once again be asked
to facilitate linkages with other regional
economic development efforts.
The strength of our innovation industries is
evidenced in the fact that they are leading our
region out of the economic recession. Patent
activity has hit an all-time high and venture
capital investment is rebounding. San Diego
benefited from over a billion dollars in federal
grant funding in 2011, including the National
Institutes of Health, National Science
Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration and National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.18However, the
number of venture capital firms located in the
region is quite low.
Bob Filner recognizes the role of Mayoral leadership in bringing in capital from outside the region.
Innovation needs upfront investment, as the primary value of local labor lies in developing an idea into a
commercially viable product. The worldwide fame of our UC system, of Hollywood, our research centers
like Salk Institute, of our innovations and innovators need be harnessed, to accelerate us forward. In
order for southern California to compete on a global scale, Bob Filner proposes the following actions:
Convene regional leadership in southern California, for a call-to-arms toincrease venture capital
investment in the Southern California Innovations Cluster. The outcome of such a summit will be
a strategic plan to promote our assets, and leverage our resources in each industry.
18
CONNECT, “Innovation Economy Stepped up in 2011”, April 27, 2012.
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18. Work with groups like CONNECT, BIOCOM, CleanTech, and the Software Industries Council to
address regulatory barriers in locating and expanding innovative businesses, like Soitec.
Work with the biopharma industry to site and build new research and development facilities in
the region.
Educate our youth on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), and create pathways
through our higher education and learning institutions for a career in innovation. The Youth
Development Authority, presented in Bob Filner’s Youth & Education plan, will coordinate the
public and private sectors to implement this program.
Seek continuing federal and state support for the San Diego Biofuels Initiative, which is a
collaborative effort involving CleanTECH San Diego, BIOCOM, BIOCOM Institute, San Diego
Regional EDC, San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology (SD-CAB) and the San Diego Workforce
Partnership. This initiative will provide careers to unemployed and dislocated workers, in the
emerging biofuels industry.
Build an Innovation Campus, a place where entrepreneurs, engineers, scientists, creative
thinkers and policymakers collaborate on nurturing ideas, and developing commercial
applications. The city would be seeking federal Economic Development Authority funds to seed
this project, and partner with organizations like CONNECT, the Zahn Institute at SDSU and the
Moxie Center at UCSD for startup support.
18

19. III. LOCAL JOBS
As our economy grows, City of San Diego residents need to reap the benefits. Over the past decade, the
number of people that live and work within the city has decreased, even though the population and
labor force has increased. In fact a majority of jobs within the City of San Diego are now held by those
that commute from outside the city.19
With the drop-off in new housing development, San Diego’s construction workforce, as with the rest of
the country’s, has been hit particularly hard by the Great Recession. One of the ways that the city can
create local jobs is through local preference in public contracting. We have a significant buying power
with over $1 billion in current city contracts. It is estimated that a $1 billion in capital spending can
generate over 20,000 jobs during construction. Local government is always contracting out for capital
improvement and other construction projects, from water and sewer projects to affordable housing and
solar efficiency projects to routine road and facilities maintenance.
As Mayor, Bob Filner proposes the following to keep San Diegans working, when our taxpayer dollars are
spent:
(1) Local Preference in Business: The City will require 15% of all city contracts go to small,
local,minority-owned, women-owned and veterans-owned businesses. The Small and Local
Business program, which is currently limited to construction contracts, will be extended to all
service and vendor contracts, where practical.
(2) Local Preference in Workforce: As Mayor, Bob Filner will incentivize contractors to hire locally,
including veterans, minorities, women, unemployed workers, and partner with quality
apprenticeship programs to train our local workforce in skilled trades.
19
U.S. Census Bureau, OnTheMap Application and LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics (Beginning of
Quarter Employment, 2nd Quarter of 2002-2010).
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20. IV. MANUFACTURING
The growth of manufacturing jobs is dependent on our ability to harness our innovative and
technological prowess. For many new innovations by our scientists and technologists in the lab, the
challenge is ensuring that, as a product moves from discovery to production, local workers and factories
are part of the equation.
Jobs in manufacturing have decreased nationwide in the last decade. California lost half a million
manufacturing jobs from 2000-2010, and the San Diego region went from 128,738 to 90,205 in the same
period. We now have more jobs in restaurants and bars than in manufacturing. However, according to
South County Economic Development Council, the region has become more attractive to manufacturing
as labor and transportation costs abroad continue to increase.20Our region is competitive in high value-
added and customized manufacturing. Data from the California Employment Development Department
show that in San Diego county, joblosses inthe manufacture of plastics & rubber, food, textiles, apparels
and printing, have been partially offset by job gains in manufacturing of chemicals, pharmaceuticals and
in-vitro diagnostic devices. Some of these areas supplement our competitiveness in the Innovation
Economy.
As Mayor, Bob Filnerwill protect our regional manufacturing base, promote innovation and remove
obstacles to new manufacturing by acting in the following areas:
(1) Land-use and Zoning: Industrial land suitable for manufacturing is in short supply in San Diego.
Therefore, there needs to be some preservation of industrial zones andbuffer, as well as co-
location policies that respect the health and safety of residences. Mayor Filner will prioritize
industrial acreage in areas such as Otay Mesa East and Mira Mesa Westwithin the community
plans for manufacturing uses. Maritime-related manufacturing & boat building should be
protected from encroachment by incompatible land uses.
(2) Land assembly and infrastructure: Mayor Filner will request proposals aimed at land banking
future industrial lands for manufacturing purposes.His Neighborhood Investment Council will
explore financing of redevelopment and utility upgrades in older industrial areas.And he will
work to augment San Diego’s and Tijuana’s cargo transport capabilities, particularly air cargo at
the Rodriguez airport, and develop a joint strategy for both Rodriguez and Brown Field airports.
(3) International Trade: Bob Filner will use his Mayoral platform to work with Tijuana to promote
linkages in high tech and electronics manufacturing.He will promote the potential joint
advantages of the San Diego/Tijuana region to both global and local manufacturers.
20
South County Economic Development Council’ “San Diego Regional Manufacturing Sector Report”, June 2012.
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21. V. VETERANS EMPLOYMENT
Although unemployment is high amongst youth, it is highest among youth that have served our nation.
The unemployment rate among young veterans aged 18 to 24 is nearly 25 percent and has soared
recently.California’s Employment Development Department reported that these veterans have had a
much harder time finding jobs than their peers. This situation is likely to get worse as 16,000 post-9/11
veterans return to San Diego over the next decade.
Bob Filner will establish a Veterans Employment Department within the Mayor’s Office that will directly
report to the Mayor. The Department will perform the following functions:
Convene a business summit
to encourage specific commitment to
veteran hiring.
Deploy mayoral resources
and leadership to elevate veterans
issues, including the need for a self-
sufficient career in civilian life.The
Department will work with public
agencies and private employers to
place veterans.
Partner with federal training
programs (such as Operation Boots
to Business) and private programs
(such as Google’s Entrepreneurship
Day for Veterans) that train veterans
in business skills.
Partner with private industry for training veterans in different occupations, such as BRIDGE21 in
biotech, and“Helmets-to-Hardhats”and “Veterans in Pipefitting”in construction.
Identify internship opportunities in collaboration with veterans’ higher education programs such
as SDSU’s Troops to Engineers and SERVICE.22
Increase public contracting participation by veteran-owned businesses.
The Veterans Employment Department will internally coordinate with the proposed Youth Development
Authority, Purchasing & Contracting, Public Works Department as well as Office of Small Business to
ensure that veterans are provided with adequate opportunities in our City.
21
Biotechnology, Readiness, Immersion, Certificates & Degrees for Gainful Employment (BRIDGE) is a collaborative
effort of SDSU, the BIOCOM Institute, Miramar College and the San Diego Workforce Partnership.
22
Success in Engineering for Recent Veterans through Internship and Career Experience.
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22. A Job-Creating Legislative Record
Bob Filner has long fought for strengthening the middle class by working to ensure opportunities exist
for skilled, well-paying jobs. Through his career, the Congressman has stressed the quality as well as the
quantity of jobs that government can help create. He has brought hundreds of millions of jobs-
producing dollars to San Diego.
Representative Filner has spent decades supporting new opportunities for the American worker. His
career in Washington is marked by votes, sponsorships and co-sponsorships of bills designed to enhance
job opportunities and create possibilities through the
workforce. Congressman Filner authored the Veterans
Benefits and Economic Welfare Improvement Act of
2010 to improve employment opportunities for
veterans. Filner voted to support the Rural Star and
Loan Star Programs to create clean energy jobs by
boosting demand for energy efficient products through
low-interest reasonable loans to homeowners and
businesses.
In a recent community newsletter, Bob Filner wrote
that his top priority is “putting people back to work and
strengthening the economy in San Diego” (May, 2010).
This has been his top focus for the last several years and
will continue to be his highest priority as Mayor of San
Diego.
Soon after sharing this statement in May, 2010, Rep.
Filner backed legislation crafted to create jobs in
communities by providing funds to local governments
to restore eliminated positions and threatened services.
The Local Jobs for America Act would have restored
funding aimed to restore 3,263 jobs in the City of San
Diego. The Department of Labor program received strong support in Congress and from many national
organizations.
(https://filner.house.gov/may-2010-e-newsletter)
Representative Filner championed numerous efforts to strengthen the job prospects and reduce
burdens for middle-class Americans. From 2009-2010 alone, Filner co-sponsored over 10 bills that are
identified as job creating legislation. These include:
TEACH for Our Future Act of 2009
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23. H.R.13 (introduced 1/6/2009)
Wounded Veteran Job Security Act
H.R.466 (introduced 1/13/2009)
Equity for Our Nation's Self-Employed Act of 2009
H.R.1470 (introduced 3/12/2009)
Congressional Made in America Promise Act of 2010
H.R.2039 (introduced 4/22/2009)
Protecting America's Workers Act
H.R.2067 (introduced 4/23/2009)
AgJOBS Act of 2009
H.R.2414 (introduced 5/14/2009)
Transportation Job Corps Act of 2009
H.R.2497 (introduced 5/19/2009)
Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act of 2009
H.R.2548 (introduced 5/21/2009)
Put America to Work Act of 2009
H.R.4268 (introduced 12/10/2009)
Create Jobs by Expanding the R&D Tax Credit Act of 2010
H.R.4770 (introduced 3/4/2010)
Local Jobs for America Act
H.R.4812 (introduced 3/10/2010)
Women and Workforce Investment for Nontraditional Jobs
H.R.4830 (introduced 3/11/2010)
Several key pieces of job-creating legislation that Rep. Filner supported became law. His key votes
include support for the Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits
Bill (H.R. 2847) which excluded most employers from paying an excise tax for the majority of 2010 on
wages paid to new employees.
Congressman Filner’s decades of leadership have opened avenues to job creation and economic growth.
The Filner administration will be focused on enhancing the strengths of San Diego as a region while
building upon exciting new ideas and spurring the growth of budding industries to create a balanced job
environment. With Filner as Mayor, San Diegans in every industry will benefit from a plan to addawide
spectrum of job opportunities with a healthy core of well-paying, middle class, skilled jobs.
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24. Paid for by Bob Filner for Mayor 2012
1460 7th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101
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