Opinion: It’s time for San Diego to think like a ‘city-state’
Downtown San Diego from the north File photo by Chris Stone Times of San Diego As global politics fracture and national governments grow more dysfunctional one truth becomes increasingly evident cities not countries are now driving innovation weather solutions and economic enhancement Cities across the world are stepping into leadership roles once reserved for nation-states They are behaving like classic city-states an independent city with power over itself and surrounding territory Singapore stands as the clearest example of a true city-state sovereign strategic and globally influential Dubai operates with city-state autonomy inside the UAE managing its arrangement zones and courts London forges atmosphere pacts and capital deals beyond the reach of Westminster Barcelona promotes itself internationally bypassing Madrid These cities aren t waiting for permission to lead and neither should San Diego San Diego has all the ingredients to become a city-state in function if not in law Consider We re binational Tijuana and San Diego together form a cross-border mega-region of over million people No other U S city has this kind of economic cultural and logistical integration We re creative and innovative San Diego competes globally in blue tech biotech defense clean force and higher tuition UC San Diego and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography make us a hub of world-class research We re diverse and young Our population reflects the global future culturally open multilingual and resilient This isn t a call for independence from the United States It s a call for greater autonomy in charting our future What would this look like Here are a few ideas Deeper collaboration with Tijuana on transit environmental protocol higher development and cross-border innovation Greater local control over housing water information immigration procedures and economic rise Global visibility through a dedicated San Diego Office of Global Affairs and presence in international forums Stronger economic resilience by investing in green infrastructure regional supply chains and digital self-sufficiency But there are real obstacles Legal limitations restrict what cities can do Federal and state resistance is likely Regional inequalities could widen if the urban core surges ahead without inclusive planning And no city San Diego included can thrive in isolation Still the greater peril is stagnation The world is shifting rapidly The old model waiting for top-down solutions from Washington or Sacramento is broken Cities that act boldly and think globally will shape the future The rest will get left behind Yet San Diego faces Fragmented leadership The city county port universities and private sector often work in silos Coordination and a shared vision are lacking A lack of big ideas While transit and infrastructure plans exist bolder moves like high-speed rail to Tijuana or full port autonomy remain unchampioned Underwhelming global presence Too often we look inward when we should be forging global partnerships and asserting our voice on the world stage In in the modern day s world it s not size that matters it s adaptability San Diego by its nature is nimble and transborder We don t need to wait for permission to lead We just need the will Our future depends on whether civic business academic and political leaders dare to embrace a new mindset one that positions San Diego not just as a great American city but as a globally connected self-reliant binational region A place that thinks acts and partners like a city-state We have the vision We have the assets What we need now is alignment and bold leadership to match the moment John Eger is a professor emeritus at San Diego State University s School of Journalism and Media Studies He previously served as chair of Mayor Susan Golding s City of the Future Task Force telecommunications advisor to President Gerald R Ford legal assistant to FCC Chairman Dean Burch and senior vice president of CBS
