About future economy.

We talked a lot about sports, as uh the consul general mentioned, and we ate wonderful food in a place that you know is diverse and exciting and future focused, just like San Diego is.

So as we sign, as our mayor had the opportunity with his counterpart to sign the sister city agreement, which really creates a durable framework for continued partnership.

I think all of us who have had the opportunity to be along for the ride feel like what you all have built over years and years of connectivity, uh, that now we have sort of a future uh pathway to continue to deepen that that economic connectivity.

And I think, you know, two secrets in international economic development.

One, there's always a lot of uncertainty, and the biggest hedge against uncertainty are really good partners that you trust around the world.

And two, uh, we focus a lot on economic partnerships, but maybe my favorite secret is underneath those economic partnerships.

When you build them well, there's a tremendous amount of joy and uh sort of the social outcomes of that, the cuisine you get to experience, the friends that you meet along the way, and then that you have for a lifetime are probably some of the best benefits of global competitive competitiveness and of the work we do.

So I want to close by thanking Mayor Gloria by thanking Consul General Frier by thanking Congressman Peters for their leadership in this space.

You don't get partnership like this with very good political leadership.

I want to thank all of our delegates who traveled with us.

Many of you are here in the audience today.

And truly, I want to thank this community uh that cares about France and cares about San Diego and has worked so hard to continue to deepen this relationship for our two regions.

Thank you.

All right, let's get to this sign.

Three, two, one.

Three, two, one.

This sign is a marker of friendship, of partnership, and of the ties that connect our communities across oceans and across borders.

And it is a symbol of the future that we will be building together.

What brings these two cities together?

Case Met French and Almond Sponge.

He's much stronger than sheer business.

And our sister city relationship is not just symbolic, it's strategic.

Together we can work to make our regions more competitive, innovative, and better for our for San Diego and our friends in Marseille.

San Diego and French companies already have incredible working relationships in many, many different ways in the areas of clean energy, life sciences, maritime innovation, and advanced manufacturing that is driving global investment on both sides of the Atlantic.

Today we celebrate two new sister cities.

But we also celebrate and big tribute to how multiple leadership can change the course of people's data ducks.

They make the economy stronger, they create jobs, and they also create uh tremendous enjoyment for all of us, which is part of what we're all here today to celebrate.

Thanks to the Cedar Cister City Agreements, both Mercedes and San Diego will benefit from one another's assistance.

San Diegans know who we are.

We are a global city.

We're a proud border city, we are a proud military town.

We understand respect service, understand sacrifice, and embrace our cultural diversity.

Those things give us the competitive edge that we need to compete on a global stage, and again, not just compete, but win.

SB 79 is a new bill that's intended to address the state's housing shortage, and it's intended to provide more homes near transit.

The bill is scheduled to take effect on July 1st, 2026.

SB 79 requires the city to approve certain housing development projects that are located within a half mile of a major transit stop.

SB 79 is generally consistent with the city's housing policies, which are intended to encourage more home development, especially in places that have access to transit and access to jobs.

This implements the city's climate goals.

Phasing implementation gives us an opportunity to see where the increased density makes the most sense.

It also gives us an opportunity to address issues like fire safety, climate resilience, fair housing considerations, and historic resources.

Wildfires are a year-round threat, especially in our canyon communities.

For new construction, zone zero starts now.

Current property owners should aim to make changes by February 2027.

Preparedness takes all of us.

Visit San Diego.gov slash defensible space.

Hi, I'm Bethany Bezack.

It takes a lot to keep the eighth largest city running.

A lot of buildings, roads, sidewalks, street lights, parks and reservoirs, and a lot of vehicles.

In fact, San Diego has more than five thousand vehicles in its fleet.

Trash trucks, fire engines, and police cars.

All of these vehicles need fuel and regular maintenance.

But over the past several years, fuel prices have continued to rise, and that's directly impacting San Diego's budget.

In fact, for every one cent increase per gallon at the pump, the city's monthly fuel costs rise by ten thousand dollars.

Construction and insurance costs have increased dramatically over the past several years, and our city revenues have not kept pace with those rising costs.

As we face some difficult budget decisions, we want San Diegans to know that we're listening.

We will continue to prioritize public safety and protecting our neighborhoods and work to create a more efficient and effective city government.

Ready?

All right.

Good morning.