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Voice of San Diego Podcast

Voice of San Diego
San Diego
Homelessness
San Diego Unified School District
San Diego City Council
California
Budget Deficit
Todd Gloria
Housing
San Diego County
Carl Demaio
Public Safety
Nathan Fletcher
Midway Rising
City Council
Politifest
Mayor Todd Gloria
San Diego Police Department
San Diego Padres
Minimum Wage
Chula Vista

This is Voice of San Diego’s weekly spitfire roundup of news. We cover local and regional politics, the environment, education, the border and more. This show features our investigative reporting and interviews with lawmakers and other special guests.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes102Founded15 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNewsNews Commentary

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Artwork for Voice of San Diego Podcast

Latest Episodes

This week, the Voice of San Diego crew was joined by Joey Safchik, host of NBC San Diego's "Politically Speaking," and there was a lot to get through!

First, a bittersweet news update. Reporter Jakob McWhinney broke a story last week about an organ... more

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On this week's podcast episode, our hosts explain how two county supervisors are proposing the region address the Tijuana River sewage crisis.

As our MacKenzie Elmer reported, San Diego County Supervisors Paloma Aguirre and Terra-Lawson Remer think... more

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On this episode of the VOSD Podcast, host Scott Lewis sits down with Michael Zucchet, general manager of the San Diego Municipal Employees Association.

They get into pension underfunding and the failed 2024 sales tax measure. (Oh yeah, this is a ve... more

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On this bonus episode of the VOSD Podcast, the crew sits down with Prebys Foundation CEO Grant Oliphant. They discuss efforts to revitalize downtown's Civic Center, including a planned partnership between the city of San Diego, San Diego Community Co... more

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Recent Guests

Felix Tinkoff
Public records lawyer helping with county records requests
Law firm/independent
Episode: We Got a Border Sewage Plan
Michael Zucchet
Runs the San Diego Municipal Employees Association; Port Commissioner; former city council member
San Diego Municipal Employees Association; Port of San Diego
Episode: Mike Zucchet Wants to Cut City Services
Grant Oliphant
CEO of the Prebys Foundation
Prebys Foundation
Episode: The Vision for San Diego's Civic Core
Tigges Lane
North County Reporter
Voice of San Diego
Episode: Del Martians Sling Mud
Bella Ross
Challenging a private company's parking tickets on the podcast
Voice of San Diego
Episode: Explosive!
Tigist Layne
North County reporter for Voice of San Diego
Voice of San Diego
Episode: Feds to the Rescue?
Jakob McWhinney
Education reporter for Voice of San Diego, featured guest on Amika robot segment
Voice of San Diego
Episode: Class, Your Robot Is Talking
Bella Roth
Guest on episode, local journalist and contributor
Voice of San Diego
Episode: Primary Preview
Tara Lawson-Remer
County Supervisor
San Diego County Board of Supervisors
Episode: The Trashy Deal

Hosts

Scott Lewis
Host of the show; Editor-in-Chief; long-time local journalism leader.
Andrea Sanchez-Villafana
Managing Editor / Host with deep involvement in editorial direction and live show dynamics.
Bella Ross
Social Media Producer; co-host in multiple episodes; strong guest coordination.
Jacob McQuinney
Education Reporter; contributes expert context on AI and education technology segments.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 269 ratings
  • real local investigative journalism

    I look forward to VOSD’s weekly installments of real local investigative journalism. I love that VOSD has reporters with actual subject matter expertise and regional beats. Counterpoint another reviewer’s mild critique: I love the opening banter and the often silly tone, makes me remember that you all are my neighbors. A little levity helps when I am getting angry about stupid city budgetary decisions. I also like Bella’s tarot insights.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    1tsRainingM3n
    United Statesa month ago
  • Great Podcast - constructive criticism

    You guys provide great content and as a local so appreciative of the issues you cover. However, your casual personal banter and giggling, especially for the first 10--5 minutes of the podcast is annoying. Also the cadence is very slow. Have to listen to you at 1.5 X A more structured condensed podcast with less casual banter and more issues affecting San Diegians Would be greatly appreciated.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    SuziSocal
    United States2 years ago
  • New Listener - Surprisingly Good

    As the title implies, this podcast is surprisingly good. Unless you’re a politico, it can be hard making these topics interesting or at least finding enough going on in SD to put out listen worthy episodes. I also appreciate that the hosts are not blatantly biased either way and they do not spend their time bashing politicians or political parties (unless it’s obviously warranted). This is a great source of local news, it is much appreciated!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Johnyyyydee
    United States2 years ago
  • First Time Listener

    Loved the Podcast. Interesting conversation with something to think about. Good to hear other voices within our city.

    Good topics…loved the discussion on the Green trash can. I’m proud to say I was an early adopter and I definitely see the benefits…and I agree, by the end of the week, the can is a smelly science experiment.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LNK 926
    United States2 years ago
  • best sd podcast

    GreatA

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    downadrain
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests and hosts are praised for candor and expertise, especially on investigative reporting and accountability.
Listeners value the show for in-depth local governance coverage and practical policy insights.
Some criticism notes pacing and occasional banter taking focus away from substantive policy discussions.

Top Politics Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Mike Zucchet Wants to Cut City Services
Q: What is your view on revenue measures like Balboa Park funding or a new sales tax—are these the right tools and how should they be framed?
New revenue should be tied to specific outcomes and explained clearly to the public about what it funds; relying on broad or opaque revenue increases without connectable benefits backfires; a balanced approach with transparent priorities and hard decisions is required.
Mike Zucchet Wants to Cut City Services
Q: What are the main reasons for the current fiscal pressures in San Diego according to you and your union?
The city has chronically underfunded its long-term obligations, leading to a structural deficit that requires either new revenue streams or significant service cuts; past decisions, like not raising certain fees or taxes, have compounded the problem, and the path forward must involve honest accounting and targeted, not just cosmetic, reductions and investments.
The Trashy Deal
Q: Why was the Balboa Park parking deal so significant for the city's budget?
It removed a looming budget burden by ending the paid parking program, which was projected to influence city finances negatively, and paired with a reduced trash fee to stabilize the budget.
The Hardest Conversations for SDPD Chief
Q: What would you tell the president about coordinating better with federal authorities?
The core answer is that improved coordination is essential, but it must respect state and local authority and preserve the safety and rights of the community; better alignment and clear guidelines between agencies could reduce confusion and conflict.
The Chancellor of San Diego County
Q: What is the connection between Deepak Chopra and Jeffrey Epstein?
Deepak Chopra exchanged many emails and text messages with Jeffrey Epstein, including discussions about girls and transcendence, which painted a different picture of Chopra than he presents publicly.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Voice of San Diego Podcast

What is Voice of San Diego Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A sharp, locally focused roundtable on city and county governance, budgeting, and policy with frequent investigative context. Episodes balance deep dives into municipal issues—like housing, education funding, public infrastructure, and transparency—with lively banter and guest expertise from reporters, council members, and agency leaders. Special episodes spotlight live events, breaking local politics, and technology or environmental angles intersecting public policy, making it a go-to for listeners who want wonky, actionable insights wrapped in accessible, often humorous discussion. Noteworthy traits include a consistent emphasis on accountability, a steady stream of investigative reporting context, and guest contributions from seasoned re... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Voice of San Diego Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Voice of San Diego Podcast:

1. San Diego News Now
2. Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts
3. The Ezra Klein Show
4. KQED's The California Report
5. The Lawfare Podcast

How many episodes of Voice of San Diego Podcast are there?

Voice of San Diego Podcast launched 15 years ago and published 102 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Voice of San Diego Podcast?

Recent guests on Voice of San Diego Podcast include:

1. Felix Tinkoff
2. Michael Zucchet
3. Grant Oliphant
4. Tigges Lane
5. Bella Ross
6. Tigist Layne
7. Jakob McWhinney
8. Bella Roth

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