U SD M A G A Z IN E
TORERO NEWS TORERO NEWS TORERO NEWS TORERO NEWS TORERO NEWS TORERO NEWS TORERO NEWS
TORERO NEWS 4
[resolute]
THE BUCK STOPS HERE
Todd Gloria brings stability back to City Hall by Mike Sauer n a quiet moment between his seemingly endless slate of meetings, San Diego Interim Mayor Todd Gloria ’00 walked to the window of his 11th-floor office and took in the stunning view of the city he’d been tasked to keep afloat in the wake of unprecedented political scandal. “These last few months have not been easy, no doubt about that,” Gloria offered, eyes fixed on the cityscape below. “But you get into this line of work — at least I did — to make a positive and lasting difference in your community. And that’s
I
exactly what we’re trying to do here.” While the blast radius created by former mayor Bob Filner’s brief and explosive tenure has been equal parts extensive and disheartening for Gloria and his team, the 35-year-old San Diego native is committed to the cleanup effort, and the wide-eyed enthusiasm with which he has pursued his myriad mayoral obligations has served as a striking contrast to the oft-displayed churlishness of his predecessor. “We are here to serve our constituents, first and foremost,”
Gloria said. “I absolutely love what I do, and as the old adage says, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” When the city’s new mayorelect takes office, he’ll do so knowing that Gloria’s steadying influence has gone a long way in bringing credibility back to San Diego; no small feat considering that, for several tempestuous weeks last year, America’s Finest City was more a punch line than a paradise. “It’s hard not to take it personally when your hometown is getting so much bad press,” Gloria said. “We were in damage