Why Big Talent Leaves San Diego

Jay Porter operated The Linkery and El Take It Easy, two restaurants in North Park, until he recently closed both and moved to the Bay Area. Jed Sundwall got to wondering what it takes to drive entrepreneurs like Porter out of San Diego, and Porter had answers. We reprinted some of the highlights from their conversation.

“There isn’t much political will to do simple things to make San Diego a good place to live,” Porter said. “I want to live in a place that supports the things that city dwellers value.” For Porter, the city’s direction (or lack thereof) wasn’t the only issue. Another big issue was costs. “The sun tax has gotten pretty steep,” he said. “The relative cost of living in San Diego has gone way up compared to competitive towns, but without keeping up with infrastructure.”