By Toni G. Atkins | Speaker of the Assembly

San Diego is America’s Finest City — and we’ve got a lot going for us.

We’ve got the best weather in the state, craft breweries galore, the best Mexican food this side of the border, and of course Comic-Con, which attracts thousands of visitors each year from all over the world.

Think of all the great and unique activities here: scuba diving, visiting underwater graves in La Jolla, surfing, free concerts at Spreckels, kayaking in Coronado, pandas at the zoo, and hiking at Torrey Pines.

You’ll never be bored here.

Maybe that’s why so many great industries picked San Diego to be their home. From biotech to the Navy and Marine Corps — San Diego is where industries grow and flourish. Last year, San Diego County added more than 30,000 new jobs in nearly every category of employment!

At 5.3 percent, our unemployment is among the lowest in the state and country and local economists expect that it’ll dip below 5 percent sometime this year.

And why wouldn’t businesses choose our city? We attract a highly educated workforce through our great university system and we’re the innovation hub for industries as diverse as life sciences and software development.

The last couple of years have been hard on everyone but San Diego has weathered the recession and we’re in full recovery. Now is the time to make investments in infrastructure, housing, business, and education to ensure a brighter future for all San Diegans. These are challenges we must meet to keep prospering, but as we’ve shown before, no problem is insurmountable.

I might be a little biased, but I believe that one of California’s first cities is its best city.

Around the District and the Capitol

I will welcome local Girl Scouts to Team Toni this month as we volunteer at Feeding America San Diego on April 25 to help San Diego County residents who might otherwise go hungry … Last month, I was happy to celebrate the Work for Warriors program at an event aboard the USS Midway Museum.

This collaboration, between the California National Guard, along with the California State Assembly, has led to nearly 4,000 returning veterans finding jobs … I also was grateful to accept the San Diego County American Legion’s Legislator of the Year Award. Coming from a military family, I understand the sacrifices our veterans have made and am proud to continue to honor their service. 

For more information, please go to my website, asmdc.org/speaker/ where you can sign up for my e-newsletter or get the latest news on legislation and other activities. You also may follow me on Twitter, @toniatkins.