Pete Wilson - Mayor of San Diego

Mayor of San Diego

As mayor of San Diego, Wilson guided the city as it transformed from a quiet U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps town to an international trade hub. He is credited with amending the city charter to make public safety the first and foremost responsibility of city government, and leading an effort to manage San Diego's dynamic growth and to revitalize the city's downtown area. He substantially cut the property tax rate and imposed a limit on the growth of the city budget. Wilson was largely responsible for the gentrification of the Gaslamp Quarter that transformed it from a drug-infested area to a business friendly and successful downtown. Wilson coined the San Diego slogan that is still widely used today: "San Diego: America's finest city"