John McCann

Economy
McCann points to continued growth under his tenure, including bayfront redevelopment, new subdivisions, and additional housing supply, alongside a city budget he describes as balanced without drawing down reserves. He has resisted new taxes and fees as a matter of fiscal philosophy, arguing the city should live within existing revenue rather than raise costs on residents and businesses, and is promoting an "Innovation District" concept meant to attract technology employers and higher-paying jobs to the eastern part of the city.

Infrastructure
McCann's housing record includes converting the Citrus Bay project, built on a former Sears site, from planned rental apartments into 244 for-sale townhomes, which he frames as expanding homeownership rather than rentals in a lower-income neighborhood. He has generally favored ownership-oriented housing over rental development citywide and cites new parks and a four-story library among his infrastructure investments in office.

Security
Public safety is McCann's stated top priority, and he credits his administration with declines in major violent crime categories since 2022. On homelessness, he backs a no-camping ordinance paired with a sobriety- and self-sufficiency-focused shelter model, including the Otay Bridge shelter and a dedicated outreach team, crediting these measures with cutting the city's unsheltered population by roughly a quarter over the past year.

Immigration
McCann has said his military background informs a cautious stance toward sanctuary-city policies he believes could conflict with federal law, while describing Chula Vista as welcoming toward legal immigrants. He has opposed a neighboring city's lawsuit against California's sanctuary-state law.

Governance
McCann has secured endorsements from the city's firefighters' and police officers' unions, and points to steady population growth and city management during his tenure as the basis for a second term.