The Goldens

The Golden Watchdog & Golden Fleece Awards is an annual dinner held by the San Diego Taxpayers Association which recognizes the best and worst in local government spending and decision-making in San Diego County.

2022 Goldens Event
Event Information

Thursday, 28 April 2022 - 5:30 p.m. at The Lane

Join the San Diego County Taxpayers Association for a brand new, reinvented Golden Watchdog and Fleece Awards, celebrating good and bad policy decisions that took place this past year. With the event on hiatus the past two years, we are excited to bring it back in person for a soiree with heavy appetizers, drinks and a fun SHORT program!

Email info@sdcta.org to RSVP for Policy: UNMASKED!

Award Nominations Nomination deadline has been extended to Friday, March 18th at 5 p.m.!

In an effort to promote fairness and equity across nominees and jurisdictions, award categories have been revised to focus on public service area. The confidential Goldens Awards Committee will consider watchdog and fleece nominations for each of the following categories regardless of service area or size:


 * Public Safety
 * Public Health
 * Education
 * Water & Utilities
 * Transportation & Infrastructure

Nominations will be considered for projects and programs administered between July 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021.

2019
Metro Golden Watchdog Award

Winner: City of San Diego, Affordable Housing Regulations

Finalists: City of Carlsbad, Carlsbad Municipal Water District’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure and Analytics

City of San Diego, San Diego Housing Commission’s Path to Success

Regional Golden Watchdog Award

Winner: County of San Diego, Juvenile Justice Transformation

Finalists: County of San Diego, Live Well San Diego

San Diego County Fire Authority, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, San Diego County’s Sheriff’s Department, City of San Diego, U.S. Forest Service, Navy, Marines, and San Diego Gas and Electric - Local Wildland Fire Suppression Capability

Public-Private Partnership Award

Winner: San Diego County Assessor’s Office, Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals, and Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors - Better Serving 100% Disabled Veterans

Finalists: Grossmont Healthcare District and Sharp Grossmont Hospital, Maximizing Capital Improvements

San Diego Library Foundation, UC San Diego Extension, and the City of San Diego - Supporting Library Programs

The San Diego Rapid Response Network, Sheltering Migrants

Media Watchdog Award

Winner: Dorian Hargrove, Tom Jones, Bob Hansen, and Ry Rivard, NBC 7 Responds & Voice of San Diego - Coverage of City of San Diego Water Bills

Finalists: Brad Racino, inewsource - Coverage of Business Disclosure and Transparency in the City of San Diego

Adam Racusin, KGTV - Coverage of Failure in Foster Care in San Diego County

Golden Fleece Award

Winner: San Diego Unified School District, Where Do We Even Start?

Finalists: City of San Diego, 101 Ash Street

City of San Diego, Homeless Storage and Navigation Center Appraisal and Sale

Sweetwater Union High School District, District Financial Mismanagement and Accountability

GRAND Golden Fleece: Sweetwater Union High School District, District Financial Mismanagement and Accountability

GRAND Golden Watchdog: The San Diego Rapid Response Network, Sheltering Migrants

2015
Metro Golden Watchdog Award

Winner: City of San Diego, SDPD Recruiting and Retention Program

Finalists: City of San Diego, Energy Efficient Street Light Conversion

City of San Diego Public Utilities, Pure Water San Diego

City of Chula Vista, Asset Management Program

Regional Golden Watchdog Award

Winner: County of San Diego Planning Development Services, Permit Streamlining

Finalist: County of San Diego, Juvenile Crime Prevention and Diversion

Grand Golden Watchdog Award: San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Veterans Moving Forward Program

Metro Golden Fleece Award

Winner: City of San Diego, Portland Loos

Finalist: City of Escondido, Adoption of Citizens' Property Rights Initiative

Regional Golden Fleece Award

Winner: CalTrans, Water Wasters

Finalists: Palomar Community College District, Computer Dumping

San Ysidro School District, Title I Cover Up

Grand Golden Fleece Award: City of Encinitas & Encinitas Unified School District, Pacific View Profiteering

Public-Private Partnership Award

Winner: City of San Diego & RAD LAB, QUARTYARD

Finalists: County of San Diego & 2-1-1 San Diego, Disaster Response

San Diego County Regional Airport Authority & Landmark Aviation, Fixed-Base Operator

Watchdog Media Finalists - Print/Electronic

David Garrick, UT San Diego, “City Shocked By Cost of Portland Loos”

Megan Burks, Voice of San Diego, “Whack-A-Mole City Enforcement Keeps Slumlords In Business"

Morgan Cook, UT San Diego, “What’s that Caltrans is using water for?”

Watchdog Media Finalists - Television Media

Joe Yerardi, inewsource & Katie Schoolov, KPBS

Gene Cubbison, NBC7

Brad Racino, KPBS

10News Team

2014
Media Watchdog – Print

Winner: “Balboa Park Centennial Group Disbands” by Jeff McDonald

Finalists: “Taxpayers Overcharged” by Marsha Sutton, Carmel Valley News

“Anatomy of a Civic Failure: What Happened to the Big 2015 Celebration in Balboa Park” by Scott

Lewis and Andrew Keatts

Assisted Living series by Paul Sisson, Matt Clark, Jeff McDonald and Deborah Schoch

Media Watchdog Television

Winner: Mayor Filner’s accusers come forward, by KPBS staff

Finalists: Mayor in Paris series by Mitch Blacher, JW August, Arie Thanasoulis and Ellen McGregor

The Steep Cost of Water Main Breaks by Wendy Fry and Mari Payton, NBC 7

Golden Watchdog Award

Winner: San Diego International Airport Green Build

Finalists: Downtown El Cajon Business Partnership

Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan

Technology Lets San Diego County Library Do More With Less

Grand Golden Watchdog Award: Firestorm 2014 Relief Efforts

Golden Fleece Award

Winner: The Sprinter Shutdown

Finalists: San Ysidro’s “Pay-to-Play”

Oceanside School District DC Trip

Uncollected Wastewater Fees

Grand Golden Fleece Award: Sweetwater Union School District

Public-Private Partnership Award

Winner: Computers 2 SD Kids

Finalist: Philanthropists Helped Fund the San Diego Central Library

It's About Time Award

Winner: Changes to Purchasing and Contracting Department

Finalist: Electronic Filing Streamlined for Lobbyists

Once In A Lifetime Award: Coordinated Efforts to Ensure a Smooth Mayoral Transition

2008
Grand Golden Watchdog Award:

Grand Golden Fleece Award:

Program: Sprinter

Agency: North County Transit District of Oceanside

Regional Golden Watchdog Award:

Program: AlertSanDiego

Agency: San Diego County Office of Emergency Services

Program: Agency of Choice

Agency: San Diego County Water Authority

Program: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Prop “R” Program Performance Review

Agency: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

It's About Time Award:

Program: Online Camping Reservation System

Agency: County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR)

Program: Tiger Team

Agency: Olivenhain Municipal Water District

Program: City Council Presentation

Agency: City of Escondido

2006
Grand Golden Watchdog Award:

San Diego Association of Governments, TransNet Environmental Mitigation Program

Grand Golden Fleece Award:

City of San Diego, Pension Consultant Fees

Regional Golden Watchdog Award:

County of San Diego Department of Public Works, Blanket Regional Permit for Flood Control Facility Maintenance

Regional Golden Fleece Award:

San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, Airport Site Selection “Education” Campaign

Metro San Diego Watchdog Award:

City of San Diego Metropolitan Wastewater Department,Televising Sewer Lines

Metro San Diego Fleece Award:

City of San Diego, Real Estate Assets Department

It's About Time Award:

City of San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), Comprehensive Operations Analysis

People'e Choice Award for Dumb Ideas Under $1 Million Award:

University of California San Diego, Chancellor Sabbatical

Media Watchdog Award:

San Diego Union Tribune and Copley News Service, Cunningham Scandal

Thom Jensen of 10News, Behind Closed Doors

2005
Regional Golden Watchdog Award Finalists:

County of San Diego District Attorney, County Board of Supervisors, Project 100%

Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), Dissolution of Tia Juana Valley County Water District County of San Diego, County Medical Services, Project Dulce

Regional Golden Fleece Award Finalists:

SANDAG and The Regional Airport Authority, Cost of Retreats

North County Transit District (NCTD), Sprinter Costs Overruns

Greater San Diego Golden Watchdog Award Finalists:

Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, Model Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee

Poway Unified School District, Bridge Financing Program

Lakeside, Riverview and Padre Dam Water Districts - Detachment and Consolidation of East County Water Districts

Metro San Diego Golden Watchdog Award Finalists:

City of San Diego, Ridgehaven “Green Building” Makes Environmental and Dollar Sense

City of San Diego, Investment in Film Commission Pays Great Dividends

City of San Diego, Change in Marketing the Convention Center Translates Into Savings

Metro San Diego Golden Fleece Award Finalists:

City of San Diego, Police and Firefighter Overtime Overruns

City of San Diego, Use and Management of Consultant Contracts

City of San Diego, New Fees

2004
Golden Watchdog Awards:

County of San Diego District Attorney

Elder Abuse Unit

Chula Vista Elementary School District

Sound Management Practices

City of San Diego Camino Del Sur Interchange

Grand Watchdog San Diego Convention Center Corporation

Profile in Courage Awards:

Fire Chief Jeff Bowman

San Diego Fire Department

2003
Regional Watchdog:

County of San Diego

General Management System

Greater San Diego Watchdog:

22nd District Agricultural Association

Recycling and Waste Reduction Program

Metro San Diego Watchdog:

City of San Diego

Metropolitan Wastewater Department

Operations and Maintenance Division

Bid-to-Goal Program

Grand Watchdog:

County of San Diego

General Management System

Media Award for Excellence:

Norberto Santana, Jr.

The San Diego Union-Tribune

2002
Grand Fleece

Winner: City of San Diego, Undergrounding Surcharge (Lisa)

Finalists: Regional Water Quality Board (Jerry)

Port of San Diego (Doug/Geoff)

Grand Watchdog:

Winner: County of San Diego, Tobacco Funds Lump Sum (Eric)

Finalists: County of San Diego, Utility Savings (Lisa)

SDUSD, Prop. MM Administration (Lisa/Mitch/Geoff)

City of San Diego Fleece:

Winner: $300 Million in Deferred Maintenance (Geoff)

Finalists: Water Department Management Study (Geoff)

Underground Surcharge (Lisa)

City of San Diego Watchdog

Winner: Zero Based Management (Doug)

Finalists: 4 to 1 Committee Consolidation/PUAC (Kim)

Fleet Management (Kim)

County of San Diego Fleece

Winner: Redistricting (Adrian/Lisa)

Finalists: Prop. A (Kim/Geoff)

County of San Diego Watchdog

Winner: Utility Savings (Lisa)

Finalists: Mapping (Lisa)

Office of Revenue and Recovery (Lisa/Jerry)

Regional Fleece

Winner: SDUSD, Behavior of the Board (Lisa)

Finalists: Regional Water Quality Board (Jerry)

North County Transit District Retreat (Lisa)

Regional Watchdog

Winner: SDUSD, Management of Prop. MM (Mitch/Lisa)

Finalists: 125 Extension (Doug)

City of Chula Vista Contracting (Scott/Lisa)

Encinitas, Refusal to use sewer revenue for energy (Eric)

Special District Fleece

Winner: MTDB Security Cameras (Lisa)

Finalists: Jamul Fire District (Eric)

Otay Water District (Mitch)

Special District Watchdog:

Winner: SDDT, PBID, Clean and Safe Program (Jennifer/Geoff)

Finalist: Padre Dam MWD (Kim)

Riverview MWD (Kim)

Media Watchdog (Geoff)

Winner: Fox News, “Port Parking”

Finalists: Dave Downey, NCT

Gene Cubbision, NBC 7/39