By Christopher Palmeri – Bloomberg News – Apr 14, 2011
San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders proposed filling a $56.7 million fiscal 2012 deficit by cutting in half the operating hours of libraries and recreation centers in the nation’s eighth-largest city by population.
The budget restores fire services at stations that hadn’t been fully staffed for 14 months, Sanders, 60, said in a release. Recreation centers in the city of 1.3 million would operate 20 hours a week starting in September, while branch libraries would open two days a week and alternate Saturdays.
“Despite the tremendous challenges the city faces because of reduced revenue, this budget responsibly addresses the deficit without sacrificing public safety or our financial stability,” Sanders said in a statement. The Republican is a former San Diego police chief.
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“branch libraries would open two days a week and alternate Saturdays.”
Ouch. Never thought I’d see that day. Can’t say I’d rather cut fire services, but there’s gotta be a better way to erase the deficit than cutting library and rec center services.