Here’s a brief outline of the city’s new $5.8 billion budget for the next fiscal year, passed unanimously by the council on Tuesday, June 10. A final vote will take place before the end of the month.
Also, Mayor Gloria vowed to sign the spending plan without changes. It reverses many of the cuts proposed by the mayor in April that critics said would have disproportionately impacted low-income neighborhoods, homeless San Diegans and people of color.
The final budget includes:
- restoring $3.1 million for victims of the Jan. 22 floods,
- $1 million for youth drop-in centers and
- $5.2 million for rental subsidies that can help prevent homelessness;
- $6.1 million to replace two soon-to-close shelters, the 102-bed Paul Mirabile Center in the East Village and 264-bed Golden Hall downtown.
- earmarked $6 million in federal funds for renovations at a new shelter the mayor has proposed at Kettner Boulevard and Vine Street –this money is contingent on the council eventually approving that controversial project. If that doesn’t happen, the money would go to the Housing Commission to fund construction of subsidized housing
- $750,000 for a homeless outreach program run by the Housing Commission to get people off the streets and into housing
- $1.1 million for small business aid,
- $5.9 million for climate equity projects,
- $800,000 to make dangerous intersections safer,
- $500,000 to upgrade the Southcrest Recreation Center
- $120,000 for a long-awaited new lifeguard tower in Pacific Beach;
- a $450,000 increase in arts funding
- $100,000 for each of the city’s nine council districts to fund community projects and programs
- $174,000 for an additional pothole repair truck recommended in a recent city audit
- $91,000 for case management software at a city facility focused on domestic violence;
- $5.9 million in climate equity projects in the compromise proposal includes
- $3.9 million for Grove Neighborhood Park,
- $800,000 for upgraded sports courts in Encanto and Emerald Hills
- $870,000 for streetlights in Council Districts 4, 7 and 8.
- $250,000 for streetlights in University City and
- $1 million for Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park in City Heights
Of note, while there wasn’t support for reversing the mayor’s cut to the city’s fledgling cannabis equity program, Councilmember Henry Foster said he and the mayor will propose a cannabis equity policy soon
In addition to the $2.15 billion general fund, the council approved separate budgets for capital projects and the city’s sewer and water divisions. All told, the city’s budget for the new fiscal year will be $5.8 billion.
News source: San Diego U-T
