budget

Rally to stop State budget cuts Tuesday June 23rd

June 22, 2009 by Gregg Robinson

People United Against Cuts is a local coalition formed to oppose the Governor’s recent “All Cuts” budget. The Governor’s proposed budget will have a catastrophic impact on children, seniors, people with disabilities, low income families, college students and HIV/AIDS patients. On June 23, 2009, we will hold a rally, march, and press conference in front […]

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Massive Cuts While A Permanent Corporate Tax Break Stands?

May 27, 2009 by Source
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Despite his admission that California is ungovernable, the Governor soldiered on today, announcing the full slate of revised budget cuts to replace his proposed borrowing, since scrapped, and to fill the even larger deficit estimated by the Legislative Analyst. …

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“Thanks to all who supported City workers and union efforts!”

April 22, 2009 by Anna Daniels

by Anna Daniels

Just an FYI. I voted this morning to approve our MEA union two year contract. The results aren’t in but I suspect it will pass. It includes over one week of mandatory unpaid furlough, a 3% pay reduction or an equal reduction in our supplemental pension.

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City staff outnumber OB residents at Mayor’s Rec Center budget “briefing”

April 20, 2009 by Frank Gormlie
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by Frank Gormlie

It was a hot Monday night in the gym of the Ocean Beach Rec Center. It was time for Mayor Jerry Sanders presentation of his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2010. Patty and I had wanted to attend. Not that we’re accountants or really understand the City Budget, but we wanted to witness the event and see OB in action. We walked in just a few minutes late, and it had already started. No “OB Time” here.

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“It’s great that you heard us about our library, Mayor Sanders, just don’t pit us against the unions.”

April 14, 2009 by Frank Gormlie
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As expected, Mayor Jerry Sanders held a press conference this morning in front of the Ocean Beach library. And as expected, Mayor Sanders announced that in his new city budget proposal, no libraries or library services will be cut for this year’s budget.

“We heard you, Ocean Beach,” the Mayor said. “There will be no library cuts.” The crowd applauded.

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The Looming Defense and Intelligence Budget Battles – the San Diego Connections

April 13, 2009 by Doug Porter
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by Doug Porter

President Obama’s FY 2010 baseline budget of $534 billion for the Defense Department represents a 4% increase over the $523 billion allocated to the Pentagon by the Bush administration for FY 2009. Obama’s budget contains $6.7 billion more than the previous administration thought would be needed for the coming fiscal year.

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Mayor Sanders to announce no cuts for libraries in front of OB branch Tuesday April 14th

April 13, 2009 by Frank Gormlie
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by Frank Gormlie

Tomorrow, April 14th, your mayor Jerry Sanders will stand in front of the Ocean Beach branch library and announce to the world that his proposed FY10 City budget will include no Library cuts. The Mayor’s budget will have no reductions in library branches, hours or staff.

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Do real taxpayers think Transit riders are pond scum?

April 11, 2009 by Anna Daniels
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by Anna Daniels

This past Friday morning (April 10) the SANDAG Board of Director’s meeting had an agenda item for a special Transit Operations Funding workshop. Thirty public speakers presented testimony for and against additional fiscal support for MTS. (SANDAG is the San Diego Association of Governments – a coordinating policy body for the area.)

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Water quality testing and life guards at Mission Bay to be replaced by surveillance cameras

April 10, 2009 by Frank Gormlie
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by Frank Gormlie

Water quality testing around Mission Bay is being severely cut back … Mission Bay is losing two life guards. But don’t worry! The Department of Homeland Security iS funding 13 to 16 surveillance cameras to be installed around Mission Bay …

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OB Library: Don’t break out the champagne yet!

March 22, 2009 by Anna Daniels
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by Anna Daniels

DON’T BREAK OUT THE CHAMPAGNE YET!

The Mayor said he would not propose closing libraries nor reducing hours. What he did NOT say is that he would not cut staff. This is a significant issue, because the City is currently balancing the general fund budget almost entirely on $9.8 million dollars worth of salary savings.

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Mayor Sanders says: no cuts to libraries in staff or hours in next budget

March 20, 2009 by Frank Gormlie
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Mayor Jerry Sanders today told the Voice of San Diego that he has no plans to cut libraries in his new budget. And that includes no reduced hours as well.

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The County of San Diego Is So Huge – where do we start? the money or the scandals?

March 4, 2009 by Frank Gormlie
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In my first post of this series on San Diego County government, I gave an overview of the County itself and then a brief look at the governmental machine. Because of the sheer size and magnitude of its operations and reach, it can be very overwhelming any time one looks at our County political apparatus. Because our county is huge, the government shell over it has to be huge too. And we’ve got to understand this shell.

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Disappointing Turnout From OB at City Committee Budget Meeting

February 25, 2009 by Frank Gormlie
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There was a disappointing turnout of Ocean Beach residents and businesspeople today at the City’s Budget and Finance Committee hearing. There was literally two OB residents present at this morning’s meeting. The Clairemont library had a number of supporters, plus sitting in the back of the large room were organizers from the city-wide library coalition-in-forming.

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The Campaign to Save the Ocean Beach Library

February 23, 2009 by Source
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On the corner of Sunset Cliffs Boulevard and Santa Monica Avenue resides a historic landmark, one that has served the Ocean Beach community and surrounding areas as both a valuable storehouse of knowledge and a tranquil study haven for over 80 years. This unique site is the home of the Ocean Beach branch of the San Diego Public Library, and today, it faces threats of possible closure.

On November 6th, 2008, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders announced the tentative closure of the Ocean Beach branch due to budget cuts, along with 6 other libraries, 9 recreation centers and a gym. An astounding response from the community has led to the mayor’s decision to forego the issue and revisit it this spring.

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“When the people lead the leaders follow”- an Update on the Community Input Meetings on the FY10 Budget

February 22, 2009 by Anna Daniels
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by Anna Daniels

The third community input meeting on the upcoming budget was held this Saturday, February 21, at Hoover High School in City Heights. The auditorium was packed to overflowing! Fifty seven citizens provided public testimony about what services they considered essential and non-essential as well as ideas on how to save money and generate more general fund revenue. Fifty of those citizens said libraries and park and recreation services are essential because they provide kids with safe meaningful alternatives to the streets and opportunities for their future.

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Urgent Action: Needy Families Will Suffer Significant Consequences

February 19, 2009 by Lane Tobias

Through my work alongside social service and mental health professionals, I am occasionally presented the opportunity to do more than provide direct services. Today I came across a call to action for all San Diego community leaders, and in my opinion that includes anyone who takes part in the OB Rag – either as a contributor, a reader, or both.

As a result of the slumping economy and the California Legislature’s longstanding inability to agree on a viable budget, there will be a number of far-reaching consequences. One of those consequences is in direct relation to the well-being of San Diego’s poor, namely those receiving cash aid or food stamps.

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Why isn’t District 2 – OB’s district – having its own Community Budget Input Meeting?

February 16, 2009 by Frank Gormlie
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Some of us active in the community of Ocean Beach have been wondering why there is no “Community Budget Input Meeting” scheduled for our District – District 2?

The San Diego City Council has just begun its process on approving a budget for FY2010, and Councilmember Tony Young and Mayor Sanders organized a series of community-input hearings in different City Council Districts, beginning Feb. 4th and ending on Feb. 26th. But not all the Districts – only Districts 3, 4, 5, and 7. None for Districts 1, 2 – the District here, 6 and 8. Half the Districts have their own meetings, and half don’t. Does this make sense?

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“If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu” – community input on City Budget – including libraries – begins

February 3, 2009 by Staff

San Diego’s libraries are back on the local issues burner, as the City of San Diego begins a new round of meetings that seek community input on the City’s budget. And this means the libraries and other social services. The community input meetings begin this Wednesday evening, Feb 4, in Council District 4.

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Beach residents oppose elimination of trash cans along viewpoints

January 29, 2009 by Frank Gormlie
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Local beach residents want no part of the recent elimination of trash cans by the City of San Diego along walkways and viewpoints at the cliffs and beaches. They are registering their opposition by leaving mounds of rubbish and trash where trash cans once gallantly stood.

Nearly two weeks ago, the City of San Diego announced that it was permanently removing about two dozen trash receptacles from Ocean Beach to La Jolla. The cans removed were at walkways and viewpoints – not the actual beach and parks in between.

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San Diego’s Fire Pits Saved by Anonymous Gift

December 16, 2008 by Staff
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The anonymous donation of $259,500 to save San Diego’s beach fire pits has provided a little holiday warmth for a city that is cold, broke and desperate for help. The unexpected gesture, announced yesterday, led many San Diegans to heap praise on the unknown benefactor and renewed fond memories of a beach tradition that has spanned generations.

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Mayor and City Council resolve budget dispute

December 5, 2008 by Staff

In a meeting devoid of the drama that led up to it, the San Diego City Council resolved a dispute with the mayor Friday, agreeing to more than $22 million in midyear budget cuts. The council begrudgingly approved the staggered closure of six city customer service centers, but retained three painting jobs the mayor wanted to eliminate.

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How new and missing city councilmembers would have voted on library closures

November 29, 2008 by Frank Gormlie
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DAVID WASHBURN at voiceofsandiego has been doing his homework when it comes to library cuts and City Council votes. How would Councilmember Hueson and the incoming members have voted on cutting libraries and rec centers.

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Victory for Libraries! San Diego City Council Votes to Keep Libraries & Rec Centers Open

November 24, 2008 by Frank Gormlie

A victory for people power : the libraries and rec centers stay open … for now. After a two hour hearing, the San Diego City Council voted 6 to 1 to keep the 7 libraries and 10 Rec Centers open.

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Battle Over Library Closures Looms – Over 600 Have Signed Petition to Keep the Ocean Beach Library Open

November 18, 2008 by Frank Gormlie

OCEAN BEACH, CA.  Over 600 Ocean Beach residents and supporters of the OB branch library have signed petitions demanding that the City not close the coastal community’s one branch due to Mayor Jerry Sanders’ budget cuts.  Battle lines are being drawn – an Ocean Beach strategy meeting for efforts to keep the OB Library and […]

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Independent Budget Analysis of Library Closures Raises Additional Concerns

November 17, 2008 by Patty Jones

The following excerpt – recommending actions regarding library and rec center closures – is from the OFFICE OF THE INDEPENDENT BUDGET ANALYST REPORT, with Patty’s highlighted points in red. RECOMMENDED ACTIONS ON BUDGET ADJUSTMENT PROPOSAL A. Library and Recreation Center Closures. As core City services, long-term or permanent closures of branch libraries and recreation centers […]

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We Are Hopin’ to Keep the Doors Open! Photo Gallery

November 15, 2008 by Frank and Patty

Ocean Beach Library – citizens rally to keep libraries open. GO HERE FOR LATEST UPDATE (Click on the pictures to see larger versions of them) OCEAN BEACH, SAN DIEGO CA. “We are hopin’ to keep the doors open!” was chanted today throughout the downtown business district of Ocean Beach, as 150 O.B. residents and library […]

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Showing Some Love, Ocean Beach Library Rally Videos

November 15, 2008 by Patty Jones

Ocean Beach, San Diego CA Frank Gormlie and Anna Daniels speak to the crowd who came to the Ocean Beach Library today to show their opposition to city library closures. Sorry the video quality is so bad, but the speakers were great!   These two young girls showed their love for the library and books.

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Is This a Memorial to the Ocean Beach Library?

November 14, 2008 by Frank Gormlie

OCEAN BEACH, CA.  Went down to the Ocean Beach Library today, the old building at the corner of Sunset Cliffs Blvd and Santa Moncia Ave. It was around 1:00 and the place was busy. As you may know, when you enter the building, you find it has two opposing wings – on the right – […]

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Reader Rant: There is no ‘temporary’ closing of a library

November 11, 2008 by Staff

by Jon Christensen After a career in public finance I know how common it is for Libraries and Parks to be among the first sacrificial offerings at the budget alter. Please consider these few facts; There is no “temporary” closure of a branch; a branch closed is a branch erased. Book stock will mildew and […]

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Branch Closings and Budget Cuts Threaten Libraries Nationwide

November 11, 2008 by Staff

American Libraries / November 7, 2008 – revised Nov. 10 City governments across the United States prepared in early November to slash public library budgets in the wake of revenue shortfalls and dire economic news. Even if the lame-duck Congress passes an additional economic stimulus package when it returns from recess the week leading up […]

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