Revisions to Mayor Faulconer’s nearly $3 billion spending plan for San Diego’s upcoming fiscal year were received positively by the City Council Wednesday, but members of the panel listed several unmet priorities.
“This is the best budget I’ve seen since I took office,” said Councilwoman Sherri Lightner. “I’m pleased we’re able to restore so many of the services and programs that our constituents want and need.”
Lightner said she was happy with new funding to put a lifeguard at Windansea Beach in her La Jolla district, as well as extra money for brush management and support for a police helicopter.
However, she said she would like to see two additional employees in the personnel office to expedite an often slow hiring process; two more workers to oversee compliance with the city’s living wage ordinance; a plan to address a proliferation of marine mammals along the La Jolla coastline; and more money for tree trimming and acquiring library materials.
Faulconer on Tuesday proposed an additional $12 million in expenditures, brought about by projections that property taxes and other revenues will be higher than first expected in the fiscal year that begins July 1. The new spending also takes advantage of some additional savings, including lowered debt service on a major infrastructure bond.
Besides what Lightner listed, the mayor’s new spending proposal includes things like a program manager to oversee the city’s various sustainability programs, streetlight installation, parks projects and equipment for the fire department.
Councilwoman Myrtle Cole said she appreciated the extra funds for new streetlights, which she called a quality-of-life and public safety issue.
“There’s growing concerns about inadequate lighting, especially near transit stops, which are generally utilized by our youth, our seniors and people with disabilities,” Cole said. “Missing streetlights in high-crime and high-traveled areas should be prioritized.”
The councilwoman called for other needs that are not listed in the budget proposal, including sidewalks along the segment of Market Street that extends into her district and a full-time park ranger for Chollas Lake.
Councilman David Alvarez, who lost to Faulconer in the mayoral runoff election three months ago, said he has several “shovel-ready” capital improvement projects in his district that were not funded. He said he was concerned about “equity” of infrastructure spending among the various neighborhoods in the city.
The council members face a Friday deadline to send a memo to the city’s Independent Budget Analyst’s office listing their outstanding priorities. The City Council is scheduled to vote on whether to approve the budget on June 9, according to council President Todd Gloria.
–City News Service