Correction: An earlier version of this story mischaracterized what qualifies for capital program funding, accompanied by an incorrect link to the related projects. Both elements have been updated.
San Diego County released its recommended budget for 2025-2026 on Thursday, proposing a spending increase of $85.8 million over the previous year despite ongoing funding issues.
The $8.62 billion budget proposal would offer the largest increase to public safety departments, $149.1 million, while sharply slashing spending for capital programs, which include new county construction and major improvement projects, or land acquisitions.
Capital outlays are set to fall by 66%.
The overall budget increase, a boost of about 1%, was suggested in the face of slowing tax revenues and rising costs, along with uncertainties about the economy and state and federal funding.
As it stands, the budget would cut 190 positions – a little less than 1% of the county’s 20,000-plus employees. Some of the positions currently are vacant.
About $14.3 million of the increased Public Safety budget could go towards the purchase of a helicopter for expanded firefighting and search-and-rescue missions.
Other highlights of the plan include an investment of more than $100 million for behavioral health services, funding for more than 1 million San Diegans who rely on programs such as CalWORKs, Medi-Cal and CalFresh, and an increase for inmate care and jail diversion programs.
Crystal Irving, president of the Service Employees International Union, Local 221, said county leadership needs to dig into reserves as cuts from the White House and Sacramento loom.
“County workers on the frontlines are calling upon the Board of Supervisors to take action and tap into our rainy day fund, our reserves, so we can protect and strategically invest in services at this critical moment,” Irving said.
The current year’s budget is $8.53 billion. The county announced late last year that it faced a projected $138.5 million deficit in the coming year.
San Diego County doesn’t have a revenue problem — it has a spending problem.
— Supervisor Jim Desmond (@jim_desmond) April 29, 2025
Now there’s talk of dipping into our County reserves to cover a deficit. Why? Because government has exploded — adding 2,500 jobs and creating bloated departments like the Office of Sustainability and…
The proposed budget has been met with a chilly response from a Republican member of the board, Jim Desmond, though the panel is officially nonpartisan. The board is split between two Democrats and two Republicans due to the departure of Nora Vargas.
“San Diego County doesn’t have a revenue problem — it has a spending problem,” Desmond wrote in a social media post in advance of the budget proposal’s release.
That divide on the board won’t be resolved until the special election in July to replace Vargas, a Democrat who was re-elected last fall, but chose not to take the oath of office in January. The county, however, is set to adopt the budget before the new fiscal year begins July 1.
Nearly half of the county’s funding comes from the state and federal government, but that money must be used for certain programs. The rest comes from property taxes, fees for services and other sources.
Regionally, county government provides funding for social services and health programs; criminal prosecution, detention facilities and emergency preparedness; food and restaurant inspections; beach and bay water monitoring, and elections.
In unincorporated areas, the county government provides things a city government would typically offer like law enforcement and fire protection; maintaining roads, parks and libraries; issuing building permits, and overseeing animal shelters and protection.
Residents may weigh in on the budget proposal. An in-person open house to discuss the budget is scheduled for 5 p.m. May 22 at the County Operations Center. A virtual open house will take place at 5:30 p.m. May 28.
Budget hearings before the county Board of Supervisors are set for 9 a.m. June 3 and 5:30 p.m. June 9.
The board’s budget deliberations and adoption are scheduled for June 24.
City News Service contributed to this report.
