SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria announced a revised budget plan Wednesday that restores several community services previously cut as the city works to close a $118 million deficit.
The restorations are funded through a small increase in tourism occupancy tax revenue and approximately $4 million from the Golf Enterprise Fund.
"Restorations today are made possible by a slight uptick in tourism revenue along with a new legal guidance on the utilization of our golf fund enterprise fund," Gloria said.
Programs restored in the revised budget include recreation center and library hours, youth programs, and December Nights. Arts and culture funding, however, was not restored.
"In this environment where we're trying to close a nine-digit budget deficit, we have to be very specific and focused on the priorities of San Diegans," Gloria said.
This pattern of last-minute budget restorations is not new for San Diego. The same situation played out in the previous two years. Last year, programs, including police staffing, were on the chopping block before the city moved money to preserve them. The year before, a revised budget restored millions in funding for homeless programs through state funding and reserves tapped by the commission.
Not all city leaders agree on how the available money is being spent. Council Member Elo Rivera took issue with a $2 million allocation for AI surveillance.
"The $2 million that we'll be spending on AI surveillance of everyday San Diegans, I, I believe today, and I will always believe that it is better to invest in safety and fun and good opportunities," Rivera said.
Gloria defended the technology.
"This technology is absolutely keeping San Diegans safe, and the evidence is in the declining crime rates and the fact that San Diego is one of our safest big cities in the United States," Gloria said.
City Council will discuss the mayor's revised budget at next week's meeting before a final vote in June.
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