Mayor Kevin Faulconer today released revisions to his proposed $3.2 billion budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, including longer hours at recreation centers and a reserve fund to cover costs when pension expenses rise unexpectedly.
The "May Revise" is a product of projections showing increasing revenue, and comments from a series of City Council hearings on the spending plan. The mayor's original budget proposal was put out last month.
"Our economy continues to improve, and our neighborhoods should share in the wealth," Faulconer said. "I'm proposing several new community enhancements beyond what I announced in April, including more than doubling the number of recreation centers that will see increased hours next year."
Originally, he proposed that the 16 busiest recreation centers increase operating hours from 45 to 60. Under the revisions, 36 centers will get more hours.
"A massive increase that will give families, children, and seniors greater access to community programs," he said.
That was welcome news to council President Sherri Lightner.
"I am especially pleased to hear about additional expanded recreation center hours and boost funding for our libraries," she said. "These are vital public programs that mean more to our residents than ever before, so it's important to continue to keep them funded."
The city had to slash operating hours and employees at numerous public facilities during and after the recession. With more stable economic conditions, the city was able to boost hours at libraries last year. This year, it's the recreation centers' turn.
Faulconer also proposed using $15 million of surplus in the current fiscal year's budget to stabilize the pension system.
If the city's contribution had to rise in a particular year for some reason, like a lower rate of investment returns, the new reserve fund would cover the cost. The result would be a reduced impact on the city's general fund, so services wouldn't have to be cut, the mayor said.
His other proposed revisions include, among other things:
- Restoring a $210,000 payment for library materials;
- $130,000 for a park manager to oversee Balboa Park and Mission Bay Park;
- Spending $75,000 for a horticulturist to coordinate landscaping and irrigation throughout the park system and help meet water conservation goals;
- Paying $50,000 to fund a San Diego State University study on the San Diego Police Department's traffic stop data cards, which would help reveal the level of racial profiling in the city; and
- $140,000 to provide online hiring support and expedited background checks to speed up the city's hiring process.
The mayor's original budget proposal envisioned hiring more than 420 employees, which some critics said could overwhelm personnel staff and affected departments.
The City Council will vote on the revised budget proposal in June.
