The San Diego City Council has approved a $3.2 billion budget. It draws on downtown redevelopment money to help reinstate many of the job cuts proposed by Mayor Jerry Sanders. KPBS reporter Alison St John has more.
The vote was not unanimous. Councilmen Kevin Faulconer - who represents downtown - and Jim Madaffer opposed the plan. It avoids cutting park and library positions around the city, partly by asking the downtown redevelopment corporation to help pay off the bonds used to build the Ball Park .
City Council President Scott Peters said redevelopment in his district would have to pay for itself, so it makes sense to ask downtown to cover its own bond repayments on Petco Park.
Peters : So I like the idea of starting to ask the Ball Park to pay for itself, because that’s General Fund paying for a downtown assets, but I would not support a general raiding of the fund beyond that expense .
Petco Park costs the city $11 million a year in bond repayments. The mayor’s budget asked the downtown redevelopment corporation to cover $5 million; the council’s Budget Analyst suggests $7.5 million.
The mayor has a week to accept or veto the council’s modified budget plan. Alison St John, KPBS news.