Mayor Todd Gloria held a news conference Wednesday to announce a revision to the city’s draft budget for fiscal year 2027, restoring some funding for recreation centers and libraries.
After the “May Revise,” the draft budget no longer cuts funding for libraries and recreation centers in Council Districts 4, 8, and 9, and at the La Jolla Recreation Center and the Carmel Valley Branch Library.
Gloria said the revision also restores funding for youth drop-in centers and increases financial support for the No Shots Fired Violence Prevention program.
The revision does not restore funding for arts and culture, which stands to see an 85% reduction.
Gloria said while arts are “very important” the cuts were necessary to close the $118 million budget deficit.
“This May revise (sic) will maintain our focus on the fundamentals for San Diegans, keeping you safe, repairing our roads and other infrastructure, reducing homelessness, and building more homes you can afford,” Gloria said at the press conference.
Gloria said the city is on track to fix over 300 miles of roads while continuing to make streets safer with traffic safety improvements. The budget, however, still proposes cutting the team of traffic safety engineers in the Transportation Department known as the “multimodal team” that is responsible for creating new, safer street designs.
Gloria said the revision, and restored funding, was made possible by an increase in tourism revenue and new guidance on utilizing the Golf Enterprise Fund, which collects fees for municipal golf courses, including the popular Torrey Pines course. A portion of that money will “flow into the general fund,” according to Gloria.
He said that after the revision, the city is still on track to close the deficit as required by law.
“That's sometimes confusing to taxpayers because they don't see that happen at the federal level, because there's no similar requirement,” Gloria said.
Gloria said the city closed a larger budget deficit last year, and that they’ll do it again this year.
“My challenge to all involved is to make sure that we do it, on a permanent basis, resolving the structural … budget deficit so that we're not back here again next year, talking about massive reductions to beloved neighborhood services,” Gloria continued.
Councilmember Henry Foster III, who represents District 4, applauded the mayor’s restoration of funding to libraries and rec centers in his district as well as the violence prevention and youth programs.
“I want to acknowledge several important restorations included in the mayor’s May Revise,” Foster said at the press conference. “These proposed restorations reflect the advocacy of residents, community leaders, and my council colleagues who spoke up about the importance of protecting neighborhood services.”
But he also said he hoped the final budget would restore arts and culture funding, and that there will be further discussions and opportunity for changes in the coming weeks.
“We still have much work ahead to ensure the final fiscal year 2027 budget reflects the true needs of residents across the city,” Foster said at the press conference.
“We have several hearings ahead as we continue this budget cycle, and our residents are vital to this process,” he continued. “I ask that residents please stay engaged.”
Foster said the next budget hearing is scheduled for May 18 before final council deliberations on June 9.
