San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders will try to set the tone for the coming year in his State of the City speech tonight.
Sanders is expected to focus on San Diego’s financial woes in tonight’s speech. The city council recently passed an 18-month budget that closes a nearly $180 million deficit. But the budget is seen by many as a stop-gap measure designed to give the mayor and council time to fix the city’s structural budget issues. The city doesn’t generate enough revenue to cover its expenses.
Lani Lutar is president of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association. She says new taxes aren’t the answer.
“We have to be able to balance the books. And if we want to continue to enjoy the many public services that are currently offered, the only way we can continue to do that is if we address pension reform to reduce labor costs,” she said.
The city council has already created a commission that is looking into how San Diego can create more revenue.
