The first of several town hall meetings was held in San Diego Monday night to explain what city services might be cut if the proposed sales tax increase fails.
San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders moderated the meeting. The city’s facing a projected $72 million deficit next year. Sanders stressed that these are just budget talks and not necessarily tied to Proposition D, the proposed half-cent sales tax increase. But that issue was on a lot of people’s minds, including Bob Cronk.
"I think the city’s in a tough spot. And I think it takes a lot of courage for the mayor to come out here and face a crowd and tell them the truth, tell them that we need to raise revenue," Cronk said.
Deborah Knight agrees that more revenue is needed. But she says the city leaders must change their focus as well.
"It’s very disturbing to me to see the top city leadership focused on the making it possible to put together these huge, difficult downtown projects and yet the rest of the city is going down the drain," Knight said.
During the meeting the police and fire chiefs as well as the heads of the Park and Rec, Library and Public Works departments outlined the cuts their departments might have to make if the budget cuts go forward.
During the meeting the mayor also responded to several people demanding answers about San Diego filing for bankruptcy and the city’s pension deficit.
