Reconciling San Diego's Budget Deficit

We talk to San Diego City Councilwoman Donna Frye about what's next for the city now that voters decisively rejected Proposition D. We'll also find out whether elected office is in her future as she prepares to term out of office.

Transcript

AND AN UNUSUAL COALITION FORMED THIS YEAR TO SUPPORT PROPOSITION D, MARY SATURDAYS AND HIS FORMER RIVAL COUNSEL WOMAN DONNA FRY, AND LABOR GROUPS AND BUSINESS GROUPS STUMPED FOR THE SALES TAX INCREASE AND CRAFTED TEN CONDITIONS BEFORE THE INCREASE COULD BE COLLECTED. BUT THE VOTERS SAID NO. WHAT CAN CITY OFFICIALS NOW DO TO ADD QUITLY SERVE THE TAXPAYERS WITH INSUFFICIENT FUNDS? MY GUEST IS DONNA FRY. AND I AM DELIGHTED THAT YOU ARE HERE.

HI, DONNA.

PROP D WAS REJECTED BY VOTERS TUESDAY NIGHT.

RIGHT.

HOW CAN THE CITY'S EXPECTED $70 MILLION DEFICIT BE ELIMINATED?

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE OUR COALITION AND CONTINUE WORKING ON THE REFORMS AND THERE WILL BE SAVINGS THERE. THOSE TEN REFORMS. SOME OF THEM HAVE ALREADY BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. FOR EXAMPLE, REDUCING RETIREE HEALTH CARE, THAT WILL SAVE SOME MONEY. ELIMINATING PICK-UP COST FOR EMPLOYEE PENSIONS. THAT WILL FURTHER REDUCE THE DEFICIT. THE PROBLEM IS WHAT CAN WE TOP QUICKLY ENOUGH IN ORDER TO NOT HAVE TO CUT SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC.

WELL, THE SCARY PART WAS WHEN THE MAYOR SAID POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS WOULD HAVE TO BE CUT. AND THE COUNSEL WOMAN SAID PUBLIC SAFETY IS A FIRST PRIORITY. HOW CAN THAT BE RESOLVED?

WELL, PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ALREADY HAVE BEEN CUTS TO POLICE AND FIRE. AND POLICE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT. OVER 50% OF THE GENERAL FUND IS FOR POLICE AND FIRE. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A GENERAL FUND DEFICIT HERE. YOU HAVE TO MAKE CUTS. NOW THE HOPES ARE NOT TO MAKE CUTS TO POLICE AND FIRE. BUT LET ME ASK THE PUBLIC THEN, WHERE WOULD THEY LIKE THE CUTS TO COME FROM? LIBRARIES? PARKS? RECREATION CENTERS? BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH MONEY TO GO AROUND AND REFORMS DO TAKE TIME.

ARE THOSE THE ONLY OPTIONS?

NO, THERE'S OTHER OPTIONS. THE ISSUE BECOMES WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE VIABLE OPTIONS AND. WHEN WE WORKED ON PROPOSITION D, THE BEAUTY OF IT WAS YOU HAD AGREEMENT, PEOPLE COMMITTED TO WORKING TOGETHER. AND I BELIEVE WE CAN KEEP THAT COALITION TOGETHER AND WORKING TOWARDS THE REFORMS. WHAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO OFF IN A WHOLE OTHER DIRECTION AND SAY, WELL, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE A PLAN AND REFORM, LET'S CHUCK THOSE OUT THE WINDOWS AND SPEND A COUPLE MONTHS ANALYZING IT AND TRYING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

WE, THAT WON'T INCLUDE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE LEAVING OFFICE. IN DECEMBER.

AS FAR AS MY ABILITY TO VOTE ON IT. BUT I'M STILL A CITIZEN OF THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND I STILL CARE ABOUT THE CITY AND I STILL WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP FOLKS AND BE ABLE TO TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS.

GOING IN A WHOLE OTHER DIRECTION, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE COUNCILMAN'S ROAD MAP TO RECOVERY THAT HE'S UNVAILED WHERE HE SAYS HE CAN FIND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO HELP BRIDGE THAT BUDGET GAP?

WELL, YES. AND I SUPPOSE WE COULD DIG FOR OIL UNDER CITY HALL AND FIND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TOO. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, YOU NEED A VIABLE PLAN AND PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE LONG-TERM SAVINGS AND THE LONG-TERM RESPECT. TO MAKE SOMETHING ACTUALLY HAPPEN AND STAY. ACTUALLY STAY, THAT PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL.

BUT YOU HAVE TO BRING ALONG THE CITY COUNCIL, YOU HAVE TO BRING ALONG THE PUBLIC.

WELL, I THINK THE CITY COUNCIL IS ALREADY THERE. THE TEN REFORMS, IT WAS THE SUPERMAJORITY THAT ALREADY SUPPORTED IT AND I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE TWO NEW COUNSEL MEMBERS WON'T BE COMMITTED TO THE REFORMS AS WELL.

WELL, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU DID TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT CARL MIGHT BE TAKING US IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

YEAH.

HOW DO YOU EXPECT THE NEW COUNCIL TO LINE UP?

THAT'S HARD TO SAY. IT'S SOMETHING I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PREDICT OVER THE YEARS NOR SHOULD I DO IT NOW. I DON'T KNOW. BUT I DO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, KEVIN, COUNSEL MEMBER YOUNG, EMERALD, THEY ARE ALL COMMITTED TO THE REFORMS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED. AND AS WELL AS BUSINESS AND LABOR. AND I BELIEVE THOSE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.

WHO DO YOU NEED TO FIGHT FOR REFORM?

I NEED MAYOR. WELL, THE MAYOR IS THERE. AND THE MAYOR TODAY WROTE AN EDITORIAL TALK ABOUT HE IS COMMITTED TO THE PROP D. AND THOSE WILL BE INITIATED FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE BECAUSE THAT IS THE WAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS SET UP. I THINK THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT IN DECISION TO PROP D.

WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP?

CLEAN MY ROOM. THAT IS MY NUMBER ONE GOAL. TO GET RID OF SOME OF THE DOCUMENTS, GET RID OF SEVEN OR TEN YEARS OF DOCUMENTS, GET THOSE SHREDDED AND HAVE THE ABILITY --

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE --

NO, A COUPLE OF WEEKS. WHAT I PLAN TO DO AND WHAT I WILL ALWAYS DO IS WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS DONE WHICH IS TO WORK, TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR THE PUBLIC. WHETHER THAT'S OPEN GOVERNMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.

I'M TALKING ABOUT ELECTED PUBLIC SERVICE.

I WON'T RULE IT OUT. BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A LITTLE DOWN TIME AND NOT BEING CALLED INTO COUNSEL MEETINGS AND NOT HAVING CRISIS AND NOT HAVING A WEEKEND WHERE I HAVE TO READ A STACK OF BINDERS THIS HIGH.

ARE YOU ON THE LONG LIST FOR POTENTIAL CANIDATES FOR MAYOR IN 2012.

PROBABLY SOME PEOPLE THINK SO, AND I DON'T RULE ANYTHING OUT. TOMORROW I COULD HAVE A DIFFERENT ANSWER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.