Budget Review Committee Hearing on FY2019 Proposed Budget - May 8, 2018
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Budget Review Committee Hearing on FY2019 Proposed Budget - May 8, 2018
The Budget Review Committee (BRC) met on May 8, 2018, at 5:15 p.m. to review portions of the Mayor's proposed FY2019 budget. The committee heard from the City Attorney, the Assistant Chief Operating Officer, Civic San Diego, the Commission for Arts and Culture, the newly formed Government Affairs Department, and the Performance and Analytics Department. Numerous public speakers also testified, primarily in support of arts and culture funding. No formal votes were taken; recommendations will be forwarded to the full City Council.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Travis Rugerello shared his personal experience with mental health concerns and homelessness, stating he had been "lost in the system" and requested support.
- Robbie A. Morgan claimed to have uncovered missing funds from housing, AFDC, and SSI programs and to have helped catch a wanted criminal (the "geez bandit").
- Robert McNamara (District 3) noted that homelessness impacts multiple city department budgets and suggested San Diego consider creating a separate Department of Homeless Services, citing New York City's $1.1 billion budget for its Department of Homeless Services.
- Judy Forrester (Executive Director, New Children's Museum) highlighted the museum's value as a tourism driver and its impact on workforce development, thanking the council for supporting arts and culture.
- Freedom Bradley Ballantine (Old Globe) read a letter from an incarcerated participant, emphasizing the transformative power of arts programs.
- Anjeanette Mariah Ramey (Executive Director, Aja Project) described the organization's work using participatory photography with displaced youth and requested equitable distribution of arts funding.
- Todd Schultz (San Diego Symphony and San Diego Regional Arts and Culture Coalition) underscored the importance of access to arts for youth and families.
- Sheila James (music teaching artist) spoke on behalf of arts professionals and the educational value of music.
- Molly Turbovich Riddenhauer (San Diego Civic Youth Ballet) expressed relief that proposed cuts did not materialize and urged sustainable funding.
- Mia and Cameron Redlings (San Diego Youth Symphony) played a violin and trombone excerpt and thanked the council for arts support.
- Janet Poutre (Chair, Commission for Arts and Culture) thanked the council and mayor for maintaining funding but noted the 2% reduction and encouraged additional support.
- Joyce Sanyata (District 3) praised the arts as an economic engine and quality of life contributor.
- Ismahan Abdullahi (Director, PANA) called for addressing inequity in arts funding distribution and emphasized impact over income.
- Additional public speakers on the arts and culture item included representatives from several organizations; their slips were filed.
- Joyce Sanyata also spoke during the Civic San Diego item, expressing concerns about transparency and the disposal of property including the Balboa Theatre and Chinese Historical Museum site.
Discussion Items
- City Attorney (Mara Elliott): Requested six additional items for the May revise: tuition reimbursement for deputy city attorneys (contractually obligated), an assistant city attorney for executive operations, one deputy city attorney and one investigator for civil litigation, one deputy city attorney for environmental/land use, and two criminal division support positions. She also noted that enforcement positions for a future short-term rental ordinance would be needed. The Family Justice Center is transferring back to the City Attorney's Office from SDPD, with plans to expand regionally. The SMART program is adding 14 beds in June. The IBA confirmed that the tuition reimbursement omission was an error and would be corrected. Councilmembers asked for prioritization of the six requests.
- Assistant Chief Operating Officer (Stacey Lumetico): Presented on ADA compliance, corporate partnerships, and special events/filming. Key items: the Office of ADA is transferring to the Office of Boards and Commissions; a new corporate partnership with Sharp Healthcare is valued at $750,000 to $1.25 million over three years; the filming program saw a slight budget reduction but conservative permit estimates. The IBA noted a letter from the Accessibility Advisory Board requesting additional ADA resources.
- Civic San Diego (Andrew T. Phillips & Pamela Rojas): Reported FY2018 accomplishments including 198 affordable housing units completed, 2.6 acres of park space, and $4.7 million from property sales. FY2019 proposed budget is $9.4 million (up $1.5 million) with 34 FTEs (down 4). For the first time, agency window (redevelopment) funding is less than 50% of revenue. The entity is pursuing new revenue sources such as New Market Tax Credits (three additional projects anticipated). Councilmembers discussed the need for an exit plan and avoiding duplication with city departments.
- Special Promotional Programs / Commission for Arts and Culture (Christine Jones & Dave O'Nate): The proposed FY2019 budget for special promotional programs is $120.4 million (up $6.8 million). The Commission for Arts and Culture budget is $14.5 million, including a $10.5 million base plus a one-time $3.9 million general fund transfer. The Commission recommended distributing funds: $10 million for Organizational Support Program, $1.388 million for Creative Communities San Diego, $578,000 for Public Art Fund, etc. The IBA noted that arts funding as a percentage of TOT revenue is declining. Councilmembers expressed strong support for arts but raised concerns about the one-time nature of the supplementary funding and the need for long-term stability.
- Government Affairs (Patrick Buteller): Presented the new department formed from existing resources, with the addition of one grants coordinator to improve coordination of grant applications. Councilmembers supported the centralization and coordination role.
- Performance and Analytics (Alma Soudries & John Terwiliger): Reported on FY2018 achievements including a #1 ranking from Governing magazine for data-driven governance. The FY2019 proposed budget is $3.8 million with a reduction of one FTE and the addition of one FTE for the Get It Done expansion. The team showed a teaser video for the expanded app (summer launch). Councilmembers praised the department but emphasized the need for timely fulfillment of service requests and requested Spanish translation options.
Key Outcomes
- City Attorney: Councilmembers requested a prioritized list of the six funding requests; the City Attorney agreed to provide one. The IBA noted that the tuition reimbursement error would be corrected in the May revise.
- Arts and Culture: Several councilmembers committed to seeking stable, ongoing funding rather than reliance on one-time transfers. The one-time $3.9 million general fund transfer will not be available in FY2020, creating a structural gap. Councilmember Ward highlighted that arts funding fell to 5.9% of TOT revenue, well below the Penny for the Arts goal.
- Get It Done App: Councilmember Gomez requested that translation (at least into Spanish) be explored; the department agreed to work on it after the expansion rollout.
- Civic San Diego: Councilmember Gomez asked for clarity on New Market Tax Credit allocations and noted that Civic was not receiving a new allocation this round; staff confirmed they would reapply.
- The public is invited to provide further input at the evening budget hearing on Monday, May 14, at 6 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
As the council reviews the budgets of city departments and partner agencies and makes decisions about how to best spend taxpayer dollars. A reminder that in addition to this week's hearings, the public is again encouraged to attend an evening hearing on Monday, May 14th at 6 p.m. to provide input on their budget priorities. A quorum is now present consisting of Councilmember Ward, Council President Cole, Council Members Kercy, Alvarez, and myself. We will now proceed with non-agenda public comment. This portion of the agenda provides an opportunity for members of the public to address the committee on items of interest within the committee's jurisdiction. Clerk, please proceed. Yes, and uh each individual will have two minutes when I call your name. Please come forward. We have three speakers this morning. Travis Rogerello is our first speaker, followed by Robbie Morgan, followed by Robert McNamara. Hi, my name is Travis Rugerello, and I'm here to share another mental health concern. Uh last night I was watching Dancing with the Stars on ABC. After watching, I realize I'm not allowed to say I understand something about the performers' emotional education because I was never on TV, like so you think you can dance, and or have a college degree. However, I have been typing the system from house calls by the police department and my hospital stage, which I'm not proud of. Um with that, I've been experiencing a step of homelessness in downtown San Diego since January 2016, staying at New Vista's Crisis House, St. Vince Nepal Path, and now Alpha Square. I don't want to be lost in the system anymore because of my mental health concern with electronic harassment while I'm on the grid. Thank you. Robbie A. Morgan is our next speaker. Ms. Morgan will be followed by Robert McNamara. Hello and good morning, Council members. I am a Robbie A. Morgan. I am the person who found the housing, AFDC, SSI, and a couple of other things that was a great a lot a lot of money missing. And what I did was I asked uh the DA, the DEA, the FBI, the CIA helped me to um capture these people who were using these funds and using these names and using these people. Um all of that money from the housing, AFDC, um, SSI, and all of that was the money I found. And I also am the person who caught the geezer bandit, who um I think family is here in San Diego. And if they're after me, they're after me, but they are here. And um that's who I am. I am the person who caught him. Thank you. Robert McNamara is our final non-agenda speaker. Mr. McNamara, you'll have two minutes. Good morning, committee members, Robert McNamara, District Three. As Council members Zap and Ward have noted, homelessness has impacted several city departmental budgets. Extra security at parks and libraries. Grant passed through economic development. Sidewalk program uh power sweeping by environmental services. A new division focusing on homelessness in the San Diego Police Department. Homeless innovation programs of San Diego Housing Commission. There should be some way of capturing the totality of funds and each uh separate budget. Ms. Cole, mention New York City as a city that is successfully managing its homelessness. New York City has its own separate department, Department of Homeless Homelessness Services with a budget of 1.1 billion dollars, operating 208 shelters with over 30,000 shelteres. Operating 208 shelters. With over 30,000 shelteres.
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