San Diego Budget Review Committee Debates FY27 Cuts to Engineering, Libraries, and Parks (May 5, 2026)
San Diego Budget Review Committee Debates FY27 Cuts to Engineering, Libraries, and Parks (May 5, 2026)
The Budget Review Committee convened on May 5, 2026, as part of a continuous hearing running from May 4 to May 8. The day's agenda focused on the City Engineer overview (Engineering & Capital Projects), the Capital Improvements Program (CIP), and the Community Services Branch (Libraries and Parks & Recreation). Council members heard presentations, received analysis from the Independent Budget Analyst (IBA), listened to extensive public testimony, and provided direction for the May Revise. No formal votes were taken.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Climate & Equity Advocates: Doris Nguyen (Sierra Club) urged the committee to align the budget with the Climate Action Plan, restore the Climate Equity Fund, and reverse cuts to mobility staff.
- Infrastructure & Stormwater: Sally Small and others stressed the need to reform Council Policy 800-14 to better prioritize stormwater projects in underserved communities.
- Library & Park Defenders: Multiple speakers (Pat Wilson, Patrick Stewart, Mid-City CANS Youth Council, Groundwork San Diego) strongly opposed cuts, arguing libraries and parks are essential public safety and youth development infrastructure, criticizing the administrative framing as a "hunger games" scenario.
- Youth Program Advocates: A large coalition (Youth Will, community members) fiercely opposed eliminating the Office of Child and Youth Success (OCYS), noting its modest budget and critical role in grant procurement and interdepartmental youth coordination.
- Film Industry Representatives: Welton Jones and Lisa Rothmuller argued eliminating the film program manager position would devastate the local film production industry, which brings hundreds of union jobs and millions in economic impact.
- Pool Safety: Parents, coaches, and aquatic nonprofit leaders urged against extending pool closures to 13 weeks, calling it a drowning prevention crisis and a severe loss for youth development.
Discussion Items
Subitem E: City Engineer & Capital Improvements Program (CIP)
- Proposal: The FY27 Engineering & Capital Projects (ECP) budget proposes reducing 34 positions (32 vacant) and adding $3.4M for tenant improvements. The draft FY27 CIP budget is $821.7M (69% water/sewer) with $52.5M for stormwater. The IBA highlighted a $7.8 billion five-year funding gap driven by stormwater needs.
- Council Feedback: Council President Lacava noted concerns about ECP overhead costs (the department confirmed a 10% rate reduction). He questioned why civil engineers aren't deputized to Parks & Rec to speed up projects. Councilmember Ilo Rivera expressed frustration over the high cost and long timelines for small park projects. Pro Tem Lee observed that many ECP cuts are reimbursed by enterprise funds and thus do not represent equal general fund savings. Council President Lacava and Councilmember Ilo Rivera called for an audit of Council Policy 800-14.
Subitem F: Community Services Branch – Library Department
- Proposal: $2.4M in cuts, including eliminating the Office of Child and Youth Success (OCYS), suspending the $1M donation match fund, and reducing security and hours. Branches in Rancho Penasquitos and Ocean Beach face temporary full-year closures for renovations.
- Three Options for Hours: Option 1 preserves hours at one branch in districts 4, 8, and 9. Option 2 spreads reductions evenly. Option 3 preserves hours in D4, D8, D9 entirely but requires closing a branch (North Claremont offered as an example) or finding $760K elsewhere.
- Council Feedback: Pro Tem Lee and Councilmember Ilo Rivera rejected the options as a "hunger games" scenario and false choices, demanding the administration provide an operational recommendation rather than pitting communities against each other. Councilmember Moreno fiercely defended OCYS, noting voters passed Measure H for childcare on parkland. Councilmember Whitburn questioned cutting the donation match (which generates $1M annually). Council President Lacava noted the cumulative nature of the cuts and supported exploring alternatives.
Subitem F: Community Services Branch – Parks & Recreation Department
- Proposal: $13M total reduction, including $5.4M for rec centers (many filled positions), eliminating five park rangers, reducing brush management by 20 acres, and extending pool closures to 13 weeks. The Office of Special Events and Filming will merge into Parks & Rec, resulting in the loss of the film program manager (concierge service) and likely ending December Nights.
- Three Options for Rec Centers: Option 1 protects Park After Dark and senior centers but closes 11 sites. Option 2 uses data to maximize hours in underserved areas (closes 15 sites). Option 3 spreads closures evenly (closes 11 sites).
- Council Feedback: Members echoed library criticisms, calling the options a "false choice." Councilmember Moreno and Pro Tem Lee strongly opposed losing the film program manager. Council President Lacava and Councilmember Ilo Rivera advocated for using Golf Enterprise Fund revenues to offset rec center cuts. Council President Lacava also suggested re-evaluating the city's posture on cost recovery for major events versus cutting community services.
Key Outcomes
- No Formal Votes: The meeting was informational. Council direction will be formalized in the May Revise budget document and final budget modification memos due May 20.
- Strong Opposition to Cuts: A majority of council members expressed intent to restore funding for the Office of Child and Youth Success, the library donation match, the film program manager, and core park operations. Potential funding sources include transferring from the Golf Enterprise Fund, reallocating funds from the FLOCK camera contract, or implementing other alternative cuts.
- Process Critique: Several council members criticized the administration for not providing a recommended path forward, instead forcing the council to choose between harming different neighborhoods. The IBA confirmed the council is not limited to the presented options and can develop alternatives.
Meeting Transcript
Thank you. Good morning, and welcome to the next session of the budget review committee of May fifth, twenty twenty-six. Our committee liaison Sarah Jordan will go over instructions for today's meeting. As we shared yesterday, the budget review committee will convene for one continuous meeting starting yesterday, May fourth, twenty twenty-six through Friday, May eighth, twenty twenty-six, beginning each day at nine A.M. The meeting will continue until the entire agenda is complete. Department budgets will be heard in the order of the agenda, subject to the chair's discretion. Throughout the continuous budget review committee meeting, public comment will be taken during each sub-item. The public may also comment on any departments not listed for a formal presentation on the agenda during sub-item S additional department review. This information and instruction is also available on the budget review committee agenda on the city's webpage. While the public is allowed to attend the meetings in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and council administration will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Committee member Campbell. And Chair, Committee Member Foster. Here. Also attending the meeting today is Deputy Director Gillian Andalina from the Independent Budget Analysts Office. Senior Lead Deputy City Attorney, Christina Ray from the City Attorney's Office, Chief Financial Officer Rolando Charvel, and Senior Policy Advisor for Mayor Todd Gloria, Randy Wilde. If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it on the top of the box indicated at the speaker's lecture and in the front of the room. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. In person testimony will conclude before virtual testimony begins. Members of the public can also join the webinar by computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the link which is listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage. If you need to participate by telephone, you may dial 1669 2545252, inputting webinar ID 160326900 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and it will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Please note that if you are watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be a delay. Please participate via the audio on your phone and be sure to mute your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak. If you wish to speak to a particular item, please wait for that item to be called and then raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon, or if you're calling participant by pressing star nine on your cell phone or landline. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. Thank you, Sarah, for reviewing those instructions for the benefit of the public. A quorum is now present. We will now move to committee members, mayoral staff, city attorney, and independent budget analysts for comments. Hearing none, we will now take up our information agenda. As a reminder, these are informational items only during our budget review committee hearings. So no motions are required. As Sarah mentioned, public comment will be heard after each subitem. Subitems have been categorized to follow areas or branches of the city. Therefore, several sub items include multiple city departments. For these subitems, the department official will introduce, we will hear a presentation or presentations regarding all the departments included. After each department's presentation, council members will have an opportunity to ask staff questions at the conclusion of the subitem and after public comment. Council members will have the opportunity to provide concluding remarks. With that, we will begin this morning's hearing with subitem E, City Engineer Overview. Sarah, please introduce subitem E. Thank you, Chair Foster. I have noticed that Councilmember Campio has joined us virtually. So if Council Member Campio would like to provide his virtual declaration at this time. Thank you very much. Thank you. Good morning, Chair. Good morning, Council. I'm notifying the public I'm joining virtually today under just cause under the Brown Act related to child care needs. I'm no one in the room is over the age of 18 with me, and I'll update that notification if that changes. Thank you, Chair. And subitem E is the City Engineer Overview.
openpublica.com