SAN DIEGO (FOX 5\/KUSI) \u2014 San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria unveiled a proposed budget to address a $118 million deficit, warning that the city will need to make significant cuts to services and staffing to close the gap.<\/p>\n
The $6.4 billion spending plan includes reductions across nearly every department, as the city struggles with rising costs and not enough revenue to keep pace. Gloria said there is little support right now for raising taxes, leaving cuts as the primary option.<\/p>\n
The proposal calls for reducing the city workforce, limiting hours at libraries and recreation centers, and delaying or scaling back some projects. The mayor acknowledged the impact these changes will have on residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a consequence, this budget contains very significant reductions to things people care about,\u201d Gloria said.<\/p>\n
Despite the cuts, Gloria said the plan is designed to protect key priorities, including public safety, homelessness programs, and critical infrastructure like roads.<\/p>\n
He also pointed to a larger issue driving the deficit, describing it as a long-standing structural problem in which the city has consistently spent more than it brings in.<\/p>\n
The mayor said the proposal is intended to meet the city\u2019s legal requirement to pass a balanced budget by June while helping San Diego get through a difficult financial period.<\/p>\n
Voters narrowly rejected Measure E in 2024, a proposal that could have generated hundreds of millions of dollars annually.<\/p>\n
City leaders will now review the proposal as they work toward finalizing the budget in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
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