the roll.
My apologies.
Council PRESIDENT Council
Member Campbell Councilmember
Whitburn Council Member Foster
Councilmember Von Wilpert
Council Pro Tem Lee here
Councilmember Campo COUNCILMAN
Moreno Present Councilmember
Isla Rivera and Council
PRESIDENT LaCava present Also
attending the meeting are Chief
Deputy City Attorney part a lot
of independent budget analyst
Charles Monica Council Affairs
Advisor in the Mayor's office
Matt Geoghegan.
As well as the mayor and myself
your city Clerk Diana Fuentes
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT All right.
>> Thank you.
City Clerk a quorum is now
present.
I see a lot of faces of people
that MAY be here for the first
time And I know there can be a
lot of excitement, passion,
anger, frustration and probably
every emotion in between.
So before we start today's
meeting, I want to remind
everyone about the city's
practices and procedures for
public comment At city council
meetings the city welcomes
public participation at our
meeting.
Speakers MAY address
the Council during public
comment and also in connection
with the specific item of
business on the agenda.
However, the city must make
sure that no one person or
group of people disrupt
the meeting in a way that
prohibits other speakers from
expressing their ideas and
opinions.
So to make sure that everyone
here has the opportunity to
address the Council I will
alert an individual or
individuals if I think their
conduct becomes disruptive.
If the disruption continues I
will rule the individual out of
order and if the disruption
continues further I will
declare a 15 minute recess so
that we can restore order.
At that point I will direct
the individual to leave
the room and if the individual
refuses police will escort
the individual out of
the building.
And if we have to repeat this
process of warning and
resetting all members of
the public will be excused from
the council chamber.
Credentialed media will be
allowed to remain once again We
have these practices procedures
to protect the rights of other
speakers who wish to address
the Council and to allow
the Council to conduct
the public's business.
So with that city clerk please
go over how the public can
offer their testimony.
>> Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT I'd like to
highlight the slide on
the screen that reveals how
the public can offer their
public testimony during this
evening's meeting.
The order can be found on
the agenda summary and found
online or at the table in
the back of the room.
There's only one item so
the order is that if you are in
person please complete a
speaker slip located at
the entrance of chambers and
bring it to the front of
the room into the clear box.
Council ambassadors are
available near the entrance of
chambers as well as in
the committee room and can
assist you with questions and
speaker slips if you are in
the committee room overflow
Please give your speaker slip
to one of the council
ambassadors within the room and
they will be sure to get it to
me.
No further in-person testimony
will be taken once the council
begins virtual testimony.
I will note that due to
the amount of speakers it will
be one minute per person so
please begin to plan
accordingly.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT All right.
>> Thank you City Clerk a
couple of other notes before we
proceed.
Again, this is a special city
council meeting so there'll be
no non agenda public comment
after the initial testimony by
excuse me after the initial
presentation by staff We will
then turn to the public for
your comments.
>> We also do have six people
here.
If we hold six we're going to
be in good shape.
If we drop down to five I MAY
call short recesses If somebody
wants to step out and use
the restroom or take a
momentary break But we are not
going away.
We will make and keep those
brief.
So I do appreciate my
colleagues this is a
legislative recess and you're
showing up tonight Very much
appreciated.
City 24 who will be televising
this As always appreciate it
City clerk staff I want to use
some thank you's early on while
you were all here and then just
as a brief reminder this is a
rescheduled item that was
originally going to be heard
last Monday evening and I think
it's still seared into our
memory why we canceled that
meeting because of the horrific
events of that day and
the three individuals that lost
their life in defense of
children and teachers at
the school.
So please keep them in mind
Family members, friends and
colleagues community are still
grieving from that that
horrific event And our thoughts
and prayers go out to them and
I appreciate everybody that
came together for the various
vigils and funerals etc. That
happened.
So with that clerk please
introduce item 613 Council
PRESIDENT Item 600 is an
informational item.
It's the MAY revision to
the fiscal year 2027 draft
budget and public hearing on
the 2027 draft budget.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
right Thank you.
With that I'd like to welcome
Mayor Tom Gloria to council
chambers and get
the presentation started.
So Mayor Gloria, turn it over
to you.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Good evening,
Council PRESIDENT Members of
the city council and the San
Diegans who are gathered here
this evening.
We'll need approximately 15
minutes for our presentation.
>> Council PRESIDENT.
Last month I released a draft
budget that directly confronted
the city's $118 Million
Structural Budget deficit and
reflected the difficult
financial realities facing Our
city.
I said then that this would be
the beginning of a serious
public conversation and over
the last several weeks we have
heard from residents, labor
partners, city employees,
community organizations and
members of the City Council
about how these difficult
decisions would affect
neighborhoods and services
across our city that MAY revise
today.
Before you this evening
reflects that feedback while
maintaining the fiscal
discipline that is necessary to
put the city on a more stable
financial footing.
As you well know for too long
difficult decisions have been
deferred here at the city and
avoiding those hard choices MAY
have been politically easier in
the short term.
But it is not responsible
Governing this budget continues
the work of confronting these
challenges directly and
honestly while protecting core
services that residents rely on
the most.
I want to acknowledge that
since the publication of
the MAY revised Council
PRESIDENT LaCava, Councilmember
Stephen Whitburn and Michael
Zakat for their work in
negotiating a legal settlement
on the Solid Waste disposal fee
and Balboa Park parking program
.
The council's support of that
settlement helped to avoid an
even worse financial outlook
for the city even as it added
to the deficit that we must
solve for today.
Since releasing the draft
budget modest improvements in
our tourism revenue as well as
new legal guidance regarding
the Golf Enterprise Fund has
created limited opportunity for
targeted restorations including
restoring rec center hours and
library hours in historically
underserved communities
supporting youth drop in
centers and violence prevention
programs, restoring shoreline
park maintenance and DECEMBER
nights operations and partially
restoring the library matching
program and funding and funding
traffic safety improvements
tied to the city's speed
management plan.
These are focused investments
in neighborhood services that
residents depend on every day
but difficult tradeoffs do
remain.
And every department has taken
reductions including workforce
reductions.
And those decisions will
undoubtedly impact services
across our city.
Whereverossible, we have
prioritized reductions away
from neighborhood frontline
services.
>> Our responsibility
councilmembers is to deliver
the best possible services with
the resources that we have
available to us while
continuing to meet our
obligations to public safety,
emergency response and
neighborhood services.
This MAY revise reflects what
governing through difficult
times require honesty about
tradeoffs, fiscal
responsibility and a continued
focus on core services And
the decisions that we will make
today will shape not only this
year's proposed budget but San
Diego's financial future.
Citizens expect us to govern
responsibly, prioritize core
services and keep this city
moving forward.
That remains my focus with this
MAY revise.
With that I'll turn it over to
our Chief financial officer
Rolando Shoval and
the Department of Finance
Director Ben Battaglia to
continue our presentation.
>> Thank you, Mayor Gloria.
Good evening.
Council PRESIDENT LaCava and
members of the City Council.
We are here to rescind the MAY
revision to the fiscal year
2027 draft budget.
With me is Dan Bartlett,
the parent of finance director.
And in the audience are members
of the city's leadership team
by way of overview.
The MAY rebase reflects
feedback received throughout
the budget process from
residents, community
organizations, advocates and
members of the City Council.
The revised budget proposal
proposal identifies newly
approved funding sources to
support targeted restorations
while maintaining a balanced
budget and stable long term
financial footing for the city.
It also continues to focus on
public safety, infrastructure,
homelessness solutions and
housing which we believe are
also the priorities shared by
most San Diego residents.
And it includes some additional
investments in our capital
improvement program.
This table shows the citywide
budget including our city
funds.
You can see that the overall
budget has increased by about
$52.9 million including $13.5
million in the general fund.
Ben will cover the details of
the general fund increase later
in the presentation So let me
focus on some of the other
increases.
Enterprise funds are increasing
by about 18.29 $18.2 million
due to increased electricity
needs in the water Utility
operating fund due to pure
water projects that are
anticipated to come in line in
f y 27 and also additional
water purchases from the San
Diego County Water Authority
based on updated water sales
assumptions for special revenue
funds.
Their decreasing by about $20.5
million.
It's mostly due to a reduction
in operation appropriations to
allow for future budgeting of
capital improvement projects in
the Tot Convention Center Fund.
Internal service funds are
increasing to about 6.1 million
mostly due to increases in
the fleet operations
replacement funds for
the acquisition of new vehicles
and updated fuel cost based on
current market conditions.
And finally there's a $35.6
million increase in the capital
improvement program associated
mostly with increasing fundings
from park restricted sources.
>> This table shows changes to
the general fund revenues
comparing the MAY revision to
the draft budget.
Property tax reflects a net
decrease of about $1.1 million
primarily due to redevelopment
property taxes trust fund
dollars.
After we received estimates
from the county in APRIL, sales
tax remains unchanged.
Our transient occupancy tax
reflects an increase of about
3.8 million.
This is due to higher than
anticipated tax receipts in
both MARCH and APRIL in 2026 as
as 26 serves as the basis for
our fy 27 projections.
There is a corresponding
increase in f y 27 for
franchise fees.
Revenues reflect an increase of
about $700,000.
This is related to an increase
in anticipated tonnage
collected in the Sycamore
landfill in fy 26 which in turn
also increases the f y 27
revenue base.
Other major revenues reflect
the increase in the Gulf funded
land use fee offset by
decreased projected investment
earnings and pooled cash and
departmental revenues are
increasing by about 7 million
and this is primarily due to
increased reimbursements from
special promotional tote and
other special funds.
Now focusing on the Gulf fund
revenue, the MAY revision
includes approximately $4.3
million in ongoing general fund
revenue through an increase in
the rent paid by the Gulf
Enterprise Fund for its use of
city Gulf properties.
This is grounded in the Fund's
strong performance over
the last three fiscal years.
Operating income has totaled
more than 14 million annually
and we project a fund balance
of approximately 65 million by
the end of fiscal year 2026.
At the same time the Gulf Fund
has significant capital needs.
The fy 27 draft budget
identifies $84.3 million in cap
projects with additional
anticipated needs on existing
projects such as completing
the Torrey Pines clubhouse in
the Gulf Maintenance Master
Plan.
Total medium term needs reach
approximately 216.4 million.
Historically the fund has
relied almost entirely on cash
which means projects wait until
cash accumulates.
The MAY revision proposes
incorporating financing so we
can accelerate delivery of
these projects after accounting
for new ongoing payments to
the general fund, the Gulf Fund
is projected to retain capacity
for about $123 million in bond
financing which combined with
96.4 million in projected cash.
That gives us roughly about
$220 million in total funding
capacity enough to deliver
the identified near to medium
term projects while at the same
time maintaining operations,
reserves and debt service.
Because this strategy depends
on continued performance of
the fund, the city will monitor
revenues expenditures, reserves
and project timing over
the next five years and
reassess the ongoing general
fund payment on actual results.
With that I'll hand it over to
Ben and he'll cover the rest of
the presentation.
Thank you Rolando.
The MAY revision includes a
consolidation of two programs
citywide brush management
responsibilities within
the right of way will be
consolidated within the Parks
and Recreation Department.
Citywide tree maintenance
responsibilities will be
consolidated within
the Transportation Department
and the consolidation of these
programs would provide
efficiencies in budgeting
planning and scheduling of work
.
Some notable additions in
the general fund include 4
million to support potential
impacts from ongoing labor
negotiations.
A million supported by a
vegetation management grant in
the fire rescue department.
Support for an opioid
intervention services team in
the police department funded by
opioid settlement funds.
And an increase of 100,000 for
the no shots fired program and
500,000 to support youth drop
in centers.
>> The increased land use fee
payment from the Golf
Enterprise Fund allowed for
the partial restoration of
library and recreation center
hours.
Preserving service hours in
historically underserved
communities.
The revised budget includes
reduced service hours at nine
libraries with no change in
service hours at 26 libraries.
There will be a reduction of
service hours to 40 hours per
week at 24 rec centers.
And current service hours will
be preserved at 39 recreation
centers.
The MAY revision includes a
list of all libraries and
recreation centers including
certain current service level
hours as well as proposed
service hours for fiscal year
2027 for homelessness programs
and services an addition of 4.9
million will fund the Housing
Instability Prevention Program
,the Connections interim
shelter and the Bishop ma
Interim Shelter which were
supported by one time permanent
local housing allocation
funding in fiscal year 2026 and
that funding is no longer
available next year.
As a result, in order to
maintain these services
additional general fund support
is needed.
Additionally, the draft budget
included a reduction of 3.8
million for general
homelessness services.
The MAY revision details which
services are proposed to be
reduced including Central
Elementary safe parking.
16th The Newton Homeless
shelter aerial drive safe
parking and security for
the old Central Library.
>> Some notable non general
fund adjustments include
the addition of ten positions
in the Development Services
Fund to support inspections and
I.T needs the Road Maintenance
and Rehabilitation Fund will
support the implementation of
the speed management plan which
was recently approved by
the City Council as well as
the next street condition
assessment.
Finally we wanted to provide
details for the planned use of
opioid settlement funding next
year approximately 5 million
will support homeless shelters
including the emergency harm
reduction shelter and community
harm reduction Safe Haven
shelter 1.1 million will
support the continued contract
with ucsd Transition Support
Team 700,000 will support
the police department's
neighborhood policing divisions
interventions, services teams
training and operations which
will strengthen the city's
ability to identify, engage and
connect people struggling with
opioid use to life saving care.
500,000 will provide ongoing
support for the prosecution and
law enforcement assisted
diversion services or pleads
program.
And this is a partnership
between the San Diego Police
Department city Attorney's
office as well as the county of
San Diego And they provide
individuals with under
the influence of a controlled
substance the opportunity to
obtain supportive services.
And then finally 300,000 will
support the continued contract
with the San Diego lgbtq
Community Center for Substance
a substance use disorder
treatment services.
The fiscal year 2020 7th MAY
revision increases the Total
Capital Improvements Program
budget by 35.6 million and this
brings the total cip budget for
fiscal year 27 to 857.3
million.
This increase is largely for
Parks and Rec as well as public
utilities projects and they're
primarily supported by
restricted funding sources.
>> The main revision includes
30.8 million allocation for
Parks and recreation projects
from three main funding groups
and this includes the Mission
Bay Park improvements Fund,
the San Diego Regional Parks
Improvements Fund as well as
impact fees.
A variety of projects were
funded from these allocations
and the details are included in
the cap section of the MAY
revision.
The decreases in the transports
and department are mainly due
to changes in project schedules
for utilities undergrounding
projects.
There were projects schedule
updates for two stormwater
projects and these budgets were
reallocated to other urgent
transportation projects to
support construction activities
.
>> The fiscal year 27th MAY
revision maintains a balanced
general fund budget with
limited restorations as well as
investments in the cap.
We look forward to the City
Council's updated budget
priorities which will be
summarized in the eib's report
including budget modification
recommend recommendations which
are scheduled to be released on
JUNE 2nd and discussed at
the Budget Review Committee on
JUNE 5th.
The City Council will then
consider the adoption of
the budget on JUNE 9th.
That concludes our presentation
and we're happy to answer any
questions you might have.
>> All right.
Thank you for the presentation.
We'll turn it over now to
the Office of Independent
Budget analyst Charles Monaco.
>> Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT And council
member from Thank you to
Rolando and Ben for
the presentation.
I will keep my comments tonight
relatively brief because
the main purpose of tonight's
meeting is to hear directly
from the public.
To summarize I MAY revise them
at a high level.
It identifies additional
resources above what was
included in the proposed
budget, the largest of which
are an increase in projected
hotel tax revenue with a $4.4
million general fund impact and
4.3 million in additional
ongoing general fund revenue
from increased land use fees
paid by the golf Course fund
for the use of general fund
owned property.
Those additional resources help
support several restorations
from the proposed budget.
Most notably the MAY revise
includes the partial
restoration of recreation
center hours restoring $2.9
million from 33 positions from
cuts proposed in APRIL.
Under the revised proposal
current hours would be
preserved at rec centers in
council districts three, four,
eight and nine along with
certain facilities in districts
two, five, six and seven.
Other rec centers would still
see reduced hours but no full
rec center closures are being
proposed.
They MAY revise also include
the partial restoration of
library hours as you heard
restoring $941,000 and seven
positions that restoration what
among other things to preserve
North Claremont from
foreclosure and prevent Carmel
Valley from receiving a full
day service reduction?
It's worth noting that that
reduction or this restoration
is still partial, however, and
a number of branches will
continue to see reduced
operating schedules.
In addition, they MAY revise
allowed for approximately $4.9
million in support to maintain
existing homelessness programs
that were previously assumed to
be funded with state housing
funds that ultimately were not
available.
It is worth acknowledging that
initial proposed reductions in
the budget still remain in a
number of areas.
I know that we will hear from
the public tonight about
several of those particularly
around arts and cultural
funding which is not proposed
for restoration of the MAY
revise.
My office will release our
final report and recommended
budget modifications next week.
That report will provide a more
comprehensive review of the MAY
revised remaining reductions
available resources and options
for Council as you move towards
final budget adoption on JUNE
9th.
But stepping back it is worth
emphasizing the city's broader
fiscal context because it
shapes how we should listen to
testimony tonight and how we
should move forward as a city
over the next several years.
The restoration from the MAY
revise are meaningful but they
do not mean that the city's
budget problem has been solved.
The city's structural deficit
remains and while progress is
being made towards closing it,
the underlying mismatch between
ongoing revenues and ongoing
expenditures continues.
This matters because
the service reductions before
council are not simply
the result of one budget
proposal or one difficult
budget year but instead they
reflect a problem that has
grown over decades.
The city's existing resources
are not sufficient to maintain
current service levels across
all areas and even after we go
through the work needed to
balance the operating budget
for the upcoming year,
the city's infrastructure
backlog was a nearly $8 billion
funding gap over just the next
five years remains far beyond
what existing revenues can
address.
The public we will hear from
tonight cares deeply about
their parks and their libraries
and their arts programs and
their streets and their
neighborhoods And that care
reflects a genuine and real
expectations for what a city
should provide.
Being honest about what it
actually costs to run a city
and to meet those expectations
and about the gap between those
costs and the revenues that are
currently coming into the city
is one of the most important
things that this council can do
as it moves towards final
decisions.
The city can and should
continue working to preserve
core services where possible.
But given our fiscal reality,
difficult conversations about
service levels will continue
next year and without
significant new revenue
the city will be unable to
address its infrastructure
needs at anything close to
the scale that is actually
required But that we look
forward to hearing from
the public tonight.
And my office will continue to
be available to support this
Council with analysis and
recommendations as you move
towards your final budget
decisions over the next two
weeks.
>> Thank you, Council
PRESIDENT.
All right.
Thank you, Charles.
We always appreciate the eib's
participation.
Okay, your turn now.
I'm now essentially going to be
turning the meeting over to our
city clerk and her amazing
staff.
She gives excellent
instructions.
You follow them and we'll get
through it Evening.
You all get that chance to
speak.
>> So Diana, please begin.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT.
We do have a little over 200
speakers here in council
chambers and in the online
queue.
So it will be one minute each
as I had noted previously.
I would like to note for
the record that this item did
receive 24 comments in favor
and 214 comments in opposition.
B r e comment form which have
been distributed to
the Council.
We will be starting this
evening with Christopher h.
Lipski and then after that we
have Julia Cardenas who will be
speaking along with Allison
Heppner and Jared Harrison.
If you can all please come up
to the yellow reserved seats.
After that we'll have Victor
Bonzi and Melissa Hernandez.
If you can all please come up
to those yellow reserved seats.
Christopher you can come up to
the microphone and you'll have
a Dvora maxim over Maxim.
Thank you.
Seating your time so you'll
have two minutes.
Please proceed.
Hello everyone.
My name is Christian Lipski.
I'm on the Commission for Arts
and Culture representing
District two.
I moved here from Chicago where
I worked for the Mayor's
Department of Cultural Affairs
and Special events And then I
managed the arts program here
at our international airport
from 2016 to 2023.
I'm also on the Ocean Beach
Planning Board.
I'm here in support of
restoring funding for arts and
culture for the city of San
Diego.
I want to provide context for
my vantage point.
In my experience seven months
ago the city lost the tenured
executive director of
the department called
Department of Cultural Affairs.
Oh, about ten years of
institutional knowledge gone on
top of decades of prior past
experience.
Three months ago the city then
lost its second in command for
the Department of Cultural
Affairs.
This person had 14 years of
institutional experience right
here in City Hall.
Her position will not be
backfilled as a result of this
budget.
Moreover, now almost 90% of
the cultural affairs budget has
been wiped out.
No more Oh is now it's bye bye.
And the reason for that is
because staffing and funding
are on a path to extinction.
The message is clear No
importance is placed on arts
and culture for San Diego From
the mayor's office.
Going further I wish that I
could say we as the appointed
Commission on Arts and Culture
have been engaged in this
budget process as we ought to
be and as the process is meant
to work.
But we have not.
Even worse we still have not
been communicated with
regarding the budget Despite
significant outreach to
the mayor's office, we as a
commission should have been
involved and we still can be.
It was said well by two Council
members at the MAY 4th budget
hearing that the city is flying
in the dark because it is using
no economic impact study for
the elimination of this
funding.
There is a complete lack of
methodology right now and lack
of collaboration with
the city's own appointed body
of professional advisors
the Commission for Arts and
Culture.
If it's one thing creative
folks know how to do, it's
problem solve Constraints are
part of our practice.
This situation is solvable So
let's do better.
Let's act like other grown up
municipalities with regard to
arts and culture and the role
it plays.
Put the money back.
Let us your opponent, your
appointed commission help you
with that.
Thank you.
Julia Cardenas is Julia You
have time people sitting your
time if they can please raise
their hand Ali Farrah thank
you.
Daniel Milan Thank you.
Rosemary Rincon, Beatriz
Torres, Sarah Powell Thank you.
You'll have six minutes.
Please proceed when ready.
Good evening, Mayor Gloria and
City Council.
My name is Julia Cardenas.
I am the PRESIDENT Of the San
Diego chapter of the National
Federation of the Blind.
I am here to voice our full
support for the accessibility
Advisory Boards proposal to
allocate 18 million over a five
year span to clear the current
backlog in 88 projects.
We are facing a staggering 70
to 90 million backlog in 88
projects or a law that was
passed 36 years ago.
This level of neglect is not
just a budget oversight.
It is a civil rights issue.
Last year the accessibility
Advisory Board sent their
proposal to city council.
>> And I want to take a moment
and thank council members
Whitburn and Foster for
addressing this item as a
priority in the budget.
Thank you, gentlemen.
The city says that it wants to
create a safe San Diego for all
its residents.
>> I'm here to tell you that
blind San Diegans do not feel
safe.
The reality is that we navigate
this city we call home daily in
a landscape of many safety
hazards.
We're talking about
malfunctioning to nonexistent,
accessible pedestrian signals
also known as apps low level
face obstructions that include
overhanging umbrellas and trim
trees a frames and uncovered
tree holes that act as traps
for a white cane and feet When
an accessible pedestal and
signal fails or tactile curve
ramp is not properly placed.
Blind people are at greater
risk of serious injury or death
just crossing the street Blind
pedestrians do their best to
judge when it's safe to cross.
If an app's malfunctions at a
busy intersection.
But from firsthand experience I
can say facing down an
unexpected vehicle is
terrifying.
>> Our members have repeatedly
reported broken signals, unsafe
facilities and have even
requested new apps
installations at high risk
intersections.
Yet often these repairs do not
happen because the city says
the funding is unavailable.
Earlier this month we met with
the city engineer and
department to understand how
apps related issues
specifically are prioritized.
And we learned that the city
uses a scoring system.
It is unclear where in
the scoring system these issues
rank.
But we believe that these life
saving signals should carry
more weight.
>> The city has allowed vital
accessibility issues to drift
for far too long.
The time to act is now.
The blind should not be an
afterthought.
>> Reliable and accessible
pedestrian infrastructure is
essential in order for
the blind to fully and equally
participate in public life.
So we're asking the City
Council to provide the funding
and accountability necessary so
that all blind San Diego fans
can travel safely and
independently in their own
communities.
Thank you.
>> That was worth a round of
applause.
So thank you for acknowledging
her.
But normally let's not do
the applause because it just
slows everything down.
Many of you already knew that
shaking their hands or snapping
your fingers communicates your
agreement with the speaker.
Then thumbs down says you don't
agree with the speaker.
>> So thank you for that.
>> Ready?
Alison Peppler here.
All right.
Like good knee.
Good evening everyone.
I'm going to make this quick
because I only have one minute.
My name is Alison Dubner.
I am also a member of
the National Federation of
the Blind San Diego Chapter.
I want to speak about making
our finest city fine for
everyone blind and other
disabilities as well.
We all want what everyone else
wants.
We need to be independent.
We want to be employed and many
of us are.
But being employed is a
challenge when getting to and
from your job involves as Julie
was describing, the pedestrian
signals that are not working
correctly the audible signals
that don't work correctly.
Curb cuts that sometimes don't
exist at all.
>> Sidewalks that are torn up
and you know signage and all
kinds of places that are
blocked.
That was the thing.
>> I thank you for your
concluding comment.
Thank you.
Jared.
>> Harrison Jared, you have
people seating you time Janet
Rogers if you can please raise
your hand.
Thank you.
Becky Westervelt If you can
please raise your hand.
Becky and Mike Romo.
>> Okay, great.
You'll have four minutes.
Please proceed.
Thank you very much.
Members of council.
You're your of the mayor
council PRESIDENT.
Thank you very much.
My name is Jared Harrison and
I'm a proud San Diego And I've
been here for ten years now.
And it's just an honor to live
in this city.
I lost my vision about two
years ago and since that time
I've found a wonderful
community of people to support
and I've gained the tools
necessary to maneuver around my
my area.
I'm here to kind of give a
personal face to this issue and
let you know what it's really
about.
So this process of accessible
pedestrian signals those are
the signals at the traffic
stops that tell us when it's
safe to cross.
Now when we don't have those,
we do our best.
We judge the traffic.
They teach us in mobility
classes that we're to listen
for that oncoming traffic
that's parallel to us, that's
traffic that lets us know that
it's safe to cross.
And for that parallel that
perpendicular traffic that
comes right next right in front
of you, that's the traffic
that's going to put your life
in mortal danger.
So there's a lot hanging on it
when we're crossing a street.
And so it's very important that
it particularly dangerous
intersections those are
intersections that produced
that's very high traffic where
there's not a lot of parallel
traffic that we have those
types of tools to help us get
to our work, get to the areas
where we recreate and to visit
the wonderful businesses around
the city.
I'll tell you a little bit of
my own experience with the apps
signals here.
I lived close to 10th and j.
My work is about two blocks
from there So I walk there
every day and I cross 10th and
j that traffic intersection is
particularly dangerous.
It comes the traffic from 10th
Avenue comes right directly off
the interstate.
There is very little traffic
parallel on j Street And
remember that's the traffic
that tells me it's safe to
cross.
And I had one of my instructors
assess this and together we put
together a request for access
for the city to install apps at
that crossing Folks that was in
DECEMBER of 2024.
I learned that there was
another request in 2021 for
that same crossing and still
it's not been fixed.
Over on 10th and Park there is
an api signal there that's a
big t-junction and it's also
where all of that traffic from
10th Avenue comes off.
And at that intersection
there's the apps is there but
it doesn't function and that's
very dangerous for someone
who's there to rely upon that
crossing to help them safely
cross.
So I lived there on that block
of 10th Avenue and with no
apps, no functional apps at
10th and Park and no functional
apps at 10th and j I'm in an
island of inaccessibility
folks.
We go to the we go to
the department we file we file
issues with with the Department
of Engineering And the response
that we get is yeah this is on
our list and it's competing for
funding And then I haven't
heard from them since.
Folks that should bother you
And we are here to bring some
light to this issue.
You know when you're crossing
the street and as Julie
mentioned and you're faced with
an unexpected vehicle, it can
in your entire life flashes
before your eyes.
So folks, this is a core issue
a core city function.
We think that our safety should
be prioritized and we're here
to talk about this issue.
Now vision loss is something
that many millions of Americans
face And statistically, you
know, you or some folks that
you love will probably face
some vision loss in their
lives.
Now one of the fundamental
things that we teach our
children when they're crossing
the street is look both ways.
Keep your eyes open.
Pay attention.
Well, imagine if you had to
cross the street with your eyes
closed and imagine that child
that you raised crossing
the street on their own with no
guidance.
>> That can be a terrifying
thing.
Folks, thank you for that
concluding.
Thank you very much, ladies and
gentlemen.
I hope this gives you pause.
We're here to raise some cane.
Thank you.
Next we have Viktor Orban.
Viktor Orban.
So if you can please come up to
the microphone.
You have several people seating
your time.
If I can also ask Melissa
Hernandez to please come up to
the yellow reserved seats along
with Nicole Lilly, Kevin Vento,
Travis Bouchard, Susan Griffin
,Lynelle Brown if you can all
please come forward to
the yellow reserved seats in
the front row.
And Viktor Orban say you have
the following people seating
you time Come.
Gabrielle just can you please
raise your hand?
Thank you.
Moustafa Alla data Thank you.
>> Can we clear the aisles to
let these good people exit
the room?
Thank you.
And just to be clear, it'll be
a group presentation.
>> I'll keep We'll take a pause
right now and then we have
forward maybe the individuals
in the aisle can come over here
to behind the microphones to
make room in the aisle.
You can stand behind your
speaker.
Please clear the I came here
behind your speaker.
We get this political okay
There we go.
I I'll continue just calling
for people to raise their
hands.
Moustafa Elden Thank you.
Alexander Moncada Janine Malibu
left seven saying normal
normals Thank you Belen
Hernandez Altan Luis Ron
Sanchez Margarita Hernandez Van
Horn.
Joshua Aguilar.
Hailey Serafin Oh I have to
Hailey Serafin So let me just
you are ceding your time to
this organized presentation,
correct?
You're not speaking on your own
.
Hailey okay, Because I have one
going each way.
So it is 13 minutes.
Please proceed on.
Ready?
>> Good evening Council.
I am Berlin senior policy
advocate and city councilor and
this is our youth council.
We are not architects or
engineers but we wanted our
park fixed so we learn to speak
the language design faces city
codes and procurement processes
at least enough to get around
the block and get our park
fixed.
After four years working on
Henwood Park we asked ourselves
How can we make the process
easier for everyone?
We had an idea and we brought
it to you Fund one engineer to
streamline the process.
People would ask us How did you
arrive at this idea?
It is so technical in nature.
Well we found it while we were
digging deep in the trenches of
city bureaucracy.
Our vision is that we can carve
a clear path for other parks
that need to repair Our vision
is a city with green, clean
enriching parks for families
and people of all ages.
I stand here today to ask for
two things First restorations
to the Parks and Rec department
restore maintenance staff
Rangers In the asset management
team you need a maintenance
staff in Rangers to keep daily
operations running and you need
the asset team to keep repairs
flowing.
Second, streamline the repair
process.
Parks and Rec and
the engineering department are
signing an agreement to tackle
the problem.
The agreement must include
direct access to a deputy
engineer for project approvals
permission for parks and Rec to
work on repairs costing up to
$5 million and a process where
the Parks Department to put out
the bids for small repairs If
these items require
reallocation between
departments we ask you to
please make it happen.
I know you want the parks
repaired too.
Thank you.
>> Good evening City councils
and lovely committee members.
My name is myself and I'm a
junior at Hoover High School
and a recent member of
the Mid-City gang Youth
Council.
I'm here because we feel like
the new budget proposal but
there are still more to go.
So I'm here to speak out and
advocate for the parks that are
suffering and need to be
well-maintained as it fosters a
sense of community, community
and our society by maybe
updated frequently because
neglect can cause bigger
problems that can carry damage
to our beautiful parks becoming
harder to regulate and fix.
Time is passing and costs
continue to rise leading to
longer frustration to community
members who value and car parks
as an important part of their
identity.
Safety can be defined
differently.
Different people feel safe in
various ways.
In our case people feel safe in
parks and green areas.
Those taking care of parks is
an important factor of safety.
I hear that you're concerned
about safety and enforcing
parks is a part of investing in
safety.
I asked you to fund a deeper
ties city engineer
the agreement between Parks and
Rec and capital engineering
must include direct access to
the retired engineer for
project approvals before you
can take care of parks such as
maintenance staff and park
rangers Rangers.
We here represent this
community who might not be seen
nor heard or recognized by
others.
And to show that these funding
cuts are extremely impactful
and hurtful this is important.
Take a deep look at it because
there's a big mess and a
misunderstanding about parks
grading inequality.
Invest in youth.
Thank you.
>> Hello.
Good afternoon.
City Council members and
committee members Manager
McCullough I'm currently a
junior Hoover High School and
part of Missouri can youth
Council.
I've been living in City house
since I was little.
I love living here and going to
Prado.
Cruz offers enjoyment and will
park.
Currently every Friday evening
my friends and I are offered to
determine how a memorial park
as part of our soccer team to
play and have fun Doing this
allows me to relieve stress for
school in other words are on my
mind.
I was happy to hear about
the reservations that were made
and hours of libraries, parks
and rec centers and there for
eight and nine while I know
they didn't include our
district.
These are the most impacted.
I'm asking you to please
protect these restorations.
I'm also asking that you
restore remaining staff
the soccer fab is currently
languishing as more dirt and
grass if you cut the main
stuff.
What do you think will happen
to our parks?
I rely on libraries to help
with medication And and again
please protect these
restorations.
Stop increasing the budget for
police.
Why is it our game where money
when they already have enough
and instead see this money to
continue to invest and you
service please take that into
consideration and continue
support our community.
Thank you.
>> Hello my name is Shanna and
I'm a junior at Hoover High
School and from city Heights.
I'll be reading a public
comment on the behalf of our
youth organizer who couldn't
make it today.
Good evening, City Council.
My name is Paloma and I'm a
youth I'm the youth organizer
for Mid-City Cans Youth
Council.
I'm here because we are
counting on you to fight for
us.
We are grateful that we were
able to restore the cuts to
library and recreation hours
and d 4899 But it is not
enough.
The budget is cutting the asset
management team under the Parks
and Rec department.
This includes two park
designers, one budget and an
analyst and assistant deputy
director leading the team this
hour.
These are the people that
partner with nonprofits to
minor projects done.
They are the people that bring
bring the banana for no harm to
philanthropy not to be stores
towards the city park.
The city engineer Renna has
told you that they are working
on an mou between
the departments but we don't
know what that mou is.
Does it allow minors minor
project to be done in the short
term timeline and a cheaper and
cheaper cost?
How can this project be
completed a reasonable time if
the Park Department will soon
be left without an asset
management team?
You must restore the asset
management team Management
positions.
We are glad the department will
sign an agreement to streamline
the repair process.
We ask for the mou to include
to include three things direct
access access to a deputize
engineer force project approval
permission for Parks and Rec to
work on repair costing up to $5
million and a process for park
departments to put out the bids
for smaller repairs.
These elements will determine
the effective support of
the mou.
Good afternoon City Council
members.
My name is Gabrielle.
Guess I'm going into the into
my junior year Our Patrick
Henry High School and I'm a
resident of District nine.
I first began advocacy when I
was around 13 years old in
the seventh grade.
>> This is the same project
I've been working on since that
time period.
This project has yet to be done
and the current timeline would
be by the time I am in my
senior year or even a freshman
in college that the project
will be began.
>> Is this acceptable to you?
This is a whole lifetime.
I haven't been able to go to
this park since I was a child
because it was already not up
to date, not up to code And
it's still like that for
the children today.
This is generations where this
have been happening in the same
park.
>> It still has yet to be
repaired.
It is only two place structures
that we are axing to remove to
be repaired.
Currently we have other
projects that are building that
are holding many of our
businesses in our community
Trust continuing to take this
long on the project, show
something underserved
communities continue to be
underserved.
>> Is this really something you
want for the youth and for our
future to not have parks
something that are essential to
children?
It's a key part of our
development and it's something
that is not given to our
communities and I think it's
something that should be a part
of our should be a part because
it builds motor skills in much
more.
It's something that every kid
should have.
But when these playgrounds are
not up to date or are not kept
up to code, these skills are
lost And we are seeing it right
now in our education system.
We are acting for
the possibility of this to be
changed if we are given a
deputized senior engineer we
are able to not only streamline
our own parks but parks for
other youth in all regions.
There are so many parks that
are not kept up to date in San
Diego.
>> It shouldn't be this way.
Hi.
Uh, I'm a senior at Hoover High
School and I graduated
tomorrow.
>> So have you graduation to
you Do?
>> Just to reiterate, I have
been doing this for two years
and by the time I leave I will
see a little bit at a low
success in it And when I go to
and work hard I go to
the bathroom that we will be
still no lights, the store will
still be too big and you can
see like my feet under it And
yeah ish I don't know if you
see this as a long time It is
to me and while we're waiting a
lot of other parks is also
waiting and I think we deserve
better We deserve a place we
deserve where we go together
and and just speaking your ears
out now by that is what I'm
trying to how you please speed
up the process, try to MAY cost
less and try to help our youth
succeed.
Thank you.
>> Good evening, Council
members.
My name's Victor Ponce.
I will be reading a comment
from a youth council member
Derrick who couldn't be here
today so.
Good evening City Council
Committee members My name is
Derek and I am a junior at
the North High.
I have visited and spent
countless hours in Central
parks and recreation spaces.
I have seen valuable areas like
Henry Park are to the community
.
I've seen families gathering
together, kids playing soccer,
basketball, tennis and
classmates spending time
relaxing together after school.
Parks are truly integral to
communities to build
connections with individuals
and foster a sense of community
especially for youth like us.
More than just parks recreation
centers, the libraries offer
the same community benefit to
even more people.
I myself go to libraries to
study and last summer they
volunteered at my local library
because I felt that these
community spaces deserve more
attention and care.
That's why I ask you to
continue to provide funding for
parks, libraries and recreation
centers including as an
instance at park rangers who
help keep these spaces safe and
operational Because we state
how dangerous and how hostile
neglected parks can become.
I also support funding
adaptation engineered to allow
for a quicker repair and
involvement projects so that
and youth does not need to wait
years for park equity on my
behalf.
As you've heard from our youth
they've been at this for a long
time.
We appreciate and thank for
the money that has been
allocated but it shouldn't take
this long, right?
I have folks that are pretty
soon about to graduate college.
They're going to go into their
senior year and we still been
at this For them to be able to
come back to San Diego and ask
for their progress and see what
it's like And we still have
nothing not even a shovel on
the ground.
I think it's disappointing.
I do want to see this fixed.
I think it's not only for our
community it'll benefit
everybody within the city.
I know that there's parks all
over the world we want to see
build quicker and faster.
We saw during the presentation
30 point something million goes
to Parks and Rec through
Synapse.
We believe that we have a
solution to help reduce that.
So we want to see it fixed.
Thank you all for your time.
Nairobi It.
Thank you very much Melissa
Hernandez.
Melissa you have time ceded to
you by Monica hill if you can
please raise your hand.
>> Monica.
Thank you.
And then Cheryl, if you can
please raise your hand.
>> So Melissa, you'll have
three minutes.
>> Please proceed.
Hello, council members.
I hope you guys are having an
amazing evening And as we can
see, the whole community is out
here.
I want to thank first and
foremost everything to
the officers for putting
the budget back where it needs
.
However, we really need you
guys to be considerate of
what's going on.
As you can see behind me.
The youth that we work with
daily um got them out got them
out here so that you guys can
see why these programs are
needed, why these parks are
needed, why these libraries are
needed and why we are needing
you to understand that we got
behind the youth with a little
bit of money after so much was
promised to us and cut and we
were able to accomplish what we
wanted to accomplish within one
week of times even knowing that
we're under the stress and
under the pressure when we were
supposed to come up here on
the 18th obviously a tragic
happened And this just proves
now why companies like
The Block and companies like
well, let's just say the block
shouldn't be receiving any type
of funding.
i'm not going to speak on
the tragedy that just happened
because that's not my part or
my place as that I'm not a
family member but I am going to
speak for my community and when
I speak for my community I say
put the money in the right
places because the more you
continue to invest in these
robotic places they're not
saving our youth lives.
We the community leaders, we
the people are the ones that
are saving lives.
We are the ones that get in on
the front line.
We are the ones that are
putting you in that chair.
We are the ones that are making
sure okay that you can do what
you do right now and that is
make the right decision because
if not ya know my favorite
thing my favorite word Hunger
Games.
Hunger Games.
And Todd I see you.
You know what I'm saying?
You did the right thing by
putting the money back But now
I need for everybody to do what
they need to do for our
community.
>> Okay, Already we got too
much.
We're senior out here.
Go ahead.
We we to freestyle as a
birthday today to a shout out
to my mom my mom's birthday So
Mimi give me patience with my
mother but I think more
importantly we these programs
that are getting married Gloria
these are all the programs that
generate revenue and bringing
funding to our city nonstop
like as part of your the city's
own strategic plan to make this
a cultural destination.
What kind of a cultural
destination are we going to be?
We know culture.
We know programing.
We know arts.
Um, on top of that like Mimi
said, the people that you see
where are the people doing
the work doing the job.
And I will say this if it takes
not just the people but
the right people in the right
positions and I know Mayor
Gloria can get tested, you
know, working personally
directly with Lucero, you know,
in your in your office that
made all the difference.
And if it wasn't for me working
at these drop centers and
having another connection to
our other coworker MR. Ricky
Weaver who's not here today,
I'm going to finish um he was
able to support us with
security for this past Chicano
Park Day.
Thank you for that.
And you guys saw how many
people there was No, I'm gonna
finish.
There's somebody else that
would like to see Joe time.
Okay.
Yeah.
Somebody want to say raise your
hand?
I'm gonna take a minute.
You're like you're taking time
by looking down but I want to
make a good point here is that
we're all intertwined and
connected all of us.
But we come from the two most
underserved communities
District eight and District
four historically marginalized
communities that exist because
of systems of redlining And
what all of this is I'll say it
again it's a form of cultural
genocide And when you talk
about taking away culture
that's truly a form of cultural
genocide.
So let's just think about that
right now With everything else
going on in the world, San
Diego has the opportunity here
to make an example but not out
of our out of the residents,
out of the city.
Citizens make an example for
other cities to follow.
We don't have to keep doing
this to our communities that at
some point in time we're not
going to exist anymore.
Is that the goal?
I think not.
So we just need to just do a
better job by working together
and dismantle these systems
that have that are broken that
are not successful.
>> Thank you.
That's Jenkins Thank you,
Alhamdulillah.
>> Oh, Nicole Lilly, if you can
please come to the microphone
after Nicole It will be Kevin
Vienneau, Travis Bouchard,
Susan Griffin and Lynell Brown
.
All right.
Sorry to interrupt Leila Hi.
>> My name is Nicole Lilly.
I'm a renter and resident of
District three and
the executive director of our
Time to Act.
I'm here again today because
despite the outpouring of
community over the past month,
the mayor has still not deigned
to listen to his constituents
and now the ball is in your
court.
You've been told and some of
you have said yourselves that
the budget is a moral document
.
It is literally putting
the money where your morals
are.
The decision you have now ahead
of you is deciding what you
believe your communities
deserve.
Do we deserve to be surveilled
and overpoliced under the guise
of safety or do we deserve
instead to thrive with
the partnership of O.C. Bias
and protection of well funded
libraries, parks, shelters and
stormwater infrastructure?
It is not enough to pay us lip
service.
We deserve real dollars
invested in a better future for
all San Diego And will you do
the work to divest from Flock
and invest in thriving
communities that work?
>> Our future is in your hands
and we will be watching.
>> Thank you Kevin Winner Uh
good evening, council members.
Um, I just wanted to say that
as someone who's a part of a
youth led nonprofit our time to
act I would really encourage
you guys to continue funding
for O.C. Why is they only take
$350,000 away from the city
budget but you gain 3.5 million
and grant specific funding that
the city would not be able to
get otherwise.
So you're not just saving
you're not saving $350,000.
You're losing 3.5 million that
you would not be able to get
otherwise.
Um, I think that the city it's
I don't know why the city is
not looking at its largest
departments as dpd is
the largest department and
every year we do not cut their
budget while cutting every
other budget along the city.
So if we were to adequately be
looking into this budget we
should also consider our
largest budget expenditure.
There's largest budget waste um
on JANUARY 7th on all year
covid there was homeless man
who walked himself in
the bathroom as dpd respond
with 26 cop cars a squad
vehicle and a helicopter Travis
Bouchard Thank you guys.
>> After that we have Susan
Griffin Linnell Brown Leila
Aziz sign of Sanchez, Richard
Caitlin if those aren't you if
you can take a seat in
the front row or back at your
chair and then we'll make sure
to get to you.
>> Please proceed.
How's it going?
Travis Uh, district seven
Here's a path to the dark side
Fairly It's to anger.
Anger leads to hate.
Hate leads to suffering.
Many of you lead with fear when
speaking of the police budget,
Marty was quoted by nbc seven
in an interview on Flug.
In her words they prevent very
serious crime homicides, rapes,
kidnaping Give us data.
Mayor, because what we see is
as dpd they got a two hour head
start last week and failed
miserably in capturing two
terrorists.
There are nine flight cameras
within one mile of the Islamic
center nine nine as dpd failed
failed Start putting medical
Show us data council block cat
Police 30th 29 million Restore
20 to 25 Funding to Office of
Youth Services Libraries Arts
and Rec Centers and Fire Daniel
Gold Susan Susan Griffin
District seven Mary Gloria you
claim that you are prioritizing
public safety for San Diego.
If public safety is really your
priority then why eliminate or
cut arts recreation, literary
services?
These are the vital elements of
our social infrastructure that
which connects us to one
another in all of our
communities with empathy and
care for one another.
Please reconsider your
significant proposed increases
for law enforcement including
the flock system.
I ask you to reallocate some of
those increases toward
the protective services that
help prevent the need for law
enforcement interventions in
the first place Arts Literacy.
Recreation.
Youth Services Thank you.
Lynell Brown.
Lynell Brown You have time
ceded to you by Matthew Carr.
>> If you can please raise your
hand you'll have two minutes.
Please proceed.
My name is Lynell and I'm here
to represent District four and
the Senate.
I come before you today to
thank you for redirecting these
funds back to our youth centers
in Bowmanville and Stockton
Imperial.
We are truly grateful and
appreciative of this decision.
However, at this point it is
still only a gesture until
these funds are fully restored
and secure, receiving these
funds will not only help ensure
that our centers remain open to
the next fiscal year but will
also help restore our
community's faith in the system
and in a leadership that
represents us.
We will continue to show up,
speak out and fight for our
communities until we have truly
equitable services and
equitable funding for all youth
and families.
We support the Office of Child
Abuse success because we
believe in its mission.
These programs provide critical
opportunities resources,
mentorships, art, recreation
and hope for young people and
their families.
When we invest in youth we
invest in safer, healthier and
stronger communities.
If this office is correct, that
means more children without
programs, with our arts, with
our library, with our
recreational centers feel safe
Places where they can learn,
grow and thrive.
Our communities do not need
more surveillance.
They need more support.
These need opportunities.
We need investments Despite
these challenges we remain
proactive and committed to
providing services programs and
hope to the people who depend
on them the most.
We ask that you continue
standing with us and prioritize
long term success and
well-being for our youth.
Surveillance Surveillance
cameras will not catch a
criminal.
It would only show you their
body.
That's right.
You know that we are protecting
our our communities with our
lives and we are not confused
anymore.
We are real people and we
deserve.
>> Thank you for that comment,
Leila.
Well okay.
I don't want to go after hands
.
Mayor Todd Gloria.
City Council.
Those of you Shanelle Rivera,
Henry Foster, the third who
advocated for us and the drop
in centers are greatly
appreciated.
Something historic happened
since the police department has
been keeping report since 2003
the Mountain View neighborhood
which had have in that time 20
more homicides than any other
neighborhood has had two
consecutive years with zero
homicides.
Come down and talk to this guy.
Talk to me me on how they're
doing it.
It's an evidence based best
practice.
We all know and I know
hindsight is 2020 or the 4040 I
have been gone for a long time
but if there were 1 million
cameras out there, nothing
would have changed because of
the attitude of the San Diego
Police Department of looking at
these young men who have guns,
a stolen car and on a suicide
mission and not being a threat.
That's the problem.
Thank you for getting on with
it.
Senior Sanchez See I am a go
ahead.
All right.
Oh, you had spoken before.
>> Under the ceding time and
you had ceded her time.
But if you have, you can use
my.
>> Yes, you can have your time
over here.
I'll make you one minute.
Please proceed.
My name is Reginald Lewis from
the Mount Stockton area and I
feel the so important for
the funding is to rehabilitate
and addresses root causes of
crime.
Many people who enter
the justice system struggle
with issues like substance
abuse, trauma, mental health
challenges, homelessness or
lack of employment opportunity.
Invest in more city funded into
the rehabilitation program
Counseling job training a youth
service can help prevent crime
before it happens and has their
own responding after harms
occur with rehabilitation,
reduce repeat offenders and
lower long term cost drugs have
shown that people who receive
effective rehabilitation
services are less likely to
re-offend compared to those who
only experience incarceration
in a punitive policing
expanding program focused on
reentry support, addiction
treatment, education and
restorative justice.
More reduce jail population and
save taxpayers money.
Thank you for that concluding
comment, Richard Kaitlin
Nicholas I you know he she had
input her seeding time so now
you get your time.
>> Okay.
Richard you can work today.
I'm here.
You know, I appreciate you all
for restoring the budget and
money to the youth center but I
still got a problem with
the city treasurer.
Keep that overspend on
the budget and they all keep
taking away from the you first
like every year like the new
programs you're talking about.
I thought this is for the kids
We both play for the kids and
the first thing I do is take
away from the kids.
The house we supposed to
prosper as people if the kids
keep this prosperity I mean do
what's right for us as people.
Kids need to go first.
We never need to take no for
mean we get free money every
year now for taxes for
marijuana dispensaries that
money need to go to the thank
you for that concluding comment
My Asia lenders major lenders
Kiana Price Kiana Price You're
going to kill me.
>> No, I'm sorry.
Okay Courtney about it.
I apologize.
I'll just keep up.
Okay?
I work at the youth center with
the youth and I work with both
of them on Mountain View and
Stockton Memorial And I'm here
to say thank you for giving
the money back, for redirecting
it back.
>> We'll be back to say thank
you when we actually get
the money So only because we
kind been here before So you
know I am very grateful but
it's kind of shaky So we will
be back when we get to thank
you guys for it and to show you
the programs that we have
already put through and
the kids that we've already
succeeded.
You know, we've already
succeeded in helping.
We want to go further but we
also need the focus to be on
the youth as rich with
the Office of Youth Success.
That's a wonderful program and
needs to be focused on and kept
instead of these other programs
that have been spoken about.
And I will give them any light
because they don't need any
more light because it doesn't
make sense.
The kids aren't what matters.
My kids everybody's kids of
the future They're going to
stand up here one day and we
don't invest in them now what
is it about to make our city
say the youth with I'm sorry.
>> Did Courtney want to speak
or No.
Okay.
Sorry.
Courtney, please come up to
the microphone And then after
that we have Richard
Martindale.
Please come up to the other
reserved seats Lori Saldana,
Lori Lipman, Barry Edelstein,
Becky Goodman and Christine
Martinez.
If you can all please come up
to the yellow reserved seats
and please proceed.
Good evening.
Honorable Council members Mayor
Glory and Staff My name is
Courtney Ball Tusky with
the ymca and Children First
Collective San Diego has
witnessed a lot since this
process began.
Let's take a breath.
Let's recommit together.
We're grateful for the progress
in the revise.
Let's go even further for kids
for youth a requirement a
recommitment to thriving
community as being safe
communities a recommitment to
your child and youth plan with
the Office of Child New Success
This means at least a dedicated
higher level position skilled
in policy, community engagement
and interdepartmental
collaboration.
Dozens of other organizations
countless youth advocates and
San Diego families are looking
to you all to prioritize this
critical position.
Thank you Richard.
Good evening.
I'm here to join those who have
who think you have a spending
problem rather than a revenue
problem.
We all want to help others but
we have to do it within our
budget And you're not asking I
ask you to take a look at your
personal finances to see what
percentage you spend on
necessities, what percentage
you spend on discretionary
spending and what percent you
give to charity and apply those
same percentages to the city
budget City necessities or
police fire and inner structure
infrastructure Discretionary
spending includes libraries,
parks and cultural
institutions.
Welfare is charity.
Thank you Laurie Soltanieh I
know you have a some images to
project so staff will get those
up and then you can proceed
when ready.
Thank you.
As many of the speakers have
expressed tonight, a city is
judged by its culture including
who leaders choose to name in
our parks and public places.
>> And that's why I'm here
tonight for proposing a change
to a name of the park that
honors Charles Lindbergh, a man
who expressed anti-immigrant
anti-Semitic beliefs and whose
name is next to the Claremont
the San Diego Islamic Center
and where three men were killed
last week by two young men
expressing the same rhetoric
that Charles Lindbergh has
expressed in the past.
It's time to give a few It's
time for the city of San Diego
to follow the lead of
the Unified School District,
remove Lindbergh's name from
this park as the families voted
to do Go ahead to the next one
please.
Five years ago, five years ago
this name was removed from this
school near the Islamic center
And last year if we can go to
the next slide Mayor Todd
Lowrie assaulted to honor a
fallen police officer.
>> We need to thank you for
being able in our parks and
Lindbergh is not worthy of that
honor.
>> Lori Liberman the you also
have a slide show that you'll
show and stuff will get that up
and then you can proceed or an
image.
>> Hello council members.
I'm Lori.
I'm pausing your time if you
can bring the microphone down a
little bit just a the zoom can
also hear you.
Thank you so much.
Hello council members I'm Lori
Lipscomb pronounced she her a
constituent of district three.
Please do the right thing.
We need to fundamentally
reframe what safety means in
San Diego with this city.
Will the city continue down a
path of policing, surveillance
and incarceration and
increasingly unsustainable
burden on taxpayers with a very
poor roi?
Or will we invest in inclusion
education, health care, housing
parks, libraries, arts and
culture and equitable resources
for all a more humane and
sustainable vision of public
safety.
Racism and hate are learned
behaviors rooted in systemic
inequality.
They are not solved through
militarism, shame and
incarceration.
Thank you very.
Edelstein You have time ceded
to you by James Lofton.
>> You'll have two minutes.
>> Please proceed.
Thank you very much, MR. Mayor.
City Council Thanks for being
here this evening.
I was downstairs screaming on
the plaza.
I'm head of the Old Globe and
I'm here to ask you to restore
arts funding.
I was in here screaming about
two weeks ago.
I'm not here to scream tonight.
First I want to thank all of
you who've spoken out
passionately about the need to
restore this funding.
We see what you're doing.
We're grateful for you putting
it in your budget memos.
I'm here to urge you to stand
up for full restoration and not
partial restoration.
The other reason I don't want
to scream is because overall
over this period what I am
mostly is sad.
I represent 30,000 San Diegans
in every single council
district who are served by
the old Globe's community based
programing free of charge.
That funding is what this city
funding that those programs is
what the city funding supports.
City funding does not put fancy
costumes on actors on our
stage.
City funding does not make
tickets available at a discount
for wealthy San Diego's city.
Funding makes it possible for
the Old Globe to go into
neighborhoods in every district
and make work available to
senior centers, homeless
shelters, veterans
organizations, active duty
military organizations, centers
for at risk youth the largest
program of theater with
incarcerated populations in
the United States of America
run by the Old Globe.
That's what this city money
supports.
So I'm not screaming because
I'm sad.
I'm sad to think about all
those people in your district
who are going to be bereft of
that programing when this
funding goes away.
It's going to hurt regular
people, working people, people
in communities of color in
every district of this city.
And I am bummed out and deeply
disappointed You can turn it
around.
There is money available in
the budget to turn this around
and then we're going to come
back to you when all this is
over and start talking about a
plan for the future that makes
more sense.
Thank you very much Becky
Goodman.
>> You have time to go by
Dillon Service.
Thank you so much.
I'll have two minutes.
Please proceed.
Good evening, Council members.
My name is Becky Goodman.
>> I work at Livia Playhouse in
District one and I was born and
raised in District five.
I I'm a mother of three
including the privilege of
being legal guardian to two
foster children.
I am frustrated with the fact
that I'm here again tonight
that we as a city are here
again tonight.
A portion of total funds are
supposed to go to arts and
cultural institutions because
they are large.
Part of the reason why those
funds even exist as a source of
revenue to the city.
According to the most recent
Arts and Economic prosperity
study by Americans for the Arts
in the City of San Diego,
nonprofit arts and cultural
institutions are responsible
for generating nearly $35
million in local tax revenue
based on expenditures be paid
by our organizations and our
attendees.
So that's number one.
My second point is that
the reinvestment of those total
funds to arts and culture
organizations go toward
providing free programing to
our most vulnerable and
underserved populations.
So removing this funding source
from these organizations is
akin to removing it from
veterans and military families
from incarcerated youth from
low income children and schools
from our unhoused neighbors and
from our friends who live with
mental health issues isolation
and social and developmental
disorders.
Arts and culture is
preventative medicine for
society reinvesting total funds
in arts and culture
organizations which offer free
programs for vulnerable
populations in policing
courses, in emergency room
visits and saves lives.
Art is health culture It's
healing.
Creativity is hope.
I urge you to review
the research on the economic
and social impact of
the nonprofit arts and culture
sector and make the right
choice for your city, for your
neighbors and for your
families.
>> Thank you.
Christine Martinez If I can
have Bob Lehman, Peter
Kaminsky, Jessica Hanson York
Michael or Burchill Bennett
Tony Bennett or last name
Bennett Ben, Paul and Carina if
you please come up to
the yellow reserved seats
please proceed.
Good evening.
I'm Christine Martinez from
Arts and Culture San Diego.
As you could probably tell from
the snaps in the hands we had
hundreds of people at a rally
downstairs earlier today.
Can you all raise your hands?
We're asking what we've asked
for this entire budget season.
We understand what you're going
through with the budget
deficit.
We are simply asking to remain
flat which I know is difficult
in these times.
You've been able to work really
hard and identify money in
other places.
Please do so again.
There's an entire community and
ecosystem here that if you cut
our funding they will not come
back for generations.
These are employers.
This is an economic engine.
>> Please consider restoring
our funding.
Thanks so much, Bob Lehman.
Good evening Mayor.
Council members My name is Bob
Lehman, Executive Director San
Diego Art Matters and Vice
Chair of the City County Arts
and Culture Commission.
We're standing here today not
because of just one budget line
item This is about who we are
as a city.
Sandy We spent years telling
the world the creativity
culture innovation designer our
center identity.
We probably markers market
ourselves as a global tourism
destination city museums
theaters, festivals, music
storytelling and vibrant
neighborhoods.
And now the same city is
proposing complete elimination
of nearly all direct public
arts funding.
Because this is not a simple
reduction.
This is not a trimming around
the edges.
This is a dismantling of a 35
year public investment in
infrastructure the support of
nearly 200 nonprofit arts and
cultural organizations.
And let's be honest what has
been labeled as nonessential
Are free museums days essential
or neighborhood festivals
essential?
We asked the city to support
something extra keep city
protect our part of civic
instruction.
Thank you for that concluding
remark Peter Kaminski.
Peter Kaminski You MAY be
coming from the back room.
Give me some time to come up
from the back room.
Jessica Hansen York.
You have time to go to by
Carolyn.
Can you please raise your hand?
Thank you.
You'll have two minutes.
Please proceed.
Good evening, MR. Mayor.
City council members, Thank you
very much for hearing from all
of us this evening and thank
you to many of you for speaking
up for arts and culture and
the restoration of our funding
in your budget memos.
I am here to implore you for a
full restoration of arts
funding.
I'm the executive director of
Binghamton National Museum
chair of the Balboa Park
Cultural Partnership.
I'm on the board of Malasakit
Dance.
I really care about arts and
culture in this city And I
really want to remind you that
for years, for decades every
arts and culture organization
in this city has been doing
exactly what we are supposed to
do.
>> We in exchange for city
funding one of the things we do
is file a very long report
every year on the success that
we have achieved.
And we always hit the marks
that the city puts out there
for us as a sector we are
driving tourism helping to
raise the very dollars that you
turn around and fund us with.
We are serving the city in
every single council council
district We are delivering on
artistic success and community
engagement on arts education.
We're checking every box.
You have a whole sector of arts
and culture organizations here
who have built and developed
and maintained a really
critical civic infrastructure.
We partner across sectors with
health care, with social
service, with education from
all over the city.
And you know what?
We're really, really good at
our jobs.
Cutting funding will set us
back and it will impact almost
everyone in this city.
We implore you to keep that
funding in place.
Thank you Michael.
Michael Warburton Warburton my
apologies.
>> No, no Michael but do you
have time to go to by the crown
over.
>> Thank you so much.
As Please proceed.
>> So it remains the same You
know we're told focused on core
services But when I looked at
the revised budget I'm pretty
sure I saw a new dog park in
there for a million bucks.
Right.
So so it just seems like
there's still something out of
whack when it comes to choices
being made on the spending $9
million for decarbonization
which is basically replacing
gas appliances in city
buildings for electric ones If
they're not at the end of
the service life don't replace
them.
Right.
There are things that we can do
that can save us some money.
But I want to change gears just
to show how sometimes there's a
little bit of lack of
forethought in some of
the decision making.
Money was put back for planning
for the summer nights.
Cool.
What makes the summer night
special?
Musicians, dancers, artists,
museums all of these people
Thousands of people over a
hundred organizations that
donate their time and talent to
make that event special.
If those folks aren't there you
have an overpriced hotdog and a
Ferris wheel.
So ultimately, you know, if
the city's not showing up with
a budget for arts and culture,
why should arts and culture
show up for DECEMBER nights?
Thank you.
Bennett, Tenet, Bennett or
David?
My apologies.
The looked a little Yeah, but
you have time ceded to you by
Lowell and Crane and there's
both are hurt.
>> So that's just two minutes.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Good evening, council members.
I am David Bennett.
I'm general director and ceo of
San Diego Opera and I live and
work in council housing
district three.
I'm here to express and I use
this word my outrage actually
at the continued elimination of
arts and culture funding in
the mayor's revised budget.
In the revised budget he
somehow found 13.5 million of
new total funding.
That is fabulous.
But since this is the source of
arts and cultural funding this
would lead one to believe that
restoration of the eliminated
support would be in the revised
budget Wrong Wrong What is
included restored support for
wrecks rec centers and
libraries restoration of
DECEMBER nights both very good
things but also additional
administrative positions
additional cars for the city
fleet, a clubhouse for a golf
course and not a single cent
not a single cent in support
for arts and culture.
And last week you came together
and let us know that you
support repealing Balboa Park
Park parking fees and also
reducing trash fees.
Lots of movement but not a
single word about arts and
culture in a year with a tough
budget to balance I would be
somewhat understanding if
the mayor asked for cuts to
arts and culture that are
proportional cuts not
elimination cuts that are
proportional to cuts in other
departments arts and culture
are instead zeroed out.
This is outrageous.
In 2011 the Kansas Governor
Brownback moved to cut all arts
funding to the state of Kansas.
He was met throughout the state
with boos and demonstrations
and he left his office as one
of the most least popular
governors in the country.
This is now his legacy forever.
If this budget is passed
balancing the budget will not
be mayor Glorious glorious
legacy Legacy Eliminating arts
and culture will be a budget
lays out a leader's vision and
values and it's abundantly
clear the mayor's vision and
values do not support arts and
culture And if you do not move
to restore funding it will be
your legacy too.
I assume most of you have
future political aspirations.
I hope that bravery and
political will will be your
legacy not eliminating arts and
culture.
>> Thank you Ben Paul After Ben
Paul we have Corrina Pugh and
then after Corrina we have
Shane Harris, Julio Rodriguez,
Melody Carolan, Julian Elliott
and as making parent if you can
all please come up to the other
reserve seats, please proceed.
Yes.
I'm Ben Paul, member of
the Peabody Toastmasters and we
meet at the p recreation center
every other Tuesday night from
630 8:00.
I know safety is one of your
major concerns and that's my
main concern too.
We have a large number of our
young men that play basketball
at night till 9:00 The indoor
basketball if you readers are
hours they won't be out to do
that.
My concern is going to find
someplace a negative net
positive.
We have a lot of places that
get in trouble and probably a
lot of bars.
My concern these guys are going
to be out hitting the bars,
drinking and driving and we
have we have a lot of fighting
already assaults, those type of
things.
We need less crime, not more
crime.
Please don't reduce the hours.
The other thing is our
Toastmaster club we pay rent to
the city which helps pay our
way and also all the other
organizations that meet there
at night.
They also pay rent, help pay
their way.
A large number of kids next
door in their in their dorm
room they pay a lot of Thank
you for that concluding
sentence Karina You.
>> Good evening Council
members.
My name is Carina Pugh.
My pronouns are she her And I
am here tonight on behalf of
the San Diego lgbt Community
Center.
We were really grateful to see
the $300,000 allocation to our
substance use disorder
treatment services through
opioid settlement funds
included in the MAY revise And
we're requesting this
allocation remains in the final
budget.
Investment and community
organizations were the experts
in serving our communities and
meeting them where they are is
essential.
This is public safety What our
communities have access to
the resources they need to
overcome the odds and thrive.
That's why we are all here
tonight For a full restoration
to arts and culture funding
these programs are lifelines to
our lgbtq community.
Arts and culture not only
provides employment to folks
across the city but allows us
to foster connections and find
community Investing in arts and
culture is an investment in all
of San Diego.
Please restored full funding to
arts and culture and invest in
our youth as well by funding
the Office of Child Abuse
Success in the final budget.
>> Thank you San Diego Public
Advocate Shane Harris Good
evening Council PRESIDENT And
Council members My name is
Shane.
I'm a District three resident
business owner, creator and San
Diego public advocate.
I want to acknowledge Mayor
Gloria's willingness to make
difficult decisions in a
serious budget crisis.
I support portions of his
proposal that prioritize what
absolutely cannot fail police,
fire infrastructure, streets,
emergency response and services
.
I also appreciate
the restoration of know shots
by our funding and thank
Councilmember Foster Ella
Rivera and Mayor Gloria for
recognizing violence prevention
as part of public safety.
But tonight I'm asking this
council, the mayor, to meet our
arts community halfway.
The arts MAY not get full
restoration but we can and
should restore at least 50% of
the funding that reduces harm
while respecting fiscal
reality.
>> And if we need saving, let's
examine consolidating
the city's communications
department where roughly
somewhere between 4 and 8
million are allocated annually.
Yes, we need police, fire and
infrastructure but we need art.
>> Let's think about killing
San Diego's spirit.
Thank you for his answer.
Leo Rodriguez who really is
after that will be Melody.
Please proceed everybody.
Good afternoon Mayor and
members of City Council.
My name is Scott.
I'm a newer residents of
the city of San Diego and I
even city council member Steven
Whitman's district have been
there for a year and a half.
I think one of the coolest
things for me as a way for
the budget meetings to be
happening with a majority of
you with elected on these
platforms is supporting our
communities and actually
wanting to engage with their
communities and and
understanding the priorities
and having your ears in
the green.
And the truth is that
the majority are not walking
the streets that we all live on
and seeing what the majority of
us is living through and going
through.
And I think it's because you've
all forgotten where you've come
from and where you actually
grew up And for a lot of you
not all of you, Right.
But the majority of you And it
that you forget where you came
from and you're stuck in these
bubbles of influence and you
pretend like the reality is not
really happening out there that
kids actually go to the parking
spaces free services they want
to get rid of.
And so it's unfortunate
disappointing I think to listen
to all of you because it always
feels like you weren't
listening.
This is just kind of a dog and
pony show that we all have
including listen to the melody
.
Good evening.
My name is Melody Gorman and
I'm a proud Mexican woman, a
native San Diego and a resident
of District five.
I'm the daughter and a mother
of a musician which is why I'm
named Melody.
And currently I serve as
treasurer for San Diego Pride
on the board of Directors of
Diversionary Theater.
What pains my Bills is a 20
plus year career in hotels
attractions and in San Diego's
tourism.
And I've seen firsthand how art
is not just life but it is what
pays the bills.
It brings San Diego County so
much light and so much money
and cutting This would cut more
than we even can begin to
understand right now.
Not all I have to say.
Thank you.
Kisha.
Caitlin Elliot.
And then as we can draw, I
would really ask if you guys
will please come to the other
reserved seats as we keep it
all.
Ivan Hughes Leila Al Cash 5g
Clementine Magna Estrada Diego
Sandoval.
Carmen Penalosa Valdez.
Tristan Barry If you can all
please come to the other
reserved seats.
And if you guys if there are
any people in the committee
overflow We do have about 20
seats here in council chambers.
If you can hear me, you can
make your way into council
chambers.
There's about 20 seats.
Please proceed.
Good evening.
Council and community members
and New York lawyer.
My name is Rachel and Elliott
And tonight I again speak to
you as an artist as
the executive director of San
Diego Pride.
And this time as the proud
mommy of the ten year old
rising artist.
Several weeks ago I learned
that almost $12 million of arts
and culture funding which
includes funding for San Diego
pride was being eliminated.
That same day I came home from
work to see heartbreak on my
son's face, he told me
the funding for his dance
program was being eliminated as
well.
My son asked Mommy, are you
going to do something?
Well yes son, I am.
I'm going to show up to tell
our city council and Mayor what
they are really eliminating
when they balance the budget on
the fragile backs of arts and
culture organizations.
You are tearing the heart out
of San Diego.
It is art.
You are eliminating programs
that keep young people safe,
created and connected to
college and careers.
And you are putting San Diego
Pride which returns more to
the city than it costs.
At risk.
I urge you I urge you to ensure
that concludes funding.
>> Thank you.
As we control their seats over
here on the right side is
button Howdy Council member.
My name is Ethnic Jan I'm a
Renton resident of the Free
Fall Housing student.
During the last budget hearing
I heard about the of wholesale
cuts The arts threatens my
livelihood and today it remains
the same.
We should allow broken windows
theory to govern our city when
it is proven not to work.
What is proven to work is
funding prevention from
conservative services in our
city interests to fund what
keep a thief not just inflict
systemic violence once it's too
late.
The man's revive if not fiscal
discipline not when the council
and PRESIDENT The council and
the mayor refuse to acknowledge
during the last budget hearing
the continuous demands to end
this budget increases in
the Ask the cut but not
contract.
I'm asking the Council again to
reject two demands five Insist
on funding the arts and only
way us and council by block
contract bingo Aiden Hughes
Aiden.
>> Good evening City Council
and assembled members of
the public My name is John
Hughes and I'm speaking tonight
as a member of the City of
Eagles Youth Commission
representing District seven.
I'm willing to become a college
student but I understand
the political challenge of
balancing sound fiscal policy
with the importance of
government services in our
communities.
Thank you for considering
recent public input on the 2627
budget proposal.
The restorations contained in
the mayor's MAY revision are
minor but a step in the right
direction.
As the Commissioner my
interests lie primarily in
the complete restitution of
the Office of Child and Youth
Success.
Only a couple of years ago
the city pledged grant programs
and investment for youth
abutment and now we're being
written off.
It is disappointing to me to
see that spending on youth
should be treated so
frivolously.
Oh my yes.
Despite things to offer
resources and personnel has
managed to lay the groundwork
for long term projects growing
civic engagement, career
preparation, childcare access
and more for young people and
families with children.
The Youth Commission depends on
oci for information and
coordination and you will
notify unofficial advisory work
in the city that you created.
Oh you ask does not deserve to
be cut but to be given a
position in the mayor's office.
>> Thank you.
Thank you for that concluding
comment.
Leila.
Leila I'll comment a magna
Estrada Hello my name is This
was limited my role as part of
District one originally had
something written down but I'm
going to speak from my heart
Being part of this I wanted to
use you as a student.
It's a shame that the city of
San Diego is using all of your
systems this robotic systems by
targeting immigrant families,
families, hardworking
individuals trying to save our
city, protect our city but
instead of targeting
terrorists, actual rapists and
child molesters, they're
targeting these individuals as
a Mexican Hispanic first
generation student oco, isis
give me an opportunity to be
here today and you guys are
defunding that program.
I had the opportunity to
partner with osi as a youth war
fellow.
We're able to give many
students the opportunity and
resources to get internships,
job opportunities and
furthermore a lot more things.
Osi wise is a great resource
for our students and for
the youth and the funding.
That program is a shame.
So I urge you guys to please
save the youth because we are
the future.
Thank you.
Diego Sandoval.
>> Diego Sandoval.
Carmen Penalosa Valdez.
Okay The fixes short.
Okay.
Good evening, council members.
I'm here again.
My name is Carmen and I'm
the policy and research
internal youth Well and I'm
also resident of District nine.
A variety of you are the voices
and representatives to youth
and young adults who are
currently entering higher
education or already are such
as like ucsd As you as you like
myself, community colleges etc.
That is why it's even more
important for you to commit to
saving the of shouting you
success in doing so for
the elimination of the contract
for work is costing the city $2
million which can very easily
be dispersed to osu I guess
which would actually help
marginalized youth and
marginalized youth in your very
own communities.
Stop overpolicing, Stop a
criminal criminalization of our
communities and the watching
and excusing as like public
safety It's like creepy and
stop targeting us so that our
children families can actually
prosper and contribute to San
Diego Long term the way that
you guys all want us to.
Thank you for that concluding
comment.
Tristan Very hello Counsel My
name is Tristan Beary and I'm
the youth organizer at Youth.
Will you guys have already
heard from me a lot.
So given only by us efforts to
try to bring child care to
local youth parks and
recreation centers, I asked one
of our youth who is a mother
and asks you student to write
on the importance of child care
And here's what she had to say
As a college student, quality
child care was of the highest
importance to me to continue in
higher education and even work.
Without it I would not have had
the opportunity to to continue
my education especially when my
child was not old enough to be
in school.
Now that she is in school it is
still imperative that she has
continued child care throughout
through afterschool programs so
I can have access to classes
and work opportunities.
Reliable child care and
afterschool programs allow
student parents like me to
pursue education, work toward
financial stability and create
better opportunities for our
families while knowing our
children are in a safe and
supportive environment.
So with that youth voice in
mind please defund blocking use
the funds to save osu so we can
continue advocating for
childcare and childcare and
programs which allow Santiago's
youth to thrive and better
themselves.
>> Thank you Liliana Soriano.
>> Liliana Soriano After that
will be Alex Castillo Ramsay's
Ramsey's Michael Hayes Alex
Best aka Sean Foote, Sabrina
Marie Anderson If you can all
please come forward to
the yellow reserved seats And
Julia Peltz please protect her
Budget committee.
>> I'm here with youth Well
where youth advocacy
organization who is also a
member of the Community Budget
Alliance we urge you all to
fund the office of the you
success including yourself
Mayor Todd Gloria.
Budgets are not just numbers.
They're a reflection of values
and needs of our community.
Many, including myself have
told you all the importance of
this office cover all the way
from covering accessible
childcare to ensuring people
get the necessary workforce
development that is needed in
the city.
I also have some postcards that
mothers in Districts eight and
I wanted all the council
members to read and
the importance of policy wise
and investing in youth.
We deserve a scenario in which
every young person which has
their full potential that that
can happen if we keep pouring
millions of dollars into
wealthy corporations like Brock
.
Here are the postcards.
Thank you.
My staff will get them.
Next is Alex Castillo.
All right.
Good evening, council members.
My name is Alex Castillo, a
District eight constituent with
youth.
Well, I'm here to urge you to
fully fund the Office of Child
and Youth Success.
This is a moment in time where
youth Gen-z and Gen Alpha are
left behind by our government.
I want to share insights from
my baby sister a Berkeley grad
with a psych degree and
experience in child education.
She's seen low literacy and
test scores youth falling
behind in this post-pandemic
environment and schools that
can't afford afterschool
programs.
My insights friends are
starting families and
struggling to afford childcare
amidst rising rent costs.
Youth need mental health
support.
A suicide is a leading cause of
death amongst youth.
Now's the time to invest in oci
which provides childcare
resources, provide education
enrichment opportunities and
provide community to our youth
to improve mental health in
the long term.
>> So eliminate floc save money
and help our youth in the long
term.
Ramsey says.
>> If you can please come
forward.
>> Hello Council First off I
just want to reiterate
basically what everyone's been
saying is that we need to be
investing into the community
and especially in the youth and
especially that see why this is
an office It doesn't take that
much money.
It's just not that much of a
burden on the budget but it
gets money for the community
And on top of that the best way
to do that is going to be from
Catholic flock.
We already know that that is
what needs to happen is going
to be problems nationally with
this And to quote our chief of
police he said it is a very
simple situation.
But you have to understand when
we were looking at this piece
of technology, it was before
Flock was recognized nationally
as a vendor of concern.
So this is the chief of police
saying that Flock is a
technology that is recognized
nationally as a concern to
the public.
So we need to take the chief
seriously and act now before it
becomes a bigger problem.
>> Thank you.
>> Apologies.
Michael Hayes All right.
>> I'll just try and say this
real quick.
Significant new revenues those
are going to come from
innovative creative economy.
Am I right?
That's right.
That's pretty major.
And so the future is that that
use for that economy comes from
innovators, creators where
that's grown the vine that
grows those are these large
arts organizations earlier
The seeds of that are these
kids.
Those are the seeds.
And my question would be what
happens when you turn off
the water in a farm?
What happens when you stop
the growth?
They don't come back.
So that I'm also going to add
are you even paying attention
to how many cities are
canceling flock How many cities
are canceling class because of
serious privacy and other
abuses?
>> Right Alex All right.
That's the first and last shout
out.
Let's keep it civil.
You're making great points
here.
Just keep it going, Alex That's
that.
>> Could you please come
forward?
You have time ceded to you by
Christian Frank Thank you.
>> You have two minutes.
Good evening.
My name is Alex Decker.
I'm a theater kid and I live in
District three.
i'm a teaching artist with
the La Jolla Playhouse and I
also work with multiple
institutions with schools
around San Diego County.
>> The Playhouse provides
programs that bring
professional theater expensive
to students.
Special student matinee
performances not only include
tickets for students to come to
the theater but also involve
pre and post show workshops
exploring themes and aspects
from what they experience.
We were able to invite over
1400 students to attend last
session alone a program that
stuck with me when I got to
attend as a child Pop tours a
world Premiere Commission
product production that brings
the magic of theater into San
Diego classrooms.
My personal favorite was 2023
Jen versus the Beach that
helped fifth grader Jen who
worried about the unknown find
new adventures with the help of
his classmates and imagination
something that I think us as
adults can learn from right now
one of the most rewarding
projects is partnering with San
Diego Unified for the Jumpstart
Program.
At the Mentor we work with
the teachers at the schools to
help run student led musical
theater productions.
Three weeks ago we had our end
of the year celebration where
over 11 schools got to bring
their students to perform at
ucsd.
To celebrate their work,
the tears that they had for
each other with deafening
during breaks the schools would
intermingle with each other and
talk about how amazing their
performance was and if they
could show them their
choreography.
Some students gave speeches
about how they found their
voice confidence or a safe
place where they could be
themselves.
They were turned back to
the schools excited inspired to
pick the musical they'll
perform next year.
As a teaching artist living in
San Diego, I work multiple jobs
in order to financially
survive.
I often work 6 or 7 days a week
on different projects in
schools or theaters where these
productions require government
funds to supplement the costs.
>> Arts culture not luxury.
They're vital Public Good.
Thank you Sean.
Yes.
Excellent.
Thank you so much.
I'll have them raise their hand
upon you.
Greg Frank, if you can please
raise your hand.
Please proceed.
Good evening.
My name is Shawn Foote and I
live in District three.
I am a teaching artist with
the Joya Playhouse as well as a
theater artist working with
other organizations and schools
in San Diego County.
It feels absurd to be here
tonight giving testimony on
whether the arts are worth
funding or not because for me
as a teaching artist I get to
see firsthand all of the time
how essential arts education is
to both the intellectual growth
of our students as well as
their personal development.
>> With La Hoya Playhouse I
often travel to San Diego
Unified Schools all throughout
the county.
I've supported educational
programing that brings theater
into these schools as well as
programing that invites unified
students to the Playhouse.
Programs like this offer
exposure, accessibility and
representation to our
communities and our children.
Programs that primarily reach
underserved communities and
these programs that are and
these are programs that will
either be eliminated or
significantly curtailed in
the absence of city funding.
City Council You cannot allow
this to happen.
Arts education encourages
empathy, creativity, community.
It offers a safe space for
students and offers
self-expression for our
students And for many of us
here today it is our entire
livelihood.
I hope you are listening.
Thank you, Sabrina.
Sabrina moreno.
>> Good evening.
I'm Sabrina Marie.
I live in District eight and
I'm a teaching artist at La
Hoya Playhouse alumna from fdc
School of Art and Design and
previously a teaching artist
with the Department of Veterans
Affairs for six years working
with veterans living with ptsd.
I'm here tonight because these
cuts are not just numbers on a
page.
They're people their futures my
future, your communities future
.
La Hoya Playhouse has served
more than 13,000 people across
all nine of your districts last
year.
Title one Schools, military
families Young people who had
never set foot in the theater
otherwise.
And it's not only what happens
on stage.
The playhouse brings hands on
free programing directly to our
neighborhoods including mobile
technical theater showing what
the different careers are in
theater.
But I want to talk to you about
something even harder to
measure.
>> I've watched Art give people
their confidence for that
concluding comment.
>> Julia My name is Julia Peltz
and I'm a violinist with
the San Diego Symphony and I
live in District one.
And your wife taught my child
when he went to Bedrock.
I am urging you all to reject
the proposed arts funding cuts.
Like many of my colleagues, I
moved to San Diego after
winning a national audition to
perform for our world class
orchestra.
I know that the council
appreciates our nearly 100
performances we put on for a
year because I see many of you
and greet many of you at those
concerts But what you don't see
are the most meaningful
concerts to me which are music
connects to concerts.
We go into hospitals, we go
into schools and we go into
correctional facilities and
bring concerts to people who
cannot purchase a ticket.
i have seen people become calm
and connected and content when
live music fills the room And I
urge you don't cut this
lifeline.
>> Thank you.
>> Baruch Isis.
Ferguson please come up to
the podium after that we have
Kevin Garbett and Lena Schade.
Then Dennis Lopez or Denise
Lopez Sorry Julia Demby, Steve
Snyder, Nicole Vertis and
Sophia Tara, if you can all
please come up to the yellow
reserved seats.
Please proceed.
Hi, my name is Brooke Kosice
and I'm a student at uci.
>> I have been all the way down
here because this is an issue
that's extremely meaningful to
me.
In third grade I did a free
piano lessons hosted by my
elementary school.
After the first lessons I was
so enthralled, so captivated by
music I begged my parents to
buy me a keyboard.
Surprised they filled my
request began the lifelong love
of music that continues to this
day.
Later I joined my middle school
orchestra expanding into viola
in high school.
My dream deepened as I hold my
skills.
I was accepting the 2025
district on auction Before we
get Symphony hall we students
from across Indiegogo and
the City Ambassador program.
I learned the inner workings of
the organization and even spoke
at opening night.
Each experience stems from
the free lessons eight year old
me attended.
They served as a catalyst for
life a lifetime of musical
vomit.
Yet its exact programs budget
cuts threaten instead of
discarding them.
We must recognize
the transformative nature and
preserve arts funding.
Without them we risk depriving
generations of the invaluable
opportunity to discover and
cherish the arts.
>> Thank you Kevin.
>> Good evening.
My name is Kevin Gilbert.
I'm a musician with the San
Diego Symphony.
I won't stand here and deny
that life is getting more
expensive like the council here
today for taking on
the monumental task of dealing
with this budget in such a
tumultuous economy.
I believe the example we set in
the areas we choose to nurture
define the city that we live
in.
A cut towards funding would be
painful.
But elimination is
unfathomable.
Aside from the fact that this
has organizations that rely on
this funding, it sends a
message that arts has no place
in San Diego.
Despite generating 1.8 billion
in annual tourism, any person
would tell you that 11.8
million for 1.2 billion is a
sound investment.
I find the most egregious part
of this arts defunding to be
the audacity to attend a
concert art exhibit play High
School Musical a child's piano
recital one day and vote to
abolish the very funding like
this relies on the next is
utterly disgraceful.
The message we send to our
youth and successors lies in
the example we choose to set on
behalf of the musicians of
the San Diego Symphony.
I hope you reconsider your
decision to eliminate the small
fraction of this budget if not
for artists like us here today
for our youth and for the sake
of the fiber.
>> Thank you for that
concluding comment.
Lina.
>> >> Finding the right words
to convey why the arts are
worth much more than an 85%
budget cut in one minute is
extremely difficult.
I'm a senior heading to Harvard
this fall and growing up in
this great city has meant San
Diego youth Symphony rehearsal
and the beautiful Balboa Park
Every Sunday summers at
the Rady Shell that's turned
into internships which is how
you, me or Gloria once shook my
hand at the opening of
the Jacobs Music Center.
>> I am who I am today because
of every music note in tune
that's passed through my ears.
So while this might have been
one minute of your life one
summary on your meeting notes
just one policy past this.
The arts is also the one thing
that the most disagreeable
people agree on.
>> Or it centers us.
It creates connection,
compassion and community.
Doesn't that sound like a
future San Diego ought to
invest in?
>> Thank you Denise Lopez.
>> Hello.
Honorable Council members Mayor
Gloria.
My name is Denise Lopez and I'm
here to ask you to restore
funding to the arts and culture
budget for the coming year.
As a lifelong resident of San
Isidro in District eight, I'm
living testimony of the impact
of arts and culture programs in
the city.
My first professional play I
saw was at the Old Globe
Theater through the Free Studio
matinee program.
This program provided me access
to a world I didn't know
existed for people like me.
It ignited my passion for
creating art as a means to
uplift communities like mine.
I am now an administrative
theater professional at the Old
Globe.
This institution has cultivated
and shaped my artistic and
professional career from
the roof.
The same department that gave
me a chance to see this world
now employs me in it.
I get to give other students in
my city the opportunity to see
a world in the future that
belongs to them.
And I hope we get to continue
to do so.
While we know this is a tough
budget, I implore you to
preserve the access and
opportunity these funds provide
and work with us to create a
more sustainable path going
forward.
>> Thank you.
Thank you, Julia Demby.
>> >> Good evening.
Council members Mayor Gloria.
My name is Jamila Demby.
I'm the director of Equity
Diversity Inclusion and Access
at the Old Globe.
And I am respectfully
requesting that you restore
funding to arts and culture.
>> Hearing about the proposed
cuts of $12 million.
Takes me to a very specific
place in a recent history which
I'll get to in a second.
I respect that you have a
difficult budgetary have
difficult budgetary decisions
to make.
As a person whose position is
charged with prioritizing
financial resources to our
commitments, I empathize.
>> That's a great
responsibility.
These are.
That being said, removing
almost $12 million cannot be
the choice.
The specific place in our
recent history that this brings
me to is actually the pandemic
The lockdown, the isolation of
the pandemic brought to light
how arts and culture are a
light.
I think we would all agree that
it is the light the art serves
us then and now and always with
restore the Arts.
Thank you.
Steve Snyder.
Steve Snyder if you can please
come up to the microphone after
that is Nicole versus Sophia
Tada.
Michele Woodson I would ask.
We do still have about 2.5
hours worth of comment when I
do call your name if you can
please come up to the yellow
reserved seats I'll make this
go seamlessly and a little bit
faster.
So Steve Snyder again to
the microphone.
Nicole Verdier Sophia Tada.
MR. Mitchell Woodson.
Judy was Lynell Brown Mitchell
Watson again.
Um Shaheed Price What's your
name?
Please come up to
the microphone as it goes.
>> Sophia, are you here?
Okay then please come up to
the microphone.
We'll go with you and then
we'll.
>> Please come up to the yellow
reserved seats.
You'll have one minute.
Please proceed.
Good evening.
Council members.
My name is Michelle Watson and
I'm the legal director of
Pillars of the Community in
the wake of the terrorist
attack at icc.
Our community is mourning,
traumatized and demanding real
safety not the illusion of
safety.
>> We need to be honest about
the difference between
prevention and enforcement.
Prevention means investing in
the conditions that stop crime
before it even starts.
Safe parks, libraries and
recreation centers.
Youth programs.
Mental health services.
Housing and community support.
>> Enforcement only happens
after the harm has already
occurred Year after year.
The city pours millions into
police budgets and surveillance
technology cameras monitoring
systems, data collection.
>> Yet none of it prevented
the tragedy.
Surveillance did not protect
the people who were harmed.
And more policing after
violence has already occurred
is not the same as preventing
violence in the first place.
>> If we truly want safer
communities we must invest in
the root causes that determine
true public safety.
>> It's opportunities,
stability, care and connection.
Thank you for that statement of
values.
And we ask that you invest.
Thank you for that.
Our communities Thank you.
Steve Snyder Last call for
Steve Snyder Nickel royalties.
>> Last call for a nickel over
There's no nickel over this
Coming up to the mike.
Sophia Tada.
And you have several people
seeding time that can please
have you as a group
presentation Raise your hands.
Martin Yeah.
Okay.
C.J. Mendoza.
Kelly Dave Shaheed.
Price Miguel.
>> Omega Go ahead.
>> I see No Miguel Raising your
hand.
Claire Snyder If he comes in,
you can raise his hand.
Claire Snyder Okay.
Sorry.
I'll be her.
Hussein then Naomi Then Thank
you.
Nelly Gomez Amaya Noah You get
Groucho's haircut.
>> Oh, Petrus My apologies.
Look like an or no
resemblance.
>> Alice.
No.
And know.
Okay.
And then that's my girl.
I will look for those speaker
slips but you are already at 12
minutes so please proceed.
>> Good evening, Council
members.
Mayor my name is Sophia and I'm
a high school senior a
volunteer with central and
Policy initiatives.
We want to begin by sharing our
vision for the city of San
Diego.
The kind of city we want to be
and believe that we can be.
I'll be reading a short haiku
of mine Parks Streets and young
lives a city where all MAY
thrive.
Budget of us all.
That said that is the San Diego
we all deserve and that is why
we are here today as members of
the community Budget Alliance,
a coalition of San Diegans of
young people, workers, families
,community based organizations
and labor unions who come
together every year to fight
for a people's budget and are
committed to building a city
where everyone has what they
need to thrive.
Council members.
This budget is in your hands.
Budgets are moral documents.
They are statements of values.
They reflect who and what
the city chooses to invest in.
Right now working people are
being told to accept less.
Less support.
Less access.
Less stability and less care.
We reject that logic.
Austerity is a choice.
Cuts to libraries, parks, arts,
housing, youth services.
Stormwater infrastructure and
climate justice are not fiscal
responsibility.
They are choices.
And we need to stop acting like
investing in working people is
unaffordable While hundreds of
millions continue to flock,
while hundreds of millions
continue flowing toward
policing, surveillance and
corporations.
When families are stable, when
young people are supported,
when neighborhoods are well
resourced our city is stronger.
And I'll pass it to Noah.
>> Hello.
My name is No adult.
I'm a student volunteer with a
student center on policy
initiatives and freshman at
Lincoln High School.
I'm followed by Dino here who
is a junior going on to senior
.
We appreciate the partial
restorations made in the MAY
Reserve to libraries, parks,
rec centers and youth shopping
centers.
But partial restoration is not
enough.
We reserve libraries that stay
open, parks that are maintained
and safe arts and culture
programs that bring communities
together and streets where
people can move safely from
through their neighborhoods.
>> These are not extras.
These are things that make
communities livable.
If these investments are what
helped communities thrive, why
are they always the first thing
on the chopping block?
How can we not?
How can we afford not to invest
in the very things that prevent
harm and create opportunities
and strengthen our
neighborhoods?
Today we stand here to urge you
the council and Mayor Gloria to
fully fund libraries.
Parks and rec centers, fund
the pedestrian beacon near Rosa
Parks Elementary and ensure
the agreement between Parks and
Rec and ecp allow Parks and Rec
direct access to a deputized
engineer permission to work on
repairs that cost up to 5
million and a process to put
out small bids for repairs.
Thank you.
Now I'll hand it over to C.J..
>> Thank you.
Hi, I'm C.J. Mendoza.
I'm an outreach and organizing
intern at Youth.
Well.
>> I am standing here today to
voice that young people's
future is deserve to be funded.
Other committee members here
and advocates are here for
the same reason and to keep
their efforts and showing up
even stronger.
And we're going to hold you all
accountable for what this
budget and your decisions are
saying to young people.
We envision a city where every
young person is supported,
valued and set up for success
where families can access child
care, youth programs,
mentorship and opportunities.
This generation and the next
will inherit a San Diego framed
by the budget decisions.
We've given you plenty of
achievable visions of a San
Diego that young people
deserve.
And those include O.C. Wise and
Arts and Culture.
The Office of Child and Youth
Success exist to ensure young
people are treated as a real
citywide priority.
O.C. Ensures that there is
someone in the city who is
always looking out for young
people and is coordinating with
the rest of the community.
Someone that is letting young
people know that they are
dedicated to making youth lives
better.
Making them feel loved from
their city by ensuring that
there's a chance for them to
succeed.
O.C. Wise provides access to
resources, services and high
quality programs to keep young
people driving while arts and
culture gives them the colors,
the different mediums and
opportunities to create.
So if we truly care about our
young people, we cannot
continue using youth investment
as optional y while pouring
hundreds of millions into
policing and heavy surveillance
.
So we urge you to fully fund
the Office of Child and Youth
Success.
Restore Arts and Culture Grants
and get Floc out of San Diego.
Now I'll hand it to Kelly.
Thank you so much, C.J..
Good evening.
My name is Kelly De.
I'm a parent and I'm a
volunteer with San Diego 350.
We envision a city where people
are are housed, protected and
able to live with dignity.
But this budget is leaving
people behind communities and
districts for eight and nine
are still recovering from
devastating floods.
Yet the Stormwater Department
continues to cut while
thousands of infrastructure
cases remain backlogged.
My hope is that one day my kids
can live in San Diego with
families of their own.
But our community cannot thrive
if we're constantly vulnerable
to environmental disasters
which are becoming a bigger
concern every year.
We urge you to restore
stormwater cuts.
Invest in proactive
infrastructure and restore
the city's $7 million
contribution to Climate Equity
Fund which not only protects
some of our most vulnerable
communities but also mitigates
the effects of climate change.
I also urge you to invest in
solutions that solve
homelessness by addressing root
causes.
Homelessness is not solved
through punishment and safety
does not come by keeping people
out of sight.
Safety in real solutions come
from housing, dignity and
support.
We urge you to restore the Neal
Good Day Center reopen downtown
public restrooms and expand
shelter options by allocate
the $4.6 million currently
spent on criminalizing unhoused
residents.
Thank you.
And now I will pass it to
Shahid.
Um I am a black man from South
San Diego.
Being black Muslim and living
in southeast Senegal makes me a
triple target.
>> a target of what
Overpolicing and underfunding.
Let's take a few moments of
silence for the three community
members we lost on the front
lines to hate.
Let's remember the three
community members that lost
their lives are who prevented
the atrocity at the Islamic
Center of San Diego from being
even worse.
It wasn't the smart street
light It it wasn't the Alpers.
With with all the money
the police department takes
from the city budget and in all
the money being handed over to
Fox Systems the police should
have prevented this.
>> I don't want the police or
the mayor using the atrocity
that happened to our community
for their political gain to
have more money for their
already ballooning budget.
My community needs resources.
My community is Southeast San
Diego District for giving my
community the resources to
thrive, fund and fund
the Southeast shopping centers
.
>> Yeah.
Took my name is me.
My name is Miguel.
I'm a junior at Morris High
School in Skyline Hills and I'm
a volunteer with cpi In
additional in addition to
canceling for flood contracts
and subsidize for police Petco
Park events and reclaiming
funding from the police budget.
We urge you to further down
further reform how golf revenue
is collected and invested.
The golf division's practice of
paying for capital projects
entirely in cash hoards
resources that should be
invested equitably across
the city.
Additionally, revenue generated
from restaurants and breweries
on public golf course lands
should benefit the entire
public not a single enterprise
fund.
By making these two additional
reforms to golf revenue we can
generate revenue that helps our
city work for all in San Diego.
We make clear what people need
to survive Food, water,
shelter, love areas to learn
and play.
Fear isn't something any person
in my community deserves but
it's all that has been given to
us since we have since we've
had so much taken away.
Now while these decisions
belong to you and your votes,
we urge you to give back to
the community that you keep
taking from.
While admitting mistakes isn't
considered professional, it is
human which is something that
that device people the diverse
people in this room all have in
common.
Thank you And I hope what we
have shared today has been has
given a better insight on what
the city needs and what it
needs for everybody in San
Diego.
Love.
>> Thank you so much.
Judy was Judy was are you here
going once your Judy buzz for
my own public comment and not
for the group but your Judy
Buzz me.
>> Yes, Thank you.
Please visit.
>> Good evening.
My name is Judy was on
the public affairs manager for
Planned parent of the Pacific
Southwest and the Action Fund.
At Planned Parenthood we
recognize the importance of
storytelling and how it
encourages people to make
healthy choices and inspires
policy change.
And we encourage people to
share their stories when it's
difficult and to create art and
being community.
We don't always remember
statistics but we do remember
stories And even just being in
this room this pass to three
hours 10th and Jay needs to get
fixed so that the blind can
leave without getting hit by a
car.
>> Mid-City Care needs their
park and black folks when they
come together can prevent crime
and can prevent murder from
happening in the same
neighborhood for two
consecutive years in a row.
Art saves lives.
Music gets us out of bed, youth
rec centers and the Office of
Child Needs Success deserve all
the funding not some funding.
And going back to the arts.
Arts and theater are a lifeline
for youth.
>> Don't cut it now Thank you
for concluding comment.
Lynell Brown.
Lynell Brown Melissa Hernandez.
Melissa Hernandez.
Rebecca Hook Health.
Rebecca Hook Held Edwin Rendon
Thank you Audrey Bullet Value l
l Apostrophe t Please go to
the yellow reserved seats Shawn
Boyd, Elizabeth Washburn and
Sara Anderson.
>> Please proceed.
People elected a council,
people elected mayor.
Good evening.
My name is Edwin Rendon and i
have a poem for you.
It's called Arts Witness.
>> Late poet Camerino Douses
Heavy writers Ink.
Appalled Meditating San Diego
Sabotaging a cultural thinking
painter Inocente Sukar holds
Oscar gold splashes monstrous
rainbows as a reason to
survive.
Pillars above ground shores
love with their guide Chicano
Art Gallery and more uplifted
alleys and streets would still
be present.
Surrendering void.
>> Rent Controls.
The Grinch cannot survive on
philanthropy and philanthropy
alone Alone Selling balloons to
stay green on Park Boulevard
staying DECEMBER nights worn by
his Thank you for that
concluding comment warm by his
goodwill Kami in your time
island children to wanting
inflated colors galore.
Thank you Audrey.
Hello my name is Audrey Boulay
and this budget impacts my
ability to gain workforce
experience now and acquire a
job later.
I want to pursue a career and
technical theater in directing
indoor lighting which I found a
passion for.
Through free programs I've been
privileged to have at Trinity
Theater Company which are now
at risk of being cut by
decimating arts funding to near
nothing.
You are restricting access to
the arts not only for me but
for other kids across San Diego
.
For current theater
professionals and for
the future of American theater
And you are restricting access
for tourists who build our
cities revenue by staying for
shows, museums and exhibits.
San Diego prides itself on
being a strong community and
it's sad to see it turning on
itself knowing that long term
this will hurt the city.
This is what happens when
important decisions about
the working class are made
during work hours.
We are coming here to urge you
that this budget will not work.
We are lending you help so take
it now before we have to make
the decision of what to cut
next year And you can't fall
back on the arts anymore.
Thank you for listening.
>> Shawn Boyd.
Shawn you have time ceded to
you by Cathy Parks If you can
please raise your hand by
blazing nasty c.
Jo Chang and Candice Reid,
thank you so much.
You will have four minutes.
Please proceed.
Thank you.
Council members.
MR. Mayor, it's unfortunate to
be back again having the exact
same conversation we've had for
a month.
MR. Mayor, I find this to be a
pathetic excuse of a revised
budget.
There is no progress and it is
not fiscally solvent.
I have talked to time and time
again about the economic
impacts that this budget will
have on this city and it is
devastate a little bit about
myself.
I don't share this often but I
am born and raised District
nine.
i went to San Diego High School
where I co-founded Trinity
Theater with Candide Read Thank
You for the minute.
We co-founded Trinity Theater
Company together as seniors at
that high school.
We stayed local.
We believe that the arts
matters in this city.
I went to state.
I got my masters at point Loma
Nazarene.
I taught for five years.
I taught English, I taught
theater and I taught student
government.
Sb This is an embarrassment to
them that we the people have to
continue to hold our elected
officials accountable to do
what's best for their people.
Beyond the economic impacts,
there are real lives that are
going to be impacted by this
decision.
I myself am trilingual.
I speak English, French and
Spanish.
None of them well but I do
speak them And the reality is
that that influence that I have
supports our students, supports
our children and supports our
vulnerable adults as well.
I'm going to talk about four
programs that Trinity offers
that is very much on
the chopping block because
the mayor doesn't believe in
the arts.
The first one is our storytime
program.
Our storytime program pushes
into libraries across the city
and every single district we
serve San Ysidro Library is one
of our go to libraries.
Rancho Bernardo has a modified
program that serves adults with
disabilities and special needs.
We go into all the I think
every library in District nine
as well as Central Library.
We serve 3200 children year
round with 13 staff members.
All of them will be cut.
Those children will lose their
access.
We read stories to them.
My background in education
shows us the compare and
contrast analysis of reading a
story and seeing it live in
that moment is better for
the kids than sitting in a
classroom and listening to a
lecture.
We are taking away education.
When we do this our young
children deserve better than
that.
But so do our vulnerable
adults.
Senior citizens and military
families.
Our other program is the Living
Room readers which meets once a
week and is led not by an
artist by trade but by licensed
clinical social worker who has
studied and committed her life
to mental health and
well-being.
These individuals meet weekly
not for the art of course for
the art.
Let's be honest stories are
awesome but they meet weekly
because of the community that
it comes with.
1780, 90, 92 years old.
Once a week to read a story
together as a group.
We have veterans that cannot
commit to the full scale of a
production but they come so
that they can be together.
You just heard my succession
plan.
Audrey is an incredible example
of our team leadership program
which is a free program for
teen students throughout
the city to get involved in
arts administration and
technical skills skills that
are not always accessible.
And lastly, our new Works
festival which has grown so
much over the past four years.
We received a thousand
submissions from playwrights
across the world.
And when we select our ten
plays those playwrights come
and stay in this city in hotels
for a week.
That's revenue.
MR. Mayor.
Do better.
Thank you.
Elizabeth Washburn And if I can
ask Sarah Anderson Monica
Hernandez, Caitlin Cauchi Blair
Beekman, Ines Neff, Nancy Rudy
Lombardia Sebastian Rubi.
David Guide and Kate Dunning.
>> Thank you.
And Morley Bower to all please
come up to the front row.
Please proceed When ready.
Okay.
Hello, my name is Elizabeth
Washburn.
I'm an artist and founder of
Combat Arts San Diego, a
therapeutic arts nonprofit that
serves veterans and system
engaged youth.
Mayor Gloria, you came to one
of our unveilings ten years ago
at the Adams Avenue car Wash
and we were real grateful.
I began this work in response
to veterans returning from Iraq
and Afghanistan carrying
unimaginable trauma for years.
I volunteered my time and
auctioned my own artwork to
fund free arts programing
because veterans told me art
was one of the only tools they
could access on their own to
manage ptsd and traumatic brain
injuries.
In 2012 I expanded this work to
incarcerated youth.
I go inside juvenile detention
facilities to provide art
classes and workshops.
The young people I work with
face staggering socioeconomic
realities violence, instability
and helplessness.
Art gives them relief,
connections, self-expression
and a reason to imagine a
future.
To do this work I rely on
contracts with museums like
the Timken Museum of Art which
shoot which loses 100 89,000.
Thank you for your time.
If you have written comments
please submit them to art.
I'm sorry If you have them
written down we can pass them
around to the council.
Thank you.
Sarah Anderson.
Monica Hernandez.
Monica you have time ceded to
you by Anna Hernandez.
Can we please raise your hand?
Thank you.
You'll have two minutes.
I am a resident of Sunny Fugro.
I am the executive director of
Chicano Park Museum and
Cultural Center and I am a
commissioner on the County
Cultural Arts Commission.
And I have a poem for you
called Respectful of Amelia
Sanchez Yellow Electronics in
the year 1970 in the city of
San Diego under the Coronado
Bridge light a little piece of
land a piece of land that
the community of Logan Heights
wanted to make into a park.
But the city of San Diego said
Charlie, much like the mayor is
saying today they said we are
going to make a highway patrol
station here, man.
On APRIL 22nd, 1970.
But fast forward to now
the year 2026 MAY 27th Chicano
Poetry Revise.
The communities of Logan
Heights and Febrile Balboa Park
and other communities in San
Diego just want to get together
on a Sunday afternoon and
celebrate the spirit of life
itself through art and culture.
But the city of San Diego is
seeing Charlie The mayor is
saying we're not going to
invest in funds.
We're not going to invest in
the arts today, man.
So the people of San Diego got
together and we organized and
we showed up and we are here.
We are asking you to fight for
us to fight with us for
the arts, for the cultura, for
the youth, for the community
that for all of us restore full
restoration to the arts.
>> Thank you.
Caitlin Corrigan Hi my name is
Caitlin Carrog and I live in
District eight.
I've spent my life and career
in creative youth development
and arts education here in this
region.
When we expand surveillance and
policing while cutting arts,
youth services and public
libraries in parks, we
undermine the very foundation
of community safety,
connection, creativity and
radical acceptance are what
make us safer.
Cameras don't do that.
We do a people who are invested
in and cared for become exactly
who we need to keep us safe.
We use creativity to process
grief, celebrate together, make
meaning and name injustice.
Young people must be entrusted
with the tools for bringing
their hearts and minds to us.
There are partners in making
the best future possible.
And when we divest from them we
stomp on the very imagination
that we need to make a better
community and a better world.
>> Thank you.
Thank you.
Blair Beekman After Blair
Beekman we have in this Nafisi
Nafisi, Rudy Lombardia,
Sebastian Rubi, Stephen Davin
Gardner Marley or Marley Bauer
and then Alicia Leon, Sophia
Blanco, Michael Venus and
Shayla James If you can all
please come up to the front
room.
Please proceed when ready.
Hi, I'm Blair Beekman.
Some of my regular words of
the past few months The budget
concerns As Oakland is the only
major California city with a
larger deficit problem and San
Diego.
I hope San Diego can be
committed to learn from
Oakland's love life philosophy
that includes ideas of do no
harm and that social services
and quality of life comes
before the coldness of budget
austerity.
I hope San Diego can also
really know at this time
However we of Oakland
neighborhoods can help to
develop a current 12 to 18
month community dialog and
compromise to find an agreeable
middle ground of more
responsible community tech use
public safety and more
peacefully minded surveillance
tech companies.
Let's hope the sad fearful
events of the Claremont Mesa
Islamic Center last Monday can
be brought into accountability
and given a hug by our ever
continuing hopes that best
practices.
And from this I hope Oakland's
recent efforts can be a good
reminder and how we can all
continue our better ideals
better reasoning, best
practices, social services,
quality of life and ideas of
peace not war Harm How to
address our San Diego Community
issues.
Thank you for that And yours.
Thank you, Inez.
>> Art is a human right?
My name is Inez.
I am a San Diego resident of
District seven, an artist arts
advocate and independent single
mother.
I have multiple jobs in
the arts sector.
This is how I sustain my
household, my family and my
community.
I urge you to follow the lead
of the artist.
Think creatively.
Be bold.
Be courageous and protect and
preserve our humanity.
We the people demand full
restoration of arts and culture
parks, libraries and youth
services.
These services are essential
The very heartbeat of San
Diego.
Our thriving arts community
should be celebrated and
supported for it is these
services that have put San
Diego on the map as America's
finest city.
The creative economy contribute
significantly to the city's
revenue on top of servicing
tourists, residents and
the people's morale and
well-being.
What kind of society are we
creating when you willfully
sponsor our oppressors while
simultaneously slashing
the very services that sustain
our communities?
>> San Diego Art Matters.
Thank you for that concluding
comment Rudy.
>> My name is Rudy Lombardi, a
resident of District three and
business agent with I.R.S.
Local 122 And I stand before
you today representing
the workers who build power and
support San Diego's arts and
cultural events.
The proposed elimination of
Arts culture funding is not
just a budget cut on paper.
It's a direct blow to working
people, local families and
the economic engine that helps
make San Diego thrive.
Arts and culture in our city
support Thousands of jobs
generate 1.8 billion in annual
tourism activity, activate
neighborhoods across every
district and create
opportunities for education,
creativity and connection for
our communities.
When we invest in the arts we
invest in workers.
We invest in local businesses.
We invest in the identity of
San Diego as a world class
city.
I urge you to restore these
funds.
Stand with the workers,
artists, educators and
organizations that make San
Diego vibrant.
This is not just about
preserving grants.
This is about protecting jobs
and protecting opportunity.
>> Thank you for that
concluding comment Sebastian
Robin Sebastian Ruby Hi
everybody.
I'm back.
I was here last month and I
said the same thing.
So today with the amount of
time that has passed this last
time I was up here I have to
say I am incredibly
disappointed.
How many more speakers do we
need for you to listen?
How many more rallies do you
need to see on the streets and
how much more outcry do you
need to hear before you realize
how terrible of an idea this is
During the last meeting and
even in this one hour glorious
mayor decided to spend most of
it on his phone.
He didn't feel like giving us
his attention despite his grand
claims won't help us.
I want to ask something of
everyone here.
If you work in the arts whether
it be on stage or backstage on
a canvas or a notepad if you
are creative of any type please
stand up.
Oh I see a lot more people that
I recognized and I thought
Todd, I want you to look these
people in the face and tell
them why you want to kill their
careers.
>> I really want to know why
you want to kill the livelihood
of what makes San Diego great.
These human beings are a small
percentage of the real lives
that you are trying to destroy
so you can spy on your own.
>> People do better.
Steven Hello.
My name is Gavin Guy Dano I am
an audio engineer and a member
of iac Local 122.
I am not here as a
representative of the union.
I am here as a committee, as a
member of the community.
I work right here and shout out
to the kids in my neighborhood
from Mountain View that showed
up on a weekday show.
We live in a very divisive time
where people our leaders in
Washington are doing things
vindictively mainly badly And
I'm going to give you all
the benefit of the doubt that
that's not what you're doing.
I urge you and your budget
analysts and your proposals to
go back and look at the numbers
because the arts is not
charity.
The arts makes money.
The art makes billions of
dollars for the community, for
the tax base, for the hotels.
It is not charity.
So with all of the good work
that helping the children isn't
going to move the needle for
you, then maybe the economic
will.
>> You are the guest of honor
at our present concluding
comment Marlee.
>> Good evening everyone.
My name is Marlee and I should
start by saying that I am not a
native San Diego.
i'm originally from Sacramento
but I live and work in San
Diego because of the arts.
In 2021, fresh out of college I
moved here to begin my career
in the arts namely in
the theater and in subsequent
years I've been lucky enough to
be a part of this vibrant
culture and community in many
ways and been even luckier to
meet some of the many
incredible people who make San
Diego's arts and culture
happen.
Arts and culture are not
incidental to this city.
They are this city.
People come to visit San Diego
for any number of reasons But
the chief reason the reason
the people build lives here is
the city's culture a culture we
have because we've invested in
our community.
I feel like I'm a significant
example of this significance of
hard words Sorry I'm one such
example.
If we don't value the arts we
don't value San Diego and we
don't definitely don't value
the people who make it what it
is.
I realize there are many harsh
realities about balancing
the budget but the council has
a responsibility to the city
and the constituents to both
present and future to make
the right decision here and I
sincerely hope they will
because right now it doesn't
value San Diego.
>> Thank you Alicia Leon Good
evening.
I'm Alicia Leon.
I teach at San Diego State
University and I'm speaking on
behalf of my students who
reside in our districts across
the city who are studying
sleepless nights for potential
careers in various industries
including the arts.
And we seek refuge in many of
the resources that are at stake
with the proposed budget cuts.
I urge you to work towards
defending our communities by
protecting what is culturally
healing for the constituents
you serve The arts Even within
the last 20 years of financial
hardship, even through a
pandemic, cuts like these have
never been made.
And when the preliminary budget
was released, not one of
the reasons listed for why
the $118 million deficit exist
was the arts.
Yet the arts is what you are
choosing to defund.
It's what you're choosing to
take away from my students from
their futures.
Please continue working with
our communities so that a more
informed decision can be made
so they truly balanced and
responsible budget that
protects our cultural
infrastructure and my students
can be drafted.
>> Thank you.
Sofia Blanco Dear City Council
MR. Whitburn MR. Talk Gloria, I
spoke to you at the first
public hearing for this budget
and I speak to you again to
tell you to fully restore
funding to the arts.
Many of you have agreed to
restore partial funding but I'm
here to tell you that is not
enough to pay the thousands of
people including myself who
will lose their jobs as a
result of this budget.
i can cite numbers but instead
I really ask you to look and
listen to everybody who spoken
here today who will speak and I
ask you for your support and
full restoration of our funding
for the arts Fight for your
communities.
We respect you.
We are in all of your jobs and
your responsibilities And I'm
here again.
I've been here twice already.
I've waited at least four hours
to speak to you and we are
asking please want us please
let us keep our jobs And during
this trying times thank you
Michael.
>> Michael Venus.
Good evening council members.
This budget treats community
care as disposable and police
surveillance as untouchable.
PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee on MAY
6th vowed to protect core
services yet approve budget
defunding on essential Third
Space's self-proclaimed Chief
operating Officer Todd Gloria
you are leaving us just $2 per
resident on library investments
while miraculously finding
millions for flight cameras and
ballooning the police budget to
over $700 million.
When terrorists struck
the Islamic center right across
the highway from where I work
in District six, your cameras
did nothing to prevent the loss
of three American lives.
Community bravery did I mean
Abdullah did Monsoor Kazi had
did did a why did prioritizing
React to technology over care
makes you all complicit in a
fear mongering surveillance?
State Councilmember Foster You
represent my home in District
four You pose surveillance but
slash these libraries and
facilities that keep our youth
in gaze, divest from
surveillance you for that
concluding comment.
>> Reinvest in art.
Thank you Shayla James Shayla
you have time ceded to you
bless you because shayla James
is at times edited by Nick
Rugg.
Please raise your hand Sarah.
Sarah Woolsey Wilson ask Cindy
before last but I have another
okay.
You can give it to Kevin.
Can you get the speakers up And
uh, Valentina Karami.
You think she left as well?
Yes.
>> Okay.
Good evening, council members.
My name is Shayla James and I'm
the director of the San Diego
Creative Development Network.
I love seaweed.
I am also a musician teaching
artists and creative urban Nur.
I come to you disappointed,
frustrated and tired by this
evening and by this proposed
budget cutting arts libraries
and parks funding.
I'm also quite frankly
embarrassed to live in a city
that would even propose a
budget like this.
Thank you to the council
members who have supported
the arts and know the positive
impacts of arts, culture and
creativity they have on our San
Diego communities and for those
of us who live and breathe
the arts, we know the power
that the art and creativity can
do The arts cultivate healing,
belonging, empathy, safety and
promote solidarity across our
San Diego communities.
We are an ecosystem and our
futures are tied to one another
a maverick to our sisters and
brothers observing the holiday
and who MAY not be able to be
here this evening and for those
who are grieving the loss of
the three lives from last week
.
I teach music classes and
operate heart space a community
focused creative space for
artists, educators,
practitioners and District
nine.
I am the again the Director of
Creative Development Network
and we span throughout San
Diego County with our partners
and members located in
districts one, three, four, six
and eight.
Our partners are at
the intersections of arts
culture, education, youth and
social services.
Some of our partners include
and I'm going to name them
because they are doing the good
work out here and they can't be
here today.
Media Arts Center San Diego
Disco Riot Asia Project Burn
Street Community Arts
Transcendence High Steppers San
Diego Is Kali Outside The Lens
a Reason to Survive just to
name a few.
Art and creativity are
essential to these
organizations but so is youth
boys Access to housing a safe
embrace spaces free and public
spaces academic support
mentorship mental health
services Career pathways
The list goes on.
Arts funding does not live
alone and is linked to access
of libraries, parks and
recreation and youth and family
services.
This proposed budget does not
reflect the needs and the wants
of the San Diego community.
Our youth, guardians and elders
are most underinvested,
underrepresented, underserved
and vulnerable in our community
And I and I dare say we we want
a full restoration of arts and
culture funding and continued
funding for the Office of Child
and Youth Success an office
that we fought hard for to come
into fruition along with
the San Diego Child and Youth
Plan.
Even amidst the potential
dismantling of this O.S. Y if
the Office is planning a youth
summit for next week JUNE 3rd
we were literally meeting like
12 hours ago to plan this youth
summit.
Our youth network is an arts
partner and we are trying to
convene at least 150 200 plus
youth for this summit next week
.
>> The other partners again I'm
going to include in Game Face
Davis Heart.
>> Thank you for that community
center.
Please invest in the arts, our
communities and then if I are
waiting for you you can ask
Desiree Clark Miller to raise
your hand.
Thank you so much.
I do believe these are dupes
but I'm just going to read them
into the record.
Alex Decker I believe you
already spoke Alex Bazooka with
time ceded by Christie and
Frank I don't see anybody here.
Shawn Foote I also believe
Shawn Foote is a dupe a
duplicate Marshall Marshall
Salgado if you can please come
up to the microphone.
Marshall As I recall after that
we have Theresa Mill caricature
catch Real Sarah Large Ramel
Wallace Danny Ah as a Arizona
if you can please all come up
to the front row as well as
Jesse Mark Chess and Oliphant
Oliphant Please proceed Thank
you for the opportunity to
speak.
I'm the momager to two
professional theater kids here
in San Diego.
Arts spending is not a luxury.
It's a lifeline.
When our son Danny was
struggling in third grade with
a speech impediment and
anxiety, the San Diego Opera
gave him a chance to perform at
the Civic Theater.
That experience transformed his
confidence and sparked a love
of creativity that school never
could.
Since then the old Globe San
Diego musical theater and
Cygnet theater have been safe
havens for him places where he
learns empathy and hope even
during frightening times.
Research shows that communities
investing in arts see stronger
civic engagement, better mental
health and economic vitality.
Cutting arts budgets removes
spaces that help children like
my son discover their worth.
I ask that you please restore
full funding to the arts so
every child like my child can
experience Full Life-Changing
power of theater.
It is life saving.
Please Mayor Gloria please City
Council Restore full funding
Thank you for that concluding
comment Teresa.
Teresa Mel are you here?
>> It's very simple Kerry Kerry
are you here?
>> Katrina co2 are I Oh no
Sarah a large Good evening
everyone.
My name is Sarah Large.
I live in District seven and I
work at District nine at Moxie
Theater.
I'm here today to address
concerns in the proposed budget
regarding public safety
research indicates that arts
rich neighborhoods are the top
25% in terms of public safety
and have the lowest rates of
juvenile delinquency Arts rich
communities have 18% less
serious crime.
Social cohesion key in reducing
violence is built by arts and
culture participation.
The proposed funding cuts are a
public health and public safety
issue directly opposed to
the priorities laid out by
the mayor.
This lack of understanding is
frankly baffling.
If we want safer streets and
stronger neighborhoods then
funding arts and culture is
smart responsible public policy
decision grounded in evidence
that puts the well-being of our
community first.
>> Thank you.
>> That was there a large Ramel
Wallace Danny I Rosa Danny I
Rosa No Jessie Marching Jessie
You have time ceded to you by
Jenny Case Thank you so much.
>> You'll have two minutes.
>> Please proceed.
Good evening.
My name is Jessie Markazi.
This is Jenny Case.
We're residents, cultural
workers and we represent
diversionary theater
the nation's third oldest lgbtq
plus theater one of very few in
the nation.
We operate out of University
Heights and Council District
three I stand here today
because the arts saved my life
and gave me purpose.
I became an arts administrator
to serve my community in
the exact same way The proposed
devastating obliteration of
arts and culture funding
slashing grants that sustain
vital programs will have
catastrophic impacts on our
communities.
Take our work at Diversionary
where we serve thousands of at
risk lgbt plus youth and elders
with completely free programing
in our current national
political climate where lgbtq
plus issues are being
aggressively erased from school
curriculums, Our free programs
are a literal lifeline for
youth for our lgbtq plus
seniors many who live alone.
We provide one very few spaces
for vital socialization and
intergenerational learning.
We partner with libraries,
community centers and local
service organizations that aid
veterans the unhoused and those
fighting addiction.
All of these partners are
facing devastating service
rollbacks and the arts are a
crucial thread in the fabric of
this social support.
By cutting this funding you are
cutting the very soul of San
Diego.
Meanwhile, raising the police
budget and surveillance budget
by millions in the name of
public safety is a severe
misstep.
More police on the streets do
not create safety.
What creates public safety
Accessible arts and culture
Libraries, parks and community
centers operating at full
capacity well funded programs
for our youth, our elders and
our unhoused neighbors create
public safety.
I urge you to reject these
shortsighted cuts and pursue
progressive revenue strategies.
Other cities have figured it
out realign this budget with
true community values and
restore full funding for arts
and culture in the final fiscal
year 27 budget.
>> Thank you Doug Oliphant Doug
.
>> Hi everyone.
My name is Doug Oliphant and I
speak on behalf of more than
ten San Diego based arts and
culture organizations that are
firm coastal nonprofit
consulting partners with to
find funding across the sector.
Funding has already been
stretched thin.
Federal support has vanished,
corporate giving has softened
and our annual donors
the Middle class of
philanthropy continue to shrink
And the one source of funding
that arts organizations have
been able to rely on each year
is the city of San Diego
through programs like osp and
ccsd.
And these programs are
the backbone of a healthy
funding ecosystem for a
nonprofit.
If eliminated, the funding
won't be replaced by private
foundations or major donors.
Instead we're going to see
programs cut, staff laid off
and communities especially
those with the least access
left behind.
And worse, we risk reshaping
nonprofit missions to serve a
narrow set of funders instead
of the people of San Diego Arts
and culture are not a line item
two zero out.
>> Thank you for that
concluding comment Lauren
Lauren Lockhart.
Katrina Bruins Katrina as we
make our way up just a reminder
Tim and Jennifer Wallace Rose
Lombardo Kevin Corbett's role
Salamanca Carol Stephenson and
I believe this is a duper Julia
Peltz If you can all please
come up to the yellow reserved
seats.
Please proceed.
>> Good evening everyone.
My name is Katrina and I am a
resident and employee of
District two and I'm happy to
serve in the Arts and Culture
District through my role at
Visions Museum of Textile Art
in Liberty Station And I have
seen a lot of progress over
the last couple of years in
arts and culture for San Diego
first and being a leader
through the world design
capital and then creating
the creative Cities plan And it
would be such a mess to use
the momentum from those
opportunities as the world is
looking at us as we gain
attention because of the arts
and culture from this city to
turn around and cut off funding
for those programs we are
implementation partners all of
those that are in this room of
that Creative City plan.
It's really something that we
believe in as well and it's
something that the city has
already invested time and
energy and resources into
creating.
So we're just asking you to
continue to restore the funding
for arts and culture so we can
continue to implement what
the city has already promised
to the community through that
plan.
>> So please help us doing
that.
Thank you so much.
Thank you Tim.
>> San Diego is not a sanctuary
city As long as we contract
with companies that don't value
our data, our data it's bad
enough that we have mass
surveillance.
It's worse that we're
contracting with companies that
have poor records.
I am sick and tired of losing
students in my classroom
because their parents are
afraid to bring them to my
classroom.
I am sick and tired of students
in my classroom not being able
to pay attention because
they're worried about what's
going to happen to their
parents.
It is unacceptable.
It's costing us $2 million and
you've seen all the better
things that we can be spending
it on.
It does nothing to address
poverty, nihilism or isolation
which are your causes of crime.
Let's do better.
Jennifer Wallace.
>> Good evening.
My name is Jennifer Wallace.
After a four decade career as
an opera singer in California
including with San Diego Opera,
I now serve as assistant
regional director for
the American Guild of Musical
Artists, the Union of Opera
Concert and Dance Workers in
the United States.
These cuts will hurt San Diego
far beyond the arts community.
People attending performances
and other events eat at local
restaurants, shop at nearby
businesses, pay for parking and
stay in local hotels.
The arts help keep local
businesses and neighborhoods
alive.
A cut of this magnitude is not
something the arts community
can absorb.
The Creative City plan adopted
just last year committed to
growing San Diego as quote an
international hub for arts,
culture and creativity.
That vision cannot become
reality while eliminating
funding that supports.
Thank you for the thank you
remark.
Rose Lombardo, Rosie of time
seated to you by and I'll tell
her Thank you.
Two minutes Please proceed.
Good evening.
My name is Rose Lombardo.
I am the principal flutist of
the San Diego Symphony.
I moved here from across
the country 15 years ago in
2012 to be a part of this world
class arts community in San
Diego.
The proposed cut to arts
funding would harm a sector
that supports thousands of
local jobs, drives $1.8 billion
in tourism and provides vital
education and community
programs.
>> As you heard tonight at
the Symphony alone.
Our learning community and
engagement programs reached
over 51,000 individuals during
this past season through free
school programs, free ticket
programs, free community
concerts, family programing,
public park activations and
more.
I recently also performed at
the Moores Cancer Center where
we saw patients and doctors
come together for an hour of
free music.
The arts do not just entertain
the heal they connect and they
strengthen our community.
Arts funding is a vital
investment with measurable
returns and human impact.
I urge you to restore in full
the funding for arts and
culture in order to sustain
the arts that make San Diego a
place that we are all proud to
call home.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you, Kevin.
>> Kevin Gilbert's think that's
a dope as well.
Raul Salamanca.
>> I also have some time That
was just given to me by
Elizabeth and Dennis.
>> I have her speakers up so I
will make sure to send it to
you.
You'll have two minutes.
Thank you for raising your hand
.
Good evening, Mayor and council
members.
My name is Raul Salamanca.
I am the founder, ceo and
artistic director of Golden
State Ballet and Golden State
Ballet Academy And I'm a
resident of District nine.
The last time I stood before
you I warned that cuts to
the arts and culture funding
would have a real economic
consequence to our city.
Today I'm here to tell you that
those consequences already are
happening.
After that meeting our board
and leadership team had to make
a difficult financial
decisions.
Of the four productions that we
plan on performing next season
,only one will be able to
remain in the city of San
Diego.
The three other productions
will move to other cities
because we simply cannot risk
the uncertainty surrounding
future funding.
That means three full weeks, 3
or 4 weeks where our dancers
audiences, patrons will not be
here supporting our local
restaurants, paying for parking
,filling theaters and
contributing to the economy
that the arts support.
And I know that we're not
the only organization making
those really tough decisions.
If we continue trying to solve
this budget crisis by cutting
the arts, we risk deepening
the very economic problems that
we are trying to solve.
San Diego deserves to be known
as a city that invests in its
future not one that settles for
only the bare minimum.
Or as I heard recently
essentials just bare
essentials.
Please reconsider these cuts to
the arts and culture.
Please do so.
It could be a wild idea if you
could invest in us.
If you would take that money
that you would give to that to
this to the city or the cops
and flock invested in us will
pay it back tenfold.
We're going to be here next
year talking about how we have
a 400 million deficit, not 120.
I've spent my whole life doing
this.
>> Please believe in us.
I have 35 years of experience.
We can do better.
Thank you, Mayor.
>> Thank you, Council members.
Thank you.
Carol Stephenson.
>> Good evening.
My name is Carol Stephenson.
I live in District one and I'm
a member showing up for racial
justice in San Diego.
Real safety is being around
people you trust.
A safe community prioritizes
the places and activities that
help us build that trust with
one another.
So places like parks and
libraries activities like youth
services and the arts do all
that.
So knowing our neighbors and
our neighborhoods goes much
farther than tracking people
anonymously from surveillance
cameras.
And investments in people are
the actual proven foundations
of safety.
So I urge you to defund
the Foxx Alper Infrastructure
contract fully restore
allocations for arts and
culture and fully restore
the library budget.
Protect our communities by
funding community care.
>> Thank you, Carol.
Julia Peltz I believe that's a
dupe Julianne.
Hannah Park if you can please
come up to the microphone.
>> Hannah Park After that
Daniel Gutierrez in a shirt.
>> Richard Provence you Mustafi
Al hum.
Mostafa please come forward to
the yellow reserved seats.
Jon Light and Divya debate
about Taboo and Karina Vega as
well as Lilly King.
Please come up to the yellow
reserved seats.
Please proceed.
Hello City Council member and
Mayor Todd Gloria, thank you so
much for your time tonight.
My name is Hannah Park.
I'm a resident of District
seven and also a member of
the local arts community.
I'm not going to say anything
new here but I just want to
bring your attention to
the matter of public trust
here.
It's been highlighted that
the city has major structural
issues with the budget that
date back many years and it
struggles to generate new
revenue sources and a large
part of that is due to a lack
of public trust.
I want you to consider
the decisions that you're
making with this upcoming
budget and the people that are
listening and looking at you to
see if we actually can trust
you.
So please consider that Please
consider your constituents and
please restore arts and culture
funding.
Thank you.
Daniel Gutierrez.
>> In a challenging fiscal year
the city prioritized courser
services residents rely on
every day.
When was the last year that was
not fiscally challenging?
>> I don't know how this how is
this an acceptable reason?
This has been the state of all
since I can remember
institutions that cut funding
from today will not be there
tomorrow.
I don't know how many more
people have to tell you 47.2
million for us this overtime
budget.
>> Three libraries are moving
from Tuesday to Saturday.
>> Thank you.
You know Regina, why and why I
and a Richard prevention.
You have people ceding your
time if they can please raise
their hand.
Chelsea Owen She loved oak and
Jimmy Love it.
Thank you.
We'll have two minutes.
Please proceed.
What's up, Council?
What's up, everybody?
Thanks for sticking it out
here.
Want to shout out the youth
that are making out here and
getting involved in local
politics.
It's never been more important
than it is today.
I want to say that I'm not here
to push for a restoration of
the arts and library and parks
and rec budget.
I'm here for saying it's
already way too low.
So just just let me give you
show a little bit of background
on me.
I'm a veteran.
I struggle with ptsd but I also
am a cpa and I did that for a
better part of a decade.
So I have a little bit of
expertise in the area.
So just some quick numbers for
you.
Um, the arts budget was around
$13 million and the general
fund itself is $2.251 billion.
So quick math that's not even a
full percent That's a.59
percent of the general fund is
the arts budget.
Now if we go back to the police
budget that is 725 million uh,
that is that is 32% of
the general fund there.
>> So a third of the budget.
So I don't understand why we're
we're even having this
conversation Like if we need
money let's go to the biggest
slice and cut it from there.
Also I think it's interesting
that we're not allowed to see
the details of the police
budget.
There's regularly there are
multi million dollar
settlements for negligence
wrongful deaths.
>> Is that is that baked into
the budget And if so, why is
that okay You know the budget
for the police in 2021 was $580
million and now we're already
$145 million increase in just
seven years.
Why are we talking about $13
million for the arts right now?
Why aren't we talking about why
Why is the police budget so big
and we can't even look at
the details?
>> Thank you for that
concluding sentence.
Most of it by the way if you
can come up to the microphone
and you have people sitting
your time Aisha Blackwell Yes,
ma'am.
>> You'll have two minutes.
Please proceed.
First want to start off with
saying thank you for having me
here.
All right.
Good evening.
Council members Mayor Gloria.
My name is Mostafa Elgin and I
am 20 years old coming here.
I was born in Iraq Baghdad.
I am an American citizen.
The bombs, the chaos, the fear
no kitchen ever known.
I came to America for safety.
>> But just nine days ago on
MAY 18th the safety was
shattered when three innocent
men I mean Abdullah, my dear
not in our world were murdered
in a car shooting in their
stomachs that drove San Diego.
This isn't just a muslim issue.
This is a San Diego issue
Black, Latino, Asian, white
Arab, indigenous.
>> Every ethnicity in this city
is walking very tall, glorious
.
>> How can we even trust you?
How can I as a muslim American
Iraqi female trust.
>> How does a 20 year old who's
already survived the war I'm
tired of the same old
priorities that leave working
families exposed.
Every ethnicity you San Diego,
the black mother in
the Southeast Latino family in
Barrio Logan, the Asian elders
in Kearny Mesa, the Muslim
youth, the city heights we all
pay taxes and we all deserve
real protection.
>> How can we be trusted with
our safety when this budget
still doesn't prioritize towns
?
And the next tragedy?
I demand this council and you
Todd Gloria to use this f y 22
as a 2027 budget to restore and
expand funding for community
policing focused on hate crime
prevention create a dedicated
grant program for security
measures, all houses of worship
and community centers Christian
Jewish and Muslim and Buddhist
every religion.
>> Thank you for that
Concluding this is a 20 year
old pulling gift for you
slightly.
And I'm not mad at you because
you are there.
>> Thank you for that
concluding sentence.
John Locke.
>> Good evening Council members
.
My name is John Lott and I work
at uc San Diego Health.
And I've seen how recent
disruptions in research funding
have had repercussions that
will take years to recover
from.
Even where funding was
restored, researchers once laid
off cancer easily be condemned
to return.
Medical studies can't be placed
on pause.
Similarly our arts and culture
our arts, culture and youth
programs are living
institutions.
They must be fed and cared for.
They are not light switches
that can just be flicked off
and back on even if the idea is
to cut funding for only a year
or so to get the budget back on
track, programs will end and
institutions will decay.
And yet these cuts, severe as
they are, will not address
the underlying economic
conditions that created this
deficit.
Deficit spending to invest in
our culture and an economy is
not catastrophic.
It's not a fringe idea.
It's mainstream economics.
The federal deficit spending is
6% of gdp here in San Diego.
>> It is 0.04% of our regional.
Thank you for that Concluding
comment.
>> Divya.
>> Good evening council
members.
I'm the well developed founder
of a music and dance nonprofit
Near Entry and our mission is
to enable an inner awakening
and inspire a collective shift
in human consciousness through
the transformative power of
art.
I'm here today to speak as a
human whose life was
transformed only because art
was a part of my life since I
was four.
I also happen to have a degree
in electrical engineering from
usc and spent a few years
working in Sorrento Valley in
Tech.
But honestly none of that made
sense because my heart was
always in art which is why I
gave it all up.
Art made me a sensitive and
loving human being and gave me
something so intangible that no
degree or high paying salary in
tech could ever give.
I worked at ucsd Dance
Department as a teacher and as
a teaching artist with several
other nonprofits in the city
including arts education,
Connect Indian fine art and
the only words that I've
consistently heard was budget
cuts, budget cuts and budget
cuts.
And nothing has changed its
2026 today.
Thank you for that concluding
statement, Karina Vega Karina
Vega District eight Code Pink
Forecast and Otay Mesa
Collective.
I would hope that as council
members and representatives of
your constituents here in San
Diego that you would want to
uphold our safety and
well-being.
Fox surveillance does not make
nor keep us safe for being used
by a terrorist entity like ice
who are being trained by Israel
using the same intimidating,
torturing, and murdering
tactics that the iaf uses on
Palestinians in their own
homeland does not make us see
this weaken.
Delaney Ice injured peaceful
protesters and arrested medics
providing aid to them for
exercising their rights and
advocating for the rights of
humans inside these
concentration camps.
We have one of those
concentration camps here called
the Ultimate Detention Center
Contributing more money to
the lapd and ice would
encourage that same brutality
for us who have been visiting
these brothers and sisters
being detained at all times
against surveillance that does
not keep us safe but be made
possible through data sensors
that encourage heat waste and
generate more pollution thermal
energy equivalent to multiple
atomic bombs daily does not
make a to invest in the arts.
The is the doppelganger for
the concluding statement Lily
Like when you have time seated
or maybe speaking with you by
Dingdong Quinn.
Thank you.
>> You'll have two minutes on
the clock.
Please proceed.
Good evening, Council members.
My name is Lily Quinn and I'm
the PRESIDENT And founder of
the Point Circle, a youth youth
led nonprofit.
I'm also a sophomore at
the Bishop's School and a 15
year old dancer.
I am here tonight in favor of
restoring the arts and culture
budget.
I've been training in dance
since I was four years old and
the arts have shaped my entire
life.
They have given me confidence,
discipline and an irreplaceable
community.
>> I'm so grateful to have even
the San Diego Civic Theater
just down the street holds some
of my dearest memories.
In 2023 I performed as Clara in
The Nutcracker with the Golden
State Ballet Academy.
There.
Maybe some of you even watched
me.
It felt so exhilarating to
finally be fulfilling my dreams
since I was a little girl.
One that I know is shared
amongst many other young girls
as well because the arts have
given me so much I wanted to
give something back.
That's why I founded the Point
Circle through dance music and
other art forms.
We are able to contribute back
to our community.
We performed for seniors with
Alzheimer's and dementia,
organized annual holiday
performances for families at
the Rady Children's Hospital.
And established our own
Ballerina storytime programs at
public libraries in Carmel
Valley, our Carmel Mountain and
so many more.
There are library events.
Our goal is to share that joy
the arts brings to us with kids
who might never otherwise see a
live dance performance or hear
a live concert.
By bringing the performing arts
to these spaces.
We make it accessible to
families who cannot afford
expensive tickets.
By cutting this $11.8 million
you are closing doors to
thousands of kids.
You're telling our future
generation and leaders that
creativity, culture and
community programs do not
matter.
Arts funding is not a luxury.
It's essential to our
community's well-being and
further development.
Thank you so much.
Thank you, Adriana.
Adrian Paulson.
>> Please come up to
the microphone After that will
be Rohan Knowles Adria Olvera,
Paul Supa, Valentino Rodriguez
and Rene Rios.
If you can all please come up
to the yellow reserved seats as
well as John Badri, John Brady
and Audra Morgan.
Please proceed.
Just two hours ago I graduated
from one of as one of the most
accomplished students in my
program from the San Diego
School of Creative and
Performing Arts.
I have spent the last eight
years attending arts schools
and being as immersed in
educational theater as
possible.
Pretty soon I plan to enter
the technical theater industry
or for a lifelong career in
the industry.
>> But what am I supposed to do
if those theaters are defunded?
I intend to use that money I
earn from those jobs to pay for
college.
But what do you want me to do
if they can't employ me?
Most jobs will take one look at
my disability and turn me away.
But I have committed myself to
the one path or to the path out
of very few employees that will
actually they're actually
willing to look past that
considering I am incredibly
good at what I do and I have
years of experience, two years
of hard work to prove that art
is my only reliable option for
success.
I've worked immensely hard to
build strong foundation for my
future in a way I simply would
not be able to in any other
industry.
And these budget cuts feel akin
to the city Jack hammering that
foundation while I stand on it
because it does not care if I
slip through the cracks.
>> Is it is it for you to put
the likelihood of myself and so
many others like me in
desperate time Or should I just
drive back to my school and
inform all of my graduating?
I do have to be fair.
>> You can definitely email
your comments.
Rohan Knowles Hi, my name is
Rohan Knowles art in San Diego
has always been the heart and
culture of our city.
I myself danced for six years
with San Diego Civic Youth
Ballet and during that time I
learned the importance of dance
,perseverance and
the importance of having
freedom and creative
self-expression which some of
you might need as well.
Cutting our funding will harm
nonprofit organizations like
stc, y, b and the families they
serve.
It is a bad luck for the city
to be cutting something that
actively helps our city instead
of focusing on the issues that
we need to solve.
Homelessness.
>> Why are we spending all of
our money on the police
department?
I am a high schooler telling
you this It feels stupid for me
to be here so late at night
when you guys can't do your
jobs.
You need to start taking action
Responsibility for yourselves.
>> It's embarrassing.
Do better for your city.
>> Andrea Olvera.
Andrea, are you here?
>> Paul Super.
Good evening.
City Council Mary Todd Gloria.
Overwhelmingly citizens have
stood before you tonight with a
mandate to restore the arts and
culture budget.
You can do so simply by
rescinding the $15 million
police budget increase for
2027.
>> The people have
overwhelmingly spoken.
We do not want a surveillance
state.
Floc has cost 12.5 million over
five years.
It has been sued recently MARCH
20th, 26 for privacy violations
in the Jaworski class action
lawsuit.
It is illegal.
We need to do better.
We respectfully in conclusion
we need to get the flock out of
here.
We don't give a.
Restore the arts.
We don't give a.
Restore the arts.
We don't give a.
Restore the arts.
>> Thank you.
Valentino Rodriguez.
>> Good evening.
Council members email Gloria
Green Everyone knows my name is
Valentino.
I am a Navy veteran with over
60 years of service and
continued service as
the outreach coordinator for
bsd Beach's village of San
Diego.
When out in the community we
are the community partners like
Path in Law Enforcement heart
teams.
When I come across an unhoused
veteran I provided with
the resources and housing
options we have at our campus.
Veterans are provided with
employment, medical, mental
health resources three meals
daily just to name a few.
That said, I oppose
the Warriors plan to use
millions of dollars to take
over spaces designated to house
our veterans to get
the treatment that they need to
find the stability that they so
seek.
>> Thank you for your
attention.
I sometimes I'm sorry your time
has gone.
Veterans currently occupy.
I'm sorry.
Remember your time has
concluded.
You can definitely email your
comments to City Clerk and San
diego.Gov and they will be
distributed out.
Rene Rios.
Good evening Council members.
Mayor Gloria.
My name is Rene Rios and I
served in the United States
Navy for 24 years.
I currently serve as
the program manager at Veterans
Village of San Diego.
I work directly with veterans
and their families helping them
move toward stable permanent
housing and rebuilding their
lives with dignity and support.
I respectfully oppose
the mayor's proposed $2.3
million allocation to take over
Veterans Village of San Diego
campus.
We don't need your help over
veterans.
Our veteran community comes to
us seeking stability, structure
and hope.
The sudden disruption threatens
buildings 45 year mission of
serving those who served our
country and can result in
the displacement of veterans
currently occupying our beds
and participating in life
changing programs.
>> Thank you.
A complete concluding sentence
John Brady.
Are you here?
John Brady Audra Morgan.
Oh, you put Audra Morgan on
their speakers.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Allegedly.
Audra, please come forward.
After that we'll have to.
Alexander Catherine?
No, a gold.
Do you know Starbuck Smith,
Rebecca Nolan and Josh Clark?
Please start making your way to
the front row.
Please proceed.
I find it ironic, Todd, that
you're cutting the arts when
you spend money of hours on
your nice little music videos
like Todd Gloria Is that da
Gloria Is that right?
And all the single ladies.
Those are good ones.
So I'm wondering if you're
starting to think about your
next music video and it's going
to be called something about
your maybe I don't give a
block.
Right.
Because you're going to
potentially bring in more of
this surveillance which this
whole mosque shooting should be
Telltale signs that your P.R.
Doesn't work as you follow some
people supposedly to Mission
Valley while they were shooting
up a mosque.
Okay.
So that should be proof that it
should actually be cut.
But you're going to use that as
an opportunity to say, well,
there were gaps We weren't able
to follow them completely.
So we're going to need to put
this all over the place So you
guys better buckle up because
things are going to get real
really quick And it's great to
see people coming in and
filling the house like this
because eventually the people
are going to do it cause you're
going to start to see that
they're not good stewards of
our money and that they're
trying to put us in a digital
prison.
>> Time has concluded.
Stella Kissinger.
>> Hi.
I just graduated from the San
Diego School of Creative and
Performing Arts.
That school gets funding from
the Apple Foundation which is
being cut.
I would not be here today in a
very real sense without these
programs.
I am a member of the Playhouse
Teen Council.
I was recently possibly suny
ambassador.
I did internships with the Old
Globe.
I am so linked with theater in
San Diego and I would not be
here today without them.
You guys talked earlier about
tradeoffs about what you needed
to get rid of so that you could
balance the budget.
I am here asking you today
would you trade my life that I
would have given up without
these programs so that you can
balance your budget.
I want you to answer that
question.
It is absolutely I am not
the daughter of a librarian.
It is absolutely irredeemable
that you would cut these
programs that people rely on
that kids rely on.
It is insane to me that I have
to stand here today and tell
you that art saves lives, that
libraries saved lives.
>> Kathryn Kathryn Pollitt
please come forward to the.
Katherine Paula.
Noah Gold.
Dino Starbuck Smith Rebecca
Noland.
Josh Clark.
Mike Miller.
Kenny Critic.
>> Sorry.
Let's go back a couple names.
I'm Josh Clark.
So please proceed.
MR. Kelley resident who
represented that district on
the city's bicycle advisory
committee from 2014 to 2018
where we worked with
the multimodal team as they
implemented the first protected
bikeways in the city they've
installed many more since all
extremely quickly, cheaply and
efficiently during repaving
projects citywide from Park
Village Drive and Peak to Del
Sol Boulevard In total nester
that infrastructure has
increased ridership and saved
lives.
There are more than 300 are
more than 600 miles of planned
bikeways in the city.
These are currently substandard
on dangerous streets used daily
by our kids and parents and
neighbors people who are
choosing to ride in people who
don't have another choice.
I'm asking you all to
prioritize retaining
the multi-modal team which is
$3 million in the f y 27 budget
so that they MAY continue their
expert redesigns of our
roadways making them safer for
all roadway users.
We have a climate action plan
target of 6% for all residents
first by bike by 2030.
Portland is the only major
metro who has achieved that and
they did it with a multimodal
team.
If we find Ares two we can beat
that target with high gas
prices e-bikes more protected
bikeways and four days of
sunshine.
Please note that contrary to
Catherine last call for
Catherine Paul it no a goal
Let's go for another goal.
Do you know Starbucks last
call.
Rebecca Nolan.
Rebecca Nolan Last Call Mike
Miller please come forward.
>> Let's talk numbers in order
to restore the arts grants.
The Office of Child and Youth
Success and Libraries not just
their hours but their services
and programs as well that would
cost the same amount of money
that the police budget is
increasing this year.
Restoring rec center hours
would cost the same amount of
money as the floor contract.
>> The thing with the police
budget is that as it has
increased year over year
the crime clearance rate has
decreased.
At the same time unlawful use
of force arrests and
discrimination has increased.
Those are numbers from their
glorious own budget document.
So don't tell me that this has
anything to do with community
safety.
And if you don't believe me,
believe the police officer
union PRESIDENT Who called this
budget prioritizing politics
over public safety and an
unacceptable way to run a
police department.
Thank you, Kenney.
>> Please come forward.
>> Hello everyone.
My name is Kenney Quidditch
resident in District three.
Council Members You must take
this opportunity to cancel
the city's contract with Floc.
The system is costly,
ineffective and a threat to
vulnerable communities And
frankly everyone we've seen
reports of these systems being
abused by police data, leaked
data shared intentionally with
federal agencies unlawfully And
now the fbi in a recent story
wants full access to 80 hours
across the entire country.
This level of surveillance is
outrageous and would make
George Orwell blush.
And by canceling this you get
$2 million in the budget to
allocate towards more worthy
causes.
Please join at least 68 other
cities as well as your
constituents in rejecting Floc
and hope our residents deserve
to be supported not surveilled.
>> Thank you.
Miller Ellison Miller please
come forward.
The microphone after that will
be my at Mya Stone in Phenix
Wing David Pearce.
>> Colleen Kimsey Andrea Lopez
Rivera.
>> Please proceed.
Good evening.
I'm a resident of District
three and I'm here to speak in
opposition to the proposed
budget revisions which are
insufficient for the needs of
our city.
The proposed budget includes a
multi million dollar contract.
I work in a local emergency
department and I see repeatedly
firsthand how quickly excessive
surveillance and police
presence can escalate a
situation and lead to a
horrible violence.
This over surveillance and
violence disproportionately
affects the most vulnerable can
be against which includes
racial minorities, folks and
homeless folks.
Furthermore, insufficient
evidence exists that mass
surveillance systems like pork
improve the safety of
communities that employ them.
With the police reporting a
less than 0.2% success rate
according to the Privacy
Advisory Board.
By contrast, evidence based
practices to improve public
safety include a robust network
of community support resources
including fully funded
libraries, rec centers and
homeless services In addition
to the arts and cultural
institutions like the San 15
Pride that kept San Diego to
character.
If the Council is serious about
closing the budget deficit
disingenuous and unethical to
commit to the contract and
increase police budget while
simultaneously cutting the art
and other.
>> Thank you for that
concluding sentence.
Maya Maya So here Maya with
Your Time by Kevin.
Kevin Dominello Did you want to
speak?
Okay.
Phenix win one minute of time
for me.
We'll go over there and get
the speaker.
So please proceed.
I'm here again because
the numbers didn't change and
I'm really disappointed So I
made the graph bigger for you
guys.
>> This revision was a complete
failure.
That's my first point I Three
points.
This vision was a complete
failure.
If someone stabs you and sticks
a knife six inches into your
chest and then pulls it halfway
out, do we thank them for
the progress they are making?
Do we thank them for the knife
heading in the right direction?
No.
You do not get a thank you.
This was a failed revision.
The knife is still in for
the arts and cultures.
I am sick of hearing MR. Monica
and the mayor talk about how
this addresses the budget
deficit when it does not.
I am a math tutor.
Let me teach you some math.
I did this to scale to
the nearest one tenth of an
inch for you guys based on your
own numbers.
I have it to scale where six
inches represents $50 million
and one inch is about $8
million of our budget.
>> Do you guys see this little
2.5mm?
That is the mayor of a country
that has 2.5mm.
Arts and culture is before
the cuts is one inch one and
two thirds of an inch.
After the cuts it is less than
a quarter of an inch.
Less than a quarter of an inch.
I had to measure that out with
a special type of ruler.
>> What's the police budget, I
wonder?
Here's this for the cameras.
You guys you guys been there?
>> The police budget to scale
is seven foot one inch and you
will increase it to seven foot
three inches.
Tom Gloria, would you like to
do the favor of cutting off
what's left of the arts and
culture program so you can tape
it to the end of the police
budget and tell us how you're
solving the deficit.
Your time has concluded.
>> You've been doing really
good.
Let's keep it up.
We got we still got how much
more?
Look, we have about an hour.
Another hour.
Let's get through it.
David Pierce.
David Pierce, are you here?
Colin Kimsey.
Wow.
Doesn't real art just make you
feel alive?
>> That was fantastic.
If they're cutting the things
that prevent crime and things
are getting more expensive what
They're investing in
surveillance cameras and cops.
It sounds like you guys just
want to lock us up.
Is that the plan?
Because I think that's the plan
coming from Washington And
maybe you guys are just going
with the path of least
resistance.
But that's what's been taking
us to fascism.
Now each of us gets one minute
to speak and we've been very
conscious of this time but I
think time is running out for
this system that proposes
cameras and police as our
solutions.
It gives us the ability to
imagine otherwise.
But the system I think time is
about to run out.
Andrea Lopez We it.
Good evening.
My name is Andrea.
I'm hungry.
I'm pregnant and I'm past my
bedtime to strongly oppose
the cut into arts and culture.
The production and staff two
libraries around the county and
the reduction of funding to
parks from the fiscal year 27
budget.
This budget is so egregious you
all have succeeded in having
hundreds of working people
sacrifice their work that
evening to sit here and say
what should be obvious to you
all.
A reduction to arts culture,
libraries and parks will not
only affect the lives of San
Diegans today but reverberate
into the future.
You are setting the precedent
that this city can function
without funding to the parts of
our community that are
explicitly dedicated to making
us human.
You must fully restore funding
to arts and culture.
As a writer and artist.
The last few years have been
devastating.
Again and again private sector
tech companies have pushed to
remove people from
the humanities offloading
the labor of creating art to
generative ai technologies.
But a city what is pretty fun
highlights what they believe
matters.
And this budget has spat in
the face of what the people of
San Diego needs.
We need to tax the extreme
wealth in the city and
demonstrate that the people who
matter are the ones who become
the ones thinking.
>> Rafael Rafael.
And then if Roger Rouse could
please come forward to speak to
my staff.
Roger Ralphs if you're still
here please come forward to
the.
Then please proceed.
I stand in solidarity with
the artists and creators of our
community.
I love living here but the city
representatives continue to
push for surveillance cameras
on every corner.
Reduce library hours and
gallery jobs and services
Continue to increase
the funding of their police
department and completely cut
off funding for its arts and
culture.
Those representatives are
telling the community that they
don't matter.
I just want to make sure to
remind the members, the members
of the council and the mayor
that without us the people
think it's Sabrina Anderson If
you can please come up to
the microphone after Sabrina we
have let this total garbage in.
Kendra Jones Laura Fleming
Fleming at Jim Whalen and Seth
Hall If you can all please come
forward to the yellow reserved
seats.
Sabrina, if you're here please
come up to the microphone.
No Sabrina with the microphone
.
>> Sabrina Anderson Let these
other up please Come up to
the microphone.
>> Good evening, City Council
and Mayor Gloria.
Before coming here tonight I
ask GOD to give me the strength
to bear the sorrows of what has
become of San Diego under this
administration.
My name is Lily Soto.
I'm the ceo of Brooklyn Dogs
And I come upon you humble and
full of faith of a Christian
soul looking for your mercy in
a desperate situation.
So please do not forsaken me.
I implore you City Council
please to enforce the ordinance
you pass to stop illegal street
vending.
Downtown has always been a
dangerous playground but it has
gotten worse.
But because of mishandled money
the budget shortfall again and
again all the departments are
suffering And this disturbs my
soul.
Budget cuts mean department
cuts means police cuts means no
enforcement to us Again and
again the public is in danger.
Please if you think about it
and you get the legal vendors
to pay fines and fees.
Thank you.
The city won't be tremendous
but I do want to move.
Thank you.
Gabby Chen Good evening.
My name is Gabby Chen and I'm a
resident of District three.
I moved here to San Diego to
pursue a career in the arts.
I've been fortunate enough to
work with many locals and a
theater group such as Trinity
Theater Company Diversionary
Theater at my house.
I also work as an educator at
the Fleet Center whose youth
education programs are now in
danger.
Many of our workshops take
place in libraries because
the libraries are not open.
We cannot do our jobs if we
don't have free museum days.
We will lose attendance from
lower income families who are
robbing your constituents and
citizens of vital educational
opportunities.
More pressing than a threat to
the livelihoods of artists
artisan educators is the threat
facing city youth.
So this budget be adopted?
Arts and culture funding is
essential.
It not only enriches citizen
but provides community
belonging and education to many
traditionally underserved
communities is abhorrent.
The 2 million millions of
dollars that could go to arts
and culture funding is proposed
to go to a city surveillance
that will ultimately be used to
harm them.
This money that could be used
to improve our community is
being put towards floor cameras
and blowing police budget would
be a grave mistake.
I urge the city you've got to
make it.
>> Thank you for that
concluding comment.
Kendra Jones.
>> Good evening.
My name is Kendra Jones.
i'm here to ask you to fully
restore our city library
budget.
My wife and I have lived and
voted in District five for
almost 30 years and have been
avid users of the San Diego
City Library System over this
time.
We visit our local branch
weekly.
We access materials both
digital and print that we check
out on a daily basis.
As a retired public school
teacher and a parent I have
personally seen the positive
effects of kids and families
that utilize our public
libraries.
In addition to checking out
books, our libraries offer
young people the chance to
socialize with others in a safe
and welcoming environment.
Learn to love books and
stories, receive tutoring and
homework help and through
programs like the Summer
Reading program.
Kids are motivated to become
educated lifelong learners who
are productive citizens of our
community.
Adults in our community are
bolstered by our libraries too.
We have personally we have
visited over 20 of their 37
branch libraries and we've seen
firsthand the very programs and
spaces that our library staff
have curated.
Keeping all of them open as
many hours as possible allow
diverse groups and individuals
to actually use the community
gathering meeting spaces that
our city built concluded Laura
.
Good evening.
My name is Laura Clevenger and
I'm a native San Diego and who
has lived here my entire life.
First I'd like to thank MR.
Woodburn for being one of
the three who listened to these
constituents and voted against
the parking fees of Apollo
Park.
I spent a lot of time there and
took advantage of the free
museums at the Free Tuesdays At
the museums.
I'm afraid that your budget
cuts will impact
the accessibility of these
resources for my three and a
half year old child to learn
from.
I brought my mom here with me
tonight and my son because my
husband is a union stagehand at
work and I'm also speaking on
his behalf since now he's off
work at home with my son.
So I know if you saw me earlier
I have my son as a long time
member of the House of Ukraine
as part of the House of
specific relations.
I worry that your budget cuts
will affect how the cottagers
will be able to provide their
cultural services to the public
at a time when there's great
strife in the world.
As some of you have witnessed
firsthand, the House specific
relations provides free
educational opportunities for
the general public and a sense
of community for its various
member countries.
>> Thank you.
Jim Whalen Jim Whalen are you
here?
Said Hall.
Thank you.
Council Seth Hall with
the Trust City Coalition.
Tonight I've heard several
ideas that are good for
redirecting funding back to osu
to arts and culture and other
community needs.
First for an example
the millions of increase to
the police budget should
absolutely be redirected to
these community needs.
The police department should
contribute to the public safety
needs of our city.
Money that funds the mayor's
communication staff a team that
does not serve the public and
which this Council has already
agreed should have its funding
cut could provide millions to
the needs of the community.
And finally lastly, cutting
funding for ineffective luxury
mass surveillance would send
millions back to the budget.
It would protect the budget
from even more surveillance
that they want to buy but that
they are not telling you about
.
It is the people of San Diego
that make us great.
We will be great.
We were great before mass
surveillance.
>> We will be great after you.
Thank you for that compelling
comment.
Lily Irani will your audience
please come forward?
Vincent style up please come
forward to the other reserve
seats.
Andy Lopez Please come forward.
DR. Jason Breslau Ski Thank you
for the comment.
The note Apollo Aquino and
Tammy Williams as well as
Anthony Ramos.
If you can all please come
forward to the yellow reserved
seats will you have time ceded
to you by Tamar Becker of Orono
And are you guys going to
manage your time?
Please proceed.
All right.
Hi.
I'm a district district three
Muslim and a professor at ucsd.
Our community faced immense
tragedy this last week Two
shooters who found belonging in
white supremacist forums
murdered three pillars of
the community brothers Amien
Mansour another.
I call on the city to find
spaces of belonging like we've
been hearing about here at
diversions from those spaces of
hate.
Npr not only failed but made
things worse when the parent
warned that their Islamophobic
anti-Semitic child is on
the run with guns, the police
used high tech toys to quote
chase the bad guys.
This is a Hollywood fantasy of
chase apprehension and saving
the day.
But the police arrived too late
at every turn.
Rather than chasing a license
plate, the police could have
been calling each community
center to warn them of
heightened threat.
Gates could have been shot.
Pd could have sent protective
patrols.
Instead they gave chase with
npr and neglected the real
source of safety relationships
rapid response information and
community controlled
protection.
The police will always be late
compared to communities
themselves.
i didn't overcome the laws of
physics pull for funding fund
prevention, no police injuries
and gross fines to stop
Islamophobia, actual
antisemitism and hate wherever
it comes.
>> My name is Tamar Becca
Varon, a resident of District
six and lead organizer of
Change begins with me and also
a member of the Trust
Coalition.
I wanted to make sure that
Leslie had enough time to speak
tonight.
I echo the critical point that
she made the tragic real time
demonstration that technology
was overriding human safety
last week.
The communities across
the country are realizing
the fact that surveillance
technology does not prevent
crises.
It misdirects funding.
And right now we're seeking
funding wherever we can find
it.
And floc contracts require
extensive expensive recurring
drains on our municipal funds.
By canceling these contracts we
can redirect them to address
the real needs of our community
including Statement of intent.
>> Stock up the remaining city
officials and the mayor.
My name is Vincent Stark.
I'm a native San Diego and
current resident in District
nine and I grew up in District
three In District four I
graduated from San Diego City
College at San Diego State
University where I'm a current
graduate student and I'm here
to speak on the inaccessibility
of public restrooms in the city
of San Diego.
And I want to specifically
speak on District three.
I don't know if you walked
around downtown.
I believe it must be a restroom
every five minutes but
especially in the East Village
area is definitely not
happening And we're talking
about cutting funding from
the no good day center and then
there's just no bathrooms out
there.
So I mean unless you want more
outbreaks, more people dying, I
suggest you do something.
There's been decades and
decades of reports, grand jury
reports In some ways this is a
persistent problem.
>> Please do something about it
before more people die.
Thank you.
Andy Lopez Good evening.
My name is Andy Hotel Lopez and
I'm part of Sanitation Justice.
I'm a research student and San
Diego State University.
I come to data actually to not
cut the budget for the bathroom
the libraries because those are
where the public bathrooms are.
So you're closing public
bathroom for you also cutting
the access that they already
have.
I also want to let you know
that it's not a luxury to have
these places but something
necessary.
>> I also the research that we
have done we see that
the bathroom gets closer to 3
to 5:00 one day around
the school so that access is
already being cut for these
students.
But most of all what I want to
bring to your attention is that
these kids are going to go into
places I was a victim of things
getting cut in New York City
when I was growing up and we
found ways to get in trouble
because we didn't have no other
places to go.
So this is what you want to
create for San Diego, the city
that saved me.
>> Thank you for that
concluding comment.
DR. Jason was last in.
>> Hi, my name is Jason.
I'm a resident of d-3.
I'm here to urge you to please
keep the multi-modal traffic
safety team funded at least
partially.
This wouldn't take money from
other services because
the Transportation Department
is already funded in this
budget.
This is just about priorities
within transportation.
I was here when the council
declared safety as
transportation's highest
priority.
The traffic safety team is only
2% of the transportation
budget.
If safety is truly the highest
priority I think we can
dedicate 2% of
the transportation budget to
safety even if that means
slightly fewer potholes filled
or less graffiti removed two
months ago We also had a
presentation here in chambers
about children and e-bike
safety.
Without a multimodal team there
will be no safe place for kids
to ride e-bikes.
The Bicycle master plan won't
get implemented and kids on
bikes will be stuck either on
the road in front of high speed
cars or on the sidewalks with
pedestrians.
Neither is acceptable.
>> So please find
the multi-modal team.
Thank you.
Apollo Arena Apollo.
Tammy Williams.
Thank you.
All.
Let's all take a breath.
I understand it's late.
I am time williams And after
your 1931 intern and
undergraduate I my official
position as chief of Advocacy
League professionals.
I'm asking you guys to maintain
funding as any arts and culture
instead of block and urge you
to pursue.
Urge you to pass on the funding
of looking to an independent
audit is being done on
the private company as we
suggested two years ago
concerning the terror attack
that occurred last week, I do
not believe luck would have
prevented that change that it's
events like DECEMBER night
programs like ozone wise these
meetings here that let us know
that that we can maintain that
we can foster community and
unity but the community should
not be up for discussion in San
Diego, not now and not ever.
We can be an example for United
States or we can be an example.
Thank you Anthony Ross Anthony
We also you hear people it's
see the time to him if they
would like to speak Gwendolyn
Garcia or Roger Ross join
tonight if you can please come
forward After Joy we have Karen
Alleluia Evan Burke Box Jillian
Quint Nicholas Landler Lungi
Casey o'Leary Montezuma and
Mary Soriano If you can all
please come up to the yellow
reserved seats Please proceed.
This is my second reading.
I am inspired by these words of
PRESIDENT John f Kennedy Ask
not what your country can do
for you as what you can do for
your country And of course all
of you are at the very top of
our city's organization chart
Our city has a structural
budget deficit.
Here are my inspired words to
all of you Ask not what your
city can do for you.
Ask what you can do for your
city That's the end of my
second reading.
Yeah I support this budget.
I support this budget because
of the participation of all of
you and all of you.
>> That is why I'm here.
Thank you and love you all.
Thank you, Karen My name is
Karen Olivia.
I'm an illustrator from
District seven who grew up in
District four.
The very possibility of this
drastic cut told me that you
don't see us but you don't
understand who artists are and
what we do.
But we are economic drivers.
We encourage spending, draw
audiences from all over
the world and create jobs.
If you go through with this cut
you irreversibly damage our
entire creative ecosystem and
not just nonprofits but
individual artists like me, my
accessible art community, small
business and more because all
of us are connected.
Invest in us though and we will
always give back Also artists
also teach people how to think
critically empathize with other
than imagine better systems and
then air join future in a
divided political climate we
need these human skills
artistry investments for
the future Listening to all
your people speak what more do
you need to hear?
We're tired of being treated
like an afterthought and having
to fight for our sustainability
year after year despite how
much we contribute to the good
health of our city.
Please show us that you stand
for our story and for funding.
>> Thank you for concluding
Sentence Evan Berg.
Hi my name is Evan Burke.
I am in District three.
Despite having two hours
advance notice and a
multi-million dollar flock
surveillance system, police
completely fail to reduce
casualties nine days ago.
Yet the mayor chose to praise
the police for bringing this
threat to an end.
>> To be clear, despite
receiving one third of our
budget look at me, Todd.
>> They did not.
Time after time we watch our
money go towards punishment
instead of prevention we suffer
in a vicious cycle where police
failures are always an excuse
to raise their budget While
the successes of our parks
libraries and programs are
never enough to save them.
But what keep us safe are
libraries where people can
learn instead of be
indoctrinated into neo-Nazi
cults or the arts where they
can learn to express emotions
without violence.
And yet that is what is cut in
the name of austerity.
Thank you.
Those of you who force this
Orwellian surveillance system
upon us will never be able to
refund our money in Some of you
will not even be here.
But you can restore our privacy
and stop the bleed.
>> Kill two birds with one
stone and block box.
>> Hi.
Good evening, Council members
and mayor.
My name is Bo and I am
the deputy director at the San
Diego Youth Symphony.
I live and work in District
three.
My colleagues Kate and Samir
were here just weeks ago
accepting a proclamation for
our 80th anniversary.
That longevity is only possible
with sustained support from
public investment.
San Diego is home to many
talented, dedicated, inspiring
young musicians with limitless
potential.
Cuts to arts and culture
funding will impact negatively
now and for many years to come
.
The students in our programs
are not just the city's future
musicians.
They will be teachers.
They'll be researchers.
They'll be doctors.
Administrative professionals.
They will be civic leaders in
this very chamber.
>> Arts and culture is an
investment in the future of San
Diego and I ask you to restore.
Thank you for that concluding
comment.
26 level Jillian went.
>> Good evening Mayor and
council.
I am with the San Diego River
Power Foundation.
Thank you council PRESIDENT For
leading discussions on the West
Valley River crossing this
month.
Over 120 community members have
submitted letters urging you to
reopen the ip using developer
impact fees because this
project expands alternative
transportation capacities
across districts two, three,
seven and nine.
It does align with the core
intent of these funds using
the general fund dollars ensure
we do not compete with but
rather connect to libraries and
parks and work centers and
transit.
Allocating this targeted seed
money of 750,000 for the 30%
design engineering study is
the key needed to draw down
millions in federal matching
dollars and state advancing
this project into design as a
high leverage move the city can
make this year towards reaching
climate action goals and
turning a safety gap into a
continuous safe line for our
communities.
The momentum is clear and
the funding exists.
Please be open to the ip for
the West Valley River crossing
.
>> Nicholas Landler.
The taller one is better though
because tomorrow I'm a
constituent of District two.
I was born and raised in
Claremont.
I'm San Diego forever and I'm
asking why are we putting out
the block?
There's going to be no reason
several people can go outside.
The arts are getting cut.
Restaurants are going away.
Over half of the Russians
the mission.
They're going to work there.
Why are we taken away?
We should make the most of it.
The 24 what seems to be 24 hour
restroom grounds are at
the bottom of the building open
.
Right now we have our restrooms
so we get more arts and things
.
Andrea who?
>> Good evening.
Good evening, Council members.
I am a artist living in
District one in District six.
I am standing here as a
representative of more than 200
artists from San Diego Museum
of Art to Guild saving more
than $10 million today by
wiping out arts funding is
choice and you cannot afford
local creative creative economy
generates more than 1 billion
in a common economic activity
every single year and brings in
more than 100 million in tax
revenue.
This giant financial engine
simply cannot be ignored.
We are already facing a talent
drain due to a shortage of
support for our contemporary
art scene and we are losing
more of bright new art school
graduates to Los Angeles at
this moment.
I witnessed this happening at
South California from a
trilingual collector base City
grants as the essential
foundation to change the state
attract private financial
dollars such as the 13.4
million merger.
Thank you for that concluding
statement.
Tracy o'Leary Montezuma.
>> Hi I'm Casey o'Leary
Moctezuma with ac Mayor Gloria
Councilmembers Councilmember
Moreno I have lived here in San
Diego for 21 years in Council
District eight in Sherman
Heights.
And I urge you to please vote
against San Diego budget that
would defend the arts.
The arts are critical to all
citizens and the wonderful
mosaic that makes San Diego a
destination city whether it's
the symphony, the Balboa
Digital cinema.
These all count.
I'm a citizen of Sherman
Heights that does not walk so
does not walk.
I do not drive.
So I appreciate the walkability
of the city And I remember
growing up in the Bay Area and
how the introduction of
the arts shaped who I am as an
individual.
By defunding the arts you're
creating a ghost city And this
also affects different areas of
the city such as hospitality.
>> Thank you for your Thank you
Mary Serrano After Mary we have
Cody Ingram Please come out to
the Ella Reserve seats Nicole
Burgess, Megan Ibarra, Ray
Carmel Martin and Alice
Bergman.
Please proceed with that.
>> Be two minutes.
I had one minute for you to I
didn't have a seated time on
your speaker so I got to see
the time you can proceed.
>> I'll figure it out while
you're speaking.
Okay?
Mary Fernando PRESIDENT La Hoya
Town Council First I want to
add this to the mayor.
I know this is difficult and I
can see it weighs heavy on you
but please take this as just an
opportunity to listen to
the people for your what almost
last year What 2028 Sorry but
please do take this opportunity
as that.
Thank you.
City Council members.
Fire!
Crash!
Boom.
Where are the firefighters?
Where are they?
They're busy managing dry bush
on city land.
They are busy with planning.
Evacuate for community
outreach.
The city consolidated their
duties.
Consolidating or cutting fire
department officer duties
doesn't just affect response
times.
It affects lives.
What is the real cost of
understaffing Those who run
towards danger so we can
evacuate safely?
La Hoya Recreation Center cut
from full hours to 40 hours.
That $77,000 in savings against
$140 million deficit.
What is your if it's still 120
but I heard 140.
>> The math doesn't justify
the impact.
>> Our ask before any final
vote.
Please assure La Hoya families
and other community ees who
enjoy the rec center by the sea
meets with Council in San Diego
Parks and Rec.
We are ready to be partners in
finding solutions.
>> Thank you.
Thank you.
And you had your c j time you
had to do so Your other speaker
slip was further down.
>> Cody Ingram Members of
the Council Marita Gloria My
name is Cody Ingram.
I am a veteran.
I am a constituent from
District nine and I also work
as an emt here for the city of
San Diego.
I am a direct example of what
can happen when arts are
accessible to the veteran
population So I would not be
here without the arts.
I have been working as an actor
here for over ten years and
the arts are directly
responsible for me being able
to reconnect with my humanity
and it is vital to our veteran
population to be able to
explore and understand that
their emotions are not to be
scared of and that they can
explore them safely.
Without that 22 veterans die
every day and we cannot allow
that to happen.
This is too important
especially in a military city
And additionally the arts is
what makes San Diego brilliant
and beautiful.
Why are we trying to take that
away?
I come from a law enforcement
family.
Public safety is important but
it does not to be this
important in the budget.
>> Thank you.
Thank you.
Nicole Burgess After Nicole we
have Megan Ibarra, Rey Carmel
Martin Ellis Dingman, Megan
Kettle, Mary Kumar, Samantha
Castronovo and Kristin Frank.
Those are our final speakers
here in council chambers.
Please proceed.
All right.
Good evening.
Thank you everyone.
To residents Safe Streets
advocate and one of the many
San Diegans that actually
choose to ride a bike for
transportation.
>> a big shout out to
the previous public comments
are youth arts culture and a
healthy, vibrant future.
Please restore the arts and
culture budget But specifically
speaking to the transportation
budget because this is an
independent budget solely for
transport nation and safety is
our biggest priority for our
city and transportation.
It is critical that we keep
the multi-modal team That is
what has created safer streets
for all users And when we
create safer streets for
pedestrians bikers we actually
create safer streets for people
driving cars so less
enforcement.
>> I appreciate the leadership
as mayor Gloria helped write
the Climate Action Plan
endorsed Vision Zero and
recently adopted Complete
Streets policy.
Sadly the budget does not
represent these plans.
Policies are about values.
There are 300 repaving miles in
this budget and I would gladly
forego 15 of those miles to
fund the multimodal team.
Nicole I'm sorry It's been a
minute Nicole Nicole Burgess Oh
that was you.
My apologies for ours Make any
borrow.
>> Good evening.
My name is Megan Herrera and
I'm a voter in District three
At the public hearing on
DECEMBER ninth I testified
against the block surveillance
contract because stolen people
are worth more than stolen cars
Directly after that a police
representative said that
the police department needs to
retain data and gather data in
order to support survivors of
sexual violence.
Lgbt data does not support
the idea that lpr surveillance
and data retention leads to
higher arrests, much less
conviction rates for sexual
violence.
Most data shows that police
officers themselves are more
likely to commit family
violence.
Just last week another cpd
officer was arrested and is
facing multiple charges for
sexual violence.
>> Cops commit crimes community
members and keep each other
safe and save lives.
We saw that last week a vote
for surveillance and increased
police budgets In this context
is a vote against life.
The teenage youth who committed
horrific acts of violence last
week were not apprehended by
cpd.
They were stopped by brave
community members.
>> Thank you for that
concluding sentence Ray where
you here?
Hello.
My name's Ray.
Your Honor.
Council, on behalf of
the Randalls, I want to
apologize to everybody here How
the county this city this area
has treated you.
This is unacceptable.
We did not hand the keys over
to you to treat the people like
this.
The historians, the genealogist
can explain more to you But
this is not going to happen
anymore.
I am going to be more involved
here in San Diego and we're
going to find a solution that
everybody can benefit and a
holistic approach.
Thank you.
Come on, Martin.
Come on.
You have time ceded to you by
Lauren Locker.
Are you here?
I don't see a Lauren Locker or
Leslie Simon.
>> Thank you.
You'll have two minutes.
Please proceed.
>> Evening Council members.
Evening, staff.
Evening, Mayor Gloria.
My name's Carmel Martin Co
co-founder of Art Power Equity
And in my second term as a
mayoral appointee to our arts
and Culture Commission on MAY
18th.
>> Three of our neighbors were
murdered shot to death at
the Islamic Center of San Diego
Ameen Abdullah Monsoor because
he had another award as a
muslim in this city agreed with
our community for over a week
I've also watched the familiar
civic rituals that follow these
moments press conferences,
vigils, pledges, more patrols.
I want to say plainly what most
people already know but often
will not admit.
Police did not and could not
stop this attack.
Officers arrived minutes after
the first call.
The shooters were already
finished, gone to another
location, killed themselves
before the officers fired a
single shot.
They were 17 and 19 years old.
They met online.
They radicalized each other in
the kind of profound isolation
that the U.S. Surgeon general
has called a public health
epidemic deadliest choking more
than a pack of cigarets a day
Young Americans age 15 to 24
seen a 70% drop in time spent
with friends over the past two
decades that the soil that
hatred grows in two boys with
no one to belong to found a
perverse belonging in each
other's worst impulses.
So ask the right question What
kind of public investment
intervenes before the trigger
is ever pulled?
It is not more millions Drone
it's surveillance.
It is not another armored
vehicle.
It's the Afterschool Theater
program, the youth mural
project, the community choir,
the teaching artist who knows
your child by name Researchers
have shown that the presence of
cultural resources in a
neighborhood is associated with
almost a 20% drop in serious
crime.
Further research has shown that
every ten community nonprofits
per 100,000 resident drives
the murder rate down by almost
10%.
Arts and culture is not a frill
They are the social fabric that
catches our young people before
they fall into the algorithms
of hate.
They are in the most literal
sense life saving
infrastructure.
San Diego is now weighing cuts
to roughly all of its arts and
culture grantmaking budget And
I'm asking my city in the names
of Amin Mansour Nader,
the children and teachers at
the mosque to reverse that
course Funding artists fund
the center's fund
The Connection.
>> Thank you for that
concluding sentence.
Ellis.
>> Hi, my name is Ella Stegman
.
I'm from District two and I go
to school every more learning
on the city bus on roads that
the city paved.
I do my homework at Rob Field,
a city park I walk home on
the ocean, be a a San Diego
River bike path which this city
built city.
>> There are so many city
programs that have impacted my
life and the life of everybody
I know so positively and
continue to do so.
Everything all day and walk is
not one of them.
I have never once thought wow
thank goodness the city put $2
million aside for automated
license plate readers.
I've thought thank goodness for
this buffered bike lane.
Thank goodness they repaired
this crack in the sidewalk.
>> How does Floc help
the actual people here?
>> Thank you for concluding
sentence Megan Kettle MAY we
take a moment to acknowledge
the words spoken today
the lives that have been lost
and the lives that we're trying
to save today through the arts
In the words of the great
philosopher Prince.
Dearly beloved we are gathered
here together today to get
through this thing called life.
And if there's one thing I've
learned as a mental health
advocate and San Diego native,
we can do more than get through
life.
We can thrive And that comes
from the arts, the libraries,
our park and recreations and
every single person that's
standing here behind me today
I'm speaking a proposition to
increase the budget for
the libraries and our arts.
The San Diego Arts brings in
$1.1 billion and makes 170,000
jobs in the creative sector.
Imagine 170,000 people standing
here behind me right now from
last time for the youth and for
those jobs I'm asking to keep
the Office of Youth and Success
open.
I am amazed by all the youth
that have spoken here from
school.
So please keep the offices
open.
>> That can keep going.
Thank you.
Mary Kumar.
>> Hi.
Thank you, Counsel.
Thank you, Mayor.
I actually came straight here
from painting a mural and I was
in Oceanside.
I still have like little purple
in my hair and on my path I'm
assisting muralist Katie Ya who
also works for Art Reach San
Diego which is a recipient of
the arts funding art like
murals they create beauty
resulting in pride in one's
community.
We also know that crime is
measurably reduced from murals
are present.
So this week I've been painting
this mural for Roosevelt Middle
School with the juicy hues of
indigo Purple magenta and
orange and I see the students
there watching us in
the courtyard.
What are they thinking?
Perhaps it's maybe I can be an
artist too when I grow up.
They actually assisted us at
the start of the mural so
please combine See it some time
for student art creates outside
the box thinking creative
solutions, better performance
in other school subjects and
coherent thinking but most
importantly therapy which
mentioned by others Here art
heals please that which fosters
community and pride deserves
full Thank you for that
concluding sentence.
>> Samantha Castronovo Good
evening Council members My name
is Samantha Castronovo and I'm
here to say firmly no on Floc
no on electronic surveillance,
yes to the arts and I say yes
to everything I've heard this
evening from 6:30 P.M. Until
now on Yes for the arts Amazing
speakers if that's not one
sample of what arts does for
the city of San Diego you have
tremendous advocates and have
had all for the last four hours
amazingly so Yes to fire
funding restore fire for 2027
at the same level it's
currently being funded for
2026.
Very important point.
Many attendance events.
Thank you.
Count on fire.
Christine Frank, you have time
to you by Valerie Iniguez.
Thank you.
Two minutes.
Please proceed.
>> Okay.
As a good recovering theater
arts major, I know you want to
bring it back to how it started
.
That's how you really drive
home the message.
I know I'm the last speaker and
I sound like I've been the only
one.
I'm so sorry.
So on APRIL 20th in this very
chamber our independent budget
analyst I apologize in advance
if I butcher your last name.
Charles Modica nailed it urged
speakers to offer solutions for
the budget gaps After
the presentation At the start
of this meeting when the sun
was still up.
I have a suggestion.
Well I'm clearly proud to
volunteer for the La Hoya
Playhouse as this bright pink
shirt tells you I'm also a
former junior golfer who played
across California.
I personally know multiple golf
tourists who gladly spend
thousands of dollars on one
golf vacation.
Yes, in this economy, Torrey
Pines is one of America's
premier public courses Their
highest grievance fees for
nonresidents $322.
Another top public course in
our state Pebble Beach.
It's $675 more than double
Raising nonresident green fees
at Torrey would generate
revenue without burdening San
Diegans and without depriving
us of our arts and culture
orgs.
It seems clear the city is
leaving money on the table by
underpricing one of our premier
assets as all golfers.
>> Now that's a big old double
bogey on the city's scorecard
so I'm going to ask you to
please restore the arts
funding.
Thank you.
I'm not even using all my time.
>> You're welcome.
>> Thank you.
That does conclude public
comment here in council
chambers we still have virtual
public comment but I will note
for the record that we did
receive ten public speaker
slips in opposition that wanted
to register their position but
did not wish to speak going to
those participating on the line
we have Carla that not to speak
to speak.
>> Do we still have one speaker
here If you can give me your
name.
>> Hi, I'm Andrea.
Oh, Andrea Mangia And apologies
to all.
Yes, you concede your time.
Thank you.
Please proceed.
Apologies to all.
My name is Andrea Mengele.
I am a lifelong resident of
District eight and I am also a
professional commercial artist.
So today's meeting is quite
important to me.
I believe our city has a
priority issue rather than a
revenue issue.
This draconian budget is
threatening to cut
the foundation of San Diego
community in favor of
ineffective surveillance
theater.
What are we to do without
public property funded
libraries, parks, recreations
and artist programs?
These programs are the engines
that fuel our cultural and
economic excellence from our
tourism industry to our
community engagement.
Yet our police department is
practically given a blank check
for surveillance.
The hard data doesn't lie.
These surveillance systems are
less than 1% effective in crime
resolution and prevention.
Furthermore, they offer no new
jobs, no community engagement,
no tourism money, no civic
pride.
They're not really giving
anything back to us.
So Floc has already leaked our
city's data.
Floc is already harassing
cities across the nation for
wanting to rein in their abuse
of power.
Cities across the nation are
currently pulling out of their
lpr programs in droves due to
safety concern Because let us
mention surveillance is eroding
the peace of mind of our
residents.
This is not an opinion.
>> This is very much a fact.
Try as I might I just can't
make our math make sense.
One third of our city budget is
to the police and over 2
million of it is just to block
one of our lpr programs one we
have multiple I invite all of
you including our beloved mayor
to please cut the block Cut.
>> Let's let's cut surveillance
theater in favor of actual
theater.
You know something that gives
back that does conclude your
time and that does conclude
the public comment hearing
Council Chambers Thank you all.
I'm sorry the five minute timer
and now I'm going to those
participating remotely.
We currently have 23 speakers
in the queue starting with
Carla if you can please and you
Carla Cassini Concha I can't
unmute for you If you cannot
unmute we will need to move on
to the next speaker.
We'll move on to the next
speaker.
>> Hold one second.
I'm having technical
Okay one
more time Let's start again.
Alan Dolgov if you can please
unmute Alan and Olga please
unmute.
Yes thank you.
Can you hear me?
Yes.
Please proceed.
Great.
I'm Alan Dale Gareth, PRESIDENT
Of the Lawyer Recreation Center
Board.
Thank you.
Council members and Mayor for
ensuring no recreation center
closures.
You listen to your communities
about the high priority of rec
centers and acted clearly
the generational and societal
value far exceeds a small
investment.
Additionally, paid programs are
self-sustaining or generate
surplus revenue not fully
factored in.
Going from 60 to 40 hours is a
huge 30% 33% cut and will
eliminate many of those
programs and activities for
either seniors in the mornings
or kids in the afternoon.
The calculated savings from
the proposed reduction is a
mere $80,000 for a rec center
while millions are allocated to
lower priorities.
The math doesn't work.
Please do the right thing,
finish the job and fully
restore all hours to all rec
centers.
>> Thank you and have a great
evening.
Thank your next is Andrew if
you can please unmute.
Andrew Hollingworth.
>> Andrew Hollingworth I have
given you permission to unmute
I can't unmute for you.
I will need to move on to
the next caller If you can't
unmute.
Next is Britney Munoz.
Britney if you can please
unmute.
Hi.
Can you hear me?
Yes.
Please proceed.
Okay.
Thank you.
Hi my name is bringing Windows
and I am a District seven
resident but I serve youth all
across the city of San Diego.
I work in social services and
directly with at risk youth
that are impacted by budget
cuts.
I ask that you fund the office
of County use success instead
of allocating any funding for
our communities and not need
any more surveillance They need
more programing and resources.
Thank you.
>> Thank you.
Next is Carlos, Maria and
Crystal If you can please
unmute.
Hello.
Good evening.
Oh.
Can you hear me?
Yes.
Please proceed.
Okay.
Thank you.
Um, so good evening Council
members and Mayor Gloria.
I'm here to address the same
thing I have advocated for
the past two years going on
three clear and effective storm
water infrastructure repair
plan along with programs to
help aid our damaged
communities.
As a short term resident who
has long lived my entire 29
years of life in this beautiful
town a neighborhood I worry for
the lack of efforts that we
have witnessed It's time for a
change.
Please bring about this change
we ask You have a chance to
redeem your stance with this
residents.
Please allocate the right
amount of money to repair
neglected the structure that
has caused so much fetal harm,
livelihood, harm, traumatizing
harm and recovery struggles
that we have all faced and
continue to face.
And fortunately this is a
reality that is not pretty.
But we are here to show reality
not pretty.
Please please listen to us.
Shelton Residents we have been
begging for help in tears
breaking down I've seen strong
men and your time has
concluded.
>> Christine Wellborn if you
can please unmute.
Hi.
We need funding for arts
libraries, parks and rec and
police.
Those things should not be even
debated.
What we do not need is Gloria's
communication department.
Communication is the act of
exchanging information ideas,
thoughts and emotions to
establish shared meaning.
Gloria sends texts and posts to
social media but doesn't allow
or interact with responses.
That's one sided propaganda.
We can afford to fund police
arts, libraries, parks and recs
if we repeal Measure l and stop
giving all of you raises.
Put your money where your mouth
are and put repeal measure l on
the NOVEMBER ballot.
Also let's get rid of Mayor
Glorious beast.
He should be biking those sexy
streets he's so proud of.
>> Thank you.
>> The five minute timer has
concluded there are 16 speakers
in the queue.
No additional speakers will be
taken.
Eric be if you can please
unmute Eric be and hear me.
Yes please proceed.
Thank you.
My my name is Eric Anderson.
I'm a member of dsa and
the Truth Commission in
District nine.
Everybody knows the cop who
promises a victim's family that
they're going to catch
the killer at the beginning of
the movie is either a fool or a
madman.
When council member Von Wilpert
who appeared to be absent today
says cameras solve crimes,
what does that mean?
But to close the case as a
crime victim myself, there's no
such thing as closure.
There is no restorative justice
in prisons.
Don't drop the soap to defund
the police.
I have diverticulitis.
I my pants in public several
times.
When you when you define public
bathrooms you're jumping to
soup for all of us.
Leaving us in the moment more
vulnerable to crime prevented
Preventive measures can only be
found in libraries, parks,
schools, venues in public
bathrooms.
The cbd who was found liable
for the largest wrongful death
settlement in the history of
the United States.
>> Correct me if I'm wrong.
If you do your time has
concluded.
Hakeem if you can put the final
word.
Hakim if you can please.
And you.
Thanks for taking my call.
I just got back from that ball
park and the graduation down
there.
One thing you can do tomorrow
is pull all the parking meters
in Balboa Park.
No more parking meters.
People have come back there.
Some of the people can get
their jobs back.
The railroad museum laid off
for people because there's
nobody there coming.
So do that now and then If you
see something, say something.
And a young Muslim kid that
goes angry really angry.
I'm sure you guys are looking
into that But all those young
kids are 1920.
They're angry, mad and even you
know, take a look at them and
know you are looking at them.
And then we got the kids that
did the shooting.
What kind of site drugs were
they taken the last year?
What were the drugs that were
taken?
You need to be honest with
the community and you just
don't do that And nowhere.
>> You know, maybe it took a
year for them to do that.
Your time has concluded, John
if you can please unmute.
Well, welcome to America's
City.
Why is it?
Well we don't have any public
bathrooms anymore.
We don't even have the civic
core bathrooms open 24 hour
hours.
We're closing in the yoga date
center where hundreds of people
use every day to launder their
clothes and keep themselves
clean and shower and use
the bathroom.
We have requirements that
people put in bathroom rooms in
their commercial establishment
but we don't ensure that
they're still open.
We have Petco Park with
hundreds of bathroom stalls yet
none of them are open during
the day.
>> So why is it America's
three?
Oh yeah we got rid of all
the arts so we're safe.
We're at home watching our tv
doing nothing as there's
nothing to do.
No arts.
Art saved my life.
And many of the members of Leah
came out of their Voices for
Our City program which just
laid off five people thanks to
these cuts.
We can't afford to not have
the arts and feel safe.
>> Thank you Kate.
If you can please unmute.
Thank you.
My name is Kate.
I'm speaking here today in my
role as development manager at
the San Diego Museum of Art.
The city's osp grants are a
critical and rare source of
public funding.
Tier one organizations like cma
Anchor institutions employing
hundreds of arts and culture
workers and driving economic
growth are ineligible to even
apply for public funds from our
state agency the California
Arts Council.
Our revenue streams are diverse
and we already rely heavily on
private philanthropy.
But losing over $300,000 in
annual funding represents a
significant loss for our
institution.
This budget also proposes
cutting funds for six permanent
comfort stations in Balboa
Park.
Estimates public restrooms in
the West Wing are already
heavily relied on by families
children and people of all
ages.
This cut increases our burden
of support and costs for
sanitation, utilities, supplies
and security.
This budget will mean real cuts
to events, programs,
exhibitions and jobs.
Please consider these realities
as you fight to restore funding
for osp and 60.
Thank you for that concluding
remark.
I also note that the five
minute timer did conclude a
while ago.
If you're raising your hand now
unfortunately we won't be able
to get to you but you can
definitely send in comments
the city clerk at San diego.Gov
and those will be distributed
to the council looking me.
So if you can please send me
Logan.
Good evening Council My name is
Logan Maggs and I'm here with
Youth World Organization as a
concerned young person.
I urge the Council today to not
cut funding for the office and
child abuse success.
This office has brought in over
$5 million in grants and
funding for child care, refugee
student support and upgrading
city property.
All of these funding and
actions have directly supported
our youth in the city.
This Council must ensure that
this budget truly reflects
the values of our community.
We know that this is a tough
funding and that there is no
revenue.
And therefore we propose to
eliminate the floor contract.
Though the Council does not
agree with this, we urge you
all to please find an
alternative to keep us
financially sustained.
A better investment starts with
us and it starts with the youth
rather than flexicurity
security.
I thank you all for your time
tonight and once again I urge
you to invest in the youth.
Thank you.
Morgan If you can please unmute
.
Hi there.
Good afternoon or good evening.
My name is Morgan.
Just as I currently serve as
the chair of the city's
Community Forest Advisory Board
.
A lot of great things have been
said tonight.
One thing I want to draw your
attention to is that the MAY
revise does not restore
the budget for the one Urban
Forestry program coordinator
within the Transportation
Department.
This is especially concerning
because the MAY revise also
consolidate the tree
maintenance functions within
transportation moving from park
and rec.
So now we see eight additional
positions without this middle
management position to support
and manage the workflow.
We're concerned about
the downstream consequences and
the critical role that this
position plays in protecting
public safety and risk
management.
>> I urge you to please
reconsider and and add that
staff member back in so that we
can support a healthy urban
forest moving forward.
>> Thank you.
Thank you, Nancy.
If you can review and see cpm.
There you go.
Hi.
Thanks for And I'm too long.
I'm a resident of District nine
and I pass by six foc cameras
every weekday on my 1.3 mile
drive to drop my kids off at
school six.
That's insane.
At the $2 million price tag for
this contract soc that's
ineffective 99.97% of the time
including last week with
the terrorist attack.
This is an exorbitant expense
during a budget crisis.
It doesn't prevent crime.
What's keeping my kids safer?
Surveillance cameras or
libraries or parks.
I think it's probably those
maybe youth programing events
arts and culture even public
bathrooms like little toddlers.
They got to go and they got to
go.
Did we forget how costly to
have a outbreak was?
$20 and $12.5 million funding
the public bathrooms and then
they'll go day centers humane
and make sense.
Please cancel the camera
funding and invest in the O.C..
I ask department libraries,
parks and your good day center.
Thanks.
Thank you Natalie Or asking if
you can please unmute.
Can you hear me?
Yes.
Please proceed.
I'm Natalie reside in District
seven and today I was on a zoom
for an lpa subcommittee for
the Behavioral Health and Human
Services.
I heard a disturbing statistic
today that I was kind of
concerned with There is two
suicides a week from
the Coronado Bridge that most
of us don't hear about.
Now with these cuts and
the funding for snap ebt and
all of these things that are
happening Neal, good day.
What are we doing besides
driving people to become more
stressed out?
I have a child that went to
Madison High School.
If we cut these programs for
art we're just stressing out
more people.
People are becoming more
homeless and I don't understand
unless there is a driving force
behind all of these cuts, what
is the end game?
What are we looking to expect?
What don't we know?
Thank you.
Pat Wilson If you can please
unmute.
>> Hi Wilson.
Friends of the San Diego Public
Library.
Hello from Australia where I am
now.
We were relieved to see
the specter of permanently
closing a branch library was
removed in the MAY revised and
I'd like to thank council
members Kloster Moreno, Il
Rivera and PRESIDENT Pro-Tem
Lee for supporting at least a
partial partial restoration of
funding to libraries, parks and
the arts in their memos in
response to the MAY revised.
It's a start but not nearly
enough.
I won't go into all the reasons
why underfunding the very
things that make our city
vibrant and inviting our
residents and tourists from
around the world is a huge
mistake.
Even in a bad budget year so
many people have told you
tonight much more eloquently
that I know the value of
libraries parks in New York's.
Please listen and do the right
thing.
You know we can make this work.
And thank you for your time.
Thank you.
Next is Patricia.
If you can please unmute.
Do we still remember what
democracy means at its most
basic level?
>> Democracy asks a simple
question.
Can we govern ourselves while
treating all people with
dignity, equity and respect?
As our nation approaches its
250th.
It appears we have forgotten
the first peoples and
descendants of this land and
the communities who continue to
protect its history, culture
and sacred spaces.
We have repeatedly asked for
the restoration of Parks and
Rec in order to protect our
national historic landmarks and
burial grounds at Presidio and
beyond.
>> Yet these historic cultural
and sacred sites continue to
suffer from ongoing
disinvestment without our park
rangers, these areas are now
vulnerable to encampments,
fires, vandalism, open drug use
surrounding schools, parks and
burial sites honoring
the descendants of early San
Diego connected to these lands
and restore the public's right
to safe parks, arts, culture,
recreation and communities
stewardship.
A democracy that neglects its
people including My apologies
Patty if you can please unmute
.
>> Patricia Mondragon with
Alliance San Diego We are
members of the Community Budget
Alliance, the Trust sd
Coalition and the San Diego
Immigrant Rights Consortium.
I'm calling in tonight from
Sacramento because our friends
from Panda Care and the Muslim
community are observing aid and
healing after the recent
shooting at the Islamic Center.
As a community we stand with
them and continue the work that
is important to them while they
heal.
Tonight San Diego and I have
been clear about what keeps
community safe.
Yet this budget continues to
prioritize stp and flock
surveillance technology while
underfunding the services our
communities need.
No community members are here
asking you to spend public
resources on expanded
surveillance.
People are asking you to invest
in dignity, community and
infrastructure.
We urge you to cut funding for
Floc and restore funding to
the arts.
O.C. Weiss Neil Good day Center
and stormwater infrastructure.
When it comes to floods and
climate disaster, San Diego
should not be keep paying
the price of neglect and
maintenance.
Please adopt a budget that
prioritizes people over
surveillance technology.
Thank you.
Next is San Diego County
Bicycle Coalition.
If you can please unmute.
>> Good evening City Council.
My name is Ian Embry and I am
the advocacy and community
manager for the San Diego
County Bicycle Coalition.
Traffic safety is public safety
but this budget doesn't treat
it as such.
While the mayor boasts that
the MAY revise includes
the speed management plan,
the revise also keeps the cuts
to the multimodal team who
would do a ton of the work of
designing traffic calming and
traffic safety measures.
Our streets get repaved.
Without this team the speed
management plan is not a plan
but a wish.
For those of you who have been
supporting the multimodal team,
we thank you for your courage.
For those who still need
convincing, the Vision Zero
Coalition has proposed three
ways to fund this team.
All have value but we believe
continuing to fund this team
through Transnet allows them to
continue all aspects of their
work that make our city safer
and more livable.
This can be done at no cost to
allocations currently in
the budget.
Thank you for your time and
thank you Clark Fuentes for
your work.
>> Thank you.
Tanner Moreno If you can please
unmute.
Tanner Moreno Hello.
Please proceed.
Imagine a place without any
public art or music.
A place without shared cultural
spaces.
Imagine Balboa Park without any
museums or orchestra.
Instead we have a city that
chooses to invest in
surveillance cameras.
Inside the community it serves.
Does that sound like a vibrant,
thriving San Diego?
Is that a city worth visiting?
A place you want to live.
The budget cuts for our culture
by maintaining expensive
technologies like flock sends a
clear message about what we
value.
And it's not San Diego and it's
not saying Nagin's.
But choose to invest in our
communities.
Arts programs are not optional.
They create trust which then
create safety restored funding
for arts, culture and systems
like npr and Foxx that invest
in the people and culture that
make San Diego strong.
>> Thank you.
Thank you Zack If you can
please unmute.
>> Thank you.
I am calling in to ask that
the funding for the multimodal
team as part of
the transportation part
department be restored.
There's a lot of reasons this
team adds a lot of value to
the city but my main motivation
is because I'd like to be able
to walk and bike without being
scared in this city and it's
challenging that It requires me
to be politically active and to
get this to happen.
i feel that enabling safe
transportation is a core
responsibility of
the Transportation Department
and I am confused about how
this budget ignores that
responsibility especially when
these active transportation
plans and bicycle master plans
were created in collaboration
with the people of San Diego.
There are places in the world
where this cap would be
unfathomable and not even
referenced in some far flung
bike utopia.
This would be illegal to cut in
our neighbor city of Los
Angeles.
We cannot allow Los Angeles to
serve passengers in this So
please restore this team and
help us be L.A..
Our next speaker is Anthony
Avalos And then after that
visit voices is our final
speaker for tonight.
Anthony.
Public safety can't mean
protecting police budgets while
cutting the systems that
actually care for San Diego And
properly caring for us means
funding the conditions of
preventing harm before police
are called housing stability
libraries rec centers, youth
programs, public restrooms.
Trauma informed services, food
access, mental health care arts
and culture and neighborhood
infrastructure.
The current budget conversation
shows us that public pressure
works.
Some libraries and rec center
cuts have been restored but
partial restoration is not
transformation.
We need the Council to stop
asking working class
communities to absorb austerity
while sd pd remains
structurally protecting
the mandate is reallocation
move funding from reactive
systems of force into community
based systems of care.
Every dollar spent expanding
police surveillance and
enforcement is a dollar not
spent.
Stabilizing families supporting
young people, preventing trauma
or repairing neighborhoods If
the city is serious about it.
>> Thank you for that
concluding comment via Voices
If you can please unmute I am
My name is which ends up mid
sector director for people says
I'm not going to repeat a lot
of my talking point today about
what an equity equitable but as
the communities showed up
willingly tonight to tell you
all about name I want to name
something is that the budget
process is not equitable at all
.
Gear up a year after year after
year we've seen the community
come out fight for the little
things like this.
It's a joke Stand up as a huge
success.
How asking for lots and $1
million We can only get
the funding for it and somebody
ask The battle is hard to fight
and for the first time that
we've seen the mayor sitting in
the chamber for somebody who
can do 9,595% of the budget
funding and yet he never held a
public meeting to hear that to
sit with all of you until
tonight I will say does now is
also the time to consider
the budget project change?
How do we make the process that
will include more public
involve At the end of day that
is what democracy look like.
We can we could pass We do all
of this thing again.
The federal government in your
time has clued in.
That does conclude public
comment on today's item.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
right thank you City Clerk
Before I turn it over to my
colleagues a big round of
applause for Deanna and
the entire city clerks team who
handle I don't know 5000
speakers or something like
that.
It just felt like it.
Thank you, Mayor, for sticking
around for the entire time And
your staff the chiefs in
the front row there and many if
not all the department heads.
Thank you for sticking around
for all the public comment And
to the public for those who are
actually still here at 1120 all
the people that showed up and
spoke in passionate defense of
their priorities and those
participated remotely, we
certainly appreciate it.
It makes it worthwhile.
Does the whole evening meetings
to gain your input So with that
this is an informational item
No motions required and we'll
turn it over to the chair of
the Budget Committee council
member Henry Foster the third
Thank you Chair and thank you,
Rolonda, to you and your team
for their presentation of Mayor
Thank you for introducing
the MAY revise in your
presenting session and for
staying with us this evening.
Also would like to thank all of
the department directors and
staff that stayed with us as
well to hear the public comment
and to keep and try and keep my
coming keep my comments brief.
I also just want to say thank
you to the public for coming
out.
It's quite difficult for me to
receive these comments
Oftentimes you will hear me
talk about the tale of two
cities but I feel in the short
time that I've been on this
dais we tend to have the same
folks as we go through this
budget cycle come before this
council with the same message
and quite honestly I feel as if
there's a portion of this city
that truly does feel forgotten
.
So thank you for continuing to
come out and to make sure that
your voices are part of this
process.
And I just want you to know and
I'm sure my colleagues will
have some comments but my
colleagues hear you as well And
so thank you for continuing to
stay engaged and to let us know
what your needs are and what's
important to you.
I guess I'll say this Mayor, I
do want to thank you for
the work on the budget thus
far.
I think you did make some tough
decisions and I just want to
thank you specifically for
supporting the investment
that's indicated in here for
youth.
You did take a hard look at
the libraries Park and Rec.
You did prioritize districts
for eight nine which I am truly
appreciative of and I just want
to make sure that I convey that
to you and your team because it
has been some challenging
conversations to get here.
But as you can see there's
quite a bit more work to do,
more conversations to have as
we look at and approach
the JUNE 9th date.
I will be honest and say that
at the onset of this budget
cycle I did really want to ask
the question what happens if we
do not approve a budget?
And I can tell you that I have
my staff working on a lsr to
the city attorney's office to
get the full legal analysis as
to the answer to that question
by But I must say you know as I
look at what's in front of us
today I do feel better in
regards to achieve what we need
to achieve on JUNE the 9th But
I think it does rely heavily on
as I always say, my good friend
the ipa as he is as they are
doing their analysis, their
work to see how we can
incorporate I'm going to say
the last round of budget
memorandums that have been
provided so eager to see what
your analysis is provides and
what paths are potentially in
front of us as we continue to
have our budget conversation.
>> I do think that we do need
to take a serious look at our
priorities and I said this
early on that at the end of
the day we are still talking
about a $6 billion budget which
for me it's the same
conversation and it's the same
conversation about priorities.
I think that we do need to take
a hard look at our policing.
>> Just two more minutes I'll
be done here shortly And one
thing that I do want to really
make sure and and stress to my
colleagues we really do need to
look at floc and surveillance.
Um, I think one thing that we
have learned over the over
the years especially recently
since I've been a part of
the legislative body is that if
we invest in community that
truly is a very, very important
portion of public safety And I
think it shows in our
statistics in I think it speaks
volumes as we look at
continuing to be the safest
largest city.
So I will leave that there.
Council PRESIDENT I will
conclude that there and just
say I am looking forward to
continuing these conversations
as we approach JUNE 9th.
And just to reiterate to
everyone because I want to be
clear arts and culture is
important to me and you know I
have the San Diego Black Arts
and Culture District that is
fresh and new.
We are always talking with
economic development on trying
to build out that space and it
is really a critical component
for District four and
the sustainability of District
four.
So we got some work to do So
we'll be looking to my
colleagues to roll our sleeves
up and to land this plane and
hopefully improve on the budget
so that we can meet the needs
of the residents of the city of
San Diego.
So thank you Council PRESIDENT
And that will conclude my
comments.
Right.
Thank you, Councilmember Foster
We'll go next to Councilmember
Ila Rivera.
All right.
Thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
Thank you to all the members of
the public who provided
testimony tonight who've been
engaged in the process.
Thank you, Charles to you and
your team.
Mayor, thank you for being here
tonight And and and staying
with us here.
Council PRESIDENT What I'm
asking to start with is a
letter that I was asked to read
from a number of Muslim led
organizations including care
San Diego, the Muslim
Leadership Council, Muslim
Student Association at uc San
Diego, Pillars of the Community
Partnership for the Advancement
of New Americans and for
the People Action.
I'm going to read those
comments first before I make my
own.
And again these are their words
and I'm going to read them
exactly as they were written.
Statement On behalf of Muslim
led Organizations This week San
Diego faced a vicious terrorist
attack by two teenage white
supremacists who acted upon
the hateful anti-Muslim
rhetoric has become all too
common across the United
States.
The attack against the Islamic
center of San Diego the largest
and most visible gathering
space for Muslims in San Diego
has left us devastated and in
shock.
The entire Muslim community and
the hundreds of children who
went to school there and
witnessed the horrific attacks
will be dealing with this
trauma for a long time.
While it is vital for
policymakers to hear community
testimonies and recommendations
as the city council is holding
its meeting at one of
the holiest times in the Muslim
calendar Because it is a day
that we spend with our families
particularly given the events
that transpired last week, many
of us will not be able to join
today as we mourn the loss of
Ameen Abdullah, Nadir Awad and
Mansoor because can you excuse
me as we mourn the loss of
Ameen Abdullah, Nadir Awad and
Mansoor Kazia are the three
humble men who sacrificed their
lives for the lives of our
children, teachers and school
administrators.
We urge you to not use our
tragedy as a political prop to
cut the budgets of much needed
social programs or funneling
more money into law enforcement
agencies.
Do not use our laws to defund
community programs and make San
Diego safer in order to
increase the budget of a deeply
flawed police force.
This tragedy should be used to
reexamine the way that law
enforcement keeps us safer not
reward them for their failures
not in our name.
Our community has questions
about why the police wasted
time on ineffective
surveillance technology instead
of notifying the schools and
places of worship in
the surrounding area that we
were in danger.
Simple phone calls could have
prevented the horrific murders
of a mean mentor and a dear
flock.
Technology did not protect us
and neither did the police.
Police relied on flawed A.I.
Technology and ultimately
failed to locate
the perpetrators Were it not
for our heroes, this tragedy
would have been multiplied.
Political theatrics and
crocodile tears will not keep
us safe.
We need real efforts to root
out the belief that some lives
hold less value than others.
We demand meaningful changes to
condemn and prevent the hatred
that two San Diego residents
harbored against others in
the same city Muslims.
Jews, African-Americans,
immigrants and other minority
groups.
We are city council members and
all policymaker and elected
leaders.
What will actually protect
protect San Diegans from
another attack?
You cannot sit silently while
Muslims around the world are
dehumanized.
You cannot be complacent in
the mistreatment of Muslims
here in the United States you
cannot uplift some targets of
white extremist rhetoric while
ignoring others.
All of our lives must be
equally valued.
This tragedy was an attack on
all San Diego ans but it was
the Muslim community that will
have to explain to our
children.
My brother Ameen Abu is an
uncle Nadir are not there to
greet them when they return to
school rather than investing
more money into a failed
punishment bureaucracy, we urge
you to support programs that
invest in youth afterschool
programs, mental health
support, early warning systems
and combat anti-Muslim hate.
We ask city leadership to
invest in real solutions and
avoid the same failed policies
of the past Signed to care San
Diego with some leadership
council a muslim student
association at uc San Diego
Pillars of the Community
Partnership for the Advancement
Americans for the People Action
That concludes the remarks that
I was asked to read.
I will now add some thoughts of
my own.
>> One I just want to recognize
the mourning that's still
happening in in the community
and and why it was important
for that statement to be read
especially because of the in
combat compatibility with
the scheduling of this meeting
with the Muslim holiday.
I know that that's the calendar
was tight and we had to pivot
and but they made it even more
important to read read them
last week I joined Council
PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee,
Councilmember Foster and
Councilmember Moreno on a
budget memo that provided real
possible funding resources and
cuts we were willing to make in
order to fund some to fund just
some of our top priorities such
as arts and culture, fully
restoring parks and library
hours, the Small Business
Enhancement Program and
the Office of Challenges
Success.
Um I want to recognize some of
what we heard here today and I
actually think I was so
appreciative that the American
Federation of the Blind had
folks here tonight.
I think that provided
invaluable perspective of of of
why the investments that we
make are so important And
the ask was so simple but so
important at the same time
blind San Diegans simply
wanting to feel safe so that
they can walk to work
contribute to society, live
full and meaningful lives
Nothing extravagant in that ask
and just a simple recognition
for their needs to be met to
live dignified lives.
We heard youth searching for
the city to simply function
well enough to turn their
advocacy into the basics of any
community in this city should
expect.
We heard youth asking that we
demonstrate that we care about
them enough to prioritize them
with a relative with extremely
small amount of funding that is
dedicated to them Knowing that
there is someone in this city
who is looking out for them and
obviously the arts and culture
community being out here strong
and loud once again because
that is so important to our
community.
There are two parts of this.
There's the work that we can do
in this budget cycle with
the resources that we have and
I will continue to advocate
what I will to express
appreciation.
Mayor to you Department of
Finance and the aba for being
willing to be innovative and
modernize the way we use golf
revenue With that innovation we
were able to restore parks and
rec centers in districts four,
eight and nine and I think
we're just scratching
the surface of what it means
when we really lean into assets
that people from around
the world know San Diego for
and leverage those to
the benefits of everyday,
everyday people from across
the city.
I'm glad to see that and I will
continue to advocate for us to
reallocate funding away from
floc and surveillance.
If there's one lesson that I
think is important to take from
the from from the out from
the events of last week is that
there's and when it comes to
safety at least that there's no
amount of dollars spent on
enforcement that can equal
the safety that comes when
people love each other and are
willing to sacrifice everything
to take care of each other a
unthinkable number of lives,
especially lives of children
was saved because three men
from the community loved their
community enough to put their
body on the line And I will not
pretend like there are not
emergencies that require
emergency response but
the people who do that work
cannot be everywhere at all
times and trying to do that is
a is a recipe for disaster.
It's an impossible task and
it's ultimately still cannot
create the safety that comes
from people loving each other
and taking care of each other
and the investments that young
people are asking us to make
investments the arts and
culture community is asking us
to make are both aimed at
creating a San Diego where
people can express their love
for each other, where they can
take care of each other And I
wholeheartedly believe that
that will be not just a safer
city but a safer city that that
feels better to live in and we
can be that city.
I'll have more to say about
the ways that we should be
pursuing revenue because we
should not have to live this
way where we are considering
whether or not we can fund safe
crosswalks for the blind or
services for the youth or arts
and culture programing as well
as a number of other very
important things that are on
the chopping block.
San Diego is too beautiful a
place with too good of people
for that to be our year to year
reality And so I look forward
to doing that work with you
council PRESIDENT And the rest
of our colleagues in our final
budget action.
Thank you.
>> All right.
Thank you.
Councilmember Ella Rivera.
We'll go next to Council
PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee you
council PRESIDENT I know most
of the public has departed but
even so I want to take
the moment to thank them many
of them who showed up early
today for a rally starting at
430 even before the hearing and
stayed for much of the evening
.
I want to thank the mayor and
staff as well for bringing us
to this point through the MAY
revision and to all of you for
sticking around and hearing
from the public.
That means a lot to us and I'm
sure to them as well.
I do want to acknowledge that
this budget is the especially
difficult budget that the mayor
and I have shared and that
the shortfalls we see in
funding are similar to what my
colleagues have described there
everywhere in this budget and
that is very much tied to how
the city is underfunded.
And so I know with public
comments on that tonight and I
just don't think we can ignore
that that is the reality that
we are in.
But I will note that I believe
that this budget as presented
even with its MAY revision does
not ultimately achieve
the balance that I believe
the council and the public are
seeking And so I'm looking
forward to taking the next step
where this moves from being
the proposed budget with
the MAY revision now to
the Council for its full
deliberations and the final
weeks and working with my
colleagues to do everything we
can to achieve a budget that we
can stand by and one that we
can ultimately approve.
And I do think we will have
that opportunity is
Councilmember Rivera noted
Several of us put a memo
together that outlined a number
of opportunities that we think
we can still seek to achieve
the structural changes
necessary to achieve
the balance that we are seeking
And I appreciate them for
the words that they've shared
and look forward to the work
that we do in the 11 or so days
ahead.
Well, 13 days ahead.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee.
We'll go next to council Member
Whipple.
Thank you very much.
Council PRESIDENT Thank you to
everybody who provided comment
on the budget this evening.
Thank you to the mayor and
the city's leadership team and
city staff for taking it.
But members of the public had
to say tonight very much
looking forward to the Office
of the Independent Budget
Analysts report next Tuesday
that will compile the budget
memoranda that was submitted by
each of the council offices and
identify areas of shared
priorities that will help to
inform our final budget.
I thought there were very
compelling comments tonight
The Case for Restoring Arts and
culture funding is persuasive
and I look forward to working
with my colleagues to continue
supporting San Diego's valuable
arts and culture community.
I don't support cuts to
homelessness funding but I
understand the financial
environment that we're in So I
am focused on at least
preserving programs and
services that provide as many
people as possible with shelter
and housing And I share some of
the other priorities that were
brought up by a number of
people tonight.
The Budget Review committee
meets next Friday in
anticipation that as has been
mentioned the council taking up
the budget on the night.
So I look forward to
the conversations of the days
ahead.
>> Thank you.
All right.
Thank you.
COUNCILMAN Whitburn.
>> We'll go next to
Councilmember Moreno.
Thank you And thank you for
the presentation.
Thank you to all the staff that
is still here with us And also
thank you to the aba.
Thank you also to the members
of the community who have
provided us with their
viewpoints throughout this
whole process.
I know that this process can be
very time consuming but your
voice and input matters because
they're essential to
understanding how the budget
and numbers ultimately affect
our residents quality of life
to departments that affect
the quality of life for my
residents, our libraries and
parks and rec libraries are
essential community spaces for
learning and access to
knowledge providing residents
with valuable resources such as
computers, wi fi hotspots and
afterschool programing Park and
rec programs are vital for
promoting healthier lifestyles
and most importantly fostering
community connection through
recreation and social
programing especially when it
doesn't exist at home.
Together these core city
services create opportunities
and provide a solid a safe
welcoming environment for
residents in our communities
for them to succeed.
I am pleased to see that
libraries and Parks and Rec
have regained funding to
maintain current service levels
in District eight and that
other and other an underserved
communities.
These services are essential to
the quality of life for our
residents and should not be
treated as optional
investments.
What is frustrating is that
every year we find ourselves
fighting that same battle over
cuts to libraries and parks and
rec.
Year after year this council
has had to step in to preserve
these critical community
services.
Yet the following budget cycle
the same departments are once
again placed on the chopping
block.
This cycle is unsustainable and
there needs to be a better long
term approach to protecting
core neighborhood services.
Part of this approach is to
implement the city auditor's
recommendations that could
generate additional revenues
and produce meaningful cost
savings for the city.
These recommendations have been
made even before the severe
budget constraints we're facing
today.
One clear example is
the implementation of
recommendations related to
police overtime which has
already saved taxpayers
approximately $6.5 million
annually.
If more of these auditor
recommendations are implemented
the city could realize millions
of additional dollars in
savings.
i understand these reforms will
not happen overnight and that
savings MAY not materialize
immediately But we must always
govern as though every single
dollar matters.
I am very concerned about
the continued reduction to
storm water department because
my residents understand
firsthand the consequences of
underfunding this critical
infrastructure.
This budget was presented as
one that prioritizes public
safety.
Yet the failure to adequately
fund storm water infrastructure
represents a glaring gap in
that commitment.
The floods of JANUARY 2024
demonstrated exactly why storm
water infrastructure must be
treated as a core public safety
priority.
The death by a thousand cuts
approach to the Storm water
department jeopardizes
the safety and well-being of
our residents.
The National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration has
said that El Nino appears to be
taking shape which MAY bring
heavier than usual rains to
the area and the cities.
The city needs to make sure
we're fully prepared for this
storm.
In contrast with all
the funding that
the homelessness strategies and
solution departments received,
my residents still live with
the brutal reality of having
homeless in front of elementary
schools.
Over the past few months my
staff has been in constant
communication with
the principal of Perkins k
through eight school located in
district and in Barrio Logan.
In one incident the teachers
were not able to open the gate
to access the school because of
unhoused individuals blockading
the principals and parents have
shown me tents, cars, RVs
surrounding the school creating
conditions that no child should
ever have to see or experience.
Students at Perkins cannot walk
more than a few feet without
being exposed to things
children should never have to
see human feces, needles,
condoms, public nudity fights
People passed out on
the sidewalk.
Alcohol consumption and open
drug use.
These are the realities for
children in Barrio Logan and
they're simply just going to
school.
That's why it was a complete
shock to me when hst also took
a bit of budget mitigation of
$222 million reduction in
security services for safety
storage operations which would
impact the commercial street
safe storage site a few blocks
away from Perkins.
The property is also near our
ladies school which is right
next to it, which is a
kindergarten through eighth
grade school that has served
this community since 1945.
The city made a commitment to
the students and residents of
Logan Heights when it opened
the safe storage site in close
proximity to the school that
security would be in the area
24 seven.
This commitment must be honored
especially in a community where
government has already broken
so many promises.
It's unacceptable that the city
has a homeless strategies and
Solutions department.
Yet children in my district
have to be subjected subject to
this experience.
To these experiences every
single day neighborhoods in
District eight are often
overlooked and forgotten.
District eight residents
deserve the same level of
safety, urgency and investment
as every any other neighborhood
in San Diego.
So I would urge the mayor and
sd to pay attention to
the needs of my community and
most important the needs of
the children who attend Perkins
and our ladies school.
The city cannot continue
allowing families and students
to attend or live near Perkins
to have to suffer in this way.
The MAY revision shows that
cuts to arts and culture still
remain.
I've said this before this
reduction is not a
restructuring.
It is a dismantling.
Arts is a core function in
the city of San Diego a
commitment demonstrated with
penny for the arts.
The city has a strong record of
success in arts and culture.
The Old Globe and the Hoya
Playhouse have collectively
helped bring more than 70
productions to Broadway.
So it's frustrating to see
the city adopt ambitious
cultural equity plans and
celebrate the importance of
arts and culture only to turn,
dismantle and eliminate
the very resources needed to
make these commitments real.
We cannot say we value equity,
community investment and
cultural preservation while
proposing cuts that will have
disproportionate impact on
the communities that have
historically received
the least.
These programs support
neighborhood festivals, local
arts organizations, youth
programing, public performances
and cultural events that bring
our communities together.
>> I'm almost done here.
It's my last year.
>> I have a little more to say.
Creating economic activity jobs
and spaces where people feel
seen and represented.
And the city needs to be honest
about who will feel the cuts to
arts and cultural arts and
culture the hardest.
The city has to responsibility
to uphold the commitments and
plans it established for arts
and culture before this cutting
starts.
And I do not agree that
the communities of District
eight or communities across
the city should bear the burden
of these cuts.
While I do acknowledge that
the MAY revise is a step in
the right direction, this
budget is still far from where
I want the budget to be.
My residents continue to feel
the impacts of underfunding in
departments like stormwater
arts and culture.
Yet despite funding allocations
to departments such as hst,
many residents still do not see
meaningful improvement or
investments reflected in their
communities.
And I just want to put for
the record that I was one of
the council members that voted
against the flawed contract and
I'm happy to put that back on
the chopping block.
So as we end I continue I look
forward to working with my
colleagues to finalize my last
budget and this upcoming few
weeks and to continue my
commitment to the residents of
District eight.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you, COUNCILMAN Moreno.
We'll go to MR. Monica.
I think that the risk of having
us here until midnight just a
few notes One Obviously my
office has its work cut out for
us over the next couple of
weeks.
We will do what we can to
identify any and all resources
to provide funding for
the programs that we've heard
about from the public tonight
and that this council has
identified as high priority
they want to see restored So
that work is going to happen.
I also want to note that
the comments we've heard from
the public tonight are
meaningful and it is important
for me and the council to hear
them.
It's also in my opinion
important that those comments
and that advocacy does not stay
directed solely at this
council.
I will note that out of
the several hundred public
comments carried tonight, there
was one relatively early on who
said the city to focus only on
the fundamentals.
He identified public safety for
the infrastructure and cut
everything else cut parks, cut
libraries, cut arts.
He said that welfare is a
charity and a luxury.
I personally disagree with that
very strongly.
I believe that every
councilmember up here also
disagrees with that.
But while that was one person
tonight out of several hundred,
he also represents a much
larger portion of the city's
voting population that many
here would care to admit And
they as much as or more than
anyone on this council needs to
be convinced of the importance
of funding for these programs
and ultimately convince to vote
for funding that would allow
the city to actually provide
its funding, provided services
and provide us programs on a
sustainable and ongoing basis.
In the near future though, as
you noted, Councilmember Foster
has more work to do.
We will work with you over
the next 13 days to get to a
budget on the ninth.
All right.
Thank you, Charles.
I will go back to Councilmember
Foster.
Yes.
And I know it's late and but I
just want to make this
announcement as I was not here
for the I'm going to say
the second half of the brc
meetings, but we do have a
special budget review committee
meeting scheduled for MAY 29th
2026 at 3 P.M. Where we have a
few outstanding items that were
not heard.
And they consist of some item q
The personnel department staff
item or the Commission on
Police Practices and I have on
here So bottom as additional
department review.
To date, Mayor I have not
received any requests but I
will definitely let you know if
anything comes up.
I just wanted to make that
announcement.
Council PRESIDENT And I will
turn it over to you to close us
out.
All right.
I think you COUNCILMAN Foster
and thank you for highlighting
that unusual Friday afternoon
meeting.
We don't to do too many of
those but when that when
the time calls you I want to
make sure that I did the thank
you was early on because I
probably forget by the time it
comes to me to wrap things up.
But I do appreciate everybody
that really dug in in terms of
developing the budget going
forward This given what we had
to do last year.
You know, it's kind of funny
that one person said I've never
seen this when we've been in
financial difficulties 21 to 22
with a lot of federal dollars
coming our way was a little bit
easier.
Last year was very tough and
we're we're doing more and I
know every year that I've been
a council member there's always
this talk about
the disproportionate size of
the police department If you do
the simple math or you do these
dramatic graphic pieces of art
as we saw earlier of course
the problem is that the police
department budget is too big.
The problem is every other
department is so grossly
underfunded that it makes
the look the police department
look oversize every department
that we have in the city is
underfunded And yet through
the very hard work of
the 12,000 employees through
the generosity of philanthropy,
through the volunteer, we are
still a great city and we still
make it all happen.
I think that's really
the testimony of what makes San
Diego so very, very special.
On a couple of things that was
mentioned again as everybody
said, I'm grateful for every
that take the time to turn out
wait very long to even just
speak for one minute As an
engineer I'm just excited How
many times stormwater was
mentioned tonight?
I think that's kind of unusual
.
For those of you who don't
remember my JANUARY memo budget
memo we had one priority
stormwater Thank you COUNCILMAN
Moreno for leaning in on that
as well.
That's still a very hard
conversation for us with
the revenue that we have to
work with.
The other thing that I've kind
of noticed in my district and
maybe my colleagues have I
don't think we've given a lot
enough credit to Misty and
libraries and Andy and Rec
Center and then Panda that when
we talked about cutting hours
we didn't really explain what
that meant.
And I know I had enough
briefings that those hours are
very strategic hours.
They're not arbitrary cuts in
hours but actually
understanding how our libraries
are being used and how our rec
centers that MAY not soften
the blow for those people have
a lot more hours in both those
cases.
But those are very strategic.
I'm going to have a
conversation with my
constituents in Ohio that are
not happy but it's better than
zero.
It's not the full 60 but those
are very strategic hours that
will be identified for that and
that is a good segue way to
the generosity that we have
across our city right now.
Fire Station 16 in La Hoya is
being remodeled through private
dollars last Friday we opened
up a new playground for all
three park through private
dollars and donated labor to
actually install it.
And as we heard lawyer make
backfilled some hours at
the library maybe interested in
backfilling some hours at
the rec center.
So I look forward to those
conversations.
Arts obviously was the big hot
topic this today I was at
the Ohio Playhouse Friday
night.
I certainly encourage you to go
see that play.
It's pretty amazing.
My wife was pretty active in
going to our museums there so
we certainly enjoy them How
much we can fund, how we
position the funding, the cycle
remains to be seen And also my
colleagues are digging in.
I appreciate doing some of
the hard work.
i would be remiss if I didn't
think Councilmember Woodburn
solving and making the dark
cloud of a ballot measure go
away so at least we have
certainty it will cost us 3.5
million in reduced revenue for
f y 27 that will have to
navigate but it certainly
allows us to focus on the core
issues that we heard tonight
and trying to figure out how to
adopt a budget going forward.
So with that again thank you to
everybody The public that
leaned in all the city
departments that have leaned in
to try to make sense of how we
deliver city services with less
than adequate revenue.
As Charles mentions on a
frequent basis.
Thank you to my colleagues for
making time during that recess
to hold this meeting to make
sure that we could hold it in
light of what we had to cancel
during last week's tragedy.
And with that, can you talk for
two minutes and take us back
And I'd like because we'll all
turn into pumpkins now with
that thank you to 324.
I know the lights are still on
there.
Thank you to the detail for
keeping us all safe here in
chambers.
And with that I will now
adjourn Council to the next
regularly scheduled council
meeting on Monday JUNE 8th,