[0:00] the roll.
[0:00] My apologies.
[0:01] Council PRESIDENT Council
[0:04] Member Campbell Councilmember
[0:05] Whitburn Council Member Foster
[0:10] Councilmember Von Wilpert
[0:15] Council Pro Tem Lee here
[0:16] Councilmember Campo COUNCILMAN
[0:17] Moreno Present Councilmember
[0:19] Isla Rivera and Council
[0:20] PRESIDENT LaCava present Also
[0:24] attending the meeting are Chief
[0:25] Deputy City Attorney part a lot
[0:25] of independent budget analyst
[0:29] Charles Monica Council Affairs
[0:30] Advisor in the Mayor's office
[0:30] Matt Geoghegan.
[0:34] As well as the mayor and myself
[0:35] your city Clerk Diana Fuentes
[0:35] Thank you.
[0:38] Council PRESIDENT All right.
[0:39] >> Thank you.
[0:39] City Clerk a quorum is now
[0:40] present.
[0:43] I see a lot of faces of people
[0:44] that MAY be here for the first
[0:45] time And I know there can be a
[0:48] lot of excitement, passion,
[0:48] anger, frustration and probably
[0:52] every emotion in between.
[0:53] So before we start today's
[0:54] meeting, I want to remind
[0:57] everyone about the city's
[0:58] practices and procedures for
[0:58] public comment At city council
[1:01] meetings the city welcomes
[1:02] public participation at our
[1:02] meeting.
[1:03] Speakers MAY address
[1:03] the Council during public
[1:07] comment and also in connection
[1:08] with the specific item of
[1:08] business on the agenda.
[1:09] However, the city must make
[1:12] sure that no one person or
[1:13] group of people disrupt
[1:13] the meeting in a way that
[1:14] prohibits other speakers from
[1:16] expressing their ideas and
[1:17] opinions.
[1:17] So to make sure that everyone
[1:18] here has the opportunity to
[1:21] address the Council I will
[1:22] alert an individual or
[1:23] individuals if I think their
[1:27] conduct becomes disruptive.
[1:27] If the disruption continues I
[1:28] will rule the individual out of
[1:31] order and if the disruption
[1:32] continues further I will
[1:32] declare a 15 minute recess so
[1:36] that we can restore order.
[1:37] At that point I will direct
[1:38] the individual to leave
[1:38] the room and if the individual
[1:40] refuses police will escort
[1:41] the individual out of
[1:41] the building.
[1:42] And if we have to repeat this
[1:42] process of warning and
[1:45] resetting all members of
[1:46] the public will be excused from
[1:47] the council chamber.
[1:47] Credentialed media will be
[1:50] allowed to remain once again We
[1:51] have these practices procedures
[1:51] to protect the rights of other
[1:52] speakers who wish to address
[1:55] the Council and to allow
[1:56] the Council to conduct
[1:56] the public's business.
[2:00] So with that city clerk please
[2:01] go over how the public can
[2:01] offer their testimony.
[2:02] >> Thank you.
[2:02] Council PRESIDENT I'd like to
[2:05] highlight the slide on
[2:05] the screen that reveals how
[2:06] the public can offer their
[2:07] public testimony during this
[2:09] evening's meeting.
[2:10] The order can be found on
[2:11] the agenda summary and found
[2:11] online or at the table in
[2:12] the back of the room.
[2:14] There's only one item so
[2:15] the order is that if you are in
[2:15] person please complete a
[2:19] speaker slip located at
[2:19] the entrance of chambers and
[2:20] bring it to the front of
[2:23] the room into the clear box.
[2:24] Council ambassadors are
[2:25] available near the entrance of
[2:25] chambers as well as in
[2:28] the committee room and can
[2:29] assist you with questions and
[2:29] speaker slips if you are in
[2:32] the committee room overflow
[2:33] Please give your speaker slip
[2:34] to one of the council
[2:34] ambassadors within the room and
[2:37] they will be sure to get it to
[2:37] me.
[2:38] No further in-person testimony
[2:39] will be taken once the council
[2:42] begins virtual testimony.
[2:43] I will note that due to
[2:44] the amount of speakers it will
[2:47] be one minute per person so
[2:48] please begin to plan
[2:48] accordingly.
[2:49] Thank you.
[2:52] Council PRESIDENT All right.
[2:52] >> Thank you City Clerk a
[2:57] couple of other notes before we
[2:57] proceed.
[2:58] Again, this is a special city
[2:58] council meeting so there'll be
[3:02] no non agenda public comment
[3:02] after the initial testimony by
[3:06] excuse me after the initial
[3:07] presentation by staff We will
[3:11] then turn to the public for
[3:11] your comments.
[3:16] >> We also do have six people
[3:16] here.
[3:17] If we hold six we're going to
[3:18] be in good shape.
[3:21] If we drop down to five I MAY
[3:21] call short recesses If somebody
[3:25] wants to step out and use
[3:26] the restroom or take a
[3:27] momentary break But we are not
[3:30] going away.
[3:31] We will make and keep those
[3:31] brief.
[3:32] So I do appreciate my
[3:36] colleagues this is a
[3:36] legislative recess and you're
[3:37] showing up tonight Very much
[3:40] appreciated.
[3:41] City 24 who will be televising
[3:46] this As always appreciate it
[3:46] City clerk staff I want to use
[3:47] some thank you's early on while
[3:50] you were all here and then just
[3:50] as a brief reminder this is a
[3:51] rescheduled item that was
[3:54] originally going to be heard
[3:55] last Monday evening and I think
[3:59] it's still seared into our
[4:00] memory why we canceled that
[4:01] meeting because of the horrific
[4:05] events of that day and
[4:06] the three individuals that lost
[4:10] their life in defense of
[4:10] children and teachers at
[4:14] the school.
[4:14] So please keep them in mind
[4:15] Family members, friends and
[4:19] colleagues community are still
[4:19] grieving from that that
[4:23] horrific event And our thoughts
[4:27] and prayers go out to them and
[4:28] I appreciate everybody that
[4:29] came together for the various
[4:29] vigils and funerals etc. That
[4:33] happened.
[4:34] So with that clerk please
[4:37] introduce item 613 Council
[4:38] PRESIDENT Item 600 is an
[4:42] informational item.
[4:42] It's the MAY revision to
[4:43] the fiscal year 2027 draft
[4:45] budget and public hearing on
[4:46] the 2027 draft budget.
[4:46] Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
[4:47] right Thank you.
[4:51] With that I'd like to welcome
[4:51] Mayor Tom Gloria to council
[4:52] chambers and get
[4:55] the presentation started.
[4:56] So Mayor Gloria, turn it over
[4:56] to you.
[4:56] Thank you.
[4:57] Council PRESIDENT Good evening,
[5:00] Council PRESIDENT Members of
[5:01] the city council and the San
[5:02] Diegans who are gathered here
[5:02] this evening.
[5:04] We'll need approximately 15
[5:05] minutes for our presentation.
[5:05] >> Council PRESIDENT.
[5:06] Last month I released a draft
[5:09] budget that directly confronted
[5:10] the city's $118 Million
[5:13] Structural Budget deficit and
[5:14] reflected the difficult
[5:14] financial realities facing Our
[5:15] city.
[5:18] I said then that this would be
[5:19] the beginning of a serious
[5:20] public conversation and over
[5:23] the last several weeks we have
[5:23] heard from residents, labor
[5:24] partners, city employees,
[5:27] community organizations and
[5:28] members of the City Council
[5:29] about how these difficult
[5:29] decisions would affect
[5:33] neighborhoods and services
[5:33] across our city that MAY revise
[5:34] today.
[5:37] Before you this evening
[5:38] reflects that feedback while
[5:38] maintaining the fiscal
[5:42] discipline that is necessary to
[5:43] put the city on a more stable
[5:43] financial footing.
[5:47] As you well know for too long
[5:47] difficult decisions have been
[5:48] deferred here at the city and
[5:51] avoiding those hard choices MAY
[5:52] have been politically easier in
[5:52] the short term.
[5:56] But it is not responsible
[5:57] Governing this budget continues
[5:57] the work of confronting these
[6:01] challenges directly and
[6:02] honestly while protecting core
[6:03] services that residents rely on
[6:03] the most.
[6:07] I want to acknowledge that
[6:07] since the publication of
[6:08] the MAY revised Council
[6:12] PRESIDENT LaCava, Councilmember
[6:12] Stephen Whitburn and Michael
[6:13] Zakat for their work in
[6:16] negotiating a legal settlement
[6:16] on the Solid Waste disposal fee
[6:21] and Balboa Park parking program
[6:21] .
[6:22] The council's support of that
[6:22] settlement helped to avoid an
[6:25] even worse financial outlook
[6:26] for the city even as it added
[6:27] to the deficit that we must
[6:31] solve for today.
[6:31] Since releasing the draft
[6:32] budget modest improvements in
[6:35] our tourism revenue as well as
[6:36] new legal guidance regarding
[6:37] the Golf Enterprise Fund has
[6:40] created limited opportunity for
[6:41] targeted restorations including
[6:42] restoring rec center hours and
[6:45] library hours in historically
[6:45] underserved communities
[6:46] supporting youth drop in
[6:50] centers and violence prevention
[6:50] programs, restoring shoreline
[6:51] park maintenance and DECEMBER
[6:54] nights operations and partially
[6:55] restoring the library matching
[6:56] program and funding and funding
[6:59] traffic safety improvements
[7:00] tied to the city's speed
[7:00] management plan.
[7:04] These are focused investments
[7:05] in neighborhood services that
[7:06] residents depend on every day
[7:09] but difficult tradeoffs do
[7:09] remain.
[7:10] And every department has taken
[7:13] reductions including workforce
[7:14] reductions.
[7:14] And those decisions will
[7:15] undoubtedly impact services
[7:19] across our city.
[7:19] Whereverossible, we have
[7:20] prioritized reductions away
[7:23] from neighborhood frontline
[7:23] services.
[7:24] >> Our responsibility
[7:24] councilmembers is to deliver
[7:28] the best possible services with
[7:28] the resources that we have
[7:29] available to us while
[7:29] continuing to meet our
[7:33] obligations to public safety,
[7:33] emergency response and
[7:34] neighborhood services.
[7:38] This MAY revise reflects what
[7:38] governing through difficult
[7:42] times require honesty about
[7:42] tradeoffs, fiscal
[7:43] responsibility and a continued
[7:46] focus on core services And
[7:47] the decisions that we will make
[7:48] today will shape not only this
[7:51] year's proposed budget but San
[7:52] Diego's financial future.
[7:53] Citizens expect us to govern
[7:56] responsibly, prioritize core
[7:57] services and keep this city
[7:58] moving forward.
[8:01] That remains my focus with this
[8:01] MAY revise.
[8:02] With that I'll turn it over to
[8:06] our Chief financial officer
[8:07] Rolando Shoval and
[8:07] the Department of Finance
[8:08] Director Ben Battaglia to
[8:11] continue our presentation.
[8:12] >> Thank you, Mayor Gloria.
[8:12] Good evening.
[8:13] Council PRESIDENT LaCava and
[8:16] members of the City Council.
[8:17] We are here to rescind the MAY
[8:17] revision to the fiscal year
[8:18] 2027 draft budget.
[8:21] With me is Dan Bartlett,
[8:22] the parent of finance director.
[8:22] And in the audience are members
[8:25] of the city's leadership team
[8:26] by way of overview.
[8:27] The MAY rebase reflects
[8:30] feedback received throughout
[8:30] the budget process from
[8:31] residents, community
[8:32] organizations, advocates and
[8:35] members of the City Council.
[8:36] The revised budget proposal
[8:36] proposal identifies newly
[8:40] approved funding sources to
[8:41] support targeted restorations
[8:41] while maintaining a balanced
[8:45] budget and stable long term
[8:45] financial footing for the city.
[8:46] It also continues to focus on
[8:50] public safety, infrastructure,
[8:51] homelessness solutions and
[8:51] housing which we believe are
[8:54] also the priorities shared by
[8:55] most San Diego residents.
[8:55] And it includes some additional
[8:56] investments in our capital
[9:03] improvement program.
[9:03] This table shows the citywide
[9:04] budget including our city
[9:04] funds.
[9:07] You can see that the overall
[9:08] budget has increased by about
[9:11] $52.9 million including $13.5
[9:11] million in the general fund.
[9:16] Ben will cover the details of
[9:17] the general fund increase later
[9:17] in the presentation So let me
[9:18] focus on some of the other
[9:21] increases.
[9:21] Enterprise funds are increasing
[9:25] by about 18.29 $18.2 million
[9:26] due to increased electricity
[9:27] needs in the water Utility
[9:30] operating fund due to pure
[9:31] water projects that are
[9:34] anticipated to come in line in
[9:35] f y 27 and also additional
[9:35] water purchases from the San
[9:36] Diego County Water Authority
[9:40] based on updated water sales
[9:41] assumptions for special revenue
[9:41] funds.
[9:44] Their decreasing by about $20.5
[9:45] million.
[9:45] It's mostly due to a reduction
[9:49] in operation appropriations to
[9:49] allow for future budgeting of
[9:53] capital improvement projects in
[9:54] the Tot Convention Center Fund.
[9:57] Internal service funds are
[9:58] increasing to about 6.1 million
[9:58] mostly due to increases in
[10:01] the fleet operations
[10:02] replacement funds for
[10:03] the acquisition of new vehicles
[10:06] and updated fuel cost based on
[10:07] current market conditions.
[10:10] And finally there's a $35.6
[10:11] million increase in the capital
[10:11] improvement program associated
[10:12] mostly with increasing fundings
[10:18] from park restricted sources.
[10:19] >> This table shows changes to
[10:20] the general fund revenues
[10:23] comparing the MAY revision to
[10:23] the draft budget.
[10:26] Property tax reflects a net
[10:27] decrease of about $1.1 million
[10:28] primarily due to redevelopment
[10:31] property taxes trust fund
[10:31] dollars.
[10:32] After we received estimates
[10:36] from the county in APRIL, sales
[10:36] tax remains unchanged.
[10:41] Our transient occupancy tax
[10:42] reflects an increase of about
[10:42] 3.8 million.
[10:46] This is due to higher than
[10:47] anticipated tax receipts in
[10:47] both MARCH and APRIL in 2026 as
[10:51] as 26 serves as the basis for
[10:52] our fy 27 projections.
[10:53] There is a corresponding
[10:56] increase in f y 27 for
[10:56] franchise fees.
[10:57] Revenues reflect an increase of
[11:00] about $700,000.
[11:05] This is related to an increase
[11:06] in anticipated tonnage
[11:06] collected in the Sycamore
[11:09] landfill in fy 26 which in turn
[11:12] also increases the f y 27
[11:13] revenue base.
[11:13] Other major revenues reflect
[11:18] the increase in the Gulf funded
[11:18] land use fee offset by
[11:19] decreased projected investment
[11:22] earnings and pooled cash and
[11:23] departmental revenues are
[11:26] increasing by about 7 million
[11:27] and this is primarily due to
[11:28] increased reimbursements from
[11:30] special promotional tote and
[11:35] other special funds.
[11:36] Now focusing on the Gulf fund
[11:40] revenue, the MAY revision
[11:40] includes approximately $4.3
[11:44] million in ongoing general fund
[11:45] revenue through an increase in
[11:46] the rent paid by the Gulf
[11:49] Enterprise Fund for its use of
[11:50] city Gulf properties.
[11:54] This is grounded in the Fund's
[11:54] strong performance over
[11:55] the last three fiscal years.
[11:58] Operating income has totaled
[11:59] more than 14 million annually
[12:03] and we project a fund balance
[12:04] of approximately 65 million by
[12:07] the end of fiscal year 2026.
[12:08] At the same time the Gulf Fund
[12:11] has significant capital needs.
[12:15] The fy 27 draft budget
[12:15] identifies $84.3 million in cap
[12:16] projects with additional
[12:20] anticipated needs on existing
[12:21] projects such as completing
[12:21] the Torrey Pines clubhouse in
[12:25] the Gulf Maintenance Master
[12:25] Plan.
[12:26] Total medium term needs reach
[12:29] approximately 216.4 million.
[12:34] Historically the fund has
[12:35] relied almost entirely on cash
[12:39] which means projects wait until
[12:39] cash accumulates.
[12:40] The MAY revision proposes
[12:41] incorporating financing so we
[12:44] can accelerate delivery of
[12:44] these projects after accounting
[12:49] for new ongoing payments to
[12:49] the general fund, the Gulf Fund
[12:52] is projected to retain capacity
[12:53] for about $123 million in bond
[12:56] financing which combined with
[12:57] 96.4 million in projected cash.
[13:00] That gives us roughly about
[13:01] $220 million in total funding
[13:05] capacity enough to deliver
[13:06] the identified near to medium
[13:10] term projects while at the same
[13:10] time maintaining operations,
[13:11] reserves and debt service.
[13:15] Because this strategy depends
[13:15] on continued performance of
[13:16] the fund, the city will monitor
[13:20] revenues expenditures, reserves
[13:20] and project timing over
[13:21] the next five years and
[13:26] reassess the ongoing general
[13:26] fund payment on actual results.
[13:27] With that I'll hand it over to
[13:31] Ben and he'll cover the rest of
[13:31] the presentation.
[13:32] Thank you Rolando.
[13:35] The MAY revision includes a
[13:35] consolidation of two programs
[13:36] citywide brush management
[13:39] responsibilities within
[13:40] the right of way will be
[13:41] consolidated within the Parks
[13:41] and Recreation Department.
[13:44] Citywide tree maintenance
[13:45] responsibilities will be
[13:46] consolidated within
[13:49] the Transportation Department
[13:49] and the consolidation of these
[13:50] programs would provide
[13:51] efficiencies in budgeting
[13:57] planning and scheduling of work
[13:58] .
[13:58] Some notable additions in
[14:01] the general fund include 4
[14:02] million to support potential
[14:03] impacts from ongoing labor
[14:03] negotiations.
[14:07] A million supported by a
[14:07] vegetation management grant in
[14:08] the fire rescue department.
[14:11] Support for an opioid
[14:12] intervention services team in
[14:12] the police department funded by
[14:16] opioid settlement funds.
[14:17] And an increase of 100,000 for
[14:21] the no shots fired program and
[14:22] 500,000 to support youth drop
[14:26] in centers.
[14:26] >> The increased land use fee
[14:27] payment from the Golf
[14:30] Enterprise Fund allowed for
[14:31] the partial restoration of
[14:32] library and recreation center
[14:32] hours.
[14:36] Preserving service hours in
[14:36] historically underserved
[14:37] communities.
[14:40] The revised budget includes
[14:41] reduced service hours at nine
[14:42] libraries with no change in
[14:45] service hours at 26 libraries.
[14:46] There will be a reduction of
[14:50] service hours to 40 hours per
[14:51] week at 24 rec centers.
[14:52] And current service hours will
[14:55] be preserved at 39 recreation
[14:56] centers.
[14:56] The MAY revision includes a
[15:00] list of all libraries and
[15:01] recreation centers including
[15:01] certain current service level
[15:04] hours as well as proposed
[15:05] service hours for fiscal year
[15:10] 2027 for homelessness programs
[15:13] and services an addition of 4.9
[15:14] million will fund the Housing
[15:18] Instability Prevention Program
[15:19] ,the Connections interim
[15:19] shelter and the Bishop ma
[15:20] Interim Shelter which were
[15:23] supported by one time permanent
[15:23] local housing allocation
[15:26] funding in fiscal year 2026 and
[15:27] that funding is no longer
[15:31] available next year.
[15:32] As a result, in order to
[15:32] maintain these services
[15:35] additional general fund support
[15:36] is needed.
[15:37] Additionally, the draft budget
[15:41] included a reduction of 3.8
[15:41] million for general
[15:42] homelessness services.
[15:45] The MAY revision details which
[15:46] services are proposed to be
[15:47] reduced including Central
[15:51] Elementary safe parking.
[15:51] 16th The Newton Homeless
[15:52] shelter aerial drive safe
[15:54] parking and security for
[15:59] the old Central Library.
[16:00] >> Some notable non general
[16:00] fund adjustments include
[16:03] the addition of ten positions
[16:03] in the Development Services
[16:04] Fund to support inspections and
[16:07] I.T needs the Road Maintenance
[16:08] and Rehabilitation Fund will
[16:12] support the implementation of
[16:13] the speed management plan which
[16:13] was recently approved by
[16:14] the City Council as well as
[16:17] the next street condition
[16:17] assessment.
[16:18] Finally we wanted to provide
[16:21] details for the planned use of
[16:22] opioid settlement funding next
[16:26] year approximately 5 million
[16:27] will support homeless shelters
[16:28] including the emergency harm
[16:31] reduction shelter and community
[16:32] harm reduction Safe Haven
[16:36] shelter 1.1 million will
[16:36] support the continued contract
[16:37] with ucsd Transition Support
[16:40] Team 700,000 will support
[16:41] the police department's
[16:42] neighborhood policing divisions
[16:45] interventions, services teams
[16:46] training and operations which
[16:47] will strengthen the city's
[16:50] ability to identify, engage and
[16:51] connect people struggling with
[16:55] opioid use to life saving care.
[16:56] 500,000 will provide ongoing
[17:00] support for the prosecution and
[17:01] law enforcement assisted
[17:01] diversion services or pleads
[17:05] program.
[17:06] And this is a partnership
[17:06] between the San Diego Police
[17:07] Department city Attorney's
[17:09] office as well as the county of
[17:10] San Diego And they provide
[17:11] individuals with under
[17:14] the influence of a controlled
[17:15] substance the opportunity to
[17:16] obtain supportive services.
[17:18] And then finally 300,000 will
[17:19] support the continued contract
[17:22] with the San Diego lgbtq
[17:23] Community Center for Substance
[17:24] a substance use disorder
[17:28] treatment services.
[17:32] The fiscal year 2020 7th MAY
[17:32] revision increases the Total
[17:35] Capital Improvements Program
[17:36] budget by 35.6 million and this
[17:37] brings the total cip budget for
[17:41] fiscal year 27 to 857.3
[17:41] million.
[17:46] This increase is largely for
[17:47] Parks and Rec as well as public
[17:47] utilities projects and they're
[17:50] primarily supported by
[17:55] restricted funding sources.
[17:56] >> The main revision includes
[17:56] 30.8 million allocation for
[18:00] Parks and recreation projects
[18:01] from three main funding groups
[18:02] and this includes the Mission
[18:05] Bay Park improvements Fund,
[18:06] the San Diego Regional Parks
[18:07] Improvements Fund as well as
[18:10] impact fees.
[18:11] A variety of projects were
[18:11] funded from these allocations
[18:15] and the details are included in
[18:16] the cap section of the MAY
[18:16] revision.
[18:20] The decreases in the transports
[18:20] and department are mainly due
[18:21] to changes in project schedules
[18:25] for utilities undergrounding
[18:25] projects.
[18:26] There were projects schedule
[18:29] updates for two stormwater
[18:30] projects and these budgets were
[18:30] reallocated to other urgent
[18:33] transportation projects to
[18:38] support construction activities
[18:39] .
[18:39] >> The fiscal year 27th MAY
[18:40] revision maintains a balanced
[18:43] general fund budget with
[18:43] limited restorations as well as
[18:44] investments in the cap.
[18:48] We look forward to the City
[18:48] Council's updated budget
[18:49] priorities which will be
[18:53] summarized in the eib's report
[18:53] including budget modification
[18:54] recommend recommendations which
[18:57] are scheduled to be released on
[18:58] JUNE 2nd and discussed at
[18:59] the Budget Review Committee on
[18:59] JUNE 5th.
[19:02] The City Council will then
[19:03] consider the adoption of
[19:03] the budget on JUNE 9th.
[19:07] That concludes our presentation
[19:08] and we're happy to answer any
[19:08] questions you might have.
[19:09] >> All right.
[19:12] Thank you for the presentation.
[19:12] We'll turn it over now to
[19:13] the Office of Independent
[19:16] Budget analyst Charles Monaco.
[19:17] >> Thank you.
[19:18] Council PRESIDENT And council
[19:18] member from Thank you to
[19:21] Rolando and Ben for
[19:22] the presentation.
[19:22] I will keep my comments tonight
[19:23] relatively brief because
[19:26] the main purpose of tonight's
[19:27] meeting is to hear directly
[19:27] from the public.
[19:30] To summarize I MAY revise them
[19:31] at a high level.
[19:31] It identifies additional
[19:32] resources above what was
[19:35] included in the proposed
[19:36] budget, the largest of which
[19:36] are an increase in projected
[19:40] hotel tax revenue with a $4.4
[19:44] million general fund impact and
[19:44] 4.3 million in additional
[19:45] ongoing general fund revenue
[19:46] from increased land use fees
[19:49] paid by the golf Course fund
[19:50] for the use of general fund
[19:50] owned property.
[19:54] Those additional resources help
[19:55] support several restorations
[19:56] from the proposed budget.
[19:59] Most notably the MAY revise
[19:59] includes the partial
[20:00] restoration of recreation
[20:03] center hours restoring $2.9
[20:04] million from 33 positions from
[20:08] cuts proposed in APRIL.
[20:08] Under the revised proposal
[20:09] current hours would be
[20:10] preserved at rec centers in
[20:14] council districts three, four,
[20:14] eight and nine along with
[20:17] certain facilities in districts
[20:18] two, five, six and seven.
[20:19] Other rec centers would still
[20:23] see reduced hours but no full
[20:23] rec center closures are being
[20:24] proposed.
[20:28] They MAY revise also include
[20:29] the partial restoration of
[20:31] library hours as you heard
[20:32] restoring $941,000 and seven
[20:33] positions that restoration what
[20:36] among other things to preserve
[20:36] North Claremont from
[20:37] foreclosure and prevent Carmel
[20:41] Valley from receiving a full
[20:42] day service reduction?
[20:42] It's worth noting that that
[20:43] reduction or this restoration
[20:46] is still partial, however, and
[20:47] a number of branches will
[20:47] continue to see reduced
[20:51] operating schedules.
[20:52] In addition, they MAY revise
[20:54] allowed for approximately $4.9
[20:55] million in support to maintain
[20:56] existing homelessness programs
[20:57] that were previously assumed to
[21:00] be funded with state housing
[21:01] funds that ultimately were not
[21:01] available.
[21:05] It is worth acknowledging that
[21:05] initial proposed reductions in
[21:09] the budget still remain in a
[21:10] number of areas.
[21:11] I know that we will hear from
[21:14] the public tonight about
[21:15] several of those particularly
[21:15] around arts and cultural
[21:16] funding which is not proposed
[21:19] for restoration of the MAY
[21:19] revise.
[21:20] My office will release our
[21:24] final report and recommended
[21:25] budget modifications next week.
[21:25] That report will provide a more
[21:29] comprehensive review of the MAY
[21:29] revised remaining reductions
[21:30] available resources and options
[21:33] for Council as you move towards
[21:34] final budget adoption on JUNE
[21:34] 9th.
[21:38] But stepping back it is worth
[21:38] emphasizing the city's broader
[21:43] fiscal context because it
[21:43] shapes how we should listen to
[21:44] testimony tonight and how we
[21:45] should move forward as a city
[21:48] over the next several years.
[21:49] The restoration from the MAY
[21:52] revise are meaningful but they
[21:53] do not mean that the city's
[21:54] budget problem has been solved.
[21:57] The city's structural deficit
[21:57] remains and while progress is
[21:58] being made towards closing it,
[22:02] the underlying mismatch between
[22:02] ongoing revenues and ongoing
[22:07] expenditures continues.
[22:07] This matters because
[22:08] the service reductions before
[22:09] council are not simply
[22:12] the result of one budget
[22:12] proposal or one difficult
[22:16] budget year but instead they
[22:17] reflect a problem that has
[22:17] grown over decades.
[22:21] The city's existing resources
[22:22] are not sufficient to maintain
[22:22] current service levels across
[22:27] all areas and even after we go
[22:27] through the work needed to
[22:28] balance the operating budget
[22:31] for the upcoming year,
[22:31] the city's infrastructure
[22:34] backlog was a nearly $8 billion
[22:35] funding gap over just the next
[22:39] five years remains far beyond
[22:40] what existing revenues can
[22:40] address.
[22:44] The public we will hear from
[22:44] tonight cares deeply about
[22:45] their parks and their libraries
[22:49] and their arts programs and
[22:50] their streets and their
[22:50] neighborhoods And that care
[22:53] reflects a genuine and real
[22:54] expectations for what a city
[22:54] should provide.
[22:59] Being honest about what it
[22:59] actually costs to run a city
[23:03] and to meet those expectations
[23:04] and about the gap between those
[23:04] costs and the revenues that are
[23:08] currently coming into the city
[23:09] is one of the most important
[23:10] things that this council can do
[23:13] as it moves towards final
[23:14] decisions.
[23:14] The city can and should
[23:18] continue working to preserve
[23:19] core services where possible.
[23:23] But given our fiscal reality,
[23:23] difficult conversations about
[23:24] service levels will continue
[23:27] next year and without
[23:28] significant new revenue
[23:29] the city will be unable to
[23:29] address its infrastructure
[23:33] needs at anything close to
[23:34] the scale that is actually
[23:38] required But that we look
[23:38] forward to hearing from
[23:39] the public tonight.
[23:40] And my office will continue to
[23:42] be available to support this
[23:43] Council with analysis and
[23:44] recommendations as you move
[23:44] towards your final budget
[23:47] decisions over the next two
[23:47] weeks.
[23:48] >> Thank you, Council
[23:48] PRESIDENT.
[23:49] All right.
[23:49] Thank you, Charles.
[23:50] We always appreciate the eib's
[23:52] participation.
[23:53] Okay, your turn now.
[23:54] I'm now essentially going to be
[23:57] turning the meeting over to our
[23:58] city clerk and her amazing
[23:58] staff.
[24:02] She gives excellent
[24:02] instructions.
[24:03] You follow them and we'll get
[24:04] through it Evening.
[24:04] You all get that chance to
[24:07] speak.
[24:08] >> So Diana, please begin.
[24:08] Thank you.
[24:08] Council PRESIDENT.
[24:12] We do have a little over 200
[24:12] speakers here in council
[24:13] chambers and in the online
[24:13] queue.
[24:17] So it will be one minute each
[24:17] as I had noted previously.
[24:21] I would like to note for
[24:22] the record that this item did
[24:25] receive 24 comments in favor
[24:26] and 214 comments in opposition.
[24:26] B r e comment form which have
[24:30] been distributed to
[24:30] the Council.
[24:31] We will be starting this
[24:32] evening with Christopher h.
[24:34] Lipski and then after that we
[24:35] have Julia Cardenas who will be
[24:41] speaking along with Allison
[24:41] Heppner and Jared Harrison.
[24:42] If you can all please come up
[24:45] to the yellow reserved seats.
[24:46] After that we'll have Victor
[24:49] Bonzi and Melissa Hernandez.
[24:50] If you can all please come up
[24:51] to those yellow reserved seats.
[24:54] Christopher you can come up to
[24:54] the microphone and you'll have
[24:55] a Dvora maxim over Maxim.
[24:58] Thank you.
[24:59] Seating your time so you'll
[25:00] have two minutes.
[25:00] Please proceed.
[25:03] Hello everyone.
[25:04] My name is Christian Lipski.
[25:05] I'm on the Commission for Arts
[25:05] and Culture representing
[25:06] District two.
[25:08] I moved here from Chicago where
[25:09] I worked for the Mayor's
[25:09] Department of Cultural Affairs
[25:13] and Special events And then I
[25:14] managed the arts program here
[25:17] at our international airport
[25:17] from 2016 to 2023.
[25:18] I'm also on the Ocean Beach
[25:18] Planning Board.
[25:22] I'm here in support of
[25:22] restoring funding for arts and
[25:23] culture for the city of San
[25:23] Diego.
[25:24] I want to provide context for
[25:26] my vantage point.
[25:27] In my experience seven months
[25:28] ago the city lost the tenured
[25:31] executive director of
[25:32] the department called
[25:32] Department of Cultural Affairs.
[25:36] Oh, about ten years of
[25:37] institutional knowledge gone on
[25:37] top of decades of prior past
[25:38] experience.
[25:41] Three months ago the city then
[25:42] lost its second in command for
[25:42] the Department of Cultural
[25:43] Affairs.
[25:46] This person had 14 years of
[25:47] institutional experience right
[25:47] here in City Hall.
[25:48] Her position will not be
[25:51] backfilled as a result of this
[25:51] budget.
[25:56] Moreover, now almost 90% of
[25:56] the cultural affairs budget has
[25:57] been wiped out.
[25:59] No more Oh is now it's bye bye.
[26:00] And the reason for that is
[26:00] because staffing and funding
[26:01] are on a path to extinction.
[26:04] The message is clear No
[26:05] importance is placed on arts
[26:05] and culture for San Diego From
[26:09] the mayor's office.
[26:09] Going further I wish that I
[26:10] could say we as the appointed
[26:11] Commission on Arts and Culture
[26:11] have been engaged in this
[26:14] budget process as we ought to
[26:14] be and as the process is meant
[26:15] to work.
[26:15] But we have not.
[26:18] Even worse we still have not
[26:18] been communicated with
[26:19] regarding the budget Despite
[26:20] significant outreach to
[26:23] the mayor's office, we as a
[26:23] commission should have been
[26:24] involved and we still can be.
[26:27] It was said well by two Council
[26:27] members at the MAY 4th budget
[26:28] hearing that the city is flying
[26:31] in the dark because it is using
[26:31] no economic impact study for
[26:32] the elimination of this
[26:32] funding.
[26:35] There is a complete lack of
[26:36] methodology right now and lack
[26:37] of collaboration with
[26:37] the city's own appointed body
[26:41] of professional advisors
[26:41] the Commission for Arts and
[26:42] Culture.
[26:42] If it's one thing creative
[26:43] folks know how to do, it's
[26:46] problem solve Constraints are
[26:46] part of our practice.
[26:47] This situation is solvable So
[26:47] let's do better.
[26:51] Let's act like other grown up
[26:52] municipalities with regard to
[26:52] arts and culture and the role
[26:53] it plays.
[26:55] Put the money back.
[26:56] Let us your opponent, your
[26:57] appointed commission help you
[27:00] with that.
[27:00] Thank you.
[27:05] Julia Cardenas is Julia You
[27:06] have time people sitting your
[27:06] time if they can please raise
[27:10] their hand Ali Farrah thank
[27:10] you.
[27:10] Daniel Milan Thank you.
[27:15] Rosemary Rincon, Beatriz
[27:19] Torres, Sarah Powell Thank you.
[27:20] You'll have six minutes.
[27:24] Please proceed when ready.
[27:29] Good evening, Mayor Gloria and
[27:29] City Council.
[27:30] My name is Julia Cardenas.
[27:34] I am the PRESIDENT Of the San
[27:34] Diego chapter of the National
[27:35] Federation of the Blind.
[27:39] I am here to voice our full
[27:43] support for the accessibility
[27:44] Advisory Boards proposal to
[27:48] allocate 18 million over a five
[27:49] year span to clear the current
[27:52] backlog in 88 projects.
[27:57] We are facing a staggering 70
[28:01] to 90 million backlog in 88
[28:05] projects or a law that was
[28:05] passed 36 years ago.
[28:09] This level of neglect is not
[28:10] just a budget oversight.
[28:15] It is a civil rights issue.
[28:16] Last year the accessibility
[28:20] Advisory Board sent their
[28:21] proposal to city council.
[28:25] >> And I want to take a moment
[28:26] and thank council members
[28:29] Whitburn and Foster for
[28:30] addressing this item as a
[28:30] priority in the budget.
[28:34] Thank you, gentlemen.
[28:34] The city says that it wants to
[28:39] create a safe San Diego for all
[28:39] its residents.
[28:44] >> I'm here to tell you that
[28:45] blind San Diegans do not feel
[28:48] safe.
[28:53] The reality is that we navigate
[28:54] this city we call home daily in
[28:58] a landscape of many safety
[28:59] hazards.
[29:03] We're talking about
[29:04] malfunctioning to nonexistent,
[29:08] accessible pedestrian signals
[29:13] also known as apps low level
[29:14] face obstructions that include
[29:18] overhanging umbrellas and trim
[29:23] trees a frames and uncovered
[29:24] tree holes that act as traps
[29:27] for a white cane and feet When
[29:32] an accessible pedestal and
[29:33] signal fails or tactile curve
[29:37] ramp is not properly placed.
[29:38] Blind people are at greater
[29:43] risk of serious injury or death
[29:47] just crossing the street Blind
[29:47] pedestrians do their best to
[29:51] judge when it's safe to cross.
[29:56] If an app's malfunctions at a
[29:57] busy intersection.
[29:57] But from firsthand experience I
[30:01] can say facing down an
[30:02] unexpected vehicle is
[30:06] terrifying.
[30:10] >> Our members have repeatedly
[30:11] reported broken signals, unsafe
[30:16] facilities and have even
[30:16] requested new apps
[30:17] installations at high risk
[30:21] intersections.
[30:22] Yet often these repairs do not
[30:26] happen because the city says
[30:30] the funding is unavailable.
[30:31] Earlier this month we met with
[30:35] the city engineer and
[30:36] department to understand how
[30:40] apps related issues
[30:40] specifically are prioritized.
[30:45] And we learned that the city
[30:45] uses a scoring system.
[30:50] It is unclear where in
[30:50] the scoring system these issues
[30:54] rank.
[30:55] But we believe that these life
[30:57] saving signals should carry
[31:02] more weight.
[31:03] >> The city has allowed vital
[31:07] accessibility issues to drift
[31:07] for far too long.
[31:14] The time to act is now.
[31:15] The blind should not be an
[31:19] afterthought.
[31:19] >> Reliable and accessible
[31:23] pedestrian infrastructure is
[31:24] essential in order for
[31:28] the blind to fully and equally
[31:29] participate in public life.
[31:33] So we're asking the City
[31:34] Council to provide the funding
[31:39] and accountability necessary so
[31:40] that all blind San Diego fans
[31:43] can travel safely and
[31:44] independently in their own
[31:44] communities.
[31:55] Thank you.
[31:56] >> That was worth a round of
[31:57] applause.
[32:00] So thank you for acknowledging
[32:01] her.
[32:01] But normally let's not do
[32:02] the applause because it just
[32:05] slows everything down.
[32:06] Many of you already knew that
[32:07] shaking their hands or snapping
[32:09] your fingers communicates your
[32:10] agreement with the speaker.
[32:15] Then thumbs down says you don't
[32:16] agree with the speaker.
[32:19] >> So thank you for that.
[32:20] >> Ready?
[32:32] Alison Peppler here.
[32:32] All right.
[32:37] Like good knee.
[32:38] Good evening everyone.
[32:39] I'm going to make this quick
[32:42] because I only have one minute.
[32:43] My name is Alison Dubner.
[32:46] I am also a member of
[32:46] the National Federation of
[32:51] the Blind San Diego Chapter.
[32:52] I want to speak about making
[32:56] our finest city fine for
[32:56] everyone blind and other
[33:01] disabilities as well.
[33:02] We all want what everyone else
[33:05] wants.
[33:06] We need to be independent.
[33:11] We want to be employed and many
[33:11] of us are.
[33:16] But being employed is a
[33:20] challenge when getting to and
[33:21] from your job involves as Julie
[33:24] was describing, the pedestrian
[33:25] signals that are not working
[33:30] correctly the audible signals
[33:30] that don't work correctly.
[33:34] Curb cuts that sometimes don't
[33:35] exist at all.
[33:39] >> Sidewalks that are torn up
[33:44] and you know signage and all
[33:45] kinds of places that are
[33:45] blocked.
[33:49] That was the thing.
[33:50] >> I thank you for your
[33:50] concluding comment.
[33:51] Thank you.
[33:54] Jared.
[33:54] >> Harrison Jared, you have
[33:55] people seating you time Janet
[33:59] Rogers if you can please raise
[34:00] your hand.
[34:00] Thank you.
[34:01] Becky Westervelt If you can
[34:02] please raise your hand.
[34:08] Becky and Mike Romo.
[34:08] >> Okay, great.
[34:09] You'll have four minutes.
[34:09] Please proceed.
[34:12] Thank you very much.
[34:13] Members of council.
[34:14] You're your of the mayor
[34:14] council PRESIDENT.
[34:15] Thank you very much.
[34:17] My name is Jared Harrison and
[34:21] I'm a proud San Diego And I've
[34:21] been here for ten years now.
[34:22] And it's just an honor to live
[34:25] in this city.
[34:26] I lost my vision about two
[34:27] years ago and since that time
[34:31] I've found a wonderful
[34:31] community of people to support
[34:32] and I've gained the tools
[34:36] necessary to maneuver around my
[34:36] my area.
[34:37] I'm here to kind of give a
[34:40] personal face to this issue and
[34:41] let you know what it's really
[34:41] about.
[34:46] So this process of accessible
[34:47] pedestrian signals those are
[34:48] the signals at the traffic
[34:51] stops that tell us when it's
[34:51] safe to cross.
[34:52] Now when we don't have those,
[34:52] we do our best.
[34:56] We judge the traffic.
[34:57] They teach us in mobility
[35:01] classes that we're to listen
[35:01] for that oncoming traffic
[35:02] that's parallel to us, that's
[35:05] traffic that lets us know that
[35:06] it's safe to cross.
[35:07] And for that parallel that
[35:07] perpendicular traffic that
[35:10] comes right next right in front
[35:11] of you, that's the traffic
[35:11] that's going to put your life
[35:14] in mortal danger.
[35:15] So there's a lot hanging on it
[35:19] when we're crossing a street.
[35:20] And so it's very important that
[35:24] it particularly dangerous
[35:25] intersections those are
[35:25] intersections that produced
[35:26] that's very high traffic where
[35:29] there's not a lot of parallel
[35:29] traffic that we have those
[35:30] types of tools to help us get
[35:34] to our work, get to the areas
[35:34] where we recreate and to visit
[35:38] the wonderful businesses around
[35:38] the city.
[35:39] I'll tell you a little bit of
[35:43] my own experience with the apps
[35:44] signals here.
[35:45] I lived close to 10th and j.
[35:47] My work is about two blocks
[35:48] from there So I walk there
[35:49] every day and I cross 10th and
[35:51] j that traffic intersection is
[35:52] particularly dangerous.
[35:53] It comes the traffic from 10th
[35:56] Avenue comes right directly off
[35:57] the interstate.
[35:58] There is very little traffic
[35:58] parallel on j Street And
[36:01] remember that's the traffic
[36:02] that tells me it's safe to
[36:02] cross.
[36:05] And I had one of my instructors
[36:06] assess this and together we put
[36:10] together a request for access
[36:11] for the city to install apps at
[36:14] that crossing Folks that was in
[36:15] DECEMBER of 2024.
[36:16] I learned that there was
[36:20] another request in 2021 for
[36:20] that same crossing and still
[36:24] it's not been fixed.
[36:25] Over on 10th and Park there is
[36:30] an api signal there that's a
[36:30] big t-junction and it's also
[36:31] where all of that traffic from
[36:34] 10th Avenue comes off.
[36:35] And at that intersection
[36:35] there's the apps is there but
[36:39] it doesn't function and that's
[36:39] very dangerous for someone
[36:40] who's there to rely upon that
[36:43] crossing to help them safely
[36:44] cross.
[36:47] So I lived there on that block
[36:47] of 10th Avenue and with no
[36:51] apps, no functional apps at
[36:52] 10th and Park and no functional
[36:55] apps at 10th and j I'm in an
[36:55] island of inaccessibility
[36:56] folks.
[36:59] We go to the we go to
[37:00] the department we file we file
[37:03] issues with with the Department
[37:04] of Engineering And the response
[37:09] that we get is yeah this is on
[37:09] our list and it's competing for
[37:10] funding And then I haven't
[37:13] heard from them since.
[37:13] Folks that should bother you
[37:14] And we are here to bring some
[37:18] light to this issue.
[37:18] You know when you're crossing
[37:19] the street and as Julie
[37:23] mentioned and you're faced with
[37:24] an unexpected vehicle, it can
[37:28] in your entire life flashes
[37:28] before your eyes.
[37:29] So folks, this is a core issue
[37:32] a core city function.
[37:33] We think that our safety should
[37:36] be prioritized and we're here
[37:37] to talk about this issue.
[37:41] Now vision loss is something
[37:42] that many millions of Americans
[37:46] face And statistically, you
[37:47] know, you or some folks that
[37:51] you love will probably face
[37:52] some vision loss in their
[37:52] lives.
[37:53] Now one of the fundamental
[37:53] things that we teach our
[37:56] children when they're crossing
[37:57] the street is look both ways.
[37:58] Keep your eyes open.
[38:01] Pay attention.
[38:02] Well, imagine if you had to
[38:03] cross the street with your eyes
[38:06] closed and imagine that child
[38:07] that you raised crossing
[38:11] the street on their own with no
[38:11] guidance.
[38:12] >> That can be a terrifying
[38:12] thing.
[38:16] Folks, thank you for that
[38:17] concluding.
[38:17] Thank you very much, ladies and
[38:18] gentlemen.
[38:18] I hope this gives you pause.
[38:25] We're here to raise some cane.
[38:26] Thank you.
[38:31] Next we have Viktor Orban.
[38:32] Viktor Orban.
[38:35] So if you can please come up to
[38:36] the microphone.
[38:36] You have several people seating
[38:37] your time.
[38:38] If I can also ask Melissa
[38:40] Hernandez to please come up to
[38:40] the yellow reserved seats along
[38:45] with Nicole Lilly, Kevin Vento,
[38:49] Travis Bouchard, Susan Griffin
[38:50] ,Lynelle Brown if you can all
[38:51] please come forward to
[38:55] the yellow reserved seats in
[38:55] the front row.
[38:56] And Viktor Orban say you have
[38:59] the following people seating
[38:59] you time Come.
[39:00] Gabrielle just can you please
[39:01] raise your hand?
[39:03] Thank you.
[39:08] Moustafa Alla data Thank you.
[39:09] >> Can we clear the aisles to
[39:10] let these good people exit
[39:13] the room?
[39:13] Thank you.
[39:19] And just to be clear, it'll be
[39:19] a group presentation.
[39:20] >> I'll keep We'll take a pause
[39:21] right now and then we have
[39:48] forward maybe the individuals
[39:49] in the aisle can come over here
[39:49] to behind the microphones to
[39:53] make room in the aisle.
[39:54] You can stand behind your
[39:58] speaker.
[40:01] Please clear the I came here
[40:12] behind your speaker.
[40:18] We get this political okay
[40:23] There we go.
[40:29] I I'll continue just calling
[40:29] for people to raise their
[40:30] hands.
[40:34] Moustafa Elden Thank you.
[40:39] Alexander Moncada Janine Malibu
[40:39] left seven saying normal
[40:43] normals Thank you Belen
[40:47] Hernandez Altan Luis Ron
[40:52] Sanchez Margarita Hernandez Van
[40:53] Horn.
[40:57] Joshua Aguilar.
[41:02] Hailey Serafin Oh I have to
[41:06] Hailey Serafin So let me just
[41:07] you are ceding your time to
[41:08] this organized presentation,
[41:08] correct?
[41:10] You're not speaking on your own
[41:11] .
[41:11] Hailey okay, Because I have one
[41:20] going each way.
[41:21] So it is 13 minutes.
[41:21] Please proceed on.
[41:25] Ready?
[41:26] >> Good evening Council.
[41:27] I am Berlin senior policy
[41:30] advocate and city councilor and
[41:30] this is our youth council.
[41:31] We are not architects or
[41:34] engineers but we wanted our
[41:35] park fixed so we learn to speak
[41:40] the language design faces city
[41:41] codes and procurement processes
[41:41] at least enough to get around
[41:44] the block and get our park
[41:45] fixed.
[41:45] After four years working on
[41:49] Henwood Park we asked ourselves
[41:49] How can we make the process
[41:50] easier for everyone?
[41:53] We had an idea and we brought
[41:54] it to you Fund one engineer to
[41:55] streamline the process.
[41:59] People would ask us How did you
[41:59] arrive at this idea?
[42:03] It is so technical in nature.
[42:04] Well we found it while we were
[42:04] digging deep in the trenches of
[42:08] city bureaucracy.
[42:09] Our vision is that we can carve
[42:09] a clear path for other parks
[42:12] that need to repair Our vision
[42:13] is a city with green, clean
[42:14] enriching parks for families
[42:17] and people of all ages.
[42:18] I stand here today to ask for
[42:21] two things First restorations
[42:21] to the Parks and Rec department
[42:22] restore maintenance staff
[42:25] Rangers In the asset management
[42:26] team you need a maintenance
[42:30] staff in Rangers to keep daily
[42:31] operations running and you need
[42:31] the asset team to keep repairs
[42:34] flowing.
[42:35] Second, streamline the repair
[42:35] process.
[42:36] Parks and Rec and
[42:39] the engineering department are
[42:40] signing an agreement to tackle
[42:40] the problem.
[42:41] The agreement must include
[42:44] direct access to a deputy
[42:45] engineer for project approvals
[42:49] permission for parks and Rec to
[42:50] work on repairs costing up to
[42:53] $5 million and a process where
[42:54] the Parks Department to put out
[42:55] the bids for small repairs If
[42:58] these items require
[42:59] reallocation between
[42:59] departments we ask you to
[43:00] please make it happen.
[43:03] I know you want the parks
[43:03] repaired too.
[43:08] Thank you.
[43:09] >> Good evening City councils
[43:09] and lovely committee members.
[43:13] My name is myself and I'm a
[43:13] junior at Hoover High School
[43:14] and a recent member of
[43:17] the Mid-City gang Youth
[43:17] Council.
[43:18] I'm here because we feel like
[43:21] the new budget proposal but
[43:22] there are still more to go.
[43:23] So I'm here to speak out and
[43:27] advocate for the parks that are
[43:27] suffering and need to be
[43:28] well-maintained as it fosters a
[43:32] sense of community, community
[43:33] and our society by maybe
[43:37] updated frequently because
[43:37] neglect can cause bigger
[43:38] problems that can carry damage
[43:42] to our beautiful parks becoming
[43:42] harder to regulate and fix.
[43:43] Time is passing and costs
[43:47] continue to rise leading to
[43:48] longer frustration to community
[43:51] members who value and car parks
[43:52] as an important part of their
[43:52] identity.
[43:53] Safety can be defined
[43:56] differently.
[43:57] Different people feel safe in
[43:57] various ways.
[44:00] In our case people feel safe in
[44:01] parks and green areas.
[44:02] Those taking care of parks is
[44:06] an important factor of safety.
[44:06] I hear that you're concerned
[44:07] about safety and enforcing
[44:11] parks is a part of investing in
[44:12] safety.
[44:15] I asked you to fund a deeper
[44:16] ties city engineer
[44:16] the agreement between Parks and
[44:20] Rec and capital engineering
[44:20] must include direct access to
[44:24] the retired engineer for
[44:25] project approvals before you
[44:29] can take care of parks such as
[44:29] maintenance staff and park
[44:30] rangers Rangers.
[44:34] We here represent this
[44:35] community who might not be seen
[44:38] nor heard or recognized by
[44:39] others.
[44:39] And to show that these funding
[44:40] cuts are extremely impactful
[44:45] and hurtful this is important.
[44:45] Take a deep look at it because
[44:46] there's a big mess and a
[44:49] misunderstanding about parks
[44:50] grading inequality.
[44:50] Invest in youth.
[44:54] Thank you.
[44:54] >> Hello.
[45:02] Good afternoon.
[45:02] City Council members and
[45:03] committee members Manager
[45:04] McCullough I'm currently a
[45:05] junior Hoover High School and
[45:05] part of Missouri can youth
[45:06] Council.
[45:07] I've been living in City house
[45:09] since I was little.
[45:10] I love living here and going to
[45:10] Prado.
[45:11] Cruz offers enjoyment and will
[45:13] park.
[45:14] Currently every Friday evening
[45:15] my friends and I are offered to
[45:18] determine how a memorial park
[45:19] as part of our soccer team to
[45:19] play and have fun Doing this
[45:24] allows me to relieve stress for
[45:24] school in other words are on my
[45:25] mind.
[45:25] I was happy to hear about
[45:28] the reservations that were made
[45:28] and hours of libraries, parks
[45:33] and rec centers and there for
[45:34] eight and nine while I know
[45:35] they didn't include our
[45:35] district.
[45:36] These are the most impacted.
[45:38] I'm asking you to please
[45:39] protect these restorations.
[45:39] I'm also asking that you
[45:40] restore remaining staff
[45:43] the soccer fab is currently
[45:44] languishing as more dirt and
[45:45] grass if you cut the main
[45:45] stuff.
[45:47] What do you think will happen
[45:48] to our parks?
[45:49] I rely on libraries to help
[45:52] with medication And and again
[45:52] please protect these
[45:53] restorations.
[45:54] Stop increasing the budget for
[45:54] police.
[45:58] Why is it our game where money
[45:58] when they already have enough
[45:59] and instead see this money to
[46:01] continue to invest and you
[46:02] service please take that into
[46:02] consideration and continue
[46:03] support our community.
[46:09] Thank you.
[46:09] >> Hello my name is Shanna and
[46:10] I'm a junior at Hoover High
[46:13] School and from city Heights.
[46:14] I'll be reading a public
[46:15] comment on the behalf of our
[46:18] youth organizer who couldn't
[46:18] make it today.
[46:19] Good evening, City Council.
[46:23] My name is Paloma and I'm a
[46:23] youth I'm the youth organizer
[46:27] for Mid-City Cans Youth
[46:27] Council.
[46:28] I'm here because we are
[46:29] counting on you to fight for
[46:29] us.
[46:32] We are grateful that we were
[46:32] able to restore the cuts to
[46:36] library and recreation hours
[46:41] and d 4899 But it is not
[46:41] enough.
[46:42] The budget is cutting the asset
[46:46] management team under the Parks
[46:46] and Rec department.
[46:49] This includes two park
[46:49] designers, one budget and an
[46:53] analyst and assistant deputy
[46:54] director leading the team this
[46:54] hour.
[46:58] These are the people that
[46:59] partner with nonprofits to
[47:03] minor projects done.
[47:04] They are the people that bring
[47:14] bring the banana for no harm to
[47:19] philanthropy not to be stores
[47:20] towards the city park.
[47:24] The city engineer Renna has
[47:24] told you that they are working
[47:29] on an mou between
[47:29] the departments but we don't
[47:34] know what that mou is.
[47:34] Does it allow minors minor
[47:35] project to be done in the short
[47:39] term timeline and a cheaper and
[47:39] cheaper cost?
[47:40] How can this project be
[47:44] completed a reasonable time if
[47:45] the Park Department will soon
[47:48] be left without an asset
[47:49] management team?
[47:49] You must restore the asset
[47:53] management team Management
[47:53] positions.
[47:54] We are glad the department will
[47:59] sign an agreement to streamline
[47:59] the repair process.
[48:03] We ask for the mou to include
[48:04] to include three things direct
[48:09] access access to a deputize
[48:09] engineer force project approval
[48:14] permission for Parks and Rec to
[48:17] work on repair costing up to $5
[48:18] million and a process for park
[48:22] departments to put out the bids
[48:23] for smaller repairs.
[48:27] These elements will determine
[48:28] the effective support of
[48:37] the mou.
[48:37] Good afternoon City Council
[48:38] members.
[48:38] My name is Gabrielle.
[48:42] Guess I'm going into the into
[48:42] my junior year Our Patrick
[48:46] Henry High School and I'm a
[48:47] resident of District nine.
[48:47] I first began advocacy when I
[48:51] was around 13 years old in
[48:51] the seventh grade.
[48:52] >> This is the same project
[48:56] I've been working on since that
[48:56] time period.
[48:57] This project has yet to be done
[49:01] and the current timeline would
[49:02] be by the time I am in my
[49:05] senior year or even a freshman
[49:06] in college that the project
[49:06] will be began.
[49:11] >> Is this acceptable to you?
[49:12] This is a whole lifetime.
[49:12] I haven't been able to go to
[49:16] this park since I was a child
[49:17] because it was already not up
[49:21] to date, not up to code And
[49:21] it's still like that for
[49:22] the children today.
[49:23] This is generations where this
[49:26] have been happening in the same
[49:26] park.
[49:27] >> It still has yet to be
[49:27] repaired.
[49:31] It is only two place structures
[49:32] that we are axing to remove to
[49:35] be repaired.
[49:36] Currently we have other
[49:40] projects that are building that
[49:40] are holding many of our
[49:41] businesses in our community
[49:44] Trust continuing to take this
[49:45] long on the project, show
[49:49] something underserved
[49:49] communities continue to be
[49:50] underserved.
[49:54] >> Is this really something you
[49:55] want for the youth and for our
[49:59] future to not have parks
[50:00] something that are essential to
[50:00] children?
[50:01] It's a key part of our
[50:03] development and it's something
[50:03] that is not given to our
[50:08] communities and I think it's
[50:09] something that should be a part
[50:12] of our should be a part because
[50:13] it builds motor skills in much
[50:13] more.
[50:14] It's something that every kid
[50:18] should have.
[50:18] But when these playgrounds are
[50:19] not up to date or are not kept
[50:22] up to code, these skills are
[50:23] lost And we are seeing it right
[50:27] now in our education system.
[50:28] We are acting for
[50:28] the possibility of this to be
[50:32] changed if we are given a
[50:33] deputized senior engineer we
[50:33] are able to not only streamline
[50:37] our own parks but parks for
[50:37] other youth in all regions.
[50:41] There are so many parks that
[50:42] are not kept up to date in San
[50:42] Diego.
[50:51] >> It shouldn't be this way.
[50:51] Hi.
[50:56] Uh, I'm a senior at Hoover High
[50:56] School and I graduated
[50:57] tomorrow.
[50:57] >> So have you graduation to
[51:03] you Do?
[51:04] >> Just to reiterate, I have
[51:07] been doing this for two years
[51:08] and by the time I leave I will
[51:13] see a little bit at a low
[51:17] success in it And when I go to
[51:18] and work hard I go to
[51:22] the bathroom that we will be
[51:23] still no lights, the store will
[51:27] still be too big and you can
[51:28] see like my feet under it And
[51:36] yeah ish I don't know if you
[51:37] see this as a long time It is
[51:42] to me and while we're waiting a
[51:42] lot of other parks is also
[51:47] waiting and I think we deserve
[51:51] better We deserve a place we
[51:56] deserve where we go together
[51:57] and and just speaking your ears
[52:01] out now by that is what I'm
[52:05] trying to how you please speed
[52:10] up the process, try to MAY cost
[52:14] less and try to help our youth
[52:14] succeed.
[52:20] Thank you.
[52:21] >> Good evening, Council
[52:21] members.
[52:24] My name's Victor Ponce.
[52:25] I will be reading a comment
[52:26] from a youth council member
[52:29] Derrick who couldn't be here
[52:30] today so.
[52:30] Good evening City Council
[52:35] Committee members My name is
[52:35] Derek and I am a junior at
[52:36] the North High.
[52:37] I have visited and spent
[52:38] countless hours in Central
[52:39] parks and recreation spaces.
[52:40] I have seen valuable areas like
[52:43] Henry Park are to the community
[52:43] .
[52:44] I've seen families gathering
[52:44] together, kids playing soccer,
[52:45] basketball, tennis and
[52:48] classmates spending time
[52:49] relaxing together after school.
[52:50] Parks are truly integral to
[52:53] communities to build
[52:54] connections with individuals
[52:55] and foster a sense of community
[52:55] especially for youth like us.
[52:58] More than just parks recreation
[52:59] centers, the libraries offer
[53:00] the same community benefit to
[53:03] even more people.
[53:03] I myself go to libraries to
[53:04] study and last summer they
[53:05] volunteered at my local library
[53:08] because I felt that these
[53:09] community spaces deserve more
[53:09] attention and care.
[53:13] That's why I ask you to
[53:13] continue to provide funding for
[53:14] parks, libraries and recreation
[53:15] centers including as an
[53:17] instance at park rangers who
[53:18] help keep these spaces safe and
[53:21] operational Because we state
[53:22] how dangerous and how hostile
[53:23] neglected parks can become.
[53:27] I also support funding
[53:28] adaptation engineered to allow
[53:29] for a quicker repair and
[53:29] involvement projects so that
[53:31] and youth does not need to wait
[53:31] years for park equity on my
[53:32] behalf.
[53:32] As you've heard from our youth
[53:35] they've been at this for a long
[53:36] time.
[53:36] We appreciate and thank for
[53:37] the money that has been
[53:40] allocated but it shouldn't take
[53:41] this long, right?
[53:41] I have folks that are pretty
[53:42] soon about to graduate college.
[53:45] They're going to go into their
[53:46] senior year and we still been
[53:47] at this For them to be able to
[53:50] come back to San Diego and ask
[53:51] for their progress and see what
[53:52] it's like And we still have
[53:52] nothing not even a shovel on
[53:55] the ground.
[53:56] I think it's disappointing.
[53:56] I do want to see this fixed.
[53:57] I think it's not only for our
[54:00] community it'll benefit
[54:00] everybody within the city.
[54:01] I know that there's parks all
[54:02] over the world we want to see
[54:04] build quicker and faster.
[54:08] We saw during the presentation
[54:09] 30 point something million goes
[54:09] to Parks and Rec through
[54:10] Synapse.
[54:10] We believe that we have a
[54:13] solution to help reduce that.
[54:14] So we want to see it fixed.
[54:15] Thank you all for your time.
[54:20] Nairobi It.
[54:21] Thank you very much Melissa
[54:21] Hernandez.
[54:25] Melissa you have time ceded to
[54:25] you by Monica hill if you can
[54:26] please raise your hand.
[54:26] >> Monica.
[54:27] Thank you.
[54:30] And then Cheryl, if you can
[54:31] please raise your hand.
[54:33] >> So Melissa, you'll have
[54:34] three minutes.
[54:38] >> Please proceed.
[54:39] Hello, council members.
[54:40] I hope you guys are having an
[54:43] amazing evening And as we can
[54:44] see, the whole community is out
[54:44] here.
[54:45] I want to thank first and
[54:48] foremost everything to
[54:49] the officers for putting
[54:52] the budget back where it needs
[54:53] .
[54:53] However, we really need you
[54:54] guys to be considerate of
[54:54] what's going on.
[54:58] As you can see behind me.
[54:59] The youth that we work with
[55:03] daily um got them out got them
[55:03] out here so that you guys can
[55:04] see why these programs are
[55:07] needed, why these parks are
[55:07] needed, why these libraries are
[55:11] needed and why we are needing
[55:12] you to understand that we got
[55:16] behind the youth with a little
[55:17] bit of money after so much was
[55:20] promised to us and cut and we
[55:21] were able to accomplish what we
[55:25] wanted to accomplish within one
[55:26] week of times even knowing that
[55:27] we're under the stress and
[55:30] under the pressure when we were
[55:34] supposed to come up here on
[55:34] the 18th obviously a tragic
[55:35] happened And this just proves
[55:39] now why companies like
[55:40] The Block and companies like
[55:44] well, let's just say the block
[55:44] shouldn't be receiving any type
[55:45] of funding.
[55:49] i'm not going to speak on
[55:49] the tragedy that just happened
[55:50] because that's not my part or
[55:53] my place as that I'm not a
[55:54] family member but I am going to
[55:55] speak for my community and when
[55:58] I speak for my community I say
[55:58] put the money in the right
[56:02] places because the more you
[56:03] continue to invest in these
[56:03] robotic places they're not
[56:07] saving our youth lives.
[56:08] We the community leaders, we
[56:12] the people are the ones that
[56:12] are saving lives.
[56:13] We are the ones that get in on
[56:13] the front line.
[56:14] We are the ones that are
[56:15] putting you in that chair.
[56:17] We are the ones that are making
[56:21] sure okay that you can do what
[56:22] you do right now and that is
[56:23] make the right decision because
[56:26] if not ya know my favorite
[56:27] thing my favorite word Hunger
[56:27] Games.
[56:28] Hunger Games.
[56:28] Hunger Games.
[56:31] And Todd I see you.
[56:32] You know what I'm saying?
[56:33] You did the right thing by
[56:33] putting the money back But now
[56:36] I need for everybody to do what
[56:37] they need to do for our
[56:44] community.
[56:45] >> Okay, Already we got too
[56:45] much.
[56:45] We're senior out here.
[56:46] Go ahead.
[56:46] Go ahead.
[56:47] We we to freestyle as a
[56:51] birthday today to a shout out
[56:52] to my mom my mom's birthday So
[56:52] Mimi give me patience with my
[56:55] mother but I think more
[56:56] importantly we these programs
[57:00] that are getting married Gloria
[57:01] these are all the programs that
[57:02] generate revenue and bringing
[57:02] funding to our city nonstop
[57:05] like as part of your the city's
[57:06] own strategic plan to make this
[57:06] a cultural destination.
[57:10] What kind of a cultural
[57:11] destination are we going to be?
[57:11] We know culture.
[57:12] We know programing.
[57:12] We know arts.
[57:15] Um, on top of that like Mimi
[57:16] said, the people that you see
[57:17] where are the people doing
[57:19] the work doing the job.
[57:20] And I will say this if it takes
[57:21] not just the people but
[57:24] the right people in the right
[57:25] positions and I know Mayor
[57:26] Gloria can get tested, you
[57:29] know, working personally
[57:29] directly with Lucero, you know,
[57:30] in your in your office that
[57:33] made all the difference.
[57:34] And if it wasn't for me working
[57:34] at these drop centers and
[57:38] having another connection to
[57:39] our other coworker MR. Ricky
[57:39] Weaver who's not here today,
[57:40] I'm going to finish um he was
[57:44] able to support us with
[57:44] security for this past Chicano
[57:45] Park Day.
[57:45] Thank you for that.
[57:46] And you guys saw how many
[57:49] people there was No, I'm gonna
[57:49] finish.
[57:50] There's somebody else that
[57:50] would like to see Joe time.
[57:51] Okay.
[57:51] Yeah.
[57:53] Somebody want to say raise your
[57:54] hand?
[57:54] I'm gonna take a minute.
[57:55] You're like you're taking time
[57:56] by looking down but I want to
[57:56] make a good point here is that
[57:57] we're all intertwined and
[57:58] connected all of us.
[58:02] But we come from the two most
[58:02] underserved communities
[58:03] District eight and District
[58:06] four historically marginalized
[58:07] communities that exist because
[58:08] of systems of redlining And
[58:09] what all of this is I'll say it
[58:11] again it's a form of cultural
[58:12] genocide And when you talk
[58:13] about taking away culture
[58:16] that's truly a form of cultural
[58:16] genocide.
[58:17] So let's just think about that
[58:17] right now With everything else
[58:18] going on in the world, San
[58:21] Diego has the opportunity here
[58:22] to make an example but not out
[58:23] of our out of the residents,
[58:23] out of the city.
[58:26] Citizens make an example for
[58:27] other cities to follow.
[58:28] We don't have to keep doing
[58:30] this to our communities that at
[58:31] some point in time we're not
[58:32] going to exist anymore.
[58:32] Is that the goal?
[58:33] I think not.
[58:36] So we just need to just do a
[58:36] better job by working together
[58:37] and dismantle these systems
[58:41] that have that are broken that
[58:42] are not successful.
[58:42] >> Thank you.
[58:45] That's Jenkins Thank you,
[58:45] Alhamdulillah.
[58:46] >> Oh, Nicole Lilly, if you can
[58:51] please come to the microphone
[58:57] after Nicole It will be Kevin
[58:58] Vienneau, Travis Bouchard,
[59:04] Susan Griffin and Lynell Brown
[59:05] .
[59:05] All right.
[59:12] Sorry to interrupt Leila Hi.
[59:13] >> My name is Nicole Lilly.
[59:17] I'm a renter and resident of
[59:18] District three and
[59:19] the executive director of our
[59:19] Time to Act.
[59:20] I'm here again today because
[59:22] despite the outpouring of
[59:23] community over the past month,
[59:24] the mayor has still not deigned
[59:25] to listen to his constituents
[59:28] and now the ball is in your
[59:28] court.
[59:28] You've been told and some of
[59:29] you have said yourselves that
[59:32] the budget is a moral document
[59:32] .
[59:33] It is literally putting
[59:34] the money where your morals
[59:34] are.
[59:35] The decision you have now ahead
[59:37] of you is deciding what you
[59:38] believe your communities
[59:38] deserve.
[59:39] Do we deserve to be surveilled
[59:42] and overpoliced under the guise
[59:43] of safety or do we deserve
[59:43] instead to thrive with
[59:47] the partnership of O.C. Bias
[59:48] and protection of well funded
[59:49] libraries, parks, shelters and
[59:52] stormwater infrastructure?
[59:53] It is not enough to pay us lip
[59:53] service.
[59:54] We deserve real dollars
[59:57] invested in a better future for
[59:58] all San Diego And will you do
[59:58] the work to divest from Flock
[1:00:02] and invest in thriving
[1:00:02] communities that work?
[1:00:03] >> Our future is in your hands
[1:00:04] and we will be watching.
[1:00:19] >> Thank you Kevin Winner Uh
[1:00:19] good evening, council members.
[1:00:24] Um, I just wanted to say that
[1:00:24] as someone who's a part of a
[1:00:25] youth led nonprofit our time to
[1:00:28] act I would really encourage
[1:00:29] you guys to continue funding
[1:00:32] for O.C. Why is they only take
[1:00:33] $350,000 away from the city
[1:00:36] budget but you gain 3.5 million
[1:00:37] and grant specific funding that
[1:00:38] the city would not be able to
[1:00:38] get otherwise.
[1:00:42] So you're not just saving
[1:00:42] you're not saving $350,000.
[1:00:46] You're losing 3.5 million that
[1:00:47] you would not be able to get
[1:00:47] otherwise.
[1:00:52] Um, I think that the city it's
[1:00:52] I don't know why the city is
[1:00:53] not looking at its largest
[1:00:56] departments as dpd is
[1:00:57] the largest department and
[1:00:58] every year we do not cut their
[1:00:58] budget while cutting every
[1:01:01] other budget along the city.
[1:01:06] So if we were to adequately be
[1:01:07] looking into this budget we
[1:01:07] should also consider our
[1:01:08] largest budget expenditure.
[1:01:13] There's largest budget waste um
[1:01:13] on JANUARY 7th on all year
[1:01:16] covid there was homeless man
[1:01:17] who walked himself in
[1:01:18] the bathroom as dpd respond
[1:01:18] with 26 cop cars a squad
[1:01:22] vehicle and a helicopter Travis
[1:01:27] Bouchard Thank you guys.
[1:01:28] >> After that we have Susan
[1:01:33] Griffin Linnell Brown Leila
[1:01:33] Aziz sign of Sanchez, Richard
[1:01:37] Caitlin if those aren't you if
[1:01:38] you can take a seat in
[1:01:39] the front row or back at your
[1:01:42] chair and then we'll make sure
[1:01:43] to get to you.
[1:01:43] >> Please proceed.
[1:01:44] How's it going?
[1:01:47] Travis Uh, district seven
[1:01:48] Here's a path to the dark side
[1:01:53] Fairly It's to anger.
[1:01:53] Anger leads to hate.
[1:01:58] Hate leads to suffering.
[1:01:59] Many of you lead with fear when
[1:01:59] speaking of the police budget,
[1:02:04] Marty was quoted by nbc seven
[1:02:04] in an interview on Flug.
[1:02:05] In her words they prevent very
[1:02:08] serious crime homicides, rapes,
[1:02:09] kidnaping Give us data.
[1:02:14] Mayor, because what we see is
[1:02:15] as dpd they got a two hour head
[1:02:18] start last week and failed
[1:02:19] miserably in capturing two
[1:02:19] terrorists.
[1:02:22] There are nine flight cameras
[1:02:26] within one mile of the Islamic
[1:02:31] center nine nine as dpd failed
[1:02:36] failed Start putting medical
[1:02:37] Show us data council block cat
[1:02:41] Police 30th 29 million Restore
[1:02:42] 20 to 25 Funding to Office of
[1:02:45] Youth Services Libraries Arts
[1:02:46] and Rec Centers and Fire Daniel
[1:02:54] Gold Susan Susan Griffin
[1:02:54] District seven Mary Gloria you
[1:02:59] claim that you are prioritizing
[1:03:00] public safety for San Diego.
[1:03:01] If public safety is really your
[1:03:04] priority then why eliminate or
[1:03:05] cut arts recreation, literary
[1:03:05] services?
[1:03:09] These are the vital elements of
[1:03:10] our social infrastructure that
[1:03:14] which connects us to one
[1:03:14] another in all of our
[1:03:15] communities with empathy and
[1:03:15] care for one another.
[1:03:19] Please reconsider your
[1:03:20] significant proposed increases
[1:03:24] for law enforcement including
[1:03:25] the flock system.
[1:03:26] I ask you to reallocate some of
[1:03:30] those increases toward
[1:03:31] the protective services that
[1:03:31] help prevent the need for law
[1:03:35] enforcement interventions in
[1:03:36] the first place Arts Literacy.
[1:03:36] Recreation.
[1:03:41] Youth Services Thank you.
[1:03:46] Lynell Brown.
[1:03:47] Lynell Brown You have time
[1:03:52] ceded to you by Matthew Carr.
[1:03:53] >> If you can please raise your
[1:03:53] hand you'll have two minutes.
[1:03:54] Please proceed.
[1:03:57] My name is Lynell and I'm here
[1:04:01] to represent District four and
[1:04:02] the Senate.
[1:04:07] I come before you today to
[1:04:08] thank you for redirecting these
[1:04:09] funds back to our youth centers
[1:04:12] in Bowmanville and Stockton
[1:04:12] Imperial.
[1:04:13] We are truly grateful and
[1:04:13] appreciative of this decision.
[1:04:18] However, at this point it is
[1:04:18] still only a gesture until
[1:04:19] these funds are fully restored
[1:04:23] and secure, receiving these
[1:04:24] funds will not only help ensure
[1:04:24] that our centers remain open to
[1:04:29] the next fiscal year but will
[1:04:29] also help restore our
[1:04:30] community's faith in the system
[1:04:35] and in a leadership that
[1:04:35] represents us.
[1:04:36] We will continue to show up,
[1:04:39] speak out and fight for our
[1:04:40] communities until we have truly
[1:04:41] equitable services and
[1:04:45] equitable funding for all youth
[1:04:45] and families.
[1:04:46] We support the Office of Child
[1:04:50] Abuse success because we
[1:04:51] believe in its mission.
[1:04:51] These programs provide critical
[1:04:55] opportunities resources,
[1:04:56] mentorships, art, recreation
[1:04:56] and hope for young people and
[1:05:01] their families.
[1:05:02] When we invest in youth we
[1:05:06] invest in safer, healthier and
[1:05:06] stronger communities.
[1:05:07] If this office is correct, that
[1:05:08] means more children without
[1:05:12] programs, with our arts, with
[1:05:12] our library, with our
[1:05:13] recreational centers feel safe
[1:05:17] Places where they can learn,
[1:05:17] grow and thrive.
[1:05:18] Our communities do not need
[1:05:18] more surveillance.
[1:05:22] They need more support.
[1:05:23] These need opportunities.
[1:05:27] We need investments Despite
[1:05:27] these challenges we remain
[1:05:28] proactive and committed to
[1:05:32] providing services programs and
[1:05:33] hope to the people who depend
[1:05:34] on them the most.
[1:05:34] We ask that you continue
[1:05:39] standing with us and prioritize
[1:05:40] long term success and
[1:05:44] well-being for our youth.
[1:05:44] Surveillance Surveillance
[1:05:45] cameras will not catch a
[1:05:45] criminal.
[1:05:50] It would only show you their
[1:05:50] body.
[1:05:51] That's right.
[1:05:52] You know that we are protecting
[1:05:55] our our communities with our
[1:05:56] lives and we are not confused
[1:05:56] anymore.
[1:06:01] We are real people and we
[1:06:01] deserve.
[1:06:02] >> Thank you for that comment,
[1:06:02] Leila.
[1:06:05] Well okay.
[1:06:11] I don't want to go after hands
[1:06:11] .
[1:06:11] Mayor Todd Gloria.
[1:06:12] City Council.
[1:06:16] Those of you Shanelle Rivera,
[1:06:20] Henry Foster, the third who
[1:06:21] advocated for us and the drop
[1:06:21] in centers are greatly
[1:06:25] appreciated.
[1:06:26] Something historic happened
[1:06:31] since the police department has
[1:06:32] been keeping report since 2003
[1:06:33] the Mountain View neighborhood
[1:06:37] which had have in that time 20
[1:06:38] more homicides than any other
[1:06:38] neighborhood has had two
[1:06:41] consecutive years with zero
[1:06:42] homicides.
[1:06:42] Come down and talk to this guy.
[1:06:43] Talk to me me on how they're
[1:06:46] doing it.
[1:06:47] It's an evidence based best
[1:06:48] practice.
[1:06:53] We all know and I know
[1:06:54] hindsight is 2020 or the 4040 I
[1:06:57] have been gone for a long time
[1:06:58] but if there were 1 million
[1:06:59] cameras out there, nothing
[1:07:03] would have changed because of
[1:07:04] the attitude of the San Diego
[1:07:05] Police Department of looking at
[1:07:09] these young men who have guns,
[1:07:10] a stolen car and on a suicide
[1:07:15] mission and not being a threat.
[1:07:15] That's the problem.
[1:07:16] Thank you for getting on with
[1:07:16] it.
[1:07:22] Senior Sanchez See I am a go
[1:07:28] ahead.
[1:07:28] All right.
[1:07:33] Oh, you had spoken before.
[1:07:34] >> Under the ceding time and
[1:07:34] you had ceded her time.
[1:07:39] But if you have, you can use
[1:07:40] my.
[1:07:40] >> Yes, you can have your time
[1:07:41] over here.
[1:07:41] I'll make you one minute.
[1:07:45] Please proceed.
[1:07:46] My name is Reginald Lewis from
[1:07:46] the Mount Stockton area and I
[1:07:50] feel the so important for
[1:07:50] the funding is to rehabilitate
[1:07:55] and addresses root causes of
[1:07:55] crime.
[1:07:56] Many people who enter
[1:07:56] the justice system struggle
[1:07:57] with issues like substance
[1:08:01] abuse, trauma, mental health
[1:08:01] challenges, homelessness or
[1:08:02] lack of employment opportunity.
[1:08:07] Invest in more city funded into
[1:08:08] the rehabilitation program
[1:08:12] Counseling job training a youth
[1:08:13] service can help prevent crime
[1:08:13] before it happens and has their
[1:08:18] own responding after harms
[1:08:19] occur with rehabilitation,
[1:08:19] reduce repeat offenders and
[1:08:25] lower long term cost drugs have
[1:08:25] shown that people who receive
[1:08:26] effective rehabilitation
[1:08:30] services are less likely to
[1:08:30] re-offend compared to those who
[1:08:31] only experience incarceration
[1:08:36] in a punitive policing
[1:08:36] expanding program focused on
[1:08:37] reentry support, addiction
[1:08:42] treatment, education and
[1:08:42] restorative justice.
[1:08:43] More reduce jail population and
[1:08:50] save taxpayers money.
[1:08:51] Thank you for that concluding
[1:08:51] comment, Richard Kaitlin
[1:08:55] Nicholas I you know he she had
[1:08:55] input her seeding time so now
[1:08:56] you get your time.
[1:09:00] >> Okay.
[1:09:06] Richard you can work today.
[1:09:06] I'm here.
[1:09:07] You know, I appreciate you all
[1:09:11] for restoring the budget and
[1:09:12] money to the youth center but I
[1:09:13] still got a problem with
[1:09:18] the city treasurer.
[1:09:19] Keep that overspend on
[1:09:20] the budget and they all keep
[1:09:23] taking away from the you first
[1:09:24] like every year like the new
[1:09:31] programs you're talking about.
[1:09:32] I thought this is for the kids
[1:09:34] We both play for the kids and
[1:09:35] the first thing I do is take
[1:09:35] away from the kids.
[1:09:36] The house we supposed to
[1:09:40] prosper as people if the kids
[1:09:45] keep this prosperity I mean do
[1:09:46] what's right for us as people.
[1:09:51] Kids need to go first.
[1:09:52] We never need to take no for
[1:09:57] mean we get free money every
[1:10:02] year now for taxes for
[1:10:03] marijuana dispensaries that
[1:10:03] money need to go to the thank
[1:10:04] you for that concluding comment
[1:10:14] My Asia lenders major lenders
[1:10:20] Kiana Price Kiana Price You're
[1:10:21] going to kill me.
[1:10:21] >> No, I'm sorry.
[1:10:26] Okay Courtney about it.
[1:10:26] I apologize.
[1:10:31] I'll just keep up.
[1:10:32] Okay?
[1:10:32] I work at the youth center with
[1:10:33] the youth and I work with both
[1:10:37] of them on Mountain View and
[1:10:38] Stockton Memorial And I'm here
[1:10:39] to say thank you for giving
[1:10:44] the money back, for redirecting
[1:10:44] it back.
[1:10:45] >> We'll be back to say thank
[1:10:46] you when we actually get
[1:10:49] the money So only because we
[1:10:50] kind been here before So you
[1:10:51] know I am very grateful but
[1:10:55] it's kind of shaky So we will
[1:10:56] be back when we get to thank
[1:10:57] you guys for it and to show you
[1:10:57] the programs that we have
[1:10:58] already put through and
[1:11:01] the kids that we've already
[1:11:02] succeeded.
[1:11:02] You know, we've already
[1:11:03] succeeded in helping.
[1:11:04] We want to go further but we
[1:11:08] also need the focus to be on
[1:11:08] the youth as rich with
[1:11:09] the Office of Youth Success.
[1:11:13] That's a wonderful program and
[1:11:14] needs to be focused on and kept
[1:11:15] instead of these other programs
[1:11:16] that have been spoken about.
[1:11:20] And I will give them any light
[1:11:21] because they don't need any
[1:11:21] more light because it doesn't
[1:11:22] make sense.
[1:11:22] The kids aren't what matters.
[1:11:26] My kids everybody's kids of
[1:11:27] the future They're going to
[1:11:28] stand up here one day and we
[1:11:28] don't invest in them now what
[1:11:30] is it about to make our city
[1:11:37] say the youth with I'm sorry.
[1:11:37] >> Did Courtney want to speak
[1:11:38] or No.
[1:11:38] Okay.
[1:11:38] Sorry.
[1:11:39] Courtney, please come up to
[1:11:42] the microphone And then after
[1:11:42] that we have Richard
[1:11:43] Martindale.
[1:11:43] Please come up to the other
[1:11:48] reserved seats Lori Saldana,
[1:11:49] Lori Lipman, Barry Edelstein,
[1:11:49] Becky Goodman and Christine
[1:11:50] Martinez.
[1:11:54] If you can all please come up
[1:11:54] to the yellow reserved seats
[1:11:55] and please proceed.
[1:11:55] Good evening.
[1:12:00] Honorable Council members Mayor
[1:12:01] Glory and Staff My name is
[1:12:01] Courtney Ball Tusky with
[1:12:04] the ymca and Children First
[1:12:05] Collective San Diego has
[1:12:05] witnessed a lot since this
[1:12:10] process began.
[1:12:11] Let's take a breath.
[1:12:11] Let's recommit together.
[1:12:16] We're grateful for the progress
[1:12:16] in the revise.
[1:12:17] Let's go even further for kids
[1:12:22] for youth a requirement a
[1:12:23] recommitment to thriving
[1:12:23] community as being safe
[1:12:28] communities a recommitment to
[1:12:29] your child and youth plan with
[1:12:30] the Office of Child New Success
[1:12:34] This means at least a dedicated
[1:12:35] higher level position skilled
[1:12:36] in policy, community engagement
[1:12:36] and interdepartmental
[1:12:41] collaboration.
[1:12:41] Dozens of other organizations
[1:12:42] countless youth advocates and
[1:12:46] San Diego families are looking
[1:12:47] to you all to prioritize this
[1:12:48] critical position.
[1:12:56] Thank you Richard.
[1:12:56] Good evening.
[1:12:57] I'm here to join those who have
[1:12:57] who think you have a spending
[1:13:01] problem rather than a revenue
[1:13:01] problem.
[1:13:02] We all want to help others but
[1:13:03] we have to do it within our
[1:13:07] budget And you're not asking I
[1:13:08] ask you to take a look at your
[1:13:08] personal finances to see what
[1:13:13] percentage you spend on
[1:13:14] necessities, what percentage
[1:13:14] you spend on discretionary
[1:13:15] spending and what percent you
[1:13:19] give to charity and apply those
[1:13:20] same percentages to the city
[1:13:25] budget City necessities or
[1:13:26] police fire and inner structure
[1:13:27] infrastructure Discretionary
[1:13:27] spending includes libraries,
[1:13:31] parks and cultural
[1:13:31] institutions.
[1:13:32] Welfare is charity.
[1:13:37] Thank you Laurie Soltanieh I
[1:13:43] know you have a some images to
[1:13:43] project so staff will get those
[1:13:44] up and then you can proceed
[1:13:44] when ready.
[1:13:49] Thank you.
[1:13:50] As many of the speakers have
[1:13:51] expressed tonight, a city is
[1:13:54] judged by its culture including
[1:13:55] who leaders choose to name in
[1:13:56] our parks and public places.
[1:14:00] >> And that's why I'm here
[1:14:01] tonight for proposing a change
[1:14:02] to a name of the park that
[1:14:07] honors Charles Lindbergh, a man
[1:14:08] who expressed anti-immigrant
[1:14:08] anti-Semitic beliefs and whose
[1:14:13] name is next to the Claremont
[1:14:13] the San Diego Islamic Center
[1:14:14] and where three men were killed
[1:14:15] last week by two young men
[1:14:19] expressing the same rhetoric
[1:14:20] that Charles Lindbergh has
[1:14:26] expressed in the past.
[1:14:27] It's time to give a few It's
[1:14:27] time for the city of San Diego
[1:14:28] to follow the lead of
[1:14:32] the Unified School District,
[1:14:32] remove Lindbergh's name from
[1:14:33] this park as the families voted
[1:14:37] to do Go ahead to the next one
[1:14:38] please.
[1:14:38] Five years ago, five years ago
[1:14:39] this name was removed from this
[1:14:44] school near the Islamic center
[1:14:45] And last year if we can go to
[1:14:46] the next slide Mayor Todd
[1:14:50] Lowrie assaulted to honor a
[1:14:51] fallen police officer.
[1:14:52] >> We need to thank you for
[1:14:56] being able in our parks and
[1:14:57] Lindbergh is not worthy of that
[1:14:57] honor.
[1:15:02] >> Lori Liberman the you also
[1:15:03] have a slide show that you'll
[1:15:04] show and stuff will get that up
[1:15:08] and then you can proceed or an
[1:15:08] image.
[1:15:09] >> Hello council members.
[1:15:09] I'm Lori.
[1:15:14] I'm pausing your time if you
[1:15:15] can bring the microphone down a
[1:15:16] little bit just a the zoom can
[1:15:16] also hear you.
[1:15:19] Thank you so much.
[1:15:20] Hello council members I'm Lori
[1:15:21] Lipscomb pronounced she her a
[1:15:25] constituent of district three.
[1:15:25] Please do the right thing.
[1:15:26] We need to fundamentally
[1:15:31] reframe what safety means in
[1:15:32] San Diego with this city.
[1:15:32] Will the city continue down a
[1:15:37] path of policing, surveillance
[1:15:37] and incarceration and
[1:15:38] increasingly unsustainable
[1:15:43] burden on taxpayers with a very
[1:15:44] poor roi?
[1:15:45] Or will we invest in inclusion
[1:15:49] education, health care, housing
[1:15:50] parks, libraries, arts and
[1:15:50] culture and equitable resources
[1:15:56] for all a more humane and
[1:15:56] sustainable vision of public
[1:15:57] safety.
[1:16:01] Racism and hate are learned
[1:16:02] behaviors rooted in systemic
[1:16:02] inequality.
[1:16:03] They are not solved through
[1:16:07] militarism, shame and
[1:16:08] incarceration.
[1:16:08] Thank you very.
[1:16:15] Edelstein You have time ceded
[1:16:15] to you by James Lofton.
[1:16:19] >> You'll have two minutes.
[1:16:19] >> Please proceed.
[1:16:20] Thank you very much, MR. Mayor.
[1:16:24] City Council Thanks for being
[1:16:25] here this evening.
[1:16:25] I was downstairs screaming on
[1:16:26] the plaza.
[1:16:30] I'm head of the Old Globe and
[1:16:30] I'm here to ask you to restore
[1:16:31] arts funding.
[1:16:32] I was in here screaming about
[1:16:32] two weeks ago.
[1:16:37] I'm not here to scream tonight.
[1:16:38] First I want to thank all of
[1:16:38] you who've spoken out
[1:16:39] passionately about the need to
[1:16:39] restore this funding.
[1:16:42] We see what you're doing.
[1:16:43] We're grateful for you putting
[1:16:44] it in your budget memos.
[1:16:44] I'm here to urge you to stand
[1:16:49] up for full restoration and not
[1:16:49] partial restoration.
[1:16:50] The other reason I don't want
[1:16:54] to scream is because overall
[1:16:55] over this period what I am
[1:16:55] mostly is sad.
[1:16:59] I represent 30,000 San Diegans
[1:16:59] in every single council
[1:17:00] district who are served by
[1:17:01] the old Globe's community based
[1:17:05] programing free of charge.
[1:17:06] That funding is what this city
[1:17:07] funding that those programs is
[1:17:11] what the city funding supports.
[1:17:11] City funding does not put fancy
[1:17:12] costumes on actors on our
[1:17:12] stage.
[1:17:17] City funding does not make
[1:17:18] tickets available at a discount
[1:17:19] for wealthy San Diego's city.
[1:17:23] Funding makes it possible for
[1:17:23] the Old Globe to go into
[1:17:24] neighborhoods in every district
[1:17:25] and make work available to
[1:17:29] senior centers, homeless
[1:17:30] shelters, veterans
[1:17:31] organizations, active duty
[1:17:31] military organizations, centers
[1:17:35] for at risk youth the largest
[1:17:36] program of theater with
[1:17:36] incarcerated populations in
[1:17:41] the United States of America
[1:17:41] run by the Old Globe.
[1:17:42] That's what this city money
[1:17:42] supports.
[1:17:46] So I'm not screaming because
[1:17:47] I'm sad.
[1:17:48] I'm sad to think about all
[1:17:48] those people in your district
[1:17:53] who are going to be bereft of
[1:17:54] that programing when this
[1:17:54] funding goes away.
[1:17:55] It's going to hurt regular
[1:17:59] people, working people, people
[1:18:00] in communities of color in
[1:18:01] every district of this city.
[1:18:05] And I am bummed out and deeply
[1:18:06] disappointed You can turn it
[1:18:06] around.
[1:18:07] There is money available in
[1:18:07] the budget to turn this around
[1:18:11] and then we're going to come
[1:18:12] back to you when all this is
[1:18:13] over and start talking about a
[1:18:13] plan for the future that makes
[1:18:14] more sense.
[1:18:20] Thank you very much Becky
[1:18:21] Goodman.
[1:18:22] >> You have time to go by
[1:18:26] Dillon Service.
[1:18:27] Thank you so much.
[1:18:27] I'll have two minutes.
[1:18:28] Please proceed.
[1:18:28] Good evening, Council members.
[1:18:32] My name is Becky Goodman.
[1:18:33] >> I work at Livia Playhouse in
[1:18:33] District one and I was born and
[1:18:34] raised in District five.
[1:18:37] I I'm a mother of three
[1:18:38] including the privilege of
[1:18:38] being legal guardian to two
[1:18:39] foster children.
[1:18:44] I am frustrated with the fact
[1:18:44] that I'm here again tonight
[1:18:45] that we as a city are here
[1:18:45] again tonight.
[1:18:46] A portion of total funds are
[1:18:50] supposed to go to arts and
[1:18:51] cultural institutions because
[1:18:51] they are large.
[1:18:52] Part of the reason why those
[1:18:56] funds even exist as a source of
[1:18:56] revenue to the city.
[1:18:57] According to the most recent
[1:18:58] Arts and Economic prosperity
[1:19:01] study by Americans for the Arts
[1:19:02] in the City of San Diego,
[1:19:03] nonprofit arts and cultural
[1:19:03] institutions are responsible
[1:19:08] for generating nearly $35
[1:19:08] million in local tax revenue
[1:19:13] based on expenditures be paid
[1:19:14] by our organizations and our
[1:19:14] attendees.
[1:19:15] So that's number one.
[1:19:19] My second point is that
[1:19:20] the reinvestment of those total
[1:19:20] funds to arts and culture
[1:19:24] organizations go toward
[1:19:25] providing free programing to
[1:19:25] our most vulnerable and
[1:19:26] underserved populations.
[1:19:30] So removing this funding source
[1:19:31] from these organizations is
[1:19:32] akin to removing it from
[1:19:32] veterans and military families
[1:19:37] from incarcerated youth from
[1:19:37] low income children and schools
[1:19:38] from our unhoused neighbors and
[1:19:42] from our friends who live with
[1:19:43] mental health issues isolation
[1:19:44] and social and developmental
[1:19:44] disorders.
[1:19:45] Arts and culture is
[1:19:49] preventative medicine for
[1:19:50] society reinvesting total funds
[1:19:50] in arts and culture
[1:19:55] organizations which offer free
[1:19:56] programs for vulnerable
[1:19:57] populations in policing
[1:19:57] courses, in emergency room
[1:20:01] visits and saves lives.
[1:20:02] Art is health culture It's
[1:20:02] healing.
[1:20:03] Creativity is hope.
[1:20:07] I urge you to review
[1:20:08] the research on the economic
[1:20:08] and social impact of
[1:20:09] the nonprofit arts and culture
[1:20:13] sector and make the right
[1:20:14] choice for your city, for your
[1:20:14] neighbors and for your
[1:20:15] families.
[1:20:19] >> Thank you.
[1:20:20] Christine Martinez If I can
[1:20:25] have Bob Lehman, Peter
[1:20:26] Kaminsky, Jessica Hanson York
[1:20:31] Michael or Burchill Bennett
[1:20:32] Tony Bennett or last name
[1:20:38] Bennett Ben, Paul and Carina if
[1:20:38] you please come up to
[1:20:39] the yellow reserved seats
[1:20:39] please proceed.
[1:20:44] Good evening.
[1:20:44] I'm Christine Martinez from
[1:20:45] Arts and Culture San Diego.
[1:20:46] As you could probably tell from
[1:20:49] the snaps in the hands we had
[1:20:50] hundreds of people at a rally
[1:20:50] downstairs earlier today.
[1:20:56] Can you all raise your hands?
[1:20:56] We're asking what we've asked
[1:21:01] for this entire budget season.
[1:21:02] We understand what you're going
[1:21:03] through with the budget
[1:21:03] deficit.
[1:21:04] We are simply asking to remain
[1:21:08] flat which I know is difficult
[1:21:08] in these times.
[1:21:09] You've been able to work really
[1:21:10] hard and identify money in
[1:21:13] other places.
[1:21:14] Please do so again.
[1:21:14] There's an entire community and
[1:21:15] ecosystem here that if you cut
[1:21:20] our funding they will not come
[1:21:20] back for generations.
[1:21:21] These are employers.
[1:21:26] This is an economic engine.
[1:21:27] >> Please consider restoring
[1:21:27] our funding.
[1:21:35] Thanks so much, Bob Lehman.
[1:21:36] Good evening Mayor.
[1:21:37] Council members My name is Bob
[1:21:37] Lehman, Executive Director San
[1:21:41] Diego Art Matters and Vice
[1:21:42] Chair of the City County Arts
[1:21:42] and Culture Commission.
[1:21:43] We're standing here today not
[1:21:47] because of just one budget line
[1:21:48] item This is about who we are
[1:21:48] as a city.
[1:21:53] Sandy We spent years telling
[1:21:54] the world the creativity
[1:21:55] culture innovation designer our
[1:21:55] center identity.
[1:21:59] We probably markers market
[1:22:00] ourselves as a global tourism
[1:22:00] destination city museums
[1:22:05] theaters, festivals, music
[1:22:06] storytelling and vibrant
[1:22:07] neighborhoods.
[1:22:07] And now the same city is
[1:22:12] proposing complete elimination
[1:22:12] of nearly all direct public
[1:22:13] arts funding.
[1:22:13] Because this is not a simple
[1:22:14] reduction.
[1:22:18] This is not a trimming around
[1:22:18] the edges.
[1:22:19] This is a dismantling of a 35
[1:22:19] year public investment in
[1:22:24] infrastructure the support of
[1:22:25] nearly 200 nonprofit arts and
[1:22:26] cultural organizations.
[1:22:26] And let's be honest what has
[1:22:31] been labeled as nonessential
[1:22:31] Are free museums days essential
[1:22:32] or neighborhood festivals
[1:22:32] essential?
[1:22:36] We asked the city to support
[1:22:37] something extra keep city
[1:22:38] protect our part of civic
[1:22:38] instruction.
[1:22:39] Thank you for that concluding
[1:22:45] remark Peter Kaminski.
[1:22:45] Peter Kaminski You MAY be
[1:22:51] coming from the back room.
[1:22:52] Give me some time to come up
[1:22:53] from the back room.
[1:22:57] Jessica Hansen York.
[1:22:58] You have time to go to by
[1:23:03] Carolyn.
[1:23:04] Can you please raise your hand?
[1:23:04] Thank you.
[1:23:05] You'll have two minutes.
[1:23:05] Please proceed.
[1:23:09] Good evening, MR. Mayor.
[1:23:10] City council members, Thank you
[1:23:11] very much for hearing from all
[1:23:11] of us this evening and thank
[1:23:15] you to many of you for speaking
[1:23:16] up for arts and culture and
[1:23:16] the restoration of our funding
[1:23:17] in your budget memos.
[1:23:22] I am here to implore you for a
[1:23:22] full restoration of arts
[1:23:22] funding.
[1:23:23] I'm the executive director of
[1:23:28] Binghamton National Museum
[1:23:29] chair of the Balboa Park
[1:23:29] Cultural Partnership.
[1:23:30] I'm on the board of Malasakit
[1:23:30] Dance.
[1:23:33] I really care about arts and
[1:23:34] culture in this city And I
[1:23:39] really want to remind you that
[1:23:40] for years, for decades every
[1:23:41] arts and culture organization
[1:23:46] in this city has been doing
[1:23:46] exactly what we are supposed to
[1:23:47] do.
[1:23:50] >> We in exchange for city
[1:23:51] funding one of the things we do
[1:23:52] is file a very long report
[1:23:56] every year on the success that
[1:23:56] we have achieved.
[1:23:57] And we always hit the marks
[1:23:58] that the city puts out there
[1:24:02] for us as a sector we are
[1:24:03] driving tourism helping to
[1:24:08] raise the very dollars that you
[1:24:09] turn around and fund us with.
[1:24:09] We are serving the city in
[1:24:14] every single council council
[1:24:15] district We are delivering on
[1:24:16] artistic success and community
[1:24:20] engagement on arts education.
[1:24:21] We're checking every box.
[1:24:22] You have a whole sector of arts
[1:24:27] and culture organizations here
[1:24:27] who have built and developed
[1:24:28] and maintained a really
[1:24:33] critical civic infrastructure.
[1:24:33] We partner across sectors with
[1:24:34] health care, with social
[1:24:39] service, with education from
[1:24:40] all over the city.
[1:24:40] And you know what?
[1:24:45] We're really, really good at
[1:24:45] our jobs.
[1:24:46] Cutting funding will set us
[1:24:47] back and it will impact almost
[1:24:51] everyone in this city.
[1:24:52] We implore you to keep that
[1:24:52] funding in place.
[1:24:57] Thank you Michael.
[1:25:04] Michael Warburton Warburton my
[1:25:04] apologies.
[1:25:05] >> No, no Michael but do you
[1:25:09] have time to go to by the crown
[1:25:09] over.
[1:25:10] >> Thank you so much.
[1:25:15] As Please proceed.
[1:25:16] >> So it remains the same You
[1:25:20] know we're told focused on core
[1:25:21] services But when I looked at
[1:25:27] the revised budget I'm pretty
[1:25:27] sure I saw a new dog park in
[1:25:28] there for a million bucks.
[1:25:28] Right.
[1:25:33] So so it just seems like
[1:25:33] there's still something out of
[1:25:34] whack when it comes to choices
[1:25:37] being made on the spending $9
[1:25:38] million for decarbonization
[1:25:38] which is basically replacing
[1:25:39] gas appliances in city
[1:25:43] buildings for electric ones If
[1:25:44] they're not at the end of
[1:25:44] the service life don't replace
[1:25:45] them.
[1:25:45] Right.
[1:25:46] There are things that we can do
[1:25:49] that can save us some money.
[1:25:50] But I want to change gears just
[1:25:51] to show how sometimes there's a
[1:25:54] little bit of lack of
[1:25:55] forethought in some of
[1:25:55] the decision making.
[1:25:56] Money was put back for planning
[1:26:00] for the summer nights.
[1:26:01] Cool.
[1:26:01] What makes the summer night
[1:26:02] special?
[1:26:06] Musicians, dancers, artists,
[1:26:06] museums all of these people
[1:26:11] Thousands of people over a
[1:26:11] hundred organizations that
[1:26:12] donate their time and talent to
[1:26:13] make that event special.
[1:26:17] If those folks aren't there you
[1:26:18] have an overpriced hotdog and a
[1:26:18] Ferris wheel.
[1:26:23] So ultimately, you know, if
[1:26:23] the city's not showing up with
[1:26:24] a budget for arts and culture,
[1:26:25] why should arts and culture
[1:26:29] show up for DECEMBER nights?
[1:26:29] Thank you.
[1:26:30] Bennett, Tenet, Bennett or
[1:26:36] David?
[1:26:36] My apologies.
[1:26:37] The looked a little Yeah, but
[1:26:42] you have time ceded to you by
[1:26:43] Lowell and Crane and there's
[1:26:47] both are hurt.
[1:26:48] >> So that's just two minutes.
[1:26:48] Yeah.
[1:26:48] Thank you.
[1:26:49] Good evening, council members.
[1:26:52] I am David Bennett.
[1:26:53] I'm general director and ceo of
[1:26:54] San Diego Opera and I live and
[1:26:57] work in council housing
[1:26:57] district three.
[1:26:58] I'm here to express and I use
[1:26:59] this word my outrage actually
[1:26:59] at the continued elimination of
[1:27:03] arts and culture funding in
[1:27:03] the mayor's revised budget.
[1:27:07] In the revised budget he
[1:27:08] somehow found 13.5 million of
[1:27:08] new total funding.
[1:27:09] That is fabulous.
[1:27:10] But since this is the source of
[1:27:14] arts and cultural funding this
[1:27:14] would lead one to believe that
[1:27:15] restoration of the eliminated
[1:27:16] support would be in the revised
[1:27:20] budget Wrong Wrong What is
[1:27:21] included restored support for
[1:27:21] wrecks rec centers and
[1:27:26] libraries restoration of
[1:27:26] DECEMBER nights both very good
[1:27:27] things but also additional
[1:27:28] administrative positions
[1:27:32] additional cars for the city
[1:27:32] fleet, a clubhouse for a golf
[1:27:33] course and not a single cent
[1:27:37] not a single cent in support
[1:27:38] for arts and culture.
[1:27:39] And last week you came together
[1:27:39] and let us know that you
[1:27:40] support repealing Balboa Park
[1:27:45] Park parking fees and also
[1:27:45] reducing trash fees.
[1:27:46] Lots of movement but not a
[1:27:46] single word about arts and
[1:27:50] culture in a year with a tough
[1:27:51] budget to balance I would be
[1:27:52] somewhat understanding if
[1:27:52] the mayor asked for cuts to
[1:27:56] arts and culture that are
[1:27:57] proportional cuts not
[1:27:58] elimination cuts that are
[1:27:58] proportional to cuts in other
[1:28:03] departments arts and culture
[1:28:03] are instead zeroed out.
[1:28:04] This is outrageous.
[1:28:09] In 2011 the Kansas Governor
[1:28:09] Brownback moved to cut all arts
[1:28:10] funding to the state of Kansas.
[1:28:14] He was met throughout the state
[1:28:15] with boos and demonstrations
[1:28:15] and he left his office as one
[1:28:19] of the most least popular
[1:28:20] governors in the country.
[1:28:21] This is now his legacy forever.
[1:28:22] If this budget is passed
[1:28:26] balancing the budget will not
[1:28:26] be mayor Glorious glorious
[1:28:27] legacy Legacy Eliminating arts
[1:28:32] and culture will be a budget
[1:28:33] lays out a leader's vision and
[1:28:33] values and it's abundantly
[1:28:34] clear the mayor's vision and
[1:28:35] values do not support arts and
[1:28:38] culture And if you do not move
[1:28:39] to restore funding it will be
[1:28:39] your legacy too.
[1:28:40] I assume most of you have
[1:28:44] future political aspirations.
[1:28:45] I hope that bravery and
[1:28:45] political will will be your
[1:28:50] legacy not eliminating arts and
[1:28:50] culture.
[1:28:51] >> Thank you Ben Paul After Ben
[1:28:57] Paul we have Corrina Pugh and
[1:28:57] then after Corrina we have
[1:29:04] Shane Harris, Julio Rodriguez,
[1:29:05] Melody Carolan, Julian Elliott
[1:29:10] and as making parent if you can
[1:29:10] all please come up to the other
[1:29:11] reserve seats, please proceed.
[1:29:11] Yes.
[1:29:12] I'm Ben Paul, member of
[1:29:16] the Peabody Toastmasters and we
[1:29:17] meet at the p recreation center
[1:29:20] every other Tuesday night from
[1:29:20] 630 8:00.
[1:29:21] I know safety is one of your
[1:29:26] major concerns and that's my
[1:29:26] main concern too.
[1:29:27] We have a large number of our
[1:29:31] young men that play basketball
[1:29:32] at night till 9:00 The indoor
[1:29:33] basketball if you readers are
[1:29:34] hours they won't be out to do
[1:29:37] that.
[1:29:38] My concern is going to find
[1:29:39] someplace a negative net
[1:29:39] positive.
[1:29:40] We have a lot of places that
[1:29:44] get in trouble and probably a
[1:29:44] lot of bars.
[1:29:45] My concern these guys are going
[1:29:46] to be out hitting the bars,
[1:29:50] drinking and driving and we
[1:29:51] have we have a lot of fighting
[1:29:51] already assaults, those type of
[1:29:52] things.
[1:29:55] We need less crime, not more
[1:29:55] crime.
[1:29:56] Please don't reduce the hours.
[1:29:57] The other thing is our
[1:30:01] Toastmaster club we pay rent to
[1:30:01] the city which helps pay our
[1:30:02] way and also all the other
[1:30:07] organizations that meet there
[1:30:07] at night.
[1:30:08] They also pay rent, help pay
[1:30:08] their way.
[1:30:14] A large number of kids next
[1:30:15] door in their in their dorm
[1:30:15] room they pay a lot of Thank
[1:30:16] you for that concluding
[1:30:18] sentence Karina You.
[1:30:25] >> Good evening Council
[1:30:25] members.
[1:30:26] My name is Carina Pugh.
[1:30:26] My pronouns are she her And I
[1:30:27] am here tonight on behalf of
[1:30:28] the San Diego lgbt Community
[1:30:31] Center.
[1:30:32] We were really grateful to see
[1:30:32] the $300,000 allocation to our
[1:30:33] substance use disorder
[1:30:33] treatment services through
[1:30:38] opioid settlement funds
[1:30:38] included in the MAY revise And
[1:30:39] we're requesting this
[1:30:40] allocation remains in the final
[1:30:43] budget.
[1:30:44] Investment and community
[1:30:44] organizations were the experts
[1:30:45] in serving our communities and
[1:30:46] meeting them where they are is
[1:30:49] essential.
[1:30:50] This is public safety What our
[1:30:50] communities have access to
[1:30:51] the resources they need to
[1:30:54] overcome the odds and thrive.
[1:30:55] That's why we are all here
[1:30:56] tonight For a full restoration
[1:30:57] to arts and culture funding
[1:31:01] these programs are lifelines to
[1:31:02] our lgbtq community.
[1:31:02] Arts and culture not only
[1:31:03] provides employment to folks
[1:31:04] across the city but allows us
[1:31:07] to foster connections and find
[1:31:08] community Investing in arts and
[1:31:09] culture is an investment in all
[1:31:09] of San Diego.
[1:31:14] Please restored full funding to
[1:31:15] arts and culture and invest in
[1:31:15] our youth as well by funding
[1:31:16] the Office of Child Abuse
[1:31:17] Success in the final budget.
[1:31:22] >> Thank you San Diego Public
[1:31:22] Advocate Shane Harris Good
[1:31:23] evening Council PRESIDENT And
[1:31:27] Council members My name is
[1:31:27] Shane.
[1:31:28] I'm a District three resident
[1:31:29] business owner, creator and San
[1:31:33] Diego public advocate.
[1:31:34] I want to acknowledge Mayor
[1:31:35] Gloria's willingness to make
[1:31:35] difficult decisions in a
[1:31:39] serious budget crisis.
[1:31:40] I support portions of his
[1:31:45] proposal that prioritize what
[1:31:45] absolutely cannot fail police,
[1:31:46] fire infrastructure, streets,
[1:31:52] emergency response and services
[1:31:52] .
[1:31:52] I also appreciate
[1:31:53] the restoration of know shots
[1:31:54] by our funding and thank
[1:31:57] Councilmember Foster Ella
[1:31:58] Rivera and Mayor Gloria for
[1:31:59] recognizing violence prevention
[1:31:59] as part of public safety.
[1:32:03] But tonight I'm asking this
[1:32:03] council, the mayor, to meet our
[1:32:04] arts community halfway.
[1:32:05] The arts MAY not get full
[1:32:09] restoration but we can and
[1:32:10] should restore at least 50% of
[1:32:11] the funding that reduces harm
[1:32:15] while respecting fiscal
[1:32:15] reality.
[1:32:16] >> And if we need saving, let's
[1:32:16] examine consolidating
[1:32:17] the city's communications
[1:32:22] department where roughly
[1:32:22] somewhere between 4 and 8
[1:32:23] million are allocated annually.
[1:32:24] Yes, we need police, fire and
[1:32:29] infrastructure but we need art.
[1:32:29] >> Let's think about killing
[1:32:30] San Diego's spirit.
[1:32:31] Thank you for his answer.
[1:32:34] Leo Rodriguez who really is
[1:32:35] after that will be Melody.
[1:32:40] Please proceed everybody.
[1:32:40] Good afternoon Mayor and
[1:32:46] members of City Council.
[1:32:47] My name is Scott.
[1:32:48] I'm a newer residents of
[1:32:48] the city of San Diego and I
[1:32:49] even city council member Steven
[1:32:50] Whitman's district have been
[1:32:58] there for a year and a half.
[1:32:58] I think one of the coolest
[1:32:59] things for me as a way for
[1:33:00] the budget meetings to be
[1:33:00] happening with a majority of
[1:33:02] you with elected on these
[1:33:02] platforms is supporting our
[1:33:03] communities and actually
[1:33:04] wanting to engage with their
[1:33:09] communities and and
[1:33:10] understanding the priorities
[1:33:10] and having your ears in
[1:33:11] the green.
[1:33:11] And the truth is that
[1:33:14] the majority are not walking
[1:33:14] the streets that we all live on
[1:33:15] and seeing what the majority of
[1:33:16] us is living through and going
[1:33:16] through.
[1:33:17] And I think it's because you've
[1:33:20] all forgotten where you've come
[1:33:21] from and where you actually
[1:33:22] grew up And for a lot of you
[1:33:22] not all of you, Right.
[1:33:27] But the majority of you And it
[1:33:27] that you forget where you came
[1:33:28] from and you're stuck in these
[1:33:29] bubbles of influence and you
[1:33:30] pretend like the reality is not
[1:33:33] really happening out there that
[1:33:34] kids actually go to the parking
[1:33:34] spaces free services they want
[1:33:35] to get rid of.
[1:33:35] And so it's unfortunate
[1:33:38] disappointing I think to listen
[1:33:39] to all of you because it always
[1:33:40] feels like you weren't
[1:33:40] listening.
[1:33:41] This is just kind of a dog and
[1:33:44] pony show that we all have
[1:33:49] including listen to the melody
[1:33:50] .
[1:33:50] Good evening.
[1:33:51] My name is Melody Gorman and
[1:33:51] I'm a proud Mexican woman, a
[1:33:55] native San Diego and a resident
[1:33:55] of District five.
[1:33:56] I'm the daughter and a mother
[1:33:56] of a musician which is why I'm
[1:33:57] named Melody.
[1:34:01] And currently I serve as
[1:34:02] treasurer for San Diego Pride
[1:34:03] on the board of Directors of
[1:34:03] Diversionary Theater.
[1:34:07] What pains my Bills is a 20
[1:34:07] plus year career in hotels
[1:34:12] attractions and in San Diego's
[1:34:12] tourism.
[1:34:13] And I've seen firsthand how art
[1:34:18] is not just life but it is what
[1:34:18] pays the bills.
[1:34:19] It brings San Diego County so
[1:34:23] much light and so much money
[1:34:24] and cutting This would cut more
[1:34:25] than we even can begin to
[1:34:30] understand right now.
[1:34:31] Not all I have to say.
[1:34:32] Thank you.
[1:34:32] Kisha.
[1:34:37] Caitlin Elliot.
[1:34:38] And then as we can draw, I
[1:34:38] would really ask if you guys
[1:34:39] will please come to the other
[1:34:45] reserved seats as we keep it
[1:34:45] all.
[1:34:46] Ivan Hughes Leila Al Cash 5g
[1:34:48] Clementine Magna Estrada Diego
[1:34:48] Sandoval.
[1:34:55] Carmen Penalosa Valdez.
[1:34:55] Tristan Barry If you can all
[1:34:56] please come to the other
[1:34:57] reserved seats.
[1:34:57] And if you guys if there are
[1:35:00] any people in the committee
[1:35:01] overflow We do have about 20
[1:35:01] seats here in council chambers.
[1:35:02] If you can hear me, you can
[1:35:06] make your way into council
[1:35:06] chambers.
[1:35:07] There's about 20 seats.
[1:35:07] Please proceed.
[1:35:08] Good evening.
[1:35:12] Council and community members
[1:35:13] and New York lawyer.
[1:35:14] My name is Rachel and Elliott
[1:35:14] And tonight I again speak to
[1:35:15] you as an artist as
[1:35:18] the executive director of San
[1:35:18] Diego Pride.
[1:35:19] And this time as the proud
[1:35:20] mommy of the ten year old
[1:35:24] rising artist.
[1:35:25] Several weeks ago I learned
[1:35:26] that almost $12 million of arts
[1:35:26] and culture funding which
[1:35:30] includes funding for San Diego
[1:35:30] pride was being eliminated.
[1:35:31] That same day I came home from
[1:35:32] work to see heartbreak on my
[1:35:36] son's face, he told me
[1:35:36] the funding for his dance
[1:35:37] program was being eliminated as
[1:35:37] well.
[1:35:38] My son asked Mommy, are you
[1:35:43] going to do something?
[1:35:43] Well yes son, I am.
[1:35:44] I'm going to show up to tell
[1:35:48] our city council and Mayor what
[1:35:49] they are really eliminating
[1:35:50] when they balance the budget on
[1:35:50] the fragile backs of arts and
[1:35:54] culture organizations.
[1:35:55] You are tearing the heart out
[1:35:55] of San Diego.
[1:35:55] It is art.
[1:36:00] You are eliminating programs
[1:36:01] that keep young people safe,
[1:36:02] created and connected to
[1:36:02] college and careers.
[1:36:03] And you are putting San Diego
[1:36:07] Pride which returns more to
[1:36:07] the city than it costs.
[1:36:08] At risk.
[1:36:13] I urge you I urge you to ensure
[1:36:14] that concludes funding.
[1:36:14] >> Thank you.
[1:36:18] As we control their seats over
[1:36:19] here on the right side is
[1:36:25] button Howdy Council member.
[1:36:26] My name is Ethnic Jan I'm a
[1:36:27] Renton resident of the Free
[1:36:32] Fall Housing student.
[1:36:32] During the last budget hearing
[1:36:33] I heard about the of wholesale
[1:36:34] cuts The arts threatens my
[1:36:36] livelihood and today it remains
[1:36:37] the same.
[1:36:37] We should allow broken windows
[1:36:38] theory to govern our city when
[1:36:41] it is proven not to work.
[1:36:42] What is proven to work is
[1:36:43] funding prevention from
[1:36:49] conservative services in our
[1:36:49] city interests to fund what
[1:36:50] keep a thief not just inflict
[1:36:51] systemic violence once it's too
[1:36:51] late.
[1:36:54] The man's revive if not fiscal
[1:36:55] discipline not when the council
[1:36:56] and PRESIDENT The council and
[1:37:01] the mayor refuse to acknowledge
[1:37:01] during the last budget hearing
[1:37:02] the continuous demands to end
[1:37:06] this budget increases in
[1:37:06] the Ask the cut but not
[1:37:07] contract.
[1:37:08] I'm asking the Council again to
[1:37:13] reject two demands five Insist
[1:37:14] on funding the arts and only
[1:37:15] way us and council by block
[1:37:17] contract bingo Aiden Hughes
[1:37:22] Aiden.
[1:37:23] >> Good evening City Council
[1:37:29] and assembled members of
[1:37:30] the public My name is John
[1:37:30] Hughes and I'm speaking tonight
[1:37:31] as a member of the City of
[1:37:33] Eagles Youth Commission
[1:37:34] representing District seven.
[1:37:35] I'm willing to become a college
[1:37:35] student but I understand
[1:37:36] the political challenge of
[1:37:39] balancing sound fiscal policy
[1:37:40] with the importance of
[1:37:40] government services in our
[1:37:41] communities.
[1:37:41] Thank you for considering
[1:37:44] recent public input on the 2627
[1:37:44] budget proposal.
[1:37:45] The restorations contained in
[1:37:46] the mayor's MAY revision are
[1:37:47] minor but a step in the right
[1:37:50] direction.
[1:37:50] As the Commissioner my
[1:37:51] interests lie primarily in
[1:37:52] the complete restitution of
[1:37:52] the Office of Child and Youth
[1:37:58] Success.
[1:37:58] Only a couple of years ago
[1:37:59] the city pledged grant programs
[1:38:00] and investment for youth
[1:38:00] abutment and now we're being
[1:38:04] written off.
[1:38:05] It is disappointing to me to
[1:38:05] see that spending on youth
[1:38:06] should be treated so
[1:38:06] frivolously.
[1:38:07] Oh my yes.
[1:38:07] Despite things to offer
[1:38:10] resources and personnel has
[1:38:11] managed to lay the groundwork
[1:38:11] for long term projects growing
[1:38:12] civic engagement, career
[1:38:14] preparation, childcare access
[1:38:15] and more for young people and
[1:38:16] families with children.
[1:38:16] The Youth Commission depends on
[1:38:21] oci for information and
[1:38:21] coordination and you will
[1:38:22] notify unofficial advisory work
[1:38:23] in the city that you created.
[1:38:27] Oh you ask does not deserve to
[1:38:28] be cut but to be given a
[1:38:29] position in the mayor's office.
[1:38:29] >> Thank you.
[1:38:30] Thank you for that concluding
[1:38:30] comment.
[1:38:32] Leila.
[1:38:41] Leila I'll comment a magna
[1:38:50] Estrada Hello my name is This
[1:38:54] was limited my role as part of
[1:38:54] District one originally had
[1:38:55] something written down but I'm
[1:38:56] going to speak from my heart
[1:38:56] Being part of this I wanted to
[1:38:59] use you as a student.
[1:38:59] It's a shame that the city of
[1:39:00] San Diego is using all of your
[1:39:01] systems this robotic systems by
[1:39:04] targeting immigrant families,
[1:39:05] families, hardworking
[1:39:05] individuals trying to save our
[1:39:06] city, protect our city but
[1:39:11] instead of targeting
[1:39:11] terrorists, actual rapists and
[1:39:12] child molesters, they're
[1:39:13] targeting these individuals as
[1:39:17] a Mexican Hispanic first
[1:39:17] generation student oco, isis
[1:39:18] give me an opportunity to be
[1:39:23] here today and you guys are
[1:39:24] defunding that program.
[1:39:24] I had the opportunity to
[1:39:25] partner with osi as a youth war
[1:39:29] fellow.
[1:39:29] We're able to give many
[1:39:30] students the opportunity and
[1:39:31] resources to get internships,
[1:39:35] job opportunities and
[1:39:36] furthermore a lot more things.
[1:39:36] Osi wise is a great resource
[1:39:37] for our students and for
[1:39:40] the youth and the funding.
[1:39:41] That program is a shame.
[1:39:42] So I urge you guys to please
[1:39:45] save the youth because we are
[1:39:46] the future.
[1:39:46] Thank you.
[1:39:46] Thank you.
[1:39:48] Diego Sandoval.
[1:39:52] >> Diego Sandoval.
[1:39:57] Carmen Penalosa Valdez.
[1:40:05] Okay The fixes short.
[1:40:05] Okay.
[1:40:06] Good evening, council members.
[1:40:11] I'm here again.
[1:40:12] My name is Carmen and I'm
[1:40:12] the policy and research
[1:40:13] internal youth Well and I'm
[1:40:14] also resident of District nine.
[1:40:15] A variety of you are the voices
[1:40:16] and representatives to youth
[1:40:23] and young adults who are
[1:40:23] currently entering higher
[1:40:24] education or already are such
[1:40:25] as like ucsd As you as you like
[1:40:28] myself, community colleges etc.
[1:40:28] That is why it's even more
[1:40:29] important for you to commit to
[1:40:33] saving the of shouting you
[1:40:34] success in doing so for
[1:40:35] the elimination of the contract
[1:40:40] for work is costing the city $2
[1:40:40] million which can very easily
[1:40:43] be dispersed to osu I guess
[1:40:44] which would actually help
[1:40:45] marginalized youth and
[1:40:50] marginalized youth in your very
[1:40:51] own communities.
[1:40:51] Stop overpolicing, Stop a
[1:40:57] criminal criminalization of our
[1:40:57] communities and the watching
[1:40:58] and excusing as like public
[1:41:03] safety It's like creepy and
[1:41:04] stop targeting us so that our
[1:41:04] children families can actually
[1:41:05] prosper and contribute to San
[1:41:08] Diego Long term the way that
[1:41:09] you guys all want us to.
[1:41:10] Thank you for that concluding
[1:41:10] comment.
[1:41:14] Tristan Very hello Counsel My
[1:41:15] name is Tristan Beary and I'm
[1:41:21] the youth organizer at Youth.
[1:41:21] Will you guys have already
[1:41:22] heard from me a lot.
[1:41:23] So given only by us efforts to
[1:41:26] try to bring child care to
[1:41:27] local youth parks and
[1:41:28] recreation centers, I asked one
[1:41:28] of our youth who is a mother
[1:41:29] and asks you student to write
[1:41:32] on the importance of child care
[1:41:33] And here's what she had to say
[1:41:34] As a college student, quality
[1:41:34] child care was of the highest
[1:41:38] importance to me to continue in
[1:41:38] higher education and even work.
[1:41:39] Without it I would not have had
[1:41:40] the opportunity to to continue
[1:41:41] my education especially when my
[1:41:44] child was not old enough to be
[1:41:44] in school.
[1:41:45] Now that she is in school it is
[1:41:46] still imperative that she has
[1:41:46] continued child care throughout
[1:41:50] through afterschool programs so
[1:41:51] I can have access to classes
[1:41:51] and work opportunities.
[1:41:52] Reliable child care and
[1:41:52] afterschool programs allow
[1:41:56] student parents like me to
[1:41:57] pursue education, work toward
[1:41:57] financial stability and create
[1:41:58] better opportunities for our
[1:42:02] families while knowing our
[1:42:03] children are in a safe and
[1:42:03] supportive environment.
[1:42:04] So with that youth voice in
[1:42:05] mind please defund blocking use
[1:42:10] the funds to save osu so we can
[1:42:10] continue advocating for
[1:42:11] childcare and childcare and
[1:42:13] programs which allow Santiago's
[1:42:14] youth to thrive and better
[1:42:14] themselves.
[1:42:19] >> Thank you Liliana Soriano.
[1:42:20] >> Liliana Soriano After that
[1:42:25] will be Alex Castillo Ramsay's
[1:42:26] Ramsey's Michael Hayes Alex
[1:42:32] Best aka Sean Foote, Sabrina
[1:42:32] Marie Anderson If you can all
[1:42:33] please come forward to
[1:42:37] the yellow reserved seats And
[1:42:38] Julia Peltz please protect her
[1:42:39] Budget committee.
[1:42:43] >> I'm here with youth Well
[1:42:44] where youth advocacy
[1:42:44] organization who is also a
[1:42:45] member of the Community Budget
[1:42:50] Alliance we urge you all to
[1:42:51] fund the office of the you
[1:42:51] success including yourself
[1:42:52] Mayor Todd Gloria.
[1:42:55] Budgets are not just numbers.
[1:42:55] They're a reflection of values
[1:42:56] and needs of our community.
[1:42:57] Many, including myself have
[1:43:01] told you all the importance of
[1:43:02] this office cover all the way
[1:43:02] from covering accessible
[1:43:03] childcare to ensuring people
[1:43:06] get the necessary workforce
[1:43:07] development that is needed in
[1:43:08] the city.
[1:43:08] I also have some postcards that
[1:43:13] mothers in Districts eight and
[1:43:14] I wanted all the council
[1:43:15] members to read and
[1:43:15] the importance of policy wise
[1:43:19] and investing in youth.
[1:43:20] We deserve a scenario in which
[1:43:20] every young person which has
[1:43:21] their full potential that that
[1:43:24] can happen if we keep pouring
[1:43:25] millions of dollars into
[1:43:31] wealthy corporations like Brock
[1:43:31] .
[1:43:32] Here are the postcards.
[1:43:32] Thank you.
[1:43:33] My staff will get them.
[1:43:36] Next is Alex Castillo.
[1:43:42] All right.
[1:43:43] Good evening, council members.
[1:43:47] My name is Alex Castillo, a
[1:43:48] District eight constituent with
[1:43:48] youth.
[1:43:49] Well, I'm here to urge you to
[1:43:49] fully fund the Office of Child
[1:43:53] and Youth Success.
[1:43:54] This is a moment in time where
[1:43:54] youth Gen-z and Gen Alpha are
[1:44:00] left behind by our government.
[1:44:00] I want to share insights from
[1:44:01] my baby sister a Berkeley grad
[1:44:02] with a psych degree and
[1:44:05] experience in child education.
[1:44:06] She's seen low literacy and
[1:44:06] test scores youth falling
[1:44:07] behind in this post-pandemic
[1:44:12] environment and schools that
[1:44:13] can't afford afterschool
[1:44:13] programs.
[1:44:13] My insights friends are
[1:44:14] starting families and
[1:44:17] struggling to afford childcare
[1:44:18] amidst rising rent costs.
[1:44:19] Youth need mental health
[1:44:19] support.
[1:44:24] A suicide is a leading cause of
[1:44:24] death amongst youth.
[1:44:25] Now's the time to invest in oci
[1:44:26] which provides childcare
[1:44:29] resources, provide education
[1:44:30] enrichment opportunities and
[1:44:31] provide community to our youth
[1:44:31] to improve mental health in
[1:44:35] the long term.
[1:44:36] >> So eliminate floc save money
[1:44:37] and help our youth in the long
[1:44:37] term.
[1:44:38] Ramsey says.
[1:44:39] >> If you can please come
[1:44:45] forward.
[1:44:49] >> Hello Council First off I
[1:44:50] just want to reiterate
[1:44:51] basically what everyone's been
[1:44:51] saying is that we need to be
[1:44:56] investing into the community
[1:44:57] and especially in the youth and
[1:44:58] especially that see why this is
[1:44:59] an office It doesn't take that
[1:44:59] much money.
[1:45:02] It's just not that much of a
[1:45:03] burden on the budget but it
[1:45:03] gets money for the community
[1:45:08] And on top of that the best way
[1:45:09] to do that is going to be from
[1:45:09] Catholic flock.
[1:45:10] We already know that that is
[1:45:11] what needs to happen is going
[1:45:13] to be problems nationally with
[1:45:14] this And to quote our chief of
[1:45:20] police he said it is a very
[1:45:20] simple situation.
[1:45:21] But you have to understand when
[1:45:22] we were looking at this piece
[1:45:26] of technology, it was before
[1:45:27] Flock was recognized nationally
[1:45:27] as a vendor of concern.
[1:45:31] So this is the chief of police
[1:45:32] saying that Flock is a
[1:45:32] technology that is recognized
[1:45:33] nationally as a concern to
[1:45:36] the public.
[1:45:37] So we need to take the chief
[1:45:38] seriously and act now before it
[1:45:39] becomes a bigger problem.
[1:45:44] >> Thank you.
[1:45:44] >> Apologies.
[1:45:51] Michael Hayes All right.
[1:45:52] >> I'll just try and say this
[1:45:52] real quick.
[1:45:57] Significant new revenues those
[1:45:58] are going to come from
[1:45:58] innovative creative economy.
[1:45:59] Am I right?
[1:46:03] That's right.
[1:46:04] That's pretty major.
[1:46:08] And so the future is that that
[1:46:09] use for that economy comes from
[1:46:15] innovators, creators where
[1:46:16] that's grown the vine that
[1:46:16] grows those are these large
[1:46:21] arts organizations earlier
[1:46:21] The seeds of that are these
[1:46:26] kids.
[1:46:27] Those are the seeds.
[1:46:28] And my question would be what
[1:46:28] happens when you turn off
[1:46:33] the water in a farm?
[1:46:33] What happens when you stop
[1:46:34] the growth?
[1:46:34] They don't come back.
[1:46:39] So that I'm also going to add
[1:46:39] are you even paying attention
[1:46:40] to how many cities are
[1:46:46] canceling flock How many cities
[1:46:47] are canceling class because of
[1:46:49] serious privacy and other
[1:46:53] abuses?
[1:47:00] >> Right Alex All right.
[1:47:01] That's the first and last shout
[1:47:01] out.
[1:47:01] Let's keep it civil.
[1:47:02] You're making great points
[1:47:02] here.
[1:47:06] Just keep it going, Alex That's
[1:47:07] that.
[1:47:07] >> Could you please come
[1:47:08] forward?
[1:47:08] You have time ceded to you by
[1:47:12] Christian Frank Thank you.
[1:47:13] >> You have two minutes.
[1:47:13] Good evening.
[1:47:17] My name is Alex Decker.
[1:47:18] I'm a theater kid and I live in
[1:47:18] District three.
[1:47:19] i'm a teaching artist with
[1:47:20] the La Jolla Playhouse and I
[1:47:23] also work with multiple
[1:47:24] institutions with schools
[1:47:24] around San Diego County.
[1:47:25] >> The Playhouse provides
[1:47:29] programs that bring
[1:47:29] professional theater expensive
[1:47:30] to students.
[1:47:30] Special student matinee
[1:47:34] performances not only include
[1:47:35] tickets for students to come to
[1:47:36] the theater but also involve
[1:47:36] pre and post show workshops
[1:47:40] exploring themes and aspects
[1:47:41] from what they experience.
[1:47:45] We were able to invite over
[1:47:46] 1400 students to attend last
[1:47:46] session alone a program that
[1:47:47] stuck with me when I got to
[1:47:52] attend as a child Pop tours a
[1:47:52] world Premiere Commission
[1:47:53] product production that brings
[1:47:57] the magic of theater into San
[1:47:58] Diego classrooms.
[1:48:01] My personal favorite was 2023
[1:48:02] Jen versus the Beach that
[1:48:02] helped fifth grader Jen who
[1:48:03] worried about the unknown find
[1:48:07] new adventures with the help of
[1:48:08] his classmates and imagination
[1:48:08] something that I think us as
[1:48:12] adults can learn from right now
[1:48:13] one of the most rewarding
[1:48:13] projects is partnering with San
[1:48:19] Diego Unified for the Jumpstart
[1:48:19] Program.
[1:48:20] At the Mentor we work with
[1:48:20] the teachers at the schools to
[1:48:21] help run student led musical
[1:48:25] theater productions.
[1:48:26] Three weeks ago we had our end
[1:48:26] of the year celebration where
[1:48:30] over 11 schools got to bring
[1:48:31] their students to perform at
[1:48:31] ucsd.
[1:48:32] To celebrate their work,
[1:48:36] the tears that they had for
[1:48:36] each other with deafening
[1:48:37] during breaks the schools would
[1:48:41] intermingle with each other and
[1:48:42] talk about how amazing their
[1:48:43] performance was and if they
[1:48:43] could show them their
[1:48:44] choreography.
[1:48:47] Some students gave speeches
[1:48:48] about how they found their
[1:48:48] voice confidence or a safe
[1:48:49] place where they could be
[1:48:49] themselves.
[1:48:53] They were turned back to
[1:48:54] the schools excited inspired to
[1:48:55] pick the musical they'll
[1:48:55] perform next year.
[1:48:59] As a teaching artist living in
[1:49:00] San Diego, I work multiple jobs
[1:49:01] in order to financially
[1:49:01] survive.
[1:49:04] I often work 6 or 7 days a week
[1:49:05] on different projects in
[1:49:06] schools or theaters where these
[1:49:09] productions require government
[1:49:10] funds to supplement the costs.
[1:49:11] >> Arts culture not luxury.
[1:49:11] They're vital Public Good.
[1:49:18] Thank you Sean.
[1:49:18] Yes.
[1:49:19] Excellent.
[1:49:25] Thank you so much.
[1:49:25] I'll have them raise their hand
[1:49:26] upon you.
[1:49:30] Greg Frank, if you can please
[1:49:30] raise your hand.
[1:49:31] Please proceed.
[1:49:31] Good evening.
[1:49:32] My name is Shawn Foote and I
[1:49:36] live in District three.
[1:49:37] I am a teaching artist with
[1:49:38] the Joya Playhouse as well as a
[1:49:38] theater artist working with
[1:49:41] other organizations and schools
[1:49:42] in San Diego County.
[1:49:42] It feels absurd to be here
[1:49:43] tonight giving testimony on
[1:49:47] whether the arts are worth
[1:49:48] funding or not because for me
[1:49:48] as a teaching artist I get to
[1:49:53] see firsthand all of the time
[1:49:54] how essential arts education is
[1:49:55] to both the intellectual growth
[1:49:59] of our students as well as
[1:50:00] their personal development.
[1:50:00] >> With La Hoya Playhouse I
[1:50:01] often travel to San Diego
[1:50:05] Unified Schools all throughout
[1:50:05] the county.
[1:50:06] I've supported educational
[1:50:07] programing that brings theater
[1:50:07] into these schools as well as
[1:50:10] programing that invites unified
[1:50:11] students to the Playhouse.
[1:50:11] Programs like this offer
[1:50:12] exposure, accessibility and
[1:50:16] representation to our
[1:50:17] communities and our children.
[1:50:18] Programs that primarily reach
[1:50:22] underserved communities and
[1:50:23] these programs that are and
[1:50:24] these are programs that will
[1:50:24] either be eliminated or
[1:50:25] significantly curtailed in
[1:50:28] the absence of city funding.
[1:50:29] City Council You cannot allow
[1:50:29] this to happen.
[1:50:33] Arts education encourages
[1:50:34] empathy, creativity, community.
[1:50:35] It offers a safe space for
[1:50:35] students and offers
[1:50:36] self-expression for our
[1:50:40] students And for many of us
[1:50:41] here today it is our entire
[1:50:41] livelihood.
[1:50:45] I hope you are listening.
[1:50:46] Thank you, Sabrina.
[1:50:51] Sabrina moreno.
[1:50:52] >> Good evening.
[1:50:52] I'm Sabrina Marie.
[1:50:53] I live in District eight and
[1:50:57] I'm a teaching artist at La
[1:50:58] Hoya Playhouse alumna from fdc
[1:50:59] School of Art and Design and
[1:51:02] previously a teaching artist
[1:51:03] with the Department of Veterans
[1:51:04] Affairs for six years working
[1:51:08] with veterans living with ptsd.
[1:51:09] I'm here tonight because these
[1:51:09] cuts are not just numbers on a
[1:51:14] page.
[1:51:15] They're people their futures my
[1:51:19] future, your communities future
[1:51:19] .
[1:51:20] La Hoya Playhouse has served
[1:51:21] more than 13,000 people across
[1:51:25] all nine of your districts last
[1:51:25] year.
[1:51:26] Title one Schools, military
[1:51:30] families Young people who had
[1:51:31] never set foot in the theater
[1:51:32] otherwise.
[1:51:32] And it's not only what happens
[1:51:36] on stage.
[1:51:36] The playhouse brings hands on
[1:51:37] free programing directly to our
[1:51:42] neighborhoods including mobile
[1:51:42] technical theater showing what
[1:51:43] the different careers are in
[1:51:43] theater.
[1:51:48] But I want to talk to you about
[1:51:48] something even harder to
[1:51:48] measure.
[1:51:54] >> I've watched Art give people
[1:51:54] their confidence for that
[1:51:55] concluding comment.
[1:52:04] >> Julia My name is Julia Peltz
[1:52:05] and I'm a violinist with
[1:52:06] the San Diego Symphony and I
[1:52:06] live in District one.
[1:52:10] And your wife taught my child
[1:52:11] when he went to Bedrock.
[1:52:12] I am urging you all to reject
[1:52:15] the proposed arts funding cuts.
[1:52:16] Like many of my colleagues, I
[1:52:17] moved to San Diego after
[1:52:21] winning a national audition to
[1:52:22] perform for our world class
[1:52:22] orchestra.
[1:52:22] I know that the council
[1:52:27] appreciates our nearly 100
[1:52:27] performances we put on for a
[1:52:28] year because I see many of you
[1:52:29] and greet many of you at those
[1:52:33] concerts But what you don't see
[1:52:33] are the most meaningful
[1:52:34] concerts to me which are music
[1:52:38] connects to concerts.
[1:52:39] We go into hospitals, we go
[1:52:40] into schools and we go into
[1:52:40] correctional facilities and
[1:52:44] bring concerts to people who
[1:52:44] cannot purchase a ticket.
[1:52:49] i have seen people become calm
[1:52:50] and connected and content when
[1:52:55] live music fills the room And I
[1:52:56] urge you don't cut this
[1:52:56] lifeline.
[1:53:01] >> Thank you.
[1:53:01] >> Baruch Isis.
[1:53:02] Ferguson please come up to
[1:53:06] the podium after that we have
[1:53:11] Kevin Garbett and Lena Schade.
[1:53:12] Then Dennis Lopez or Denise
[1:53:17] Lopez Sorry Julia Demby, Steve
[1:53:18] Snyder, Nicole Vertis and
[1:53:23] Sophia Tara, if you can all
[1:53:24] please come up to the yellow
[1:53:24] reserved seats.
[1:53:24] Please proceed.
[1:53:30] Hi, my name is Brooke Kosice
[1:53:31] and I'm a student at uci.
[1:53:32] >> I have been all the way down
[1:53:32] here because this is an issue
[1:53:34] that's extremely meaningful to
[1:53:34] me.
[1:53:35] In third grade I did a free
[1:53:35] piano lessons hosted by my
[1:53:36] elementary school.
[1:53:38] After the first lessons I was
[1:53:39] so enthralled, so captivated by
[1:53:40] music I begged my parents to
[1:53:43] buy me a keyboard.
[1:53:44] Surprised they filled my
[1:53:45] request began the lifelong love
[1:53:46] of music that continues to this
[1:53:46] day.
[1:53:50] Later I joined my middle school
[1:53:50] orchestra expanding into viola
[1:53:51] in high school.
[1:53:54] My dream deepened as I hold my
[1:53:55] skills.
[1:53:55] I was accepting the 2025
[1:53:56] district on auction Before we
[1:53:57] get Symphony hall we students
[1:54:00] from across Indiegogo and
[1:54:01] the City Ambassador program.
[1:54:02] I learned the inner workings of
[1:54:02] the organization and even spoke
[1:54:05] at opening night.
[1:54:06] Each experience stems from
[1:54:06] the free lessons eight year old
[1:54:07] me attended.
[1:54:11] They served as a catalyst for
[1:54:12] life a lifetime of musical
[1:54:12] vomit.
[1:54:13] Yet its exact programs budget
[1:54:15] cuts threaten instead of
[1:54:16] discarding them.
[1:54:16] We must recognize
[1:54:17] the transformative nature and
[1:54:17] preserve arts funding.
[1:54:21] Without them we risk depriving
[1:54:22] generations of the invaluable
[1:54:22] opportunity to discover and
[1:54:25] cherish the arts.
[1:54:31] >> Thank you Kevin.
[1:54:31] >> Good evening.
[1:54:32] My name is Kevin Gilbert.
[1:54:33] I'm a musician with the San
[1:54:36] Diego Symphony.
[1:54:37] I won't stand here and deny
[1:54:37] that life is getting more
[1:54:38] expensive like the council here
[1:54:39] today for taking on
[1:54:42] the monumental task of dealing
[1:54:42] with this budget in such a
[1:54:43] tumultuous economy.
[1:54:47] I believe the example we set in
[1:54:47] the areas we choose to nurture
[1:54:48] define the city that we live
[1:54:48] in.
[1:54:49] A cut towards funding would be
[1:54:49] painful.
[1:54:52] But elimination is
[1:54:53] unfathomable.
[1:54:53] Aside from the fact that this
[1:54:54] has organizations that rely on
[1:54:58] this funding, it sends a
[1:54:59] message that arts has no place
[1:54:59] in San Diego.
[1:55:02] Despite generating 1.8 billion
[1:55:03] in annual tourism, any person
[1:55:06] would tell you that 11.8
[1:55:06] million for 1.2 billion is a
[1:55:07] sound investment.
[1:55:08] I find the most egregious part
[1:55:11] of this arts defunding to be
[1:55:11] the audacity to attend a
[1:55:12] concert art exhibit play High
[1:55:16] School Musical a child's piano
[1:55:17] recital one day and vote to
[1:55:17] abolish the very funding like
[1:55:18] this relies on the next is
[1:55:22] utterly disgraceful.
[1:55:23] The message we send to our
[1:55:23] youth and successors lies in
[1:55:27] the example we choose to set on
[1:55:28] behalf of the musicians of
[1:55:28] the San Diego Symphony.
[1:55:29] I hope you reconsider your
[1:55:30] decision to eliminate the small
[1:55:33] fraction of this budget if not
[1:55:33] for artists like us here today
[1:55:34] for our youth and for the sake
[1:55:35] of the fiber.
[1:55:35] >> Thank you for that
[1:55:36] concluding comment.
[1:55:40] Lina.
[1:55:45] >> >> Finding the right words
[1:55:46] to convey why the arts are
[1:55:49] worth much more than an 85%
[1:55:50] budget cut in one minute is
[1:55:51] extremely difficult.
[1:55:54] I'm a senior heading to Harvard
[1:55:55] this fall and growing up in
[1:55:56] this great city has meant San
[1:56:00] Diego youth Symphony rehearsal
[1:56:00] and the beautiful Balboa Park
[1:56:01] Every Sunday summers at
[1:56:05] the Rady Shell that's turned
[1:56:06] into internships which is how
[1:56:10] you, me or Gloria once shook my
[1:56:10] hand at the opening of
[1:56:11] the Jacobs Music Center.
[1:56:15] >> I am who I am today because
[1:56:16] of every music note in tune
[1:56:20] that's passed through my ears.
[1:56:21] So while this might have been
[1:56:24] one minute of your life one
[1:56:24] summary on your meeting notes
[1:56:25] just one policy past this.
[1:56:30] The arts is also the one thing
[1:56:30] that the most disagreeable
[1:56:35] people agree on.
[1:56:36] >> Or it centers us.
[1:56:36] It creates connection,
[1:56:37] compassion and community.
[1:56:39] Doesn't that sound like a
[1:56:40] future San Diego ought to
[1:56:40] invest in?
[1:56:50] >> Thank you Denise Lopez.
[1:56:50] >> Hello.
[1:56:51] Honorable Council members Mayor
[1:56:51] Gloria.
[1:56:55] My name is Denise Lopez and I'm
[1:56:55] here to ask you to restore
[1:56:56] funding to the arts and culture
[1:57:00] budget for the coming year.
[1:57:00] As a lifelong resident of San
[1:57:01] Isidro in District eight, I'm
[1:57:05] living testimony of the impact
[1:57:05] of arts and culture programs in
[1:57:06] the city.
[1:57:06] My first professional play I
[1:57:07] saw was at the Old Globe
[1:57:10] Theater through the Free Studio
[1:57:11] matinee program.
[1:57:11] This program provided me access
[1:57:12] to a world I didn't know
[1:57:15] existed for people like me.
[1:57:16] It ignited my passion for
[1:57:16] creating art as a means to
[1:57:17] uplift communities like mine.
[1:57:21] I am now an administrative
[1:57:22] theater professional at the Old
[1:57:22] Globe.
[1:57:23] This institution has cultivated
[1:57:26] and shaped my artistic and
[1:57:26] professional career from
[1:57:27] the roof.
[1:57:27] The same department that gave
[1:57:31] me a chance to see this world
[1:57:32] now employs me in it.
[1:57:33] I get to give other students in
[1:57:36] my city the opportunity to see
[1:57:36] a world in the future that
[1:57:37] belongs to them.
[1:57:37] And I hope we get to continue
[1:57:38] to do so.
[1:57:40] While we know this is a tough
[1:57:41] budget, I implore you to
[1:57:41] preserve the access and
[1:57:42] opportunity these funds provide
[1:57:46] and work with us to create a
[1:57:47] more sustainable path going
[1:57:47] forward.
[1:57:47] >> Thank you.
[1:57:51] Thank you, Julia Demby.
[1:57:51] >> >> Good evening.
[1:57:57] Council members Mayor Gloria.
[1:57:58] My name is Jamila Demby.
[1:57:58] I'm the director of Equity
[1:57:59] Diversity Inclusion and Access
[1:58:02] at the Old Globe.
[1:58:03] And I am respectfully
[1:58:03] requesting that you restore
[1:58:07] funding to arts and culture.
[1:58:07] >> Hearing about the proposed
[1:58:08] cuts of $12 million.
[1:58:11] Takes me to a very specific
[1:58:12] place in a recent history which
[1:58:12] I'll get to in a second.
[1:58:13] I respect that you have a
[1:58:17] difficult budgetary have
[1:58:17] difficult budgetary decisions
[1:58:18] to make.
[1:58:18] As a person whose position is
[1:58:21] charged with prioritizing
[1:58:22] financial resources to our
[1:58:27] commitments, I empathize.
[1:58:27] >> That's a great
[1:58:28] responsibility.
[1:58:28] These are.
[1:58:30] That being said, removing
[1:58:31] almost $12 million cannot be
[1:58:31] the choice.
[1:58:36] The specific place in our
[1:58:36] recent history that this brings
[1:58:37] me to is actually the pandemic
[1:58:41] The lockdown, the isolation of
[1:58:42] the pandemic brought to light
[1:58:46] how arts and culture are a
[1:58:46] light.
[1:58:47] I think we would all agree that
[1:58:51] it is the light the art serves
[1:58:55] us then and now and always with
[1:58:55] restore the Arts.
[1:58:56] Thank you.
[1:59:00] Steve Snyder.
[1:59:01] Steve Snyder if you can please
[1:59:02] come up to the microphone after
[1:59:06] that is Nicole versus Sophia
[1:59:06] Tada.
[1:59:10] Michele Woodson I would ask.
[1:59:11] We do still have about 2.5
[1:59:14] hours worth of comment when I
[1:59:15] do call your name if you can
[1:59:16] please come up to the yellow
[1:59:17] reserved seats I'll make this
[1:59:20] go seamlessly and a little bit
[1:59:21] faster.
[1:59:22] So Steve Snyder again to
[1:59:26] the microphone.
[1:59:26] Nicole Verdier Sophia Tada.
[1:59:30] MR. Mitchell Woodson.
[1:59:35] Judy was Lynell Brown Mitchell
[1:59:35] Watson again.
[1:59:39] Um Shaheed Price What's your
[1:59:39] name?
[1:59:41] Please come up to
[1:59:47] the microphone as it goes.
[1:59:47] >> Sophia, are you here?
[1:59:52] Okay then please come up to
[1:59:52] the microphone.
[1:59:55] We'll go with you and then
[1:59:56] we'll.
[1:59:57] >> Please come up to the yellow
[1:59:57] reserved seats.
[1:59:58] You'll have one minute.
[1:59:58] Please proceed.
[1:59:58] Good evening.
[2:00:01] Council members.
[2:00:02] My name is Michelle Watson and
[2:00:02] I'm the legal director of
[2:00:06] Pillars of the Community in
[2:00:07] the wake of the terrorist
[2:00:07] attack at icc.
[2:00:08] Our community is mourning,
[2:00:11] traumatized and demanding real
[2:00:12] safety not the illusion of
[2:00:12] safety.
[2:00:13] >> We need to be honest about
[2:00:16] the difference between
[2:00:16] prevention and enforcement.
[2:00:17] Prevention means investing in
[2:00:21] the conditions that stop crime
[2:00:22] before it even starts.
[2:00:22] Safe parks, libraries and
[2:00:26] recreation centers.
[2:00:26] Youth programs.
[2:00:27] Mental health services.
[2:00:31] Housing and community support.
[2:00:32] >> Enforcement only happens
[2:00:32] after the harm has already
[2:00:36] occurred Year after year.
[2:00:36] The city pours millions into
[2:00:37] police budgets and surveillance
[2:00:41] technology cameras monitoring
[2:00:41] systems, data collection.
[2:00:42] >> Yet none of it prevented
[2:00:46] the tragedy.
[2:00:46] Surveillance did not protect
[2:00:47] the people who were harmed.
[2:00:50] And more policing after
[2:00:51] violence has already occurred
[2:00:53] is not the same as preventing
[2:00:54] violence in the first place.
[2:00:55] >> If we truly want safer
[2:00:59] communities we must invest in
[2:01:00] the root causes that determine
[2:01:00] true public safety.
[2:01:04] >> It's opportunities,
[2:01:05] stability, care and connection.
[2:01:06] Thank you for that statement of
[2:01:06] values.
[2:01:10] And we ask that you invest.
[2:01:10] Thank you for that.
[2:01:11] Our communities Thank you.
[2:01:13] Steve Snyder Last call for
[2:01:14] Steve Snyder Last call for
[2:01:19] Steve Snyder Nickel royalties.
[2:01:20] >> Last call for a nickel over
[2:01:21] There's no nickel over this
[2:01:24] Coming up to the mike.
[2:01:24] Sophia Tada.
[2:01:25] And you have several people
[2:01:28] seeding time that can please
[2:01:29] have you as a group
[2:01:30] presentation Raise your hands.
[2:01:33] Martin Yeah.
[2:01:33] Okay.
[2:01:36] C.J. Mendoza.
[2:01:39] Kelly Dave Shaheed.
[2:01:45] Price Miguel.
[2:01:51] >> Omega Go ahead.
[2:01:52] >> I see No Miguel Raising your
[2:01:52] hand.
[2:01:56] Claire Snyder If he comes in,
[2:01:57] you can raise his hand.
[2:02:01] Claire Snyder Okay.
[2:02:01] Sorry.
[2:02:02] I'll be her.
[2:02:07] Hussein then Naomi Then Thank
[2:02:11] you.
[2:02:15] Nelly Gomez Amaya Noah You get
[2:02:20] Groucho's haircut.
[2:02:20] >> Oh, Petrus My apologies.
[2:02:23] Look like an or no
[2:02:23] resemblance.
[2:02:29] >> Alice.
[2:02:29] No.
[2:02:30] And know.
[2:02:31] Okay.
[2:02:36] And then that's my girl.
[2:02:37] I will look for those speaker
[2:02:41] slips but you are already at 12
[2:02:42] minutes so please proceed.
[2:02:46] >> Good evening, Council
[2:02:47] members.
[2:02:47] Mayor my name is Sophia and I'm
[2:02:50] a high school senior a
[2:02:51] volunteer with central and
[2:02:52] Policy initiatives.
[2:02:52] We want to begin by sharing our
[2:02:55] vision for the city of San
[2:02:56] Diego.
[2:02:56] The kind of city we want to be
[2:03:00] and believe that we can be.
[2:03:01] I'll be reading a short haiku
[2:03:05] of mine Parks Streets and young
[2:03:06] lives a city where all MAY
[2:03:06] thrive.
[2:03:06] Budget of us all.
[2:03:10] That said that is the San Diego
[2:03:11] we all deserve and that is why
[2:03:12] we are here today as members of
[2:03:15] the community Budget Alliance,
[2:03:16] a coalition of San Diegans of
[2:03:20] young people, workers, families
[2:03:21] ,community based organizations
[2:03:21] and labor unions who come
[2:03:24] together every year to fight
[2:03:25] for a people's budget and are
[2:03:26] committed to building a city
[2:03:26] where everyone has what they
[2:03:29] need to thrive.
[2:03:30] Council members.
[2:03:30] This budget is in your hands.
[2:03:34] Budgets are moral documents.
[2:03:35] They are statements of values.
[2:03:36] They reflect who and what
[2:03:40] the city chooses to invest in.
[2:03:40] Right now working people are
[2:03:44] being told to accept less.
[2:03:45] Less support.
[2:03:45] Less access.
[2:03:46] Less stability and less care.
[2:03:50] We reject that logic.
[2:03:50] Austerity is a choice.
[2:03:54] Cuts to libraries, parks, arts,
[2:03:55] housing, youth services.
[2:03:56] Stormwater infrastructure and
[2:04:00] climate justice are not fiscal
[2:04:00] responsibility.
[2:04:00] They are choices.
[2:04:04] And we need to stop acting like
[2:04:05] investing in working people is
[2:04:06] unaffordable While hundreds of
[2:04:09] millions continue to flock,
[2:04:10] while hundreds of millions
[2:04:11] continue flowing toward
[2:04:13] policing, surveillance and
[2:04:14] corporations.
[2:04:15] When families are stable, when
[2:04:18] young people are supported,
[2:04:19] when neighborhoods are well
[2:04:20] resourced our city is stronger.
[2:04:29] And I'll pass it to Noah.
[2:04:29] >> Hello.
[2:04:30] My name is No adult.
[2:04:31] I'm a student volunteer with a
[2:04:33] student center on policy
[2:04:34] initiatives and freshman at
[2:04:35] Lincoln High School.
[2:04:37] I'm followed by Dino here who
[2:04:42] is a junior going on to senior
[2:04:42] .
[2:04:43] We appreciate the partial
[2:04:44] restorations made in the MAY
[2:04:48] Reserve to libraries, parks,
[2:04:48] rec centers and youth shopping
[2:04:49] centers.
[2:04:52] But partial restoration is not
[2:04:52] enough.
[2:04:53] We reserve libraries that stay
[2:04:54] open, parks that are maintained
[2:04:56] and safe arts and culture
[2:04:57] programs that bring communities
[2:04:58] together and streets where
[2:04:59] people can move safely from
[2:05:04] through their neighborhoods.
[2:05:05] >> These are not extras.
[2:05:06] These are things that make
[2:05:09] communities livable.
[2:05:09] If these investments are what
[2:05:14] helped communities thrive, why
[2:05:14] are they always the first thing
[2:05:15] on the chopping block?
[2:05:15] How can we not?
[2:05:19] How can we afford not to invest
[2:05:23] in the very things that prevent
[2:05:23] harm and create opportunities
[2:05:24] and strengthen our
[2:05:24] neighborhoods?
[2:05:28] Today we stand here to urge you
[2:05:32] the council and Mayor Gloria to
[2:05:33] fully fund libraries.
[2:05:36] Parks and rec centers, fund
[2:05:37] the pedestrian beacon near Rosa
[2:05:38] Parks Elementary and ensure
[2:05:42] the agreement between Parks and
[2:05:43] Rec and ecp allow Parks and Rec
[2:05:47] direct access to a deputized
[2:05:51] engineer permission to work on
[2:05:51] repairs that cost up to 5
[2:05:52] million and a process to put
[2:05:56] out small bids for repairs.
[2:05:56] Thank you.
[2:06:04] Now I'll hand it over to C.J..
[2:06:05] >> Thank you.
[2:06:05] Hi, I'm C.J. Mendoza.
[2:06:06] I'm an outreach and organizing
[2:06:06] intern at Youth.
[2:06:08] Well.
[2:06:09] >> I am standing here today to
[2:06:10] voice that young people's
[2:06:11] future is deserve to be funded.
[2:06:13] Other committee members here
[2:06:13] and advocates are here for
[2:06:14] the same reason and to keep
[2:06:18] their efforts and showing up
[2:06:18] even stronger.
[2:06:19] And we're going to hold you all
[2:06:20] accountable for what this
[2:06:23] budget and your decisions are
[2:06:23] saying to young people.
[2:06:24] We envision a city where every
[2:06:28] young person is supported,
[2:06:29] valued and set up for success
[2:06:29] where families can access child
[2:06:33] care, youth programs,
[2:06:34] mentorship and opportunities.
[2:06:34] This generation and the next
[2:06:38] will inherit a San Diego framed
[2:06:39] by the budget decisions.
[2:06:40] We've given you plenty of
[2:06:43] achievable visions of a San
[2:06:44] Diego that young people
[2:06:44] deserve.
[2:06:45] And those include O.C. Wise and
[2:06:48] Arts and Culture.
[2:06:49] The Office of Child and Youth
[2:06:50] Success exist to ensure young
[2:06:53] people are treated as a real
[2:06:54] citywide priority.
[2:06:54] O.C. Ensures that there is
[2:06:55] someone in the city who is
[2:06:58] always looking out for young
[2:06:59] people and is coordinating with
[2:07:00] the rest of the community.
[2:07:03] Someone that is letting young
[2:07:03] people know that they are
[2:07:04] dedicated to making youth lives
[2:07:04] better.
[2:07:07] Making them feel loved from
[2:07:08] their city by ensuring that
[2:07:09] there's a chance for them to
[2:07:09] succeed.
[2:07:12] O.C. Wise provides access to
[2:07:13] resources, services and high
[2:07:16] quality programs to keep young
[2:07:17] people driving while arts and
[2:07:18] culture gives them the colors,
[2:07:18] the different mediums and
[2:07:22] opportunities to create.
[2:07:22] So if we truly care about our
[2:07:23] young people, we cannot
[2:07:26] continue using youth investment
[2:07:27] as optional y while pouring
[2:07:28] hundreds of millions into
[2:07:31] policing and heavy surveillance
[2:07:31] .
[2:07:32] So we urge you to fully fund
[2:07:33] the Office of Child and Youth
[2:07:33] Success.
[2:07:36] Restore Arts and Culture Grants
[2:07:37] and get Floc out of San Diego.
[2:07:41] Now I'll hand it to Kelly.
[2:07:41] Thank you so much, C.J..
[2:07:42] Good evening.
[2:07:46] My name is Kelly De.
[2:07:46] I'm a parent and I'm a
[2:07:47] volunteer with San Diego 350.
[2:07:50] We envision a city where people
[2:07:51] are are housed, protected and
[2:07:55] able to live with dignity.
[2:07:56] But this budget is leaving
[2:07:57] people behind communities and
[2:08:01] districts for eight and nine
[2:08:01] are still recovering from
[2:08:02] devastating floods.
[2:08:06] Yet the Stormwater Department
[2:08:06] continues to cut while
[2:08:07] thousands of infrastructure
[2:08:09] cases remain backlogged.
[2:08:10] My hope is that one day my kids
[2:08:14] can live in San Diego with
[2:08:15] families of their own.
[2:08:16] But our community cannot thrive
[2:08:19] if we're constantly vulnerable
[2:08:20] to environmental disasters
[2:08:21] which are becoming a bigger
[2:08:21] concern every year.
[2:08:25] We urge you to restore
[2:08:25] stormwater cuts.
[2:08:26] Invest in proactive
[2:08:30] infrastructure and restore
[2:08:30] the city's $7 million
[2:08:31] contribution to Climate Equity
[2:08:35] Fund which not only protects
[2:08:35] some of our most vulnerable
[2:08:38] communities but also mitigates
[2:08:39] the effects of climate change.
[2:08:40] I also urge you to invest in
[2:08:43] solutions that solve
[2:08:44] homelessness by addressing root
[2:08:44] causes.
[2:08:45] Homelessness is not solved
[2:08:49] through punishment and safety
[2:08:50] does not come by keeping people
[2:08:50] out of sight.
[2:08:54] Safety in real solutions come
[2:08:55] from housing, dignity and
[2:08:55] support.
[2:08:59] We urge you to restore the Neal
[2:09:02] Good Day Center reopen downtown
[2:09:03] public restrooms and expand
[2:09:08] shelter options by allocate
[2:09:09] the $4.6 million currently
[2:09:13] spent on criminalizing unhoused
[2:09:13] residents.
[2:09:14] Thank you.
[2:09:15] And now I will pass it to
[2:09:17] Shahid.
[2:09:23] Um I am a black man from South
[2:09:27] San Diego.
[2:09:28] Being black Muslim and living
[2:09:32] in southeast Senegal makes me a
[2:09:32] triple target.
[2:09:33] >> a target of what
[2:09:37] Overpolicing and underfunding.
[2:09:38] Let's take a few moments of
[2:09:42] silence for the three community
[2:09:42] members we lost on the front
[2:09:46] lines to hate.
[2:09:51] Let's remember the three
[2:09:52] community members that lost
[2:09:56] their lives are who prevented
[2:09:57] the atrocity at the Islamic
[2:09:57] Center of San Diego from being
[2:09:58] even worse.
[2:10:02] It wasn't the smart street
[2:10:05] light It it wasn't the Alpers.
[2:10:06] With with all the money
[2:10:07] the police department takes
[2:10:11] from the city budget and in all
[2:10:11] the money being handed over to
[2:10:16] Fox Systems the police should
[2:10:16] have prevented this.
[2:10:20] >> I don't want the police or
[2:10:21] the mayor using the atrocity
[2:10:24] that happened to our community
[2:10:25] for their political gain to
[2:10:26] have more money for their
[2:10:29] already ballooning budget.
[2:10:34] My community needs resources.
[2:10:35] My community is Southeast San
[2:10:36] Diego District for giving my
[2:10:39] community the resources to
[2:10:40] thrive, fund and fund
[2:10:41] the Southeast shopping centers
[2:10:42] .
[2:10:52] >> Yeah.
[2:10:53] Took my name is me.
[2:10:53] My name is Miguel.
[2:10:54] I'm a junior at Morris High
[2:10:56] School in Skyline Hills and I'm
[2:10:57] a volunteer with cpi In
[2:10:58] additional in addition to
[2:11:01] canceling for flood contracts
[2:11:02] and subsidize for police Petco
[2:11:05] Park events and reclaiming
[2:11:06] funding from the police budget.
[2:11:07] We urge you to further down
[2:11:11] further reform how golf revenue
[2:11:11] is collected and invested.
[2:11:12] The golf division's practice of
[2:11:15] paying for capital projects
[2:11:16] entirely in cash hoards
[2:11:16] resources that should be
[2:11:20] invested equitably across
[2:11:20] the city.
[2:11:21] Additionally, revenue generated
[2:11:22] from restaurants and breweries
[2:11:25] on public golf course lands
[2:11:26] should benefit the entire
[2:11:26] public not a single enterprise
[2:11:27] fund.
[2:11:29] By making these two additional
[2:11:30] reforms to golf revenue we can
[2:11:31] generate revenue that helps our
[2:11:35] city work for all in San Diego.
[2:11:36] We make clear what people need
[2:11:39] to survive Food, water,
[2:11:40] shelter, love areas to learn
[2:11:40] and play.
[2:11:41] Fear isn't something any person
[2:11:44] in my community deserves but
[2:11:45] it's all that has been given to
[2:11:45] us since we have since we've
[2:11:49] had so much taken away.
[2:11:50] Now while these decisions
[2:11:51] belong to you and your votes,
[2:11:54] we urge you to give back to
[2:11:54] the community that you keep
[2:11:55] taking from.
[2:11:55] While admitting mistakes isn't
[2:11:58] considered professional, it is
[2:11:59] human which is something that
[2:12:03] that device people the diverse
[2:12:04] people in this room all have in
[2:12:04] common.
[2:12:09] Thank you And I hope what we
[2:12:09] have shared today has been has
[2:12:10] given a better insight on what
[2:12:12] the city needs and what it
[2:12:13] needs for everybody in San
[2:12:13] Diego.
[2:12:17] Love.
[2:12:18] >> Thank you so much.
[2:12:27] Judy was Judy was are you here
[2:12:32] going once your Judy buzz for
[2:12:32] my own public comment and not
[2:12:33] for the group but your Judy
[2:12:36] Buzz me.
[2:12:37] >> Yes, Thank you.
[2:12:41] Please visit.
[2:12:41] >> Good evening.
[2:12:42] My name is Judy was on
[2:12:43] the public affairs manager for
[2:12:46] Planned parent of the Pacific
[2:12:47] Southwest and the Action Fund.
[2:12:47] At Planned Parenthood we
[2:12:50] recognize the importance of
[2:12:51] storytelling and how it
[2:12:51] encourages people to make
[2:12:55] healthy choices and inspires
[2:12:55] policy change.
[2:12:56] And we encourage people to
[2:12:57] share their stories when it's
[2:13:01] difficult and to create art and
[2:13:01] being community.
[2:13:02] We don't always remember
[2:13:05] statistics but we do remember
[2:13:06] stories And even just being in
[2:13:09] this room this pass to three
[2:13:10] hours 10th and Jay needs to get
[2:13:13] fixed so that the blind can
[2:13:14] leave without getting hit by a
[2:13:14] car.
[2:13:15] >> Mid-City Care needs their
[2:13:19] park and black folks when they
[2:13:24] come together can prevent crime
[2:13:24] and can prevent murder from
[2:13:25] happening in the same
[2:13:25] neighborhood for two
[2:13:28] consecutive years in a row.
[2:13:29] Art saves lives.
[2:13:33] Music gets us out of bed, youth
[2:13:34] rec centers and the Office of
[2:13:34] Child Needs Success deserve all
[2:13:37] the funding not some funding.
[2:13:38] And going back to the arts.
[2:13:43] Arts and theater are a lifeline
[2:13:43] for youth.
[2:13:44] >> Don't cut it now Thank you
[2:13:47] for concluding comment.
[2:13:48] Lynell Brown.
[2:13:52] Lynell Brown Melissa Hernandez.
[2:13:57] Melissa Hernandez.
[2:13:58] Rebecca Hook Health.
[2:14:08] Rebecca Hook Held Edwin Rendon
[2:14:14] Thank you Audrey Bullet Value l
[2:14:14] l Apostrophe t Please go to
[2:14:18] the yellow reserved seats Shawn
[2:14:19] Boyd, Elizabeth Washburn and
[2:14:21] Sara Anderson.
[2:14:26] >> Please proceed.
[2:14:27] People elected a council,
[2:14:27] people elected mayor.
[2:14:31] Good evening.
[2:14:32] My name is Edwin Rendon and i
[2:14:33] have a poem for you.
[2:14:39] It's called Arts Witness.
[2:14:40] >> Late poet Camerino Douses
[2:14:43] Heavy writers Ink.
[2:14:44] Appalled Meditating San Diego
[2:14:48] Sabotaging a cultural thinking
[2:14:52] painter Inocente Sukar holds
[2:14:53] Oscar gold splashes monstrous
[2:14:57] rainbows as a reason to
[2:14:57] survive.
[2:15:03] Pillars above ground shores
[2:15:03] love with their guide Chicano
[2:15:04] Art Gallery and more uplifted
[2:15:07] alleys and streets would still
[2:15:07] be present.
[2:15:12] Surrendering void.
[2:15:12] >> Rent Controls.
[2:15:17] The Grinch cannot survive on
[2:15:17] philanthropy and philanthropy
[2:15:22] alone Alone Selling balloons to
[2:15:22] stay green on Park Boulevard
[2:15:27] staying DECEMBER nights worn by
[2:15:27] his Thank you for that
[2:15:28] concluding comment warm by his
[2:15:33] goodwill Kami in your time
[2:15:33] island children to wanting
[2:15:34] inflated colors galore.
[2:15:41] Thank you Audrey.
[2:15:46] Hello my name is Audrey Boulay
[2:15:47] and this budget impacts my
[2:15:47] ability to gain workforce
[2:15:48] experience now and acquire a
[2:15:51] job later.
[2:15:52] I want to pursue a career and
[2:15:52] technical theater in directing
[2:15:56] indoor lighting which I found a
[2:15:56] passion for.
[2:15:57] Through free programs I've been
[2:15:57] privileged to have at Trinity
[2:16:01] Theater Company which are now
[2:16:01] at risk of being cut by
[2:16:02] decimating arts funding to near
[2:16:05] nothing.
[2:16:06] You are restricting access to
[2:16:07] the arts not only for me but
[2:16:10] for other kids across San Diego
[2:16:10] .
[2:16:10] For current theater
[2:16:11] professionals and for
[2:16:12] the future of American theater
[2:16:15] And you are restricting access
[2:16:15] for tourists who build our
[2:16:16] cities revenue by staying for
[2:16:20] shows, museums and exhibits.
[2:16:20] San Diego prides itself on
[2:16:21] being a strong community and
[2:16:22] it's sad to see it turning on
[2:16:25] itself knowing that long term
[2:16:25] this will hurt the city.
[2:16:26] This is what happens when
[2:16:29] important decisions about
[2:16:30] the working class are made
[2:16:30] during work hours.
[2:16:34] We are coming here to urge you
[2:16:35] that this budget will not work.
[2:16:35] We are lending you help so take
[2:16:36] it now before we have to make
[2:16:39] the decision of what to cut
[2:16:40] next year And you can't fall
[2:16:40] back on the arts anymore.
[2:16:44] Thank you for listening.
[2:16:45] >> Shawn Boyd.
[2:16:45] Shawn you have time ceded to
[2:16:49] you by Cathy Parks If you can
[2:16:50] please raise your hand by
[2:16:56] blazing nasty c.
[2:16:58] Jo Chang and Candice Reid,
[2:16:59] thank you so much.
[2:16:59] You will have four minutes.
[2:17:00] Please proceed.
[2:17:03] Thank you.
[2:17:04] Council members.
[2:17:05] MR. Mayor, it's unfortunate to
[2:17:08] be back again having the exact
[2:17:08] same conversation we've had for
[2:17:09] a month.
[2:17:13] MR. Mayor, I find this to be a
[2:17:14] pathetic excuse of a revised
[2:17:14] budget.
[2:17:18] There is no progress and it is
[2:17:18] not fiscally solvent.
[2:17:19] I have talked to time and time
[2:17:22] again about the economic
[2:17:23] impacts that this budget will
[2:17:24] have on this city and it is
[2:17:27] devastate a little bit about
[2:17:28] myself.
[2:17:29] I don't share this often but I
[2:17:32] am born and raised District
[2:17:32] nine.
[2:17:33] i went to San Diego High School
[2:17:38] where I co-founded Trinity
[2:17:39] Theater with Candide Read Thank
[2:17:39] You for the minute.
[2:17:40] We co-founded Trinity Theater
[2:17:43] Company together as seniors at
[2:17:43] that high school.
[2:17:44] We stayed local.
[2:17:48] We believe that the arts
[2:17:48] matters in this city.
[2:17:49] I went to state.
[2:17:52] I got my masters at point Loma
[2:17:52] Nazarene.
[2:17:53] I taught for five years.
[2:17:54] I taught English, I taught
[2:17:56] theater and I taught student
[2:17:57] government.
[2:18:01] Sb This is an embarrassment to
[2:18:01] them that we the people have to
[2:18:02] continue to hold our elected
[2:18:06] officials accountable to do
[2:18:07] what's best for their people.
[2:18:11] Beyond the economic impacts,
[2:18:12] there are real lives that are
[2:18:12] going to be impacted by this
[2:18:13] decision.
[2:18:16] I myself am trilingual.
[2:18:17] I speak English, French and
[2:18:17] Spanish.
[2:18:21] None of them well but I do
[2:18:21] speak them And the reality is
[2:18:25] that that influence that I have
[2:18:26] supports our students, supports
[2:18:27] our children and supports our
[2:18:30] vulnerable adults as well.
[2:18:31] I'm going to talk about four
[2:18:31] programs that Trinity offers
[2:18:32] that is very much on
[2:18:35] the chopping block because
[2:18:35] the mayor doesn't believe in
[2:18:36] the arts.
[2:18:36] The first one is our storytime
[2:18:39] program.
[2:18:40] Our storytime program pushes
[2:18:41] into libraries across the city
[2:18:44] and every single district we
[2:18:48] serve San Ysidro Library is one
[2:18:48] of our go to libraries.
[2:18:52] Rancho Bernardo has a modified
[2:18:53] program that serves adults with
[2:18:54] disabilities and special needs.
[2:18:58] We go into all the I think
[2:18:59] every library in District nine
[2:19:03] as well as Central Library.
[2:19:04] We serve 3200 children year
[2:19:07] round with 13 staff members.
[2:19:08] All of them will be cut.
[2:19:09] Those children will lose their
[2:19:09] access.
[2:19:13] We read stories to them.
[2:19:13] My background in education
[2:19:17] shows us the compare and
[2:19:18] contrast analysis of reading a
[2:19:22] story and seeing it live in
[2:19:23] that moment is better for
[2:19:26] the kids than sitting in a
[2:19:27] classroom and listening to a
[2:19:27] lecture.
[2:19:29] We are taking away education.
[2:19:34] When we do this our young
[2:19:35] children deserve better than
[2:19:35] that.
[2:19:39] But so do our vulnerable
[2:19:40] adults.
[2:19:40] Senior citizens and military
[2:19:41] families.
[2:19:41] Our other program is the Living
[2:19:45] Room readers which meets once a
[2:19:45] week and is led not by an
[2:19:46] artist by trade but by licensed
[2:19:49] clinical social worker who has
[2:19:50] studied and committed her life
[2:19:54] to mental health and
[2:19:54] well-being.
[2:19:58] These individuals meet weekly
[2:19:59] not for the art of course for
[2:19:59] the art.
[2:20:00] Let's be honest stories are
[2:20:03] awesome but they meet weekly
[2:20:04] because of the community that
[2:20:04] it comes with.
[2:20:08] 1780, 90, 92 years old.
[2:20:12] Once a week to read a story
[2:20:12] together as a group.
[2:20:13] We have veterans that cannot
[2:20:17] commit to the full scale of a
[2:20:17] production but they come so
[2:20:18] that they can be together.
[2:20:21] You just heard my succession
[2:20:22] plan.
[2:20:22] Audrey is an incredible example
[2:20:27] of our team leadership program
[2:20:27] which is a free program for
[2:20:28] teen students throughout
[2:20:31] the city to get involved in
[2:20:31] arts administration and
[2:20:32] technical skills skills that
[2:20:36] are not always accessible.
[2:20:36] And lastly, our new Works
[2:20:40] festival which has grown so
[2:20:41] much over the past four years.
[2:20:41] We received a thousand
[2:20:45] submissions from playwrights
[2:20:46] across the world.
[2:20:46] And when we select our ten
[2:20:47] plays those playwrights come
[2:20:50] and stay in this city in hotels
[2:20:51] for a week.
[2:20:51] That's revenue.
[2:20:55] MR. Mayor.
[2:20:55] Do better.
[2:20:56] Thank you.
[2:21:00] Elizabeth Washburn And if I can
[2:21:00] ask Sarah Anderson Monica
[2:21:06] Hernandez, Caitlin Cauchi Blair
[2:21:09] Beekman, Ines Neff, Nancy Rudy
[2:21:10] Lombardia Sebastian Rubi.
[2:21:16] David Guide and Kate Dunning.
[2:21:20] >> Thank you.
[2:21:20] And Morley Bower to all please
[2:21:21] come up to the front row.
[2:21:23] Please proceed When ready.
[2:21:24] Okay.
[2:21:24] Hello, my name is Elizabeth
[2:21:25] Washburn.
[2:21:26] I'm an artist and founder of
[2:21:29] Combat Arts San Diego, a
[2:21:29] therapeutic arts nonprofit that
[2:21:33] serves veterans and system
[2:21:33] engaged youth.
[2:21:34] Mayor Gloria, you came to one
[2:21:37] of our unveilings ten years ago
[2:21:38] at the Adams Avenue car Wash
[2:21:38] and we were real grateful.
[2:21:42] I began this work in response
[2:21:43] to veterans returning from Iraq
[2:21:46] and Afghanistan carrying
[2:21:47] unimaginable trauma for years.
[2:21:51] I volunteered my time and
[2:21:52] auctioned my own artwork to
[2:21:53] fund free arts programing
[2:21:55] because veterans told me art
[2:21:55] was one of the only tools they
[2:21:56] could access on their own to
[2:22:00] manage ptsd and traumatic brain
[2:22:00] injuries.
[2:22:01] In 2012 I expanded this work to
[2:22:05] incarcerated youth.
[2:22:06] I go inside juvenile detention
[2:22:06] facilities to provide art
[2:22:09] classes and workshops.
[2:22:10] The young people I work with
[2:22:11] face staggering socioeconomic
[2:22:14] realities violence, instability
[2:22:15] and helplessness.
[2:22:15] Art gives them relief,
[2:22:16] connections, self-expression
[2:22:19] and a reason to imagine a
[2:22:19] future.
[2:22:20] To do this work I rely on
[2:22:24] contracts with museums like
[2:22:24] the Timken Museum of Art which
[2:22:29] shoot which loses 100 89,000.
[2:22:29] Thank you for your time.
[2:22:30] If you have written comments
[2:22:31] please submit them to art.
[2:22:33] I'm sorry If you have them
[2:22:34] written down we can pass them
[2:22:35] around to the council.
[2:22:35] Thank you.
[2:22:35] Thank you.
[2:22:38] Sarah Anderson.
[2:22:38] Sarah Anderson.
[2:22:43] Monica Hernandez.
[2:22:44] Monica you have time ceded to
[2:22:45] you by Anna Hernandez.
[2:22:45] Can we please raise your hand?
[2:22:46] Thank you.
[2:22:49] You'll have two minutes.
[2:22:50] I am a resident of Sunny Fugro.
[2:22:53] I am the executive director of
[2:22:54] Chicano Park Museum and
[2:22:55] Cultural Center and I am a
[2:22:58] commissioner on the County
[2:22:59] Cultural Arts Commission.
[2:23:00] And I have a poem for you
[2:23:04] called Respectful of Amelia
[2:23:06] Sanchez Yellow Electronics in
[2:23:07] the year 1970 in the city of
[2:23:08] San Diego under the Coronado
[2:23:11] Bridge light a little piece of
[2:23:12] land a piece of land that
[2:23:12] the community of Logan Heights
[2:23:16] wanted to make into a park.
[2:23:17] But the city of San Diego said
[2:23:18] Charlie, much like the mayor is
[2:23:21] saying today they said we are
[2:23:22] going to make a highway patrol
[2:23:23] station here, man.
[2:23:26] On APRIL 22nd, 1970.
[2:23:29] But fast forward to now
[2:23:30] the year 2026 MAY 27th Chicano
[2:23:34] Poetry Revise.
[2:23:35] The communities of Logan
[2:23:36] Heights and Febrile Balboa Park
[2:23:39] and other communities in San
[2:23:39] Diego just want to get together
[2:23:40] on a Sunday afternoon and
[2:23:44] celebrate the spirit of life
[2:23:45] itself through art and culture.
[2:23:45] But the city of San Diego is
[2:23:49] seeing Charlie The mayor is
[2:23:49] saying we're not going to
[2:23:50] invest in funds.
[2:23:53] We're not going to invest in
[2:23:54] the arts today, man.
[2:23:55] So the people of San Diego got
[2:23:58] together and we organized and
[2:23:59] we showed up and we are here.
[2:24:03] We are asking you to fight for
[2:24:04] us to fight with us for
[2:24:08] the arts, for the cultura, for
[2:24:09] the youth, for the community
[2:24:09] that for all of us restore full
[2:24:10] restoration to the arts.
[2:24:14] >> Thank you.
[2:24:19] Caitlin Corrigan Hi my name is
[2:24:24] Caitlin Carrog and I live in
[2:24:25] District eight.
[2:24:25] I've spent my life and career
[2:24:29] in creative youth development
[2:24:29] and arts education here in this
[2:24:33] region.
[2:24:34] When we expand surveillance and
[2:24:38] policing while cutting arts,
[2:24:39] youth services and public
[2:24:39] libraries in parks, we
[2:24:43] undermine the very foundation
[2:24:43] of community safety,
[2:24:44] connection, creativity and
[2:24:48] radical acceptance are what
[2:24:49] make us safer.
[2:24:49] Cameras don't do that.
[2:24:54] We do a people who are invested
[2:24:58] in and cared for become exactly
[2:24:58] who we need to keep us safe.
[2:25:03] We use creativity to process
[2:25:03] grief, celebrate together, make
[2:25:04] meaning and name injustice.
[2:25:08] Young people must be entrusted
[2:25:09] with the tools for bringing
[2:25:09] their hearts and minds to us.
[2:25:13] There are partners in making
[2:25:14] the best future possible.
[2:25:14] And when we divest from them we
[2:25:17] stomp on the very imagination
[2:25:18] that we need to make a better
[2:25:19] community and a better world.
[2:25:21] >> Thank you.
[2:25:21] Thank you.
[2:25:26] Blair Beekman After Blair
[2:25:27] Beekman we have in this Nafisi
[2:25:33] Nafisi, Rudy Lombardia,
[2:25:36] Sebastian Rubi, Stephen Davin
[2:25:36] Gardner Marley or Marley Bauer
[2:25:41] and then Alicia Leon, Sophia
[2:25:42] Blanco, Michael Venus and
[2:25:46] Shayla James If you can all
[2:25:46] please come up to the front
[2:25:47] room.
[2:25:47] Please proceed when ready.
[2:25:51] Hi, I'm Blair Beekman.
[2:25:52] Some of my regular words of
[2:25:52] the past few months The budget
[2:25:55] concerns As Oakland is the only
[2:25:56] major California city with a
[2:25:57] larger deficit problem and San
[2:26:00] Diego.
[2:26:01] I hope San Diego can be
[2:26:01] committed to learn from
[2:26:02] Oakland's love life philosophy
[2:26:05] that includes ideas of do no
[2:26:06] harm and that social services
[2:26:06] and quality of life comes
[2:26:10] before the coldness of budget
[2:26:11] austerity.
[2:26:11] I hope San Diego can also
[2:26:12] really know at this time
[2:26:14] However we of Oakland
[2:26:15] neighborhoods can help to
[2:26:15] develop a current 12 to 18
[2:26:16] month community dialog and
[2:26:20] compromise to find an agreeable
[2:26:20] middle ground of more
[2:26:21] responsible community tech use
[2:26:25] public safety and more
[2:26:25] peacefully minded surveillance
[2:26:26] tech companies.
[2:26:29] Let's hope the sad fearful
[2:26:30] events of the Claremont Mesa
[2:26:31] Islamic Center last Monday can
[2:26:34] be brought into accountability
[2:26:35] and given a hug by our ever
[2:26:36] continuing hopes that best
[2:26:39] practices.
[2:26:40] And from this I hope Oakland's
[2:26:40] recent efforts can be a good
[2:26:41] reminder and how we can all
[2:26:44] continue our better ideals
[2:26:45] better reasoning, best
[2:26:45] practices, social services,
[2:26:50] quality of life and ideas of
[2:26:51] peace not war Harm How to
[2:26:52] address our San Diego Community
[2:26:52] issues.
[2:26:53] Thank you for that And yours.
[2:26:58] Thank you, Inez.
[2:26:59] >> Art is a human right?
[2:27:03] My name is Inez.
[2:27:04] I am a San Diego resident of
[2:27:04] District seven, an artist arts
[2:27:07] advocate and independent single
[2:27:07] mother.
[2:27:08] I have multiple jobs in
[2:27:08] the arts sector.
[2:27:12] This is how I sustain my
[2:27:13] household, my family and my
[2:27:13] community.
[2:27:14] I urge you to follow the lead
[2:27:17] of the artist.
[2:27:17] Think creatively.
[2:27:17] Be bold.
[2:27:21] Be courageous and protect and
[2:27:22] preserve our humanity.
[2:27:23] We the people demand full
[2:27:26] restoration of arts and culture
[2:27:27] parks, libraries and youth
[2:27:27] services.
[2:27:31] These services are essential
[2:27:32] The very heartbeat of San
[2:27:32] Diego.
[2:27:33] Our thriving arts community
[2:27:36] should be celebrated and
[2:27:37] supported for it is these
[2:27:38] services that have put San
[2:27:38] Diego on the map as America's
[2:27:41] finest city.
[2:27:42] The creative economy contribute
[2:27:43] significantly to the city's
[2:27:46] revenue on top of servicing
[2:27:47] tourists, residents and
[2:27:47] the people's morale and
[2:27:48] well-being.
[2:27:52] What kind of society are we
[2:27:52] creating when you willfully
[2:27:53] sponsor our oppressors while
[2:27:56] simultaneously slashing
[2:27:56] the very services that sustain
[2:28:01] our communities?
[2:28:01] >> San Diego Art Matters.
[2:28:02] Thank you for that concluding
[2:28:05] comment Rudy.
[2:28:06] >> My name is Rudy Lombardi, a
[2:28:09] resident of District three and
[2:28:10] business agent with I.R.S.
[2:28:13] Local 122 And I stand before
[2:28:14] you today representing
[2:28:14] the workers who build power and
[2:28:18] support San Diego's arts and
[2:28:19] cultural events.
[2:28:19] The proposed elimination of
[2:28:20] Arts culture funding is not
[2:28:23] just a budget cut on paper.
[2:28:24] It's a direct blow to working
[2:28:28] people, local families and
[2:28:28] the economic engine that helps
[2:28:29] make San Diego thrive.
[2:28:30] Arts and culture in our city
[2:28:32] support Thousands of jobs
[2:28:33] generate 1.8 billion in annual
[2:28:37] tourism activity, activate
[2:28:37] neighborhoods across every
[2:28:38] district and create
[2:28:42] opportunities for education,
[2:28:42] creativity and connection for
[2:28:43] our communities.
[2:28:46] When we invest in the arts we
[2:28:47] invest in workers.
[2:28:47] We invest in local businesses.
[2:28:51] We invest in the identity of
[2:28:52] San Diego as a world class
[2:28:52] city.
[2:28:56] I urge you to restore these
[2:28:56] funds.
[2:28:57] Stand with the workers,
[2:28:58] artists, educators and
[2:29:02] organizations that make San
[2:29:02] Diego vibrant.
[2:29:03] This is not just about
[2:29:03] preserving grants.
[2:29:06] This is about protecting jobs
[2:29:07] and protecting opportunity.
[2:29:08] >> Thank you for that
[2:29:10] concluding comment Sebastian
[2:29:15] Robin Sebastian Ruby Hi
[2:29:15] everybody.
[2:29:16] I'm back.
[2:29:16] I was here last month and I
[2:29:17] said the same thing.
[2:29:21] So today with the amount of
[2:29:21] time that has passed this last
[2:29:25] time I was up here I have to
[2:29:25] say I am incredibly
[2:29:26] disappointed.
[2:29:27] How many more speakers do we
[2:29:30] need for you to listen?
[2:29:31] How many more rallies do you
[2:29:31] need to see on the streets and
[2:29:32] how much more outcry do you
[2:29:34] need to hear before you realize
[2:29:35] how terrible of an idea this is
[2:29:39] During the last meeting and
[2:29:40] even in this one hour glorious
[2:29:41] mayor decided to spend most of
[2:29:41] it on his phone.
[2:29:42] He didn't feel like giving us
[2:29:44] his attention despite his grand
[2:29:45] claims won't help us.
[2:29:45] I want to ask something of
[2:29:46] everyone here.
[2:29:48] If you work in the arts whether
[2:29:49] it be on stage or backstage on
[2:29:51] a canvas or a notepad if you
[2:29:52] are creative of any type please
[2:29:56] stand up.
[2:29:57] Oh I see a lot more people that
[2:30:01] I recognized and I thought
[2:30:02] Todd, I want you to look these
[2:30:02] people in the face and tell
[2:30:03] them why you want to kill their
[2:30:05] careers.
[2:30:06] >> I really want to know why
[2:30:07] you want to kill the livelihood
[2:30:10] of what makes San Diego great.
[2:30:11] These human beings are a small
[2:30:11] percentage of the real lives
[2:30:15] that you are trying to destroy
[2:30:16] so you can spy on your own.
[2:30:17] >> People do better.
[2:30:25] Steven Hello.
[2:30:26] My name is Gavin Guy Dano I am
[2:30:30] an audio engineer and a member
[2:30:30] of iac Local 122.
[2:30:31] I am not here as a
[2:30:34] representative of the union.
[2:30:35] I am here as a committee, as a
[2:30:36] member of the community.
[2:30:39] I work right here and shout out
[2:30:40] to the kids in my neighborhood
[2:30:40] from Mountain View that showed
[2:30:44] up on a weekday show.
[2:30:45] We live in a very divisive time
[2:30:49] where people our leaders in
[2:30:49] Washington are doing things
[2:30:55] vindictively mainly badly And
[2:30:55] I'm going to give you all
[2:30:59] the benefit of the doubt that
[2:30:59] that's not what you're doing.
[2:31:00] I urge you and your budget
[2:31:04] analysts and your proposals to
[2:31:05] go back and look at the numbers
[2:31:08] because the arts is not
[2:31:09] charity.
[2:31:09] The arts makes money.
[2:31:14] The art makes billions of
[2:31:14] dollars for the community, for
[2:31:19] the tax base, for the hotels.
[2:31:20] It is not charity.
[2:31:20] So with all of the good work
[2:31:23] that helping the children isn't
[2:31:24] going to move the needle for
[2:31:25] you, then maybe the economic
[2:31:28] will.
[2:31:29] >> You are the guest of honor
[2:31:30] at our present concluding
[2:31:38] comment Marlee.
[2:31:38] >> Good evening everyone.
[2:31:39] My name is Marlee and I should
[2:31:42] start by saying that I am not a
[2:31:43] native San Diego.
[2:31:43] i'm originally from Sacramento
[2:31:44] but I live and work in San
[2:31:47] Diego because of the arts.
[2:31:48] In 2021, fresh out of college I
[2:31:49] moved here to begin my career
[2:31:52] in the arts namely in
[2:31:53] the theater and in subsequent
[2:31:53] years I've been lucky enough to
[2:31:54] be a part of this vibrant
[2:31:56] culture and community in many
[2:31:57] ways and been even luckier to
[2:31:58] meet some of the many
[2:31:58] incredible people who make San
[2:32:01] Diego's arts and culture
[2:32:02] happen.
[2:32:02] Arts and culture are not
[2:32:03] incidental to this city.
[2:32:06] They are this city.
[2:32:07] People come to visit San Diego
[2:32:08] for any number of reasons But
[2:32:08] the chief reason the reason
[2:32:11] the people build lives here is
[2:32:12] the city's culture a culture we
[2:32:16] have because we've invested in
[2:32:16] our community.
[2:32:17] I feel like I'm a significant
[2:32:19] example of this significance of
[2:32:20] hard words Sorry I'm one such
[2:32:20] example.
[2:32:21] If we don't value the arts we
[2:32:24] don't value San Diego and we
[2:32:25] don't definitely don't value
[2:32:26] the people who make it what it
[2:32:26] is.
[2:32:29] I realize there are many harsh
[2:32:30] realities about balancing
[2:32:31] the budget but the council has
[2:32:31] a responsibility to the city
[2:32:34] and the constituents to both
[2:32:35] present and future to make
[2:32:35] the right decision here and I
[2:32:36] sincerely hope they will
[2:32:38] because right now it doesn't
[2:32:39] value San Diego.
[2:32:48] >> Thank you Alicia Leon Good
[2:32:48] evening.
[2:32:49] I'm Alicia Leon.
[2:32:50] I teach at San Diego State
[2:32:53] University and I'm speaking on
[2:32:54] behalf of my students who
[2:32:54] reside in our districts across
[2:32:58] the city who are studying
[2:32:58] sleepless nights for potential
[2:32:59] careers in various industries
[2:33:02] including the arts.
[2:33:03] And we seek refuge in many of
[2:33:04] the resources that are at stake
[2:33:07] with the proposed budget cuts.
[2:33:07] I urge you to work towards
[2:33:11] defending our communities by
[2:33:12] protecting what is culturally
[2:33:13] healing for the constituents
[2:33:16] you serve The arts Even within
[2:33:17] the last 20 years of financial
[2:33:17] hardship, even through a
[2:33:21] pandemic, cuts like these have
[2:33:21] never been made.
[2:33:22] And when the preliminary budget
[2:33:23] was released, not one of
[2:33:26] the reasons listed for why
[2:33:27] the $118 million deficit exist
[2:33:27] was the arts.
[2:33:31] Yet the arts is what you are
[2:33:32] choosing to defund.
[2:33:32] It's what you're choosing to
[2:33:36] take away from my students from
[2:33:36] their futures.
[2:33:37] Please continue working with
[2:33:41] our communities so that a more
[2:33:42] informed decision can be made
[2:33:44] so they truly balanced and
[2:33:45] responsible budget that
[2:33:45] protects our cultural
[2:33:50] infrastructure and my students
[2:33:50] can be drafted.
[2:33:51] >> Thank you.
[2:34:00] Sofia Blanco Dear City Council
[2:34:05] MR. Whitburn MR. Talk Gloria, I
[2:34:08] spoke to you at the first
[2:34:08] public hearing for this budget
[2:34:09] and I speak to you again to
[2:34:10] tell you to fully restore
[2:34:12] funding to the arts.
[2:34:13] Many of you have agreed to
[2:34:14] restore partial funding but I'm
[2:34:17] here to tell you that is not
[2:34:17] enough to pay the thousands of
[2:34:18] people including myself who
[2:34:22] will lose their jobs as a
[2:34:23] result of this budget.
[2:34:26] i can cite numbers but instead
[2:34:27] I really ask you to look and
[2:34:28] listen to everybody who spoken
[2:34:31] here today who will speak and I
[2:34:32] ask you for your support and
[2:34:36] full restoration of our funding
[2:34:36] for the arts Fight for your
[2:34:37] communities.
[2:34:37] We respect you.
[2:34:42] We are in all of your jobs and
[2:34:42] your responsibilities And I'm
[2:34:46] here again.
[2:34:47] I've been here twice already.
[2:34:51] I've waited at least four hours
[2:34:51] to speak to you and we are
[2:34:55] asking please want us please
[2:34:56] let us keep our jobs And during
[2:35:02] this trying times thank you
[2:35:02] Michael.
[2:35:07] >> Michael Venus.
[2:35:08] Good evening council members.
[2:35:12] This budget treats community
[2:35:13] care as disposable and police
[2:35:17] surveillance as untouchable.
[2:35:21] PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee on MAY
[2:35:21] 6th vowed to protect core
[2:35:22] services yet approve budget
[2:35:25] defunding on essential Third
[2:35:26] Space's self-proclaimed Chief
[2:35:27] operating Officer Todd Gloria
[2:35:31] you are leaving us just $2 per
[2:35:35] resident on library investments
[2:35:35] while miraculously finding
[2:35:36] millions for flight cameras and
[2:35:40] ballooning the police budget to
[2:35:41] over $700 million.
[2:35:41] When terrorists struck
[2:35:45] the Islamic center right across
[2:35:45] the highway from where I work
[2:35:46] in District six, your cameras
[2:35:49] did nothing to prevent the loss
[2:35:50] of three American lives.
[2:35:51] Community bravery did I mean
[2:35:56] Abdullah did Monsoor Kazi had
[2:35:57] did did a why did prioritizing
[2:35:59] React to technology over care
[2:36:00] makes you all complicit in a
[2:36:04] fear mongering surveillance?
[2:36:05] State Councilmember Foster You
[2:36:06] represent my home in District
[2:36:09] four You pose surveillance but
[2:36:10] slash these libraries and
[2:36:11] facilities that keep our youth
[2:36:11] in gaze, divest from
[2:36:14] surveillance you for that
[2:36:15] concluding comment.
[2:36:15] >> Reinvest in art.
[2:36:19] Thank you Shayla James Shayla
[2:36:24] you have time ceded to you
[2:36:29] bless you because shayla James
[2:36:30] is at times edited by Nick
[2:36:30] Rugg.
[2:36:34] Please raise your hand Sarah.
[2:36:38] Sarah Woolsey Wilson ask Cindy
[2:36:39] before last but I have another
[2:36:39] okay.
[2:36:40] You can give it to Kevin.
[2:36:44] Can you get the speakers up And
[2:36:45] uh, Valentina Karami.
[2:36:45] You think she left as well?
[2:36:47] Yes.
[2:36:48] >> Okay.
[2:36:49] Good evening, council members.
[2:36:52] My name is Shayla James and I'm
[2:36:53] the director of the San Diego
[2:36:54] Creative Development Network.
[2:36:54] I love seaweed.
[2:36:59] I am also a musician teaching
[2:36:59] artists and creative urban Nur.
[2:37:00] I come to you disappointed,
[2:37:03] frustrated and tired by this
[2:37:03] evening and by this proposed
[2:37:04] budget cutting arts libraries
[2:37:07] and parks funding.
[2:37:08] I'm also quite frankly
[2:37:09] embarrassed to live in a city
[2:37:12] that would even propose a
[2:37:13] budget like this.
[2:37:13] Thank you to the council
[2:37:14] members who have supported
[2:37:17] the arts and know the positive
[2:37:17] impacts of arts, culture and
[2:37:18] creativity they have on our San
[2:37:22] Diego communities and for those
[2:37:23] of us who live and breathe
[2:37:23] the arts, we know the power
[2:37:27] that the art and creativity can
[2:37:27] do The arts cultivate healing,
[2:37:32] belonging, empathy, safety and
[2:37:32] promote solidarity across our
[2:37:33] San Diego communities.
[2:37:37] We are an ecosystem and our
[2:37:38] futures are tied to one another
[2:37:42] a maverick to our sisters and
[2:37:43] brothers observing the holiday
[2:37:44] and who MAY not be able to be
[2:37:47] here this evening and for those
[2:37:47] who are grieving the loss of
[2:37:51] the three lives from last week
[2:37:51] .
[2:37:52] I teach music classes and
[2:37:53] operate heart space a community
[2:37:56] focused creative space for
[2:37:57] artists, educators,
[2:37:58] practitioners and District
[2:37:58] nine.
[2:38:01] I am the again the Director of
[2:38:02] Creative Development Network
[2:38:05] and we span throughout San
[2:38:06] Diego County with our partners
[2:38:09] and members located in
[2:38:09] districts one, three, four, six
[2:38:10] and eight.
[2:38:10] Our partners are at
[2:38:11] the intersections of arts
[2:38:14] culture, education, youth and
[2:38:15] social services.
[2:38:15] Some of our partners include
[2:38:19] and I'm going to name them
[2:38:20] because they are doing the good
[2:38:20] work out here and they can't be
[2:38:21] here today.
[2:38:24] Media Arts Center San Diego
[2:38:24] Disco Riot Asia Project Burn
[2:38:25] Street Community Arts
[2:38:26] Transcendence High Steppers San
[2:38:29] Diego Is Kali Outside The Lens
[2:38:30] a Reason to Survive just to
[2:38:30] name a few.
[2:38:34] Art and creativity are
[2:38:34] essential to these
[2:38:35] organizations but so is youth
[2:38:39] boys Access to housing a safe
[2:38:39] embrace spaces free and public
[2:38:40] spaces academic support
[2:38:44] mentorship mental health
[2:38:44] services Career pathways
[2:38:45] The list goes on.
[2:38:49] Arts funding does not live
[2:38:50] alone and is linked to access
[2:38:54] of libraries, parks and
[2:38:55] recreation and youth and family
[2:38:55] services.
[2:38:58] This proposed budget does not
[2:38:59] reflect the needs and the wants
[2:39:03] of the San Diego community.
[2:39:04] Our youth, guardians and elders
[2:39:04] are most underinvested,
[2:39:08] underrepresented, underserved
[2:39:09] and vulnerable in our community
[2:39:13] And I and I dare say we we want
[2:39:14] a full restoration of arts and
[2:39:15] culture funding and continued
[2:39:18] funding for the Office of Child
[2:39:19] and Youth Success an office
[2:39:23] that we fought hard for to come
[2:39:23] into fruition along with
[2:39:24] the San Diego Child and Youth
[2:39:24] Plan.
[2:39:28] Even amidst the potential
[2:39:29] dismantling of this O.S. Y if
[2:39:32] the Office is planning a youth
[2:39:33] summit for next week JUNE 3rd
[2:39:36] we were literally meeting like
[2:39:37] 12 hours ago to plan this youth
[2:39:38] summit.
[2:39:41] Our youth network is an arts
[2:39:45] partner and we are trying to
[2:39:46] convene at least 150 200 plus
[2:39:50] youth for this summit next week
[2:39:51] .
[2:39:51] >> The other partners again I'm
[2:39:55] going to include in Game Face
[2:39:55] Davis Heart.
[2:39:56] >> Thank you for that community
[2:39:56] center.
[2:39:57] Please invest in the arts, our
[2:39:59] communities and then if I are
[2:40:00] waiting for you you can ask
[2:40:00] Desiree Clark Miller to raise
[2:40:01] your hand.
[2:40:04] Thank you so much.
[2:40:05] I do believe these are dupes
[2:40:06] but I'm just going to read them
[2:40:06] into the record.
[2:40:10] Alex Decker I believe you
[2:40:10] already spoke Alex Bazooka with
[2:40:12] time ceded by Christie and
[2:40:18] Frank I don't see anybody here.
[2:40:19] Shawn Foote I also believe
[2:40:23] Shawn Foote is a dupe a
[2:40:27] duplicate Marshall Marshall
[2:40:28] Salgado if you can please come
[2:40:29] up to the microphone.
[2:40:31] Marshall As I recall after that
[2:40:36] we have Theresa Mill caricature
[2:40:37] catch Real Sarah Large Ramel
[2:40:42] Wallace Danny Ah as a Arizona
[2:40:43] if you can please all come up
[2:40:47] to the front row as well as
[2:40:51] Jesse Mark Chess and Oliphant
[2:40:56] Oliphant Please proceed Thank
[2:40:57] you for the opportunity to
[2:40:57] speak.
[2:40:58] I'm the momager to two
[2:40:58] professional theater kids here
[2:41:01] in San Diego.
[2:41:02] Arts spending is not a luxury.
[2:41:02] It's a lifeline.
[2:41:05] When our son Danny was
[2:41:06] struggling in third grade with
[2:41:07] a speech impediment and
[2:41:07] anxiety, the San Diego Opera
[2:41:10] gave him a chance to perform at
[2:41:11] the Civic Theater.
[2:41:11] That experience transformed his
[2:41:15] confidence and sparked a love
[2:41:16] of creativity that school never
[2:41:16] could.
[2:41:20] Since then the old Globe San
[2:41:20] Diego musical theater and
[2:41:21] Cygnet theater have been safe
[2:41:25] havens for him places where he
[2:41:25] learns empathy and hope even
[2:41:26] during frightening times.
[2:41:30] Research shows that communities
[2:41:31] investing in arts see stronger
[2:41:34] civic engagement, better mental
[2:41:35] health and economic vitality.
[2:41:36] Cutting arts budgets removes
[2:41:40] spaces that help children like
[2:41:40] my son discover their worth.
[2:41:44] I ask that you please restore
[2:41:44] full funding to the arts so
[2:41:45] every child like my child can
[2:41:49] experience Full Life-Changing
[2:41:50] power of theater.
[2:41:50] It is life saving.
[2:41:54] Please Mayor Gloria please City
[2:41:54] Council Restore full funding
[2:41:59] Thank you for that concluding
[2:42:00] comment Teresa.
[2:42:03] Teresa Mel are you here?
[2:42:08] >> It's very simple Kerry Kerry
[2:42:08] are you here?
[2:42:14] >> Katrina co2 are I Oh no
[2:42:22] Sarah a large Good evening
[2:42:22] everyone.
[2:42:23] My name is Sarah Large.
[2:42:27] I live in District seven and I
[2:42:27] work at District nine at Moxie
[2:42:28] Theater.
[2:42:31] I'm here today to address
[2:42:31] concerns in the proposed budget
[2:42:32] regarding public safety
[2:42:36] research indicates that arts
[2:42:39] rich neighborhoods are the top
[2:42:40] 25% in terms of public safety
[2:42:40] and have the lowest rates of
[2:42:44] juvenile delinquency Arts rich
[2:42:45] communities have 18% less
[2:42:49] serious crime.
[2:42:50] Social cohesion key in reducing
[2:42:54] violence is built by arts and
[2:42:54] culture participation.
[2:42:55] The proposed funding cuts are a
[2:42:59] public health and public safety
[2:42:59] issue directly opposed to
[2:43:00] the priorities laid out by
[2:43:03] the mayor.
[2:43:04] This lack of understanding is
[2:43:08] frankly baffling.
[2:43:09] If we want safer streets and
[2:43:09] stronger neighborhoods then
[2:43:13] funding arts and culture is
[2:43:14] smart responsible public policy
[2:43:18] decision grounded in evidence
[2:43:19] that puts the well-being of our
[2:43:20] community first.
[2:43:23] >> Thank you.
[2:43:24] >> That was there a large Ramel
[2:43:33] Wallace Danny I Rosa Danny I
[2:43:42] Rosa No Jessie Marching Jessie
[2:43:42] You have time ceded to you by
[2:43:43] Jenny Case Thank you so much.
[2:43:46] >> You'll have two minutes.
[2:43:46] >> Please proceed.
[2:43:47] Good evening.
[2:43:47] My name is Jessie Markazi.
[2:43:50] This is Jenny Case.
[2:43:51] We're residents, cultural
[2:43:51] workers and we represent
[2:43:55] diversionary theater
[2:43:55] the nation's third oldest lgbtq
[2:43:56] plus theater one of very few in
[2:44:00] the nation.
[2:44:01] We operate out of University
[2:44:01] Heights and Council District
[2:44:05] three I stand here today
[2:44:05] because the arts saved my life
[2:44:06] and gave me purpose.
[2:44:07] I became an arts administrator
[2:44:09] to serve my community in
[2:44:10] the exact same way The proposed
[2:44:11] devastating obliteration of
[2:44:15] arts and culture funding
[2:44:15] slashing grants that sustain
[2:44:16] vital programs will have
[2:44:20] catastrophic impacts on our
[2:44:20] communities.
[2:44:21] Take our work at Diversionary
[2:44:22] where we serve thousands of at
[2:44:25] risk lgbt plus youth and elders
[2:44:26] with completely free programing
[2:44:30] in our current national
[2:44:30] political climate where lgbtq
[2:44:31] plus issues are being
[2:44:35] aggressively erased from school
[2:44:35] curriculums, Our free programs
[2:44:39] are a literal lifeline for
[2:44:40] youth for our lgbtq plus
[2:44:44] seniors many who live alone.
[2:44:45] We provide one very few spaces
[2:44:46] for vital socialization and
[2:44:49] intergenerational learning.
[2:44:50] We partner with libraries,
[2:44:51] community centers and local
[2:44:55] service organizations that aid
[2:44:55] veterans the unhoused and those
[2:44:56] fighting addiction.
[2:44:57] All of these partners are
[2:44:59] facing devastating service
[2:45:00] rollbacks and the arts are a
[2:45:04] crucial thread in the fabric of
[2:45:04] this social support.
[2:45:05] By cutting this funding you are
[2:45:08] cutting the very soul of San
[2:45:08] Diego.
[2:45:09] Meanwhile, raising the police
[2:45:10] budget and surveillance budget
[2:45:13] by millions in the name of
[2:45:14] public safety is a severe
[2:45:14] misstep.
[2:45:15] More police on the streets do
[2:45:17] not create safety.
[2:45:18] What creates public safety
[2:45:19] Accessible arts and culture
[2:45:23] Libraries, parks and community
[2:45:23] centers operating at full
[2:45:24] capacity well funded programs
[2:45:28] for our youth, our elders and
[2:45:29] our unhoused neighbors create
[2:45:29] public safety.
[2:45:32] I urge you to reject these
[2:45:33] shortsighted cuts and pursue
[2:45:34] progressive revenue strategies.
[2:45:37] Other cities have figured it
[2:45:38] out realign this budget with
[2:45:39] true community values and
[2:45:42] restore full funding for arts
[2:45:43] and culture in the final fiscal
[2:45:43] year 27 budget.
[2:45:51] >> Thank you Doug Oliphant Doug
[2:45:52] .
[2:45:52] >> Hi everyone.
[2:45:57] My name is Doug Oliphant and I
[2:45:57] speak on behalf of more than
[2:45:58] ten San Diego based arts and
[2:46:01] culture organizations that are
[2:46:02] firm coastal nonprofit
[2:46:03] consulting partners with to
[2:46:07] find funding across the sector.
[2:46:08] Funding has already been
[2:46:08] stretched thin.
[2:46:11] Federal support has vanished,
[2:46:12] corporate giving has softened
[2:46:12] and our annual donors
[2:46:16] the Middle class of
[2:46:16] philanthropy continue to shrink
[2:46:20] And the one source of funding
[2:46:20] that arts organizations have
[2:46:21] been able to rely on each year
[2:46:25] is the city of San Diego
[2:46:25] through programs like osp and
[2:46:26] ccsd.
[2:46:26] And these programs are
[2:46:30] the backbone of a healthy
[2:46:31] funding ecosystem for a
[2:46:31] nonprofit.
[2:46:32] If eliminated, the funding
[2:46:35] won't be replaced by private
[2:46:35] foundations or major donors.
[2:46:36] Instead we're going to see
[2:46:39] programs cut, staff laid off
[2:46:40] and communities especially
[2:46:44] those with the least access
[2:46:44] left behind.
[2:46:45] And worse, we risk reshaping
[2:46:46] nonprofit missions to serve a
[2:46:49] narrow set of funders instead
[2:46:50] of the people of San Diego Arts
[2:46:55] and culture are not a line item
[2:46:55] two zero out.
[2:46:56] >> Thank you for that
[2:46:56] concluding comment Lauren
[2:46:59] Lauren Lockhart.
[2:46:59] Lauren Lockhart.
[2:47:07] Katrina Bruins Katrina as we
[2:47:08] make our way up just a reminder
[2:47:11] Tim and Jennifer Wallace Rose
[2:47:12] Lombardo Kevin Corbett's role
[2:47:16] Salamanca Carol Stephenson and
[2:47:22] I believe this is a duper Julia
[2:47:22] Peltz If you can all please
[2:47:23] come up to the yellow reserved
[2:47:23] seats.
[2:47:25] Please proceed.
[2:47:26] >> Good evening everyone.
[2:47:27] My name is Katrina and I am a
[2:47:30] resident and employee of
[2:47:31] District two and I'm happy to
[2:47:31] serve in the Arts and Culture
[2:47:35] District through my role at
[2:47:36] Visions Museum of Textile Art
[2:47:37] in Liberty Station And I have
[2:47:40] seen a lot of progress over
[2:47:41] the last couple of years in
[2:47:44] arts and culture for San Diego
[2:47:45] first and being a leader
[2:47:45] through the world design
[2:47:46] capital and then creating
[2:47:49] the creative Cities plan And it
[2:47:50] would be such a mess to use
[2:47:51] the momentum from those
[2:47:53] opportunities as the world is
[2:47:54] looking at us as we gain
[2:47:55] attention because of the arts
[2:47:58] and culture from this city to
[2:47:59] turn around and cut off funding
[2:47:59] for those programs we are
[2:48:03] implementation partners all of
[2:48:04] those that are in this room of
[2:48:05] that Creative City plan.
[2:48:08] It's really something that we
[2:48:09] believe in as well and it's
[2:48:09] something that the city has
[2:48:10] already invested time and
[2:48:12] energy and resources into
[2:48:13] creating.
[2:48:13] So we're just asking you to
[2:48:17] continue to restore the funding
[2:48:18] for arts and culture so we can
[2:48:19] continue to implement what
[2:48:22] the city has already promised
[2:48:23] to the community through that
[2:48:23] plan.
[2:48:24] >> So please help us doing
[2:48:24] that.
[2:48:25] Thank you so much.
[2:48:29] Thank you Tim.
[2:48:34] >> San Diego is not a sanctuary
[2:48:35] city As long as we contract
[2:48:35] with companies that don't value
[2:48:39] our data, our data it's bad
[2:48:40] enough that we have mass
[2:48:40] surveillance.
[2:48:41] It's worse that we're
[2:48:44] contracting with companies that
[2:48:44] have poor records.
[2:48:45] I am sick and tired of losing
[2:48:49] students in my classroom
[2:48:49] because their parents are
[2:48:50] afraid to bring them to my
[2:48:50] classroom.
[2:48:54] I am sick and tired of students
[2:48:54] in my classroom not being able
[2:48:55] to pay attention because
[2:48:58] they're worried about what's
[2:48:59] going to happen to their
[2:48:59] parents.
[2:49:04] It is unacceptable.
[2:49:05] It's costing us $2 million and
[2:49:08] you've seen all the better
[2:49:09] things that we can be spending
[2:49:09] it on.
[2:49:13] It does nothing to address
[2:49:13] poverty, nihilism or isolation
[2:49:18] which are your causes of crime.
[2:49:21] Let's do better.
[2:49:26] Jennifer Wallace.
[2:49:26] >> Good evening.
[2:49:31] My name is Jennifer Wallace.
[2:49:32] After a four decade career as
[2:49:36] an opera singer in California
[2:49:37] including with San Diego Opera,
[2:49:40] I now serve as assistant
[2:49:41] regional director for
[2:49:42] the American Guild of Musical
[2:49:45] Artists, the Union of Opera
[2:49:46] Concert and Dance Workers in
[2:49:47] the United States.
[2:49:51] These cuts will hurt San Diego
[2:49:52] far beyond the arts community.
[2:49:55] People attending performances
[2:49:56] and other events eat at local
[2:50:00] restaurants, shop at nearby
[2:50:01] businesses, pay for parking and
[2:50:05] stay in local hotels.
[2:50:06] The arts help keep local
[2:50:06] businesses and neighborhoods
[2:50:09] alive.
[2:50:10] A cut of this magnitude is not
[2:50:11] something the arts community
[2:50:14] can absorb.
[2:50:15] The Creative City plan adopted
[2:50:19] just last year committed to
[2:50:20] growing San Diego as quote an
[2:50:24] international hub for arts,
[2:50:25] culture and creativity.
[2:50:25] That vision cannot become
[2:50:30] reality while eliminating
[2:50:30] funding that supports.
[2:50:31] Thank you for the thank you
[2:50:31] remark.
[2:50:36] Rose Lombardo, Rosie of time
[2:50:37] seated to you by and I'll tell
[2:50:39] her Thank you.
[2:50:39] Two minutes Please proceed.
[2:50:40] Good evening.
[2:50:44] My name is Rose Lombardo.
[2:50:44] I am the principal flutist of
[2:50:45] the San Diego Symphony.
[2:50:48] I moved here from across
[2:50:52] the country 15 years ago in
[2:50:53] 2012 to be a part of this world
[2:50:57] class arts community in San
[2:50:58] Diego.
[2:50:58] The proposed cut to arts
[2:51:02] funding would harm a sector
[2:51:03] that supports thousands of
[2:51:06] local jobs, drives $1.8 billion
[2:51:07] in tourism and provides vital
[2:51:11] education and community
[2:51:11] programs.
[2:51:12] >> As you heard tonight at
[2:51:12] the Symphony alone.
[2:51:15] Our learning community and
[2:51:16] engagement programs reached
[2:51:20] over 51,000 individuals during
[2:51:20] this past season through free
[2:51:21] school programs, free ticket
[2:51:25] programs, free community
[2:51:26] concerts, family programing,
[2:51:26] public park activations and
[2:51:29] more.
[2:51:30] I recently also performed at
[2:51:31] the Moores Cancer Center where
[2:51:34] we saw patients and doctors
[2:51:35] come together for an hour of
[2:51:35] free music.
[2:51:40] The arts do not just entertain
[2:51:41] the heal they connect and they
[2:51:44] strengthen our community.
[2:51:45] Arts funding is a vital
[2:51:48] investment with measurable
[2:51:49] returns and human impact.
[2:51:50] I urge you to restore in full
[2:51:53] the funding for arts and
[2:51:54] culture in order to sustain
[2:51:55] the arts that make San Diego a
[2:51:58] place that we are all proud to
[2:51:59] call home.
[2:51:59] Thank you for your time.
[2:52:04] Thank you, Kevin.
[2:52:04] >> Kevin Gilbert's think that's
[2:52:05] a dope as well.
[2:52:08] Raul Salamanca.
[2:52:09] >> I also have some time That
[2:52:13] was just given to me by
[2:52:14] Elizabeth and Dennis.
[2:52:18] >> I have her speakers up so I
[2:52:18] will make sure to send it to
[2:52:19] you.
[2:52:19] You'll have two minutes.
[2:52:21] Thank you for raising your hand
[2:52:22] .
[2:52:22] Good evening, Mayor and council
[2:52:23] members.
[2:52:27] My name is Raul Salamanca.
[2:52:27] I am the founder, ceo and
[2:52:28] artistic director of Golden
[2:52:29] State Ballet and Golden State
[2:52:32] Ballet Academy And I'm a
[2:52:33] resident of District nine.
[2:52:37] The last time I stood before
[2:52:37] you I warned that cuts to
[2:52:41] the arts and culture funding
[2:52:42] would have a real economic
[2:52:42] consequence to our city.
[2:52:46] Today I'm here to tell you that
[2:52:47] those consequences already are
[2:52:51] happening.
[2:52:51] After that meeting our board
[2:52:52] and leadership team had to make
[2:52:55] a difficult financial
[2:52:55] decisions.
[2:52:56] Of the four productions that we
[2:52:59] plan on performing next season
[2:53:00] ,only one will be able to
[2:53:01] remain in the city of San
[2:53:01] Diego.
[2:53:06] The three other productions
[2:53:06] will move to other cities
[2:53:07] because we simply cannot risk
[2:53:10] the uncertainty surrounding
[2:53:10] future funding.
[2:53:14] That means three full weeks, 3
[2:53:15] or 4 weeks where our dancers
[2:53:19] audiences, patrons will not be
[2:53:20] here supporting our local
[2:53:24] restaurants, paying for parking
[2:53:25] ,filling theaters and
[2:53:25] contributing to the economy
[2:53:29] that the arts support.
[2:53:30] And I know that we're not
[2:53:30] the only organization making
[2:53:34] those really tough decisions.
[2:53:34] If we continue trying to solve
[2:53:39] this budget crisis by cutting
[2:53:39] the arts, we risk deepening
[2:53:43] the very economic problems that
[2:53:44] we are trying to solve.
[2:53:45] San Diego deserves to be known
[2:53:48] as a city that invests in its
[2:53:49] future not one that settles for
[2:53:50] only the bare minimum.
[2:53:53] Or as I heard recently
[2:53:54] essentials just bare
[2:53:54] essentials.
[2:53:58] Please reconsider these cuts to
[2:53:59] the arts and culture.
[2:53:59] Please do so.
[2:54:02] It could be a wild idea if you
[2:54:03] could invest in us.
[2:54:04] If you would take that money
[2:54:07] that you would give to that to
[2:54:07] this to the city or the cops
[2:54:08] and flock invested in us will
[2:54:12] pay it back tenfold.
[2:54:12] We're going to be here next
[2:54:15] year talking about how we have
[2:54:16] a 400 million deficit, not 120.
[2:54:21] I've spent my whole life doing
[2:54:21] this.
[2:54:22] >> Please believe in us.
[2:54:22] I have 35 years of experience.
[2:54:23] We can do better.
[2:54:25] Thank you, Mayor.
[2:54:26] >> Thank you, Council members.
[2:54:26] Thank you.
[2:54:30] Carol Stephenson.
[2:54:30] >> Good evening.
[2:54:31] My name is Carol Stephenson.
[2:54:35] I live in District one and I'm
[2:54:36] a member showing up for racial
[2:54:36] justice in San Diego.
[2:54:41] Real safety is being around
[2:54:41] people you trust.
[2:54:44] A safe community prioritizes
[2:54:45] the places and activities that
[2:54:46] help us build that trust with
[2:54:46] one another.
[2:54:50] So places like parks and
[2:54:50] libraries activities like youth
[2:54:54] services and the arts do all
[2:54:55] that.
[2:54:55] So knowing our neighbors and
[2:54:59] our neighborhoods goes much
[2:55:00] farther than tracking people
[2:55:00] anonymously from surveillance
[2:55:01] cameras.
[2:55:04] And investments in people are
[2:55:05] the actual proven foundations
[2:55:05] of safety.
[2:55:09] So I urge you to defund
[2:55:10] the Foxx Alper Infrastructure
[2:55:10] contract fully restore
[2:55:11] allocations for arts and
[2:55:14] culture and fully restore
[2:55:15] the library budget.
[2:55:15] Protect our communities by
[2:55:19] funding community care.
[2:55:20] >> Thank you, Carol.
[2:55:24] Julia Peltz I believe that's a
[2:55:25] dupe Julianne.
[2:55:25] Hannah Park if you can please
[2:55:28] come up to the microphone.
[2:55:29] >> Hannah Park After that
[2:55:33] Daniel Gutierrez in a shirt.
[2:55:38] >> Richard Provence you Mustafi
[2:55:38] Al hum.
[2:55:39] Mostafa please come forward to
[2:55:42] the yellow reserved seats.
[2:55:47] Jon Light and Divya debate
[2:55:48] about Taboo and Karina Vega as
[2:55:52] well as Lilly King.
[2:55:52] Please come up to the yellow
[2:55:53] reserved seats.
[2:55:56] Please proceed.
[2:55:57] Hello City Council member and
[2:55:57] Mayor Todd Gloria, thank you so
[2:55:58] much for your time tonight.
[2:56:02] My name is Hannah Park.
[2:56:02] I'm a resident of District
[2:56:03] seven and also a member of
[2:56:05] the local arts community.
[2:56:06] I'm not going to say anything
[2:56:07] new here but I just want to
[2:56:07] bring your attention to
[2:56:10] the matter of public trust
[2:56:11] here.
[2:56:11] It's been highlighted that
[2:56:12] the city has major structural
[2:56:15] issues with the budget that
[2:56:16] date back many years and it
[2:56:17] struggles to generate new
[2:56:20] revenue sources and a large
[2:56:21] part of that is due to a lack
[2:56:21] of public trust.
[2:56:25] I want you to consider
[2:56:25] the decisions that you're
[2:56:26] making with this upcoming
[2:56:30] budget and the people that are
[2:56:30] listening and looking at you to
[2:56:33] see if we actually can trust
[2:56:34] you.
[2:56:34] So please consider that Please
[2:56:35] consider your constituents and
[2:56:38] please restore arts and culture
[2:56:39] funding.
[2:56:39] Thank you.
[2:56:39] Thank you.
[2:56:48] Daniel Gutierrez.
[2:56:48] >> In a challenging fiscal year
[2:56:52] the city prioritized courser
[2:56:53] services residents rely on
[2:56:58] every day.
[2:56:59] When was the last year that was
[2:57:03] not fiscally challenging?
[2:57:07] >> I don't know how this how is
[2:57:12] this an acceptable reason?
[2:57:12] This has been the state of all
[2:57:22] since I can remember
[2:57:22] institutions that cut funding
[2:57:27] from today will not be there
[2:57:27] tomorrow.
[2:57:29] I don't know how many more
[2:57:35] people have to tell you 47.2
[2:57:35] million for us this overtime
[2:57:38] budget.
[2:57:39] >> Three libraries are moving
[2:57:48] from Tuesday to Saturday.
[2:57:49] >> Thank you.
[2:57:50] You know Regina, why and why I
[2:58:01] and a Richard prevention.
[2:58:02] You have people ceding your
[2:58:03] time if they can please raise
[2:58:03] their hand.
[2:58:07] Chelsea Owen She loved oak and
[2:58:07] Jimmy Love it.
[2:58:07] Thank you.
[2:58:10] We'll have two minutes.
[2:58:10] Please proceed.
[2:58:11] What's up, Council?
[2:58:11] What's up, everybody?
[2:58:14] Thanks for sticking it out
[2:58:14] here.
[2:58:15] Want to shout out the youth
[2:58:16] that are making out here and
[2:58:16] getting involved in local
[2:58:19] politics.
[2:58:20] It's never been more important
[2:58:20] than it is today.
[2:58:24] I want to say that I'm not here
[2:58:24] to push for a restoration of
[2:58:29] the arts and library and parks
[2:58:29] and rec budget.
[2:58:30] I'm here for saying it's
[2:58:33] already way too low.
[2:58:34] So just just let me give you
[2:58:35] show a little bit of background
[2:58:35] on me.
[2:58:38] I'm a veteran.
[2:58:39] I struggle with ptsd but I also
[2:58:40] am a cpa and I did that for a
[2:58:43] better part of a decade.
[2:58:44] So I have a little bit of
[2:58:45] expertise in the area.
[2:58:48] So just some quick numbers for
[2:58:48] you.
[2:58:52] Um, the arts budget was around
[2:58:53] $13 million and the general
[2:58:57] fund itself is $2.251 billion.
[2:59:02] So quick math that's not even a
[2:59:02] full percent That's a.59
[2:59:07] percent of the general fund is
[2:59:07] the arts budget.
[2:59:08] Now if we go back to the police
[2:59:10] budget that is 725 million uh,
[2:59:15] that is that is 32% of
[2:59:16] the general fund there.
[2:59:19] >> So a third of the budget.
[2:59:20] So I don't understand why we're
[2:59:23] we're even having this
[2:59:24] conversation Like if we need
[2:59:25] money let's go to the biggest
[2:59:28] slice and cut it from there.
[2:59:29] Also I think it's interesting
[2:59:30] that we're not allowed to see
[2:59:33] the details of the police
[2:59:33] budget.
[2:59:34] There's regularly there are
[2:59:39] multi million dollar
[2:59:43] settlements for negligence
[2:59:43] wrongful deaths.
[2:59:44] >> Is that is that baked into
[2:59:47] the budget And if so, why is
[2:59:51] that okay You know the budget
[2:59:55] for the police in 2021 was $580
[2:59:56] million and now we're already
[2:59:59] $145 million increase in just
[3:00:00] seven years.
[3:00:03] Why are we talking about $13
[3:00:04] million for the arts right now?
[3:00:07] Why aren't we talking about why
[3:00:08] Why is the police budget so big
[3:00:09] and we can't even look at
[3:00:11] the details?
[3:00:12] >> Thank you for that
[3:00:17] concluding sentence.
[3:00:18] Most of it by the way if you
[3:00:22] can come up to the microphone
[3:00:23] and you have people sitting
[3:00:25] your time Aisha Blackwell Yes,
[3:00:25] ma'am.
[3:00:26] >> You'll have two minutes.
[3:00:31] Please proceed.
[3:00:31] First want to start off with
[3:00:35] saying thank you for having me
[3:00:36] here.
[3:00:36] All right.
[3:00:36] Good evening.
[3:00:41] Council members Mayor Gloria.
[3:00:42] My name is Mostafa Elgin and I
[3:00:44] am 20 years old coming here.
[3:00:49] I was born in Iraq Baghdad.
[3:00:50] I am an American citizen.
[3:00:54] The bombs, the chaos, the fear
[3:00:54] no kitchen ever known.
[3:00:59] I came to America for safety.
[3:01:00] >> But just nine days ago on
[3:01:00] MAY 18th the safety was
[3:01:05] shattered when three innocent
[3:01:06] men I mean Abdullah, my dear
[3:01:10] not in our world were murdered
[3:01:11] in a car shooting in their
[3:01:14] stomachs that drove San Diego.
[3:01:14] This isn't just a muslim issue.
[3:01:19] This is a San Diego issue
[3:01:19] Black, Latino, Asian, white
[3:01:24] Arab, indigenous.
[3:01:25] >> Every ethnicity in this city
[3:01:28] is walking very tall, glorious
[3:01:28] .
[3:01:33] >> How can we even trust you?
[3:01:34] How can I as a muslim American
[3:01:37] Iraqi female trust.
[3:01:38] >> How does a 20 year old who's
[3:01:42] already survived the war I'm
[3:01:43] tired of the same old
[3:01:44] priorities that leave working
[3:01:47] families exposed.
[3:01:48] Every ethnicity you San Diego,
[3:01:49] the black mother in
[3:01:49] the Southeast Latino family in
[3:01:52] Barrio Logan, the Asian elders
[3:01:53] in Kearny Mesa, the Muslim
[3:01:56] youth, the city heights we all
[3:01:57] pay taxes and we all deserve
[3:01:57] real protection.
[3:02:01] >> How can we be trusted with
[3:02:02] our safety when this budget
[3:02:06] still doesn't prioritize towns
[3:02:06] ?
[3:02:07] And the next tragedy?
[3:02:13] I demand this council and you
[3:02:15] Todd Gloria to use this f y 22
[3:02:16] as a 2027 budget to restore and
[3:02:20] expand funding for community
[3:02:21] policing focused on hate crime
[3:02:21] prevention create a dedicated
[3:02:25] grant program for security
[3:02:26] measures, all houses of worship
[3:02:27] and community centers Christian
[3:02:30] Jewish and Muslim and Buddhist
[3:02:31] every religion.
[3:02:35] >> Thank you for that
[3:02:36] Concluding this is a 20 year
[3:02:37] old pulling gift for you
[3:02:37] slightly.
[3:02:40] And I'm not mad at you because
[3:02:41] you are there.
[3:02:41] >> Thank you for that
[3:02:42] concluding sentence.
[3:02:51] John Locke.
[3:02:56] >> Good evening Council members
[3:02:56] .
[3:02:57] My name is John Lott and I work
[3:02:57] at uc San Diego Health.
[3:02:58] And I've seen how recent
[3:03:01] disruptions in research funding
[3:03:02] have had repercussions that
[3:03:03] will take years to recover
[3:03:03] from.
[3:03:07] Even where funding was
[3:03:08] restored, researchers once laid
[3:03:11] off cancer easily be condemned
[3:03:12] to return.
[3:03:12] Medical studies can't be placed
[3:03:13] on pause.
[3:03:16] Similarly our arts and culture
[3:03:17] our arts, culture and youth
[3:03:17] programs are living
[3:03:18] institutions.
[3:03:21] They must be fed and cared for.
[3:03:21] They are not light switches
[3:03:22] that can just be flicked off
[3:03:26] and back on even if the idea is
[3:03:27] to cut funding for only a year
[3:03:28] or so to get the budget back on
[3:03:30] track, programs will end and
[3:03:31] institutions will decay.
[3:03:35] And yet these cuts, severe as
[3:03:36] they are, will not address
[3:03:36] the underlying economic
[3:03:37] conditions that created this
[3:03:40] deficit.
[3:03:41] Deficit spending to invest in
[3:03:44] our culture and an economy is
[3:03:45] not catastrophic.
[3:03:46] It's not a fringe idea.
[3:03:49] It's mainstream economics.
[3:03:50] The federal deficit spending is
[3:03:54] 6% of gdp here in San Diego.
[3:03:55] >> It is 0.04% of our regional.
[3:03:57] Thank you for that Concluding
[3:03:57] comment.
[3:04:03] >> Divya.
[3:04:03] >> Good evening council
[3:04:04] members.
[3:04:09] I'm the well developed founder
[3:04:10] of a music and dance nonprofit
[3:04:12] Near Entry and our mission is
[3:04:13] to enable an inner awakening
[3:04:16] and inspire a collective shift
[3:04:17] in human consciousness through
[3:04:18] the transformative power of
[3:04:18] art.
[3:04:21] I'm here today to speak as a
[3:04:22] human whose life was
[3:04:22] transformed only because art
[3:04:26] was a part of my life since I
[3:04:27] was four.
[3:04:28] I also happen to have a degree
[3:04:31] in electrical engineering from
[3:04:32] usc and spent a few years
[3:04:32] working in Sorrento Valley in
[3:04:33] Tech.
[3:04:36] But honestly none of that made
[3:04:36] sense because my heart was
[3:04:37] always in art which is why I
[3:04:40] gave it all up.
[3:04:41] Art made me a sensitive and
[3:04:42] loving human being and gave me
[3:04:45] something so intangible that no
[3:04:46] degree or high paying salary in
[3:04:46] tech could ever give.
[3:04:50] I worked at ucsd Dance
[3:04:51] Department as a teacher and as
[3:04:52] a teaching artist with several
[3:04:55] other nonprofits in the city
[3:04:55] including arts education,
[3:04:56] Connect Indian fine art and
[3:05:00] the only words that I've
[3:05:01] consistently heard was budget
[3:05:01] cuts, budget cuts and budget
[3:05:01] cuts.
[3:05:05] And nothing has changed its
[3:05:05] 2026 today.
[3:05:06] Thank you for that concluding
[3:05:17] statement, Karina Vega Karina
[3:05:18] Vega District eight Code Pink
[3:05:19] Forecast and Otay Mesa
[3:05:19] Collective.
[3:05:21] I would hope that as council
[3:05:22] members and representatives of
[3:05:23] your constituents here in San
[3:05:23] Diego that you would want to
[3:05:27] uphold our safety and
[3:05:27] well-being.
[3:05:28] Fox surveillance does not make
[3:05:28] nor keep us safe for being used
[3:05:31] by a terrorist entity like ice
[3:05:32] who are being trained by Israel
[3:05:33] using the same intimidating,
[3:05:36] torturing, and murdering
[3:05:36] tactics that the iaf uses on
[3:05:37] Palestinians in their own
[3:05:41] homeland does not make us see
[3:05:41] this weaken.
[3:05:42] Delaney Ice injured peaceful
[3:05:42] protesters and arrested medics
[3:05:46] providing aid to them for
[3:05:46] exercising their rights and
[3:05:47] advocating for the rights of
[3:05:48] humans inside these
[3:05:50] concentration camps.
[3:05:51] We have one of those
[3:05:51] concentration camps here called
[3:05:55] the Ultimate Detention Center
[3:05:56] Contributing more money to
[3:05:56] the lapd and ice would
[3:05:57] encourage that same brutality
[3:06:00] for us who have been visiting
[3:06:00] these brothers and sisters
[3:06:01] being detained at all times
[3:06:02] against surveillance that does
[3:06:06] not keep us safe but be made
[3:06:06] possible through data sensors
[3:06:10] that encourage heat waste and
[3:06:11] generate more pollution thermal
[3:06:12] energy equivalent to multiple
[3:06:16] atomic bombs daily does not
[3:06:17] make a to invest in the arts.
[3:06:17] The is the doppelganger for
[3:06:19] the concluding statement Lily
[3:06:20] Like when you have time seated
[3:06:25] or maybe speaking with you by
[3:06:25] Dingdong Quinn.
[3:06:29] Thank you.
[3:06:30] >> You'll have two minutes on
[3:06:30] the clock.
[3:06:31] Please proceed.
[3:06:34] Good evening, Council members.
[3:06:35] My name is Lily Quinn and I'm
[3:06:36] the PRESIDENT And founder of
[3:06:40] the Point Circle, a youth youth
[3:06:40] led nonprofit.
[3:06:41] I'm also a sophomore at
[3:06:44] the Bishop's School and a 15
[3:06:45] year old dancer.
[3:06:46] I am here tonight in favor of
[3:06:49] restoring the arts and culture
[3:06:49] budget.
[3:06:50] I've been training in dance
[3:06:51] since I was four years old and
[3:06:55] the arts have shaped my entire
[3:06:55] life.
[3:06:56] They have given me confidence,
[3:06:56] discipline and an irreplaceable
[3:06:59] community.
[3:07:00] >> I'm so grateful to have even
[3:07:01] the San Diego Civic Theater
[3:07:04] just down the street holds some
[3:07:05] of my dearest memories.
[3:07:08] In 2023 I performed as Clara in
[3:07:09] The Nutcracker with the Golden
[3:07:10] State Ballet Academy.
[3:07:13] There.
[3:07:14] Maybe some of you even watched
[3:07:14] me.
[3:07:15] It felt so exhilarating to
[3:07:18] finally be fulfilling my dreams
[3:07:18] since I was a little girl.
[3:07:19] One that I know is shared
[3:07:23] amongst many other young girls
[3:07:24] as well because the arts have
[3:07:24] given me so much I wanted to
[3:07:28] give something back.
[3:07:29] That's why I founded the Point
[3:07:29] Circle through dance music and
[3:07:30] other art forms.
[3:07:33] We are able to contribute back
[3:07:34] to our community.
[3:07:34] We performed for seniors with
[3:07:38] Alzheimer's and dementia,
[3:07:39] organized annual holiday
[3:07:40] performances for families at
[3:07:40] the Rady Children's Hospital.
[3:07:43] And established our own
[3:07:44] Ballerina storytime programs at
[3:07:48] public libraries in Carmel
[3:07:49] Valley, our Carmel Mountain and
[3:07:50] so many more.
[3:07:53] There are library events.
[3:07:54] Our goal is to share that joy
[3:07:55] the arts brings to us with kids
[3:07:55] who might never otherwise see a
[3:07:58] live dance performance or hear
[3:07:59] a live concert.
[3:07:59] By bringing the performing arts
[3:08:00] to these spaces.
[3:08:03] We make it accessible to
[3:08:04] families who cannot afford
[3:08:04] expensive tickets.
[3:08:08] By cutting this $11.8 million
[3:08:09] you are closing doors to
[3:08:09] thousands of kids.
[3:08:13] You're telling our future
[3:08:14] generation and leaders that
[3:08:14] creativity, culture and
[3:08:19] community programs do not
[3:08:19] matter.
[3:08:20] Arts funding is not a luxury.
[3:08:23] It's essential to our
[3:08:24] community's well-being and
[3:08:24] further development.
[3:08:25] Thank you so much.
[3:08:29] Thank you, Adriana.
[3:08:29] Adrian Paulson.
[3:08:33] Adrian Paulson.
[3:08:33] >> Please come up to
[3:08:34] the microphone After that will
[3:08:38] be Rohan Knowles Adria Olvera,
[3:08:39] Paul Supa, Valentino Rodriguez
[3:08:44] and Rene Rios.
[3:08:45] If you can all please come up
[3:08:46] to the yellow reserved seats as
[3:08:49] well as John Badri, John Brady
[3:08:49] and Audra Morgan.
[3:08:50] Please proceed.
[3:08:54] Just two hours ago I graduated
[3:08:54] from one of as one of the most
[3:08:55] accomplished students in my
[3:08:59] program from the San Diego
[3:08:59] School of Creative and
[3:09:00] Performing Arts.
[3:09:00] I have spent the last eight
[3:09:03] years attending arts schools
[3:09:04] and being as immersed in
[3:09:04] educational theater as
[3:09:05] possible.
[3:09:05] Pretty soon I plan to enter
[3:09:08] the technical theater industry
[3:09:09] or for a lifelong career in
[3:09:13] the industry.
[3:09:14] >> But what am I supposed to do
[3:09:15] if those theaters are defunded?
[3:09:16] I intend to use that money I
[3:09:19] earn from those jobs to pay for
[3:09:19] college.
[3:09:20] But what do you want me to do
[3:09:20] if they can't employ me?
[3:09:24] Most jobs will take one look at
[3:09:24] my disability and turn me away.
[3:09:25] But I have committed myself to
[3:09:28] the one path or to the path out
[3:09:28] of very few employees that will
[3:09:29] actually they're actually
[3:09:30] willing to look past that
[3:09:34] considering I am incredibly
[3:09:34] good at what I do and I have
[3:09:35] years of experience, two years
[3:09:38] of hard work to prove that art
[3:09:39] is my only reliable option for
[3:09:39] success.
[3:09:40] I've worked immensely hard to
[3:09:43] build strong foundation for my
[3:09:44] future in a way I simply would
[3:09:44] not be able to in any other
[3:09:45] industry.
[3:09:49] And these budget cuts feel akin
[3:09:50] to the city Jack hammering that
[3:09:50] foundation while I stand on it
[3:09:55] because it does not care if I
[3:09:55] slip through the cracks.
[3:09:56] >> Is it is it for you to put
[3:10:01] the likelihood of myself and so
[3:10:01] many others like me in
[3:10:02] desperate time Or should I just
[3:10:03] drive back to my school and
[3:10:03] inform all of my graduating?
[3:10:05] I do have to be fair.
[3:10:06] >> You can definitely email
[3:10:07] your comments.
[3:10:10] Rohan Knowles Hi, my name is
[3:10:16] Rohan Knowles art in San Diego
[3:10:16] has always been the heart and
[3:10:17] culture of our city.
[3:10:21] I myself danced for six years
[3:10:22] with San Diego Civic Youth
[3:10:22] Ballet and during that time I
[3:10:26] learned the importance of dance
[3:10:26] ,perseverance and
[3:10:27] the importance of having
[3:10:27] freedom and creative
[3:10:31] self-expression which some of
[3:10:31] you might need as well.
[3:10:32] Cutting our funding will harm
[3:10:38] nonprofit organizations like
[3:10:39] stc, y, b and the families they
[3:10:39] serve.
[3:10:40] It is a bad luck for the city
[3:10:42] to be cutting something that
[3:10:42] actively helps our city instead
[3:10:43] of focusing on the issues that
[3:10:44] we need to solve.
[3:10:47] Homelessness.
[3:10:48] >> Why are we spending all of
[3:10:49] our money on the police
[3:10:52] department?
[3:10:53] I am a high schooler telling
[3:10:54] you this It feels stupid for me
[3:10:58] to be here so late at night
[3:10:59] when you guys can't do your
[3:10:59] jobs.
[3:11:00] You need to start taking action
[3:11:03] Responsibility for yourselves.
[3:11:04] >> It's embarrassing.
[3:11:09] Do better for your city.
[3:11:10] >> Andrea Olvera.
[3:11:12] Andrea, are you here?
[3:11:18] >> Paul Super.
[3:11:19] Good evening.
[3:11:23] City Council Mary Todd Gloria.
[3:11:24] Overwhelmingly citizens have
[3:11:25] stood before you tonight with a
[3:11:29] mandate to restore the arts and
[3:11:29] culture budget.
[3:11:30] You can do so simply by
[3:11:34] rescinding the $15 million
[3:11:38] police budget increase for
[3:11:38] 2027.
[3:11:39] >> The people have
[3:11:39] overwhelmingly spoken.
[3:11:44] We do not want a surveillance
[3:11:44] state.
[3:11:48] Floc has cost 12.5 million over
[3:11:48] five years.
[3:11:49] It has been sued recently MARCH
[3:11:53] 20th, 26 for privacy violations
[3:11:53] in the Jaworski class action
[3:11:57] lawsuit.
[3:11:58] It is illegal.
[3:11:59] We need to do better.
[3:12:03] We respectfully in conclusion
[3:12:04] we need to get the flock out of
[3:12:09] here.
[3:12:09] We don't give a.
[3:12:10] Restore the arts.
[3:12:14] We don't give a.
[3:12:15] Restore the arts.
[3:12:15] We don't give a.
[3:12:19] Restore the arts.
[3:12:20] >> Thank you.
[3:12:30] Valentino Rodriguez.
[3:12:30] >> Good evening.
[3:12:36] Council members email Gloria
[3:12:37] Green Everyone knows my name is
[3:12:37] Valentino.
[3:12:41] I am a Navy veteran with over
[3:12:42] 60 years of service and
[3:12:42] continued service as
[3:12:43] the outreach coordinator for
[3:12:48] bsd Beach's village of San
[3:12:48] Diego.
[3:12:49] When out in the community we
[3:12:53] are the community partners like
[3:12:54] Path in Law Enforcement heart
[3:12:54] teams.
[3:12:58] When I come across an unhoused
[3:12:59] veteran I provided with
[3:13:00] the resources and housing
[3:13:04] options we have at our campus.
[3:13:04] Veterans are provided with
[3:13:05] employment, medical, mental
[3:13:09] health resources three meals
[3:13:15] daily just to name a few.
[3:13:15] That said, I oppose
[3:13:16] the Warriors plan to use
[3:13:20] millions of dollars to take
[3:13:21] over spaces designated to house
[3:13:21] our veterans to get
[3:13:26] the treatment that they need to
[3:13:27] find the stability that they so
[3:13:33] seek.
[3:13:34] >> Thank you for your
[3:13:34] attention.
[3:13:38] I sometimes I'm sorry your time
[3:13:38] has gone.
[3:13:39] Veterans currently occupy.
[3:13:43] I'm sorry.
[3:13:44] Remember your time has
[3:13:44] concluded.
[3:13:45] You can definitely email your
[3:13:46] comments to City Clerk and San
[3:13:46] diego.Gov and they will be
[3:13:47] distributed out.
[3:13:53] Rene Rios.
[3:13:54] Good evening Council members.
[3:13:54] Mayor Gloria.
[3:13:59] My name is Rene Rios and I
[3:14:00] served in the United States
[3:14:00] Navy for 24 years.
[3:14:05] I currently serve as
[3:14:05] the program manager at Veterans
[3:14:06] Village of San Diego.
[3:14:10] I work directly with veterans
[3:14:10] and their families helping them
[3:14:11] move toward stable permanent
[3:14:16] housing and rebuilding their
[3:14:16] lives with dignity and support.
[3:14:17] I respectfully oppose
[3:14:21] the mayor's proposed $2.3
[3:14:26] million allocation to take over
[3:14:27] Veterans Village of San Diego
[3:14:27] campus.
[3:14:32] We don't need your help over
[3:14:32] veterans.
[3:14:33] Our veteran community comes to
[3:14:38] us seeking stability, structure
[3:14:38] and hope.
[3:14:42] The sudden disruption threatens
[3:14:43] buildings 45 year mission of
[3:14:44] serving those who served our
[3:14:48] country and can result in
[3:14:49] the displacement of veterans
[3:14:50] currently occupying our beds
[3:14:54] and participating in life
[3:14:55] changing programs.
[3:14:55] >> Thank you.
[3:14:56] A complete concluding sentence
[3:15:00] John Brady.
[3:15:00] Are you here?
[3:15:07] John Brady Audra Morgan.
[3:15:07] Oh, you put Audra Morgan on
[3:15:08] their speakers.
[3:15:13] Oh, I'm sorry.
[3:15:13] Allegedly.
[3:15:14] Audra, please come forward.
[3:15:15] After that we'll have to.
[3:15:15] Alexander Catherine?
[3:15:17] No, a gold.
[3:15:18] Do you know Starbuck Smith,
[3:15:19] Rebecca Nolan and Josh Clark?
[3:15:22] Please start making your way to
[3:15:22] the front row.
[3:15:23] Please proceed.
[3:15:24] I find it ironic, Todd, that
[3:15:28] you're cutting the arts when
[3:15:29] you spend money of hours on
[3:15:30] your nice little music videos
[3:15:35] like Todd Gloria Is that da
[3:15:36] Gloria Is that right?
[3:15:36] And all the single ladies.
[3:15:37] Those are good ones.
[3:15:41] So I'm wondering if you're
[3:15:41] starting to think about your
[3:15:42] next music video and it's going
[3:15:43] to be called something about
[3:15:47] your maybe I don't give a
[3:15:47] block.
[3:15:47] Right.
[3:15:48] Because you're going to
[3:15:49] potentially bring in more of
[3:15:52] this surveillance which this
[3:15:53] whole mosque shooting should be
[3:15:53] Telltale signs that your P.R.
[3:15:57] Doesn't work as you follow some
[3:15:58] people supposedly to Mission
[3:15:59] Valley while they were shooting
[3:15:59] up a mosque.
[3:15:59] Okay.
[3:16:00] So that should be proof that it
[3:16:03] should actually be cut.
[3:16:04] But you're going to use that as
[3:16:05] an opportunity to say, well,
[3:16:09] there were gaps We weren't able
[3:16:09] to follow them completely.
[3:16:10] So we're going to need to put
[3:16:11] this all over the place So you
[3:16:12] guys better buckle up because
[3:16:15] things are going to get real
[3:16:15] really quick And it's great to
[3:16:16] see people coming in and
[3:16:21] filling the house like this
[3:16:21] because eventually the people
[3:16:22] are going to do it cause you're
[3:16:23] going to start to see that
[3:16:23] they're not good stewards of
[3:16:27] our money and that they're
[3:16:27] trying to put us in a digital
[3:16:28] prison.
[3:16:28] >> Time has concluded.
[3:16:32] Stella Kissinger.
[3:16:33] >> Hi.
[3:16:33] I just graduated from the San
[3:16:34] Diego School of Creative and
[3:16:38] Performing Arts.
[3:16:39] That school gets funding from
[3:16:39] the Apple Foundation which is
[3:16:40] being cut.
[3:16:46] I would not be here today in a
[3:16:47] very real sense without these
[3:16:47] programs.
[3:16:48] I am a member of the Playhouse
[3:16:48] Teen Council.
[3:16:51] I was recently possibly suny
[3:16:51] ambassador.
[3:16:52] I did internships with the Old
[3:16:52] Globe.
[3:16:56] I am so linked with theater in
[3:16:57] San Diego and I would not be
[3:16:57] here today without them.
[3:16:58] You guys talked earlier about
[3:17:03] tradeoffs about what you needed
[3:17:04] to get rid of so that you could
[3:17:05] balance the budget.
[3:17:05] I am here asking you today
[3:17:09] would you trade my life that I
[3:17:09] would have given up without
[3:17:10] these programs so that you can
[3:17:11] balance your budget.
[3:17:15] I want you to answer that
[3:17:16] question.
[3:17:16] It is absolutely I am not
[3:17:21] the daughter of a librarian.
[3:17:22] It is absolutely irredeemable
[3:17:22] that you would cut these
[3:17:23] programs that people rely on
[3:17:27] that kids rely on.
[3:17:28] It is insane to me that I have
[3:17:29] to stand here today and tell
[3:17:31] you that art saves lives, that
[3:17:39] libraries saved lives.
[3:17:39] >> Kathryn Kathryn Pollitt
[3:17:40] please come forward to the.
[3:17:43] Katherine Paula.
[3:17:44] Noah Gold.
[3:17:44] Dino Starbuck Smith Rebecca
[3:17:49] Noland.
[3:17:50] Josh Clark.
[3:17:50] Mike Miller.
[3:17:57] Kenny Critic.
[3:17:57] >> Sorry.
[3:17:58] Let's go back a couple names.
[3:17:58] I'm Josh Clark.
[3:17:59] So please proceed.
[3:18:02] MR. Kelley resident who
[3:18:03] represented that district on
[3:18:03] the city's bicycle advisory
[3:18:07] committee from 2014 to 2018
[3:18:08] where we worked with
[3:18:09] the multimodal team as they
[3:18:09] implemented the first protected
[3:18:10] bikeways in the city they've
[3:18:13] installed many more since all
[3:18:14] extremely quickly, cheaply and
[3:18:14] efficiently during repaving
[3:18:15] projects citywide from Park
[3:18:20] Village Drive and Peak to Del
[3:18:20] Sol Boulevard In total nester
[3:18:21] that infrastructure has
[3:18:22] increased ridership and saved
[3:18:22] lives.
[3:18:25] There are more than 300 are
[3:18:26] more than 600 miles of planned
[3:18:27] bikeways in the city.
[3:18:27] These are currently substandard
[3:18:30] on dangerous streets used daily
[3:18:31] by our kids and parents and
[3:18:32] neighbors people who are
[3:18:32] choosing to ride in people who
[3:18:33] don't have another choice.
[3:18:37] I'm asking you all to
[3:18:37] prioritize retaining
[3:18:38] the multi-modal team which is
[3:18:39] $3 million in the f y 27 budget
[3:18:42] so that they MAY continue their
[3:18:43] expert redesigns of our
[3:18:43] roadways making them safer for
[3:18:44] all roadway users.
[3:18:48] We have a climate action plan
[3:18:48] target of 6% for all residents
[3:18:49] first by bike by 2030.
[3:18:49] Portland is the only major
[3:18:54] metro who has achieved that and
[3:18:55] they did it with a multimodal
[3:18:55] team.
[3:18:56] If we find Ares two we can beat
[3:18:57] that target with high gas
[3:19:01] prices e-bikes more protected
[3:19:01] bikeways and four days of
[3:19:02] sunshine.
[3:19:06] Please note that contrary to
[3:19:07] Catherine last call for
[3:19:11] Catherine Paul it no a goal
[3:19:11] Let's go for another goal.
[3:19:17] Do you know Starbucks last
[3:19:17] call.
[3:19:18] Rebecca Nolan.
[3:19:19] Rebecca Nolan Last Call Mike
[3:19:27] Miller please come forward.
[3:19:28] >> Let's talk numbers in order
[3:19:28] to restore the arts grants.
[3:19:34] The Office of Child and Youth
[3:19:35] Success and Libraries not just
[3:19:35] their hours but their services
[3:19:40] and programs as well that would
[3:19:41] cost the same amount of money
[3:19:41] that the police budget is
[3:19:46] increasing this year.
[3:19:47] Restoring rec center hours
[3:19:47] would cost the same amount of
[3:19:51] money as the floor contract.
[3:19:52] >> The thing with the police
[3:19:53] budget is that as it has
[3:19:58] increased year over year
[3:19:59] the crime clearance rate has
[3:19:59] decreased.
[3:20:03] At the same time unlawful use
[3:20:04] of force arrests and
[3:20:05] discrimination has increased.
[3:20:10] Those are numbers from their
[3:20:11] glorious own budget document.
[3:20:11] So don't tell me that this has
[3:20:15] anything to do with community
[3:20:16] safety.
[3:20:16] And if you don't believe me,
[3:20:17] believe the police officer
[3:20:22] union PRESIDENT Who called this
[3:20:22] budget prioritizing politics
[3:20:23] over public safety and an
[3:20:24] unacceptable way to run a
[3:20:24] police department.
[3:20:28] Thank you, Kenney.
[3:20:34] >> Please come forward.
[3:20:34] >> Hello everyone.
[3:20:38] My name is Kenney Quidditch
[3:20:39] resident in District three.
[3:20:40] Council Members You must take
[3:20:40] this opportunity to cancel
[3:20:45] the city's contract with Floc.
[3:20:45] The system is costly,
[3:20:46] ineffective and a threat to
[3:20:47] vulnerable communities And
[3:20:51] frankly everyone we've seen
[3:20:52] reports of these systems being
[3:20:52] abused by police data, leaked
[3:20:57] data shared intentionally with
[3:20:58] federal agencies unlawfully And
[3:21:03] now the fbi in a recent story
[3:21:04] wants full access to 80 hours
[3:21:05] across the entire country.
[3:21:05] This level of surveillance is
[3:21:10] outrageous and would make
[3:21:10] George Orwell blush.
[3:21:14] And by canceling this you get
[3:21:15] $2 million in the budget to
[3:21:16] allocate towards more worthy
[3:21:16] causes.
[3:21:20] Please join at least 68 other
[3:21:20] cities as well as your
[3:21:21] constituents in rejecting Floc
[3:21:26] and hope our residents deserve
[3:21:26] to be supported not surveilled.
[3:21:32] >> Thank you.
[3:21:33] Miller Ellison Miller please
[3:21:33] come forward.
[3:21:34] The microphone after that will
[3:21:37] be my at Mya Stone in Phenix
[3:21:43] Wing David Pearce.
[3:21:44] >> Colleen Kimsey Andrea Lopez
[3:21:49] Rivera.
[3:21:49] >> Please proceed.
[3:21:50] Good evening.
[3:21:50] I'm a resident of District
[3:21:51] three and I'm here to speak in
[3:21:55] opposition to the proposed
[3:21:56] budget revisions which are
[3:21:57] insufficient for the needs of
[3:21:57] our city.
[3:21:58] The proposed budget includes a
[3:22:02] multi million dollar contract.
[3:22:03] I work in a local emergency
[3:22:03] department and I see repeatedly
[3:22:04] firsthand how quickly excessive
[3:22:05] surveillance and police
[3:22:07] presence can escalate a
[3:22:08] situation and lead to a
[3:22:08] horrible violence.
[3:22:09] This over surveillance and
[3:22:13] violence disproportionately
[3:22:14] affects the most vulnerable can
[3:22:15] be against which includes
[3:22:16] racial minorities, folks and
[3:22:16] homeless folks.
[3:22:20] Furthermore, insufficient
[3:22:20] evidence exists that mass
[3:22:21] surveillance systems like pork
[3:22:22] improve the safety of
[3:22:25] communities that employ them.
[3:22:26] With the police reporting a
[3:22:27] less than 0.2% success rate
[3:22:27] according to the Privacy
[3:22:28] Advisory Board.
[3:22:31] By contrast, evidence based
[3:22:32] practices to improve public
[3:22:32] safety include a robust network
[3:22:38] of community support resources
[3:22:38] including fully funded
[3:22:39] libraries, rec centers and
[3:22:40] homeless services In addition
[3:22:40] to the arts and cultural
[3:22:46] institutions like the San 15
[3:22:46] Pride that kept San Diego to
[3:22:47] character.
[3:22:47] If the Council is serious about
[3:22:49] closing the budget deficit
[3:22:50] disingenuous and unethical to
[3:22:50] commit to the contract and
[3:22:51] increase police budget while
[3:22:52] simultaneously cutting the art
[3:22:56] and other.
[3:22:56] >> Thank you for that
[3:22:57] concluding sentence.
[3:23:03] Maya Maya So here Maya with
[3:23:03] Your Time by Kevin.
[3:23:08] Kevin Dominello Did you want to
[3:23:08] speak?
[3:23:08] Okay.
[3:23:13] Phenix win one minute of time
[3:23:19] for me.
[3:23:20] We'll go over there and get
[3:23:20] the speaker.
[3:23:21] So please proceed.
[3:23:25] I'm here again because
[3:23:26] the numbers didn't change and
[3:23:27] I'm really disappointed So I
[3:23:28] made the graph bigger for you
[3:23:31] guys.
[3:23:32] >> This revision was a complete
[3:23:32] failure.
[3:23:33] That's my first point I Three
[3:23:33] points.
[3:23:37] This vision was a complete
[3:23:37] failure.
[3:23:38] If someone stabs you and sticks
[3:23:42] a knife six inches into your
[3:23:42] chest and then pulls it halfway
[3:23:43] out, do we thank them for
[3:23:48] the progress they are making?
[3:23:49] Do we thank them for the knife
[3:23:50] heading in the right direction?
[3:23:50] No.
[3:23:54] You do not get a thank you.
[3:23:55] This was a failed revision.
[3:23:55] The knife is still in for
[3:23:59] the arts and cultures.
[3:24:00] I am sick of hearing MR. Monica
[3:24:01] and the mayor talk about how
[3:24:05] this addresses the budget
[3:24:06] deficit when it does not.
[3:24:06] I am a math tutor.
[3:24:07] Let me teach you some math.
[3:24:11] I did this to scale to
[3:24:12] the nearest one tenth of an
[3:24:13] inch for you guys based on your
[3:24:17] own numbers.
[3:24:18] I have it to scale where six
[3:24:22] inches represents $50 million
[3:24:22] and one inch is about $8
[3:24:23] million of our budget.
[3:24:28] >> Do you guys see this little
[3:24:29] 2.5mm?
[3:24:29] That is the mayor of a country
[3:24:33] that has 2.5mm.
[3:24:34] Arts and culture is before
[3:24:39] the cuts is one inch one and
[3:24:39] two thirds of an inch.
[3:24:45] After the cuts it is less than
[3:24:45] a quarter of an inch.
[3:24:46] Less than a quarter of an inch.
[3:24:47] I had to measure that out with
[3:24:50] a special type of ruler.
[3:24:51] >> What's the police budget, I
[3:24:51] wonder?
[3:24:57] Here's this for the cameras.
[3:25:02] You guys you guys been there?
[3:25:03] >> The police budget to scale
[3:25:07] is seven foot one inch and you
[3:25:12] will increase it to seven foot
[3:25:13] three inches.
[3:25:13] Tom Gloria, would you like to
[3:25:14] do the favor of cutting off
[3:25:19] what's left of the arts and
[3:25:19] culture program so you can tape
[3:25:20] it to the end of the police
[3:25:21] budget and tell us how you're
[3:25:24] solving the deficit.
[3:25:30] Your time has concluded.
[3:25:31] >> You've been doing really
[3:25:31] good.
[3:25:31] Let's keep it up.
[3:25:32] We got we still got how much
[3:25:32] more?
[3:25:35] Look, we have about an hour.
[3:25:35] Another hour.
[3:25:36] Let's get through it.
[3:25:41] David Pierce.
[3:25:42] David Pierce, are you here?
[3:25:47] Colin Kimsey.
[3:25:47] Wow.
[3:25:50] Doesn't real art just make you
[3:25:51] feel alive?
[3:25:57] >> That was fantastic.
[3:25:58] If they're cutting the things
[3:26:03] that prevent crime and things
[3:26:04] are getting more expensive what
[3:26:04] They're investing in
[3:26:10] surveillance cameras and cops.
[3:26:11] It sounds like you guys just
[3:26:11] want to lock us up.
[3:26:15] Is that the plan?
[3:26:16] Because I think that's the plan
[3:26:17] coming from Washington And
[3:26:17] maybe you guys are just going
[3:26:21] with the path of least
[3:26:22] resistance.
[3:26:23] But that's what's been taking
[3:26:23] us to fascism.
[3:26:28] Now each of us gets one minute
[3:26:29] to speak and we've been very
[3:26:29] conscious of this time but I
[3:26:33] think time is running out for
[3:26:34] this system that proposes
[3:26:40] cameras and police as our
[3:26:40] solutions.
[3:26:41] It gives us the ability to
[3:26:42] imagine otherwise.
[3:26:46] But the system I think time is
[3:26:50] about to run out.
[3:26:57] Andrea Lopez We it.
[3:26:57] Good evening.
[3:26:58] My name is Andrea.
[3:27:03] I'm hungry.
[3:27:04] I'm pregnant and I'm past my
[3:27:04] bedtime to strongly oppose
[3:27:05] the cut into arts and culture.
[3:27:09] The production and staff two
[3:27:10] libraries around the county and
[3:27:11] the reduction of funding to
[3:27:13] parks from the fiscal year 27
[3:27:13] budget.
[3:27:14] This budget is so egregious you
[3:27:15] all have succeeded in having
[3:27:19] hundreds of working people
[3:27:20] sacrifice their work that
[3:27:20] evening to sit here and say
[3:27:21] what should be obvious to you
[3:27:21] all.
[3:27:26] A reduction to arts culture,
[3:27:26] libraries and parks will not
[3:27:27] only affect the lives of San
[3:27:28] Diegans today but reverberate
[3:27:28] into the future.
[3:27:31] You are setting the precedent
[3:27:31] that this city can function
[3:27:32] without funding to the parts of
[3:27:33] our community that are
[3:27:37] explicitly dedicated to making
[3:27:38] us human.
[3:27:38] You must fully restore funding
[3:27:39] to arts and culture.
[3:27:40] As a writer and artist.
[3:27:43] The last few years have been
[3:27:44] devastating.
[3:27:44] Again and again private sector
[3:27:45] tech companies have pushed to
[3:27:46] remove people from
[3:27:50] the humanities offloading
[3:27:51] the labor of creating art to
[3:27:51] generative ai technologies.
[3:27:56] But a city what is pretty fun
[3:27:57] highlights what they believe
[3:27:57] matters.
[3:27:58] And this budget has spat in
[3:27:58] the face of what the people of
[3:27:59] San Diego needs.
[3:28:02] We need to tax the extreme
[3:28:03] wealth in the city and
[3:28:04] demonstrate that the people who
[3:28:04] matter are the ones who become
[3:28:05] the ones thinking.
[3:28:07] >> Rafael Rafael.
[3:28:14] And then if Roger Rouse could
[3:28:14] please come forward to speak to
[3:28:15] my staff.
[3:28:15] Roger Ralphs if you're still
[3:28:19] here please come forward to
[3:28:19] the.
[3:28:20] Then please proceed.
[3:28:20] I stand in solidarity with
[3:28:26] the artists and creators of our
[3:28:26] community.
[3:28:27] I love living here but the city
[3:28:28] representatives continue to
[3:28:28] push for surveillance cameras
[3:28:29] on every corner.
[3:28:31] Reduce library hours and
[3:28:32] gallery jobs and services
[3:28:33] Continue to increase
[3:28:33] the funding of their police
[3:28:37] department and completely cut
[3:28:38] off funding for its arts and
[3:28:38] culture.
[3:28:39] Those representatives are
[3:28:40] telling the community that they
[3:28:40] don't matter.
[3:28:44] I just want to make sure to
[3:28:45] remind the members, the members
[3:28:46] of the council and the mayor
[3:28:49] that without us the people
[3:28:49] think it's Sabrina Anderson If
[3:28:50] you can please come up to
[3:28:56] the microphone after Sabrina we
[3:28:57] have let this total garbage in.
[3:29:01] Kendra Jones Laura Fleming
[3:29:02] Fleming at Jim Whalen and Seth
[3:29:08] Hall If you can all please come
[3:29:08] forward to the yellow reserved
[3:29:09] seats.
[3:29:09] Sabrina, if you're here please
[3:29:13] come up to the microphone.
[3:29:18] No Sabrina with the microphone
[3:29:18] .
[3:29:19] >> Sabrina Anderson Let these
[3:29:23] other up please Come up to
[3:29:29] the microphone.
[3:29:30] >> Good evening, City Council
[3:29:35] and Mayor Gloria.
[3:29:36] Before coming here tonight I
[3:29:36] ask GOD to give me the strength
[3:29:41] to bear the sorrows of what has
[3:29:42] become of San Diego under this
[3:29:42] administration.
[3:29:43] My name is Lily Soto.
[3:29:46] I'm the ceo of Brooklyn Dogs
[3:29:47] And I come upon you humble and
[3:29:52] full of faith of a Christian
[3:29:53] soul looking for your mercy in
[3:29:54] a desperate situation.
[3:29:54] So please do not forsaken me.
[3:29:58] I implore you City Council
[3:29:59] please to enforce the ordinance
[3:30:05] you pass to stop illegal street
[3:30:05] vending.
[3:30:06] Downtown has always been a
[3:30:10] dangerous playground but it has
[3:30:10] gotten worse.
[3:30:11] But because of mishandled money
[3:30:12] the budget shortfall again and
[3:30:17] again all the departments are
[3:30:17] suffering And this disturbs my
[3:30:18] soul.
[3:30:23] Budget cuts mean department
[3:30:24] cuts means police cuts means no
[3:30:24] enforcement to us Again and
[3:30:29] again the public is in danger.
[3:30:30] Please if you think about it
[3:30:36] and you get the legal vendors
[3:30:36] to pay fines and fees.
[3:30:37] Thank you.
[3:30:37] The city won't be tremendous
[3:30:39] but I do want to move.
[3:30:40] Thank you.
[3:30:46] Gabby Chen Good evening.
[3:30:52] My name is Gabby Chen and I'm a
[3:30:53] resident of District three.
[3:30:54] I moved here to San Diego to
[3:30:54] pursue a career in the arts.
[3:30:55] I've been fortunate enough to
[3:30:59] work with many locals and a
[3:31:00] theater group such as Trinity
[3:31:00] Theater Company Diversionary
[3:31:01] Theater at my house.
[3:31:04] I also work as an educator at
[3:31:05] the Fleet Center whose youth
[3:31:05] education programs are now in
[3:31:06] danger.
[3:31:10] Many of our workshops take
[3:31:11] place in libraries because
[3:31:12] the libraries are not open.
[3:31:12] We cannot do our jobs if we
[3:31:13] don't have free museum days.
[3:31:14] We will lose attendance from
[3:31:16] lower income families who are
[3:31:17] robbing your constituents and
[3:31:17] citizens of vital educational
[3:31:18] opportunities.
[3:31:24] More pressing than a threat to
[3:31:25] the livelihoods of artists
[3:31:25] artisan educators is the threat
[3:31:26] facing city youth.
[3:31:27] So this budget be adopted?
[3:31:28] Arts and culture funding is
[3:31:28] essential.
[3:31:29] It not only enriches citizen
[3:31:29] but provides community
[3:31:30] belonging and education to many
[3:31:34] traditionally underserved
[3:31:34] communities is abhorrent.
[3:31:35] The 2 million millions of
[3:31:36] dollars that could go to arts
[3:31:40] and culture funding is proposed
[3:31:41] to go to a city surveillance
[3:31:42] that will ultimately be used to
[3:31:42] harm them.
[3:31:46] This money that could be used
[3:31:46] to improve our community is
[3:31:47] being put towards floor cameras
[3:31:48] and blowing police budget would
[3:31:48] be a grave mistake.
[3:31:52] I urge the city you've got to
[3:31:52] make it.
[3:31:53] >> Thank you for that
[3:31:54] concluding comment.
[3:31:56] Kendra Jones.
[3:31:57] >> Good evening.
[3:31:58] My name is Kendra Jones.
[3:32:03] i'm here to ask you to fully
[3:32:04] restore our city library
[3:32:04] budget.
[3:32:05] My wife and I have lived and
[3:32:07] voted in District five for
[3:32:08] almost 30 years and have been
[3:32:09] avid users of the San Diego
[3:32:09] City Library System over this
[3:32:10] time.
[3:32:13] We visit our local branch
[3:32:13] weekly.
[3:32:14] We access materials both
[3:32:15] digital and print that we check
[3:32:19] out on a daily basis.
[3:32:20] As a retired public school
[3:32:21] teacher and a parent I have
[3:32:21] personally seen the positive
[3:32:22] effects of kids and families
[3:32:26] that utilize our public
[3:32:26] libraries.
[3:32:27] In addition to checking out
[3:32:27] books, our libraries offer
[3:32:28] young people the chance to
[3:32:31] socialize with others in a safe
[3:32:32] and welcoming environment.
[3:32:32] Learn to love books and
[3:32:33] stories, receive tutoring and
[3:32:34] homework help and through
[3:32:34] programs like the Summer
[3:32:36] Reading program.
[3:32:37] Kids are motivated to become
[3:32:38] educated lifelong learners who
[3:32:39] are productive citizens of our
[3:32:43] community.
[3:32:43] Adults in our community are
[3:32:44] bolstered by our libraries too.
[3:32:48] We have personally we have
[3:32:48] visited over 20 of their 37
[3:32:49] branch libraries and we've seen
[3:32:50] firsthand the very programs and
[3:32:53] spaces that our library staff
[3:32:54] have curated.
[3:32:55] Keeping all of them open as
[3:32:55] many hours as possible allow
[3:33:01] diverse groups and individuals
[3:33:02] to actually use the community
[3:33:02] gathering meeting spaces that
[3:33:08] our city built concluded Laura
[3:33:08] .
[3:33:09] Good evening.
[3:33:09] My name is Laura Clevenger and
[3:33:10] I'm a native San Diego and who
[3:33:15] has lived here my entire life.
[3:33:16] First I'd like to thank MR.
[3:33:16] Woodburn for being one of
[3:33:17] the three who listened to these
[3:33:21] constituents and voted against
[3:33:21] the parking fees of Apollo
[3:33:22] Park.
[3:33:22] I spent a lot of time there and
[3:33:23] took advantage of the free
[3:33:27] museums at the Free Tuesdays At
[3:33:27] the museums.
[3:33:28] I'm afraid that your budget
[3:33:28] cuts will impact
[3:33:29] the accessibility of these
[3:33:33] resources for my three and a
[3:33:33] half year old child to learn
[3:33:34] from.
[3:33:34] I brought my mom here with me
[3:33:39] tonight and my son because my
[3:33:39] husband is a union stagehand at
[3:33:44] work and I'm also speaking on
[3:33:45] his behalf since now he's off
[3:33:46] work at home with my son.
[3:33:46] So I know if you saw me earlier
[3:33:51] I have my son as a long time
[3:33:52] member of the House of Ukraine
[3:33:52] as part of the House of
[3:33:53] specific relations.
[3:33:54] I worry that your budget cuts
[3:33:56] will affect how the cottagers
[3:33:57] will be able to provide their
[3:33:58] cultural services to the public
[3:33:58] at a time when there's great
[3:33:59] strife in the world.
[3:34:02] As some of you have witnessed
[3:34:03] firsthand, the House specific
[3:34:03] relations provides free
[3:34:04] educational opportunities for
[3:34:07] the general public and a sense
[3:34:08] of community for its various
[3:34:08] member countries.
[3:34:09] >> Thank you.
[3:34:14] Jim Whalen Jim Whalen are you
[3:34:15] here?
[3:34:19] Said Hall.
[3:34:20] Thank you.
[3:34:25] Council Seth Hall with
[3:34:26] the Trust City Coalition.
[3:34:27] Tonight I've heard several
[3:34:32] ideas that are good for
[3:34:32] redirecting funding back to osu
[3:34:33] to arts and culture and other
[3:34:37] community needs.
[3:34:38] First for an example
[3:34:38] the millions of increase to
[3:34:39] the police budget should
[3:34:44] absolutely be redirected to
[3:34:44] these community needs.
[3:34:45] The police department should
[3:34:45] contribute to the public safety
[3:34:49] needs of our city.
[3:34:50] Money that funds the mayor's
[3:34:51] communication staff a team that
[3:34:56] does not serve the public and
[3:34:56] which this Council has already
[3:34:57] agreed should have its funding
[3:35:02] cut could provide millions to
[3:35:03] the needs of the community.
[3:35:03] And finally lastly, cutting
[3:35:07] funding for ineffective luxury
[3:35:08] mass surveillance would send
[3:35:09] millions back to the budget.
[3:35:14] It would protect the budget
[3:35:14] from even more surveillance
[3:35:15] that they want to buy but that
[3:35:19] they are not telling you about
[3:35:20] .
[3:35:20] It is the people of San Diego
[3:35:21] that make us great.
[3:35:21] We will be great.
[3:35:25] We were great before mass
[3:35:26] surveillance.
[3:35:26] >> We will be great after you.
[3:35:27] Thank you for that compelling
[3:35:27] comment.
[3:35:32] Lily Irani will your audience
[3:35:32] please come forward?
[3:35:38] Vincent style up please come
[3:35:38] forward to the other reserve
[3:35:38] seats.
[3:35:39] Andy Lopez Please come forward.
[3:35:43] DR. Jason Breslau Ski Thank you
[3:35:44] for the comment.
[3:35:49] The note Apollo Aquino and
[3:35:50] Tammy Williams as well as
[3:35:50] Anthony Ramos.
[3:35:55] If you can all please come
[3:35:56] forward to the yellow reserved
[3:35:57] seats will you have time ceded
[3:36:02] to you by Tamar Becker of Orono
[3:36:02] And are you guys going to
[3:36:03] manage your time?
[3:36:03] Please proceed.
[3:36:04] All right.
[3:36:04] Hi.
[3:36:06] I'm a district district three
[3:36:07] Muslim and a professor at ucsd.
[3:36:08] Our community faced immense
[3:36:13] tragedy this last week Two
[3:36:14] shooters who found belonging in
[3:36:17] white supremacist forums
[3:36:18] murdered three pillars of
[3:36:18] the community brothers Amien
[3:36:19] Mansour another.
[3:36:24] I call on the city to find
[3:36:24] spaces of belonging like we've
[3:36:25] been hearing about here at
[3:36:26] diversions from those spaces of
[3:36:29] hate.
[3:36:30] Npr not only failed but made
[3:36:31] things worse when the parent
[3:36:35] warned that their Islamophobic
[3:36:36] anti-Semitic child is on
[3:36:37] the run with guns, the police
[3:36:37] used high tech toys to quote
[3:36:41] chase the bad guys.
[3:36:42] This is a Hollywood fantasy of
[3:36:43] chase apprehension and saving
[3:36:43] the day.
[3:36:47] But the police arrived too late
[3:36:48] at every turn.
[3:36:48] Rather than chasing a license
[3:36:49] plate, the police could have
[3:36:53] been calling each community
[3:36:54] center to warn them of
[3:36:55] heightened threat.
[3:36:55] Gates could have been shot.
[3:36:56] Pd could have sent protective
[3:36:56] patrols.
[3:37:00] Instead they gave chase with
[3:37:00] npr and neglected the real
[3:37:01] source of safety relationships
[3:37:06] rapid response information and
[3:37:07] community controlled
[3:37:07] protection.
[3:37:08] The police will always be late
[3:37:08] compared to communities
[3:37:09] themselves.
[3:37:13] i didn't overcome the laws of
[3:37:14] physics pull for funding fund
[3:37:14] prevention, no police injuries
[3:37:17] and gross fines to stop
[3:37:18] Islamophobia, actual
[3:37:19] antisemitism and hate wherever
[3:37:19] it comes.
[3:37:25] >> My name is Tamar Becca
[3:37:25] Varon, a resident of District
[3:37:26] six and lead organizer of
[3:37:29] Change begins with me and also
[3:37:30] a member of the Trust
[3:37:30] Coalition.
[3:37:31] I wanted to make sure that
[3:37:31] Leslie had enough time to speak
[3:37:35] tonight.
[3:37:36] I echo the critical point that
[3:37:37] she made the tragic real time
[3:37:37] demonstration that technology
[3:37:42] was overriding human safety
[3:37:42] last week.
[3:37:43] The communities across
[3:37:43] the country are realizing
[3:37:47] the fact that surveillance
[3:37:48] technology does not prevent
[3:37:48] crises.
[3:37:49] It misdirects funding.
[3:37:54] And right now we're seeking
[3:37:54] funding wherever we can find
[3:37:55] it.
[3:37:55] And floc contracts require
[3:38:00] extensive expensive recurring
[3:38:01] drains on our municipal funds.
[3:38:01] By canceling these contracts we
[3:38:07] can redirect them to address
[3:38:08] the real needs of our community
[3:38:09] including Statement of intent.
[3:38:19] >> Stock up the remaining city
[3:38:19] officials and the mayor.
[3:38:20] My name is Vincent Stark.
[3:38:23] I'm a native San Diego and
[3:38:24] current resident in District
[3:38:25] nine and I grew up in District
[3:38:25] three In District four I
[3:38:29] graduated from San Diego City
[3:38:30] College at San Diego State
[3:38:30] University where I'm a current
[3:38:31] graduate student and I'm here
[3:38:35] to speak on the inaccessibility
[3:38:36] of public restrooms in the city
[3:38:36] of San Diego.
[3:38:40] And I want to specifically
[3:38:41] speak on District three.
[3:38:42] I don't know if you walked
[3:38:48] around downtown.
[3:38:49] I believe it must be a restroom
[3:38:49] every five minutes but
[3:38:50] especially in the East Village
[3:38:50] area is definitely not
[3:38:51] happening And we're talking
[3:38:53] about cutting funding from
[3:38:59] the no good day center and then
[3:39:00] there's just no bathrooms out
[3:39:00] there.
[3:39:01] So I mean unless you want more
[3:39:05] outbreaks, more people dying, I
[3:39:06] suggest you do something.
[3:39:06] There's been decades and
[3:39:07] decades of reports, grand jury
[3:39:11] reports In some ways this is a
[3:39:11] persistent problem.
[3:39:12] >> Please do something about it
[3:39:13] before more people die.
[3:39:13] Thank you.
[3:39:19] Andy Lopez Good evening.
[3:39:20] My name is Andy Hotel Lopez and
[3:39:25] I'm part of Sanitation Justice.
[3:39:26] I'm a research student and San
[3:39:27] Diego State University.
[3:39:31] I come to data actually to not
[3:39:32] cut the budget for the bathroom
[3:39:33] the libraries because those are
[3:39:37] where the public bathrooms are.
[3:39:38] So you're closing public
[3:39:39] bathroom for you also cutting
[3:39:39] the access that they already
[3:39:42] have.
[3:39:43] I also want to let you know
[3:39:47] that it's not a luxury to have
[3:39:48] these places but something
[3:39:54] necessary.
[3:39:55] >> I also the research that we
[3:39:55] have done we see that
[3:40:01] the bathroom gets closer to 3
[3:40:02] to 5:00 one day around
[3:40:02] the school so that access is
[3:40:06] already being cut for these
[3:40:07] students.
[3:40:07] But most of all what I want to
[3:40:08] bring to your attention is that
[3:40:12] these kids are going to go into
[3:40:13] places I was a victim of things
[3:40:13] getting cut in New York City
[3:40:18] when I was growing up and we
[3:40:19] found ways to get in trouble
[3:40:19] because we didn't have no other
[3:40:20] places to go.
[3:40:20] So this is what you want to
[3:40:24] create for San Diego, the city
[3:40:25] that saved me.
[3:40:26] >> Thank you for that
[3:40:26] concluding comment.
[3:40:30] DR. Jason was last in.
[3:40:31] >> Hi, my name is Jason.
[3:40:31] I'm a resident of d-3.
[3:40:36] I'm here to urge you to please
[3:40:37] keep the multi-modal traffic
[3:40:37] safety team funded at least
[3:40:42] partially.
[3:40:42] This wouldn't take money from
[3:40:43] other services because
[3:40:44] the Transportation Department
[3:40:44] is already funded in this
[3:40:44] budget.
[3:40:47] This is just about priorities
[3:40:48] within transportation.
[3:40:48] I was here when the council
[3:40:53] declared safety as
[3:40:54] transportation's highest
[3:40:54] priority.
[3:40:58] The traffic safety team is only
[3:40:59] 2% of the transportation
[3:40:59] budget.
[3:41:00] If safety is truly the highest
[3:41:02] priority I think we can
[3:41:03] dedicate 2% of
[3:41:03] the transportation budget to
[3:41:04] safety even if that means
[3:41:09] slightly fewer potholes filled
[3:41:09] or less graffiti removed two
[3:41:10] months ago We also had a
[3:41:11] presentation here in chambers
[3:41:15] about children and e-bike
[3:41:15] safety.
[3:41:16] Without a multimodal team there
[3:41:17] will be no safe place for kids
[3:41:21] to ride e-bikes.
[3:41:22] The Bicycle master plan won't
[3:41:22] get implemented and kids on
[3:41:26] bikes will be stuck either on
[3:41:27] the road in front of high speed
[3:41:28] cars or on the sidewalks with
[3:41:28] pedestrians.
[3:41:33] Neither is acceptable.
[3:41:34] >> So please find
[3:41:35] the multi-modal team.
[3:41:35] Thank you.
[3:41:38] Apollo Arena Apollo.
[3:41:39] Tammy Williams.
[3:41:45] Tammy Williams.
[3:41:45] Thank you.
[3:41:46] All.
[3:41:52] Let's all take a breath.
[3:41:52] I understand it's late.
[3:41:53] I am time williams And after
[3:41:54] your 1931 intern and
[3:41:58] undergraduate I my official
[3:41:58] position as chief of Advocacy
[3:41:59] League professionals.
[3:42:00] I'm asking you guys to maintain
[3:42:03] funding as any arts and culture
[3:42:04] instead of block and urge you
[3:42:04] to pursue.
[3:42:05] Urge you to pass on the funding
[3:42:06] of looking to an independent
[3:42:09] audit is being done on
[3:42:10] the private company as we
[3:42:10] suggested two years ago
[3:42:11] concerning the terror attack
[3:42:15] that occurred last week, I do
[3:42:16] not believe luck would have
[3:42:17] prevented that change that it's
[3:42:17] events like DECEMBER night
[3:42:22] programs like ozone wise these
[3:42:23] meetings here that let us know
[3:42:23] that that we can maintain that
[3:42:27] we can foster community and
[3:42:28] unity but the community should
[3:42:28] not be up for discussion in San
[3:42:29] Diego, not now and not ever.
[3:42:32] We can be an example for United
[3:42:33] States or we can be an example.
[3:42:38] Thank you Anthony Ross Anthony
[3:42:39] We also you hear people it's
[3:42:40] see the time to him if they
[3:42:45] would like to speak Gwendolyn
[3:42:46] Garcia or Roger Ross join
[3:42:46] tonight if you can please come
[3:42:50] forward After Joy we have Karen
[3:43:01] Alleluia Evan Burke Box Jillian
[3:43:08] Quint Nicholas Landler Lungi
[3:43:09] Casey o'Leary Montezuma and
[3:43:15] Mary Soriano If you can all
[3:43:16] please come up to the yellow
[3:43:20] reserved seats Please proceed.
[3:43:24] This is my second reading.
[3:43:25] I am inspired by these words of
[3:43:30] PRESIDENT John f Kennedy Ask
[3:43:31] not what your country can do
[3:43:36] for you as what you can do for
[3:43:37] your country And of course all
[3:43:43] of you are at the very top of
[3:43:43] our city's organization chart
[3:43:48] Our city has a structural
[3:43:49] budget deficit.
[3:43:54] Here are my inspired words to
[3:43:55] all of you Ask not what your
[3:44:00] city can do for you.
[3:44:01] Ask what you can do for your
[3:44:06] city That's the end of my
[3:44:07] second reading.
[3:44:08] Yeah I support this budget.
[3:44:12] I support this budget because
[3:44:13] of the participation of all of
[3:44:18] you and all of you.
[3:44:19] >> That is why I'm here.
[3:44:20] Thank you and love you all.
[3:44:30] Thank you, Karen My name is
[3:44:36] Karen Olivia.
[3:44:37] I'm an illustrator from
[3:44:38] District seven who grew up in
[3:44:38] District four.
[3:44:39] The very possibility of this
[3:44:42] drastic cut told me that you
[3:44:43] don't see us but you don't
[3:44:44] understand who artists are and
[3:44:44] what we do.
[3:44:48] But we are economic drivers.
[3:44:49] We encourage spending, draw
[3:44:49] audiences from all over
[3:44:54] the world and create jobs.
[3:44:55] If you go through with this cut
[3:44:56] you irreversibly damage our
[3:44:56] entire creative ecosystem and
[3:45:00] not just nonprofits but
[3:45:01] individual artists like me, my
[3:45:02] accessible art community, small
[3:45:03] business and more because all
[3:45:07] of us are connected.
[3:45:07] Invest in us though and we will
[3:45:08] always give back Also artists
[3:45:13] also teach people how to think
[3:45:14] critically empathize with other
[3:45:15] than imagine better systems and
[3:45:18] then air join future in a
[3:45:19] divided political climate we
[3:45:20] need these human skills
[3:45:20] artistry investments for
[3:45:25] the future Listening to all
[3:45:25] your people speak what more do
[3:45:26] you need to hear?
[3:45:26] We're tired of being treated
[3:45:27] like an afterthought and having
[3:45:31] to fight for our sustainability
[3:45:32] year after year despite how
[3:45:32] much we contribute to the good
[3:45:33] health of our city.
[3:45:36] Please show us that you stand
[3:45:37] for our story and for funding.
[3:45:38] >> Thank you for concluding
[3:45:42] Sentence Evan Berg.
[3:45:43] Hi my name is Evan Burke.
[3:45:46] I am in District three.
[3:45:47] Despite having two hours
[3:45:48] advance notice and a
[3:45:48] multi-million dollar flock
[3:45:52] surveillance system, police
[3:45:53] completely fail to reduce
[3:45:54] casualties nine days ago.
[3:45:54] Yet the mayor chose to praise
[3:45:58] the police for bringing this
[3:45:59] threat to an end.
[3:45:59] >> To be clear, despite
[3:46:00] receiving one third of our
[3:46:04] budget look at me, Todd.
[3:46:04] >> They did not.
[3:46:05] Time after time we watch our
[3:46:06] money go towards punishment
[3:46:09] instead of prevention we suffer
[3:46:10] in a vicious cycle where police
[3:46:11] failures are always an excuse
[3:46:12] to raise their budget While
[3:46:12] the successes of our parks
[3:46:17] libraries and programs are
[3:46:17] never enough to save them.
[3:46:18] But what keep us safe are
[3:46:19] libraries where people can
[3:46:19] learn instead of be
[3:46:22] indoctrinated into neo-Nazi
[3:46:23] cults or the arts where they
[3:46:24] can learn to express emotions
[3:46:24] without violence.
[3:46:28] And yet that is what is cut in
[3:46:29] the name of austerity.
[3:46:29] Thank you.
[3:46:30] Those of you who force this
[3:46:30] Orwellian surveillance system
[3:46:34] upon us will never be able to
[3:46:35] refund our money in Some of you
[3:46:35] will not even be here.
[3:46:36] But you can restore our privacy
[3:46:40] and stop the bleed.
[3:46:41] >> Kill two birds with one
[3:46:46] stone and block box.
[3:46:46] >> Hi.
[3:46:47] Good evening, Council members
[3:46:47] and mayor.
[3:46:52] My name is Bo and I am
[3:46:53] the deputy director at the San
[3:46:54] Diego Youth Symphony.
[3:46:58] I live and work in District
[3:46:58] three.
[3:46:59] My colleagues Kate and Samir
[3:46:59] were here just weeks ago
[3:47:03] accepting a proclamation for
[3:47:04] our 80th anniversary.
[3:47:04] That longevity is only possible
[3:47:10] with sustained support from
[3:47:15] public investment.
[3:47:16] San Diego is home to many
[3:47:22] talented, dedicated, inspiring
[3:47:23] young musicians with limitless
[3:47:23] potential.
[3:47:27] Cuts to arts and culture
[3:47:28] funding will impact negatively
[3:47:33] now and for many years to come
[3:47:33] .
[3:47:34] The students in our programs
[3:47:35] are not just the city's future
[3:47:35] musicians.
[3:47:39] They will be teachers.
[3:47:40] They'll be researchers.
[3:47:40] They'll be doctors.
[3:47:41] Administrative professionals.
[3:47:45] They will be civic leaders in
[3:47:45] this very chamber.
[3:47:46] >> Arts and culture is an
[3:47:53] investment in the future of San
[3:47:54] Diego and I ask you to restore.
[3:47:54] Thank you for that concluding
[3:47:55] comment.
[3:48:01] 26 level Jillian went.
[3:48:02] >> Good evening Mayor and
[3:48:02] council.
[3:48:03] I am with the San Diego River
[3:48:03] Power Foundation.
[3:48:07] Thank you council PRESIDENT For
[3:48:08] leading discussions on the West
[3:48:08] Valley River crossing this
[3:48:09] month.
[3:48:12] Over 120 community members have
[3:48:13] submitted letters urging you to
[3:48:14] reopen the ip using developer
[3:48:18] impact fees because this
[3:48:18] project expands alternative
[3:48:22] transportation capacities
[3:48:23] across districts two, three,
[3:48:23] seven and nine.
[3:48:24] It does align with the core
[3:48:25] intent of these funds using
[3:48:28] the general fund dollars ensure
[3:48:29] we do not compete with but
[3:48:30] rather connect to libraries and
[3:48:34] parks and work centers and
[3:48:35] transit.
[3:48:35] Allocating this targeted seed
[3:48:39] money of 750,000 for the 30%
[3:48:39] design engineering study is
[3:48:40] the key needed to draw down
[3:48:41] millions in federal matching
[3:48:45] dollars and state advancing
[3:48:45] this project into design as a
[3:48:46] high leverage move the city can
[3:48:47] make this year towards reaching
[3:48:50] climate action goals and
[3:48:51] turning a safety gap into a
[3:48:52] continuous safe line for our
[3:48:52] communities.
[3:48:56] The momentum is clear and
[3:48:57] the funding exists.
[3:48:58] Please be open to the ip for
[3:49:01] the West Valley River crossing
[3:49:01] .
[3:49:07] >> Nicholas Landler.
[3:49:13] The taller one is better though
[3:49:14] because tomorrow I'm a
[3:49:15] constituent of District two.
[3:49:15] I was born and raised in
[3:49:16] Claremont.
[3:49:20] I'm San Diego forever and I'm
[3:49:21] asking why are we putting out
[3:49:21] the block?
[3:49:22] There's going to be no reason
[3:49:25] several people can go outside.
[3:49:25] The arts are getting cut.
[3:49:26] Restaurants are going away.
[3:49:31] Over half of the Russians
[3:49:31] the mission.
[3:49:32] They're going to work there.
[3:49:33] Why are we taken away?
[3:49:36] We should make the most of it.
[3:49:37] The 24 what seems to be 24 hour
[3:49:37] restroom grounds are at
[3:49:41] the bottom of the building open
[3:49:42] .
[3:49:42] Right now we have our restrooms
[3:49:46] so we get more arts and things
[3:49:46] .
[3:49:52] Andrea who?
[3:49:53] >> Good evening.
[3:49:54] Good evening, Council members.
[3:49:58] I am a artist living in
[3:49:59] District one in District six.
[3:50:00] I am standing here as a
[3:50:04] representative of more than 200
[3:50:04] artists from San Diego Museum
[3:50:09] of Art to Guild saving more
[3:50:09] than $10 million today by
[3:50:15] wiping out arts funding is
[3:50:15] choice and you cannot afford
[3:50:16] local creative creative economy
[3:50:21] generates more than 1 billion
[3:50:21] in a common economic activity
[3:50:26] every single year and brings in
[3:50:27] more than 100 million in tax
[3:50:27] revenue.
[3:50:32] This giant financial engine
[3:50:33] simply cannot be ignored.
[3:50:34] We are already facing a talent
[3:50:38] drain due to a shortage of
[3:50:38] support for our contemporary
[3:50:39] art scene and we are losing
[3:50:40] more of bright new art school
[3:50:43] graduates to Los Angeles at
[3:50:44] this moment.
[3:50:45] I witnessed this happening at
[3:50:45] South California from a
[3:50:50] trilingual collector base City
[3:50:51] grants as the essential
[3:50:51] foundation to change the state
[3:50:57] attract private financial
[3:50:58] dollars such as the 13.4
[3:50:58] million merger.
[3:50:59] Thank you for that concluding
[3:50:59] statement.
[3:51:01] Tracy o'Leary Montezuma.
[3:51:02] >> Hi I'm Casey o'Leary
[3:51:07] Moctezuma with ac Mayor Gloria
[3:51:12] Councilmembers Councilmember
[3:51:13] Moreno I have lived here in San
[3:51:16] Diego for 21 years in Council
[3:51:17] District eight in Sherman
[3:51:17] Heights.
[3:51:22] And I urge you to please vote
[3:51:23] against San Diego budget that
[3:51:23] would defend the arts.
[3:51:27] The arts are critical to all
[3:51:28] citizens and the wonderful
[3:51:29] mosaic that makes San Diego a
[3:51:32] destination city whether it's
[3:51:33] the symphony, the Balboa
[3:51:33] Digital cinema.
[3:51:38] These all count.
[3:51:39] I'm a citizen of Sherman
[3:51:40] Heights that does not walk so
[3:51:40] does not walk.
[3:51:44] I do not drive.
[3:51:45] So I appreciate the walkability
[3:51:45] of the city And I remember
[3:51:49] growing up in the Bay Area and
[3:51:50] how the introduction of
[3:51:51] the arts shaped who I am as an
[3:51:55] individual.
[3:51:56] By defunding the arts you're
[3:51:56] creating a ghost city And this
[3:52:00] also affects different areas of
[3:52:06] the city such as hospitality.
[3:52:06] >> Thank you for your Thank you
[3:52:07] Mary Serrano After Mary we have
[3:52:12] Cody Ingram Please come out to
[3:52:12] the Ella Reserve seats Nicole
[3:52:17] Burgess, Megan Ibarra, Ray
[3:52:18] Carmel Martin and Alice
[3:52:18] Bergman.
[3:52:22] Please proceed with that.
[3:52:22] >> Be two minutes.
[3:52:27] I had one minute for you to I
[3:52:28] didn't have a seated time on
[3:52:33] your speaker so I got to see
[3:52:37] the time you can proceed.
[3:52:38] >> I'll figure it out while
[3:52:38] you're speaking.
[3:52:38] Okay?
[3:52:42] Mary Fernando PRESIDENT La Hoya
[3:52:43] Town Council First I want to
[3:52:48] add this to the mayor.
[3:52:48] I know this is difficult and I
[3:52:52] can see it weighs heavy on you
[3:52:53] but please take this as just an
[3:52:54] opportunity to listen to
[3:52:58] the people for your what almost
[3:53:02] last year What 2028 Sorry but
[3:53:03] please do take this opportunity
[3:53:07] as that.
[3:53:07] Thank you.
[3:53:08] City Council members.
[3:53:08] Fire!
[3:53:13] Fire!
[3:53:13] Fire!
[3:53:13] Crash!
[3:53:13] Boom.
[3:53:18] Where are the firefighters?
[3:53:19] Where are they?
[3:53:23] They're busy managing dry bush
[3:53:23] on city land.
[3:53:24] They are busy with planning.
[3:53:29] Evacuate for community
[3:53:29] outreach.
[3:53:34] The city consolidated their
[3:53:34] duties.
[3:53:35] Consolidating or cutting fire
[3:53:39] department officer duties
[3:53:40] doesn't just affect response
[3:53:40] times.
[3:53:45] It affects lives.
[3:53:46] What is the real cost of
[3:53:47] understaffing Those who run
[3:53:51] towards danger so we can
[3:53:56] evacuate safely?
[3:53:57] La Hoya Recreation Center cut
[3:54:01] from full hours to 40 hours.
[3:54:07] That $77,000 in savings against
[3:54:07] $140 million deficit.
[3:54:11] What is your if it's still 120
[3:54:11] but I heard 140.
[3:54:15] >> The math doesn't justify
[3:54:16] the impact.
[3:54:20] >> Our ask before any final
[3:54:21] vote.
[3:54:21] Please assure La Hoya families
[3:54:27] and other community ees who
[3:54:27] enjoy the rec center by the sea
[3:54:31] meets with Council in San Diego
[3:54:32] Parks and Rec.
[3:54:33] We are ready to be partners in
[3:54:37] finding solutions.
[3:54:37] >> Thank you.
[3:54:38] Thank you.
[3:54:42] And you had your c j time you
[3:54:43] had to do so Your other speaker
[3:54:44] slip was further down.
[3:54:50] >> Cody Ingram Members of
[3:54:56] the Council Marita Gloria My
[3:54:56] name is Cody Ingram.
[3:54:57] I am a veteran.
[3:54:59] I am a constituent from
[3:55:00] District nine and I also work
[3:55:01] as an emt here for the city of
[3:55:01] San Diego.
[3:55:05] I am a direct example of what
[3:55:06] can happen when arts are
[3:55:06] accessible to the veteran
[3:55:11] population So I would not be
[3:55:12] here without the arts.
[3:55:13] I have been working as an actor
[3:55:15] here for over ten years and
[3:55:16] the arts are directly
[3:55:17] responsible for me being able
[3:55:21] to reconnect with my humanity
[3:55:21] and it is vital to our veteran
[3:55:22] population to be able to
[3:55:26] explore and understand that
[3:55:27] their emotions are not to be
[3:55:31] scared of and that they can
[3:55:31] explore them safely.
[3:55:35] Without that 22 veterans die
[3:55:36] every day and we cannot allow
[3:55:37] that to happen.
[3:55:40] This is too important
[3:55:41] especially in a military city
[3:55:46] And additionally the arts is
[3:55:47] what makes San Diego brilliant
[3:55:47] and beautiful.
[3:55:48] Why are we trying to take that
[3:55:51] away?
[3:55:52] I come from a law enforcement
[3:55:52] family.
[3:55:53] Public safety is important but
[3:55:54] it does not to be this
[3:55:57] important in the budget.
[3:55:57] >> Thank you.
[3:55:58] Thank you.
[3:56:01] Nicole Burgess After Nicole we
[3:56:02] have Megan Ibarra, Rey Carmel
[3:56:06] Martin Ellis Dingman, Megan
[3:56:11] Kettle, Mary Kumar, Samantha
[3:56:12] Castronovo and Kristin Frank.
[3:56:13] Those are our final speakers
[3:56:17] here in council chambers.
[3:56:17] Please proceed.
[3:56:17] All right.
[3:56:18] Good evening.
[3:56:18] Thank you everyone.
[3:56:21] To residents Safe Streets
[3:56:22] advocate and one of the many
[3:56:22] San Diegans that actually
[3:56:26] choose to ride a bike for
[3:56:26] transportation.
[3:56:27] >> a big shout out to
[3:56:28] the previous public comments
[3:56:31] are youth arts culture and a
[3:56:32] healthy, vibrant future.
[3:56:32] Please restore the arts and
[3:56:36] culture budget But specifically
[3:56:37] speaking to the transportation
[3:56:37] budget because this is an
[3:56:38] independent budget solely for
[3:56:42] transport nation and safety is
[3:56:43] our biggest priority for our
[3:56:47] city and transportation.
[3:56:47] It is critical that we keep
[3:56:51] the multi-modal team That is
[3:56:52] what has created safer streets
[3:56:55] for all users And when we
[3:56:56] create safer streets for
[3:56:57] pedestrians bikers we actually
[3:56:57] create safer streets for people
[3:57:02] driving cars so less
[3:57:02] enforcement.
[3:57:03] >> I appreciate the leadership
[3:57:06] as mayor Gloria helped write
[3:57:07] the Climate Action Plan
[3:57:07] endorsed Vision Zero and
[3:57:08] recently adopted Complete
[3:57:09] Streets policy.
[3:57:12] Sadly the budget does not
[3:57:13] represent these plans.
[3:57:14] Policies are about values.
[3:57:16] There are 300 repaving miles in
[3:57:20] this budget and I would gladly
[3:57:21] forego 15 of those miles to
[3:57:22] fund the multimodal team.
[3:57:25] Nicole I'm sorry It's been a
[3:57:30] minute Nicole Nicole Burgess Oh
[3:57:30] that was you.
[3:57:31] My apologies for ours Make any
[3:57:35] borrow.
[3:57:35] >> Good evening.
[3:57:40] My name is Megan Herrera and
[3:57:40] I'm a voter in District three
[3:57:41] At the public hearing on
[3:57:45] DECEMBER ninth I testified
[3:57:45] against the block surveillance
[3:57:46] contract because stolen people
[3:57:49] are worth more than stolen cars
[3:57:50] Directly after that a police
[3:57:50] representative said that
[3:57:51] the police department needs to
[3:57:55] retain data and gather data in
[3:57:55] order to support survivors of
[3:57:56] sexual violence.
[3:58:00] Lgbt data does not support
[3:58:00] the idea that lpr surveillance
[3:58:01] and data retention leads to
[3:58:05] higher arrests, much less
[3:58:05] conviction rates for sexual
[3:58:06] violence.
[3:58:06] Most data shows that police
[3:58:09] officers themselves are more
[3:58:10] likely to commit family
[3:58:10] violence.
[3:58:14] Just last week another cpd
[3:58:14] officer was arrested and is
[3:58:15] facing multiple charges for
[3:58:19] sexual violence.
[3:58:19] >> Cops commit crimes community
[3:58:20] members and keep each other
[3:58:24] safe and save lives.
[3:58:25] We saw that last week a vote
[3:58:25] for surveillance and increased
[3:58:29] police budgets In this context
[3:58:29] is a vote against life.
[3:58:34] The teenage youth who committed
[3:58:34] horrific acts of violence last
[3:58:35] week were not apprehended by
[3:58:35] cpd.
[3:58:36] They were stopped by brave
[3:58:42] community members.
[3:58:43] >> Thank you for that
[3:58:43] concluding sentence Ray where
[3:58:51] you here?
[3:58:51] Hello.
[3:58:54] My name's Ray.
[3:58:59] Your Honor.
[3:59:04] Council, on behalf of
[3:59:04] the Randalls, I want to
[3:59:08] apologize to everybody here How
[3:59:09] the county this city this area
[3:59:10] has treated you.
[3:59:13] This is unacceptable.
[3:59:14] We did not hand the keys over
[3:59:17] to you to treat the people like
[3:59:23] this.
[3:59:23] The historians, the genealogist
[3:59:24] can explain more to you But
[3:59:27] this is not going to happen
[3:59:27] anymore.
[3:59:31] I am going to be more involved
[3:59:32] here in San Diego and we're
[3:59:36] going to find a solution that
[3:59:37] everybody can benefit and a
[3:59:37] holistic approach.
[3:59:42] Thank you.
[3:59:42] Come on, Martin.
[3:59:43] Come on.
[3:59:47] You have time ceded to you by
[3:59:47] Lauren Locker.
[3:59:48] Are you here?
[3:59:52] I don't see a Lauren Locker or
[3:59:52] Leslie Simon.
[3:59:53] >> Thank you.
[3:59:53] You'll have two minutes.
[3:59:57] Please proceed.
[3:59:58] >> Evening Council members.
[3:59:58] Evening, staff.
[3:59:59] Evening, Mayor Gloria.
[4:00:01] My name's Carmel Martin Co
[4:00:02] co-founder of Art Power Equity
[4:00:03] And in my second term as a
[4:00:03] mayoral appointee to our arts
[4:00:06] and Culture Commission on MAY
[4:00:07] 18th.
[4:00:07] >> Three of our neighbors were
[4:00:11] murdered shot to death at
[4:00:12] the Islamic Center of San Diego
[4:00:13] Ameen Abdullah Monsoor because
[4:00:15] he had another award as a
[4:00:16] muslim in this city agreed with
[4:00:17] our community for over a week
[4:00:17] I've also watched the familiar
[4:00:20] civic rituals that follow these
[4:00:21] moments press conferences,
[4:00:25] vigils, pledges, more patrols.
[4:00:25] I want to say plainly what most
[4:00:26] people already know but often
[4:00:27] will not admit.
[4:00:29] Police did not and could not
[4:00:30] stop this attack.
[4:00:30] Officers arrived minutes after
[4:00:31] the first call.
[4:00:34] The shooters were already
[4:00:34] finished, gone to another
[4:00:35] location, killed themselves
[4:00:36] before the officers fired a
[4:00:39] single shot.
[4:00:39] They were 17 and 19 years old.
[4:00:40] They met online.
[4:00:44] They radicalized each other in
[4:00:45] the kind of profound isolation
[4:00:45] that the U.S. Surgeon general
[4:00:46] has called a public health
[4:00:49] epidemic deadliest choking more
[4:00:50] than a pack of cigarets a day
[4:00:53] Young Americans age 15 to 24
[4:00:54] seen a 70% drop in time spent
[4:00:54] with friends over the past two
[4:00:58] decades that the soil that
[4:00:59] hatred grows in two boys with
[4:00:59] no one to belong to found a
[4:01:02] perverse belonging in each
[4:01:03] other's worst impulses.
[4:01:04] So ask the right question What
[4:01:07] kind of public investment
[4:01:08] intervenes before the trigger
[4:01:08] is ever pulled?
[4:01:12] It is not more millions Drone
[4:01:12] it's surveillance.
[4:01:13] It is not another armored
[4:01:13] vehicle.
[4:01:14] It's the Afterschool Theater
[4:01:17] program, the youth mural
[4:01:18] project, the community choir,
[4:01:19] the teaching artist who knows
[4:01:22] your child by name Researchers
[4:01:22] have shown that the presence of
[4:01:23] cultural resources in a
[4:01:24] neighborhood is associated with
[4:01:25] almost a 20% drop in serious
[4:01:29] crime.
[4:01:30] Further research has shown that
[4:01:31] every ten community nonprofits
[4:01:34] per 100,000 resident drives
[4:01:34] the murder rate down by almost
[4:01:35] 10%.
[4:01:39] Arts and culture is not a frill
[4:01:40] They are the social fabric that
[4:01:40] catches our young people before
[4:01:41] they fall into the algorithms
[4:01:44] of hate.
[4:01:44] They are in the most literal
[4:01:45] sense life saving
[4:01:48] infrastructure.
[4:01:49] San Diego is now weighing cuts
[4:01:50] to roughly all of its arts and
[4:01:50] culture grantmaking budget And
[4:01:54] I'm asking my city in the names
[4:01:55] of Amin Mansour Nader,
[4:01:55] the children and teachers at
[4:01:58] the mosque to reverse that
[4:01:59] course Funding artists fund
[4:02:00] the center's fund
[4:02:00] The Connection.
[4:02:01] >> Thank you for that
[4:02:01] concluding sentence.
[4:02:11] Ellis.
[4:02:16] >> Hi, my name is Ella Stegman
[4:02:16] .
[4:02:17] I'm from District two and I go
[4:02:21] to school every more learning
[4:02:22] on the city bus on roads that
[4:02:25] the city paved.
[4:02:26] I do my homework at Rob Field,
[4:02:31] a city park I walk home on
[4:02:32] the ocean, be a a San Diego
[4:02:35] River bike path which this city
[4:02:35] built city.
[4:02:39] >> There are so many city
[4:02:40] programs that have impacted my
[4:02:45] life and the life of everybody
[4:02:45] I know so positively and
[4:02:46] continue to do so.
[4:02:50] Everything all day and walk is
[4:02:51] not one of them.
[4:02:55] I have never once thought wow
[4:02:58] thank goodness the city put $2
[4:02:59] million aside for automated
[4:03:03] license plate readers.
[4:03:04] I've thought thank goodness for
[4:03:05] this buffered bike lane.
[4:03:05] Thank goodness they repaired
[4:03:07] this crack in the sidewalk.
[4:03:12] >> How does Floc help
[4:03:13] the actual people here?
[4:03:13] >> Thank you for concluding
[4:03:21] sentence Megan Kettle MAY we
[4:03:22] take a moment to acknowledge
[4:03:26] the words spoken today
[4:03:26] the lives that have been lost
[4:03:27] and the lives that we're trying
[4:03:30] to save today through the arts
[4:03:31] In the words of the great
[4:03:31] philosopher Prince.
[4:03:32] Dearly beloved we are gathered
[4:03:36] here together today to get
[4:03:36] through this thing called life.
[4:03:37] And if there's one thing I've
[4:03:38] learned as a mental health
[4:03:41] advocate and San Diego native,
[4:03:42] we can do more than get through
[4:03:42] life.
[4:03:46] We can thrive And that comes
[4:03:47] from the arts, the libraries,
[4:03:49] our park and recreations and
[4:03:50] every single person that's
[4:03:55] standing here behind me today
[4:03:56] I'm speaking a proposition to
[4:03:56] increase the budget for
[4:04:00] the libraries and our arts.
[4:04:03] The San Diego Arts brings in
[4:04:07] $1.1 billion and makes 170,000
[4:04:08] jobs in the creative sector.
[4:04:11] Imagine 170,000 people standing
[4:04:12] here behind me right now from
[4:04:16] last time for the youth and for
[4:04:17] those jobs I'm asking to keep
[4:04:21] the Office of Youth and Success
[4:04:22] open.
[4:04:22] I am amazed by all the youth
[4:04:23] that have spoken here from
[4:04:23] school.
[4:04:27] So please keep the offices
[4:04:27] open.
[4:04:28] >> That can keep going.
[4:04:28] Thank you.
[4:04:29] Thank you.
[4:04:35] Mary Kumar.
[4:04:35] >> Hi.
[4:04:36] Thank you, Counsel.
[4:04:37] Thank you, Mayor.
[4:04:37] I actually came straight here
[4:04:41] from painting a mural and I was
[4:04:41] in Oceanside.
[4:04:42] I still have like little purple
[4:04:45] in my hair and on my path I'm
[4:04:46] assisting muralist Katie Ya who
[4:04:49] also works for Art Reach San
[4:04:50] Diego which is a recipient of
[4:04:50] the arts funding art like
[4:04:55] murals they create beauty
[4:04:55] resulting in pride in one's
[4:04:56] community.
[4:05:00] We also know that crime is
[4:05:00] measurably reduced from murals
[4:05:01] are present.
[4:05:01] So this week I've been painting
[4:05:05] this mural for Roosevelt Middle
[4:05:05] School with the juicy hues of
[4:05:09] indigo Purple magenta and
[4:05:10] orange and I see the students
[4:05:10] there watching us in
[4:05:11] the courtyard.
[4:05:14] What are they thinking?
[4:05:15] Perhaps it's maybe I can be an
[4:05:19] artist too when I grow up.
[4:05:20] They actually assisted us at
[4:05:20] the start of the mural so
[4:05:24] please combine See it some time
[4:05:25] for student art creates outside
[4:05:25] the box thinking creative
[4:05:29] solutions, better performance
[4:05:29] in other school subjects and
[4:05:30] coherent thinking but most
[4:05:33] importantly therapy which
[4:05:34] mentioned by others Here art
[4:05:39] heals please that which fosters
[4:05:43] community and pride deserves
[4:05:44] full Thank you for that
[4:05:44] concluding sentence.
[4:05:52] >> Samantha Castronovo Good
[4:05:57] evening Council members My name
[4:05:58] is Samantha Castronovo and I'm
[4:06:02] here to say firmly no on Floc
[4:06:09] no on electronic surveillance,
[4:06:10] yes to the arts and I say yes
[4:06:14] to everything I've heard this
[4:06:18] evening from 6:30 P.M. Until
[4:06:22] now on Yes for the arts Amazing
[4:06:23] speakers if that's not one
[4:06:27] sample of what arts does for
[4:06:32] the city of San Diego you have
[4:06:33] tremendous advocates and have
[4:06:37] had all for the last four hours
[4:06:42] amazingly so Yes to fire
[4:06:46] funding restore fire for 2027
[4:06:47] at the same level it's
[4:06:51] currently being funded for
[4:06:52] 2026.
[4:06:56] Very important point.
[4:07:03] Many attendance events.
[4:07:03] Thank you.
[4:07:04] Count on fire.
[4:07:06] Christine Frank, you have time
[4:07:07] to you by Valerie Iniguez.
[4:07:07] Thank you.
[4:07:08] Two minutes.
[4:07:11] Please proceed.
[4:07:11] >> Okay.
[4:07:12] As a good recovering theater
[4:07:12] arts major, I know you want to
[4:07:15] bring it back to how it started
[4:07:16] .
[4:07:16] That's how you really drive
[4:07:17] home the message.
[4:07:17] I know I'm the last speaker and
[4:07:18] I sound like I've been the only
[4:07:18] one.
[4:07:20] I'm so sorry.
[4:07:21] So on APRIL 20th in this very
[4:07:21] chamber our independent budget
[4:07:25] analyst I apologize in advance
[4:07:25] if I butcher your last name.
[4:07:29] Charles Modica nailed it urged
[4:07:30] speakers to offer solutions for
[4:07:30] the budget gaps After
[4:07:34] the presentation At the start
[4:07:35] of this meeting when the sun
[4:07:36] was still up.
[4:07:36] I have a suggestion.
[4:07:39] Well I'm clearly proud to
[4:07:40] volunteer for the La Hoya
[4:07:41] Playhouse as this bright pink
[4:07:44] shirt tells you I'm also a
[4:07:45] former junior golfer who played
[4:07:45] across California.
[4:07:49] I personally know multiple golf
[4:07:49] tourists who gladly spend
[4:07:50] thousands of dollars on one
[4:07:50] golf vacation.
[4:07:55] Yes, in this economy, Torrey
[4:07:55] Pines is one of America's
[4:07:59] premier public courses Their
[4:08:02] highest grievance fees for
[4:08:03] nonresidents $322.
[4:08:03] Another top public course in
[4:08:07] our state Pebble Beach.
[4:08:12] It's $675 more than double
[4:08:13] Raising nonresident green fees
[4:08:13] at Torrey would generate
[4:08:17] revenue without burdening San
[4:08:18] Diegans and without depriving
[4:08:18] us of our arts and culture
[4:08:19] orgs.
[4:08:22] It seems clear the city is
[4:08:23] leaving money on the table by
[4:08:24] underpricing one of our premier
[4:08:27] assets as all golfers.
[4:08:28] >> Now that's a big old double
[4:08:29] bogey on the city's scorecard
[4:08:32] so I'm going to ask you to
[4:08:33] please restore the arts
[4:08:33] funding.
[4:08:34] Thank you.
[4:08:35] I'm not even using all my time.
[4:08:40] >> You're welcome.
[4:08:40] >> Thank you.
[4:08:41] That does conclude public
[4:08:42] comment here in council
[4:08:42] chambers we still have virtual
[4:08:45] public comment but I will note
[4:08:45] for the record that we did
[4:08:46] receive ten public speaker
[4:08:49] slips in opposition that wanted
[4:08:50] to register their position but
[4:08:51] did not wish to speak going to
[4:08:54] those participating on the line
[4:09:03] we have Carla that not to speak
[4:09:03] to speak.
[4:09:05] >> Do we still have one speaker
[4:09:09] here If you can give me your
[4:09:09] name.
[4:09:12] >> Hi, I'm Andrea.
[4:09:15] Oh, Andrea Mangia And apologies
[4:09:20] to all.
[4:09:21] Yes, you concede your time.
[4:09:21] Thank you.
[4:09:22] Please proceed.
[4:09:26] Apologies to all.
[4:09:26] My name is Andrea Mengele.
[4:09:29] I am a lifelong resident of
[4:09:30] District eight and I am also a
[4:09:30] professional commercial artist.
[4:09:33] So today's meeting is quite
[4:09:34] important to me.
[4:09:35] I believe our city has a
[4:09:35] priority issue rather than a
[4:09:38] revenue issue.
[4:09:38] This draconian budget is
[4:09:39] threatening to cut
[4:09:39] the foundation of San Diego
[4:09:43] community in favor of
[4:09:43] ineffective surveillance
[4:09:44] theater.
[4:09:44] What are we to do without
[4:09:48] public property funded
[4:09:49] libraries, parks, recreations
[4:09:50] and artist programs?
[4:09:53] These programs are the engines
[4:09:54] that fuel our cultural and
[4:09:55] economic excellence from our
[4:09:58] tourism industry to our
[4:09:59] community engagement.
[4:10:00] Yet our police department is
[4:10:03] practically given a blank check
[4:10:03] for surveillance.
[4:10:08] The hard data doesn't lie.
[4:10:09] These surveillance systems are
[4:10:10] less than 1% effective in crime
[4:10:13] resolution and prevention.
[4:10:14] Furthermore, they offer no new
[4:10:14] jobs, no community engagement,
[4:10:18] no tourism money, no civic
[4:10:19] pride.
[4:10:19] They're not really giving
[4:10:23] anything back to us.
[4:10:24] So Floc has already leaked our
[4:10:28] city's data.
[4:10:29] Floc is already harassing
[4:10:33] cities across the nation for
[4:10:34] wanting to rein in their abuse
[4:10:38] of power.
[4:10:39] Cities across the nation are
[4:10:42] currently pulling out of their
[4:10:43] lpr programs in droves due to
[4:10:47] safety concern Because let us
[4:10:48] mention surveillance is eroding
[4:10:48] the peace of mind of our
[4:10:48] residents.
[4:10:52] This is not an opinion.
[4:10:53] >> This is very much a fact.
[4:10:54] Try as I might I just can't
[4:10:57] make our math make sense.
[4:10:58] One third of our city budget is
[4:11:02] to the police and over 2
[4:11:07] million of it is just to block
[4:11:08] one of our lpr programs one we
[4:11:12] have multiple I invite all of
[4:11:17] you including our beloved mayor
[4:11:22] to please cut the block Cut.
[4:11:23] >> Let's let's cut surveillance
[4:11:23] theater in favor of actual
[4:11:24] theater.
[4:11:26] You know something that gives
[4:11:27] back that does conclude your
[4:11:27] time and that does conclude
[4:11:31] the public comment hearing
[4:11:31] Council Chambers Thank you all.
[4:11:32] I'm sorry the five minute timer
[4:11:33] and now I'm going to those
[4:11:36] participating remotely.
[4:11:37] We currently have 23 speakers
[4:11:37] in the queue starting with
[4:11:40] Carla if you can please and you
[4:11:45] Carla Cassini Concha I can't
[4:11:46] unmute for you If you cannot
[4:11:48] unmute we will need to move on
[4:11:58] to the next speaker.
[4:11:59] We'll move on to the next
[4:12:07] speaker.
[4:12:08] >> Hold one second.
[4:12:44] I'm having technical
[4:12:45] Okay one
[4:12:50] more time Let's start again.
[4:12:51] Alan Dolgov if you can please
[4:12:54] unmute Alan and Olga please
[4:12:54] unmute.
[4:12:55] Yes thank you.
[4:12:55] Can you hear me?
[4:12:56] Yes.
[4:12:59] Please proceed.
[4:12:59] Great.
[4:13:00] I'm Alan Dale Gareth, PRESIDENT
[4:13:01] Of the Lawyer Recreation Center
[4:13:01] Board.
[4:13:01] Thank you.
[4:13:04] Council members and Mayor for
[4:13:04] ensuring no recreation center
[4:13:05] closures.
[4:13:08] You listen to your communities
[4:13:09] about the high priority of rec
[4:13:10] centers and acted clearly
[4:13:14] the generational and societal
[4:13:14] value far exceeds a small
[4:13:15] investment.
[4:13:18] Additionally, paid programs are
[4:13:19] self-sustaining or generate
[4:13:19] surplus revenue not fully
[4:13:23] factored in.
[4:13:24] Going from 60 to 40 hours is a
[4:13:27] huge 30% 33% cut and will
[4:13:28] eliminate many of those
[4:13:31] programs and activities for
[4:13:32] either seniors in the mornings
[4:13:32] or kids in the afternoon.
[4:13:36] The calculated savings from
[4:13:37] the proposed reduction is a
[4:13:37] mere $80,000 for a rec center
[4:13:42] while millions are allocated to
[4:13:42] lower priorities.
[4:13:43] The math doesn't work.
[4:13:46] Please do the right thing,
[4:13:47] finish the job and fully
[4:13:50] restore all hours to all rec
[4:13:51] centers.
[4:13:51] >> Thank you and have a great
[4:13:52] evening.
[4:13:56] Thank your next is Andrew if
[4:13:56] you can please unmute.
[4:14:05] Andrew Hollingworth.
[4:14:05] >> Andrew Hollingworth I have
[4:14:06] given you permission to unmute
[4:14:10] I can't unmute for you.
[4:14:10] I will need to move on to
[4:14:11] the next caller If you can't
[4:14:19] unmute.
[4:14:19] Next is Britney Munoz.
[4:14:20] Britney if you can please
[4:14:24] unmute.
[4:14:24] Hi.
[4:14:24] Can you hear me?
[4:14:25] Yes.
[4:14:25] Please proceed.
[4:14:26] Okay.
[4:14:26] Thank you.
[4:14:29] Hi my name is bringing Windows
[4:14:30] and I am a District seven
[4:14:32] resident but I serve youth all
[4:14:33] across the city of San Diego.
[4:14:34] I work in social services and
[4:14:38] directly with at risk youth
[4:14:38] that are impacted by budget
[4:14:39] cuts.
[4:14:42] I ask that you fund the office
[4:14:43] of County use success instead
[4:14:44] of allocating any funding for
[4:14:47] our communities and not need
[4:14:48] any more surveillance They need
[4:14:49] more programing and resources.
[4:14:52] Thank you.
[4:14:53] >> Thank you.
[4:14:54] Next is Carlos, Maria and
[4:14:56] Crystal If you can please
[4:15:00] unmute.
[4:15:00] Hello.
[4:15:05] Good evening.
[4:15:06] Oh.
[4:15:06] Can you hear me?
[4:15:06] Yes.
[4:15:07] Please proceed.
[4:15:07] Okay.
[4:15:12] Thank you.
[4:15:13] Um, so good evening Council
[4:15:17] members and Mayor Gloria.
[4:15:18] I'm here to address the same
[4:15:21] thing I have advocated for
[4:15:22] the past two years going on
[4:15:23] three clear and effective storm
[4:15:27] water infrastructure repair
[4:15:27] plan along with programs to
[4:15:28] help aid our damaged
[4:15:31] communities.
[4:15:32] As a short term resident who
[4:15:36] has long lived my entire 29
[4:15:36] years of life in this beautiful
[4:15:37] town a neighborhood I worry for
[4:15:41] the lack of efforts that we
[4:15:41] have witnessed It's time for a
[4:15:42] change.
[4:15:46] Please bring about this change
[4:15:47] we ask You have a chance to
[4:15:47] redeem your stance with this
[4:15:48] residents.
[4:15:51] Please allocate the right
[4:15:51] amount of money to repair
[4:15:52] neglected the structure that
[4:15:56] has caused so much fetal harm,
[4:15:57] livelihood, harm, traumatizing
[4:15:58] harm and recovery struggles
[4:16:01] that we have all faced and
[4:16:01] continue to face.
[4:16:02] And fortunately this is a
[4:16:02] reality that is not pretty.
[4:16:05] But we are here to show reality
[4:16:06] not pretty.
[4:16:06] Please please listen to us.
[4:16:07] Shelton Residents we have been
[4:16:08] begging for help in tears
[4:16:11] breaking down I've seen strong
[4:16:12] men and your time has
[4:16:12] concluded.
[4:16:13] >> Christine Wellborn if you
[4:16:18] can please unmute.
[4:16:18] Hi.
[4:16:23] We need funding for arts
[4:16:23] libraries, parks and rec and
[4:16:24] police.
[4:16:28] Those things should not be even
[4:16:28] debated.
[4:16:29] What we do not need is Gloria's
[4:16:33] communication department.
[4:16:34] Communication is the act of
[4:16:38] exchanging information ideas,
[4:16:39] thoughts and emotions to
[4:16:39] establish shared meaning.
[4:16:43] Gloria sends texts and posts to
[4:16:44] social media but doesn't allow
[4:16:48] or interact with responses.
[4:16:48] That's one sided propaganda.
[4:16:53] We can afford to fund police
[4:16:53] arts, libraries, parks and recs
[4:16:57] if we repeal Measure l and stop
[4:16:58] giving all of you raises.
[4:17:03] Put your money where your mouth
[4:17:04] are and put repeal measure l on
[4:17:07] the NOVEMBER ballot.
[4:17:08] Also let's get rid of Mayor
[4:17:08] Glorious beast.
[4:17:12] He should be biking those sexy
[4:17:13] streets he's so proud of.
[4:17:17] >> Thank you.
[4:17:18] >> The five minute timer has
[4:17:18] concluded there are 16 speakers
[4:17:19] in the queue.
[4:17:21] No additional speakers will be
[4:17:22] taken.
[4:17:22] Eric be if you can please
[4:17:31] unmute Eric be and hear me.
[4:17:32] Yes please proceed.
[4:17:32] Thank you.
[4:17:36] My my name is Eric Anderson.
[4:17:36] I'm a member of dsa and
[4:17:40] the Truth Commission in
[4:17:41] District nine.
[4:17:41] Everybody knows the cop who
[4:17:42] promises a victim's family that
[4:17:45] they're going to catch
[4:17:45] the killer at the beginning of
[4:17:46] the movie is either a fool or a
[4:17:46] madman.
[4:17:50] When council member Von Wilpert
[4:17:51] who appeared to be absent today
[4:17:55] says cameras solve crimes,
[4:17:55] what does that mean?
[4:17:56] But to close the case as a
[4:18:00] crime victim myself, there's no
[4:18:00] such thing as closure.
[4:18:01] There is no restorative justice
[4:18:05] in prisons.
[4:18:06] Don't drop the soap to defund
[4:18:06] the police.
[4:18:07] I have diverticulitis.
[4:18:10] I my pants in public several
[4:18:10] times.
[4:18:11] When you when you define public
[4:18:14] bathrooms you're jumping to
[4:18:15] soup for all of us.
[4:18:16] Leaving us in the moment more
[4:18:19] vulnerable to crime prevented
[4:18:19] Preventive measures can only be
[4:18:24] found in libraries, parks,
[4:18:24] schools, venues in public
[4:18:25] bathrooms.
[4:18:28] The cbd who was found liable
[4:18:29] for the largest wrongful death
[4:18:33] settlement in the history of
[4:18:34] the United States.
[4:18:35] >> Correct me if I'm wrong.
[4:18:38] If you do your time has
[4:18:39] concluded.
[4:18:39] Hakeem if you can put the final
[4:18:40] word.
[4:18:40] Hakim if you can please.
[4:18:42] And you.
[4:18:43] Thanks for taking my call.
[4:18:48] I just got back from that ball
[4:18:48] park and the graduation down
[4:18:49] there.
[4:18:52] One thing you can do tomorrow
[4:18:52] is pull all the parking meters
[4:18:56] in Balboa Park.
[4:18:56] No more parking meters.
[4:18:57] People have come back there.
[4:19:01] Some of the people can get
[4:19:02] their jobs back.
[4:19:02] The railroad museum laid off
[4:19:07] for people because there's
[4:19:07] nobody there coming.
[4:19:12] So do that now and then If you
[4:19:12] see something, say something.
[4:19:16] And a young Muslim kid that
[4:19:16] goes angry really angry.
[4:19:17] I'm sure you guys are looking
[4:19:21] into that But all those young
[4:19:22] kids are 1920.
[4:19:26] They're angry, mad and even you
[4:19:27] know, take a look at them and
[4:19:30] know you are looking at them.
[4:19:31] And then we got the kids that
[4:19:32] did the shooting.
[4:19:35] What kind of site drugs were
[4:19:36] they taken the last year?
[4:19:37] What were the drugs that were
[4:19:40] taken?
[4:19:41] You need to be honest with
[4:19:42] the community and you just
[4:19:46] don't do that And nowhere.
[4:19:46] >> You know, maybe it took a
[4:19:47] year for them to do that.
[4:19:48] Your time has concluded, John
[4:19:53] if you can please unmute.
[4:19:54] Well, welcome to America's
[4:19:55] City.
[4:19:58] Why is it?
[4:19:59] Well we don't have any public
[4:20:00] bathrooms anymore.
[4:20:00] We don't even have the civic
[4:20:04] core bathrooms open 24 hour
[4:20:05] hours.
[4:20:05] We're closing in the yoga date
[4:20:06] center where hundreds of people
[4:20:09] use every day to launder their
[4:20:09] clothes and keep themselves
[4:20:12] clean and shower and use
[4:20:13] the bathroom.
[4:20:14] We have requirements that
[4:20:18] people put in bathroom rooms in
[4:20:19] their commercial establishment
[4:20:20] but we don't ensure that
[4:20:20] they're still open.
[4:20:23] We have Petco Park with
[4:20:24] hundreds of bathroom stalls yet
[4:20:28] none of them are open during
[4:20:28] the day.
[4:20:29] >> So why is it America's
[4:20:29] three?
[4:20:32] Oh yeah we got rid of all
[4:20:33] the arts so we're safe.
[4:20:37] We're at home watching our tv
[4:20:37] doing nothing as there's
[4:20:38] nothing to do.
[4:20:38] No arts.
[4:20:43] Art saved my life.
[4:20:43] And many of the members of Leah
[4:20:47] came out of their Voices for
[4:20:48] Our City program which just
[4:20:48] laid off five people thanks to
[4:20:49] these cuts.
[4:20:52] We can't afford to not have
[4:20:56] the arts and feel safe.
[4:20:57] >> Thank you Kate.
[4:21:01] If you can please unmute.
[4:21:01] Thank you.
[4:21:02] My name is Kate.
[4:21:05] I'm speaking here today in my
[4:21:06] role as development manager at
[4:21:07] the San Diego Museum of Art.
[4:21:11] The city's osp grants are a
[4:21:11] critical and rare source of
[4:21:15] public funding.
[4:21:16] Tier one organizations like cma
[4:21:16] Anchor institutions employing
[4:21:19] hundreds of arts and culture
[4:21:20] workers and driving economic
[4:21:21] growth are ineligible to even
[4:21:25] apply for public funds from our
[4:21:26] state agency the California
[4:21:26] Arts Council.
[4:21:27] Our revenue streams are diverse
[4:21:30] and we already rely heavily on
[4:21:31] private philanthropy.
[4:21:33] But losing over $300,000 in
[4:21:34] annual funding represents a
[4:21:35] significant loss for our
[4:21:35] institution.
[4:21:38] This budget also proposes
[4:21:39] cutting funds for six permanent
[4:21:40] comfort stations in Balboa
[4:21:40] Park.
[4:21:43] Estimates public restrooms in
[4:21:44] the West Wing are already
[4:21:45] heavily relied on by families
[4:21:48] children and people of all
[4:21:49] ages.
[4:21:49] This cut increases our burden
[4:21:53] of support and costs for
[4:21:53] sanitation, utilities, supplies
[4:21:54] and security.
[4:21:58] This budget will mean real cuts
[4:21:59] to events, programs,
[4:21:59] exhibitions and jobs.
[4:22:03] Please consider these realities
[4:22:04] as you fight to restore funding
[4:22:04] for osp and 60.
[4:22:08] Thank you for that concluding
[4:22:09] remark.
[4:22:09] I also note that the five
[4:22:10] minute timer did conclude a
[4:22:13] while ago.
[4:22:13] If you're raising your hand now
[4:22:14] unfortunately we won't be able
[4:22:15] to get to you but you can
[4:22:18] definitely send in comments
[4:22:19] the city clerk at San diego.Gov
[4:22:20] and those will be distributed
[4:22:23] to the council looking me.
[4:22:25] So if you can please send me
[4:22:27] Logan.
[4:22:28] Good evening Council My name is
[4:22:29] Logan Maggs and I'm here with
[4:22:32] Youth World Organization as a
[4:22:32] concerned young person.
[4:22:33] I urge the Council today to not
[4:22:34] cut funding for the office and
[4:22:36] child abuse success.
[4:22:37] This office has brought in over
[4:22:38] $5 million in grants and
[4:22:42] funding for child care, refugee
[4:22:42] student support and upgrading
[4:22:43] city property.
[4:22:46] All of these funding and
[4:22:47] actions have directly supported
[4:22:48] our youth in the city.
[4:22:51] This Council must ensure that
[4:22:51] this budget truly reflects
[4:22:52] the values of our community.
[4:22:53] We know that this is a tough
[4:22:56] funding and that there is no
[4:22:57] revenue.
[4:22:57] And therefore we propose to
[4:23:02] eliminate the floor contract.
[4:23:02] Though the Council does not
[4:23:03] agree with this, we urge you
[4:23:04] all to please find an
[4:23:06] alternative to keep us
[4:23:07] financially sustained.
[4:23:10] A better investment starts with
[4:23:11] us and it starts with the youth
[4:23:11] rather than flexicurity
[4:23:12] security.
[4:23:13] I thank you all for your time
[4:23:16] tonight and once again I urge
[4:23:16] you to invest in the youth.
[4:23:17] Thank you.
[4:23:22] Morgan If you can please unmute
[4:23:22] .
[4:23:23] Hi there.
[4:23:23] Good afternoon or good evening.
[4:23:24] My name is Morgan.
[4:23:27] Just as I currently serve as
[4:23:27] the chair of the city's
[4:23:31] Community Forest Advisory Board
[4:23:32] .
[4:23:32] A lot of great things have been
[4:23:33] said tonight.
[4:23:34] One thing I want to draw your
[4:23:37] attention to is that the MAY
[4:23:38] revise does not restore
[4:23:41] the budget for the one Urban
[4:23:41] Forestry program coordinator
[4:23:42] within the Transportation
[4:23:46] Department.
[4:23:46] This is especially concerning
[4:23:47] because the MAY revise also
[4:23:50] consolidate the tree
[4:23:51] maintenance functions within
[4:23:55] transportation moving from park
[4:23:56] and rec.
[4:23:57] So now we see eight additional
[4:24:00] positions without this middle
[4:24:01] management position to support
[4:24:05] and manage the workflow.
[4:24:05] We're concerned about
[4:24:06] the downstream consequences and
[4:24:10] the critical role that this
[4:24:10] position plays in protecting
[4:24:14] public safety and risk
[4:24:15] management.
[4:24:15] >> I urge you to please
[4:24:19] reconsider and and add that
[4:24:20] staff member back in so that we
[4:24:24] can support a healthy urban
[4:24:24] forest moving forward.
[4:24:25] >> Thank you.
[4:24:25] Thank you, Nancy.
[4:24:29] If you can review and see cpm.
[4:24:34] There you go.
[4:24:34] Hi.
[4:24:35] Thanks for And I'm too long.
[4:24:38] I'm a resident of District nine
[4:24:42] and I pass by six foc cameras
[4:24:43] every weekday on my 1.3 mile
[4:24:45] drive to drop my kids off at
[4:24:46] school six.
[4:24:46] That's insane.
[4:24:50] At the $2 million price tag for
[4:24:53] this contract soc that's
[4:24:54] ineffective 99.97% of the time
[4:24:54] including last week with
[4:24:57] the terrorist attack.
[4:24:58] This is an exorbitant expense
[4:24:59] during a budget crisis.
[4:25:03] It doesn't prevent crime.
[4:25:04] What's keeping my kids safer?
[4:25:04] Surveillance cameras or
[4:25:05] libraries or parks.
[4:25:08] I think it's probably those
[4:25:09] maybe youth programing events
[4:25:10] arts and culture even public
[4:25:13] bathrooms like little toddlers.
[4:25:14] They got to go and they got to
[4:25:14] go.
[4:25:15] Did we forget how costly to
[4:25:17] have a outbreak was?
[4:25:21] $20 and $12.5 million funding
[4:25:22] the public bathrooms and then
[4:25:23] they'll go day centers humane
[4:25:23] and make sense.
[4:25:26] Please cancel the camera
[4:25:27] funding and invest in the O.C..
[4:25:32] I ask department libraries,
[4:25:32] parks and your good day center.
[4:25:33] Thanks.
[4:25:35] Thank you Natalie Or asking if
[4:25:40] you can please unmute.
[4:25:40] Can you hear me?
[4:25:40] Yes.
[4:25:41] Please proceed.
[4:25:44] I'm Natalie reside in District
[4:25:49] seven and today I was on a zoom
[4:25:49] for an lpa subcommittee for
[4:25:50] the Behavioral Health and Human
[4:25:54] Services.
[4:25:55] I heard a disturbing statistic
[4:25:55] today that I was kind of
[4:25:59] concerned with There is two
[4:26:00] suicides a week from
[4:26:01] the Coronado Bridge that most
[4:26:04] of us don't hear about.
[4:26:09] Now with these cuts and
[4:26:10] the funding for snap ebt and
[4:26:14] all of these things that are
[4:26:14] happening Neal, good day.
[4:26:19] What are we doing besides
[4:26:19] driving people to become more
[4:26:20] stressed out?
[4:26:24] I have a child that went to
[4:26:24] Madison High School.
[4:26:29] If we cut these programs for
[4:26:29] art we're just stressing out
[4:26:30] more people.
[4:26:30] People are becoming more
[4:26:34] homeless and I don't understand
[4:26:35] unless there is a driving force
[4:26:39] behind all of these cuts, what
[4:26:40] is the end game?
[4:26:40] What are we looking to expect?
[4:26:43] What don't we know?
[4:26:43] Thank you.
[4:26:44] Thank you.
[4:26:45] Pat Wilson If you can please
[4:26:48] unmute.
[4:26:48] >> Hi Wilson.
[4:26:52] Friends of the San Diego Public
[4:26:53] Library.
[4:26:53] Hello from Australia where I am
[4:26:54] now.
[4:26:58] We were relieved to see
[4:26:59] the specter of permanently
[4:26:59] closing a branch library was
[4:27:03] removed in the MAY revised and
[4:27:03] I'd like to thank council
[4:27:04] members Kloster Moreno, Il
[4:27:07] Rivera and PRESIDENT Pro-Tem
[4:27:08] Lee for supporting at least a
[4:27:09] partial partial restoration of
[4:27:13] funding to libraries, parks and
[4:27:13] the arts in their memos in
[4:27:14] response to the MAY revised.
[4:27:17] It's a start but not nearly
[4:27:18] enough.
[4:27:18] I won't go into all the reasons
[4:27:19] why underfunding the very
[4:27:22] things that make our city
[4:27:22] vibrant and inviting our
[4:27:23] residents and tourists from
[4:27:26] around the world is a huge
[4:27:26] mistake.
[4:27:27] Even in a bad budget year so
[4:27:28] many people have told you
[4:27:32] tonight much more eloquently
[4:27:32] that I know the value of
[4:27:36] libraries parks in New York's.
[4:27:37] Please listen and do the right
[4:27:37] thing.
[4:27:41] You know we can make this work.
[4:27:46] And thank you for your time.
[4:27:47] Thank you.
[4:27:47] Next is Patricia.
[4:27:53] If you can please unmute.
[4:27:54] Do we still remember what
[4:27:58] democracy means at its most
[4:27:58] basic level?
[4:27:59] >> Democracy asks a simple
[4:27:59] question.
[4:28:03] Can we govern ourselves while
[4:28:03] treating all people with
[4:28:07] dignity, equity and respect?
[4:28:08] As our nation approaches its
[4:28:08] 250th.
[4:28:11] It appears we have forgotten
[4:28:12] the first peoples and
[4:28:13] descendants of this land and
[4:28:13] the communities who continue to
[4:28:17] protect its history, culture
[4:28:17] and sacred spaces.
[4:28:21] We have repeatedly asked for
[4:28:22] the restoration of Parks and
[4:28:23] Rec in order to protect our
[4:28:26] national historic landmarks and
[4:28:27] burial grounds at Presidio and
[4:28:27] beyond.
[4:28:28] >> Yet these historic cultural
[4:28:31] and sacred sites continue to
[4:28:32] suffer from ongoing
[4:28:36] disinvestment without our park
[4:28:37] rangers, these areas are now
[4:28:38] vulnerable to encampments,
[4:28:41] fires, vandalism, open drug use
[4:28:42] surrounding schools, parks and
[4:28:46] burial sites honoring
[4:28:46] the descendants of early San
[4:28:50] Diego connected to these lands
[4:28:51] and restore the public's right
[4:28:51] to safe parks, arts, culture,
[4:28:55] recreation and communities
[4:28:56] stewardship.
[4:28:56] A democracy that neglects its
[4:29:00] people including My apologies
[4:29:05] Patty if you can please unmute
[4:29:06] .
[4:29:06] >> Patricia Mondragon with
[4:29:07] Alliance San Diego We are
[4:29:10] members of the Community Budget
[4:29:11] Alliance, the Trust sd
[4:29:11] Coalition and the San Diego
[4:29:14] Immigrant Rights Consortium.
[4:29:15] I'm calling in tonight from
[4:29:16] Sacramento because our friends
[4:29:20] from Panda Care and the Muslim
[4:29:20] community are observing aid and
[4:29:24] healing after the recent
[4:29:24] shooting at the Islamic Center.
[4:29:25] As a community we stand with
[4:29:29] them and continue the work that
[4:29:30] is important to them while they
[4:29:30] heal.
[4:29:31] Tonight San Diego and I have
[4:29:33] been clear about what keeps
[4:29:34] community safe.
[4:29:34] Yet this budget continues to
[4:29:38] prioritize stp and flock
[4:29:38] surveillance technology while
[4:29:39] underfunding the services our
[4:29:43] communities need.
[4:29:43] No community members are here
[4:29:44] asking you to spend public
[4:29:45] resources on expanded
[4:29:45] surveillance.
[4:29:48] People are asking you to invest
[4:29:49] in dignity, community and
[4:29:49] infrastructure.
[4:29:53] We urge you to cut funding for
[4:29:54] Floc and restore funding to
[4:29:54] the arts.
[4:29:55] O.C. Weiss Neil Good day Center
[4:29:58] and stormwater infrastructure.
[4:29:59] When it comes to floods and
[4:29:59] climate disaster, San Diego
[4:30:02] should not be keep paying
[4:30:03] the price of neglect and
[4:30:03] maintenance.
[4:30:04] Please adopt a budget that
[4:30:07] prioritizes people over
[4:30:07] surveillance technology.
[4:30:08] Thank you.
[4:30:08] Thank you.
[4:30:10] Next is San Diego County
[4:30:11] Bicycle Coalition.
[4:30:16] If you can please unmute.
[4:30:17] >> Good evening City Council.
[4:30:18] My name is Ian Embry and I am
[4:30:18] the advocacy and community
[4:30:20] manager for the San Diego
[4:30:21] County Bicycle Coalition.
[4:30:22] Traffic safety is public safety
[4:30:25] but this budget doesn't treat
[4:30:25] it as such.
[4:30:26] While the mayor boasts that
[4:30:27] the MAY revise includes
[4:30:30] the speed management plan,
[4:30:31] the revise also keeps the cuts
[4:30:32] to the multimodal team who
[4:30:32] would do a ton of the work of
[4:30:35] designing traffic calming and
[4:30:36] traffic safety measures.
[4:30:36] Our streets get repaved.
[4:30:37] Without this team the speed
[4:30:40] management plan is not a plan
[4:30:40] but a wish.
[4:30:41] For those of you who have been
[4:30:42] supporting the multimodal team,
[4:30:45] we thank you for your courage.
[4:30:45] For those who still need
[4:30:46] convincing, the Vision Zero
[4:30:47] Coalition has proposed three
[4:30:49] ways to fund this team.
[4:30:50] All have value but we believe
[4:30:51] continuing to fund this team
[4:30:51] through Transnet allows them to
[4:30:55] continue all aspects of their
[4:30:56] work that make our city safer
[4:30:56] and more livable.
[4:30:59] This can be done at no cost to
[4:31:00] allocations currently in
[4:31:00] the budget.
[4:31:01] Thank you for your time and
[4:31:01] thank you Clark Fuentes for
[4:31:03] your work.
[4:31:04] >> Thank you.
[4:31:05] Tanner Moreno If you can please
[4:31:05] unmute.
[4:31:08] Tanner Moreno Hello.
[4:31:13] Please proceed.
[4:31:14] Imagine a place without any
[4:31:14] public art or music.
[4:31:18] A place without shared cultural
[4:31:19] spaces.
[4:31:22] Imagine Balboa Park without any
[4:31:23] museums or orchestra.
[4:31:24] Instead we have a city that
[4:31:28] chooses to invest in
[4:31:28] surveillance cameras.
[4:31:29] Inside the community it serves.
[4:31:33] Does that sound like a vibrant,
[4:31:33] thriving San Diego?
[4:31:34] Is that a city worth visiting?
[4:31:38] A place you want to live.
[4:31:42] The budget cuts for our culture
[4:31:43] by maintaining expensive
[4:31:47] technologies like flock sends a
[4:31:48] clear message about what we
[4:31:48] value.
[4:31:49] And it's not San Diego and it's
[4:31:52] not saying Nagin's.
[4:31:53] But choose to invest in our
[4:31:53] communities.
[4:31:54] Arts programs are not optional.
[4:31:57] They create trust which then
[4:32:01] create safety restored funding
[4:32:02] for arts, culture and systems
[4:32:06] like npr and Foxx that invest
[4:32:07] in the people and culture that
[4:32:08] make San Diego strong.
[4:32:08] >> Thank you.
[4:32:10] Thank you Zack If you can
[4:32:14] please unmute.
[4:32:15] >> Thank you.
[4:32:15] I am calling in to ask that
[4:32:19] the funding for the multimodal
[4:32:19] team as part of
[4:32:20] the transportation part
[4:32:21] department be restored.
[4:32:25] There's a lot of reasons this
[4:32:25] team adds a lot of value to
[4:32:29] the city but my main motivation
[4:32:30] is because I'd like to be able
[4:32:31] to walk and bike without being
[4:32:34] scared in this city and it's
[4:32:34] challenging that It requires me
[4:32:38] to be politically active and to
[4:32:39] get this to happen.
[4:32:39] i feel that enabling safe
[4:32:40] transportation is a core
[4:32:43] responsibility of
[4:32:44] the Transportation Department
[4:32:45] and I am confused about how
[4:32:49] this budget ignores that
[4:32:53] responsibility especially when
[4:32:54] these active transportation
[4:32:55] plans and bicycle master plans
[4:32:55] were created in collaboration
[4:32:58] with the people of San Diego.
[4:32:59] There are places in the world
[4:32:59] where this cap would be
[4:33:03] unfathomable and not even
[4:33:04] referenced in some far flung
[4:33:04] bike utopia.
[4:33:05] This would be illegal to cut in
[4:33:08] our neighbor city of Los
[4:33:09] Angeles.
[4:33:09] We cannot allow Los Angeles to
[4:33:12] serve passengers in this So
[4:33:13] please restore this team and
[4:33:17] help us be L.A..
[4:33:18] Our next speaker is Anthony
[4:33:18] Avalos And then after that
[4:33:22] visit voices is our final
[4:33:23] speaker for tonight.
[4:33:23] Anthony.
[4:33:26] Public safety can't mean
[4:33:27] protecting police budgets while
[4:33:28] cutting the systems that
[4:33:31] actually care for San Diego And
[4:33:32] properly caring for us means
[4:33:32] funding the conditions of
[4:33:36] preventing harm before police
[4:33:36] are called housing stability
[4:33:40] libraries rec centers, youth
[4:33:41] programs, public restrooms.
[4:33:42] Trauma informed services, food
[4:33:45] access, mental health care arts
[4:33:46] and culture and neighborhood
[4:33:47] infrastructure.
[4:33:50] The current budget conversation
[4:33:50] shows us that public pressure
[4:33:51] works.
[4:33:54] Some libraries and rec center
[4:33:55] cuts have been restored but
[4:33:56] partial restoration is not
[4:33:59] transformation.
[4:34:00] We need the Council to stop
[4:34:01] asking working class
[4:34:05] communities to absorb austerity
[4:34:05] while sd pd remains
[4:34:06] structurally protecting
[4:34:09] the mandate is reallocation
[4:34:10] move funding from reactive
[4:34:14] systems of force into community
[4:34:14] based systems of care.
[4:34:15] Every dollar spent expanding
[4:34:19] police surveillance and
[4:34:19] enforcement is a dollar not
[4:34:20] spent.
[4:34:23] Stabilizing families supporting
[4:34:24] young people, preventing trauma
[4:34:28] or repairing neighborhoods If
[4:34:29] the city is serious about it.
[4:34:30] >> Thank you for that
[4:34:30] concluding comment via Voices
[4:34:37] If you can please unmute I am
[4:34:38] My name is which ends up mid
[4:34:39] sector director for people says
[4:34:41] I'm not going to repeat a lot
[4:34:42] of my talking point today about
[4:34:45] what an equity equitable but as
[4:34:46] the communities showed up
[4:34:46] willingly tonight to tell you
[4:34:50] all about name I want to name
[4:34:51] something is that the budget
[4:34:54] process is not equitable at all
[4:34:55] .
[4:34:56] Gear up a year after year after
[4:34:56] year we've seen the community
[4:34:57] come out fight for the little
[4:34:59] things like this.
[4:35:00] It's a joke Stand up as a huge
[4:35:01] success.
[4:35:05] How asking for lots and $1
[4:35:05] million We can only get
[4:35:09] the funding for it and somebody
[4:35:10] ask The battle is hard to fight
[4:35:10] and for the first time that
[4:35:14] we've seen the mayor sitting in
[4:35:14] the chamber for somebody who
[4:35:17] can do 9,595% of the budget
[4:35:18] funding and yet he never held a
[4:35:23] public meeting to hear that to
[4:35:24] sit with all of you until
[4:35:27] tonight I will say does now is
[4:35:28] also the time to consider
[4:35:28] the budget project change?
[4:35:29] How do we make the process that
[4:35:32] will include more public
[4:35:32] involve At the end of day that
[4:35:37] is what democracy look like.
[4:35:38] We can we could pass We do all
[4:35:38] of this thing again.
[4:35:42] The federal government in your
[4:35:43] time has clued in.
[4:35:45] That does conclude public
[4:35:46] comment on today's item.
[4:35:47] Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
[4:35:51] right thank you City Clerk
[4:35:51] Before I turn it over to my
[4:35:52] colleagues a big round of
[4:35:55] applause for Deanna and
[4:35:56] the entire city clerks team who
[4:36:00] handle I don't know 5000
[4:36:01] speakers or something like
[4:36:01] that.
[4:36:04] It just felt like it.
[4:36:05] Thank you, Mayor, for sticking
[4:36:06] around for the entire time And
[4:36:09] your staff the chiefs in
[4:36:10] the front row there and many if
[4:36:14] not all the department heads.
[4:36:14] Thank you for sticking around
[4:36:15] for all the public comment And
[4:36:19] to the public for those who are
[4:36:22] actually still here at 1120 all
[4:36:23] the people that showed up and
[4:36:27] spoke in passionate defense of
[4:36:28] their priorities and those
[4:36:28] participated remotely, we
[4:36:32] certainly appreciate it.
[4:36:33] It makes it worthwhile.
[4:36:34] Does the whole evening meetings
[4:36:37] to gain your input So with that
[4:36:38] this is an informational item
[4:36:42] No motions required and we'll
[4:36:42] turn it over to the chair of
[4:36:43] the Budget Committee council
[4:36:46] member Henry Foster the third
[4:36:51] Thank you Chair and thank you,
[4:36:55] Rolonda, to you and your team
[4:36:56] for their presentation of Mayor
[4:37:00] Thank you for introducing
[4:37:01] the MAY revise in your
[4:37:06] presenting session and for
[4:37:11] staying with us this evening.
[4:37:12] Also would like to thank all of
[4:37:16] the department directors and
[4:37:16] staff that stayed with us as
[4:37:26] well to hear the public comment
[4:37:27] and to keep and try and keep my
[4:37:30] coming keep my comments brief.
[4:37:35] I also just want to say thank
[4:37:36] you to the public for coming
[4:37:40] out.
[4:37:44] It's quite difficult for me to
[4:37:45] receive these comments
[4:37:49] Oftentimes you will hear me
[4:37:53] talk about the tale of two
[4:37:54] cities but I feel in the short
[4:37:54] time that I've been on this
[4:38:02] dais we tend to have the same
[4:38:02] folks as we go through this
[4:38:07] budget cycle come before this
[4:38:08] council with the same message
[4:38:16] and quite honestly I feel as if
[4:38:16] there's a portion of this city
[4:38:22] that truly does feel forgotten
[4:38:22] .
[4:38:23] So thank you for continuing to
[4:38:27] come out and to make sure that
[4:38:28] your voices are part of this
[4:38:31] process.
[4:38:32] And I just want you to know and
[4:38:36] I'm sure my colleagues will
[4:38:37] have some comments but my
[4:38:41] colleagues hear you as well And
[4:38:45] so thank you for continuing to
[4:38:50] stay engaged and to let us know
[4:38:51] what your needs are and what's
[4:38:54] important to you.
[4:39:00] I guess I'll say this Mayor, I
[4:39:00] do want to thank you for
[4:39:04] the work on the budget thus
[4:39:05] far.
[4:39:10] I think you did make some tough
[4:39:11] decisions and I just want to
[4:39:14] thank you specifically for
[4:39:15] supporting the investment
[4:39:16] that's indicated in here for
[4:39:19] youth.
[4:39:20] You did take a hard look at
[4:39:25] the libraries Park and Rec.
[4:39:28] You did prioritize districts
[4:39:29] for eight nine which I am truly
[4:39:34] appreciative of and I just want
[4:39:34] to make sure that I convey that
[4:39:35] to you and your team because it
[4:39:38] has been some challenging
[4:39:42] conversations to get here.
[4:39:47] But as you can see there's
[4:39:47] quite a bit more work to do,
[4:39:52] more conversations to have as
[4:39:55] we look at and approach
[4:39:56] the JUNE 9th date.
[4:40:00] I will be honest and say that
[4:40:01] at the onset of this budget
[4:40:06] cycle I did really want to ask
[4:40:10] the question what happens if we
[4:40:11] do not approve a budget?
[4:40:15] And I can tell you that I have
[4:40:20] my staff working on a lsr to
[4:40:20] the city attorney's office to
[4:40:24] get the full legal analysis as
[4:40:25] to the answer to that question
[4:40:29] by But I must say you know as I
[4:40:30] look at what's in front of us
[4:40:38] today I do feel better in
[4:40:44] regards to achieve what we need
[4:40:45] to achieve on JUNE the 9th But
[4:40:48] I think it does rely heavily on
[4:40:53] as I always say, my good friend
[4:40:53] the ipa as he is as they are
[4:40:58] doing their analysis, their
[4:40:58] work to see how we can
[4:41:02] incorporate I'm going to say
[4:41:03] the last round of budget
[4:41:07] memorandums that have been
[4:41:08] provided so eager to see what
[4:41:12] your analysis is provides and
[4:41:17] what paths are potentially in
[4:41:18] front of us as we continue to
[4:41:29] have our budget conversation.
[4:41:30] >> I do think that we do need
[4:41:37] to take a serious look at our
[4:41:38] priorities and I said this
[4:41:42] early on that at the end of
[4:41:43] the day we are still talking
[4:41:46] about a $6 billion budget which
[4:41:47] for me it's the same
[4:41:51] conversation and it's the same
[4:41:56] conversation about priorities.
[4:41:57] I think that we do need to take
[4:42:01] a hard look at our policing.
[4:42:02] >> Just two more minutes I'll
[4:42:06] be done here shortly And one
[4:42:10] thing that I do want to really
[4:42:15] make sure and and stress to my
[4:42:16] colleagues we really do need to
[4:42:25] look at floc and surveillance.
[4:42:26] Um, I think one thing that we
[4:42:30] have learned over the over
[4:42:31] the years especially recently
[4:42:35] since I've been a part of
[4:42:35] the legislative body is that if
[4:42:39] we invest in community that
[4:42:44] truly is a very, very important
[4:42:45] portion of public safety And I
[4:42:46] think it shows in our
[4:42:50] statistics in I think it speaks
[4:42:55] volumes as we look at
[4:42:59] continuing to be the safest
[4:42:59] largest city.
[4:43:04] So I will leave that there.
[4:43:04] Council PRESIDENT I will
[4:43:08] conclude that there and just
[4:43:09] say I am looking forward to
[4:43:11] continuing these conversations
[4:43:17] as we approach JUNE 9th.
[4:43:22] And just to reiterate to
[4:43:22] everyone because I want to be
[4:43:23] clear arts and culture is
[4:43:29] important to me and you know I
[4:43:30] have the San Diego Black Arts
[4:43:33] and Culture District that is
[4:43:34] fresh and new.
[4:43:35] We are always talking with
[4:43:39] economic development on trying
[4:43:43] to build out that space and it
[4:43:44] is really a critical component
[4:43:45] for District four and
[4:43:48] the sustainability of District
[4:43:49] four.
[4:43:52] So we got some work to do So
[4:43:53] we'll be looking to my
[4:43:54] colleagues to roll our sleeves
[4:43:58] up and to land this plane and
[4:44:02] hopefully improve on the budget
[4:44:03] so that we can meet the needs
[4:44:07] of the residents of the city of
[4:44:07] San Diego.
[4:44:08] So thank you Council PRESIDENT
[4:44:09] And that will conclude my
[4:44:12] comments.
[4:44:12] Right.
[4:44:13] Thank you, Councilmember Foster
[4:44:14] We'll go next to Councilmember
[4:44:14] Ila Rivera.
[4:44:16] All right.
[4:44:17] Thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
[4:44:21] Thank you to all the members of
[4:44:22] the public who provided
[4:44:22] testimony tonight who've been
[4:44:26] engaged in the process.
[4:44:27] Thank you, Charles to you and
[4:44:27] your team.
[4:44:29] Mayor, thank you for being here
[4:44:34] tonight And and and staying
[4:44:34] with us here.
[4:44:39] Council PRESIDENT What I'm
[4:44:40] asking to start with is a
[4:44:43] letter that I was asked to read
[4:44:48] from a number of Muslim led
[4:44:48] organizations including care
[4:44:49] San Diego, the Muslim
[4:44:52] Leadership Council, Muslim
[4:44:53] Student Association at uc San
[4:44:54] Diego, Pillars of the Community
[4:44:57] Partnership for the Advancement
[4:44:58] of New Americans and for
[4:44:58] the People Action.
[4:45:02] I'm going to read those
[4:45:03] comments first before I make my
[4:45:03] own.
[4:45:06] And again these are their words
[4:45:07] and I'm going to read them
[4:45:11] exactly as they were written.
[4:45:12] Statement On behalf of Muslim
[4:45:13] led Organizations This week San
[4:45:16] Diego faced a vicious terrorist
[4:45:17] attack by two teenage white
[4:45:17] supremacists who acted upon
[4:45:20] the hateful anti-Muslim
[4:45:20] rhetoric has become all too
[4:45:21] common across the United
[4:45:21] States.
[4:45:25] The attack against the Islamic
[4:45:26] center of San Diego the largest
[4:45:26] and most visible gathering
[4:45:30] space for Muslims in San Diego
[4:45:31] has left us devastated and in
[4:45:31] shock.
[4:45:32] The entire Muslim community and
[4:45:35] the hundreds of children who
[4:45:36] went to school there and
[4:45:36] witnessed the horrific attacks
[4:45:37] will be dealing with this
[4:45:40] trauma for a long time.
[4:45:41] While it is vital for
[4:45:41] policymakers to hear community
[4:45:45] testimonies and recommendations
[4:45:46] as the city council is holding
[4:45:47] its meeting at one of
[4:45:47] the holiest times in the Muslim
[4:45:50] calendar Because it is a day
[4:45:51] that we spend with our families
[4:45:55] particularly given the events
[4:45:56] that transpired last week, many
[4:45:57] of us will not be able to join
[4:46:00] today as we mourn the loss of
[4:46:01] Ameen Abdullah, Nadir Awad and
[4:46:04] Mansoor because can you excuse
[4:46:05] me as we mourn the loss of
[4:46:05] Ameen Abdullah, Nadir Awad and
[4:46:09] Mansoor Kazia are the three
[4:46:10] humble men who sacrificed their
[4:46:11] lives for the lives of our
[4:46:11] children, teachers and school
[4:46:14] administrators.
[4:46:15] We urge you to not use our
[4:46:16] tragedy as a political prop to
[4:46:16] cut the budgets of much needed
[4:46:19] social programs or funneling
[4:46:20] more money into law enforcement
[4:46:20] agencies.
[4:46:24] Do not use our laws to defund
[4:46:24] community programs and make San
[4:46:25] Diego safer in order to
[4:46:26] increase the budget of a deeply
[4:46:28] flawed police force.
[4:46:29] This tragedy should be used to
[4:46:30] reexamine the way that law
[4:46:33] enforcement keeps us safer not
[4:46:34] reward them for their failures
[4:46:35] not in our name.
[4:46:38] Our community has questions
[4:46:38] about why the police wasted
[4:46:39] time on ineffective
[4:46:40] surveillance technology instead
[4:46:43] of notifying the schools and
[4:46:43] places of worship in
[4:46:44] the surrounding area that we
[4:46:45] were in danger.
[4:46:48] Simple phone calls could have
[4:46:48] prevented the horrific murders
[4:46:49] of a mean mentor and a dear
[4:46:52] flock.
[4:46:53] Technology did not protect us
[4:46:53] and neither did the police.
[4:46:54] Police relied on flawed A.I.
[4:46:57] Technology and ultimately
[4:46:57] failed to locate
[4:46:58] the perpetrators Were it not
[4:47:01] for our heroes, this tragedy
[4:47:02] would have been multiplied.
[4:47:03] Political theatrics and
[4:47:03] crocodile tears will not keep
[4:47:06] us safe.
[4:47:07] We need real efforts to root
[4:47:08] out the belief that some lives
[4:47:09] hold less value than others.
[4:47:11] We demand meaningful changes to
[4:47:12] condemn and prevent the hatred
[4:47:13] that two San Diego residents
[4:47:16] harbored against others in
[4:47:16] the same city Muslims.
[4:47:17] Jews, African-Americans,
[4:47:21] immigrants and other minority
[4:47:21] groups.
[4:47:22] We are city council members and
[4:47:26] all policymaker and elected
[4:47:26] leaders.
[4:47:27] What will actually protect
[4:47:28] protect San Diegans from
[4:47:30] another attack?
[4:47:31] You cannot sit silently while
[4:47:32] Muslims around the world are
[4:47:32] dehumanized.
[4:47:36] You cannot be complacent in
[4:47:36] the mistreatment of Muslims
[4:47:37] here in the United States you
[4:47:38] cannot uplift some targets of
[4:47:40] white extremist rhetoric while
[4:47:41] ignoring others.
[4:47:42] All of our lives must be
[4:47:45] equally valued.
[4:47:46] This tragedy was an attack on
[4:47:47] all San Diego ans but it was
[4:47:50] the Muslim community that will
[4:47:50] have to explain to our
[4:47:51] children.
[4:47:54] My brother Ameen Abu is an
[4:47:54] uncle Nadir are not there to
[4:47:55] greet them when they return to
[4:47:59] school rather than investing
[4:48:00] more money into a failed
[4:48:00] punishment bureaucracy, we urge
[4:48:01] you to support programs that
[4:48:04] invest in youth afterschool
[4:48:05] programs, mental health
[4:48:05] support, early warning systems
[4:48:10] and combat anti-Muslim hate.
[4:48:10] We ask city leadership to
[4:48:11] invest in real solutions and
[4:48:14] avoid the same failed policies
[4:48:15] of the past Signed to care San
[4:48:16] Diego with some leadership
[4:48:19] council a muslim student
[4:48:20] association at uc San Diego
[4:48:20] Pillars of the Community
[4:48:24] Partnership for the Advancement
[4:48:25] Americans for the People Action
[4:48:29] That concludes the remarks that
[4:48:30] I was asked to read.
[4:48:31] I will now add some thoughts of
[4:48:36] my own.
[4:48:41] >> One I just want to recognize
[4:48:41] the mourning that's still
[4:48:44] happening in in the community
[4:48:45] and and why it was important
[4:48:49] for that statement to be read
[4:48:54] especially because of the in
[4:48:54] combat compatibility with
[4:48:55] the scheduling of this meeting
[4:48:59] with the Muslim holiday.
[4:49:00] I know that that's the calendar
[4:49:01] was tight and we had to pivot
[4:49:06] and but they made it even more
[4:49:07] important to read read them
[4:49:12] last week I joined Council
[4:49:12] PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee,
[4:49:13] Councilmember Foster and
[4:49:13] Councilmember Moreno on a
[4:49:16] budget memo that provided real
[4:49:16] possible funding resources and
[4:49:17] cuts we were willing to make in
[4:49:21] order to fund some to fund just
[4:49:21] some of our top priorities such
[4:49:22] as arts and culture, fully
[4:49:25] restoring parks and library
[4:49:26] hours, the Small Business
[4:49:27] Enhancement Program and
[4:49:27] the Office of Challenges
[4:49:30] Success.
[4:49:31] Um I want to recognize some of
[4:49:32] what we heard here today and I
[4:49:35] actually think I was so
[4:49:36] appreciative that the American
[4:49:36] Federation of the Blind had
[4:49:39] folks here tonight.
[4:49:40] I think that provided
[4:49:44] invaluable perspective of of of
[4:49:45] why the investments that we
[4:49:49] make are so important And
[4:49:54] the ask was so simple but so
[4:49:58] important at the same time
[4:49:58] blind San Diegans simply
[4:49:59] wanting to feel safe so that
[4:50:03] they can walk to work
[4:50:08] contribute to society, live
[4:50:12] full and meaningful lives
[4:50:13] Nothing extravagant in that ask
[4:50:17] and just a simple recognition
[4:50:17] for their needs to be met to
[4:50:18] live dignified lives.
[4:50:22] We heard youth searching for
[4:50:23] the city to simply function
[4:50:23] well enough to turn their
[4:50:24] advocacy into the basics of any
[4:50:27] community in this city should
[4:50:28] expect.
[4:50:28] We heard youth asking that we
[4:50:32] demonstrate that we care about
[4:50:33] them enough to prioritize them
[4:50:36] with a relative with extremely
[4:50:36] small amount of funding that is
[4:50:41] dedicated to them Knowing that
[4:50:42] there is someone in this city
[4:50:46] who is looking out for them and
[4:50:47] obviously the arts and culture
[4:50:50] community being out here strong
[4:50:51] and loud once again because
[4:50:52] that is so important to our
[4:51:00] community.
[4:51:01] There are two parts of this.
[4:51:02] There's the work that we can do
[4:51:05] in this budget cycle with
[4:51:06] the resources that we have and
[4:51:06] I will continue to advocate
[4:51:10] what I will to express
[4:51:10] appreciation.
[4:51:11] Mayor to you Department of
[4:51:14] Finance and the aba for being
[4:51:15] willing to be innovative and
[4:51:20] modernize the way we use golf
[4:51:21] revenue With that innovation we
[4:51:24] were able to restore parks and
[4:51:28] rec centers in districts four,
[4:51:29] eight and nine and I think
[4:51:29] we're just scratching
[4:51:32] the surface of what it means
[4:51:33] when we really lean into assets
[4:51:34] that people from around
[4:51:38] the world know San Diego for
[4:51:39] and leverage those to
[4:51:42] the benefits of everyday,
[4:51:43] everyday people from across
[4:51:43] the city.
[4:51:47] I'm glad to see that and I will
[4:51:48] continue to advocate for us to
[4:51:52] reallocate funding away from
[4:51:57] floc and surveillance.
[4:51:57] If there's one lesson that I
[4:52:01] think is important to take from
[4:52:02] the from from the out from
[4:52:06] the events of last week is that
[4:52:07] there's and when it comes to
[4:52:11] safety at least that there's no
[4:52:11] amount of dollars spent on
[4:52:15] enforcement that can equal
[4:52:16] the safety that comes when
[4:52:16] people love each other and are
[4:52:20] willing to sacrifice everything
[4:52:25] to take care of each other a
[4:52:25] unthinkable number of lives,
[4:52:26] especially lives of children
[4:52:30] was saved because three men
[4:52:31] from the community loved their
[4:52:35] community enough to put their
[4:52:36] body on the line And I will not
[4:52:40] pretend like there are not
[4:52:40] emergencies that require
[4:52:47] emergency response but
[4:52:47] the people who do that work
[4:52:48] cannot be everywhere at all
[4:52:52] times and trying to do that is
[4:52:56] a is a recipe for disaster.
[4:52:57] It's an impossible task and
[4:53:01] it's ultimately still cannot
[4:53:02] create the safety that comes
[4:53:03] from people loving each other
[4:53:06] and taking care of each other
[4:53:07] and the investments that young
[4:53:07] people are asking us to make
[4:53:08] investments the arts and
[4:53:11] culture community is asking us
[4:53:12] to make are both aimed at
[4:53:16] creating a San Diego where
[4:53:17] people can express their love
[4:53:17] for each other, where they can
[4:53:21] take care of each other And I
[4:53:21] wholeheartedly believe that
[4:53:22] that will be not just a safer
[4:53:26] city but a safer city that that
[4:53:31] feels better to live in and we
[4:53:31] can be that city.
[4:53:32] I'll have more to say about
[4:53:33] the ways that we should be
[4:53:35] pursuing revenue because we
[4:53:36] should not have to live this
[4:53:40] way where we are considering
[4:53:41] whether or not we can fund safe
[4:53:45] crosswalks for the blind or
[4:53:45] services for the youth or arts
[4:53:50] and culture programing as well
[4:53:51] as a number of other very
[4:53:52] important things that are on
[4:53:54] the chopping block.
[4:53:55] San Diego is too beautiful a
[4:53:56] place with too good of people
[4:54:00] for that to be our year to year
[4:54:00] reality And so I look forward
[4:54:04] to doing that work with you
[4:54:05] council PRESIDENT And the rest
[4:54:05] of our colleagues in our final
[4:54:06] budget action.
[4:54:10] Thank you.
[4:54:10] >> All right.
[4:54:11] Thank you.
[4:54:11] Councilmember Ella Rivera.
[4:54:12] We'll go next to Council
[4:54:14] PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee you
[4:54:15] council PRESIDENT I know most
[4:54:16] of the public has departed but
[4:54:18] even so I want to take
[4:54:19] the moment to thank them many
[4:54:20] of them who showed up early
[4:54:24] today for a rally starting at
[4:54:24] 430 even before the hearing and
[4:54:28] stayed for much of the evening
[4:54:28] .
[4:54:29] I want to thank the mayor and
[4:54:30] staff as well for bringing us
[4:54:33] to this point through the MAY
[4:54:34] revision and to all of you for
[4:54:34] sticking around and hearing
[4:54:37] from the public.
[4:54:38] That means a lot to us and I'm
[4:54:42] sure to them as well.
[4:54:43] I do want to acknowledge that
[4:54:47] this budget is the especially
[4:54:48] difficult budget that the mayor
[4:54:52] and I have shared and that
[4:54:56] the shortfalls we see in
[4:54:57] funding are similar to what my
[4:54:58] colleagues have described there
[4:55:01] everywhere in this budget and
[4:55:01] that is very much tied to how
[4:55:06] the city is underfunded.
[4:55:07] And so I know with public
[4:55:08] comments on that tonight and I
[4:55:11] just don't think we can ignore
[4:55:12] that that is the reality that
[4:55:12] we are in.
[4:55:16] But I will note that I believe
[4:55:17] that this budget as presented
[4:55:17] even with its MAY revision does
[4:55:21] not ultimately achieve
[4:55:22] the balance that I believe
[4:55:26] the council and the public are
[4:55:26] seeking And so I'm looking
[4:55:31] forward to taking the next step
[4:55:32] where this moves from being
[4:55:32] the proposed budget with
[4:55:36] the MAY revision now to
[4:55:37] the Council for its full
[4:55:37] deliberations and the final
[4:55:41] weeks and working with my
[4:55:41] colleagues to do everything we
[4:55:42] can to achieve a budget that we
[4:55:46] can stand by and one that we
[4:55:47] can ultimately approve.
[4:55:48] And I do think we will have
[4:55:51] that opportunity is
[4:55:52] Councilmember Rivera noted
[4:55:53] Several of us put a memo
[4:55:56] together that outlined a number
[4:55:56] of opportunities that we think
[4:56:00] we can still seek to achieve
[4:56:01] the structural changes
[4:56:01] necessary to achieve
[4:56:06] the balance that we are seeking
[4:56:06] And I appreciate them for
[4:56:10] the words that they've shared
[4:56:10] and look forward to the work
[4:56:11] that we do in the 11 or so days
[4:56:11] ahead.
[4:56:15] Well, 13 days ahead.
[4:56:16] Thank you.
[4:56:16] All right.
[4:56:16] Thank you.
[4:56:17] Council PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee.
[4:56:20] We'll go next to council Member
[4:56:20] Whipple.
[4:56:21] Thank you very much.
[4:56:22] Council PRESIDENT Thank you to
[4:56:22] everybody who provided comment
[4:56:25] on the budget this evening.
[4:56:25] Thank you to the mayor and
[4:56:30] the city's leadership team and
[4:56:30] city staff for taking it.
[4:56:31] But members of the public had
[4:56:35] to say tonight very much
[4:56:35] looking forward to the Office
[4:56:36] of the Independent Budget
[4:56:40] Analysts report next Tuesday
[4:56:40] that will compile the budget
[4:56:44] memoranda that was submitted by
[4:56:45] each of the council offices and
[4:56:45] identify areas of shared
[4:56:49] priorities that will help to
[4:56:50] inform our final budget.
[4:56:54] I thought there were very
[4:56:54] compelling comments tonight
[4:56:59] The Case for Restoring Arts and
[4:57:00] culture funding is persuasive
[4:57:00] and I look forward to working
[4:57:04] with my colleagues to continue
[4:57:05] supporting San Diego's valuable
[4:57:08] arts and culture community.
[4:57:09] I don't support cuts to
[4:57:13] homelessness funding but I
[4:57:13] understand the financial
[4:57:14] environment that we're in So I
[4:57:15] am focused on at least
[4:57:18] preserving programs and
[4:57:18] services that provide as many
[4:57:19] people as possible with shelter
[4:57:23] and housing And I share some of
[4:57:24] the other priorities that were
[4:57:25] brought up by a number of
[4:57:27] people tonight.
[4:57:28] The Budget Review committee
[4:57:28] meets next Friday in
[4:57:33] anticipation that as has been
[4:57:34] mentioned the council taking up
[4:57:34] the budget on the night.
[4:57:37] So I look forward to
[4:57:38] the conversations of the days
[4:57:38] ahead.
[4:57:39] >> Thank you.
[4:57:39] All right.
[4:57:40] Thank you.
[4:57:42] COUNCILMAN Whitburn.
[4:57:43] >> We'll go next to
[4:57:44] Councilmember Moreno.
[4:57:45] Thank you And thank you for
[4:57:47] the presentation.
[4:57:48] Thank you to all the staff that
[4:57:49] is still here with us And also
[4:57:52] thank you to the aba.
[4:57:53] Thank you also to the members
[4:57:57] of the community who have
[4:57:57] provided us with their
[4:57:58] viewpoints throughout this
[4:58:01] whole process.
[4:58:02] I know that this process can be
[4:58:03] very time consuming but your
[4:58:06] voice and input matters because
[4:58:07] they're essential to
[4:58:10] understanding how the budget
[4:58:11] and numbers ultimately affect
[4:58:16] our residents quality of life
[4:58:16] to departments that affect
[4:58:17] the quality of life for my
[4:58:21] residents, our libraries and
[4:58:22] parks and rec libraries are
[4:58:25] essential community spaces for
[4:58:26] learning and access to
[4:58:26] knowledge providing residents
[4:58:30] with valuable resources such as
[4:58:31] computers, wi fi hotspots and
[4:58:35] afterschool programing Park and
[4:58:40] rec programs are vital for
[4:58:41] promoting healthier lifestyles
[4:58:44] and most importantly fostering
[4:58:45] community connection through
[4:58:46] recreation and social
[4:58:50] programing especially when it
[4:58:50] doesn't exist at home.
[4:58:51] Together these core city
[4:58:54] services create opportunities
[4:58:55] and provide a solid a safe
[4:58:56] welcoming environment for
[4:59:00] residents in our communities
[4:59:00] for them to succeed.
[4:59:01] I am pleased to see that
[4:59:05] libraries and Parks and Rec
[4:59:05] have regained funding to
[4:59:08] maintain current service levels
[4:59:09] in District eight and that
[4:59:13] other and other an underserved
[4:59:13] communities.
[4:59:14] These services are essential to
[4:59:14] the quality of life for our
[4:59:18] residents and should not be
[4:59:19] treated as optional
[4:59:19] investments.
[4:59:23] What is frustrating is that
[4:59:24] every year we find ourselves
[4:59:28] fighting that same battle over
[4:59:28] cuts to libraries and parks and
[4:59:29] rec.
[4:59:29] Year after year this council
[4:59:33] has had to step in to preserve
[4:59:34] these critical community
[4:59:34] services.
[4:59:38] Yet the following budget cycle
[4:59:39] the same departments are once
[4:59:39] again placed on the chopping
[4:59:43] block.
[4:59:43] This cycle is unsustainable and
[4:59:48] there needs to be a better long
[4:59:48] term approach to protecting
[4:59:49] core neighborhood services.
[4:59:53] Part of this approach is to
[4:59:54] implement the city auditor's
[4:59:57] recommendations that could
[4:59:58] generate additional revenues
[4:59:58] and produce meaningful cost
[5:00:02] savings for the city.
[5:00:03] These recommendations have been
[5:00:04] made even before the severe
[5:00:06] budget constraints we're facing
[5:00:10] today.
[5:00:11] One clear example is
[5:00:12] the implementation of
[5:00:15] recommendations related to
[5:00:16] police overtime which has
[5:00:19] already saved taxpayers
[5:00:19] approximately $6.5 million
[5:00:20] annually.
[5:00:24] If more of these auditor
[5:00:25] recommendations are implemented
[5:00:26] the city could realize millions
[5:00:29] of additional dollars in
[5:00:30] savings.
[5:00:30] i understand these reforms will
[5:00:34] not happen overnight and that
[5:00:35] savings MAY not materialize
[5:00:39] immediately But we must always
[5:00:40] govern as though every single
[5:00:44] dollar matters.
[5:00:45] I am very concerned about
[5:00:45] the continued reduction to
[5:00:49] storm water department because
[5:00:50] my residents understand
[5:00:50] firsthand the consequences of
[5:00:51] underfunding this critical
[5:00:55] infrastructure.
[5:00:55] This budget was presented as
[5:00:56] one that prioritizes public
[5:01:00] safety.
[5:01:00] Yet the failure to adequately
[5:01:01] fund storm water infrastructure
[5:01:05] represents a glaring gap in
[5:01:05] that commitment.
[5:01:10] The floods of JANUARY 2024
[5:01:10] demonstrated exactly why storm
[5:01:11] water infrastructure must be
[5:01:15] treated as a core public safety
[5:01:16] priority.
[5:01:19] The death by a thousand cuts
[5:01:20] approach to the Storm water
[5:01:20] department jeopardizes
[5:01:25] the safety and well-being of
[5:01:25] our residents.
[5:01:29] The National Oceanic and
[5:01:30] Atmospheric Administration has
[5:01:33] said that El Nino appears to be
[5:01:34] taking shape which MAY bring
[5:01:35] heavier than usual rains to
[5:01:39] the area and the cities.
[5:01:40] The city needs to make sure
[5:01:41] we're fully prepared for this
[5:01:44] storm.
[5:01:45] In contrast with all
[5:01:45] the funding that
[5:01:46] the homelessness strategies and
[5:01:49] solution departments received,
[5:01:50] my residents still live with
[5:01:54] the brutal reality of having
[5:01:54] homeless in front of elementary
[5:01:55] schools.
[5:01:55] Over the past few months my
[5:01:59] staff has been in constant
[5:02:00] communication with
[5:02:03] the principal of Perkins k
[5:02:04] through eight school located in
[5:02:07] district and in Barrio Logan.
[5:02:08] In one incident the teachers
[5:02:09] were not able to open the gate
[5:02:13] to access the school because of
[5:02:14] unhoused individuals blockading
[5:02:18] the principals and parents have
[5:02:19] shown me tents, cars, RVs
[5:02:19] surrounding the school creating
[5:02:23] conditions that no child should
[5:02:24] ever have to see or experience.
[5:02:28] Students at Perkins cannot walk
[5:02:29] more than a few feet without
[5:02:33] being exposed to things
[5:02:34] children should never have to
[5:02:38] see human feces, needles,
[5:02:39] condoms, public nudity fights
[5:02:43] People passed out on
[5:02:44] the sidewalk.
[5:02:44] Alcohol consumption and open
[5:02:48] drug use.
[5:02:49] These are the realities for
[5:02:54] children in Barrio Logan and
[5:02:54] they're simply just going to
[5:02:55] school.
[5:02:55] That's why it was a complete
[5:02:59] shock to me when hst also took
[5:03:04] a bit of budget mitigation of
[5:03:04] $222 million reduction in
[5:03:09] security services for safety
[5:03:10] storage operations which would
[5:03:10] impact the commercial street
[5:03:15] safe storage site a few blocks
[5:03:15] away from Perkins.
[5:03:20] The property is also near our
[5:03:20] ladies school which is right
[5:03:21] next to it, which is a
[5:03:25] kindergarten through eighth
[5:03:26] grade school that has served
[5:03:26] this community since 1945.
[5:03:30] The city made a commitment to
[5:03:31] the students and residents of
[5:03:31] Logan Heights when it opened
[5:03:35] the safe storage site in close
[5:03:36] proximity to the school that
[5:03:40] security would be in the area
[5:03:40] 24 seven.
[5:03:41] This commitment must be honored
[5:03:45] especially in a community where
[5:03:46] government has already broken
[5:03:46] so many promises.
[5:03:50] It's unacceptable that the city
[5:03:51] has a homeless strategies and
[5:03:51] Solutions department.
[5:03:55] Yet children in my district
[5:03:55] have to be subjected subject to
[5:03:56] this experience.
[5:04:00] To these experiences every
[5:04:04] single day neighborhoods in
[5:04:04] District eight are often
[5:04:05] overlooked and forgotten.
[5:04:06] District eight residents
[5:04:10] deserve the same level of
[5:04:10] safety, urgency and investment
[5:04:14] as every any other neighborhood
[5:04:15] in San Diego.
[5:04:16] So I would urge the mayor and
[5:04:20] sd to pay attention to
[5:04:21] the needs of my community and
[5:04:21] most important the needs of
[5:04:25] the children who attend Perkins
[5:04:26] and our ladies school.
[5:04:26] The city cannot continue
[5:04:30] allowing families and students
[5:04:31] to attend or live near Perkins
[5:04:37] to have to suffer in this way.
[5:04:37] The MAY revision shows that
[5:04:41] cuts to arts and culture still
[5:04:41] remain.
[5:04:42] I've said this before this
[5:04:43] reduction is not a
[5:04:46] restructuring.
[5:04:46] It is a dismantling.
[5:04:47] Arts is a core function in
[5:04:51] the city of San Diego a
[5:04:52] commitment demonstrated with
[5:04:52] penny for the arts.
[5:04:57] The city has a strong record of
[5:04:58] success in arts and culture.
[5:05:02] The Old Globe and the Hoya
[5:05:03] Playhouse have collectively
[5:05:03] helped bring more than 70
[5:05:07] productions to Broadway.
[5:05:08] So it's frustrating to see
[5:05:09] the city adopt ambitious
[5:05:12] cultural equity plans and
[5:05:13] celebrate the importance of
[5:05:14] arts and culture only to turn,
[5:05:18] dismantle and eliminate
[5:05:19] the very resources needed to
[5:05:19] make these commitments real.
[5:05:23] We cannot say we value equity,
[5:05:24] community investment and
[5:05:24] cultural preservation while
[5:05:28] proposing cuts that will have
[5:05:29] disproportionate impact on
[5:05:30] the communities that have
[5:05:35] historically received
[5:05:35] the least.
[5:05:35] These programs support
[5:05:36] neighborhood festivals, local
[5:05:40] arts organizations, youth
[5:05:41] programing, public performances
[5:05:45] and cultural events that bring
[5:05:46] our communities together.
[5:05:46] >> I'm almost done here.
[5:05:50] It's my last year.
[5:05:51] >> I have a little more to say.
[5:05:55] Creating economic activity jobs
[5:05:56] and spaces where people feel
[5:05:57] seen and represented.
[5:05:57] And the city needs to be honest
[5:06:01] about who will feel the cuts to
[5:06:02] arts and cultural arts and
[5:06:02] culture the hardest.
[5:06:07] The city has to responsibility
[5:06:07] to uphold the commitments and
[5:06:08] plans it established for arts
[5:06:12] and culture before this cutting
[5:06:13] starts.
[5:06:13] And I do not agree that
[5:06:18] the communities of District
[5:06:18] eight or communities across
[5:06:19] the city should bear the burden
[5:06:20] of these cuts.
[5:06:24] While I do acknowledge that
[5:06:24] the MAY revise is a step in
[5:06:25] the right direction, this
[5:06:29] budget is still far from where
[5:06:29] I want the budget to be.
[5:06:33] My residents continue to feel
[5:06:34] the impacts of underfunding in
[5:06:35] departments like stormwater
[5:06:35] arts and culture.
[5:06:40] Yet despite funding allocations
[5:06:40] to departments such as hst,
[5:06:46] many residents still do not see
[5:06:46] meaningful improvement or
[5:06:47] investments reflected in their
[5:06:51] communities.
[5:06:52] And I just want to put for
[5:06:53] the record that I was one of
[5:06:57] the council members that voted
[5:06:57] against the flawed contract and
[5:06:58] I'm happy to put that back on
[5:07:02] the chopping block.
[5:07:07] So as we end I continue I look
[5:07:08] forward to working with my
[5:07:09] colleagues to finalize my last
[5:07:14] budget and this upcoming few
[5:07:14] weeks and to continue my
[5:07:15] commitment to the residents of
[5:07:15] District eight.
[5:07:19] Thank you.
[5:07:20] All right.
[5:07:20] Thank you, COUNCILMAN Moreno.
[5:07:21] We'll go to MR. Monica.
[5:07:25] I think that the risk of having
[5:07:26] us here until midnight just a
[5:07:30] few notes One Obviously my
[5:07:31] office has its work cut out for
[5:07:31] us over the next couple of
[5:07:32] weeks.
[5:07:35] We will do what we can to
[5:07:35] identify any and all resources
[5:07:36] to provide funding for
[5:07:37] the programs that we've heard
[5:07:40] about from the public tonight
[5:07:41] and that this council has
[5:07:42] identified as high priority
[5:07:42] they want to see restored So
[5:07:43] that work is going to happen.
[5:07:47] I also want to note that
[5:07:47] the comments we've heard from
[5:07:48] the public tonight are
[5:07:49] meaningful and it is important
[5:07:51] for me and the council to hear
[5:07:52] them.
[5:07:52] It's also in my opinion
[5:07:53] important that those comments
[5:07:57] and that advocacy does not stay
[5:07:58] directed solely at this
[5:07:58] council.
[5:08:03] I will note that out of
[5:08:04] the several hundred public
[5:08:05] comments carried tonight, there
[5:08:09] was one relatively early on who
[5:08:10] said the city to focus only on
[5:08:11] the fundamentals.
[5:08:14] He identified public safety for
[5:08:14] the infrastructure and cut
[5:08:15] everything else cut parks, cut
[5:08:16] libraries, cut arts.
[5:08:16] He said that welfare is a
[5:08:20] charity and a luxury.
[5:08:20] I personally disagree with that
[5:08:21] very strongly.
[5:08:25] I believe that every
[5:08:25] councilmember up here also
[5:08:26] disagrees with that.
[5:08:30] But while that was one person
[5:08:31] tonight out of several hundred,
[5:08:31] he also represents a much
[5:08:35] larger portion of the city's
[5:08:36] voting population that many
[5:08:36] here would care to admit And
[5:08:41] they as much as or more than
[5:08:41] anyone on this council needs to
[5:08:42] be convinced of the importance
[5:08:43] of funding for these programs
[5:08:47] and ultimately convince to vote
[5:08:48] for funding that would allow
[5:08:48] the city to actually provide
[5:08:49] its funding, provided services
[5:08:53] and provide us programs on a
[5:08:53] sustainable and ongoing basis.
[5:08:58] In the near future though, as
[5:08:59] you noted, Councilmember Foster
[5:08:59] has more work to do.
[5:09:02] We will work with you over
[5:09:03] the next 13 days to get to a
[5:09:03] budget on the ninth.
[5:09:04] All right.
[5:09:04] Thank you, Charles.
[5:09:08] I will go back to Councilmember
[5:09:08] Foster.
[5:09:09] Yes.
[5:09:09] And I know it's late and but I
[5:09:10] just want to make this
[5:09:15] announcement as I was not here
[5:09:15] for the I'm going to say
[5:09:19] the second half of the brc
[5:09:20] meetings, but we do have a
[5:09:21] special budget review committee
[5:09:25] meeting scheduled for MAY 29th
[5:09:26] 2026 at 3 P.M. Where we have a
[5:09:31] few outstanding items that were
[5:09:32] not heard.
[5:09:32] And they consist of some item q
[5:09:37] The personnel department staff
[5:09:38] item or the Commission on
[5:09:38] Police Practices and I have on
[5:09:39] here So bottom as additional
[5:09:44] department review.
[5:09:45] To date, Mayor I have not
[5:09:45] received any requests but I
[5:09:49] will definitely let you know if
[5:09:50] anything comes up.
[5:09:51] I just wanted to make that
[5:09:51] announcement.
[5:09:52] Council PRESIDENT And I will
[5:09:56] turn it over to you to close us
[5:09:56] out.
[5:09:56] All right.
[5:09:57] I think you COUNCILMAN Foster
[5:09:58] and thank you for highlighting
[5:10:01] that unusual Friday afternoon
[5:10:02] meeting.
[5:10:03] We don't to do too many of
[5:10:03] those but when that when
[5:10:07] the time calls you I want to
[5:10:08] make sure that I did the thank
[5:10:09] you was early on because I
[5:10:10] probably forget by the time it
[5:10:12] comes to me to wrap things up.
[5:10:13] But I do appreciate everybody
[5:10:18] that really dug in in terms of
[5:10:19] developing the budget going
[5:10:19] forward This given what we had
[5:10:24] to do last year.
[5:10:25] You know, it's kind of funny
[5:10:25] that one person said I've never
[5:10:26] seen this when we've been in
[5:10:30] financial difficulties 21 to 22
[5:10:31] with a lot of federal dollars
[5:10:32] coming our way was a little bit
[5:10:32] easier.
[5:10:36] Last year was very tough and
[5:10:37] we're we're doing more and I
[5:10:38] know every year that I've been
[5:10:39] a council member there's always
[5:10:42] this talk about
[5:10:43] the disproportionate size of
[5:10:43] the police department If you do
[5:10:44] the simple math or you do these
[5:10:48] dramatic graphic pieces of art
[5:10:54] as we saw earlier of course
[5:10:55] the problem is that the police
[5:10:56] department budget is too big.
[5:10:56] The problem is every other
[5:11:01] department is so grossly
[5:11:02] underfunded that it makes
[5:11:02] the look the police department
[5:11:06] look oversize every department
[5:11:07] that we have in the city is
[5:11:08] underfunded And yet through
[5:11:13] the very hard work of
[5:11:14] the 12,000 employees through
[5:11:14] the generosity of philanthropy,
[5:11:19] through the volunteer, we are
[5:11:19] still a great city and we still
[5:11:20] make it all happen.
[5:11:21] I think that's really
[5:11:25] the testimony of what makes San
[5:11:26] Diego so very, very special.
[5:11:31] On a couple of things that was
[5:11:32] mentioned again as everybody
[5:11:33] said, I'm grateful for every
[5:11:38] that take the time to turn out
[5:11:38] wait very long to even just
[5:11:42] speak for one minute As an
[5:11:42] engineer I'm just excited How
[5:11:43] many times stormwater was
[5:11:44] mentioned tonight?
[5:11:48] I think that's kind of unusual
[5:11:48] .
[5:11:49] For those of you who don't
[5:11:50] remember my JANUARY memo budget
[5:11:50] memo we had one priority
[5:11:54] stormwater Thank you COUNCILMAN
[5:11:55] Moreno for leaning in on that
[5:11:55] as well.
[5:11:56] That's still a very hard
[5:12:00] conversation for us with
[5:12:00] the revenue that we have to
[5:12:01] work with.
[5:12:01] The other thing that I've kind
[5:12:07] of noticed in my district and
[5:12:07] maybe my colleagues have I
[5:12:08] don't think we've given a lot
[5:12:12] enough credit to Misty and
[5:12:13] libraries and Andy and Rec
[5:12:14] Center and then Panda that when
[5:12:18] we talked about cutting hours
[5:12:19] we didn't really explain what
[5:12:19] that meant.
[5:12:20] And I know I had enough
[5:12:24] briefings that those hours are
[5:12:24] very strategic hours.
[5:12:25] They're not arbitrary cuts in
[5:12:29] hours but actually
[5:12:30] understanding how our libraries
[5:12:31] are being used and how our rec
[5:12:32] centers that MAY not soften
[5:12:36] the blow for those people have
[5:12:37] a lot more hours in both those
[5:12:37] cases.
[5:12:41] But those are very strategic.
[5:12:42] I'm going to have a
[5:12:42] conversation with my
[5:12:43] constituents in Ohio that are
[5:12:47] not happy but it's better than
[5:12:47] zero.
[5:12:48] It's not the full 60 but those
[5:12:53] are very strategic hours that
[5:12:54] will be identified for that and
[5:12:59] that is a good segue way to
[5:13:00] the generosity that we have
[5:13:05] across our city right now.
[5:13:06] Fire Station 16 in La Hoya is
[5:13:06] being remodeled through private
[5:13:12] dollars last Friday we opened
[5:13:12] up a new playground for all
[5:13:13] three park through private
[5:13:17] dollars and donated labor to
[5:13:18] actually install it.
[5:13:24] And as we heard lawyer make
[5:13:24] backfilled some hours at
[5:13:25] the library maybe interested in
[5:13:29] backfilling some hours at
[5:13:30] the rec center.
[5:13:30] So I look forward to those
[5:13:31] conversations.
[5:13:35] Arts obviously was the big hot
[5:13:41] topic this today I was at
[5:13:42] the Ohio Playhouse Friday
[5:13:42] night.
[5:13:43] I certainly encourage you to go
[5:13:43] see that play.
[5:13:47] It's pretty amazing.
[5:13:48] My wife was pretty active in
[5:13:53] going to our museums there so
[5:13:54] we certainly enjoy them How
[5:13:54] much we can fund, how we
[5:13:59] position the funding, the cycle
[5:13:59] remains to be seen And also my
[5:14:00] colleagues are digging in.
[5:14:01] I appreciate doing some of
[5:14:05] the hard work.
[5:14:06] i would be remiss if I didn't
[5:14:06] think Councilmember Woodburn
[5:14:10] solving and making the dark
[5:14:11] cloud of a ballot measure go
[5:14:12] away so at least we have
[5:14:16] certainty it will cost us 3.5
[5:14:22] million in reduced revenue for
[5:14:23] f y 27 that will have to
[5:14:24] navigate but it certainly
[5:14:29] allows us to focus on the core
[5:14:29] issues that we heard tonight
[5:14:34] and trying to figure out how to
[5:14:35] adopt a budget going forward.
[5:14:40] So with that again thank you to
[5:14:41] everybody The public that
[5:14:41] leaned in all the city
[5:14:42] departments that have leaned in
[5:14:47] to try to make sense of how we
[5:14:47] deliver city services with less
[5:14:48] than adequate revenue.
[5:14:53] As Charles mentions on a
[5:14:53] frequent basis.
[5:14:54] Thank you to my colleagues for
[5:14:55] making time during that recess
[5:14:58] to hold this meeting to make
[5:14:59] sure that we could hold it in
[5:14:59] light of what we had to cancel
[5:15:05] during last week's tragedy.
[5:15:10] And with that, can you talk for
[5:15:10] two minutes and take us back
[5:15:11] And I'd like because we'll all
[5:15:12] turn into pumpkins now with
[5:15:15] that thank you to 324.
[5:15:16] I know the lights are still on
[5:15:16] there.
[5:15:20] Thank you to the detail for
[5:15:21] keeping us all safe here in
[5:15:22] chambers.
[5:15:22] And with that I will now
[5:15:23] adjourn Council to the next
[5:15:26] regularly scheduled council
[5:15:27] meeting on Monday JUNE 8th,