According
to the City of San Diego
Office of Independent Analyst Report
#08-14, dated February 20, 2008, "The City of San Diego
is facing a structural budget deficit. Over the past six fiscal
years the City has endured significant budget reductions, employed
the use of one-time solutions,and sharply scaled back new programs
or program enhancements in order to balance the annual budget.
Unless clear, decisive, and long-term solutions are implemented,
municipal services will continue to erode in the future."
Listed
below are just some of the services reductions that have resulted
from budgetary reductions imposed from FY 2003 to FY 2006, according to
IBA
Report #08-14. Also listed are just some of the more recent
reductions outlined in the Mayor's
Report to the City Council of November 24, 2009. In FY 2007
and FY 2008 no service-level impacts were reported in the Annual Budget documents,
despite the reductions in those years.
FY
2009-10 Service Reductions
City Planning and
Community Investment
- Reduction in historic preservation efforts, including historic district
designations and reforms to historic district policies and procedures.
Fire and Rescue
- Reduction of lifeguard services at Torrey Pines and Wind and Sea beaches
during the summer months and elimination of services at Torrey Pines
during the winter months.
- Implementation of "rolling brown-outs" to reduce the number of fire engines
by eight.
General
Services-Street
- Elimination of tree trimming in the public right of way
- Reduction of pruning of tree roots in the public right of way
Libraries
- Elimination of Saturday hours at downtown library
- Reduction in hours at all branch libraries
Park and Recreation
- Elimination of all street median maintenance
- Reduction in maintenance services for all city parks, including Mission
Bay
- Elimination of turf fertilization at all city parks
- Reduction in repairs and maintenance of all city-owned facilities
- Removal of fire rings at Mission Beach
- Winter closure of public restrooms at most Mission Bay beaches
- Reduction in shoreline maintenance at Mission Beach
- Reduction in trail maintenance at Balboa Park
Police
- Elimination of harbor patrol unit
- Reduction in canine operations
- Elimination of mounted enforcement unit at Balboa Park
- Reduction in code compliance services
FY 2003-06 Service
Reductions
Parks
and Recreation
- Reduction
of operating hours at recreation centers
- Reduction
of youth programs, including summer camps, homework programs
and arts and crafts
- Reduction
in maintenance for park facilities, equipment, restrooms
and landscaping
- Reduction
in range patrols, enforcement, educational and interpretive
programs, train maintenance and habitat protection
- Reduced
funding for replacement of worn or broken equipment
- Reduced
funding for redevelopment of baseball fields
- Reduction
in grant-matching funds
- Closure
of certain community pools during winter months
- Closure
of certain after-school sites
Libraries
- Reduction
in extended weekday and Sunday service hours at most branch
libraries
- Elimination
of Sunday service at all but one branch library per district
- Reduction
in Central Library branch hours
- Significant
reduction in funding for replacement of aging and worn materials,
or purchase of new materials
- Negative
impact to customer service as a result of reduction in library
support staff
- Elimination
of funding for replacement of public-use equipment, such
as computers and software
- Suspension
of the Library Ordinance since FY 2005
Community
and Economic Development
- Reduction
funding for educational, employment assistance, and youth and
family counseling services offered at Community Service Centers
- Significant
reduction in funding for the “6 to 6” Extended
School Day Program, reducing participation levels by eliminating
student slots;
- Elimination
of competitive portion of the City’s Social Services
Program
- Closing
of certain Community Service Centers
- Closing
of certain police storefronts
- Reduction
of staff support for grant research and application
- Reduction
in revitalization services such as public infrastructure,
street lighting and public art in older corridors and commercial
districts
Police
Department
- Reduction
in civilian administrative support staff
- Reduction
in non-personnel expense for safety supplies, service contracts,
equipment purchases and training
- Continuation
of civilian vacancies, resulting in limited support for officers
and the need
for officers to perform administrative tasks
- Reduction
of Community Service Officers
Other
Service Reductions
- Reduction
in City Planning staff, reducing support for the General
Plan,
- Community
Planning Program, Multiple Species Conservation Program
- Reduction
in staffing and support for Storm Water Permit compliance
efforts, including
public education and illegal discharge investigation
- Reduction
in facility maintenance staff, and shifting maintenance effort
to non-General
Fund departments
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