Members of the San Diego community have expressed their anger with Mayor Todd Gloria’s 2026-27 budget proposal, which makes cuts to arts, recreation, and libraries. The city’s deadline to adopt a budget is June 9.
Gloria released a first draft of the $6.4 billion budget on April 15. The proposal included cuts to every department except police and fire. Gloria has defended the cuts in the face of the city’s $118 million structural deficit.
“The proposed budget is focused on protecting the core services residents rely on every day — public safety, infrastructure, homelessness response, and housing,” the mayor’s office wrote alongside the budget’s release. “In a year with a significant budget shortfall, every department contributed reductions.”
The budget review committee held several public hearings from May 4 to May 8 to present the budget and give citizens the opportunity to voice their opinions on the draft. Over 250 community members wrote in public comments about the budget, with an overwhelming majority writing against the proposal.
Public comments mostly expressed concerns about the cuts affecting the service and operation of recreation centers and libraries. Gloria’s plan recommends potential cuts by assigning individual facilities a “priority score” based on factors such as the variety of services offered and proximity to similar facilities. The North Clairemont Library is at risk of closing, as well as several recreation locations, including the Nobel Athletic Fields and La Jolla Recreation Center.
“We’re defunding everything that keeps people connected, creative, and well — and spending more to manage what happens when they’re not,” Jonny Stanciu, a San Diego resident wrote, referring to the budget’s increases to police and fire.
Stanciu argued that the city’s proposals to increase revenue have fallen short of projected earnings:
“The city projected $15.5 million from Balboa Park parking. Actual revenue: about $2.2 million. Attendance dropped 34%. Restaurants lost up to 40%. Museums expect a $10 million loss. We extracted revenue from a public space and destroyed the value we were capturing. Parks, libraries, arts programs — these aren’t soft amenities. Libraries alone return $4-$10 per dollar invested. They’re infrastructure for a stable community.”
Many commenters also expressed their disapproval of the police department’s contract with Flock Safety, a surveillance company that produces automatic license plate reader technology and cameras. Some comments also emphasized that the city should prioritize funding for social services.
A written comment from San Diego resident Thomas Interval expressed concern that the budget cuts may lead to the closure of the Neil Good Day Center.
“If you do not adequately fund the day center, or if you close it, those experiencing homelessness will not have access to basic services that you on the Council might take for granted every day,” Interval wrote. “How would you feel if you didn’t have a place to shower, do laundry, rest safely, send and receive mail, or even charge your phone?”
Janet Rogers, co-chair of Safe Walkways, wrote in with concerns about funding for Americans with Disabilities Act projects, some of which are more than a decade old. Rogers said the backlogged projects require more than $70 million and wrote in support of the Accessibility Advisory Board’s request for $18 million per year for the next five years.
“The list [of projects] keeps growing because the city is not complying with its duty based on the Americans with Disabilities Act,” Rogers wrote. “Some projects are part of a transition list and some are the result of complaints from residents, who have their access limited because the city hasn’t funded projects that impact them on a daily basis.”
The mayor released several videos on his office’s Instagram yesterday explaining the budget.
“[The budget] is based on real numbers and sound projections,” Gloria said. “We will work through this process with the City Council as full partners, and by June 9, we will adopt a budget that is balanced, responsible, and on time.”
The City Council is also expected to reassess the draft at its meeting this Tuesday. The budget review committee will continue to discuss proposed modifications to the budget at its June 5 meeting.
