Public safety set for big boost in San Diego County’s $8.62 billion budget proposal

County population safety programs are set to receive the biggest increase in the - draft budget Here firefighters battle one in a series of North County fires in File photo courtesy of San Diego County Sheriff s Office San Diego County distributed its recommended budget for - on Thursday proposing a spending increase of million over the previous year despite ongoing funding issues The billion budget proposal would offer the largest increase to community safety departments million while cutting spending for capital programs such as improvements to roads and bridges by about The overall budget increase a boost of about was suggested in the face of slowing tax revenues and rising costs along with uncertainties about the market system and state and federal funding As it stands the budget would cut positions a little less than of the county s -plus employees Specific of the positions currently are vacant About million of the increased General Safety budget could go towards the purchase of a helicopter for expanded firefighting and search-and-rescue missions Other highlights of the plan include an assets of more than million for behavioral physical condition services funding for more than million San Diegans who rely on programs such as CalWORKs Medi-Cal and CalFresh and an increase for inmate care and jail diversion programs Crystal Irving president of the System Employees International Union Local mentioned county leadership necessities to dig into reserves as cuts from the White House and Sacramento loom County workers on the frontlines are calling upon the Board of Supervisors to take action and tap into our rainy day fund our reserves so we can protect and strategically invest in services at this critical moment Irving commented The current year s budget is billion The county declared late last year that it faced a projected million deficit in the coming year San Diego County doesn t have a revenue obstacle it has a spending difficulty Now there s talk of dipping into our County reserves to cover a deficit Why Because establishment has exploded adding jobs and creating bloated departments like the Office of Sustainability and Supervisor Jim Desmond jim desmond April The proposed budget has been met with a chilly response from a Republican member of the board Jim Desmond though the panel is officially nonpartisan The board is split between two Democrats and two Republicans due to the departure of Nora Vargas San Diego County doesn t have a revenue challenge it has a spending issue Desmond wrote in a social media post in advance of the budget proposal s release That divide on the board won t be resolved until the special voting process in July to replace Vargas a Democrat who was re-elected last fall but chose not to take the oath of office in January The county however is set to adopt the budget before the new fiscal year begins July Nearly half of the county s funding comes from the state and federal executive but that money must be used for certain programs The rest comes from property taxes fees for services and other sources Regionally county ruling body provides funding for social services and soundness programs criminal prosecution detention facilities and crisis preparedness food and restaurant inspections beach and bay water monitoring and elections In unincorporated areas the county regime provides things a city leadership would typically offer like law enforcement and fire protection maintaining roads parks and libraries issuing building permits and overseeing animal shelters and protection Residents may weigh in on the budget proposal An in-person open house to discuss the budget is scheduled for p m May at the County Operations Center A virtual open house will take place at p m May Budget hearings before the county Board of Supervisors are set for a m June and p m June The board s budget deliberations and adoption are scheduled for June City News System contributed to this record