Latest news with #LibraryFoundationSD
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
San Diego's final budget draws criticism over cuts to Humane Society, libraries
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Organizations hit by cuts in San Diego's final proposed budget for 2026 are warning of consequences for the communities they serve. The mayor says tough choices need to be made to close the city's roughly quarter-of-a-billion-dollar deficit, but some want him to reconsider his final budget plan. 'That's not really fair because it cuts off a lot of activities for kids and free time that parents need from the kids,' said library-goer Daniel Gomez. Library-goers like Daniel Gomez are criticizing Mayor Todd Gloria's plans to reduce hours and programming at San Diego libraries. A more than $8 million funding cut in the city's final budget proposal for next fiscal year is to blame. As early as July, San Diegans could see all 37 locations closed Sundays and Mondays losing access to a range of resources. 'It leaves me to find places to get WiFi for free or a silent place or somewhere to get books so I really do not have an alternative,' Gomez said. Others say having free public services makes a real financial difference for community members. 'One of my friends was being told she's going to have to pay a couple thousand dollars to fix her car and there was all these problems and between online and going to the library she figured out how to do it herself and it cost her like $70 in parts and she did it herself,' said library-goer Robert Lawson-Owens. The CEO of the Library Foundation SD released a statement that reads in part, 'I am disappointed the City of San Diego is unable to find alternatives to across-the-board cuts…I continue to urge city leaders to commit to building sustainable revenue streams that will safeguard the San Diego public library.' The city is restoring some of the San Diego Humane Society's funding after initially planning a $3.5 million cut for animal control. 'We want to make sure our animals and people are safe,' Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of SDHS. Weitzman says they understand the city's situation and want to help. 'We're foregoing an increase that we by law have to do every year and that's to provide a living wage to our employees who are San Diego residents,' Weitzman said. But Weitzman says if the final budget for next fiscal year passes as is, the nonprofit faces a roughly million-dollar funding gap. 'To do the work that we have to do, we have to have the city agree to leave our budget right now where it is with the agreement that we will give back $1 million of the cut that they have asked us for, we cannot go higher than that,' he said. The budget process moves forward as the city council prepares to debate change before a final vote June 10. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mayor Gloria's final draft budget criticized by library advocates, San Diego Humane Society
(Above: Report by Tony Shin on May 14, 2025, regarding Mayor Todd Gloria's final budget proposal) SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria's final budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year received more criticism from some organizations who would be among those impacted by the proposed cuts. Gloria's slew of proposed cuts would impact arts, recreation and community services, among others, all meant to help the city meet its $258 million deficit. RELATED: San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria reveals final budget proposal The preliminary budget draft released in April proposed closing all 37 city libraries on Sundays and Mondays, trimming down a library tutoring program from 18 to 10 locations, and cutting down the operating hours for all recreation centers from 60 hours a week to 40. These reductions remained in the final budget revision issued by Gloria on Tuesday. Library Foundation SD, a nonprofit that supports services and programs throughout all city-owned libraries, issued a statement Thursday in response to Gloria's proposal. 'I am disappointed the City of San Diego is unable to find alternatives to across-the-board cuts that could have prevented the proposed Sunday and Monday closures for the Library's 37 locations,' said Patrick Stewart, CEO of Library Foundation SD, in a statement. 'While this is a difficult budget year for the City, the San Diego Public Library is already experiencing the loss of federal and state funding for critical library programming, and we hoped to see the City support its Libraries rather than cut their hours.' Stewart's statement continued, 'Libraries, in alliance with parks, recreation centers and the arts, are vital to support and strengthen San Diego communities.' San Diego may douse fire ring program in the summer to help balance budget Stewart said he will continue to urge the city to look at other ways to meet its $258 million deficit that would still give San Diegans public access to libraries seven days a week. Gloria also proposed severing the city's animal services contract with the San Diego Humane Society to cut costs. Specifically, it expects to save $3.6 million in non-personnel expenditures associated with the animal services contract, including patrols. 'This funding gap threatens the City's ability to meet its legal obligations around public safety, animal welfare and humane law enforcement,' said Dr. Gary Weitzman, President and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society. 'These are not optional services—they are mandated by the state. Without adequate funding, the City will still be required to provide these services, likely at a significantly higher cost than our current, efficient model.' The Humane Society urged the city council to restore all of its funding in the 2026 fiscal year budget. Gloria previously defended his final budget proposal, saying the cuts are difficult but necessary. 'What you are experiencing in your own family's budget is exactly what the city of San Diego is dealing with — higher gas prices, higher energy prices, higher housing costs — just on a grander scale,' he said. On June 6, the city council will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget. A final vote is scheduled for June 10. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
