Why this matters
Government officials in San Diego County’s southern cities plan to spend millions of dollars next year on police, fire, parks and more.
By Crystal Niebla, inewsource reporter
Cities in southern San Diego County are proposing spending millions of dollars on essential operations and other services, with some faring better than others.
Early budget discussions show that while Chula Vista reaps the benefits of previously approved ballot measures and the completion of a long-awaited bayfront hotel project, National City is considering asking voters to increase taxes to boost revenue.
Imperial Beach is also facing cuts, including a reduction in inspections funding.
From the Documenters
This story came in part from notes taken by Alfredo Sanchez, a San Diego Documenter, at an Imperial Beach City Council meeting this month. The Documenters program trains and pays community members to document what happens at public meetings. Read the note here.
Though San Ysidro once was an unincorporated area, it has been part of the city of San Diego for nearly 70 years. Right now, San Diego faces a more than quarter-billion dollar deficit, with Mayor Todd Gloria proposing cuts across the board in an effort to balance the budget.
City councils will ultimately vote on the budgets. The fiscal year ends June 30.
As these South Bay communities face impacts of climate change and ongoing infrastructure needs, here’s how the area’s governments plan to balance their budgets.
Imperial Beach
Total proposed budget: $48.7 million
General fund: $31 million
The city of Imperial Beach is considering cuts to salaries and inspections, while boosting funds for lifeguards and firefighters for next fiscal year.
Officials have proposed a reduction to salaries in the mayor and city council budget, according to the city’s draft spending plan.
Staff have also recommended cutting the Building & Housing Inspection Department budget from about $680,000 this year to $500,000. Officials say they want to maintain service levels through outsourced contracts rather than expanding staff. The next year, the city plans to increase its budget to about $530,000 — all of which results in a roughly 25% drop over the next two years.
As for budget boosts, Marine Safety would grow by nearly 20% to over $2.2 million for expanded lifeguard services and equipment. The increase would also cover higher personnel costs.
The Fire-Rescue Department would also see a roughly 15% boost of its $3.7 million budget over two years after it responded to nearly 3,000 calls for service in 2024, indicating growing demand, according to the budget.
National City
Proposed general fund budget: $81 million
National City has not yet released a full draft budget, but city records show they’re considering new fees and taxes as they face an $8.2 million deficit this upcoming fiscal year.
That includes increasing taxes on vacant properties, hotels, and utility companies’ usage of the city’s public rights-of-way for their infrastructure, according to a city staff report. The city is also considering bringing a new half-cent sales tax increase proposal to voters.
National City already lands on the higher end of sales tax rates in the county at 8.75%.
The city also faced a $3.4 million deficit last year.
For now, here’s what’s on the chopping block: $1 million in cuts to the Police Department; $400,000 less for the Community Development Department; and a $250,000 drop for the Engineering and Public Works Department.
The most significant boosts would go toward what the city considers non-department expenditures, which would fund transfers to items including paying off bond debt; funds supporting libraries, park maintenance, nutrition, health benefits and infrastructure projects; and more.
Smaller increases for departments would go toward the city’s Fire Department, administrative costs and community services.
Chula Vista
Total proposed budget: $616.9 million
General fund: $306 million
Chula Vista officials plan to send millions of dollars to the city’s police, fire and public works departments. It is the largest city in the South Bay and the second-largest in San Diego County.
Voter-approved sales taxes are paying off: Each ballot measure fund would receive more than $30 million next year from dedicated sales taxes, helping pay for new firefighters and police staff, an expansion of Bayfront Fire Station operations, and infrastructure projects without burdening the general fund.
The police and fire departments would see budget increases compared to last year: $6.8 million and $4.1 million respectively to fund salary increases, employee benefits and overtime. The city would also fund two new police positions and a fully operational Bayfront Fire Station.
Public Works would see a $3.1 million increase — a boost driven by the absorption of the city’s sustainability division and hourly staffing additions for park maintenance. As a result, the city’s Economic Development Department was slashed in half.
The city’s library and parks and recreation departments would receive smaller boosts by $420,000 and $706,000 respectively — largely to cover personnel costs.
More than $150,000 will be added to the City Council’s individual budget to cover salary increases. The department has 14 authorized positions.
The city was able to increase budgets in departments without needing to cut elsewhere largely due to revenue growth. These came from Measure A, passed in 2018 to boost funding for the fire and police departments; Measure P, which was renewed one last time last year for infrastructure projects; property tax increases; and projected hotel taxes from the new Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center, which officially opened last week.
Type of Content
News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.