SAN DIEGO (May 2, 2017) – Councilmember Alvarez has issued the following statement regarding the Mayor’s Proposed FY18 Budget which the City Council will begin reviewing on May 3, 2017:

“The Mayor’s proposed budget will cut $4 million from the San Diego Police Department’s recruitment and retention programs, zero-out our pension reserve fund, and slash library programs, tree trimming and Arts and Culture funding.”

“These cuts are unnecessary and short-sighted; there is a better way. We should cut the waste in this budget first before we cut core services. For example, by choosing not to schedule an unnecessary special election, we could save $5 million. We could save $6 million by demanding that City departments fill the positions they already have before adding new ones. And we could save up to $60 million by controlling the explosive growth in outside contracts over the last three years.”

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