San Diego · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in San Diego public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Fiscal Year 2027 budget and rising costs
The city is facing a budget squeeze from rising fuel, construction, and insurance costs while revenues lag. The May Revision hearing on the FY 2027 draft budget was pushed to May 27, delaying the public's chance to weigh in.
Rental assistance family contribution increases
A resident testified that emergency housing voucher holders, including herself, received letters saying their subsidies end November 30, potentially leaving over 1,600 people unhoused.
Trash fee on the property tax roll
The Council adopted the report putting the city's new trash fee on 2026-27 property tax bills. Only three owners protested, far short of the majority needed to block it. The fee varies by container size, with financial assistance covering 50 to 100 percent for qualifying households.
Cannabis business tax collections audit
The FY2025 financial report shows a $414.6 million general fund balance and a clean audit — good news for the city's credit rating and borrowing costs as budget deficits loom.
Gliderport lease and city facility revenue
Long-running dispute over gliderport fees, insurance requirements and access; residents pushed for a recreational waiver and a city park advisory board, citing a supporting letter from the La Jolla Shores Association.
Outside legal counsel spending
The council raised the cap on five outside law firms by $1 million each — over $12 million total for those firms. Councilmember Foster voted no, and a speaker urged an audit of the city attorney's outside-counsel spending.
Labor negotiations with city employee unions
The council met in closed session to set its position on contract talks with six unions representing city workers. Union speakers asked for equity adjustments and fair treatment; residents debated raises amid the budget deficit.
Flatiron West settlement accountability
The city paid $2.5 million to settle a contractor's claim that city delays drove up costs on the West Mission Bay Bridge. Public speakers demanded accountability for the delays and questioned whether anyone at City Hall is ever held responsible.
Litigation settlements costing taxpayers
Residents flagged more than $57 million in settlements approved on the consent agenda, including $40 million tied to water rates and $10 million for the La Jolla Terrace slope damage, arguing the city must prevent the negligence behind them.
$48.3 Million Vehicle Fleet Financing
The city is borrowing to pay for 213 vehicles and equipment already on order. Councilmembers fought over the 7% interest rate ceiling, with critics calling it too high and lacking protections against overpaying.
Golf course lease oversight
An audit found the city collects just $3.7 million in rent from leased golf courses whose operators earn $34 million, with Fairbanks Ranch paying only 5% of revenue. A 41% rent increase at Fairbanks Ranch is now in effect, and councilmembers want more staffing and transparency in real estate asset management.
Trash cart contract and RFID spending
The council extended the Rehrig Pacific trash cart contract by $3 million to fund RFID readers, with two councilmembers voting no over procurement and cost concerns. Residents questioned how the cart program grew from $3 million to $106 million.
November 2026 Ballot Proposals Pipeline
Measure A, the non-primary homes tax, failed in June with 53% against. The council called the November 3 general election, where Councilmembers Foster, Lee, and Campbell face voters.
Independent legal counsel for the City Auditor
The council approved a contract letting the City Auditor hire outside legal counsel, fulfilling Measure A, which 67% of voters passed.
Sole-source extension of OpenGov pavement management contract
The Transportation Department wanted five more years with its pavement software without shopping the market, and the budget analyst called foul. The council sent it back, demanding an RFI and answers about why competitive review was skipped.
HHAP Round 6 homelessness funding
The city accepted nearly $26 million in state homelessness funding, mostly for shelter operations, with councilmembers pressing for input on future rounds.
Wage ordinance enforcement authority (Item S505)
The council moved wage-law enforcement (living wage, prevailing wage, minimum wage) into the City Attorney's office, matching a budget decision to shift the Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement there to save general fund money.
Homelessness funding oversight committee appointments
The revision adds $4.9 million to keep shelters and prevention programs running after state funding expired, but cuts $3.8 million from other homelessness services including safe parking and the Neil Good Day Center.
FY 2027 budget adoption
The council must adopt a balanced budget for next year amid a structural deficit of roughly $15 million and an $8 billion infrastructure backlog. The fight centered on whether to restore library, rec center and arts funding — and whether to pay for it by canceling the Flock surveillance contract.
Housing Commission layoffs and federal funding cuts
A resident testified that emergency housing voucher holders, including herself, received letters saying their subsidies end November 30, potentially leaving over 1,600 people unhoused.
Utility affordability state legislation
The council backed ten state bills aimed at utility affordability and accountability as San Diegans pay the nation's highest electricity rates — about 45 cents per kilowatt-hour — and SDG&E seeks $3.8 billion more starting 2028.
Maintenance assessment district annual reports
Property owners in 64 districts across the city pay extra assessments for landscaping, cleaning, and beautification above city baseline services. The council approved the FY2027 reports keeping those districts funded.
FY2027 Downtown PBID budget
Downtown property owners fund about $15.4 million in extra clean and safe services — trash removal, power washing, safety ambassadors — beyond what the city provides. The council renewed this for another year.
Solid Waste Fee Reduction
Trash fees drop for 2028 and 2029 — the 95-gallon bundle goes to $38.75 then $39.91 a month — under the litigation settlement. The catch: the city will subsidize the gap with up to $22 million from the recycling fund plus $10-11 million from the general fund each year, and weekly recycling and bulky item pickup are deferred.
Short-Term Borrowing for Cash Flow
The city will borrow up to $340 million in short-term notes to cover cash flow gaps next fiscal year — the first such borrowing since 2013 — largely because reserves are drained and the pension payment comes due July 1.
Elimination of arts and culture funding
The Mayor's budget zeroes out roughly $12 million in arts and culture grants, and the May Revision does not restore them. Hundreds of artists, organizations, and union workers testified that this would gut programs serving every district and cost the city tourism revenue.
Mary Brown et al. v. Joe LaCava et al. litigation
The city is defending a lawsuit that names Council President LaCava as a defendant. Commenters urged a settlement, saying the plaintiffs appear likely to prevail and that the city should honor the fee terms voters saw on the ballot.
FY 2027 salary ordinance and executive car allowances
Councilmembers balked at a $475/month car allowance for the mayor's deputy chief of staff while libraries and park programs face cuts. The ordinance was returned to staff to avoid a charter deadline violation, with a fix expected June 16.
Litigation over federal grant funding cuts
The city is part of a lawsuit challenging executive orders blocking federal grant funding. The council received a closed-session update and sought direction on the case.
City Litigation Posture (Closed Session)
The council took up seven litigation matters in closed session, including the trash fee Proposition 218 challenge and storm drain injury cases, and voted to join two class actions that could recover money for the city.
FY 2027 HUD Annual Action Plan
The council approved the city's application for about $47 million in federal HUD grants for affordable housing, homelessness services and neighborhood improvements. Funding is trending down 2-3% while need grows.
FY 2026 Mid-Year Budget Deficit and FY 2027 Shortfall
Mayor Gloria's draft budget closes a $118 million deficit by cutting arts grants entirely, trimming library and rec center hours, eliminating the Office of Child and Youth Success, and cutting 198 general fund positions. Residents packed chambers — over 160 speakers — to demand restoration. The real decisions come at budget hearings in May and adoption June 9.
Mission Bay lease revenue and holdover leases
The city can't confirm it collected all Mission Bay lease revenue for FY 2024 because of an audit moratorium and a payment backlog. 178 leases citywide are in holdover status — some for over a decade — meaning tenants may be paying below-market rent on prime public land. Councilmembers from both parties pressed for a plan and more staffing.
City internal financial controls
The city's annual internal controls report says everything is effective — clean audit opinion, eleventh straight GFOA award. But several residents and councilmembers noted the tension with the audit findings presented just before it.
$7.8 Billion Infrastructure Funding Gap
The city's new five-year capital outlook shows $12.8 billion in infrastructure needs against only $5 billion in funding — a $7.8 billion gap, mostly stormwater. An equity analysis found only 23% of funded projects are in historically underserved neighborhoods.
City KPI performance audit
The city auditor found San Diego barely uses its key performance indicators when making budget decisions — only 1 of 7 council offices and 9 of 27 departments routinely use them. Goals are inconsistently defined as aspirational or realistic, making them hard to compare. Five recommendations were made and management agreed to all.
June 2026 Ballot — Empty Homes Tax Referral
The council voted to ask San Diego voters in June 2026 whether to tax homes left vacant more than 182 days a year — $8,000 rising to $10,000, plus a corporate surcharge. About 5,140 homes could qualify, generating an estimated $9.2M–$21.4M in year one. Supporters say it pushes empty homes back into use during a housing crisis; opponents cite legal risk and enforcement burdens.
Fire-Rescue Overtime Budget Overages
A city audit found Fire-Rescue has exceeded its overtime budget every year since 2019 — $71.6 million total, $31.8 million from the general fund — and is projected to overshoot again this year by $6.8 million. Fixing the budgeting math matters because overages squeeze other city services in tight budget years.
Neighborhood nonprofit grant funding
Council districts 3, 4 and 7 directed $287,000 total to local nonprofits serving seniors, youth, homeless services and more — with demand up because of federal cuts.
City Hall security after protest damage
Council President LaCava said damage from a protest at the Mayor's office will likely force the city to spend money on building security during an already tight budget year.