Radical budget cuts proposed for the San Diego parks system should considerably damage the appearance of local parks, including invaded weeds, broken swing sets, overflowing trash cans and closed toilets.
The proposed cuts would also eliminate the 184 fire rings on local beaches, would reduce the number of special events in parks in low -income neighborhoods and reduce the hours and activities in the 60 leisure centers in the city.
The $ 18.5 million in proposed expenditure discounts also call toilet closings in Balboa park and less the maintenance of buildings and lawn. It is despite the plans for the park to generate $ 11 million with new parking costs.
San Diego faces a deficit of at least $ 258 million for the budget year which begins on July 1.
The city’s independent budgetary analyst said that the mayor’s last proposed cuts would have a huge impact.
“The overall function, the quality and safety of the recreational experience for park users will probably be affected due to deteriorated lawn conditions, discoveries of longer equipment, overflowing trash cans and proliferation of vegetation,” said IBA in its full analysis of the proposed cuts.
The IBA also said that the cuts would probably worsen the disparities between rich and poor districts.
“These reductions will worsen existing maintenance and repair of arrears which are mainly in the older parks and installations most generally located in concern,” said IBA.
The members of the municipal council also criticize the proposed discounts and the lobbying of mayor Todd Gloria to reverse – or at least partially revise – many of them when he publishes a updated version of his proposed budget this Wednesday.
The members of the council of low -income areas criticize Gloria’s plan to make cuts also across the city. They argue that their neighborhoods count more on public parks than rich areas.
The member of the Sean Elo-Rivera Council said that leisure centers and parks play a crucial role in the life of many of its residents.
“They are not” nice inoues “, they are musts,” said Elo-Rivera, whose district includes City Heights.
The member of the Council Vivian Moreno said that San Diego seemed ready to make the same mistakes he always makes when he reduces his budget.
“Each time we have to reduce the budget, the families of the communities that have the least affected,” said Moreno, whose district includes Barrio Logan and the city bay.
While the members of the Council and the managers of the district criticize practically all the proposed cuts, they focus particularly on the discounts of the leisure centers.
A plan to eliminate 45 positions as Deputy Recreation Director would require all leisure centers to reduce their weekly hours to 34 years. The 45 major leisure centers in the city are now open 60 hours per week, while the small recreation centers of the city are now open 45 hours per week.
But the criticisms say that the cuts would have a broader impact because the assistant directors head for activities and programming in leisure centers and coordinate special events in low -income areas such as parks after nightfall.
“Programs such as VE play outside, Parks After Dark and Agelwell Services, which depend strongly on the directors of the assistant leisure center in community parks and are intended for poorly served populations, will be considerably affected, if not eliminated, due to the proposed staff discounts,” said IBA.
Parks After Dark, which extended to five sites last year, transforms the neighborhood parks on summer evenings with music, films, arts and crafts and other activities.
Andy Field, director of city parks and leisure, said that he had discussions with the non -profit foundation of San Diego Parks on the means of saving parks after the dark and similar programs.
Elo-Rivera asked why the city plan plans to eliminate all the deputy directors relatively little paid in leisure centers while the parks and leisure service continues to extend the intermediate management positions.
Field said intermediary managers are crucial for the city’s parks system.
“If I had to tell you, let’s cut the administrators, let’s cut the supervisors, let’s cut without fence, I will tell you that this department will not be able to work,” said Field.
The IBA offers a concept of “sister centers” where a small number of directors of the assistant leisure center are maintained and supervise two centers located one to the other.
Another proposed cut sticking down many criticisms is the elimination of the 184 fire rings on the local beaches.
Critics say that participating in a night beach joy is a tradition of San Diego and a key element in local culture. And they point out that the elimination of the rings would only save $ 135,000.
But Field said the police service supported the rings so that they can more easily say when there is an illegal fire at the beach. He also said that people often burned toxic articles like mattresses, not just wood.
Larry Webb, president of the municipal council of Mission Beach, said that he supported the elimination of fire rings because they have moved families to revelers in recent years.
“Their main use has become a gathering place for young adults to party and burn everything they can find,” webb said.
Many residents also criticize plans to clean the toilets in parks less often and to close many toilets, including 13 of the 28 permanent toilets with Bay Park Mission and seven of the 14 portable toilets on Fiesta Island.
The other proposed toilet closings include shore parks at La Jolla, downtown Gaslamp and seven of the 14 toilets in Balboa park.
The member of the Council Marni von Wilpert warned that the closures could lead to an epidemic of hepatitis like the one that the county knew between 2016 and 2018 which led to nearly 600 cases and 20 deaths.
“If you don’t have (public) bathrooms, the whole city becomes a bathroom,” she said.
The member of the Stephen Whitburn council raised concerns about plans to start invoicing parking in Balboa park in January to allow smaller discounts in the park budget.
City officials claim that the costs would cost $ 2.50 per hour and include boulevard Park, president of the president and sixth avenue in addition to the large public grounds of the park.
Whitburn said that it seems unfair that Balboa Park should collect $ 11 million for the city and always undergo discounts, including the proposed toilet closings and some changes in future botanical building plans.
“I think it’s a lot to ask Balboa Park users throughout our city that they pay for parking and get less in terms of interview,” said Whitburn.
City officials have said that libraries and parks are generally the target of the city’s budget cuts because they are considered a priority lower than public security and infrastructure.
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