SAN DIEGO (May 16, 2017) – Councilmember Alvarez has issued the following statement regarding the Mayor’s May Revise of the proposed Fiscal Year 2018 budget:

Arts: “The revised budget released today partially restores arts funding due to the outpouring of public support citywide for the arts.  However, it still includes cuts to critical arts education programs.  

Police:  “The Council approved the funding of a data driven police officer retention study which is something I had requested over a year ago. Completion of the study will provide the City with hard data that we can use to develop an effective retention program. In the meantime, the meager resources allocated towards the police department in FY18 will do little to curb the ongoing exodus of police officers out of the police department, which has resulted in the lowest staffing numbers in years.”

Special Election: “The Mayor’s continued insistence on cutting City services and instead fund a special election is discouraging. In a difficult budget year like this we need to focus our limited resources on neighborhood services, infrastructure and streets, instead of spending it on an effort to raise taxes.”

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