Adopting the annual budget for the municipal corporation that is the City of San Diego is the most important thing the City Council does. It determines how core essential services like police, fire-rescue, trash, water, sewer, parks, and libraries, and all City departments, are funded, and it is an overarching mission statement on the top policy priorities of the Mayor and the Council.

Every April, the Mayor proposes a budget for the fiscal year that begins on July 1. Shortly thereafter, the City Council convenes as the Budget Review Committee and spends a full week poring through the document, eyeballing it department by department. Their review is informed by the work of their Independent Budget Analyst (IBA), whose expert team of smarty-pantses studies the Mayor's proposal, poses questions, and makes recommendations. Around the second week of May, the Mayor revises the proposed budget based on updated economic assumptions for the year ahead. The Council then makes modifications and, in June, adopts a final budget.

On April 21, Mayor Kevin Faulconer officially presented his proposed budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year to the Council. 

This Thursday night, April 30, beginning at 6 p.m., the Council will convene as the Budget Review Committee (chaired by Council President pro Tem Barbara Bry) and hold a public hearing on the budget (here's the agenda). It is an inauguration of sorts, kicking off next week's department-by-department scrutiny:

Starting Monday, May 4, and continuing through Friday, May 8, the Budget Review Committee will meet from 9 a.m. to noon, and again from 2 to 5 p.m. 

Even though members of the public may not attend in person, the committee wants to hear from you! Especially for the April 30 night meeting, but also the May 4-8 day-long meetings, the committee has set up a number for folks to call in and have their say.

If you're unable to call in, you may use an online form to submit comments, which will be provided to the committee members to review. 

You can watch all of these hearings on Channel 24 on cable TV or stream them via CityTV.

Without further ado, here's the schedule for May 4 through 8:

Monday, May 4

Morning:

• IBA review
• Police
• Fire-Rescue
• Homeland Security

Afternoon:

• City Treasurer
• Debt Management
• Risk Management
• Purchasing & Contracting
• Finance
• Citywide program expenditures
• Special promotional programs

Tuesday, May 5

Morning:

• Library
• Parks & Recreation
• Homelessness Strategies
• Cultural Affairs

Afternoon:

• Information Technology
• Human Resources
• Performance & Analytics
• Sustainability
• Planning
• Mobility
• Economic Development
• Real Estate Assets
• Development Services

Note: This year, the Mayor is proposing to create new departments for Homelessness Strategies, Cultural Affairs, and Mobility.

Wednesday, May 6

Morning:

• Public Utilities
• Transportation
• Storm Water
• Environmental Services
• Fleet Operations
• Public Works

Afternoon:

• Capital Improvements Program

Note: This year, the Mayor is proposing to break up the Transportation & Storm Water Department.

Thursday, May 7

Morning:

• San Diego Convention Center Corporation
• San Diego Housing Commission

Afternoon:

• San Diego City Employees Retirement System
• Government Affairs
• Boards & Commissions
• Communications

Friday, May 8

Morning:

• Civil Service Commission
• Ethics Commission
• City Auditor
• City Attorney
• City Clerk

Afternoon:

• To be determined...

After this is week is done, there will be another opportunity to comment on the budget when the City Council reconvenes at 6 p.m. Monday, May 11.

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