If the compromise on budget authority that Mayor Jerry Sanders, Council President Scott Peters and Councilman Tony Young tentatively struck last week were adopted, a quick voiceofsandiego.org analysis shows that Sanders would be able to trim up to $48.4 million off the city’s $1.02 billion budget without consulting the council. 
Under the proposal, which the City Council will consider at its March 19 meeting, the mayor would be permitted to cut up to $4 million or 10 percent from a department, whichever is less, without first asking the council. Of the 47 departments that are fueled by the general fund, only five are large enough to have their cuts capped to $4 million under the plan.
The council delayed finalizing a similar ordinance that it preliminarily adopted Feb. 5 requiring any mayoral cut that has a “materially or substantially” impact the services the city provides.