San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders is canceling planned cuts to the city’s recreation centers and reducing cuts to library services in his revised budget proposal, the Union-Tribune reported Thursday morning.
The plan, which relies on larger revenue projections and other savings, will keep recreation centers open 40 hours a week and keep one branch library in each City Council district open 36 hours a week. Under Sanders’ plan, remaining library branches will still see their hours cut to 18.5 per week.
But it’s unlikely any cuts to branch library hours will stand. All eight council members have pledged not to cut libraries and rec centers and six of them have released specific budget plans with library and rec center hours restored.
The city is trying to close a $56.7 million budget deficit for next year and end Fire Department brownouts begun in last year’s budget.
Please contact Liam Dillon directly at liam.dillon@voiceofsandiego.org or 619.550.5663 and follow him on Twitter: twitter.com/dillonliam.