County residents gathered to learn more about the County’s $9.15 billion recommended budget at an Open House at the County Operations Center Thursday night.
County officials invited the public to come to the event to give them more information, and to let them pose questions and voice their opinions about the recommended budget that was released May 18.
The County also held a virtual Zoom meeting with the same information on Wednesday night, May 27, for people who could not attend Thursday’s open house.
Thursday evening’s open house was held inside and outside the Chambers at the County Operations Center with information for adults and even fun things to see for children.
The open house featured informational posters, tables manned by staff from County departments, a San Diego County Fire truck and ambulance, the County Department of Public Works first Electric Vehicle street sweeper, a County Library outreach van, and even a County Parks and Recreation “discovery table” where children could see and touch animal furs and learn about our local environment.
People learned more about what services the County provides, how the budget was created, where funding comes from, and were shown proposed numbers for budget priorities.
Those priorities included behavioral health, public safety, housing and homelessness, infrastructure, support for vulnerable populations and environmental sustainability.
The County Board of Supervisors is set to officially open the public hearing on the Recommended Budget at 5 p.m. Monday, June 1, and to deliberate and adopt a new budget June 25. To learn how to participate in Board meeting, whether by attending in person or watching online, go to the Clerk of the Board’s website.
The County delivers programs and services that reach nearly all of the county’s 3.3 million residents across the unincorporated areas, the 18 incorporated cities and 18 federally recognized tribes.
In the unincorporated area, County government provides day-to-day services that a city government typically provides, including law enforcement, roads, building permits, animal services, parks and libraries. Some cities also contract with the County for these services.
Regionwide, the County also oversees emergency preparedness, criminal prosecution and detention, food and financial assistance programs, behavioral health services, public health programs, restaurant inspections, elections and beach water monitoring.