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First, some good news. We owe a debt of gratitude to the Governor for listening to those of us who have been calling for immediate financial assistance to independent contractors who have been trapped in the quagmire of AB5 during these difficult times.
To the Governor’s credit, he issued an executive order yesterday to make the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance available to independent contractors without forcing them to file a claim of misclassification against an employer.
While this does not solve the long-term problems with AB5’s failure to acknowledge economic reality, it does the important work of providing workers the relief they need right now.
You can find more information about the Governor’s new worker initiatives HERE and general information HERE.
Now, some not so good news. Out of San Diego’s $1.5 billion general fund budget for FY2021, the Mayor is projecting a combined $250 million revenue shortfall for the fiscal year ending June 30 and the next fiscal year.
As chair of the City Council’s Budget Review Committee, I will be holding public hearings beginning April 30 designed to give residents and businesses input into the very difficult decisions the Council must make to address these historic challenges.
We will have time to get into more detail as those hearings approach, but I want to lay out some general budget principles that should guide the Council’s deliberations:
- Every crisis presents an opportunity to re-think the way we provide services and facilities for our constituents.
- I will ask every department to re-think the way they operate and provide options for more efficient and effective ways to serve the public. I encourage you to think creatively and speak boldly.
- Just as the City Council must hold every department accountable for its performance, so too must the Council be held accountable for protecting taxpayers and providing clear direction and priorities for City departments.
- I will demand a transparent budget process that is accessible and understandable for residents whether or not you have Internet access.
- The budget must be, first and foremost, based on responding to the community’s needs, not on maintaining the City bureaucracy. It’s disappointing to me that most of the proposed budget reductions are in neighborhood services, while bloated management is mostly untouched.
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