San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced changes to his proposed budget Tuesday that may reinstate some money for arts, as well as infrastructure and public safety.
Faulconer was be joined by City Council President Myrtle Cole and Councilmember Barbara Bry to announce an updated "One San Diego" budget proposal.
Faulconer wants to prioritize street repair, recreation centers, libraries and public safety, his staff tells NBC 7.
The budget is the largest infrastructure investment in a decade, according to the mayor's office.
“I’m proud of that but we have a lot of work to do,” Faulconer said. “I’m hopeful the Council will agree, as I think most San Diegans do.”
The mayor's first version of the budget proposed a 31-percent cut to arts programs.
As NBC 7 first reported May 8, the mayor's budget proposal prompted unhappy stakeholders to complain to the City Council.
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Members of the arts community took their case to City Hall both outside for a protest demonstration on Civic Center Plaza, and inside the Council chamber.
An estimated $44 million in cuts are needed in the $1.4 billion general fund budget, because of unexpectedly high costs such as pensions and personnel expenses.
So the fiscal knife is targeting arts and culture programs, looking to slice nearly a third of last year's $14 million outlay.
