They Want to Raid the County’s Reserves—and Come for More of Your Money

At our next Board of Supervisors meeting, two of my colleagues are pushing a proposal to dip into the County’s emergency reserves—unlocking nearly $380 million to fund more government spending.

Let me be clear: this is wrong.

These reserves are supposed to protect you and your family during real emergencies—wildfires, natural disasters, economic crises. Instead, some politicians want to raid them to cover up years of overspending and fund pet projects that don’t deliver core services.

This is happening while the County is facing a $138 million budget deficit this year, projected to grow to $321 million within five years.

Rather than cutting wasteful spending, the County added 2,500 new government positions over the last few years and created costly new departments like the “Office of Sustainability and Environmental Justice” and the “Office of Equity and Racial Justice.” These departments don’t pave roads, protect neighborhoods, or lower your cost of living.

Now, instead of reining in spending, they want to spend down our emergency reserves—and worse, they’re already talking about raising taxes to cover their growing budget.

I won’t stand for it.

Government already takes enough of your money. Instead of spending wisely, they’re growing bureaucracy and asking for more.

I oppose dipping into reserves until we get spending under control.

I oppose new tax increases that will cost San Diegans $1 billion more every year.

We need fiscal responsibility—not reckless spending, not tax hikes, and not raiding funds meant for real emergencies.

I’ll keep fighting for taxpayers, for common sense, and for a government that lives within its means.

by San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond | May 4, 2025

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