SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Ricky Weaver says he joined a gang when he was just 10 years old. But had there been more programming for kids, his future might’ve been different.
Weaver, 61, grew up in Southeast San Diego and was trying to explain the importance of youth centers during a heated city council meeting on Monday.
After several hours of public comment and presentations, council voted unanimously to approve the mayor’s amended proposed 2024 $5.14-billion budget.
“I’ll always be known as a gang member, on paper, that’s how it is,” said Weaver.
Monday’s budget is massive and spends $23 million more than initially proposed back in April when Mayor Todd Gloria presented his budget.
It includes funding for road and streetlight repair. It also has millions for controversial smart streetlight cameras.
Some groups were able to get new funding in the amended budget but others like Pillars of the Community say they walked away empty handed.
“We feel abandoned by the mayor of San Diego,” said Laila Aziz, director of operations with the grassroots Muslim non-profit in Southeast San Diego.
Aziz said the group asked for three million dollars to pay for two drop-in centers to fight crime and violence but “Southeast San Diego was told we don’t matter.”
“Other people were funded so much that they had to give money back and we’re begging for crumbs.”
The mayor’s office said there are always more requests for funding than there are dollars.
Gloria’s office said the mayor has 10 days to sign or veto line items in the amended budget.
If he chooses not to veto anything, Gloria will sign the budget and it will go into effect on July 1st.
