As the City of San Diego begins to develop the annual budget for the next fiscal year, Mayor Todd Gloria is asking San Diegans to provide feedback that will help determine which programs and services are prioritized and which are reduced. 

Today the City launched a digital Resident Budget Survey to gather input from San Diegans that the Gloria Administration will use to make tough budget decisions for fiscal year 2027 (FY27), which begins on July 1.  

“We have already closed hundreds of millions of dollars of a longstanding structural deficit, but we are not done. The next budget will require even tougher choices, and I want to be clear with residents: we will not be able to do everything we might like to do,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “Because of that, we need to hear clearly from the people who live here. I’m asking San Diegans to take a few minutes to tell us what matters most to them, and what they’re willing to forgo, as we build next year’s budget.” 

Residents who live within San Diego city limits are invited to take the five-minute survey at sandiego.gov/BudgetSurvey. Residents are also welcome to access public computers at any San Diego Public Library location. Signs will be posted in City libraries and recreation centers with a QR code linking to the online survey. 

Facing a projected deficit of approximately $120 million for fiscal year 2027, the City is looking to draft a budget that takes resident priorities into account while also closing the deficit that is driven by slowing revenue growth, rising labor and operational costs, and ongoing service demands for a growing city. Balancing the City’s budget each year is required by law.  

The survey’s launch this week comes well ahead of the City Charter deadline of April 15 to release a draft budget for the next fiscal year, allowing ample time for resident feedback to be considered during budget discussions. 

In addition to asking what residents’ top priorities are, the survey also allows respondents to express their priorities and if the City should generate more revenue to protect services.  

The Resident Budget Survey, in English and Spanish, will be available until the beginning of May 2026. In addition to this survey, there are many ways San Diegans can get involved in the budget development process. Residents are encouraged to attend City Council budget meetings and to provide public comment, either by attending in person at the City Administration Building in Downtown San Diego or via Zoom. The next City Council session to discuss the budget will be Tuesday, March 10, at 6 p.m.  

To learn more about San Diego’s budget development process, check out the FY27 timeline on Inside San Diego.