Measure E’s failure could lead to budget cuts at San Diego libraries

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The city of San Diego’s public libraries may face a 10% budget cut next year after a proposed sales tax increase appears headed for failure.

Director Misty Jones said at a recent Board of Library Commissioners meeting that the figure was an early estimate, but that Measure E’s failure would bring “a pretty drastic situation” to the library system’s $77 million budget.

As of Monday, the measure was failing by fewer than 5,000 votes, according to unofficial election results. About 20,000 ballots still need to be processed.

Measure E asked voters to increase the city’s sales tax by 1% and was projected to bring in as much as $400 million in new revenue during its first year. Mayor Todd Gloria and Councilmember Raul Campillo proposed the measure.

Supporters had said the tax increase would help the city tackle a more than $9 billion plan for infrastructure, maintenance and construction projects over the next five years. But the new tax revenue would have been unrestricted money for the general fund, meaning it could also cover operations and other needs.

The city operates its Central Library downtown and 36 branches. In total, the city faces a $200 million deficit and, without the additional revenue generated by the proposed sales tax increase, will soon “lack the ongoing funds needed to support (the city’s) current operations,” according to a report from the Independent Budget Analyst Office.

“Balancing future budgets would require the City to make more severe and permanent operational cuts, while the City’s infrastructure backlog would continue to grow,” the report said.