Mayor Todd Gloria announced today a series of operational efficiencies, consolidations and spending reductions that will save millions in taxpayer dollars now and preserve services for residents. This comes as the City of San Diego is confronting a significant budget deficit this upcoming fiscal year. 

Mayor Gloria has for several months carefully reviewed the City’s budget with the Department of Finance and department directors in order to identify reductions and consolidations that could begin generating substantial immediate savings while minimizing service impacts to San Diegans. 

“The measures I am enacting today will significantly cut costs, enhance efficiency and reflect a full implementation of the Strong Mayor form of government,” said Mayor Gloria. “The more than $5 million dollars saved will help preserve services for San Diegans -- keeping officers on patrol and all of our fire stations in service and fully staffed, as well as enabling us to continue our progress in fixing the roads and getting the homeless off the street.” 

Effective immediately, the following operational changes will be implemented:  

Mayor Gloria Assuming the Role and Responsibilities of City Manager 

Pursuant to City Charter (sections 260 and 265), “all executive authority, power, and responsibilities conferred upon the City Manager in Article V, Article VII, and Article IX” shall be transferred to, assumed, and carried out by the Mayor.” Mayor Gloria will retain this role and has eliminated the Chief Operating Officer position. The City’s Executive Team will now report directly to the Mayor. The City extends thanks and appreciation to Eric Dargan for his service as COO.  

Consolidation of the Mayor’s Office, the Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Department of Government Affairs, and Office of Boards and Commissions 

The Office of the Mayor and the Office of the Chief Operating Officer will merge and will include within it the Department of Government Affairs and the Office of Boards and Commissions. 

These actions result in the reduction of five unclassified positions and an annual savings of over $925,000.  

Consolidation of the Sustainability and Mobility Department, Department of Race and Equity, Office of Child and Youth Success, and Department of Cultural Affairs into Various Departments 

• The Sustainability and Mobility Department will transfer their work to the following departments: City Planning, Transportation, General Services, and Engineering and Capital Projects. The important work this Department undertakes will continue under this new operating structure. This action results in the reduction of seven vacant positions and an annual savings of over $914,000.
• The incredible work accomplished by the Department of Race and Equity has laid a strong foundation and engrained an equity lens into the City’s operations. This work will now be transferred to the Department of Human Resources, where the Department’s works and training will continue. This transfer of staff and reduction of two vacant positions will yield an annual savings of over $460,000.
• The Office of Child and Youth Success will move to the Youth and Family Services Division in the Library Department. This action results in the reduction of one vacant unclassified Executive Director position and an annual savings of over $265,000.
• The Department of Cultural Affairs will transfer into a division of the Economic Development Department, where the robust grant activity of Cultural Affairs will synergize with the work already being done in this regard by the Economic Development Department. 

Reductions of Unclassified Management Positions

The Mayor is eliminating an additional 16 vacant unclassified management positions, which were located in various departments. This effort begins the Mayor’s broader strategy to contract the organization where possible and prudent approaching Fiscal Year 2026. This action will yield an annual savings of $2.8 million.  

In total, the operational efficiencies enacted today result in a reduction of 31 positions and will yield an annual savings of $5.3 million.  

“San Diegans should know that your city government is making tough calls now, so we can avoid even harder decisions down the road,” added Mayor Gloria. “As we move forward, I will continue to lead this city with transparency about where we stand, the will to make the tough yet responsible decisions for our future, and most of all, a steadfast commitment to the people of San Diego.”