The main branch of the San Diego library system.

Facing a $56.7 million deficit in San Diego’s $1.1 billion operating budget, Mayor Jerry Sanders was forced to make some drastic cuts to services in January of this year. Beyond invoking the panacea of city budget issues, cuts to library hours, Sanders was also forced to implement cuts to recreation centers and install a system of fire engine brownouts, where around eight fire engines would be left unmanned every day.The plan was set to last for the entire year.

Then the magical happened. The San Diego Union-Tribune writes:

With tax revenue improving, council members were able to find an additional $9 million that they’re going to use to prevent any cuts to parks and libraries and end the city’s brownout policy, which calls for the idling of up to eight fire engines daily to save money on overtime. The money was made available by tapping reserve funds, slashing the travel and training budget and funding a new fire alert system over two years instead of one to free up cash, among other moves.

Wait… You mean there are other things that can yield millions of dollars in savings other than cutting the budgets of libraries, recreation centers and idling fire engines? Cynicism aside, the decision to lift the brownouts and cuts to libraries and rec centers was upheld by a vote of 7 to 1 by city council. The reductions in service will be lifted as of July 1st.

Interesting to note is that the San Diego’s tax revenue is apparently improving, which has to be of some relief to California in general.

Whatever the impetus, here’s a pat-on-the-back, San Diego. Good job