By Dr. John E. Warren,
Publisher, The San Diego
Voice & Viewpoint
As more people are vaccinated both in the city and the state of California, the opening up of businesses and the removal of mask requirements would give the impression that all is well and things are back to normal. This is not necessarily true. There are still long lines for food, there remains a need for rent and utility assistance and there appears to be a disconnect between the dollars available and the people who need them.
This is also the month that those agencies that are not federal have their fiscal years end on June 30, 2021. This means that those agencies will have to spend dollars that have not been used up by June 30th. This is a good time to look for unused dollars for our many unfunded needs.
While the City and the County of San Diego are looking at their budgets for the next fiscal year, now is the time to look at our unfunded needs and to push for dollars to meet those needs.
At the city level, we continue to have a problem with the San Diego Police and their practice of punching people already on the ground, as if that’s okay. We still have not learned from the George Floyd murder. And now we have a City Attorney stretching out the decision on whether or not to charge the victim of a police beating with a felony for fighting back. This is unacceptable. This is a good time to look at the many changes coming with this post-pandemic area and become proactive rather than reactive.
