Spending plan expands health, safety and infrastructure programs while maintaining reserves
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The budget of $9.16 billion has been adopted by the San Diego County government for fiscal year 2026-27. The budget, despite uncertain state and federal support, has provided funds for behavioral health, public safety, safety-net programs, and infrastructure.
The fiscal year has commenced from July 1st. The budget is $522.5 million more than the last year’s budget of $8.63 billion, which makes the increase by 6.1%, and supports 20,389.25 budgeted positions, which is 109 more than before.
Budget coverage
The San Diego County government delivers services for the 3.3 million residents via 43 departments, having responsibility for much more than the services to the residents of unincorporated areas only.
In the unincorporated areas, the County performs all the services which are done by cities, including the law enforcement, road maintenance, planning and building services, animal services, parks, libraries, and many others. Sometimes, the incorporated cities outsource some of their services to the County.
The County-wide responsibilities are the following: emergency preparedness, prosecution of crime, detention facilities, election services, restaurant inspections, public health, behavioral health services, food and financial assistance programs, beach water monitoring, and others.
The service area includes 18 incorporated cities, as well as rural and unincorporated communities, and 18 Federally Recognized Tribal Governments.
Major parts of the budget are Public safety and Behavioral health services
The adopted budget provides almost $3 billion to the public safety, which is one-third of the total spending of the County, which is $98 million more than before.
The Behavioral Health Services budget is approximately $1.4 billion, which is increased by $156 million, the other part of the health and human services is almost $2.22 billion. For the land use and environmental programs is almost $825.7 million, and capital program is approximately $120 million.
The County identified almost $24 million of the budget to maintain the critical safety net services due to the change of federal and state funding affecting those programs used by the low income and vulnerable residents.
Staffing increase is focused on the consumer protection, implementation of Proposition 36, and changes related to federal H.R. 1. On the other hand, the County decreased 114 positions due to unfilled vacancies, consolidation, and attrition without layoffs.
Increasing budget year over year
The budget has grown because of the increasing population needs, labor costs, health programs, and public-safety responsibilities.
The adopted fiscal year 2025-26 budget was about $8.63 billion and included 20,280.25 staff years, which were approximately $104 million more than the 2024-25 plan.
The fiscal year 2024-25 adopted budget was almost $8.53 billion. The County’s total spending plan has grown by more than $600 million in two budget cycles.
Despite the increasing numbers, the County officials stress the importance of the structurally balanced budget, strong reserves, and sound financial planning to protect against the changes in economy or any possible decrease of the outside funding.
Several months of the public budget review
The development of the 2026-27 budget included many public hearings during several months. The formal public budget discussions have started in early 2026, the recommended budget has been released on May 18th. The virtual community meeting has happened on May 27th, then there were open house on May 28th, and public budget hearing on June 1st.
The public comments, either written or online, were received until June 11th. The revised recommended budget has been released on June 12th, and the Board of Supervisors made the final budget decisions, adopting the budget on June 25th.
The budget preparation process has included surveys, community meetings, as well as virtual and in-person meetings where people could express their spending priorities.
Preparing for the financial uncertainty
The larger budget comes into time when the counties in California face the uncertainty regarding the federal and state funding for the health, nutrition, and other safety-net programs. San Diego County has decided to maintain reserves and not to establish any new obligations which would become difficult to afford due to the decreasing outside revenue.
Meanwhile, the 2026-27 budget continues investing in the behavioral health, public health, fire protection, law enforcement, roads, parks, and other community facilities.
The complete fiscal year 2026-27 adopted budget with revenue and expenditure data and department budget details are presented on the County of San Diego Open Budget website.
