San Diego Releases 26-27 Budget Overview and Major Spending Priorities

San Diego County recently released its current budget, which reflects an approximately 6% increase from the previous fiscal year. The budget provides insight into how public funds are allocated and the types of services, programs, infrastructure, and public safety activities being supported throughout the county.

People will naturally have different perspectives on budget priorities and spending decisions. In general, many discussions around public budgeting focus on balancing several key goals: reducing unnecessary expenses, improving the quality and efficiency of services, and identifying ways to strengthen revenue and economic growth.

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San Diego County FY 2026–27 Budget Overview and Major Spending Priorities

Budget Website

• Total Recommended Budget: approximately $9.1 billion for FY 2026–27, representing about a 6% increase over the FY 2025–26 adopted budget of $8.63 billion.

Major Budget Categories

Budget Category	Budget Amount	Share of Total Budget	Major Functions
Health & Human Services	$3.513 billion	40.8%	Behavioral health, homelessness programs, public health, food assistance, aging services, child welfare
Public Safety	$2.924 billion	33.9%	Sheriff operations, fire protection, detention facilities, probation, emergency response
Finance & General Government	$987.3 million	11.4%	Administration, finance, technology, human resources, elections, legal services
Land Use & Environment	$782.2 million	9.0%	Parks, libraries, environmental protection, planning, road maintenance, public works
Finance Other	$382 million	4.4%	Debt obligations, reserves, contingency funding, intergovernmental transfers

Additional Budget Highlights

• Health and Human Services remains the County’s largest spending area, with more than $3.5 billion dedicated to healthcare access, mental health services, homelessness response, and public assistance programs.
• Public Safety funding of nearly $2.9 billion supports law enforcement, fire services, detention operations, disaster preparedness, and implementation responsibilities related to Proposition 36.
• Land Use & Environment funding includes infrastructure improvements, flood control projects, transportation maintenance, park operations, and library services across the County.
• Finance & General Government expenditures support Countywide administration, fiscal management, technology modernization, elections administration, and workforce support services.
• The County budget supports approximately 20,280 staff years across County departments and programs.
• Budget priorities emphasize:
  • Maintaining core public services
  • Expanding behavioral health care
  • Supporting homelessness programs
  • Addressing infrastructure needs
  • Managing federal and state funding uncertainties

County of San Diego. (2026). Executive summary: Fiscal Year 2026–27 recommended operational plan. County of San Diego. https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/openbudget/op_2026-27/ExecSummary_ENG.pdf