Final board meeting

Supervisor Jim Desmond

5th District

Our final Tuesday board meeting of the year was also our longest of the year. It took about 13 hours, but I want to thank everyone for coming down and calling in. Here is a recap of some of the good and bad from the meeting.

The Board of Supervisors approved allocating another $3 million for migrant services. I was the lone "no" vote, as this is no way to run a government. The county has already spent $3 million in local dollars, which ran out in less than three months.

Now, more money will be diverted away from county taxpayers. We have seen over 50,000 migrants enter San Diego County since Sept. 13, and there are no signs of this slowing down. Our immigration system is broken, and San Diegans shouldn't have to sacrifice local services because of this breakdown. This situation is unsustainable for our community, both financially and logistically.

Migrants entering our country need assistance, but it’s the federal government’s responsibility, not the county’s, to fund and provide the necessary resources. The decision to use county funds for non-U.S. citizens and federal immigration issues with no end in sight is a recipe for disaster.

A few weeks ago, I shared a successful story about legislation that we passed addressing individuals who have conquered addiction and are now seeking stable housing. In San Diego County, there are 909 individuals currently engaged in outpatient treatment for addiction recovery but remain homeless. These individuals diligently attend meetings, undergo regular testing, and exert tremendous effort toward their recovery journey.

At our meeting last month, we approved a pilot program for 100 of these individuals to receive housing. I’m thrilled to share that we have now found funding to house all 909 of these individuals for the next two years. This will allow them to continue going through treatment, remain sober, and get their life back on track.

This is a significant step forward, and I remain committed to helping people get the help they need.