SF Mayor Lee Says Going Over Fiscal Cliff Means Loss Of Medical Funding
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- With Congress and The White House less than a week away from careening over what has been dubbed the "fiscal cliff," San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee is weighing in on what the plunge may mean locally.
"We're close enough. We ought to get it done. There really are no excuses," said Lee, hoping that a deal is made in time.
He claimed $30 million would be the first local blow. "That's just an immediate hit," he said. "Long-lasting hits are cuts to programs such as AIDS funding. Medical funding is going to be the biggest hit," Lee explained.
Lee said San Francisco anticipates a $129 million deficit next year, but if federal dollars are lost, that number could swell and force the mayor and his budget team to dip into reserve funds.
Mayor Lee Says Going Over Fiscal Cliff Means Loss Of Medical Funding For SF
"I worked really hard with the board to try to create consensus this year and we feel pretty good about that. Gosh, I wish they would try some of that," he said alluding to politicians in Washington.
Lee predicted if there wasn't a fiscal cliff deal by the end of the month, we could expect worse decisions by Washington in the future.
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