As federal funding becomes less reliable and costs continue to rise, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today approved a targeted pilot aimed at reducing avoidable maintenance and construction expenses.

The action, introduced by Chair Terra Lawson-Remer, is part of the County’s broader effort to closely examine operations and identify savings where possible before making difficult budget decisions.

“This is one small but practical example of how we’re tightening our belts in response to federal cuts,” said Chair Terra Lawson-Remer. “Before reducing services or asking taxpayers for more, we’re looking carefully at how we operate and where we can save.”

“Chair Lawson-Remer is a leader who understands what it takes to keep our communities safe from wildfire. We value her work to ensure we build and maintain the fire infrastructure needed to protect San Diego County residents,” said San Diego County Fire Unit Chief Tony Mecham

A Focused Pilot to Reduce Avoidable Costs

Construction costs have increased 48% since the pandemic, while equipment and facility upkeep costs have also climbed. Rather than absorb those increases without scrutiny, the County is testing targeted changes in how routine work is delivered.

The pilot focuses on two limited areas:

• Specialized construction oversight: The County will test whether using CAL FIRE’s fire-facility construction expertise on a small capital project can reduce costs and delays compared to standard approaches.
  
  
• Routine maintenance efficiency: Firefighters will be allowed to perform clearly defined, non-technical maintenance tasks — such as replacing light fixtures and basic upkeep — reducing contractor dispatches, administrative overhead, and delays.

Routine maintenance on aging fire facilities costs the County at least $700,000 annually, often because simple fixes require Department of General Services crews to travel hours to remote fire stations with equipment and supplies. While that work is necessary for major repairs, it can be inefficient for minor issues. Allowing firefighters already on site to handle basic, non-technical upkeep cuts travel time, reduces delays, and saves taxpayer dollars — while helping small problems get fixed before they turn into costly repairs.

“This is about doing the basics better,” Lawson-Remer said. “It’s not flashy, but it’s the kind of work taxpayers expect when budgets are under pressure.”

Part of a Broader Fiscal Review

Following the passage of H.R. 1 — the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — which is estimated to reduce San Diego County funding by up to $300 million annually, the Board of Supervisors has taken multiple steps to evaluate savings and protect core services, including:

• Updating the County’s Reserve Policy to allow additional flexibility with one-time dollars to address federal cuts
  
  
• Launching a Sustainable Fiscal Subcommittee to evaluate long-term revenue and cost-containment options
  
  
• Establishing a Transparency and Accountability Subcommittee to review the County’s $2.2 billion in annual outside contracts
  
  
• Securing a first-of-its-kind Partnership to Protect San Diegans with the San Diego Foundation, freeing up $13 million over two years

Together, these efforts reflect the County’s commitment to turning over every rock to find savings and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent as efficiently as possible in the face of ongoing federal budget uncertainty.