WE BEGIN WITH BREAKING NEWS. AND THAT BREAKING NEWS. SACRAMENTO CITY LEADERS HAVE ADOPTED THE NEXT BUDGET THAT HAPPENED LESS THAN AN HOUR AGO. THE APPROVED SPENDING PLAN ADDRESSES THE $66 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT. THANKS FOR BEING WITH US AT TEN. I’M TY STEELE AND I’M EDDIE LAMBERT. THE CITY HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS BUDGET FOR MONTHS NOW. KCRA 3’S CAROLINA ESTRADA JOINS US LIVE OUTSIDE CITY HALL. SO CAROLINA, WE UNDERSTAND THE VOTE CAME DOWN AFTER ABOUT THREE HOURS OF DISCUSSION. YEAH, THE EDIE TY. AND THAT DELAY WAS DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP TO VOICE THEIR SUPPORT OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE BUDGET. AND AFTER HEARING FROM ALMOST 50 COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A $1.6 BILLION BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR. THAT VOTE PASSED 7 TO 2, WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS KATIE VALENZUELA AND MAY VANG VOTING NO. THIS BUDGET WILL CLOSE THE $66 MILLION DEFICIT WITHOUT LAYING OFF CITY WORKERS. HOWEVER, THERE ARE CUTS TO DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS LIKE FREE PARKING, THE BUDGET INCLUDES REDUCTION STRATEGIES FOR THE SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, ELIMINATING VACANCIES AND STAFF CHANGES. ONE OF THE MAIN CONCERNS WE HEARD TONIGHT BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WAS PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT WE SHOULD NOT OVERLOOK THAT THE PERCEPTION OF SAFETY IS CRITICAL TO THE HEALTH AND TO THE LIFE OF OUR CITY, AND BE A HEALTHY BODY WITHOUT A HEALTHY HEART. IN DOWNTOWN IS THE HEART OF SACRAMENTO, SO IT’S WHAT PROVIDES THE STRENGTH FOR ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES. SO WE NEED PEOPLE TO FEEL SAFE COMING TO THE COMMUNITY. AND AN IMPORTANT THING TO MENTION IS THAT THE PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO RIDE THE SACRAMENTO REGIONAL TRANSIT FOR FREE IS STAYING. THE CITY WILL GIVE $250,000 FOR THE PROGRAM TO STAY AND MAYOR DARRELL STEINBERG SAYS THAT SAC PT AND FOUR AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL GIVE THE REMAINING $750,000 TO KEEP THIS PROGRAM UNTIL THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. LIVE IN SACRAMENTO CAROLYN ES