Sacramento faced a $58 million deficit.  It also faced intense pressure to protect public safety.  So in the end, the city council cut the fire department’s budget by only four percent, police eight percent, and all other departments a full 20 percent.  That left departments like parks and recreation with a lot of work to do.  Spokesman Hindolo Brima says officials prioritized.
 
Brima: “When we have to choose between children and having grass that’s green or brown, we always choose children.” 
 
But to keep the impact to the public as minimal as possible, the city will spend more than two-thirds of its reserves.  That leaves only around $10 million in reserves for next year, when the city will have to cut another $40 million.  So officials warn residents will likely feel the effects of next year’s cuts much more.