National City’s Money Problems Need More Than Happy Talk

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# **National City’s Budget Illusion: A $12.7 Million Hole Behind the Spin**

## **The Myth of "Extra Cash"**
National City isn’t a wealthy enclave—it’s a **working-class city of 56,000** crammed into just **7 square miles**. Residents aren’t poring over spreadsheets; they’re hustling to pay rent, feed their families, and survive the week. Yet when they peek at next year’s nearly **$90 million budget**, they find a **$12.7 million gap** cleverly framed as "no big deal."

The city points to **$100 million in investments** as proof it’s solvent. But try telling that to a hospital that can’t repurpose **earthquake repair funds** to pay teachers. That money is **locked away**, promised to emergencies that haven’t arrived yet. Calling it "extra cash" is like dipping into a **kid’s college fund** to book a vacation—shortsighted and unsustainable.

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## **The Danger of Rewriting Financial Rules**
When leaders rebrand **basic fiscal responsibility** with terms like *"scarcity mentality,"* they’re not just playing word games—they’re **undermining stability**. Reserves aren’t slush funds for election-year spending. They’re the **difference between fixing a burst water main tonight** and **begging the state for a loan tomorrow**.

Right now, National City has just **$487,598** in its main checking account by mid-2027—barely enough for **two weeks of operations**. Financial experts warn cities need **two full months of backup funds**—about **$15 million**—to handle crises without closing libraries, fire stations, or gutting essential services.

The Cost of Denial

Nobody’s suggesting draining the emergency fund today. The real problem? Acting like there’s no emergency at all.

• Rewriting rules to justify overspending?
• Renaming deficits to sound like a philosophical dilemma?
• Kicking the can down the road until the pothole swallows the car?

These aren’t solutions—they’re delays in disguise. National City deserves leaders who show the real numbers, admit the challenge, and propose real fixes—not soundbite-sized illusions.

Because good intentions don’t fill potholes, staff fire trucks, or pay the bills.

Only honesty and action will.

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