Balboa Park Maintenance Costs Should Be Shared Across San Diego County

Mayors call for regional approach to funding upkeep of iconic San Diego landmark

Jan. 28, 2026 at 11:55am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Balboa Park, a renowned public space located in the city of San Diego, has been recognized as a regional asset by mayors across San Diego County. In response, there is a proposal to devise a formula that would require each jurisdiction in the county to contribute financially towards the park's maintenance costs, based on their population as a percentage of the total county population.

Why it matters

Balboa Park is a beloved and heavily utilized destination that draws visitors from across the region. Spreading the financial burden of maintaining the park across the entire county, rather than relying solely on the city of San Diego, could help ensure the park's long-term sustainability and accessibility for all San Diego residents.

The details

The proposed funding model would have each incorporated city and the county's unincorporated areas pay a percentage of the total maintenance costs, based on their share of the overall county population. This would create a more equitable system, as Balboa Park is considered a regional asset that benefits residents throughout San Diego County, not just those living within the city of San Diego.

  • The proposal to share Balboa Park maintenance costs across the county was recently validated by mayors of other cities in San Diego County.

The players

Lou Cumming

A resident of La Jolla who supports the idea of having all San Diego County jurisdictions contribute to Balboa Park's maintenance costs.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Surely a formula can be devised which will result in the dollar amount each jurisdiction will be required to pay to do just that. Said formula will include a jurisdiction's population as a percentage of the total county population with that percentage then dictating their percentage of the total maintenance cost. The county's unincorporated area will be the county's share of the cost. Why would this not work?”

— Lou Cumming, La Jolla Resident (sandiegouniontribune.com)

The takeaway

Sharing the financial responsibility for maintaining Balboa Park across all San Diego County jurisdictions, based on population, could help ensure the long-term viability and accessibility of this iconic regional asset.