San Diego's financial outlook projected that general-fund revenues would reach pre-pandemic levels by fiscal year 2023 as tourism, sales activity and the broader economy recovered.
The forecast informed budget planning but was not a guarantee. Hotel taxes, sales taxes and other economically sensitive sources can move quickly when travel, consumer behavior or public-health conditions change.
Returning to an earlier revenue level also did not erase deferred needs or higher costs. The projection gave city leaders a baseline for deciding how cautiously to restore services and make new commitments.