That is roughly the median home price in San Rafael. I feel like the city can scrape it together. They shouldn’t have to, it was probably mostly their money in the first place, but still.
The total San Rafael city budget is approximately $190 million, with $40 million being dedicated to public works for 2025-2026 (down from $50 million the year prior). $1.9 million thus constitutes 5% of the allocated budget, and that would be for just one project.
With public revenue down and expenses rising from by tariff-induced inflation, this is how a municipality can go from alright to treading water to underwater in just a few years.
Not to say that San Rafael is a model city of financial strength, but American cities can’t conjure money from thin air, with even the “full taxing authority” of a municipality sometimes proving unable to avoid financial collapse.
