Budget Update: Where We Are and What’s Ahead
Earlier this month, the City Council spent seven hours reviewing the upcoming year’s proposed budget, reflecting a deliberate, transparent process to address rising costs and limited revenues. Despite proactive planning, extensive reductions are required this year, with more challenges ahead.
The proposed budget prioritizes core services while closing the deficit to minimally impact our community. Nearly $10 million in solutions include pension reform, eliminating grant funded and vacant positions, and using $7.6 million in reserves to avoid major cuts to core services, including public safety. Even so, staffing will decrease by 28 positions. If adopted as proposed, citywide staffing levels will be 20% less than peak staffing levels in 2008, despite a 12% increase in our population. These proposed cuts are on top of $15.2 million in cuts last fiscal year, which included eliminating 54 positions.
Without additional revenue, we could need to eliminate about 59 more positions in summer of 2027. This would result in significantly reduced fire, police, recreation, and maintenance services.
We remain focused on careful decision‑making now while preparing for more difficult choices ahead. We want to give you every opportunity to stay informed, and encourage you to learn more and take the Let’s Talk, Santa Rosa survey.
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