[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6571678,"mediaKeyId","3136711-088c38bf739ce987d712ca970782c9a5","parentId",3136711,"title","Council appoints two planning commissioners and approves consent calendar","audioSeconds",138,"startMs",2944000,"endMs",3082000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3136711-088c38bf739ce987d712ca970782c9a5&start=2944&end=3082","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3136711-088c38bf739ce987d712ca970782c9a5/thumbnail_2944000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6571678/Bakersfield/Kern-County/California/Council-appoints-two-planning-commissioners-and-approves-consent-calendar","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571678-7cdfbb68b235b0837e71ee7889770ea7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771016476&Signature=JyQ0ve9AJFsi85j2xpndPd7LgA5O~H~Hdc4rYaaWQ0gz708q86zfIdTLChFnjRAxtAWe75IzdCK3YtCEqZQ1Azxegl6~JaZonLkfovMkZ0Us6Eri6BaG~K1e9RgkGYtyRrA8iMIj9zd-HF8Z8NIaM1A9N4tM-EGi8UwGeZKngFtG3bBqmlxhl3isa7koLTH0nwK7i2X-VSmbGo2i98vPc~owcroyRIyemEP5uKC0jzx14NX-33uU8ugjRMUedIH1PYl6DXN974uytx0c6ilRMZ4sHCDiavsssQdiy9ie3l3ZkeEiTP29RhZW6CneIocn2KVtXDEd2pPpIilx2wWu6w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-27T21:50:01.167Z","article","The Bakersfield City Council unanimously approved two appointments to the Planning Commission and adopted the consent calendar at its April 23 meeting.

Council member Weir nominated Cassie Biddle for the Ward 3 vacancy and Council member Coleman nominated Lisonbee Brandt Oliver for Ward 5. Vice Mayor Manpreet Kaur Coeur made a motion to approve the appointments; the motion passed by unanimous voice vote.

The council also approved the consent calendar, items 7(a) through 7(i), by motion of the vice mayor and unanimous voice vote. No items were pulled for separate consideration.

These actions were routine and passed without recorded opposition.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council - April 23rd, 2025 5:15PM Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The council unanimously approved two planning‑commission appointments for Wards 3 and 5 and adopted the consent calendar without separations. Votes were unanimous by voice vote.","taxTitle","Bakersfield, Kern County, California","taxId",4687,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6571683,"Bakersfield projects $6.5 million sales‑tax adjustment, freezes 18 vacant positions to balance midyear budget",2343,4317000,6660000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3136711-088c38bf739ce987d712ca970782c9a5&start=4317&end=6660","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3136711-088c38bf739ce987d712ca970782c9a5/thumbnail_4317000.jpg","/articles/6571683/Bakersfield/Kern-County/California/Bakersfield-projects-65-million-salestax-adjustment-freezes-18-vacant-positions-to-balance-midyear-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571683-0b9bbbf552ea8c714e56fabbb556ed29/orig.mp4?Expires=1771016476&Signature=O4KLYnu4PLXB3IjNL8eYDXh5gW5ZbiHDkSh39eiEuXnafQ-RXlpwftC4v1vdbVJGg89tibAOyhGB0DcW7LUeC3fnP1M4wp85YjM0w4sWINmAAvTxOLG-k-s5hhxR8jXO1nH9hofG4oSxRYGItsje2suCHh7dDE~CD48fK44CXqhF--Mu8imeIUizeuVkwrrIJKgDb0pXns3WGgYNCaHk9npHjWLKH7Cc6Bq06Q4DLuTmRmvfhBgegUB4VzK-CG7Po4V676CDjn3MvWycstR74m3za37HmyngLqaVCFFoPzKdKw-hZ3-Ifq-pQ5P2PIurcmC5wQPrOfW6kRO-UHv1Xg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff told the Bakersfield City Council on April 23 that a sales‑tax remittance issue requires an estimated $6.5 million downward adjustment to the city's current fiscal baseline and presented a set of midyear budget actions to preserve fiscal balance.

City Manager Christian Clegg said sales‑tax remittance errors — where some tax receipts were identified as county, not city, revenues — reduced the current‑year revenue projection by about $6.5 million and require budget adjustments. Finance Director Randy McKegan said the Public Safety Vital Services (PSVS) revenue baseline will be reset to approximately $97 million for planning purposes.

To offset the reduction, staff proposed a package of measures: delaying or deferring several capital projects (including one Caltrans partnership project), recapturing roughly $700,000 from unspent park design and other items, and freezing 18 vacant positions through June. Clegg said discretionary programs funded through PSVS that have not shown outcomes may face significant reductions in the coming budget cycle.

McKegan summarized the revenue picture and recommended conservative estimates for the coming fiscal year: holding Bradley‑Burns sales tax and PSVS receipts largely flat while recognizing that transient occupancy tax (hotel tax) has returned to higher levels and will provide some general‑fund support. He also said the city will increase transfers into the general fund from TOT and PSVS in the recommended budget proposals to bridge gaps while staff pursues longer‑term adjustments.

Council members asked for more detail on which positions were frozen and how grant match reductions would affect capital projects. Clegg said the frozen positions are vacant roles and do not include sworn police or firefighter vacancies; more than half are street‑level operational positions, with some supervisory and internal support posts. He said the city still retains more than $2 million in a grant‑match fund and will reexamine the capital improvement program to prioritize projects.

Council member Gonzales urged staff to pursue multi‑year revenue projections and to develop plans to increase locally generated revenues, including transient‑occupancy tax and other economic development strategies. Council member Beshear Tash objected to using PSVS resources to shore up general‑fund operations and urged the council to tighten spending instead.

The council voted unanimously to receive and file the midyear budget review as staff develops the recommended budget and returns to council during the budget workshops.","City staff told council the city must reduce the general fund baseline by roughly $6.5 million due to sales‑tax remittance corrections, proposed capturing savings by delaying projects, freezing 18 vacant positions through June and recapturing grant match funds; the council voted to receive and file the midyear report.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6571688,"City council approves Bakersfield——consolidated plan 2025—6 to guide HUD funds",792,3153000,3945000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3136711-088c38bf739ce987d712ca970782c9a5&start=3153&end=3945","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3136711-088c38bf739ce987d712ca970782c9a5/thumbnail_3153000.jpg","/articles/6571688/Bakersfield/Kern-County/California/City-council-approves-Bakersfieldconsolidated-plan-20256-to-guide-HUD-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571688-6fac0b0bdb0ba89e7bb1aade645806ae/orig.mp4?Expires=1771016476&Signature=gUN9wGgEZZr8CkR5rtWJtReeULAMakE8rgpYiv8JSIJcvC3L9KrsyQCVIkTsYMm7GZ6pPKzzC9ymu7GT6C9XOCfsD12CLmIr~EIJ~NrVl6whZQP4CX7q2Z-4kDfFOAJZu-24iEdvxaxLUwzwwY5odczFpHbs2c1~imLRUlEQNL88DAf5mPmWCU66ClMuHvCTYyRcNfVwlBUUI0fqu4CI65dTNvWpbpNPvtb6uwwvQfiauVVSkbbQhWm9zf5epTvuUKJQ91lIRDRqfcupC2gmmZxaEpC0mg1PyG9eMGRfckz16RXICIxZ~L-HnFcE8MoHFBPEbhu1hkgvTJZ848tIWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bakersfield City Council unanimously approved the 2025–2030 Consolidated Plan, the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice and the 2025–26 Annual Action Plan during its April 23 meeting.

Jason Kader, the city's economic and community development manager, and consultant Diana Elrod presented the plan as the statutory five‑year framework for how the city would use federal HUD entitlement funds, including Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships, the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and HOPWA.

Elrod summarized findings: the number of lower‑income households has risen since 2020, homelessness increased 37% since 2018 and fair‑housing complaints were most commonly based on disability, race or ethnicity. She told the council the plan includes goals on affordable housing, homelessness (with behavioral‑health supports) and economic development.

Elrod told the council anticipated resources across the five years totalled on the order of $34 million, but she emphasized that final dollar amounts will be adjusted after HUD issues the city\u0000\u0000allocation. “The proposed Strategic Plan Goals ... and the Annual Action Plan, which is money that will be coming beginning July first of this year,” she said, while noting figures in the action plan are estimates pending HUD allocations.

Council member Gonzales moved to approve the Consolidated Plan, Analysis of Impediments and Citizen Participation Plan amendments and the 2025–26 action plan. A voice vote was unanimous.

City staff said outreach for the plan included public workshops, focus groups, one‑on‑one stakeholder meetings and bilingual surveys, and that community themes were consistent across engagement: affordable housing, homelessness and economic opportunity.

The plan adds language to the citizen participation plan to account for Section 108 loans should they be used with the CDBG program, and reaffirms priorities to expand homeownership opportunities and homelessness services with behavioral‑health linkage. Staff will adjust the specific program allocations in the annual action plan once HUD provides the city\u0000\u0000allocation and will return any necessary amendments.","Council unanimously adopted the five-year Consolidated Plan and related documents that guide HUD CDBG, HOME, ESG and HOPWA spending, and approved the 2025–26 annual action plan; staff noted allocations will be adjusted when HUD issues final amounts.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6571693,"Bakersfield pauses Prop 218 notice after flood of public concern over proposed sewer hike",2085,964000,3049000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3136711-088c38bf739ce987d712ca970782c9a5&start=964&end=3049","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3136711-088c38bf739ce987d712ca970782c9a5/thumbnail_964000.jpg","/articles/6571693/Bakersfield/Kern-County/California/Bakersfield-pauses-Prop-218-notice-after-flood-of-public-concern-over-proposed-sewer-hike","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571693-8d4dc09dce083de0233549c07e2fe622/orig.mp4?Expires=1771016476&Signature=fc4nxFzw71ErSvfSQAb-a~6E0pdVq6QXcBL6U~eJngHjEuYZWXXF121gL530tUr8gC2avqFsh3R15tBn7nvUsw2e-LoK-re8Xlps~KD4S132~S20rS7qT~T0rjElQzyW7ZjMcZD-uxaILy8~kYPC1h~NvV5HUMyJPdyKEL6uRHxPe4LIsmn8F5CB~M5g9m3yNKgckoOF81ShTq-AeAzOQ7C~098XrFg7SjbNyVlF~vGJcfaSrcGauvDrCf~~BB9m0oPloNb41Jd5s-Y3izWFntrSvuAvBvdjxlphixvYxaBXb5N3LYJG2A~00dvdaJBlZqeG6-lSXTaofQgmxUzlDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Manager Christian Clegg told the Bakersfield City Council on April 23 that staff will recommend rescinding the Proposition 218 notice proposing sewer-rate changes and return with a revised notice after more community outreach.

Clegg said, “staff will be recommending that we rescind the proposition 2 18 notice at this time. We'll bring back this, we will bring back to this council a revised proposition 2 18 notice after further outreach with the community.”

The announcement followed more than a dozen public comments concentrated on the proposed rate increase. Speakers described the proposal as too large and urged the city to explore alternatives, tiered rates or additional funding sources. Jacqueline Aguilar, speaking for the Young Democratic Leaders of Kern County, said a “300% increase in sewer rates from $239 to $950 a year isn't just a financial adjustment for working families, for young people trying to stay in the city, for seniors on fixed incomes. This is a crisis.”

Other speakers raised specific concerns. Rafael Lopez and Robert Hooks said seniors and renters would be hit hardest; Roman Matera and JC Yamas criticized the city's communication and asked for greater transparency; Johnny Olaguez suggested technology options such as anaerobic digesters to offset costs; Eric Oriana, who serves on a state advisory group for water funding, urged the city to pursue low‑interest loans from the State Revolving Fund and other funding alternatives.

Vice Mayor Manpreet Kaur Coeur thanked the city manager and said the council was “pausing and reevaluating the proposed rate and increase” to give the public and council more time to discuss options. Council members from across the dais emphasized the need for better outreach and data in advance of any final action.

City officials repeatedly framed the problem as aging infrastructure needing investment: Council member Smith noted the treatment plant “was built in 1958” and said funding shortfalls accumulated over decades. Council member Coleman said staff “do know this, water sewer thing inside out” but agreed the city failed to communicate earlier.

The staff direction is procedural: Clegg will return a revised Proposition 218 notice as a deferred business item at a future council meeting so the council can take formal action to rescind or modify the notice. No formal vote on rescission occurred at the April 23 meeting.

The council also received an offer from Supervisor David Couch of Kern County to bring city staff to the county board for additional public briefings and asked that county public works be included in further deliberations.

Next steps: the city manager said staff will conduct further outreach and return the revised Prop 218 notice for agendized council action at a future meeting.","City Manager Christian Clegg told the council staff will recommend rescinding a Proposition 218 notice proposing a large sewer rate increase and return with a revised notice after more outreach. Dozens of residents urged the council to seek alternatives, citing impacts on renters, seniors and low‑income households.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council appoints two planning commissioners and approves consent calendar

Bakersfield projects $6.5 million sales‑tax adjustment, freezes 18 vacant positions to balance midyear budget

City council approves Bakersfield——consolidated plan 2025—6 to guide HUD funds

Bakersfield pauses Prop 218 notice after flood of public concern over proposed sewer hike