Sonoma County launches preliminary budget workshops as officials warn of federal and state funding uncertainty

Sonoma County leaders on Tuesday opened three days of preliminary budget workshops with a call for fiscal restraint and planning for sizable external risks.

County Executive Rivera told the Board of Supervisors the county must “sustain essential services” rather than try to expand programs amid rising costs and uncertain state and federal funding. County budget staff said the county’s preliminary spending plan includes a modest near-term gap in discretionary resources and several areas where fiscal decisions will wait until more information is available in May and October.

The budget team presented the county’s preliminary numbers and schedule: a recommended budget will be published in May, budget hearings will be held in June, and final decisions will follow after the state May Revision and the fall federal budget cycle. The staff stressed many figures are “preliminary” and subject to change as the board considers add‑backs, restorations and program change requests.

Why it matters: Sonoma County receives a majority of some departmental funding from state and federal sources, and staff warned that shifts at either level could quickly reduce money that supports everything from health care to homelessness programs. County leaders also flagged a continued decline in some realignment sales‑tax revenues and flat or declining sales tax overall, which could squeeze city and county services.

Key details - Total county expenditures presented as preliminary: staff noted a multi‑billion dollar framework that includes pass‑throughs for recently passed sales taxes. The budget narrative emphasized that “without the pass‑through sales taxes” growth is much lower. - Discretionary General Fund was described as stable in the preliminary numbers but under pressure from rising baseline costs; staff estimated modest growth but urged the board to wait for the May Revision before final decisions. - Staff identified roughly $27.4 million in outstanding add‑back and program change requests submitted by departments and board members; that total will be vetted and prioritized during May and June hearings. - County operations are watching a range of external policy moves — from federal spending priorities to the state May Revision — that could affect more than $300 million in federal funds and several hundred million in state funds used across county departments.

Other items highlighted at the start of workshops - Internal service cost increases: information‑technology rates are rising after earlier implementation and ISD fund balances are largely exhausted; departments will absorb higher ISD charges in 2025–26. - Insurance market pressures: Human Resources risk staff briefed the board on sharply higher insurance premiums in recent years (see separate article on liability premiums) and described actions the county is taking in response. - Community funding pilot: staff previewed a proposed $500,000 pilot to create a more open, transparent process for community organization funding requests rather than relying on ad‑hoc board budget requests.

What’s next: The board will hear department presentations over three days and will receive the recommended budget in May. Budget hearings are scheduled for June, with staff collecting board and public requests in the interim and promising to return with clarifying materials when available.

Ending note: Budget staff repeatedly urged caution and the need to preserve flexibility, saying the county’s goal for the coming year is to protect core services while preserving capacity to respond to emergencies and program changes.