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Board hears FY 2025–26 budget kickoff, approves fee hearings and several ordinances; vote roundup
Summary
County staff presented an initial financial outlook and launched the FY 2025–26 budget process. The board approved fee hearings, several special‑district ordinances, and consent calendar votes; staff forecast conservative property‑tax growth and flagged federal and tariff risks.
County financial staff on March 25 kicked off the fiscal 2025–26 budget process, presented a countywide economic outlook and rolled out proposed fee changes for multiple county departments and special districts.
Chief Financial Officer Matthew Erickson and Chief Executive Officer Luther (CEO Luther) told the Board of Supervisors the county is positioning for uncertainty by limiting revenue assumptions and building ongoing reserves. Staff said property tax — the county’s primary discretionary revenue source — remains the largest single funding stream and that the county is using conservative assumptions (about 3% ongoing property‑tax growth in planning scenarios). Erickson highlighted risks from possible new tariffs and a softening in logistics sector absorption that could reduce sales‑tax growth tied to warehousing activity.
Staff and board members also discussed fee proposals and a county effort to waive certain park admission fees for veterans on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day. Supervisor questions touched on ideas for resident or employee passes for county parks and on the permitting framework for mining and other land uses.
The board took a series of approvals and introductions during the hearing cycle:
- Consent calendar: approved (items 2–74) with items 12 and 13 deferred from the consent calendar for separate discussion; Supervisor Hagman recorded an abstention on item 47. - Item 12 (Assessor/Tax Collector rescission request): approved after discussion (see separate article). - Item 13 (Bloomberg services contract correction): approved after presentation (see separate article). - Item 75: approved — the 2025–30 Consolidated Plan and 2025–26 annual action plan to guide approximately $9.5 million in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grants. - Items 76–83: approved — introductions of proposed FY 2025–26 fee ordinances and fee resolutions across county departments and special districts, including the Big Bear Valley and Bloomington Recreation & Park districts, county fire protection and flood control districts, and ISMA (the local district authority). Board members said fee details will return for adoption in two weeks.
Board members praised staff for building reserves and reducing retirement‑cost pressures and asked staff to continue conservative forecasting while identifying options to recruit and retain county employees. Erickson said the county currently holds roughly $74 million in ongoing general‑fund commitments set aside to manage future uncertainty and capital needs.
No petition or public protest altered the fee approvals at the March 25 hearing. The board scheduled the next formal budget workshop for May and directed staff to return with the budget book in advance of June adoption deadlines.
