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La Mesa presents $122.8M preliminary biannual budget; council directs staff to pursue new fire apparatus
Summary
City staff presented a preliminary FY 2025–27 biannual budget that funds 15 new positions, strong reserves and capital projects; council asked staff to include replacements for a ladder truck and a frontline engine and to budget $20,000 for urban search-and-rescue equipment.
City staff on June 10 presented a preliminary two-year budget for fiscal years 2025–27 that projects roughly $122.8 million in citywide spending and proposes adding 15 new positions while preserving high reserve levels.
The preliminary budget presentation, delivered by city staff, described a general fund projection of about $76.5 million for fiscal year 2026 and $79.9 million for fiscal year 2027 and outlined 90 capital improvement projects across wastewater, transportation, storm drain, facilities and parks. “This budget is based on a very solid balance sheet,” a staff presenter said during the presentation.
Why it matters: Council members framed the budget as a vehicle to protect public safety and invest in city operations. Several council members requested that staff include purchases for fire apparatus that typically require multi-year lead times: a ladder truck and a frontline pumper engine. Councilmembers also asked staff to add about $20,000 to outfit an Urban Search and Rescue apparatus to Type 1 standards so it can serve East County.
Staff emphasized the city’s fiscal strength: the presentation cited about $1.5 billion in annual retail sales in the city, a $10.5 billion property tax base, minimal debt, and strong reserves (staff cited reserve ratios of about 82% for FY26 and 78% for FY27 in the presentation). Gretchen Spaniel, the city’s director of human resources, gave a staffing update, saying, “So far we have 50 new full time employees have been hired by the city and 7 internal staff members have been promoted.”
Council discussion focused on public safety timing and procurement lead times. Several members said ordering apparatus now would avoid multi-year waiting lists and future price increases; staff supplied preliminary price quotes during the meeting, stating the ladder truck was quoted at approximately $2,400,000 and the pumper engine at about $1,200,000. Councilmembers directed staff to return with a final budget in roughly 90 days with requested clarifications and to include the council’s direction on apparatus procurement and the $20,000 equipment purchase for Urban Search and Rescue.
Procedure and next steps: Council voted to advance the preliminary budget items as presented and to return for adoption after staff incorporates requested edits; the city manager and finance staff said they will present a final, more detailed budget later this summer. The council also separately adopted the city’s appropriations limit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.
The preliminary budget contains detailed capital project lists and funding assumptions; staff said some line-item detail will be clarified in the final document to be returned within approximately 90 days.
