La Verne adopts 2025–26 budget and tax rate; board to consider hiring city recorder next month

The City of La Verne Board of Mayor and Aldermen adopted Ordinance 02/2014, approving the annual budget and tax rate for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, at its June 3 meeting. Alderman Coates moved to approve the ordinance and Alderman Hobbs seconded; the motion passed by recorded vote.

The approved budget funds city operations and capital priorities for the coming year and follows a public hearing held earlier the same evening at which no members of the public spoke. Finance department staff provided the board with the month'to'date financial statements during the meeting.

Finance staff Danielle Brown told the board, "On page 1, you have the general fund expenditures exceeded revenue by 97,000." Brown also reported that local sales tax receipts were about $68,000 higher than the comparable period last year and that tax collections equaled 101.5% of budget; she said year'to'date net income for the water and sewer fund is $3,200,000 and that cash balances as of April 30 include $34,500,000 in the general fund and approximately $67,400,000 across all funds.

During discussion, Alderman Hobbs said he had surveyed city directors about adding a dedicated city recorder position and that directors rated the urgency high: "I personally contacted every director within the city, asking them to rate on a scale of 1 to 10...the average was about 7.3. I had talked with 14 individuals. Half of those people gave a rating of 10," Hobbs said. Hobbs withdrew a request to amend the budget at second reading and agreed with staff and other board members that the cleanest approach was to approve the budget and bring any requested personnel additions back as a budget amendment or separate agenda item next month.

Motion: Approve Ordinance 02/2014 (Second reading). Mover: Alderman Coates. Second: Alderman Hobbs. Vote (recorded): Alderman Coates ' Aye; Alderman Hobbs ' Aye; Alderman Haas ' Aye; Vice Mayor No ' Aye. Outcome: approved.

The board agreed to place the city recorder request on a forthcoming agenda for formal consideration and to pursue hiring timelines if the board later authorizes the position. Staff noted that hiring and onboarding could add multiple months before a new employee would assume duties.

City administrators and finance staff will publish the adopted budget ordinance and the associated financial reports online; Brown reaffirmed that the budget adoption allows the city to proceed with planned capital work and service levels in fiscal 2025'26.