Laguna Woods Council reviews two‑year budget and $1.86 million transfer for city hall project

Laguna Woods, Calif. — At its May 28 meeting, the Laguna Woods City Council received a detailed presentation of the proposed two‑year budget and work plan that begins July 1 and runs through June 30, 2027. City Manager Chris (presenter name in transcript: Chris) told the council the first fiscal year (2025–26) projects about $9.3 million in revenue and the second year about $9.53 million, and that the proposed operating budgets for both years are fully balanced.

The presentation matters because it maps near‑term spending priorities and one‑time capital commitments for the city, including a $1.86 million transfer to the capital projects fund in 2025–26 largely driven by a $1.6 million allocation for the city hall refurbishment and safety project (phase 5). City Manager Chris said, “the budgets that we've proposed are fully balanced.”

City staff summarized revenue and major expenditures first. Property tax remains the city’s largest revenue source (about 40% of total general‑fund revenue), followed by sales tax (just over 13%) and, new for this cycle, a cannabis business tax that the presentation showed as roughly 12–13% of general revenue. Staff projected the three sources together will comprise about two‑thirds of overall revenue. Interest income and some franchise and transient occupancy tax…