Kern County supervisors receive preliminary FY 2025–26 budget update; board accepts report, will finalize in August

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Kern County officials on July 28 presented an updated preliminary recommended budget for fiscal year 2025–26 and received public comment before formally receiving and filing the report.

The presentation by Elsa Martinez of the County Administrative Office and budget director Alex Alba showed a recommended total budget of $4,010,000,000, a net reduction of approximately $70,700,000 from the prior year, with most decreases tied to the spend-down of one-time federal American Rescue Plan Act funds and lower Mental Health Services Act and public safety realignment carry-forwards. "This is not the only opportunity to comment on the budget," Martinez told the board and the public, stressing the document remains subject to change.

Why it matters: county staff said revenue remains broadly flat in the near term and flagged a series of federal and state changes that could reduce funding for local programs. The board and staff emphasized preserving core services while using one-time carry-forward balances for one-time capital and maintenance projects.

Key figures and proposed adjustments - Preliminary recommended total: $4.01 billion; general fund appropriations down by about $37.8 million. - Final assessed valuation: $129,000,000,000 (an increase of about 2.57% from earlier estimates), driven by a 4.3% rise in residential and commercial valuations offset in part by a 12.32% decline in oil and gas…