San Bernardino oversight committee presses city on Measure S spending as revenues fall

SAN BERNARDINO — Staff presented the Measure S and general fund year-end results and a proposed fiscal 2025–26 budget to the Measure S Citizen Oversight Committee at a meeting that began at 5 p.m., and commissioners pressed for clearer detail on how one-time Measure S dollars are translating into homelessness, parks and youth programs.

The committee heard that fiscal year 2023–24 general fund revenues were about $232.6 million and expenditures about $203 million, leaving a recurring fund balance that staff reported as approximately $202 million. Measure S receipts for 2023–24 were reported at about $51 million, with roughly $40 million spent directly on Measure S programs in that year; staff said the remainder returned to the city's fund balance for one-time capital projects.

Director Fortune of the finance department and budget staff told the committee the city has revised its current-year revenue projection down from the adopted $236 million to about $222 million, and projected a conservative $228.2 million for 2025–26. "Our revenues are moving down by $14,000,000 this time of year," a finance staff member said during the presentation.

Why it matters: Measure S is a one-cent local sales tax voter-approved in November 2020 to support public safety, cleaner neighborhoods, business retention and improvements to streets, parks and libraries, plus youth, senior and homelessness services. Committee members said they want to ensure Measure S money is used in line with that intent rather than accumulating in long-term reserves.

Discussion and committee requests

Several…