Yuba City council reviews proposed FY25‑26 budget, warns against rapid cuts to personnel

Yuba City held a special budget workshop to review the proposed fiscal 2025‑26 operating and capital improvement budgets and to brief the council on steps to address a continuing structural deficit.

Interim City Manager Robert Bendorf told the council “you have a structural deficit,” and said the gap built up over several years and was compounded by rising costs such as pensions, utilities and other operating expenses. Bendorf recommended using a mix of one‑time funds and targeted, time‑limited measures while pursuing longer‑term options to restore fiscal balance.

The discussion centered on several themes: the scale of the deficit, limits to cutting discretionary services without harming core operations, available one‑time resources and reserves, and the need to pursue revenue enhancements and operational redesigns. Bendorf said the council previously used reserves and midyear reductions that reduced pressure going into FY25‑26, but cautioned that “you didn't get here overnight” and that a rapid, across‑the‑board approach would risk service disruptions.

Why it matters: council members and the ad hoc budget committee said the city has already trimmed expenditures substantially and that further large cuts would fall hardest on personnel and core public safety services. The council emphasized protecting institutional…