Board accepts budget report, refers items 45–70 and requests off-season study session

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday accepted the administration's budget report, voted to refer agenda items 45 through 70 to staff for follow-up and requested an off-season study session on system improvements and change models.

The vote came during a continuing budget hearing that followed a short recess; the board also directed staff to provide translations and reminded public commenters how to use interpretation devices. President Lee called the roll at 1:30 p.m. and confirmed a quorum before the board recessed briefly at the request of county counsel.

The motion approved on a 500vote (Aye: Supervisor Avi Koga; Supervisor Yoon; Supervisor Ellenberg; Vice President Arenas; President Lee) accepted the report and referred items 45'70 to staff, with the two items previously pulled to be heard separately. Supervisor Ellenberg and other board members also asked the administration to schedule a study session, off the budget calendar, focused on system improvement and change models to inform longer-term budget and programmatic decisions.

The discussion preceding the vote emphasized a newly identified nearly $18 million state sales-tax revenue shortfall and the administration's plan to include a negative appropriation to keep the budget mathematically balanced. Several supervisors stressed the need for more detailed, department-level information before cuts affecting contracts or positions are finalized.

County staff described the negative appropriation as a placeholder that maintains budget balance while departments and the board identify specific reductions. "This is really functionally a placeholder that keeps the budget in balance because we have not had the opportunity to have those discussions with departments," county staff said, noting that any proposed changes affecting staffed positions would return to the board for approval.

Supervisors said they want program-level discussions separated from the fiscal-year appropriation process, so the board can review criteria, goals and outcomes for major programs (for example AB109-funded reentry programs and gender-based-violence services) outside of the compressed budget calendar. The board asked the administration to return with a calendar and to stagger program reviews across the year.

The board convened a public-comment period covering items 45 through 71 before the referrals; multiple nonprofit and resident speakers urged the board not to reduce reentry and other support services. After the vote to refer, the board proceeded to hear the two items that had been pulled for separate discussion (items 53 and 60).

The board recessed and scheduled the next continued budget hearing for Thursday, June 12 at 1:30 p.m.