Mendocino supervisors move CEO—s proposed FY2025-26 budget forward, warned of $16 million deficit next year

The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously June 3 to move the CEO—s proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget and associated recommendations forward for the next steps in adoption, after a day-long hearing that included department-by-department presentations and questions from supervisors.

County CEO Darcy Antle said the proposed package reflects an intensive effort to balance operating needs against a multiyear structural shortfall that the county is only beginning to address. "We—ve probably been in a structural deficit at least a decade," Antle told the board; she added the county faces a projected shortfall of about "$16,000,000" going into fiscal year 2026-27.

The CEO—s proposal reduces departmental requests, uses one-time funds to balance the 2025-26 budget, and asks the board to direct staff to return with formal adoption materials. Under the proposal, general-fund departments would have a combined Net County Cost of roughly $90,100,000, against about $84,000,000 in non-departmental revenue; the $6.1 million gap would be covered by one-time reserves and carryforward. Antle and budget staff also presented an illustrative "plus-one" outlook showing an estimated $16 million gap for 2026-27 if current trends hold.

Why it matters: the board—s vote lets staff finalize documents required for formal adoption, but supervisors and department heads warned the work to close the longer-term gap will need policy decisions and continued…