Oxnard staff presents proposed FY 2025-26 budget, asks council to adopt six resolutions

City of Oxnard Chief Financial Officer Javier Charola Laffel presented the city’s proposed operating and capital budget for fiscal year 2025-26 and recommended the City Council adopt six implementing resolutions.

“Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the following resolutions,” Laffel said, reading the list of resolutions that would approve the budget, set full‑time equivalent positions, adopt classification and salary schedules, establish financial management policies, set an appropriation limit and adopt a master fee schedule.

The presentation described the general fund as balanced for FY 2025-26, with proposed general fund revenues of $243.6 million and an estimated general fund balance of about $54.9 million at June 30, 2026. Citywide, staff presented consolidated revenues of about $594 million and proposed expenditures of about $661 million for all funds; staff said the overall decrease in appropriations compared with the prior adopted budget is largely related to one‑time items budgeted in FY 2024-25, including long‑term pension debt payments and major capital projects.

Laffel told the council the proposed budget uses fund balance in several enterprise and special funds to fund capital projects. He said the wastewater program’s higher use of fund balance is expected to be funded in part with a State Revolving Fund loan of $88.6 million; staff projected the wastewater fund balance would fall from about $73.9 million to about $31.4 million by the end of FY 2025-26 and that this would be roughly $4.8 million below the City Council’s 25% reserve target.

Other fund highlights in the presentation included a projected decline in the Measure A (0.5%) sales tax fund balance because expenditures for one‑time projects exceed that fund’s projected revenues in FY 2025-26, and an Environmental Resources (solid waste) fund projected to end the year below the council’s reserve target. The water fund forecast showed proposed revenues of $73.6 million and proposed expenses of $75.2 million, with an estimated year‑end balance described as below the 25% reserve target for enterprise funds.

Laffel also reported a projected net increase in the golf fund tied to a new agreement with American Golf Corporation, and he provided department‑level comparisons to the FY 2024-25 adopted and revised budgets. The presentation included staffing and classification information carved out for the City Treasurer’s proposed budget and line‑item explanations for major variances between the two fiscal years.

The transcript records Laffel’s recommendation that the council adopt the six resolutions but does not record any Council vote, motion, or final action on those resolutions.

Staff presentation concluded with the recommendation repeated and the presenter thanking the council.