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Board accepts proposed $3.0 billion FY 2025'26 budget for final hearings; staff projects multi-year pressures
Summary
The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors accepted the county's proposed $3.0 billion FY 2025'26 budget for final hearings, with staff flagging multi-year pressures that could require reserve use beginning in FY 2026'27 under current assumptions.
San Joaquin County officials presented the proposed FY 2025'26 budget and the Board of Supervisors voted on June 3 to accept it for final hearings. Chief Deputy County Administrator Jennifer VanStein and Assistant County Administrator Brenda Kiley told the board the $3.0 billion appropriation is structurally balanced and does not draw on general-fund reserves in the proposed plan as submitted.
Why it matters: the accepted proposed budget sets spending and policy assumptions for fiscal-year deliberations. The proposed plan includes funding for negotiated labor contracts and continued contributions to reduce the county's unfunded pension liability. Departments requested supplemental items during the process; the CAO recommended limited ongoing additions given fiscal uncertainty.
Key figures presented by staff
- Total proposed appropriation: $3,000,000,000. - General fund appropriations included in that total: approximately $1,600,000,000. - General-purpose revenue (net county cost) projected at roughly $476,800,000 (an increase of about $32.7 million from the prior year, as presented). - Staffing: recommended total of 8,332.1 full-time-equivalent positions (7,684 allocated full-time positions plus 648.1 part-time FTEs). - Contingency provision in proposed budget: $5,000,000 (to be used for one-time items at final adoption if the board directs).
Multi-year outlook and risks
Staff presented a multi-year forecast that, using current assumptions (moderating property-tax growth, modest departmental revenue growth and included labor costs), projects potential reserve draws beginning in FY 2026'27 with growing deficits through FY 2027'28 under the model used. The CAO emphasized the forecast is sensitive to state and federal funding outcomes and labor settlements and is not an economic forecast but a planning tool.
Board discussion and direction
Supervisors praised staff for conservative budgeting and said they preferred a restrained approach to new ongoing commitments given statewide economic uncertainty and potential state funding changes. The board accepted the proposed budget and scheduled detailed functional-area budget hearings beginning June 17, 2025, to consider supplemental requests and finalize appropriations.
What comes next
- Final budget hearings start June 17, 2025; any additions beyond the proposed budget would typically be funded from the contingency provision. - Staff and departments will bring supplemental requests and supporting detail back to the board for decision. - The budget adoption timeline and next steps were described in staff's presentation and are available in the county's digital budget book (published by staff during the meeting).
Ending: The acceptance keeps the county on track for a timely final adoption process while flagging the need for continued fiscal caution and monitoring of state and federal actions.
