Cerritos council adopts 2025–26 budget after cuts, leaves $407,000 shortfall

The Cerritos City Council adopted the city’s annual combined financial program for fiscal year 2025–26 on a unanimous 5–0 vote, approving the budget package and related resolutions after multiple study sessions and public comment.

Council members, city management and finance staff described a year-long process that began with an initial projected shortfall and culminated in a set of reductions and policy changes the council said were necessary to maintain services without drawing down reserves imprudently. Director of Administrative Services Drew Schneider told the council the city started with an initial deficit estimate of about $1.1 million, then received revised sales-tax information that raised the gap to $2.9 million. After council-directed cuts and modifications the projected shortfall was reduced to about $700,000; an amendment adopted during the meeting increased reductions in deferred information-technology projects and pushed the remaining deficit to $407,000.

Why it matters: The budget funds core services…