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San Ramon outlines budget gap, cites Measure N revenue as key to restoring services
Summary
In a State of the City address, a city official said San Ramon faced a $17.6 million budget shortfall in 2024, enacted $8.1 million in departmental cuts and placed a 1% sales tax (Measure N) on the ballot; Measure N passed and is projected to generate about $15.2 million annually, enabling partial restoration of previously cut services.
A city official delivering San Ramon’s State of the City address said the city confronted a $17.6 million budget gap last year — roughly 17% of the general fund — and took a mix of cuts and revenue changes to balance the books.
The official said the council approved $8.1 million in across-the-board cuts, unfunded vacant positions that saved about $2.1 million and increased some user fees to add roughly $1.5 million in revenue. “We spent hours in budget workshops figuring out how to balance the budget and what to cut,” the city official said.
The official told the audience the council and staff put a 1% local sales tax measure on the November ballot, Measure N, to give residents the choice on whether to restore services. “Measure N…passed with over 50% of the required vote,” the city official said. The speaker said the city’s current sales tax rate of 8.75% will increase to 9.75% effective April 1, with the first receipts expected in June and an estimated annual yield of about $15.2 million; that projection is slightly lower than initial estimates.
The presentation said some midyear budget restorations the council approved were based on expected ongoing funds from Measure N, and the city will continue to approach the coming fiscal year conservatively. “The City is approaching this upcoming budget as a baseline year, without adding a whole lot of new expenditures,” the city official said, adding staff will seek efficiencies and align spending with council goals.
On reserves, the speaker noted a standing reserve policy intended to hold roughly 36% of the prior year’s expenditures and said the council would review whether that level remains appropriate because high reserves also tie up taxpayer dollars. The address also noted the city has 284 authorized staff positions and is undertaking an organizational audit to identify efficiency opportunities; the official cautioned that cutting staff equates to cutting services.
The city official said the city will continue updating the public through meetings, workshops and posted materials as the budget process moves forward.
