San Joaquin judge urges funding to reopen Tracy courthouse; analysts note trade‑offs with other facility needs

San Joaquin County officials and Judicial Council staff asked the Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 6 to proceed with the Tracy courthouse project to restore courthouse services to the city of Tracy and relieve overcrowding in nearby courtrooms.

Presiding Judge Gus Barrera said Tracy has lacked a courthouse since 2011 when temporary courtrooms closed and that South County residents must travel to Manteca, Stockton or Lodi. “This growth can be attributed to Tracy’s prime location bordering Alameda County, the Bay Area and Silicon Valley,” Barrera said, noting Tracy’s population now exceeds 95,000 and that South County saw over 7,000 criminal filings in 2024.

Judicial Council staff said funding for the Tracy project is next in line and that redirecting the funds could delay addressing the county’s urgent service needs. The Department of Finance told the committee the administration supports the proposal and characterized it as a reallocation back to Tracy of funds previously used elsewhere after the 2011 closure. Finance officials cautioned that the $2.9 million in preliminary‑phase funding requested would not be adequate to address larger deferred‑maintenance needs statewide or to fully fund acquisition phases on other projects such as Tahoe or Kern County, which would each require larger upfront amounts.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office noted billions of dollars in unmet facility and deferred‑maintenance needs statewide and recommended the committee weigh whether Tracy’s reopening or investment in currently occupied buildings with immediate safety issues should take priority. No appropriation decision was made at the hearing; committee members asked staff to consider the five‑year facilities plan and competing priorities as the budget moves forward.