Contra Costa supervisors approve $1.47 million in Measure X one‑time allocations after public input

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on June 10 approved a slate of allocations totaling $1,470,000 in unallocated, one‑time Measure X funds following a wide-ranging public discussion and comments from the Measure X Community Advisory Board.

Why it matters: Measure X is the county’s voter‑approved half‑cent sales tax. The board and advisory bodies debated whether to spend the remaining, modest balance on further community needs assessment and program evaluation or to channel it directly to programs now. The board ultimately split the funds across an evaluation contract and several program priorities identified by the advisory board and community speakers.

The board voted 5‑0 to allocate the money as follows: $250,000 for an external needs assessment and program evaluation; $400,000 for grants and pilot programs focused on African American males; $200,000 to expand parent peer support services (including supports for families of young children with developmental delays); $200,000 to expand family navigation services for children ages 0–5; $200,000 for outreach and youth behavioral‑health work focused on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth; and the remaining $220,000 to a food‑security pool managed by the county’s food partners. Supervisor Diane Burgess moved the recommendation; the motion passed unanimously.

County staff and advisory board role: Adam Nguyen, the county finance director, told the board an external consultant would ‘‘provide objective analysis about what the needs are’’ and estimated roughly $250,000 for a one‑ to two‑year evaluation and community engagement contract. Roxanne (last name on file), chair of the Measure X Community Advisory Board, described the advisory board’s ongoing work and urged the board to fund community‑informed priorities, including early childhood/family supports, services for African American males, youth homelessness, and rental assistance.

Public comment pushed the board toward immediate services. Dozens of speakers — including food‑bank partners, homelessness prevention providers, youth advocates and the Measure X CAB — urged direct aid for rental assistance, food security and youth services. Several speakers opposed spending the $250,000 on a consultant, saying the money would feed more people or keep households housed.

Implementation and next steps: The board instructed staff and the Measure X CAB to refine how the consultant would work with the CAB and county departments, and to return with implementation details. Supervisors discussed whether the consultant’s work should be paid from Measure X or former ARPA funds; several asked that the CAB be formally included in scope and oversight. Chair Candace Anderson and staff agreed to bring back a study‑session discussion on the CAB’s role and a more detailed scope for any consultant contracting.

What the allocations cover and limits: The funding allocated on June 10 is one‑time Measure X revenue and is not an ongoing commitment; supervisors noted that ongoing program support will require future funding decisions. Several supervisors emphasized preserving existing funded services if revenue drops in future years and using reserves to smooth potential shortfalls.

Community reaction and context: Speakers at the meeting described rising food and housing need, growing numbers of youth experiencing homelessness and disparities in outcomes for African American males and AAPI youth. The Measure X advisory process has been active since the tax began collections; board and staff said the consultant’s work would pull departmental data together and present consolidated performance reporting to the public.

Ending note: The decision distributes a small remaining Measure X balance across evaluation and several community priorities identified by the CAB and public commenters. Staff will return with contract scopes, timelines and a proposed public reporting schedule on results and outcomes.