San Leandro adopts biannual budget after public hearing; council warned deeper cuts likely next year

The San Leandro City Council on June 16 adopted the city’s proposed biannual budget for fiscal years 2025–26 and 2026–27 after a public hearing and comments from residents and council members.

Finance Director Nicole Gonzales opened the hearing by summarizing the proposal and its drivers, saying, “The item before you this evening is a public hearing and adoption of the fiscal year 2526 and 2627 proposed biannual budget.”

Gonzales told the council the city prepared a long-term forecast and presented numbers for the general fund and all funds. She said general fund expenditures for 2025–26 are $156.1 million and $160.8 million for 2026–27, and that the city is meeting its reserve balance policy for 2025–26 at 20 percent but not at the same level in the subsequent year. She also noted the city’s appropriation (Gann) limit is far above current spending.

During the public hearing, several residents urged the council to protect library services and to restore or expand social services. Alvaro Ramos told councilors that “the proposed cuts to library employees, operating hours, audio visual, print books, electronic materials, and program supplies are extreme,” and asked the council to reject reductions. Other commenters, including residents who said they were unable to attend earlier budget forums, urged more transparent and timely community engagement and called for reconstituting a budget task force.

Council members acknowledged public concern. Council member Yvette Viveiros Walton said the biennial budget “takes us into next fiscal year” and warned the following year will be “very difficult,” noting the city is not meeting ongoing revenue with expenditures and may need to pull funds from other priorities. Vice Mayor Bowen said she is “really disappointed that we are going to be taking cuts to the library and some of our human service programming” and asked staff for clearer links between departmental priorities, performance measures and spending impacts.

Councilors discussed next steps for community engagement, with several expressing interest in reviving a budget advisory task force and in earlier outreach to avoid approving a budget at the last possible meeting. Staff said the city will bring midyear and midcycle updates and that a proposal to consider a budget advisory task force could be added to the council’s priority list for future action.

After deliberation, Council member Viveiros Walton moved to adopt the budget and Council member Bolt seconded. The motion passed unanimously, 6–0–1 (Council member Simon absent).

The adopted budget includes continued funding for the rent-registry program, an alternative response unit, and capital projects such as the recently reopened San Leandro Family Aquatic Center. City staff highlighted that the city’s 10-year financial forecast and reserve policies will guide decisions during the next fiscal year.

Council members and several public commenters asked staff to return with clearer performance measures and explicit statements of how specific cuts would affect services before the next budget cycle. The finance director said staff will continue public outreach and refinements through committee review and future council meetings.