Daniel Vick, Placer County’s budget and fiscal officer, opened the Dec. 11 special meeting with a detailed review of the county’s FY 2026–27 budget assumptions and calendar and said the top priority is to “deliver a balanced budget to your board for approval in June.” The presentation framed the coming year around funding current service levels first, evaluating new staffing requests incrementally, and reserving one‑time funds for capital and equipment.

Vick told the board the county’s adopted FY 25–26 expenditures and uses budget was about $1.37 billion and that the two biggest operating cost categories are salaries and benefits and services and supplies, which together represent roughly 68 percent of operating uses. He said preliminary general wage increases for FY 26–27 would add roughly $9 million countywide and noted sustained growth in funded positions — an additional 288 positions from FY 2019 to FY 2026, bringing the county to about 2,938 funded positions.

Pensions were a focal point. Vick said county contributions toward combined pension plans are projected to be around $115.4 million for FY 26–27 and observed that CalPERS investment returns materially affect required contributions. “CalPERS did realize a 9.3% return on our assets for the year ended 06/30/2024,” he said, adding that preliminary returns for 06/30/2025 were reported at about 11.6 percent. He cautioned, however, that volatility could reverse gains and that contribution requirements remain a major long‑term obligation.

On revenues, staff recommended conservative assumptions: continuing a modest property‑tax growth assumption (about 5 percent as an early target), holding hotel (TOT) projections flat for budget conservatism despite early positive trends, and expecting modest sales tax growth. Vick said the county will work with the Assessor’s Office to refine assessments and that the county’s sales tax per capita has kept pace with population and inflation in recent years.

Barbara McAllister, assistant county budget and fiscal officer, presented the county’s capital plan and recommended directing an additional $20 million of available FY 24–25 ending fund balance into the general fund capital reserves to limit the debt needed for Placer Parkway phase 1. “The current capital plan presented today directs the maximum expected available general fund capital reserves toward the Parkway project…we are recommending to designate an additional $20,000,000 of available fund balance to capital reserves for this project,” McAllister said.

Board members asked for follow‑up details on the assumptions driving pension projections, the timing and membership of a proposed budget subcommittee, and closer breakdowns of property tax growth (new development vs. turnover). Staff said they will return with additional analyses in the January–March budget development window.

Next steps: staff will refine revenue and expense projections, finalize departmental deadlines in January, present a midyear update in March, and return to the board with more detailed capital and fee updates ahead of the public hearing and adoption process in June.