Murrieta oversight committee receives midyear Measure T report showing modest shortfall; chiefs credit tax for staffing and equipment

The Murrieta UStats Oversight Committee on March 27 received a midyear Measure T budget-to-actual report from finance staff that showed sales and use tax receipts running slightly below expectations and projected a modest shortfall for the fiscal year.

Finance Director Javier told the committee that Measure T revenue through December 2024 was approximately $14,400,000, or about 49.5% of the amended revenue budget. "We continue to experience revenue stagnation," he said, and staff projected total fiscal-year receipts around $28,500,000—about $500,000 less than the amended budget figure near $29 million. Staff recommended the committee receive and file the report and postpone any budget adjustments until after third-quarter collections are analyzed.

Why it matters: Measure T, approved by voters in 2018, is the city’s local sales-and-use tax that funds public safety, parks, capital projects and other services. Small deviations in sales tax collections can affect planned hiring and project timelines; finance staff said they would add a fund-balance forecast table for the committee to mirror the materials presented to council.

Public safety leaders told the committee Measure T has underpinned staffing and equipment purchases. "That's 12 personnel of our 64 personnel ... funded by Measure T," Fire Chief Bernie Malloy said, describing one administrative hire, a fire inspector and 12 suppression positions supported by the measure. He said Measure T purchased a tactical water tender, two medic patrol vehicles, a used aerial apparatus for training and an ordered tractor-drawn aerial to meet taller-building rescue needs.

Police leadership said Measure T supports roughly 30 positions at the police department—about 20 officers, nine dispatchers and one cadet—and funds technology and facility improvements. "We have 40 of [Flock cameras] stationed throughout the city ... we get about 600,000 captures a day," Chief Henry said, describing how the automated license-plate readers feed a regional database. He added the vendor retains captures for about 30 days.

Community Services Director Brian Ambrose detailed parks and library projects funded by Measure T, including replacement of nine tot lots (five paid by Measure T), library roof and HVAC work, a bin sorter, Townsquare Park improvements and ongoing work on a parks master plan. Ambrose said the Cal Oaks pool replacement remains in conceptual design; the project is paused pending funding and has not been put out to bid.

Numbers and budget posture: Finance staff reported FY 2024–25 amended operating expenditures of $26,100,000 and year-to-date expenditures of about $13,400,000 (roughly 51.3% of the amended budget). Staff noted a proposed personnel budget reduction of approximately $711,000 from vacancies and recommended modest increases to operations/maintenance and capital outlay to reflect rollovers and previously unbudgeted transfers supporting fire, community services and library funds. Staff also corrected a positions table in the agenda report: the agenda listed 67 Measure T–funded positions at adoption, but the actual funded positions total 65 (about 30 police, four fire and 21 other departments).

Committee reaction and next steps: Committee members asked staff to add a fund-balance forecast table (to match the council packet), requested clarification on the $100,000 fleet replacement reserve used to purchase a used aerial apparatus and sought timeliness on January and February revenue numbers. Staff said January was slightly below expectations, reiterated that staff will monitor third-quarter collections before recommending adjustments and outlined the budget-development schedule: a budget workshop in early May and anticipated council adoption at the first meeting in June (staff corrected that adoption would be June 3).

Procedure and votes: The committee approved the meeting agenda and the consent calendar by unanimous votes earlier in the meeting; the Measure T midyear report was presented as a receive-and-file item and no committee action beyond receipt was required at this session.

The committee adjourned at the close of the meeting. If the city seeks budget adjustments, staff said they will return with recommendations after the third-quarter revenue review.