Sonoma County adopts cautious FY2025–26 budget; board ties permanent narcotics unit funding to property tax outcome

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday adopted the recommended FY2025–26 budget after a day of public comment, staff presentations and deliberations about rising fiscal uncertainty at the state and federal levels.

County Executive Rivera framed the hearings by saying the county faces "the greatest moment of fiscal uncertainty since the Great Recession," driven by slower revenues and potential changes to federal funding rules. "The number one is that our revenues have slowed down," Rivera told the board, urging a conservative, baseline budget that preserves options if state or federal funding is curtailed.

The adopted package is a status-quo recommendation intended to maintain core services while preserving reserves. Budget staff told the board the county's recommended budget totals roughly $2.71 billion, with intergovernmental revenues and taxes making up the largest shares. Amanda Rook, assistant auditor-controller, flagged a particular federal risk: proposed changes to FEMA eligibility and audit practices that could raise the threshold for disaster declarations and increase clawback…