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County finance warns HR 1 could add $10.7M in ongoing costs, flags up to $128M CalFresh penalty exposure
Summary
San Bernardino County staff told the board the 2026–27 budget faces slowed property‑tax growth and new federal rules (HR 1) that increase the county’s CalFresh administrative share and introduce possible penalties; staff included $10.7M in the five‑year forecast and a $0–$128M risk range pending state decisions.
San Bernardino County officials on March 24 laid out a conservative 2026–27 budget forecast and warned about a federal law change — HR 1 — that will alter how the state, counties and federal government share CalFresh administration costs and could expose the county to new penalties.
Chief Financial Officer Matthew Erickson told the Board of Supervisors the county’s projected assessed‑valuation growth for 2026–27 is about 2.23%, well below the 10‑year average of roughly 6.8%, creating downward pressure on discretionary revenue. Erickson and department staff warned that slow home‑sales activity and higher industrial vacancy rates are further constraining growth.
At the center of the board briefing was HR 1, signed by Congress in July…
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