Budget Evaluation Team recommends $162,866,597 revenue projection after debate over $14 million carryover
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Summary
After a data review and sustained questions about a $14,050,971 variance, the Budget Evaluation Team voted to recommend that the Budget Board set FY 2627 estimated revenue at $162,866,597, while directing staff to clarify one-time versus ongoing classification for future deliberations.
The Budget Evaluation Team on April 14 voted to recommend that the Budget Board set estimated general fund revenue for fiscal year 2627 at $162,866,597.
Chaired by the meeting chair, the committee heard a presentation from staff presenter Chantelle, who walked members through a multi-year statement of revenues and the calculations that produced a larger-than-expected carryover. "For the 2627 fiscal year, we're looking at an unbalanced projection," Chantelle told the panel and then outlined historical totals, the impact of sheriff ARPA reimbursement dollars in FY25 and how a newly identified $14,050,971 variance affected the revised fund-balance calculation.
The discussion focused tightly on whether that $14,050,971 should be treated as one-time money or ongoing revenue when budgeting. Several members pressed staff on timing and accounting. One committee member said, "I don't see how any of the 14,000,000 is considered one-time money," arguing the amount had been present in cash balances at June 30 and therefore could be considered ongoing for planning. Chantelle and other staff described the elements that compose the variance—surplus carryovers, ARPA interest, and reserve balances—and recommended marking the item clearly on the statement so the Board and reviewers can see what was recovered and why.
Staff and members also agreed to adjust the revenue spreadsheet to separate out identifiable anomalies (for example, camera reimbursements booked in miscellaneous revenue) and to supply a corrected statement of revenues to accompany the recommendation.
After questions and further clarifications, a member moved and another seconded a motion "to recommend Budget Board to set the revenue for FY 2627 beginning July 1 at $162,866,597." The motion passed by voice vote; the meeting record shows ayes and the chair declared the motion carried. The committee did not record an individual roll-call tally in the transcript.
Why it matters: The committee’s recommendation will go to the Budget Board for certification. How the $14,050,971 variance is classified—one-time versus ongoing—will affect whether the County treats the funds as a windfall to be reserved or as recurring revenue available for budget priorities, including requests for jail staffing and behavioral health center funding.
Next steps: Staff will attach the adjusted statement of revenues and the side analysis to the recommendation packet for the Budget Board and will return to the committee for deliberation of how to treat the $14 million for budget-authority decisions.
