Glendale council reviews FY26–27 budget as staff trim costs and seek new revenues to close multi‑year deficit

Glendale City Council members on April 30 reviewed the first of four budget study sessions covering the city’s proposed FY2026–27 general fund budget and a five‑year forecast that shows persistent structural deficits.

City Manager Golaniyan told the council he had directed a mandatory 5% reduction “across the board in general fund expenditures” for each of the city’s 14 departments, calling it a baseline requirement intended to stabilize near‑term finances. “This was not a suggestion,” he said, urging frank review of tradeoffs.

Finance Director Jack Glania outlined the process and schedule for four study sessions and said staff will seek adoption at a public hearing currently scheduled for June 23. Torina Cervantes Vasquez presented the third‑quarter update, reporting the city had received about $200,000,000 through March 31 (roughly 57.1% of expected receipts at that point in the fiscal year), year‑to‑date expenditures of $246,400,000 (≈68.9% of budget) and a revised FY25–26 surplus projection of $3.6 million, down from an earlier $6.3 million estimate.

Taken together, staff said, updated forecasting assumptions, cost reductions, revenue enhancements and limited service‑level additions reduce a previously projected FY26–27 shortfall from about $31.7 million to an estimated $2.2 million. Staff showed an ending FY26–27 fund balance of about $139,600,000, equal to roughly 37.4% of reserves (their stated reserve target is 35%).

The cost‑reduction package includes citywide measures and departmental adjustments: internal service fund rate reductions; delayed capital purchases; elimination or reallocation of…