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Taft finance director reports Measure A receipts exceeded estimates; funds used to sustain police and fire
Summary
Finance Director Teresa presented the Measure A oversight report showing sales-tax receipts above original estimates and distributions to public safety in fiscal year 2025; the citizens oversight committee of four found the funds were used as promised to maintain services.
Teresa, Taft’s finance director, presented the annual Measure A report to the council on March 17, summarizing how the voter-approved 1% sales tax has been collected and spent. The measure, described in the record as approved in "Dec. '21" and effective April 1, 2022, was originally estimated to produce about $1.6 million annually.
For the reporting period dated June 30, 2025, Teresa said sales-tax receipts were "a little over $2 million." She outlined fiscal-year 2025 distributions and program-level amounts: roughly $975,000 to the police department, a little over $1,000,000 to the fire department, approximately $240,000 for crime-prevention efforts, and about $254,000 as the local-match portion for streets-and-roads projects. Teresa said the city continued to use other revenue sources and the general fund to cover remaining costs.
Teresa explained that a citizens oversight committee—composed of five authorized seats but with one vacancy at the time—held a February 11, 2026 meeting to review an independently prepared report and concluded by consensus that Measure A funds were being spent as represented to voters. She described the committee as independent volunteers who are not city employees or vendors and noted the clerk’s office is accepting applications to fill the vacancy.
Council members praised the transparency of the report. No council action was required; the presentation served as the annual oversight update.
