Fairfield leaders warn of structural deficit and ask voters to consider Measure P update

Mayor Katherine Cat Moy and City Manager David Gasway used a joint State of the City presentation to warn residents that Fairfield faces a structural budget shortfall and to announce an exploratory effort to update Measure P, the local sales-tax measure the city says undergirds police, fire, streets and social services.

"We are currently exploring an update to Measure P to modernize our sales tax and we will be leaving that decision exactly where it belongs in the hands of our residents," Mayor Katherine Cat Moy said. She framed the choice as between maintaining current service levels and making painful cuts.

Gasway told the audience the city projects an adopted fiscal-year deficit of about $11 million after prior cuts. He said earlier savings reduced a roughly $20 million structural gap but rising uncontrollable costs — notably a 160% increase in general liability insurance in four years and higher software and licensing fees — have eroded those gains. "Any further reductions of our budget is people," Gasway said, noting the city has frozen positions and has fewer employees today than in 2008 while the population has grown roughly 30%.

Both officials emphasized public safety as a priority. Moy highlighted new investments including two fire stations (36 and 39) and a "real-time information center" that includes limited drone response, and said crime has declined as the city expands law enforcement and prevention tools. Gasway said the drone program enabled surveillance and evidence collection that shortened an investigation from weeks to a day in a recent drug arrest.

The pair reviewed major capital and programmatic work that Measure P funds or other grants help support. Projects mentioned included the West Texas Complete Streets project (approximately $11.6 million with state grant support), Robbie Burrburg Park (roughly $18 million with state and county contributions and a First Five-operated family resource component), and a $30 million energy-efficiency program expected to yield more than $15 million in net savings over 30 years. Gasway also described Parkside Flats, a 168-unit rental development near Allen Whit Park with 133 units reserved at or below 80% of area median income and 34 units at or below 50% AMI.

Gasway said the city undertook polling and asked the council to identify what cuts would look like if voters do not approve additional revenue; staff presented scenarios that would reduce sworn police personnel, institute rolling brownouts of fire stations, defer street maintenance (the pavement condition index was cited at 64 versus a statewide average of 65), and close selected parks to reduce maintenance costs. "We want to be darn sure that what we do is we turn around and deliver exactly what it is that the community wants with those funds," Gasway said of any potential ballot measure.

Both leaders noted efforts to contain costs already: consolidating deferred compensation plans to save employees and retirees roughly $350,000 annually; streamlining permitting through the Fairfield Build portal; and pursuing grants including a nearly $800,000 state grant for mobile-home safety and accessibility work. They urged residents to review Measure P oversight materials and attend upcoming community meetings where the city will present options and polling results.

The meeting closed with an announcement of additional public engagement on Measure P and a reminder that any ballot measure would seek voter approval before taking effect.