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Monterey County faces steep multi‑year budget shortfall; officials present cuts, vacancies and Measure AA choices
Summary
County budget staff warned of a projected three‑year general‑fund shortfall driven by wage increases, jail medical costs and lost revenues; supervisors and department heads discussed vacancy management, Measure AA tradeoffs and dozens of department augmentation requests, from public safety equipment to health outreach.
Monterey County budget officials on April 7 presented a three‑year general‑fund forecast showing a large shortfall driven by wage and benefit increases, escalating jail medical expenses, and reductions in some one‑time or external funding streams.
The budget workshop, led by the CEO and county budget staff, quantified baseline obligations for FY2026‑27 and outlined a projected shortfall that, if all vacant positions were filled, would reach roughly $118.9 million in FY2026‑27 and remain materially negative in the following years. The county’s recommended (CEO) budget narrows exposures by prioritizing status‑quo filled positions and making targeted restorations, but a gap of remaining augmentation requests (roughly $15.8M in the staff presentation) remains.
Key drivers and departmental asks • Labor and wages: County staff said salary adjustments, wage‑study increases and other negotiated raises contribute more than $12M of the baseline obligations. Several departments said earlier…
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