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MCOG presents FY 2026–27 budget workshop; LTF trending toward stability, reserves set at 15%
Summary
MCOG staff presented the proposed FY 2026–27 budget, reporting an auditor LTF estimate of $4.259 million, a proposed 15% reserve, placeholders for state and federal grants, and a total proposed allocation of $10.3 million across programs and funds.
Mendocino Council of Governments staff presented a detailed FY 2026–27 budget workshop on May 4, walking the board through revenue sources, reserve assumptions and proposed allocations across planning, transit and work programs.
The county auditor’s preliminary Local Transportation Fund (LTF) estimate for FY 2026–27 was reported at $4.259 million, staff said, noting that local revenues appear to be flattening after pandemic‑era volatility. The board was asked to set the LTF reserve at 15 percent, which staff said is in the historical 10–15 percent range and would leave an available reserve for allocations of about $639,000 under current estimates.
Staff summarized other revenue lines: State Transit Assistance (STA) was estimated at about $876,000 for FY 26–27, SB1 formula funds (TIRCP/ZETCP) will support vehicle and pilot transit service projects, and federal funds remain uncertain for the coming year. The Northern Rural Energy Network (ENREN) revenue and program administration were reviewed separately; staff said ENREN rebate payments are administered by Redwood Coast Energy Authority and do not appear in the MCOG operating budget.
Total proposed allocations across funds were listed at approximately $10.3 million, while total revenues across all sources in the presentation were cited near $16.7 million. Staff also highlighted placeholders and carryovers for specific projects (sea‑level rise roadway study, pavement management work, SR20 multimodal study pending a Sustainable Communities grant).
Why it matters: The budget determines allocations for transit, planning, bike/ped projects and regional programs including ENREN. Setting reserve policy affects how much local funds are available for capital and program priorities.
Next steps: Staff will finalize exhibits and resolutions and return the final budget package in the June meeting packet. The board did not adopt the final budget at the May 4 workshop; staff and committee recommendations will be presented for formal adoption at a future meeting.
