Council adopts $829.2 million FY2026 appropriations ordinance, authorizes up to $61M in revenue notes

Berkeley City Council adopted the FY2026 Annual Appropriations Ordinance and authorized tax and revenue anticipation notes for the coming year as the meeting concluded.

A city presenter (Speaker 12) asked the council to adopt the Annual Appropriations Ordinance in the amount of $829,213,003.59 in gross appropriations. After taking no public comment on the item, the council approved the ordinance by roll call with recorded affirmative votes from the members listed on the record.

Later in the agenda, finance staff (Speaker 13) requested authorization for FY25-26 tax and revenue anticipation notes (TRANs) not to exceed $61,000,000. The council moved the item, recorded no public comment, and approved the authorization by roll call as presented.

Quotes and context: The presenter summarized the appropriation total on the record, stating, "We are asking that you adopt the Annual Appropriation Ordinance in the amount of $829,213,003.59 in gross appropriations." Finance staff introduced the TRANs measure as standard cash-flow authorization to be used if needed during FY2026.

Votes at a glance: The Annual Appropriations Ordinance and the TRANs authorization were each approved by recorded roll calls with the clerk noting affirmative votes from the councilmembers present; no in-person public commenters were recorded for these items.

What happens next: Staff will incorporate all amendments and the approved substitute budget items into the final FY2026 ordinance and associated financial documents; the council adjourned the meeting after completing the agenda.