Ventura LAFCO adopts $1.19 million final budget for 2026–27

The Ventura Local Agency Formation Commission on May 20 adopted its recommended final budget for fiscal year 2026–27, approving a $1,192,465 spending plan that the executive officer said represents a 4.9% increase over the current year.

Executive Officer Loma presented the figures, saying the commission proposes $875,450 for salaries and benefits, $208,610 for services and supplies and $108,405 for contingencies. “This reflects commission policies of setting aside 10% of expenditures for contingencies,” he said.

Loma reviewed current-year savings — including about $5,550 estimated in salary-and-benefit savings, roughly $13,116 in supplies savings and $90,360 in contingency savings — and described an estimated total protective fund balance approaching $106,000 after revenue surpluses.

Commissioners questioned a paragraph in the presentation that referenced a recent court decision (referred to in the packet as the Alameda decision). Loma explained the ruling limited how certain post‑retirement benefits are calculated and that the county established a fund to offset reductions for employees retiring after 2020, creating an ongoing cost that affects agency budgets.

Following brief additional clarification and a motion from a commissioner, the body voted unanimously to adopt the final budget.

The commission’s clerk recorded no dissenting votes. The commission will transmit the adopted budget as required by LAFCO law.

The commission also approved routine consent items earlier in the meeting and received correspondence from the public, which staff logged as part of the record.