Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council debates Washington Square park purchase as budget cuts target youth programs
Summary
At a budget workshop, Santa Ana staff presented a draft FY26–27 budget that balances the general fund largely by eliminating vacant positions and cutting part-time hours; councilmembers debated using one-time funds to buy land for a Washington Square park versus spreading investments citywide and cutting PAU/PAL youth program funding.
City staff presented the draft Fiscal Year 2026–27 budget and two balancing options during a long study session May 20, telling the council that measures identified so far would close a multi‑million-dollar gap by using a mix of operational reductions, vacant-position eliminations and one-time funding choices.
The staff presentation outlined potential reductions of roughly $2.3 million from vacant positions and about $2.6 million from part-time staffing changes, plus proposed one-time allocations for capital improvements. The draft identified a $13 million balance figure with approximately $8.4 million in initial measures; staff later showed an updated estimate to councilmembers.
A central point of debate was Option 1, a proposed $4 million commitment to acquire private parcels proposed for Washington Square park. Supporters said the park would serve a historically underserved neighborhood and urged the council to act before the land was sold. “Once the land is gone, it’s gone,” a councilmember said, arguing the city should prioritize acquisition even if improvements would follow later.
Opponents said buying the land now could divert one‑time funds from other citywide capital needs and from youth programs. Several councilmembers and public speakers urged retaining or reallocating funds to preserve after‑school programs (PAU/PAL), which staff said currently serve roughly 87 children at a cost that includes full-time and part‑time positions. Staff described options to use restricted park funds, cannabis funds, and other one‑time sources to reduce the net cost of acquisition and suggested potential land‑swap strategies.
Councilmembers pressed staff for further due diligence: confirmation of the number of property owners, environmental testing for contamination, more precise cost estimates and proposed sources of funding. Staff said negotiations had started and that limited due diligence was underway. The council directed staff to return with refined options, funding scenarios and community engagement plans ahead of the June public hearings and final adoption scheduled for June 16.
Next steps: additional public hearings on June 2 and June 16 (final adoption); staff to provide detailed breakdowns of proposed position eliminations, program impact analyses, and refined funding options for Washington Square acquisition.
