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Assistant finance director details $23.8M in General Fund CIPs, $27.1M in road funds and proposed reallocations to free stalled projects
Summary
Assistant Finance Director Abe Pedroza reported $23.8 million in unexpended General Fund CIP budget and $27.1 million in unexpended Road Fund CIP budget at Dec. 31, 2025, and recommended reallocating $2.4 million in General Fund CIPs and de‑appropriating $238,000 from road funds; commissioners raised concerns about tree‑related sidewalk damage and how reallocations are traced to original funding sources.
Assistant Finance Director Abe Pedroza presented a status review of the city’s capital improvement projects and proposed reallocation and de‑appropriation adjustments intended to move dormant CIP money into active projects.
Pedroza told the Planning Commission that at Dec. 31, 2025, there was $23.8 million in unexpended and unencumbered General Fund CIP budget and $27.1 million in unexpended and unencumbered Road Fund CIP budget. Staff recommended reallocating roughly $2.4 million of General Fund CIP balances to other projects and appropriating $60,000 back to fund balance (de‑appropriation) for completed items. For road funds, staff proposed cleanup reallocations and recommended a $238,000 de‑appropriation back to Measure X (gas tax) for future Council determination.
Pedroza said staff produced detailed timelines for 39 General Fund CIPs and 21 Road Fund CIPs (Attachment A of the staff report) and will present the recommended budget reallocations and de‑appropriations to City Council as part of the fiscal year 25/26 mid‑year budget review on March 24. He cautioned that the dollar amounts were listed as 'up to' figures and could be lower depending on project expenditures between Dec. 2025 and Council action.
Commissioners pressed staff about tracking the source of funds (Measure G, Measure X, Measure E, general fund) when reallocations are made. The City Attorney and staff said appropriations and transfers are documented through council resolutions and that financial software tracks fund sources; staff said remaining unspent amounts are returned to their original funds and then reallocated as appropriate.
A commissioner complained about repeated sidewalk damage caused by a city‑planted magnolia, saying the damage had cost the property owner about $5,000 and that prior complaints on the Salinas Connect portal had not resolved the problem. Staff replied that the city has an urban forest/tree master plan that recommends not planting magnolias in that area; staff explained that temporary sidewalk repairs sometimes occur but long‑term repairs consider tree removals when required, and staff asked the commissioner to provide details for follow‑up.
Staff also gave examples of reallocations driven by completed projects, including returning $50,000 that had been allocated to improvements at 342 Front Street because the city sold the property and no longer needs that CIP allocation.
