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Councilmembers propose restoring pre-K funding while administration warns Fund 245 shortfall
Summary
Council introduced a resolution to raise pre-K funding from $7M to $8.5M for FY2027 by transferring $1.5M from the sales-tax referendum fund (Fund 245). Administration officials said Fund 245 faces a projected shortfall and urged caution; no vote was taken and the item is slated for action June 9.
Councilmembers asked the Budget Committee on June 2 to restore pre-K funding to the FY26 level, proposing a $1.5 million transfer from the sales-tax referendum fund (Fund 245) to the Pre-K fund (Fund 260) to raise the FY2027 allocation from $7 million to $8.5 million.
Councilwoman Dr. Easter Thomas, a sponsor of the measure, said the change would align this year’s pre-K support with prior commitments to expand seats for three- and four-year-olds across the county. “I support pre-K efforts in whatever way we can find them,” she said, urging colleagues to return the level “to what they once were.”
Administration officials cautioned that Fund 245 is already strained. Walter Person, speaking for the administration on fund status, said the city has been drawing heavily from Fund 245 and that recent accounting shows the fund is “spending roughly 20 million more than we’re bringing in,” with pension and benefit restorations accounting for a large share of the pressure. He told the committee that using $1.5 million would reduce the fund’s projected starting balance for FY27 and increase the risk of a deeper shortfall into FY27.
Committee members asked for a line-item breakdown of what had been drawn from Fund 245 (paving, pension ADC, OPEB and other transfers) and for updated projections before taking final action. Chair White and Vice Chair (Budget) said the council will consider the resolution at its June 9 meeting; the committee did not vote on the amendment on June 2.
Why it matters: The sales-tax referendum fund was designed to restore public-safety benefits and support pavements and pre-K if monies remain. Restoring pre-K funding addresses early-education access but would reduce the fund cushion as the city grapples with restored pension/OPEB costs and a tight FY27 budget.
Next steps: The committee asked the administration to deliver a fund-health memo and to identify any alternative sources before the June 9 vote.
