Council presses staff to show exactly how Measure S money is being spent

Multiple councilmembers pressed staff in the workshop for transparent tracking of Measure S revenue and for a clear public accounting of how those funds are spent.

A councilmember said the question voters ask most is: "How do we track where the measure S money goes?" and urged staff to give the public line-item clarity for Measure S and franchise-fee dollars. Council members repeatedly emphasized road maintenance as a priority they believe voters associated with Measure S.

Ryan, representing city staff, explained how the general fund works and why tying a specific dollar of a general-fund revenue stream to a single specific expense is difficult in routine municipal accounting. "I can provide quite a detailed report of all the expenses that come out of the general fund," Ryan said, adding that staff can also report in detail on all revenues. He used a simple metaphor for the accounting challenge: if five friends each put money into one bank account, it becomes difficult to say which friend paid for a specific purchase.

Staff nonetheless committed to "put our heads together" and return with a reporting approach for the next meeting that would give council and the public better visibility into Measure S inflows and the uses of that revenue. The finance staff noted they will work with the incoming finance director to develop the reporting proposal.

Council members asked for an approach that provides both a clear record of how much Measure S generated in a period and an auditable trail showing which capital or operating projects those funds ultimately paid for, even if some transfers are required to make the budget operational.