Humboldt County advances FY 2026–27 budget, schedules June 18 adoption as board orders workshops to tackle $12M structural gap

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors advanced the county’s proposed fiscal year 2026–27 budget on June 15 and set June 18 as the date for final adoption, directing staff to develop a series of workshops to tackle a roughly $12 million structural deficit.

The board convened first as the board of directors for special districts and approved proposed special-district budgets for FY 2026–27 by unanimous consent after a public hearing. "The total special district budgets before your board are 1,664,457, which is a decrease of $332,515 over the prior year," Assistant County Administrative Officer and CFO Jessica Maciel told the board, attributing the decline primarily to reduced spending in the Fortuna Fire Protection District.

Why it matters: County staff presented a recommended countywide spending plan of $657.88 million, a 4.4% increase over the current year. The general fund spending plan totals $165.47 million; staff proposed to use $25.5 million of general fund balance in FY 2026–27 while noting a persistent structural gap of about $12 million in ongoing operations that must be closed in future cycles unless revenues materially change.

Maciel detailed staff recommendations that included 17 additional one-time general-fund requests (about $3.2 million), and $5.4 million in CAO operational funding adjustments (about $1.3 million ongoing and $2.2 million one-time), including a $1.9 million allocation for an alternate counsel function intended to stabilize indigent defense costs.

Public comment focused on library services. Elizabeth Margia, representing the Humboldt Library Foundation, said the foundation remains committed to the system but warned of proposed hour reductions at branch libraries. "Moving forward, there will be a reduction in hours at the Trinidad, McKinleyville, Arcata, Fortuna, Ferndale, and Garberville branches, plus a full day closure at the Eureka Main branch from 31 open hours a week down to 24," she said, urging the board to prioritize restoring hours.

Board response and next steps: Supervisors pressed staff on fund-balance and reserve math. Staff said projected FY 2025–26 year-end fund-balance inputs left just over $7 million estimated and that fully expending the recommended uses would leave roughly $2 million heading into FY 2027–28. Maciel noted the county has built its general reserve to a projected $19.6 million under current recommendations and that the board’s adopted policy sets a minimum reserve target roughly equal to 10% of ongoing discretionary revenues.

Several supervisors said they supported moving the recommended budget forward to the adoption step while asking staff to return with concrete options to close the structural deficit. The board voted to set adoption for June 18 and directed staff to schedule a series of budget workshops that will include department heads and public participation to examine mandated-versus-unmandated program reductions, revenue options and other measures.

Votes and formal actions: The special-district budgets were approved by unanimous consent during the hearing. Later the board moved and approved a motion to set June 18 as the adoption date, direct workshops on the structural deficit and request staff research on animal-control and spay/neuter funding options; that motion passed on a 4–1 roll call (Supervisor Madron opposed).

What’s next: Staff will prepare workshop materials and return to the board with timelines and recommended options to address the structural deficit ahead of the FY 2027–28 budget cycle; the board will reconvene June 18 for final adoption.