Santa Barbara County adopts $1.66 billion budget with restorations, layoffs and targeted one‑time investments

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on June 16 adopted the FY2026–27 recommended operating budget, a $1.66 billion plan that reduces the county’s operating budget after years of growth and seeks to preserve core services amid state and federal funding uncertainty.

Board action and numbers

The board voted unanimously to adopt the recommended budget as presented by County Executive Officer Mona Miasado and Budget Director Paul Clemente. Key elements adopted include:

- A recommended operating total of $1.66 billion for FY2026–27. - $51.9 million in countywide reductions to address structural pressures. - $7.44 million in ongoing general‑fund restorations targeted to social services and county health; staff said these restorations were expected to leverage an additional $11.1 million in state and federal funding. - Use of onetime general‑fund, cannabis tax and other identified sources to fund a set of one‑time priorities (attachment A1), including public‑safety pilots, a film commissioner pilot, youth education funding set‑aside and capital earmarks.

Layoffs and workforce supports

Departments reported staffing reductions overall but said they tried to minimize layoffs through vacancies, transfers and placements. Human Resources Director Christy Schmidt said layoffs initially projected at larger numbers had been reduced through turnover management and other measures; the county currently anticipated about 77 layoffs in the adopted package but that number was changing daily and staff were pursuing placements and voluntary options. The county added a month of health benefits coverage for affected employees and has held two job fairs, one in south county and one in the north county, along with one‑on‑one career counseling and transition support.

One‑time investments and set‑asides

The budget includes a series of one‑time recommendations (attachment A1) funded by remaining one‑time general fund, cannabis tax revenue, and other sources. Notable items include:

- $267,000 one‑time for a second rural crime deputy (agriculture‑focused patrol and homeless‑encampment liaison work). - $180,000 one‑time (plus $60,000 from Behavioral Wellness) to fund another year of the sheriff’s Behavioral Sciences Unit manager, supporting co‑response and crisis work. - $295,000 from criminal justice funds for a fourth co‑response team in North County. - A film commissioner pilot funded with $150,000 in cannabis revenue to pursue economic development and removable cost offsets over time. - A $250,000 allocation (youth education funding) discussed at the hearing; the board set aside $250,000 for youth programs/cannabis‑revenue uses and directed staff to return with options for operating and grant administration, including a proposal that could leverage the Fund for Santa Barbara and youth grant‑making structures. - $10 million in capital projects earmarked for a list of county capital improvements approved at the workshops, to be finalized after contract and bid results are known.

Public safety and the sheriff’s budget

Public safety remains the single largest general fund expenditure (about half of the county’s general fund). Departments presented reductions to the sheriff’s office that would reduce Sheriff’s staffing by a number of funded FTE; public commenters and community groups urged restoration of positions and alternatives to proposed cuts. The board and sheriff discussed an earmark/set‑aside for sheriff needs ($812,000 in one‑time), a warrant‑officer position that has been funded on a one‑time basis and progress on removing a backlog of warrants, and a rural crime deputy specifically aimed at north/south county agricultural crime.

Follow‑up and monitoring

The board directed staff to continue tracking impacts, report back on transition and implementation metrics (notably for County Health patient transitions and for public‑safety staffing/outcomes), and to return with potential reallocations or program refinements if state budget actions produce new resources.

What to watch next

- Staff follow‑up reports on patient transitions (County Health), progress on the warrant reduction effort and metrics for any one‑time public‑safety positions. - How the County uses the $250,000 youth set‑aside (staff to return with options and possible use of Fund for Santa Barbara for youth grant‑making). - Any state or federal budget changes that could materially change the county’s outlook; county staff flagged uncertainty in federal and state safety‑net funding and a projected five‑year structural deficit that remains a planning focus.

Attribution: Reporting is based on presentations and public comment at the June 16 budget hearings and subsequent board deliberations. Key attributions: County Executive Officer Mona Miasado, Budget Director Paul Clemente, Human Resources Director Christy Schmidt, Sheriff leadership and multiple public commenters. Ending: The board unanimously adopted the FY2026–27 recommended budget and set direction for implementation reporting and limited one‑time investments.