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Alameda County officials preview $385M unincorporated-area budget as residents call for tracking, office
Summary
County staff presented a preview of proposed FY 25–26 appropriations for unincorporated municipal services—about $385 million—and acknowledged that shortfalls between reported unincorporated revenues and appropriations are typically met from the county general fund. Community groups urged more transparent tracking, public notice of unspent funds and a dedicated Office of Unincorporated Services.
County officials on Tuesday provided a preview of the fiscal year 2025–26 budget for municipal services in Alameda County’s unincorporated areas and faced questions from supervisors and residents about a persistent gap between revenues the county reports for those areas and the amount the county budgets to provide services there.
Adam Seguin of the County Administrator’s Office summarized department-reported appropriations for five primary providers of municipal services — Public Works, Fire, the Sheriff’s Office, the Community Development Agency and the County Library — saying, “As shown in this slide, appropriations for municipal services in the unincorporated areas total about $385,000,000 in the budget year, fiscal year 25–26.” He emphasized the slides were a preview of material that will appear in the final budget book.
The presentation prompted supervisors to ask how the roughly $339 million the departments reported as revenue for unincorporated services relates to the $385 million in proposed appropriations. Supervisor Tam pressed the County Administrator’s Office on where the difference is made up. Amy Yan of the County Administrator’s Office concurred with Seguin, saying when revenues and appropriations diverge “it’s typically funded by the county general fund.”
Why the discrepancy exists was a central line of inquiry. County staff and supervisors said several routine reasons can explain underspending against appropriations: unfilled vacancies, capital projects delayed by the pandemic or procurement timelines, and conservative budgeting practices that favor proposing higher appropriations so departments do not end the year over budget. Seguin noted the unincorporated-area figures are drawn from the five departments’ own reports and do not include countywide health and social services programs that also serve unincorporated residents.
Residents and community groups at the meeting pressed for clearer accounting of those variances. May Collins, presenting research for MyEden Voice, summarized a trend the group documented over many years: proposed appropriations that substantially exceed year-end actuals. Collins cited 2023 as an example, saying the county proposed $310 million for unincorporated appropriations but later reported actual spending of $255 million.
Community advocates urged immediate changes. Speakers called for department-level tracking of unincorporated-area spending, public notice when funds go unspent or roll over, and an accessible explanation of how revenue is attributed to the unincorporated area. Several speakers asked the board to consider a county-level coordinator or an Office of Unincorporated Services to centralize oversight and engagement.
Supervisor Nate Miley, chairing the meeting, told speakers the county will follow up: staff will integrate lessons from the presentation into the final budget book due in July, the board’s budget committee will consider engagement changes, and the chair plans to schedule a September Unincorporated Services Committee meeting to review results.
The discussion did not include any formal votes. The budget adoption is scheduled for the board’s next meeting; staff said follow-up analysis with department budget officers will be needed to explain the recurring variances between appropriations and actual spending.
The committee adjourned after supervisors committed to return with more detailed departmental analysis and with a plan to increase public visibility into how unincorporated-area funds are tracked and used.
