Alameda County board hears $6.7 billion budget framework; supervisors seek short-term support for Alameda Health System

Alameda County officials on Monday continued public hearings on the county administrator's proposed fiscal year 2026'27 budget, detailing a $6.7 billion all-funds plan and fielding hours of public testimony urging more support for seniors, food security and behavioral-health programs.

The county administrator's office and department directors reviewed the budget's major assumptions, including a $4.3 billion general fund and continued reliance on state and federal aid. Presenters warned that structural pressures'rising labor, health-care and construction costs'and potential state and federal policy changes could widen multi-year funding gaps unless the board adopts corrective measures.

The budget documents presented to the Board show the general fund as about 64% of the proposed all-funds budget, with health programs comprising roughly $1.6 billion, public protection about 17% and public assistance about 16%. Officials said the proposed budget closes an immediate maintenance-of-effort gap without additional net county cost but relies in part on one-time strategies that raise longer-term risks.

Public commenters filled the speakers'line to press the board for clearer, earlier public access to budget materials and for specific allocations from Measure W'the county's local sales tax measure for homelessness and essential services. Senior-service providers asked the board to backfill cuts to older-adult meal and supportive services; food-recovery organizations urged larger, multi-year Measure W grants to sustain distribution and prepared-meal operations; and community groups pushed for targeted investments for immigrant and refugee populations facing changes to federal benefit rules.

Alameda Health System and frontline behavioral-health providers drew extensive attention. Clinicians and union representatives described programs they said are unique and irreplaceable for people with severe, chronic mental illness and urged the board to allow time for operational fixes before provider layoffs or program closures take effect. In response, Supervisors Nate Miley and Nikki Fortunato Bass introduced a letter recommending the board consider up to $19.3 million in one-time support to AHS to: (1) eliminate proposed layoffs for 92 FTEs scheduled to take effect July 6; (2) commission a mutually agreed performance audit of AHS; and (3) extend a PHP/IOP behavioral-health program through Oct. 31, 2026. The letter also asks CAO staff, AC Health and the auditor-controller to develop funding options and for a planning group to assess program feasibility.

CAO staff cautioned that the county will not finalize allocations from projected excess Measure W receipts until receipts are confirmed by the auditor and the board takes further action. The board earlier amended Measure W policy to route confirmed excess receipts to the Essential County Services Fund for FY25'27, but staff said the actual amount available will be finalized after year-end close.

The board closed the public hearings and recessed for deliberations on the proposed budget, voting to continue the meeting to Tuesday, June 23 at 1:30 p.m. A roll-call vote to close the hearing showed Supervisors Marquez, Miley and Fortunato Bass voting aye and President Halbert voting yes; Supervisor Tam was excused.

What comes next: the board will weigh final budget adjustments, any targeted allocations for Measure W essential services, and the supervisors'proposal about near-term support for Alameda Health System during tomorrow's deliberations; final adoption remains scheduled for Thursday afternoon.