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City introduces shift to program‑oriented budget for FY 2027–28
Summary
Assistant City Manager Tony outlined a plan to reorganize San Bruno's budget around programs, services and service levels rather than departments. Staff said the change is a multi‑year effort intended to improve transparency and allow council to set service-level 'dials.'
Assistant City Manager Tony told the council the city will move toward a program‑oriented budget for fiscal year 2027–28 that organizes financial information around what the community receives rather than departmental line items. “A program defines what we fund as a single decision,” Tony said, explaining the difference between program, service and service level.
Tony and CFO Nick presented a phased timeline: staff training and inventory in Aug–Sep, departmental action plans in fall, and council goal‑setting review in January, with a proposed program budget for adoption next June. Council members voiced support for the concept but cautioned that the process requires sustained council and staff commitment and that results must feed real prioritization rather than be ignored as an accounting exercise.
CFO Nick emphasized the urgency given a reported $20 million revenue risk facing the city and said better visibility into service-level trade-offs will help staff and council make quicker, more informed decisions during future budget stresses. Council asked staff to return with defined milestones and examples (parks maintenance, inspections) to show how service-level dials would translate to hours, positions or service frequency.
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