Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Burlingame public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
9 issues in taxes budget with medium priority
Damage claims against the city
The council met privately with legal counsel about a claim that could expose the city to litigation. Any settlement or response would come back to public view later.
New City Hall Financing (Industrial Development Authority)
To finance the new City Hall at 1440 Chapin Avenue, the city is activating a dormant Industrial Development Authority to serve as a bond issuer. The councilmembers will sit as its board.
Labor negotiations with city employee unions
The city averaged a 6.9% vacancy rate in 2025 across 235.4 positions, slightly worse than 2024. Colson suggested automating the labor-intensive annual AB 2561 report with AI.
Community service organization funding
The Council funded local nonprofits for another year, but a resident called the program invisible and unaccountable. Councilmembers agreed to advertise the program more broadly while keeping a Burlingame-only nexus.
State VLF Shortfall
The state owes Burlingame about $5.5 million in vehicle license fees. The mayor floated accounting strategies to recover value; staff will report back after the state budget settles.
Labor negotiations with AFSCME Local 829
The city is negotiating with the union representing its administrative and maintenance employees. Any resulting wage or benefit agreement affects the city's payroll costs and, eventually, the budget residents fund. Details stay confidential until a tentative agreement is reached.
City Investment Policy and Portfolio Performance
The City's roughly $250 million-range of idle cash is invested under a State-law-constrained policy prioritizing safety, liquidity, then return. The portfolio has earned about $25 million since 2014 and beats its benchmark by 28 basis points, but the Council debated whether it should accept more risk for higher returns given long-term fiscal pressures.
Master Fee Schedule increases
City fees rise for FY 2026-27, with fire department fees up about 4% because of the new fire labor contract's raises.
OPEB retiree healthcare liabilities
The city owes about $70 million in promised retiree healthcare with roughly half pre-funded — a $35.2 million gap. The plan is funded at about average for California cities, and costs will keep rising for at least a decade before declining.