FY2026-2027 budget

Urged a formal written interfund loan agreement with repayment terms, explicit council approval of each draw, and a path to structural balance.

Said the budget isn't fully developed; asked the council to consider an interim budget and require written loan terms rather than a blank check.

City associate planner said planning is down to a skeleton crew and warned proposed cuts could eliminate remaining city planners in favor of contract firm FourLeaf.

Water operator warned that replacing experienced staff with contractors risks losing institutional knowledge of the aging water system.

Questioned whether the $2.50-per-household street sweeping charge covers costs, and criticized growing reliance on for-profit contractors.

Senior support services assistant disputed characterizations of her role and asked for transparency about restructuring and layoffs.

Water operator detailed the department's workload — 8,000 services, 3,000 valves, 1,300 hydrants, much of it 60-plus years old — and said five-person staffing would be unworkable.

Questioned new positions being added to the staffing list that don't exist on the salary schedule, and asked what budget approval would mean for them.

Public works employee described former Director Javier Hernandez's resignation and his stated inability to support the organization's direction.

Read warnings from former Director Hernandez that bare-bones staffing exercises never evaluated service levels and that cuts carry consequences for emergency response and maintenance.

SEIU chief steward and county vice president asked the council to approve a budget that keeps union jobs.

Airport support staffer on maternity leave described the airport's four-person staff and asked the council to recognize the value of administrative employees.

Asked why the city isn't hiring auditors to finish years-late audits, and said reducing staff will delay response times.