Overview:
Fresno County budget hearings are expected to run during the week of Sept. 16. The county and its residents have a chance to review the budget and recommend changes until then.
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the recommended $4.9 billion budget during a meeting at the Hall of Records on Tuesday.
“Maintaining a conservative approach to budgeted sales and property tax revenues continues to be the goal for the upcoming recommended fiscal year,” said Paige Benavides, the budget director from the Fresno County Administrative Office, during her presentation to the board Tuesday.
However, this budget is not final. The recommended budget is only a placeholder until the final budget gets passed, currently scheduled for Sept. 16.
The county has held budget hearings and adopted the annual budget during the September and October months since the 2018-2019 fiscal year, following recommendations of the CAO.
But the County still has to pass a budget since the new fiscal year begins in July. The current recommended budget acts as a placeholder to make sure funds can continue to be allocated throughout the county for day-to-day operations until it can be finalized.
“Because we’ve moved to adopt the budget in October, this is almost like we’re approving a continuing resolution so we can continue to spend with programs,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Magsig during the meeting.
Waiting a few months to finalize the budget also allows for the county to see a more accurate estimate of the year-end fund balance and the impact of the state’s budget on Fresno County. The state budget is expected to be finalized mid-June, Benavides said during the presentation.
Benavides added that currently the state legislature’s budget aligns with most of the governor’s proposals, but includes “restorations” of some social services, health and housing programs.
“These funding restorations will impact the county’s health and human services departments in varying degrees,” Benavides said. “However, given the state’s uncertain revenue picture, departments will be taking a more conservative approach should these cuts be reinstated throughout the year.”
The current budget is expected to be about $4.9 billion, including about $2.4 billion in general fund spending.
County residents will have a chance to voice their concerns based on the currently adopted budget anytime from now by reaching out to their supervisor, and by attending the county budget hearings during the week of Sept. 16.
