Hey, it’s Danielle, today.
For many governments, it’s budget season: where the rhetoric meets reality, and we learn what elected officials’ actual priorities are.
Budget hearings kicked off for Fresno this week. City council members have heard from most city departments about their priorities so far, with the exception of the police and airports department hearings, which coming this Monday. The council will vote on the final budget at their June 30 meeting.
Here’s what we’re watching:
- The Planning and Development Department is preparing to add 18 new staff members to help expedite housing and other development projects, as the city adjusts to a surge of demand. Director Jennifer Clark noted that a key policy goal for the department in the coming year is to streamline the housing development process, including creating more “ministerial” approvals for projects, meaning they would bypass standard environmental review under California’s Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
- City council member Miguel Arias called for a more “robust” housing department that creates projects from the ground up. “We’re all living off the housing projects that were started, initiated by the council 2, 3, 4 years ago.”
- The city has set aside $40 million of ARPA (federal pandemic funds) for affordable housing, in the Finance Department’s budget. Details on how these funds will be spent have not been released.
- More than $80 million of mostly federal and state resources for affordable housing, including homelessness, are included in the Planning and Development Department’s budget. This is an increase from last year, as the city’s allocation from the federal government has grown.
- $1.5 million of real estate transfer tax dollars were set aside for the city’s local affordable housing trust fund. No other local sources of affordable housing funding were identified.
- $8 million in ARPA funds to build a new 911 communications call center. The project has already previously been allocated $2 million in a previous round of ARPA budgeting. The center would be located at the city’s municipal yard downtown.
- The Police Department’s budget includes funds from Measure P to establish a new park ranger program.
- $1.2 million was set aside for a new mental health triage and response program within the Police Department.
- To the outrage of local clergy members, the Mayor’s proposed budget doesn’t include funding for the Advance Peace program, but rather redirects towards a Police Department gang intervention program.
What are you watching in the city’s budget? Send us your thoughts.
Read the Mayor’s proposed budget here.
Ruling: Feds didn’t stiff Fresno and other water users when they got zero water in the last drought
Fresno – and other Friant Dam water contractors – were reminded again that they are outranked by senior water rights holders.
Fresno ends local eviction moratorium, but renters still have protections
Fresno City Councilmembers voted to end the COVID-19 emergency order on June 9. The vote also ended the local eviction moratorium for nonpayment of rent as well.
Fresno and Madera County June 2022 primary election results (so far)
Final results aren’t in yet – but low turnout heavily favored incumbents and well-financed candidates, so far.
The week’s top news around Fresno
- Sanger residents and businesses are facing low water pressure due to groundwater pump and supply challenges. [Fresno Bee]
- Huron residents – who rely on water from the Delta – face harsher watering restrictions. [ABC30]
- Police officers are returning to Fresno Unified middle schools. [Fresno Bee]
- The Fresno City Council held a workshop on Measure C and discussed their spending plan for SB1 funding, which supports transportation projects. [Fresno Documenters]
- The Madera City Council approved funds for rental assistance and discussed how a new state law about composting could increase utility rates. [Fresno Documenters]
- The Tulare County Board of Supervisors approved a list of projects as part of the county’s $56 million transportation program. [Fresno Documenters]
