San Rafael, CA – From April 24-26, County departments are scheduled to give the Marin County Board of Supervisors an update on emerging issues heading into the second year of a two-year balanced budget. The County Administrator’s Office also will discuss its initial recommendations for one-time budget allocations for next fiscal year.
During the three workshop sessions, County Administrator Matthew Hymel and Budget Manager Bret Uppendahl (right) will provide an overview before each department presents its top planning priorities. The 2017-18 budget largely will be based on the budget plan the Board adopted last year. One-time allocations will be based on the Board’s top priorities, which include:
- Investing in County road infrastructure
- Preserving affordable housing
- Enhancing mental health services and homeless programs
- Addressing climate change and sea level rise
- Reducing unfunded retiree obligations
- Implementing the County’s 5 Year Business Plan
“These workshops provide an opportunity to hear from the public, our department heads, and the Board of Supervisors before we finalize our proposed budget for the Board’s adoption in June,” County Administrator Matthew Hymel said.
Public budget and performance planning workshops begin Monday, April 24, and conclude Wednesday, April 26, in the Board chamber of the Marin County Civic Center, Suite 330, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael. Members of the public are invited to offer comments at the beginning of the three-day workshop or offer specific comments after a department’s update.
During this workshop, departments will highlight strategic planning priorities and potential changes in state and federal funding that may impact the current two-year budget. The County uses a two-year budget process to emphasize longer-term planning and allow for more strategic discussion during the off-cycle year.
The County is operating under a $427 million General Fund budget for 2016-17, approved by the Board in June 2016. The current budget emphasized strategic planning, new priorities, changes in the federal and state funding policies, and preparations for an economic downturn.
The projection for 2017-18 is a balanced budget of $438 million, but budgetary shortfalls are projected to begin in 2018-19. The shortfalls are a result of slowing property tax growth, increasing personnel costs, an anticipated increase in pension costs due to expected conservative actuarial assumptions, and more ongoing infrastructure investments. If no corrective actions are taken, the County could face a shortfall of nearly $13 million by 2021-22, representing approximately 3 percent of the total General Fund budget.
The County’s largest source of discretionary revenue comes from local property taxes. The growth rate of assessed values has slowed over the past two years, and long-term forecasts indicate an annual growth rate of approximately 5 percent, down from a recent high of 7 percent in 2015.
The workshops start at 10 a.m. Monday, April 24, and continue into the mid-afternoon following a lunch break. The sessions pick up again at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, April 25 and 26, with final comments from the Supervisors after the Wednesday workshop.
Residents are encouraged to learn more on the County’s budget overview webpage and get more familiar with Board priorities from the State of the County 2016.
All public meetings and events sponsored or conducted by the County of Marin are held at accessible sites. If you are a person with a disability and require information or materials in alternative formats – or if you require accommodation to participate in a county program, service or activity – please contact department staff at (415) 473-7331 or (415) 473-4381 (voice/TTY) or e-mail disabilityaccess@marincounty.org.