COUNTY — As the county stares down the barrel of a $138 million budget deficit, the Board of Supervisors battled Wednesday over whether to delay approving its budget until October.
Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe brought the item forward, but it failed on a 2-1 vote, with Supervisor Joel Anderson opposed. Steppe and Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer said one of the reasons was due to the lack of representation in District 1, the seat formerly held by Nora Vargas, who resigned earlier this year.
Supervisor Jim Desmond was absent as he’s in Washington, D.C. meeting with federal officials regarding several local issues such as the sewage crisis at the border.
The county’s policy, meanwhile, is to have an approved budget by June 30, which also aligns with the state approving its budget. However, the law allows for a recommended budget and temporary spending authorization by June 30 of any given year, public budget hearings announced by Sept. 8, and the final budget adopted on or before Oct. 2, which is what Montgomery Steppe and Lawson-Remer requested.
Also, Montgomery Steppe said uncertainty in federal and state funding were also reasons she brought the item forward.
The county approved an $8.53 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2024-25, which saw an increase of 4.5% increase from the previous year, according to the county.
