City of Sacramento Releases $1.1 Billion Budget

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - The City of Sacramento released its fiscal year 2018/19 budget today and it calls for adding 22 full-time positions. The budget totals $1.1 billion for operations and capital improvement projects.

The budget covers July 1, 2018 until June 30, 2019. City Council is expected to vote on it June 12th.

One of the biggest issues tackled in the budget is a projected deficit in 2019/20 due to "growing infrastructure costs, retirement costs, and other post-employment benefit commitments." In order to offset that, Sacramento is limiting the number of full-time workers being hired. This proposed budget supports 4,556 full-time positions. Per the city-issued news release, of the 22.79 full-time positions being added in the 2018/19 budget, all but seven are "'paying for themselves' through increased revenues, and reimbursements from grants and other funding sources."

Another issue in the budget is Sacramento's ongoing homeless situation. According to an online survey and several town halls, homelessness and affordable housing were one of the top three priorities for 77% of residents. This budget calls for more overtime resources for the Police Impact Team, which provides support for the homeless population. Per a city news release, that department also "assist(s) with video production associated with the police department's body-worn camera program." That Team would expand from a 4-day-a-week program to 7 days a week.

Four of the proposed full-time positions are in the police department. The budget sets aside $353,000 to hire four employees who will handle the additional workload associated with the management and release of body cam videos.

Two of the proposed positions are managers in the City Manager's Office of Innovation and Economic Development. The new employees will focus on Sacramento's redevelopment of the Railyards and Riverfront.

The city is also looking to expands its Youth, Parks, and Community Enrichment Department, which is focused on helping youth throughout Sacramento. The budget calls for a new $176,610 position to lead the Citywide Youth Development Plan.

The General Fund would increase $25 million from last fiscal year- with operations and capital projects totaling $484 million.

The City of Sacramento is also discussing options soon to put a Measure U renewal on the November ballot. Measure U, which is a half-cent sales tax used to restore services in parks, Police and Fire Departments, is expiring March 31, 2019.

City Council will discuss the budget during the May 8 and May 15 meetings.