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County Board of Supervisors Budget Hearing Set for June 16

(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) –The County of Santa Barbara has released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 Recommended Budget, totaling $1.66 billion in operating

By Indy Staff
4 min read
County Board of Supervisors Budget Hearing Set for June 16

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(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) –The County of Santa Barbara has released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 Recommended Budget, totaling $1.66 billion in operating expenditures and $122.6 million in capital expenditures — a 1.7% reduction from the prior year's adopted operating budget and the first operating budget decrease in more than a decade. The budget protects essential public services while addressing significant fiscal challenges through a two-year balancing strategy.

The Recommended Budget will be presented to the Board of Supervisors for consideration, amendment, and adoption during the public budget hearing scheduled for Tuesday, June 16, 2026. The hearing will take place in the Administration Building, Fourth Floor Hearing Room, 105 East Anapamu Street in Santa Barbara. The public is encouraged to follow the proceedings and comment on the County's spending priorities during the hearing. The public may participate virtually or in person at the County Board Hearing Room in Santa Barbara or Santa Maria, information about Public Participation can be found on the Clerk of the Board’s website .

This year's Recommended Budget theme, Responsible Stewardship Today; Resilient, Sustainable Tomorrow, emphasizes the County's commitment to balancing immediate fiscal realities with long-term community priorities.

"The County has spent years building a strong financial foundation, and that preparation matters during times like these. This budget allows us to respond to immediate challenges while continuing to invest in priorities that strengthen our communities and organization over the long term,” said County Executive Officer Mona Miyasato.

The budget addresses several challenges, including:

  • Reductions in state and federal funding for health and human services. Federal policy changes, including H.R. 1, shift significant safety-net costs to counties while reducing available funding.
  • Ongoing General Fund deficits driven by rising labor, inflation, and mandated program costs that continue to outpace revenue growth.
  • Significant jail improvement costs to support compliance with federal disability access requirements.

To address these challenges, the Recommended Budget utilizes a two-year balancing strategy that includes $7.4 million in local General Fund support to backfill reductions in State and federally funded safety-net programs this year, while setting aside $9.5 million in ongoing funding to address projected deficits in the following fiscal year.

To keep the County resilient in the years ahead, the budget maintains the County's Strategic Reserve at $49.8 million, fully funds debt obligations, and establishes a $50 million one-time set-aside and ongoing funding for the Northern Branch Jail project.

The budget supports a workforce of 4,439.3 full time equivalent positions, a reduction of 299.2 positions from the prior year, largely through the elimination of vacant positions. The largest filled position decreases are in the Departments of Social Services and County Health due to insufficient funding for affected programs. In addition, budget reductions were made in contracts, training, travel, and overtime.

"This budget reflects the difficult but necessary decisions to manage significant fiscal challenges. By acting now, we are preserving critical services, maintaining financial stability, and preparing for the impacts of continued state and federal funding uncertainty,” said Budget Director Paul Clementi.

Focused Priorities Include:

  • Housing: Expanding workforce housing opportunities including on County property; streamlining development; and increasing local housing production.
  • Homelessness: Launching a 30 unit Family Village while continuing support for Hope Village (Santa Maria) and La Posada (Goleta Valley), which together provide 174 interim housing units.
  • Vulnerable Communities: Investing $613 million in safety-net services, including child welfare, food assistance, healthcare access, behavioral health treatment, and farmworker services.
  • Justice and Diversion: Providing early legal support, medication-assisted treatment, and diversion programs to reduce jail stays and court delays.
  • Climate Resilience: Advancing solar energy projects expected to generate $60 million in savings over 30 years and expanding the County's EV charging network to 300 units.
  • Infrastructure and Community Spaces: Investing more than $202 million in parks, roads, bridges, flood control, and mobility improvements.

“This budget reflects some difficult fiscal realities, but it also demonstrates our commitment to being good stewards of taxpayer dollars. We worked hard to protect core services, invest in critical infrastructure, and continue making progress on public safety, housing, homelessness, and other community priorities. Every dollar in this budget belongs to the taxpayers, and we have a responsibility to spend it wisely,” said Chair of the Board of Supervisors Bob Nelson.

County Executive Office budget staff presented a five-year forecast and budget development report in December 2025, launching the FY 2026-27 budget process. Budget workshops were subsequently held for three days in April to provide the Board with an opportunity to review the preliminary budget, discuss fiscal challenges and funding priorities, receive public input, and provide policy direction prior to development of the Recommended Budget.

New this year, the County's OpenGov digital budget book provides an interactive, web-based experience that makes budget information easier to access and understand. Features include built-in language translation, ADA-friendly design, and interactive charts and tables that allow users to explore budget data in greater detail. This advancement was made possible by the County's implementation of Workday for financials and a modern budget development platform, representing a major step forward in the County's efforts to improve transparency, accessibility, and financial management.

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