Public hearings on 2023-24 Sonoma County budget to begin on June 13

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will hold annual budget hearings beginning Tuesday, June 13 at 8:30 a.m. The hearings will be streamed live with an opportunity for the public to provide input each day regarding the recommended 2023-2024 fiscal year operating plan. At the conclusion of the budget hearings, the board will adopt a final budget to serve as the strategic operating plan for the fiscal year beginning on July 1.

The recommended budget includes $2.19 billion in total expenditures, a 2.2 percent decrease from the 2022-23 adopted budget, and 4,285 full-time positions, representing a 0.3 percent increase in staffing. The $2.19 billion includes $406 million in General Fund general purpose revenues and $1.79 billion in other sources. Because Sonoma County is a political subdivision of the state and provides services for federal agencies, it receives the largest share of its funding from state and federal governments to run programs and deliver public services.

Most departments were able to submit balanced recommended budgets without needing to make reductions to baseline services in 2023-24 despite current economic uncertainty. 

Thanks to staff’s annual review of all county funds, and due to a combination of unrealized budgeted expenses largely associated with vacancies and unanticipated discretionary revenue, the Board of Supervisors also will consider how to allocate $44 million in available year-end one-time funds. The County Administrator is recommending $37 million be allocated to address departmental needs and for road infrastructure, General Fund reserve, pension liability paydown and capital projects.

Budget hearing materials, including the recommended budget book, are available on the county website. 

“Aside from the one-time funds that we have available, this is a status-quo budget,” said Supervisor Chris Coursey, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “Our focus will be on safeguarding critical community services, implementing program efficiencies, and fortifying reserves that can help mitigate the impacts of a possible downturn.”

Budget hearings are available for public viewing and comment here.

The public comment period will begin at 8:35 a.m. on June 13 and at 9:05 a.m. on June 14 and June 16. Public comment may be made live online during the meetings or live, in person, in the board chambers. The budget hearings include reviews of spending plans for special districts for which the Board of Supervisors acts as the Board of Directors, such as Sonoma Water and the Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District.

Much of the justice and safety net services provided by the County of Sonoma on behalf of the state and federal governments are funded by state and federal revenue sources.

The adopted budget, as modified under the board’s direction during budget hearings, as well as supplemental budget adjustments, which represent programmatic changes based on information that was not available when the recommended budget was finalized.

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Media Contact: 
Dan Virkstis 
publicaffairs@sonoma-county.org
(707) 565-3040
575 Administration Drive, Suite 104A
Santa Rosa, CA 95403