GALT, CA (MPG) - During a first look at the proposed city budget, Galt City Council requested greater detail on the allocation of Measure Q sales tax funds.

The presentation at the June 4 regular meeting was intended to get feedback from City Council and the proposal will return for final consideration at the June 18 meeting.

Finance director Matthew Boring said that the budget proposal includes a regular General Fund contribution to the Parks and Recreation Fund, which City Council requested at its May 21 meeting.

The policy sets aside 6% of General Fund spending, based on the previous fiscal year’s expenditures less one-time expenses and especially volatile costs.

Boring said this leads to a contribution of about $928,000, based on adjusted spending of $15.5 million.

Staff had identified possible parks and rec needs above the proposed contribution, Boring added, so staff recommended allocating an addtitional $613,000 in fiscal year 2024-25 and an additional $648,000 in 2025-26.

Regarding the Measure Q sales tax, which has been assigned its own fund separate from the General Fund, Boring projected increased revenue. The tax brought in $4.58 million in the current fiscal year. For the fund intended to supplement parks and rec spending, the proposed budget predicted revenue of $4.62 million in 2024-25 and $4.74 million in 2025-26.

About 64% of the Measure Q income in the current fiscal year has been spent, creating a balance of close to $2.8 million. The budget proposed spending 100% of the revenue projected in the next two fiscal years.

The Measure R fund supporting law enforcement is also expected to see some income growth but, Boring said, the city plans to spend more to lower the fund’s balance. If the city reaches its target balance in 2025-26, Boring said, it will switch to “a more balanced approach.”

Boring said that some deficit spending is planned in 2025-56, with spending exceeding revenue by $112,000 or about 0.5%. He said that this was due to one-time expenses from the city’s recently approved partnership with Galt District Chamber of Commerce.

“All of our recurring expenditures in General Fund are met with our recurring revenue, so we’re not building in a structural deficit,” Boring said.

The city is expected to see overall revenue of $87.2 million and total spending of $81.7 million in fiscal year 2024-25. In 2025-26, projected income is $85.1 million while expenditures are $91 million, a deficit that Boring attributed to capital projects.

Vice-Mayor Rich Lozano questioned why the extra contributions to the Parks and Recreation Fund would be necessary, and why all of the Measure Q revenue had been allocated.

Boring said the additional contributions wouldn’t always be needed, adding that the Parks and Recreation Department has one-time expenses associated with the expansion to restore past service levels. Interim City Manager Chris Erias said he understood the 6% contribution to Parks and Rec to be a “minimum” that can be raised as needed.

Councilmembers Shawn Farmer and Kevin Papineau agreed with Lozano’s concerns and asked for more information on the Measure Q spending, which they said was higher than they expected. Boring said staff would create a more detailed breakdown of the spending.

The budget proposal included $1,000 in discretionary funds for each councilmember. The money, which councilmembers had in the past donated to various nonprofit causes, was dropped several years ago in budget cuts. Lozano asked to have it removed, saying the funds are “inappropriate.”

“I understand the intent of it and it’s a very good intention. I just would not like to have it,” Lozano said.

Farmer said the $5,000 total is “peanuts” compared to the overall budget and supported discretionary funds as long as spending is “within our means.”

Parks and Rec recommended creating an assistant special events manager position, which would concentrate on special events. Parks and Recreation director Armando Solis said this would allow Special Events manager Jackie Garcia to focus on boosting business at the Galt Market.

“Jackie’s done an incredible job with our events throughout the city, including Saturday Market and Concerts in the Park, but those take a lot of time and the time it’s taking away is from the Galt Market,” Solis said. “There’s been a couple comments made wanting to focus on the revenue at the market.”

Maria Robles, Sacramento Mosquito and Vector Control District’s public information officer, raised awareness about limiting sources of standing water, saying that the district last year had many times more West Nile virus cases in humans than in previous years. Robles said that the high numbers were driven partly by the wet winter. She said the district offers free mosquito repellent wipes and makes presentations for local organizations. For more information about the district and its services, visit fightthebite.net.