After a brief final budget hearing, the Kern Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a $4.4 billion budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
“This budget continues to build on years of prudent fiscal stewardship and makes significant progress in achieving the goals outlined in your county’s strategic plan,” said James Zervis, the county’s chief administrative officer.
This year’s budget will be nearly $800 million more that what was adopted last August and $129.6 million more than its mid-year adjustment in January, reflective of a recent shift in the county’s finances.
“And we’ve already started planning for next year,” said Elsa Martinez, the county’s top financial officer.
The budget also uses a little more than a quarter of the fund reserves used in last year’s budget, and expects $180 million more in state and federal grants.
Martinez also pointed out property valuations, which are expected to total $122.5 billion countywide, an increase of nearly $7.8 billion. This stems mostly from an 8% increase in residential, commercial and agricultural property values, a continued trend of growth since 2016.
“Overall, (the budget) is growing,” Martinez said, disclaiming that property values are still not enough to cover the budget.
Aside from one additional county deputy, little was changed from budgets approved in past meetings in June and July, Martinez said.
The budget includes more than $70 million in competitive salaries to county employees and 170 new positions, including 25 detention deputies, to stymie retention issues. It also features $49 million in improvements to parks, roads and bridges; expands hours at eight libraries; pays for a new county firehouse and coroner’s facility; establishes a payment schedule for the new, $175 million public safety radio system; security cameras at ballot drop boxes; and bolsters the county’s elections division with $2.6 million in new equipment and additional staff.
County officials have also set aside money for long-awaited improvements, like a new, $16 million county animal shelter to replace the one on Fruitvale Avenue and bolster its staff.
Several organizers from Lamont present for the meeting said while they were pleased with the new pocket park and street improvements included in the budget’s capital projects list, they expressed hope that this is just the start of investment in an overburdened community.
“I know there’s a lot of projects in Lamont that still need to be done,” said Deanna Mireles, president of Comite Progreso de Lamont. “But I’m glad that some of those are here… my husband, who passed away last year, was very emotional to see this new (Lamont) Park done.”
Public safety will account for nearly half of the county’s $1.2 billion general fund budget, and includes most of the $56 million in Measure K tax funds, which will go toward “significant investments in public safety, education, homelessness and economic development.”
Various state and federal grant funds, including $54 million in federal storm damage reimbursement, are factored into the budget to pay for improved roads, expanded mental health services and related programs.
Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services is projected for approval of 52 support service positions as an effort to deal with mental health issues among the homeless and divert more 911 calls when appropriate. County BHRS also is expanding mobile crisis services in East Kern.
“While we face some challenges ahead, we are confident that this budget will help us to continue efforts in achieving excellence in managing our business and workforce,” Zervis wrote.
Resident Sandra Plascencia recommended the county provide a traffic mitigation study, conversion of abandoned buildings, street and sidewalk improvements and solar street lighting, among other recommendations.
“We would always love to see more investments in communities like Fuller Acres and Lamont,” Plascenica said.
The community of Lamont ranks in the 95th percentile for poverty in the state, Plascencia added. A big issue is traffic safety, where children often have to walk along the highway when the roads flood.
“The (area) has no storm water mitigation, so when it floods, it floods,” Plascencia said.
But there’s renewed hope in the coming fiscal year. Plascencia said that folks were pleased with District 4 Supervisor David Couch’s visit to Fuller Acres last Thursday to meet with residents. Couch committed, Plascencia added, to “make streets safer” and “working with Caltrans to make sure there are sidewalks on Highway 184.”
“We are working on all of those things and we will keep you apprised as time goes on,” Couch said during the meeting.
