FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer presented his proposed budget for the 2025 Fiscal year to the Fresno City Council on Thursday.
The budget includes cuts across the board, along with other ways to help the city overcome a $47 million deficit.
Fresno mayor announces proposed city budget for 2025
The mayor’s office has been crunching the numbers for months and saying it is going to everyone at city hall to come together to pass a balanced budget next month.
“It is imperative we continue to maintain, in my opinion, a strong reserve and to look for innovative, innovative budgeting solutions that will further reduce expenses and increase revenues,” said Mayor Dyer.
Dyer says the city has seen continued losses in revenue through sales business and cannabis taxes while also dealing with the increasing cost of goods and labor.
“We had expenses that outpaced revenues we continue to see that as a result of the incredible inflation,” Dyer said.
The city is also seeing a pause in grant funding by the state as Sacramento deals with its own shortfall.
To combat the issue, the mayor’s office cut every department’s budget in the city by 3% for 2025.
In part, there will be no new positions added within the city, but no layoffs will be made either.
Despite the fact there may be a reduction in the number of firefighters at Fire Stations 2, 16, and 17 because a grant that funded their positions is running out.
That’s something that gave City Council Members Mike Karbassi and Annalisa Perea pause for concern.
“With this budget, Station 2 will be at four firefighters. I will not let it go through if that happens,” said District 3 Council Member Mike Karbassi.
“I do not support our four crew engines down to three,” said District 1 Council Member Annalisa Perea
Dyer says the city’s budget issues don’t stop here.
“The budget challenges we currently face in FY24 and 25 could possibly grow worse in 2026,” he said.
The council will spend the next month and a half making changes to the proposed budget before it must be approved on June 30.
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