El Dorado County Supervisors unanimously approve $1B budget

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - During their Tuesday meeting, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Recommended Budget of $1.03 billion to fund the County’s programs and services for the coming year.

The budget is $74 million, seven percent less than last year’s adopted budget of $1.1 billion, and reflects all governmental funds, including special revenue funds, and excludes special districts and proprietary funds. $416 million of that amount is the County’s general fund which funds public safety and general government services.

“Through the hard work and diligence of department directors and staff, this Recommended Budget reflects a countywide effort to conserve General Fund costs where possible without significant impacts to services even in

light of a decrease in discretionary General Fund revenues and increased unfunded/underfunded State mandates,” said Chief Administrative Officer, Tiffany Schmid.

While not all Board Budget Policies are funded in this budget, it fully funds the General Fund Contingency of $7.85 million to provide resources in the event of unforeseen fiscal issues and General Reserves of $13 million
to provide resources in the event of significant emergency situations. Additionally, it exceeds the Board’s policy of contributing $5 million of discretionary revenues to road maintenance by $2 million for a total discretionary contribution to road maintenance and snow removal services of $7 million.

Based on prior Board direction the Recommended Budget includes the following priorities:
- Allocates $66 million to the Accumulative Capital Outlay Workplan for facility improvements, including the Placerville Jail Expansion of $40 million and $5 million for the Courts consolidation project in Building C.

- Allocates $30 million in federal revenue and expenditures to continue construction of the new Mosquito Bridge.

- Allocates almost $24 million in state and federal funding revenue to help address and prevent homelessness.

- Includes $1.4 million in state and federal grant funding in the Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience to complete Phase 1 of the Weber Creek demonstration project focusing on defensible space, home hardening, and hazardous vegetation removal activities.

“While considered a status quo budget, we are mindful of shifting economic realities and will continue to work closely with departments to identify long-term solutions, including structural changes, revisions to discretionary programs, and options to increase revenue for the Board’s consideration for final adoption,” said Schmid.

The final budget will be adopted on September 17, 2024, in accordance with state law. The Recommended Budget can be found here.

Today’s presentation to the Board found here.