Item 15 - Early Direction for the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget

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Finance and Management Services www.santa-ana.org/finance Item # 15 City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 Staff Report March 18, 2025 TOPIC: Early Direction for the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget AGENDA TITLE Early Direction for the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget RECOMMENDED ACTION Provide direction for preparation of the proposed FY2025-26 budget. GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No DISCUSSION This Early Direction agenda item marks the commencement of City Council deliberations for the upcoming FY 2025-26 budget. The report serves two purposes: to provide information relevant to the FY 2025-26 budget and future fiscal years, and to request direction from the City Council. City Council is scheduled to review the proposed budget in May, followed by a public hearing in June. Community Engagement City staff presented the FY25-26 Community Engagement Plan to City Council on December 17, 2024, emphasizing a transparent and inclusive budget process. This year, special attention is being given to amplifying youth voices. To achieve this, staff is collaborating with youth nonprofits to hold focus groups and will attend the March 17 Youth Commission meeting to gather feedback on youth spending priorities. Community engagement activities began in January 2025, with Budget staff participating in a Ward 5 Neighborhood Association meeting and the Lunar New Year Celebration at Centennial Park. Staff is committed to reaching all Council Wards and has scheduled additional meetings with neighborhood associations and local nonprofits throughout February, March, and April. Feedback from these sessions will be compiled in early May and presented to City Council during one of three scheduled budget workshops. The City remains dedicated to ensuring community input plays a key role in shaping the budget. As part of this effort, the annual budget survey has also been released on the City website to gather broader community input.