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SANGER — City officials say Sanger’s Measure S budget remains on track, but rising costs across city departments are forcing leadership to take a closer look at long-term financial planning. The update came during the latest Citizens Oversight Committee meeting, where staff outlined current spending trends and projected challenges.
Measure S, the city’s voter-approved sales tax dedicated to public safety and youth services, continues to fund key programs, including police staffing, fire operations, and nonprofit partnerships like Set Free Sanger and the Boys and Girls Club. According to city staff, revenues are stable and expenditures remain within approved limits.
However, while Measure S is holding steady, the city’s general fund is facing a projected 2 million dollar operational deficit in the upcoming fiscal year, largely due to inflation and rising personnel costs.
“Measure S is not in the red,” city staff assured the committee. But it exists within a larger budget ecosystem, and that ecosystem is feeling the pressure.”
To address the broader fiscal strain, city officials announced plans to implement a zero-based budgeting approach for the next cycle. That method requires departments to justify all expenses from the ground up, rather than relying on prior-year baselines. The strategy is intended to bring more transparency and control to the budgeting process.
The committee was also informed that while Measure S continues to support vital services, the city must be cautious about overcommitting funds without future revenue certainty.
Council and committee members emphasized the importance of clear communication with the public, especially as Measure S enters its next phase of implementation.
“People need to know their dollars are making a difference, and that we are being smart with every cent,” one member noted.
Additional updates on revenue and allocations are expected during the city’s budget workshops in the coming months.
Francisco Ramirez is the founder of Kings Network News and creator of Kings Network Business, a platform that blends business networking, community support, and social media to uplift local entrepreneurs.
As a former Mayor of Hanford, California, he launched the Winter Wonderland event and brings over 20 years of business consulting experience. He is also a motivational speaker, life coach, strategist, author, podcaster, and skilled web and graphic designer.
He created The Invisible Kid: Courage to Succeed, a seminar on self-esteem and anti-bullying that has inspired youth across the region. Through media and consulting, Francisco empowers others to lead, grow, and make an impact.
