The Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors are looking at the upcoming budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year by holding a series of budget workshops this week.
Three days of budget workshops are a preamble to the official budget adoption in June.
Supervisors will review spending for public safety, general government and support services, health and human services, community resources and public facilities and policy.
Eleanor Gartner is District Rep and Communications Director for Supervisor Laura Capps. She says from a board perspective, supervisors are making sure that the most vulnerable residents are protected from potential federal and state cuts.
“That includes housing programs., so continuing to work on our affordable housing policies, but also making processes for developers easier,” Gartner said.
Gartner also said that public safety will be a priority.
One of the bigger costs supervisors will be looking at is the expansion of the Northern Branch Jail, which was recently approved by the board.
According to Gartner, the county is projecting that there will be no cuts in services going into the next fiscal year.
The budget workshops will wrap up on April 17.
