Body of News Release
San Rafael, CA – The County of Marin is preparing its next two-year budget and will hold three days of informational budget planning sessions starting Monday, March 18, to receive feedback.
Over the three-day workshop, County staff will provide updates on cross-departmental initiatives that address racial equity, capital improvements, behavioral health, affordable housing, and homelessness.
After staff receives Board and public feedback, the proposed budget for 2024-26 will be presented to the Supervisors for review in early June with an anticipated adoption at the conclusion of budget hearings on June 26.
In June 2023, the Board adopted a $784 million budget for 2023-24 that reflected a 9% spending increase over the previous year. Approximately $50 million was devoted to one-time investments, including $30 million to address deferred maintenance and improvements at the Marin County Civic Center and Marin Center / Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium facilities.
Budget Director Josh Swedberg said no cuts to public services are expected in the 2024-26 budget but he is closely watching the state fiscal picture for future impacts to revenues that support critical services in Marin. Priorities in the state budget, to be released in May, often reverberate down to budgets in 58 counties and prompts localized adjustments. The initial budget released by the Governor in January included minimal impacts to Marin County services, but Swedberg said the May revision might include impacts to local funding.
Meantime, the County collaborated with partnering agencies to launch a process known as participatory budgeting in which community members rather than elected officials decide how to spend part of the County’s budget. In the current fiscal year, $2.5 million was allotted for working families and communities struggling in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Monday morning workshop March 18 will include updates on participatory budgeting and the Race Equity Action Plan implementation along with an overview of capital improvements planned for County facilities.
The full workshop schedule and accompanying documents will be posted on the Board’s agenda webpage by the afternoon of Thursday, March 14.
Anyone may watch the proceedings online or watch on Comcast Channel 27. The public is invited to offer comments during the workshops (participation instructions are online); the best time to participate will be at the start of each day’s session. The County’s budget overview webpage allows residents to acquaint themselves with how the budget is created.
All public meetings and events sponsored or conducted by the County of Marin are held at accessible sites. If you are a person with a disability and require information or materials in alternative formats – or if you require accommodation to participate in a county program, service or activity – please contact department staff by email or at (415) 473-7331 or (415) 473-4381 (voice/TTY).