OROVILLE — Butte County’s 2024-25 fiscal year budget could see considerable cutbacks even compared to last year when the Board of Supervisors opted to use one-time contingency funding to keep certain services afloat. However, there could be a silver lining in the form of a 1% sales tax measure put forward to boost county revenues.
The Butte County Board of Supervisors has scheduled its annual budget hearing for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday following the latest round of discussion on the sales tax measure.
According to the presentation that will be provided by Chief Administrative Officer Andy Pickett on Tuesday, which is attached to the agenda online, Butte County “has some of the lowest tax revenues per capita in the state.”
This has created significant challenges for county departments and is expected to have a heavy impact on services going forward. At this point, even public safety is hurting and will continue to take a hit.
Pickett is introducing a balanced budget of $1.1 billion, which is an increase of $234.1 million from 2023-24 thanks to additional disaster relief funds via the federal Community Development Block Grant program.
Unlike in the case of city governments, the county has much less control over its funding and where it can go. (Just 15% falls under the supervisors’ discretion.) In order to balance the budget, the presentation notes that $11.3 million in one-time funding is being used to balance the county’s general fund for this coming fiscal year.
Over the past year, the county has had its sights set on new forms of revenue, eventually honing in on a 1% sales tax measure that’s been surveyed and polled with help from outside firms Team CivX and FM3. In its last meeting, the board pushed through the early discussion and set additional hearings to ultimately go forward with the proposed ballot item.
Once screened and approved in the coming meetings, the item will be placed on the November ballot. According to the early estimates, the sales tax is expected to bring in an additional $44 million, which could help offset some of the cuts.
Last year, the closure of three rural fire stations as well as cuts to library hours and possibly library closures were delayed thanks to the use of contingency funding — but supervisors stated in their most recent meeting that these can’t continue and likely wouldn’t receive the votes a second time.
The budget hearing as well as the agenda item related to the ballot measure will have time for public comment and members of the public will be able to share their concerns during the meeting.
The Butte County Board of Supervisors generally meets at 9 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at its chambers located at 25 County Center Drive, Suite 205 in Oroville. Meetings are free and open to the public.