Department of Finance

The Pasadena City Council will consider placing five new tax measures on the November ballot to address a widening structural deficit. The proposed taxes could generate $5 million to $30 million annually, but no tax was adopted during the July 13, 2026, meeting. The city's General Fund has been balanced using one-time funds for three consecutive years.

Ald. Timmy Knudsen is considering new restrictions on late-night bars near Lincoln and Belden avenues in Chicago after a shooting injured a woman. Residents and business owners have long complained about noise, littering, and safety issues in the area. Knudsen's office is coordinating with city departments to impose stricter regulations on businesses, including limiting late-night licenses and increasing parking enforcement.

The City Council approved $10.8 million in Fiscal Year 2026 budget amendments, increasing spending on legal services, police fleet maintenance, and housing programs. The amendments add $10,806,108 in expenditures and $2,750,108 in new revenue, with the General Fund's unappropriated balance decreasing by $3.536 million.

The City Council will consider amendments to the Fiscal Year 2026 operating budget, proposing a $10.8 million increase in spending across multiple funds. The changes include additional funding for outside legal services, police fleet maintenance, and housing programs, with $2.75 million in new revenue and a projected $3.536 million decrease in the General Fund’s unappropriated balance.

Gov. Gavin Newsom included job training and career education reforms in his agenda, but key workforce initiatives may face funding cuts as the state addresses a budget deficit. The California Workforce Development Board could lose 20% of its staff, and several programs, including the governor’s 'high road training partnerships,' may receive little or no new funding in the 2026-27 budget proposal.

The California Newsom administration allegedly knew of a $2 billion budget error tied to CalPERS for months, which could reduce a projected $3 billion deficit but still faces long-term annual deficits of $20-$35 billion. The Legislative Analyst’s Office identified the error as double-counting retirement contributions and miscalculations, with the administration disputing the characterization as an 'error' and calling it a revised estimation method.