In these times of uncertainty over federal funding, local governments face tough decisions preparing budgets for the upcoming fiscal year.

Please join the Mendocino County League of Women Voters at our next general meeting, May 20 at 6pm on Zoom, as we discuss the budget issues facing our local governments.  Dorine Real, Peter McNamee, Jary Stavely, and Charlene McAllister will present
details about budget decisions which the state, the county, and our four cities are facing.

Mendocino County cities and county government rely heavily on Federal and State funding to balance their budgets. But this year, Congress proposes cutting core domestic spending on social services, youth & education, national parks, and Medicaid, in order to offset increased costs for Trump administration initiatives. At the same time, the Trump administration has imposed tariffs on imports, triggering an economic downturn and depressing California’s tax revenue collections.

On April 24, the Supes approved a voluntary separation incentive program (VSIP) to cut county personnel costs, redirected discretionary county funds, and implemented a host of budget tightening measures, to reduce the estimated fiscal
year 25/26 budget shortfall of $17M to $2.6M. But until more is known about the extent of pending Federal and State funding reductions, the true extent of local government budget deficits will not be clear.

Questions and discussion will be encouraged at this informational meeting, so that the public can exercise its responsibility to engage with elected officials in important decisions which affect us all. This session could give participants an enhanced ability to help make democracy work.

A link for participating on Zoom is available by opening the May 2025 VOTER newsletter:  https://my.lwv.org/sites/default/files/leagues/wysiwyg/%5Bcurrent-user%3...