Latest news with #MeasureN
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘We've used everything': Bakersfield city councilmembers discuss Measure N funds
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The city of Bakersfield is facing a multi-million dollar reduction in budget for the next fiscal year. A presentation from city staff to the council last night sparked debate over the use of the public service and vital services fund. The proposed city budget is just over $850 million for the fiscal year. In reality, it's a $46 million reduction from 2024. To balance the city's general fund, the council had to take $12 million from the Public Service and Vital Services Fund or Measure N funds. Voters approved Measure N in 2017: A 1% sales tax to fund enhancements to public safety, reduce homelessness and promote economic opportunity. At the city council meeting Wednesday night, Ward 3 councilman Ken Weir said in this proposed budget, the measure money isn't going to what taxpayers voted for. 'The point of this, is we would not go over a certain amount and this year we've used everything…it's all used,' said Weir. Weir says that Measure N funds aren't supposed to cover the general fund. Ward 6 councilmember Zack Bashirtash was critical with how the funds were used to fight homelessness. 'I don't believe that homeless has gotten better or stayed the same, I see the tents regularly. I count them on my way to work. In my opinion, it's gotten worse,' said Bashirtash. City manager, Christian Clegg, and other councilmembers defended the use of Measure N funds. Clegg said that the city homeless shelter has housed 1,000 people per year, and before PSVS passed, it could only shelter up to 500. 'By the numbers, it is better,' said Clegg. 'I would also be transparent that many members of our community are frustrated that visually they don't see some of that improvement.' Ward 2 councilmember, Andrae Gonzales, said the funding has allowed the city to hire roughly 80 police officers and helped make other improvements across Bakersfield. 'It was to preserve and enhance vital services. We knew we had experienced two decades worth of cut after cut, after cut, cutting services to the bare bone in this city,' said Gonzales. The budget will be formally presented on the next city council meeting on June 11. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Proposed city budget sparks debate on use of PSVS money
A presentation over the city's proposed budget turned into a debate about the use of Measure N funds Wednesday, as Bakersfield City Council members alternately decried or defended how the city spends the tax dollars. Council members were presented with a proposed budget of $850.2 million for the 2025-26 fiscal year, a $46.4 million reduction from the previous year. City Manager Christian Clegg attributed the reduction to minimal or no growth in tax revenues amid a larger economic slowdown. The proposed budget includes a $5 million reduction in operations and hiring freezes for most vacant positions for the first quarter of the fiscal year. 'The city has taken a much closer look at discretionary operational expenses with many departments reducing those budget line items with the understanding that more challenging financial circumstances lie ahead,' Clegg wrote in his introduction to the proposed budget. But the city's budget was only balanced using a $12 million allocation from the city's Public Safety and Vital Services fund, a 1% sales tax narrowly approved by voters in 2017 as Measure N. That was never the intended purpose of the money, according to Ward 3 Councilman Ken Weir, who said voters approved the measure with the understanding that the funds would be put toward new expenditures with a focus on public safety. 'Voters approved PSVS on the condition that we would not spend money that has already been on our books; it would be allocated to new things,' Weir said. 'The public was told we won't use the money for the expenses in the original general fund.' Ward 6 Councilman Zack Bashirtash was similarly critical of how PSVS funds were being spent, particularly on services for the homeless. "I don't believe that homelessness has gotten better or stayed the same. In my opinion, it's getting worse," Bashirtash said, noting the substantial amount of money the city provides to homeless service organizations. "We're talking about giving millions of dollars to organizations that have already received tens of millions of dollars," Bashirtash said. Clegg and other council members defended use of the funds, arguing the city had been able to shelter hundreds more people a year and has moved more than 400 into permanent housing. Ward 2 Councilman Andrae Gonzales noted PSVS funding had allowed the city to hire roughly 80 police officers and make several other improvements across the city. "When we approached the voters with Measure N, it was to preserve and enhance vital services," Gonzales said. "We had experienced two decades worth of cut after cut, cutting core services to the bare bone." Ward 1 Councilman Eric Arias listed several projects in his district funded by PSVS money and pointed to programs created by the funding he said increased quality of life. "I can't talk enough about how great the park rangers have been for our community, keeping our parks safe," Arias said. Arias noted that the city had seen a 57% reduction in homicides and a 60% reduction in shootings, which officials attributed to the work of a city-funded intervention program. Still, Weir and Bashirtash maintained the city's PSVS money was being ill-spent. "We know what the solution is for criminals, but we're spending money on not the solution," Bashirtash said. "At what point in time are we going to stop feeding the problem and actually start feeding the solution so that taxpayers are getting what they're paying for taxes?" Weir said calling the budget balanced by using PSVS dollars was misleading. "This year we've used $12 million of money that we should not have used," Weir said. "Now, I'm not going to argue about who spent what or anything else. I'm telling you we did a disservice to the people of this community, and we owe them $12 million." The city's budget will be formally introduced at the council's next meeting June 11. The city's fiscal year starts July 1.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Our View: Is Measure N living up to its campaign promise?
Again, the question is being asked: Are Bakersfield residents getting what they were promised by Measure N — the 1% sales tax hike voters approved in 2018? Last month, Bakersfield city officials told the Public Safety Vital Services Measure Oversight Committee that much of the money this year will have to be spent on nondiscretionary things, including personnel expenses and transfers to the city's general fund to cover 'operational needs.' Additional money is being reserved for capital projects, such as $4 million for street improvements along 18th and 19th streets, and $3 million for improvements on H Street. 'We've seen increases in insurance; we've seen increases in workers' compensation; we've seen in vehicle equipment, other equipment and technology,' City Manager Christian Clegg told the committee. The oversight committee was established as part of Measure N to assure voters that the 1% tax hike would be spent as promised, rather than absorbed into the city's general fund. The committee is advisory only, with the final spending decisions left to Bakersfield's elected City Council. Committee recommendations, which are developed during public meetings, do not have to be followed by council members. Committee member Cathy Abernathy responded that she is concerned that Measure N money is being spent on a whole lot of staff that includes obligations to pay for such things as health care and pensions. Two years ago, when the city realized a large unexpected increase in sales tax money, committee member Abernathy expressed the same concern about the city's proposed surplus spending. 'Let's honor what it was supposed to be about, which is police,' Abernathy said in response to the city's spending proposal that included animal shelter improvements. 'What we wanted to see was what can the money be spent on to make our town safer and to make it a more attractive community for business growth. That's generally neighborhoods, roads, streets, that kind of work, not enhancing animal care,' Abernathy said. The Public Safety and Vital Services ballot measure that barely passed in 2018 read: "To prevent cuts/improve 911 emergency response, police/fire protection, anti-gang/drug units, neighborhood police patrols; rapid response to assaults, robberies, gang violence, home burglaries; crime prevention; address homelessness; retain, attract jobs/businesses; unrestricted general revenue purposes; shall the measure be adopted approving an ordinance establishing a one-cent sales tax providing $50,000,000 until ended by voters, requiring independent audits, citizens oversight, all funds for Bakersfield?" Since passage, oversight committee members repeatedly have expressed concern that PSVS dollars were not being used as advertised to voters. Even the Kern County grand jury expressed concerns. But according to the city, staffing funded by PSVS dollars has included 189 positions in the police department; 27 in the fire department; 46 in development services, including code enforcement and homeless encampment clean up; 21 rangers to provide park security; 22 in technology services; 16 in economic and community development; 13 in public works; 12 in the city manager's office; five in human resources; and two in finance. The Parks Department ranger force, which is separate from the Police Department, was established in 2023, when the city enjoyed a sales tax surplus. Startup of the program was estimated to cost $1 million, with the predicted annual cost of $2.4 million paid out of Measure N enhanced sales tax revenues. Today, the city's sales tax revenues have remained either flat or declined across several industries, Bakersfield Finance Director Randy McKeegan told PVSV oversight committee members last month. Bakersfield also is expecting a $6.5 million decrease in sales tax revenues because some county residents were being incorrectly charged the city's higher tax rate for the past two years. How City Council members ultimately decide to spend these decreasing tax revenues will determine public confidence in and support for the 1% tax hike voters approved in 2018. Measure N was crafted to avoid 'sunsetting' — a common requirement that voters must approve the continuance of a taxing measure every few years. Instead, Measure N specified it would continue until 'ended by voters.' This leaves Measure N vulnerable to discontented voters, who may conclude that the money is not being spent as advertised.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘Makeshift tents and cardboard boxes': Kern County homeless shelter director discusses encampment sweeps
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Bakersfield and Kern County are on the forefront of clearing homeless encampments and you can submit an encampment complaint to code enforcement. The question still looms…what defines a homeless encampment? Homeless shelters around town are routinely full, depending on the time of year. In fact, the chair of the Bakersfield-Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative says shelters are full upwards of 95% every single day. 'In this county we work really diligently to disband those encampments, so I think we're moving in a good speed, regarding encampments,' said Carlos Baldovinos, the chair of Bakersfield Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative and the Executive Director at The Mission shelter. Murder trial delayed in hit-and-run crash that killed bicyclist He defines encampments as, 'Makeshift tents and cardboard boxes. In essence that is in turn an encampment because you have 2, 3 4, 5, 8 people living alongside of that with really no public facilities with restrooms and showers and such,' said Baldovinos. A government code passed on Dec. 18, outlawing any outdoor sleeping or encampments on public property. Through 'Measure N' funds — the city has been able to relaunch the Bakersfield Police Department's impact team and launched Code Enforcement Rapid Response Teams — who address encampments around the city. The most recent encampment clearing, was in April across the Kern County riverbed. BPD reported 31 encampments were cleared, 28 people arrested, five people were cited, three people accepted shelter placements with flood ministries and 27 dogs were taken into protective custody. The Brundage Lane Navigation Center alone, has found permanent housing for more than 475 people since 2018. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Yahoo
BPD: Riverbed operation clears 24 encampments
City teams cleared homeless encampments from the Kern River on Wednesday in an operation covering several miles of the riverbed between Calloway Drive and the 24th Street overpass. According to a news release from the Bakersfield Police Department, the operation cleared 24 encampments, arrested 23 people, cited three people and took 19 dogs into temporary custody. "The Bakersfield Police Department recognizes the impact these quality-of-life issues have on our community and are committed to collaborative efforts to solve them," BPD said. "Operations like this are made possible by the Bakersfield Public Safety and Vital Services (PSVS) Measure, also known as Measure N." The operation was done with BPD's Impact Team; Unmanned Aircraft Systems Team and Mounted Unit in collaboration with the Bakersfield Fire Department Arson Division; Bakersfield Park Rangers; Bakersfield Code Enforcement, Bakersfield Animal Control and the Rapid Response Team. In addition to the arrests and citations, BPD said 22 people were offered services, with 12 declining assistance; seven people were provided guidance on how to access available assistance after being released from custody; and three people were placed into the Brundage Lane Navigation Center. Encampments can be reported to the city of Bakersfield through its free Bakersfield Mobile App — available on both Apple and Android devices — or via the online Service Request portal.
