Proposed 2025-26 Budget

Overall Budget Summary

The Proposed Budget recommends status quo staffing and includes changes for negotiated salary and benefit increases. Appropriations total $6,758.398, funded by revenues of $5,206,532, a General Fund contribution of $1,429,972, and Other Fund contributions of $121,894.

The Budget includes a decrease in total revenues of $489,768 due to a decrease of $508,318 in operating transfers in from other departmental trust funds, the Mosquito and Vector Control trust fund balance, offset by modest revenue growth. Total expenditures decreased by $955,471 primarily due to a decrease of $508,518 from other departmental trust funds and a decrease of $584,966 in professional services driven mainly from completing the Mosquito and Vector Control benefit assessment evaluation with a consultant in the amount of $576,966. These reductions are offset by a net increase of $232,690 from a change in facility charges to properly reflect costs for facility services and utilities offset by eliminating lease costs from relocating within the South County Government Center.

New Benefit Assessment: The Mosquito & Vector Control (MVC) division is exploring a new benefit assessment of about $12 per single family home equivalent to provide invasive mosquito surveillance and management of future introductions. A survey was administered in January 2025, and balloting is anticipated in Summer 2025.

Invasive Mosquito Species: An invasive mosquito (Aedes aegypti) was responsible for human cases of dengue virus in California last year. Neighboring Santa Clara County detected six new populations of this mosquito within the last year. Although native to tropical and subtropical regions of the world, this same species was detected in Watsonville in 2022 and stretched the MVC division’s resources and required new strategies for control. A new benefit assessment would better equip the division with resources and funds for managing this mosquito and other invasive pest species on the horizon due to climate change.

Invasive Shothole Borer: This wood/tree-boring beetle is an invasive species that is destructive to certain trees; it was detected in the Felton area in September 2024. The department is seeking funding through the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) California Invasive Species Advisory Committee, as well as working with UCCE on Rapid Response Grant Funding through CDFA; however, total amounts potentially received for this work are unclear for 2025-26. CalFIRE and State Parks involvement and resources are also likely. Similarly, funding and resources into future years is unclear.

Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP): The department’s contracted work with CDFA for ACP trapping activities during the off-season months (November-March) has been reduced as the State consolidates funding for the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division (CPDPD) and focuses on counties that have established/expansive citrus industries and are at higher risk. Due to the reduction, the department is no longer maintaining an extra-help employee during those months. This reduction is likely to remain barring future detections of the pest that would trigger delimitations and additional CDFA resources.

Glassy Winged Sharpshooter (GWSS): There have been incremental reductions to the department’s contract with CDFA for this program, which primarily involves inspections of incoming commercial nursery stock and trapping, as State resources are reallocated to mitigation efforts in infested counties (mainly in southern California). For 2025-26 and 2026-27, the contract reduction amounts to approximately $12,000 annually. The department has adjusted its seasonal extra-help staff hours in this program accordingly, moving additional seasonal staff hours to MVC work.

Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM): Canada is a major importer of California agricultural commodities, including strawberries, and they have taken steps to deregulate LBAM as a major economic pest. This change could cause Canada to no longer require phytosanitary inspections on strawberries for export, but this is still unclear currently. Since the department performs these inspections and issues export certificates as a cooperator with USDA, we would potentially lose revenues from the fees we charge for these services should they no longer be required, approximately $18,000 annually.

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE): As commercial measuring devices, EVSE (i.e., electric car chargers) are subject to testing and registration by County Sealers based on the California Business and Professions Code. Progress at both the state and county level to test and register EVSE has been slow due to availability and expense of the standards and ongoing regulatory updates. Full testing and registration of these devices in the future will potentially take significant resources and it is unclear how closely we would be able to approach cost recovery for this work.