Long Beach budget process confronts $58.2 million shortfall
Long Beach officials are moving through the fiscal year 2027 budget process while confronting a reported $58.2 million structural shortfall. The proposal includes reductions that would eliminate 413 city positions and could result in about 180 employees losing their jobs.
The figures describe a proposal, not completed layoffs or a final budget. The number of positions proposed for elimination is also different from the estimated number of employees who could lose their jobs.
The budget debate could affect city workers and the municipal services residents rely on. Long Beach’s status as one of the area’s largest public employers also makes the staffing proposal relevant to local workers and households, although the eventual effects will depend on the decisions made during the adoption process.
Budget meetings began Aug. 6
The city’s FY2027 budget process began a series of public meetings on Aug. 6, 2026. Additional meetings were scheduled for Aug. 7, Aug. 13, Aug. 16, Aug. 18 and Aug. 20.
Those meetings give residents opportunities to review the proposed budget and comment before the City Council completes its consideration. The city has published a budget schedule and invited public participation during the adoption process.
As of Aug. 9, the FY2027 budget had not been finally adopted. The final number of eliminated positions, the exact number of layoffs and the department-level changes therefore remained unresolved at that point.
Position cuts are not the same as filled jobs
The proposal’s 413-position figure refers to city positions targeted for elimination. It should not be treated as a count of filled jobs. The estimate of about 180 job losses reflects the expected employment impact described in the proposal.
That distinction matters as Long Beach considers how to close the structural gap. A position can be eliminated without representing a current employee, while the expected job-loss figure is an estimate of how many employees could be affected under the proposal.
The budget process had not yet produced final department-by-department reductions or a final adopted response to the shortfall by Aug. 9. Any changes to staffing or services would depend on the final action taken by city officials.
Separate borrowing proposal advances
The Long Beach Finance Authority also advanced a separate proposal to borrow $50 million against city-owned buildings, including the Lincoln Parking Garage.
The borrowing proposal is separate from the proposed staffing reductions, but it is another financial decision under consideration as the city addresses its projected budget gap. Its inclusion does not mean the borrowing had received final authorization.
Together, the proposed staffing reductions and the financing plan show the range of choices facing Long Beach during the FY2027 budget process: reducing positions while considering whether to use borrowing tied to public buildings. The decisions remained subject to the city’s public review and adoption process.
What happens next
Residents can use the scheduled meetings through Aug. 20 to ask questions and comment on the proposed cuts and related financial measures. The City Council’s eventual action will determine whether the proposed position eliminations and estimated job losses move forward, and how the city responds to the $58.2 million structural shortfall.
Until that action is complete, the staffing figures and borrowing plan remain proposals rather than final city policy.
Sources
- Memos to the Mayor and Council, City of Long Beach
- Fiscal Year 2026 Proposed Budget, City of Long Beach
- Long Beach Post News, Long Beach Post
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