Santa Rosa adopts $575.9 million budget, cuts 27 positions

Santa Rosa’s City Council adopted a $575.9 million operating and capital budget on June 23, eliminating 27 city positions and using reserves to close an operating shortfall.

The fiscal 2026-27 budget takes effect July 1. It sets spending and staffing for city government while delaying deeper reductions that officials project may be needed in later years.

Reductions and reserves

City budget documents identify $15.2 million in cumulative adopted reductions across city departments, including Police and Santa Rosa Water. The documents do not establish that police or fire services were reduced, and they do not provide a complete department-by-department list of the 27 eliminated positions.

The plan relies in part on reserves rather than closing the entire operating gap through immediate service reductions. That approach allows the city to adopt the fiscal-year budget but leaves it exposed to larger projected deficits in subsequent fiscal years if revenue does not increase or spending does not fall further.

The council’s budget action also included a $1.65 million Measure H reserve allocation to acquire 2908 Santa Rosa Ave. for a future Fire Station 9. The allocation was included in the same council meeting record as the budget adoption.

What comes next

The new fiscal year begins July 1, making the adopted plan the framework for city operations, capital projects and staffing through the coming year. Santa Rosa’s later-year outlook will depend on whether new revenue emerges, spending conditions improve or additional reductions are adopted.