Lodi's budget up 8.35% on rising costs

Yahoo

07-06-2025

Jun. 7—The Lodi City Council approved the 2025-26 budget on Wednesday, and staff said the $291 million spending plan reflects an 8.35% increase over last year.
The increase was primarily driven by rising staff costs, supplies and materials, staff said.
Despite a slowing economy, general fund revenues are expected to see a modest 4.1% increase.
"Our budget and finance team has done a great job managing our resources," Mayor Cameron Bregman said. "Because of smart planning and solid reserves, we're in a good spot to handle an uncertain economy without cutting essential services. We'll keep focusing on what matters most — supporting public safety, growing our local economy, and taking care of our proud community."
The projected increase in revenues comes from recently approved Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services facility rental rate hikes, as well as an anticipated $560,000 in annual rental income from a new power plant on the south west side of Lodi Lake and $1.7 million of interest income.
Reserves will continue to support park improvements, information technology upgrades and vehicle and equipment replacements, staff said.
The budget also includes investments in capital infrastructure, deferred maintenance and addressing the city's underfunded pension liabilities.
For example, $16.9 million has been allocated to infrastructure projects that include water main rehabilitation, signal improvements at the Ham Lane and Turner Road intersection, security cameras at city parks, the Ham Lane widening project, and transit facility repairs and upgrades.
"Operating within a constrained fiscal environment, particularly within the general fund, required deliberate reflection and thoughtful choices to ensure a balanced and responsive plan to sustain our core services," Acting City Manager James Lindsay said. "To align our resources with current market conditions, we implemented a series of mitigations totaling $7.4 million to balance revenue assumptions and expenses."
In addition, the budget includes allocating $2.23 million from existing reserves to cover worker's compensation, general liability, and property liability coverage; cutting a proposed $154,000 increase in the Lodi Police Department's part-time budget for pay raises to retired annuitants; reducing department budget requests by about $952,000; and eliminating a proposed $2 million budget for a new facility internal service fund.
The 2025-26 draft budget is available online at tinyurl.com/COL2025-26, and the adopted budget book will be available in the coming weeks after approved updates have been completed.