CC 06-03-2025 Item No. 8. FY 2025-26 Budget Adoption_Desk Item1
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DESK ITEM
Meeting: June 3, 2025
Agenda Item #8
Subject
Consideration of Recommended Operating and Capital Improvement Program Budgets for Fiscal
Year (FY) 2025-26, Adoption of the Operating and Capital Improvement Program Budgets for FY
2025-26, Establishment of the Appropriation Limit, and related actions; Direction on FY 2024 -25
City Work Program and Special Projects
Recommended Action
1. Adopt Resolution No. 25-XXX establishing an Operating Budget of $131,838,401 for FY
2025-26, which includes the following changes to the FY 2025-26 Proposed Budget,
published on May 1, 2025:
a. Approve the operating budget of $131,772,435, outlined in the FY 2025-26
Proposed Budget.
b. Approve a reduction in revenues of $1,500,000 for transfers in to Fund 580
($500,000) and Fund 610 ($1,000,000) from the General Fund.
c. Approve a reduction in expenditures of ($63,733) due to the elimination of
the proposed part-time Economic Development Analyst.
d. Approve additional appropriations of $146,710 for a proposed Administrative
Assistant position in the City Clerk’s division to assist with all current and
future hybrid Commissions and Committees meetings.
e. Approve a reduction in expenditures of ($17,011) due to the elimination of
the proposed Assistant Director of Administrative Services
f. Approve any other recommended changes as directed by City Council
2. Adopt Resolution No. 25-XXX establishing a Capital Improvement Program Budget
of $4,225,000 for FY 2025-26.
3. Adopt Resolution No. 25-XXX amending the Unrepresented Employees’
Compensation Program
a. Senior Business Systems Analyst Position Description; and
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b. Code Enforcement Supervisor Position Description
4. Adopt Resolution No. 25-XXX amending the Cupertino Employees’ Association
(CEA) Memorandum of Understanding
a. Assistant Housing Coordinator Position Description
5. Adopt Resolution No. 25-XXX establishing an Appropriation Limit of $141,134,546
for FY 2025-26
6. Provide direction on any remaining past and current City Work Program currently
budget and FY 2024-25 Special Projects
7. Approve Resolution 25-XXX and Budget modification number 2425-393 to reduce
expenditures by $326,266, in the General Fund to defund three special projects and
two City Work Programs
Background:
Staff’s responses to questions received from councilmembers are shown in italics.
Q1. A resident asked: "The staff recommendation uses an assumption of a 4% staff vacancy
rate, whereas the 10-year forecast is at 6%. The operating deficit or lack thereof is drastically
different depending on which forecast you use. Is it realistic to use a 4% vacancy rate
assumption when we have not ever had this low of a vacancy rate in the past 10 years?
Moreover, to note, the vacancy rate does not include contra ct labor. How can we include
this in the assumptions?"
Staff Response: As outlined in the staff report, the 10-year forecast assumes a 6% vacancy rate for
FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 to reflect recent trends in vacancy-related savings. This higher rate is
used solely for long-term planning and is not included in the Proposed Bu dget, as it is not possible
to predict in advance which positions will remain vacant or for how long. Therefore, the budget does
not assume vacancy savings, ensuring a more conservative and responsible financial plan.
Vacancy rates prior to FY 2020 averaged between 4–6%. From FY 2020 through FY 2025, the City
experienced elevated vacancy levels due to organizational changes, including executive turnover,
the impacts of COVID-19, and the CDTFA audit. The forecast assumes the organization will
stabilize over time, and beginning in FY 2027-28, reverts to a 4% vacancy rate for the remaining
eight years, consistent with a more normalized staffing environment.
Contract labor is not included in the vacancy rate but is budgeted separately.
Q2. A resident asked: "The grants analyst role salary ($200K+) seems very high relative to
average salaries for this type of role. Since the city can only take on a limited number of
capital projects at any point in time, and hence grants associated with them, is it necessary
for this to be a full-time role? Also, please ensure the city council reviews any grants before
they are applied for."
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Staff Response: The grants analyst is in line with the management analyst classification and the
salary listed is a fully loaded cost (salary plus benefits). The request for this position is to provide
support for citywide grant applications, tracking and reporting along with purchasing support that
includes alignment with policies and procedures. It will specifically collaborate with departmen ts
that submit grant applications to ensure they meet procurement guidelines and align with policy
while assisting with tracking and reporting on grant requirements. The position will additionally
support purchasing activities citywide in the review and development of competitive solicitations,
development of training and tools, providing staff direct support to ensure alignment with
Purchasing Policies and overall support for the implementation and use of the forthcoming
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.
Q3. A resident asked: "Attachment W shows a multitude of line items for "conferences and
training" that total to $175K (excluding the City Council portion). Can we obtain more
detail on this line item? It is important for staff to get training, but this is a pretty high dollar
amount."
Staff Response: As stated on page 28 of the FY26 Proposed Budget document,
“As part of a budget reduction strategy, citywide training was significantly reduced across all
budget units as part of budget reductions in the last two fiscal years. Staff is requesting the
restoration of 50% of the previously reduced training funds. This a mount was calculated by
comparing the training budgets in materials and contracts from FY 2022–23 to those in FY 2024–
25, determining the difference, and then adding back 50% of that difference.”
Q4. A resident asked: "General fund revenues are projected to be down $14M vs 2022, while
general fund expenses are up $15M vs 2022. This primarily appears to be driven by contract
services. Where can the public obtain greater detail on the drivers of contract services
expenditures? The staff report noted Hopper in the past year, but not that of previous
years."
Staff Response: Historical information in the staff report only compares to the prior year. To obtain
greater detail on the drivers of contract services expenditures in previous years, the public would
need to look at prior year final budget documents.
Attachments Provided with Original Staff Report:
Attachments for FY 2025-26 Final Budget:
A – Draft Resolution – Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-26
B – Draft Resolution – Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-26
C – Draft Resolution – Appropriations Limit for Fiscal Year 2025-26
D – Budget Adjustments Summary and Detail
E – Appropriation Limit for Fiscal Year 2025-26
F – Appropriation Limit Price and Population Factors for Fiscal Year 2025-26
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G – Proposed Budget Study Session Supplemental Report
H – Planning Commission Adopted Resolution
I – Adopted FY 2025-26 City Work Program Budget Details
J – Code Enforcement Supervisor Position Description
K – Senior Business Systems Analyst Position Description
L – Assistant Housing Coordinator Position Description
M– Unrepresented Employees’ Compensation Program (Redline)
N – Unrepresented Employees’ Compensation Program (Clean)
O – UNREP Salary Schedule (Redline)
P– UNREP Salary Schedule (Clean)
Q – UNREP Salary Effective 7.01.2023
R– Draft Resolution Amending the Unrepresented Employees’ Compensation Program
S – CEA Local 21 Employees’ Compensation Program (Redline)
T – CEA Local 21 Employees’ Compensation Program (Clean)
U – CEA Local 21 Salary Effective 7.01.2023
V – Draft Resolution Amending the CEA Local 21 Employees’ Memorandum of
Understanding
W – All Other Department Requests
Attachments for FY 2024-25 Special Projects:
X - City Council Special Project Policy
Y – All Special Projects from FY25 Q3
Z – CWP Status Updates from FY25 Q3
AA – Current CWP Status Updates for FY23-25
AB – Ongoing Special Projects from FY25 Q3
AC– Maintenance and Equipment Purchase Special Projects from FY25 Q3
AD – Development Special Projects from FY25 Q3
AE – Special Projects as Defined in City Council Special Projects Policy
AF – Draft Resolution to Defund Special Projects
Attachments Provided with Supplemental Report:
AG – Description of Carryovers and Adjustments as of March 31, 2025
AH - All Special Projects from FY25 Q3
AI – CWP Status Updates from FY25 Q3
AJ – Maintenance and Equipment Purchase Special Projects from FY25 Q3
AK – Special Projects as Defined in City Council Special Projects Policy