Budget

May 29, 2025 — Mendocino County is legally required to pass a balanced budget — but not one that creates jobs, fixes roads, protects the environment or builds affordable housing. That was the stark backdrop for a contentious discussion at the May 20 Board of Supervisors meeting, where supervisors voted 3-2 to ask department heads — including the sheriff and chief probation officer — to propose 10% cuts to their budgets.

April 24, 2025 — Mendocino County’s Board of Supervisors approved an amended master fee schedule this week, after a public hearing that highlighted the impact of the fees on residents. While public comment focused on the impact of high fees on small businesses, the amended fees cut into county revenues by more than $500,000, as efficiency gains were factored into the cost of delivering services, lowering fees for environmental health, planning and building.

April 23, 2025 — Mendocino County supervisors approved a series of staff recommendations Tuesday that reduce the projected budget shortfall for next year from $17 million to $2.6 million.

April 16, 2025 — Mendocino County Chief Executive Darcy Antle opened the first of several public budget listening sessions on Tuesday, inviting residents to weigh in on spending priorities and potential cuts for the coming fiscal year. The Fort Bragg meeting quickly became a forum for public frustration, with calls for accountability and structural reform.

April 9, 2025 — As Mendocino County begins planning for next year’s budget, officials are staring down a projected $17 million deficit, prompting talk of hiring freezes, workforce reductions, and cuts to services.

County labor union says there is enough money for a COLA.