By City Manager Ken Striplin
At our meeting earlier this month, your City Council adopted another on-time and balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2025-26 totaling $344.6 million. Getting to this point was a six-month process, with City staff working closely with the City Council Budget Committee to determine what items would be funded for the upcoming fiscal year. Several factors went into shaping this year’s budget, including consideration of the uncertain state of the economy and the importance of maintaining the City’s strong fiscal solvency.
This new budget will bring to fruition several of the items which are organized by the themes outlined within our current Strategic Plan – Santa Clarita 2025. Under the theme of Building and Creating Community, funds will go to increase the GO! Santa Clarita micro-transit service, programming at William S. Hart Park and the Valencia Community Center. Under the theme of Enhancing Economic Vitality, a new Zamboni will be purchased to help maintain the ice at The Cube – Ice and Entertainment Center, powered by FivePoint – Valencia. For Community Beautification and Sustainability, repair and maintenance of infrastructure will take place across 36 Landscape Maintenance District zones. To assist with brush clearance, funding has been allocated for goat grazing services.
While the City continues to see significant growth, the cost to maintain existing public infrastructure continues to rise and be a challenge. Therefore, several projects have been funded under the theme of Sustaining Public Infrastructure. Some of these projects include the replacement of 16 Santa Clarita Transit vehicles, upgraded lighting at the McBean Regional Transit Center, new fleet vehicles, maintenance at William S. Hart Park and the completion of the new Haskell Canyon Bike Park.
Santa Clarita continues to rank as one of the safest cities in the nation. Through special operations, targeted traffic enforcement, specialized deployments, the apprehension of suspects and public education and awareness efforts, our local sheriff personnel continue to do a tremendous job in keeping this community safe. To support their efforts, funds will go to the annual Sheriff’s Contract cost-of-living adjustment and the Liability Trust Fund.
The next fiscal year’s Capital Improvement budget is $81.5 million, including funding for Safe Routes to School, bicycle crossing enhancements, the Phase I construction of Via Princessa Park and the Annual Overlay and Slurry Seal Programs, to name a few.
Santa Clarita continues to thrive thanks to the conservative budget practices our City Council has upheld since incorporation. This approach has led to the City maintaining an elite AAA credit rating by S&P Global Ratings – the highest achievable designation. This year’s budget is no exception, and will ensure that our City remains well-maintained, offering a high quality of life to all who call it home.
Ken Striplin is the City Manager for the City of Santa Clarita and can be reached at kstriplin@santaclarita.gov.
