The Contra Costa County Public Works Department will discuss its “budgetary challenges and constraints” it says are making it difficult to meet public expectations with the county board of supervisors Tuesday.
The public works department oversees county flood control, roads, and special districts involving landscape and lighting, parks, and recreation.
According to a report for Tuesday meeting, the department’s “budget challenges continue and have been magnified by inflation, hard caps on revenue streams, voting threshold requirements, pandemic impacts, a focus of government grant programs on capital improvements instead of maintenance and operations funding, and the general reluctance to increase taxes or fees to pay for necessary capital improvements, maintenance and services.”
The report said the department has been trying to temporarily mitigate the budget shortfalls with “short-term solutions that in some cases are not sustainable.”
The report says public works officials will brief supervisors on their ongoing budget problems and request direction from the board concerning long-term solutions.
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the board chambers of the county administration building, 1025 Escobar St. in Martinez. The meeting can be seen at https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/87344719204.
Bend forward for your tax increase, then watch nothing happen, then they’ll complain they need more money, then you’ll get another tax increase – wash, rinse, repeat.
“This is the only place in the world where the pavements consist exclusively of holes with asphalt around them. And they are the most economical in the world, because holes never get out of repair.”
—Mark Twain 1907
They had Caltrans in 1907? Hmmm.
Time to be creative rather than treat your citizens like they are an ATM to get money out of.
Maybe you should live within your budget and stop wasting money. Get funding for each specific project. Departments like this should print a budget and expense report listing where every dollar goes.
“general reluctance to increase taxes or fees to pay for necessary capital improvements, maintenance and services.”
Ricardoh
It is printed in the annual CAFR which is accessible on line via the County Auditor-Controller. Look it up.
Unless something has changed PW only got 2% of their annual budget from the county general funds. They were heavily funded by the feds, state and builders fees. And they are not responisble for city streets except in the unicorporated areas like Pacheco Blvd
What happened to the $Trillions of dollars for Infrastructure that was to be sent to the states for roads, bridges, and highways? Oh, yeah…the Democrats made sure to fill it with their pork projects like cross dressing Johnny, transgender restrooms, and solar panels to enrich the CCP.
Root cause: They’ve mismanaged our finances. Now our cost of living will become yet more expensive for likely the same lousy service.
This is ironic as this morning I wrote a check for the highest PG & E bill Ive ever experienced, until likely the next one.
Bad decisions on the part of others sure injure the pocketbook. If only these additional costs would trickle up instead of down.
Is that why there are so many dead trees ready to fall and nasty looking streets?
Who is using the money for their pedicures and lunches?
Streets & trees within city limits are the responsibility of the city not the country
Amazing how many people on Claycord don’t know who is responsible for what