Alameda County Board of Supervisors Special Meeting – May 20, 2026: Budget Updates & Measure W Expenditure Plans
Alameda County Board of Supervisors Special Meeting – May 20, 2026
This special meeting of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors convened at 6:00 PM on May 20, 2026. The board addressed a federal, state, and county budget update, followed by a work session on the Measure W Essential County Services Expenditure Plan and allocation of excess tax receipts. After a recess for a press conference announcing results of the 2026 homelessness point‑in‑time count and a closed session (with no reportable action), the board heard extensive public testimony. The meeting concluded with direction to staff to return on June 2, 2026 with a board letter implementing bridge funding for behavioral health providers and a temporary policy amendment for Measure W excess revenues.
Consent Calendar
- No consent calendar items were listed on the agenda.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Closed Session Comments: Dr. Heather Hunt (DCCS) and others requested ASL interpreting services and emphasized the need to maintain culturally competent behavioral health services for the deaf and hard‑of‑hearing community.
- Item 1 – Budget Update: Speakers included Jane Kramer (advocated for alternative health budget), Tony Panetta (Alameda Health Consortium) who highlighted that federally qualified health centers will face a rate cut on July 1, 2026 for patients with unsatisfactory immigration status, Dr. Freed (Fairmont Behavioral Health) who warned that day treatment programs for severely mentally ill patients are slated for closure without county action, and Kari (Restore Oakland) who urged shifting funds from jail to preventive services and better notice for meetings.
- Item 2 – Measure W: Over 50 speakers testified, representing senior services, food security, immigrant/refugee support, behavioral health providers (including deaf community counseling services, UELP prevention programs, and health centers). Many urged adoption of the Senior Services Coalition’s $9 M annual request, bridge funding for Proposition 1 transition, and allocation of excess tax receipts to Essential County Services. Speakers also supported the food bank, health pack network, and programs for unincorporated areas.
Discussion Items
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Item 1: Federal, State & County Budget Financial Updates
- The County Administrator presented an economic overview. Alameda County’s unemployment rate is 4.5% (Feb 2026); median home price $1.36 M. Tech employment declined 6% while wages rose 25% (2023‑2024). The Governor’s May Revise provided no new funding to offset HR1 impacts; however, it included $500 M for homelessness (reduced level) and $30 M one‑time for food banks. The county’s total budget is $6.1 B; general fund is $4.3 B. The maintenance‑of‑effort budget reveals a $91.4 M funding gap (would have been $184 M without $93.4 M in net retirement savings from prior pension prepayments). So far $40.2 M in additional revenue and $3.1 M in ongoing cost reductions have been identified. The balanced proposed budget will be presented May 28, 2026.
- Supervisors asked about state advocacy (CSAC seeking $1.9 B), the impact of ERAF (over $12 B shifted from counties since implementation), and the $50 M increase in capital/maintenance costs.
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Item 2: Measure W Essential County Services Expenditure Plans & Excess Tax Receipts
- Staff presented the history: Measure W (10‑year half‑cent sales tax) passed Nov 2020, began collection July 2021, funds held in escrow until April 2025. Estimated $1.8 B total; 80% to Home Together (housing/homelessness) and 20% to Essential County Services. To date, $73.5 M of the Essential Services Fund has been allocated. The proposed two‑year plan (FY 26‑27 and FY 27‑28) recommends $34 M annually plus $14 M one‑time capital, structured into four categories: stabilizing the safety net, meeting basic needs, supporting unincorporated areas, and capital projects.
- A separate request for $45.7 M in one‑year bridge funding for Proposition 1 behavioral health provider transitions was endorsed by the Health Committee. AC Health identified $10.7 M from its own resources to close the gap.
- Excess tax receipts: Current year revenues are estimated at $190 M vs. budgeted $170 M, yielding ~$20 M excess. Staff proposed designating these for board priority projects (e.g., senior services, food security, immigrant supports) and to mitigate HR1/state budget impacts. A policy amendment to allocate future excess receipts to Essential County Services (rather than Home Together) was discussed.
- Supervisors debated duration of the policy change: consensus to adopt a two‑year amendment (FY 25‑26 and FY 26‑27) and then revert to original allocation. Supervisor Tam requested flexibility to front‑load health pack funding if needed. Supervisor Marquez flagged needs for reparations commission, immigrant/refugee office, and public defender funding. Supervisor Halbert emphasized prioritizing the most vulnerable and evaluating food recovery funding.
Key Outcomes
- Direction to Staff: Return on June 2, 2026 with a board letter that includes:
- Approval of the two‑year Essential County Services Fund expenditure plans (FY 26‑27 and FY 27‑28) as presented, with the FY 26‑27 plan incorporated into the proposed budget due May 28, 2026.
- Support for the one‑year bridge transition funding of $45.7 M for Proposition 1 behavioral health provider reductions, as recommended by AC Health (with $10.7 M from AC Health one‑time resources).
- Designation of the FY 25‑26 and FY 26‑27 Measure W excess tax receipts (estimated $20 M for FY 25‑26) for board‑identified priorities and to mitigate HR1/state budget cuts, subject to auditor confirmation.
- Amendment of the policy to allocate Measure W accrued sales tax revenue in excess of estimated revenue to the Essential County Services Fund for the next two fiscal years, after which the original policy (allocating to Home Together) will resume.
- Additional Direction: Staff will post the presentation and materials online promptly. Supervisor Halbert asked for a dedicated funding line for food recovery (StopWaste) and requested flexibility to adjust health pack funding within the two years. The board reiterated the need for ongoing assessment of state/federal impacts.
Meeting Transcript
If you wish to speak to an item listed on the agenda at a time when public comment is called for, we ask that you fill out a speaker slip. If you're online, we would ask that you raise your hand at the appropriate time. But the clerk will now give brief instructions on how to participate in our meeting remotely. Detailed instructions are provided in the teleconferencing guidelines. A link to the document is included in today's agenda. To view an automated translated transcript or listen to an automated translated audio of the meeting from English into multiple other languages, please utilize the wordly link in today's agenda or the QR codes posted throughout the room and select your preferred language from the drop-down menu. If you are joining the meeting using a computer, use the button at the top of your screen to raise your hand to request to speak. When called to speak, please unmute your microphone and state your name. If you're calling in, dial star nine to raise your hand to speak. When you're called to speak, the host will enable you to speak. If you decide not to speak, please notify the clerk when your call is unmuted, or you may simply hang up and dial back into the meeting. When called, you will have when you are called, you will have two minutes to speak. Please limit your remarks to the time allocated. Public comment will generally alternate between in-person and online speakers as determined by the president of the board and subject to overall time limits. Thank you. Thank you. First of all, we have uh public comment listed in several different locations. The first option, uh opportunity is for public comment on closed session items. The next item would be in our open session items under public comment for items number one, items number two, sub bullet small I A and B, and item number two, sub bullet small I. Three locations for public comment. I will note that we are about to adjourn recess rather into closed session. We will um attempt to come back um in a timely manner, but it will likely be um 11 o'clock, perhaps. Um, not listing that time specific, but we will come back from closed session. But I also have to say something that's unique about today. We have a press conference that has been scheduled in the plaza across the street. Our board will recess at 11 15 so that we can participate in that press conference. We expect that we will come back sometime around 12 30 or 1. We also have to have a quick lunch break in there. So much of our agenda will happen at one o'clock, 12 30 or 1 o'clock. I just want to make that known to the public. So that said, our first item is public comment on closed session items before we recess into closed session. I'll ask the clerk to call in-person speakers first and online speakers after that three and three alternating back and forth. Um, may I ask the clerk how many speaker slips for closed session items or hands raised or closed session discussion items do we have? Showing no hands, showing one hand in Zoom and no in-person speakers that have submitted a card for closed session. Very good. We'll hear for the online speaker before we recess into closed session. Okay, my deaf therapy, Dr. Hunt. You may unmute yourself and begin your comments. Hello, can you hear me? Yes, we can. Okay. Um, first of all, I am hard of hearing, and I wanted to mention we have a couple of deaf uh members in the audience who are with me. They um, so although we understand interpreting and requests generally require advanced notice. We only learned of this meeting on Friday. So we were unable to secure interpreting access to today's discussion, which shows illustrates how easily deaf community members can store encounter barriers to meaningful participation in important public processes. Um, I wanted to say good morning. My name is Dr. Heather Hunt, and I'm a licensed clinical supervisor with Duff Community Counseling Services. I want to emphasize that this is not simply a budget issue, it is also an access and compliance issue.
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