Berkeley City Council Regular Meeting – June 26, 2025 (Agenda Dated June 24)

Note: The agenda and transcript indicate the meeting was held on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. However, the instruction specifies the meeting date as June 26, 2025. This summary uses the provided date but notes the discrepancy.

The Berkeley City Council met on June 26, 2025, for a regular meeting that included an urgent item, consent calendar approval, a public hearing on the Tourism Business Improvement District, and extensive deliberation on the FY 2026 proposed budget. The meeting featured public testimony on homelessness, healthcare worker rights, and affordable housing funding.

Consent Calendar

• The Council added an urgent item (Resolution calling for protection of healthcare workers’ rights at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland) to the consent calendar by a unanimous vote.
• Approved all consent calendar items (A–L and 1–22) in one motion, including:
  • Second readings of FY 2026 tax rates for various measures (large non-profits, Measure M, G/S/I, paramedic, SAFE STREETS, parks, Measure O, T1, library, etc.).
  • Amendments to the coordinated pricing algorithms ordinance (suspending effective date to March 2026).
  • Recommendations for County Measure W funding priorities.
  • Contracts and resolutions for cultural planning, investment policy, appropriations limit, fire protection tax rates, housing trust fund reservations, Meals on Wheels donations, Shelter Plus Care grants, HR software, workers’ comp administration, YMCA memberships, IT software, vegetation management, MTC TOC planning grant, additional Civic Arts Commission meeting, and reappointment to Mental Health Commission.
  • Council consent item 22: Support for Berkeley High School All Class Reunion (with contributions from multiple councilmembers).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Non-Agenda Matters: Several residents spoke about the encampment at Ohlone Park, citing safety concerns, drug use, and degradation of the park. Speakers urged the city to take action despite pending litigation. The Mayor acknowledged the issue and noted ongoing efforts by the homeless response team and advocacy for Measure W funds.
• Consent Calendar/Urgent Item: Multiple healthcare workers and union representatives from Children’s Hospital Oakland spoke in support of the resolution, describing UCSF Health’s integration plan as detrimental to workers and patients. They requested the city to delay the plan and protect workers’ rights.
• Item 3 (Measure W): Speakers supported the city’s letter to Alameda County, emphasizing the need for regional funding for homelessness services.
• Budget Hearing: Public testimony was heavily in favor of preserving the Small Sites Program funding (3.9 million from Mayor’s proposal) and the Street Spirit vendor program. Several speakers urged the council to reject cuts to the Office of the Director of Police Accountability (ODPA) investigator positions and to maintain funding for affordable housing.

Discussion Items

• Item 23 – Re-Establishment of Berkeley Tourism Business Improvement District (BTBID):

  • Staff presented a renewal for 10 years starting July 1, 2025, with an assessment increase from 1% to 3% of room rentals (total guest charge rising to 15.2%).
  • Visit Berkeley CEO highlighted marketing campaigns, cultural tourism, and support for local businesses. The petition drive received 92% support from lodging businesses.
  • Councilmembers praised the work of Visit Berkeley and the Office of Economic Development. The public hearing was closed, and the council voted unanimously to adopt the resolutions modifying the current district and renewing the BTBID.

• Item 24 – FY 2026 Proposed Budget Update Adoption:

  • Budget Manager Shauna Amenaghawon presented the budget, closing a $28.9 million deficit through one-time measures: freezing 42.4 positions, use of pension trust ($3M), workers’ compensation fund holiday ($5.1M), IT cost allocation ($6.2M), and shifting $2.5M from Measure U1 (Small Sites) to the general fund. The projected deficit for FY2026 is $126,000 after a fee adjustment.
  • Mayor Ishii presented her budget recommendations, focusing on funding council referrals: traffic study, daylighting, Ohlone Greenway, F&G dock replacement, deportation defense, Street Spirit, after-school programs, youth works, and the homeless response team (HRT). She proposed freezing an ODPA analyst and partially funding the risk manager position.
  • Councilmember Kesarwani (as Finance Chair) offered refinements, advocating for freezing additional charter officer positions (risk manager, ODPA investigator) and reducing Small Sites funding from $3.9M to $2.5M total. She also proposed funding the HRT position, F&G docks, and other items.
  • Extensive debate ensued over the ODPA investigator positions, the risk manager role, and the Small Sites allocation. The city attorney and ODPA director argued for maintaining the positions. Public comment strongly supported the mayor’s Small Sites funding.
  • After a break, the council attempted to reconcile the two proposals. The transcript ends before a final vote is recorded.

Key Outcomes

• Unanimous approval of the BTBID renewal (10-year term, 3% assessment).
• Consent calendar approved (including the urgent item on Children’s Hospital Oakland).
• Budget adoption: The council deliberated but did not reach a final vote within the provided transcript. The mayor’s amended proposal and Councilmember Kesarwani’s alternative were both on the table. No final resolution was adopted as of the end of the transcript.
• No action on Ohlone Park encampment due to pending litigation; the city manager noted ongoing outreach and cleanup efforts.
• Referral: The urgent item on UCSF Health includes a referral to the Health, Life Enrichment, Equity & Community Committee for further discussion.

Additional Notes

• The meeting extended past midnight, with a motion to extend to 12:00 AM approved.
• The date discrepancy between the agenda (June 24) and the instruction (June 26) is noted. The transcript confirms the meeting occurred on June 24, 2025.