The Bakersfield City Council held a public hearing during Wednesday’s meeting on the City’s proposed 2026-27 budget. During public comments, the Council heard from residents who urged leaders to rethink spending priorities before June 24’s vote.
City Manager Christan Clegg presented the proposed budget as a balanced financial plan that begins the first year of a long-term fiscal restructuring effort aimed at reducing operating costs while maintaining core city services. This proposal, he said, reflects months of workshops, town hall meetings, and internal reviews aimed at aligning expenditures with projected revenues.
Some of the most significant changes are the elimination of 72 vacant positions, a move Clegg said would save more than $9.4 million as Bakersfield works through a multi-year strategy to address long-term fiscal challenges. He also noted that nearly 62% of the City’s general fund supports police and fire services, while personnel costs account for the majority of overall spending.
But during the public comment period of the hearing, speakers repeatedly questioned whether the city’s financial priorities reflect the residents’ values.
Jason Cosper was among several residents who criticized the city’s investment in Flock Safety technology and questioned whether the public had been adequately involved in those decisions.
“Several months ago, I filed a California Public Records Act request to find out what the city signed us up for with Flock Safety,” he said. “Before you finalize that budget, decide whether that’s how your neighbors really want their money to be spent. Halt the expansion and end the contract. Publish camera locations and usage logs. Hold public hearings before any renewal.”
Ariel Dyer, a Bakersfield librarian, echoed those concerns.
“As a resident, I can’t decide what disturbs me more, the blatant disrespect for citizen privacy or the lack of transparency in such systems and processes being established without an opportunity for real input. What makes us safe is not more cameras,” Dyer stated. “What makes us safe is access to housing, food, health care, knowing our neighbors, and vibrant third spaces like public libraries. We are asking for a budget that represents us and real community public safety, not surveillance theater.”
Other residents focused on environmental investments and quality-of-life improvements. Sharon Brill urged the city to prioritize tree planting in underserved neighborhoods, arguing that the current proposal falls short.
“I have reviewed the 2026-27 budget and the Parks and Recreation goals. There is no planting budget. There is no implementation of this council’s unanimous vote on March 11 directing funding for tree planting. What is funded is tree removal and trimming at the tune of $4.6 million across five vendors.”
Rosa Lopez challenged the city’s spending priorities, saying she believes community safety extends well beyond police funding.
“Nearly half of our budget through the general fund goes to police. This is not public safety. Public safety is investing in affordable housing, in safer neighborhoods, in youth development programs, and accessible community spaces. We want to have an input, honest, and open conversation before the budgets are allocated so we can share our thoughts of what to prioritize and what we need in our community,” said Lopez.
Emma De La Rosa voiced support for continued investment in Martin Luther King Jr. Park and urged the council to maintain the planned funding.
“The community members of East Bakersfield have worked extremely hard to ensure that there’s investments coming into the community after many years of not receiving any investment,” De La Rosa said. “I just want to make sure that the $3 million is in fact a line item and that we take benefit of all of the funding that is coming to us from state and federal dollars.”
Following public testimony, Councilmember Andrae Gonzales acknowledged many of the concerns raised and said quality-of-life investments should remain a central focus for the city.
“Being large does not make us great. When we invest in quality of life, when we invest in people, we invest in our communities. When we include community members in the process, that’s what makes Bakersfield a great city. I hear what the community is saying, and I know that for many of us on the dais, quality of life is a major priority,” he said.
The council took no action following Wednesday’s public hearing. A final vote on the proposed Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget is expected at the June 24 meeting.
