1 Measure P: Delivering on the Promise. . . and then some! Fiscal Year 2024 - 2025 Annual Report (July 2024 – June 2025)
What is Measure P
Measure P is a locally controlled 1% transaction and general use tax designed to protect public safety, improve services, and enhance the quality of life in Fairfield. Measure P’s mandate comes from the voter’s ballot measure, “to support neighborhood police patrols, firefighting and rapid 9-1-1 emergency response, crime prevention programs, fixing potholes and repairing neighborhood streets, parks and recreation (with an emphasis on youth and senior services), and other general services, with mandatory audits and independent oversight.” Measure P funds are dedicated solely to use by the City of Fairfield General Fund and are not subject to be diverted to the state or other agencies.
The ballot measure also directed the C ity to establish a Fairfield Taxpayers Committee, also referred to as the “Measure P Oversight Committee.” That committee consists of five taxpaying Fairfield citizens appointed to five -year terms by the City Council . This is an annual report from the Fairfield Taxpayers Committee.
History of Measure P
In 2012, the City faced unprecedented deficits in its General Fund due to the loss of revenue associated with the recession starting in late 2008, plus the eventual unexpected loss of redevelopment dollars, caused by the 2011 B udget A ct, the L egislature approved the dissolution of the state’s 400 plus R edevelopment Agencie s ( RDAs ). A fter a period of litigation, RDA s were officially dissolved as of February 1, 2012 . As a result, Fairfield was forced to reduce its workforce by 18 % and close City Hall and other city facilities every Friday. Available employee work hours dropped nearly 25%. City employees pitched in and agreed to reduce their own work hours and contribute more to pensions and health care. These efforts, however, were not enough to maintain the current level of public safety and basic services, let alone offer more programs to enhance quality of life.
To prevent further cuts, the City Council put Measure P on the ballot for voter approval. It was passed by 68% of voters in 2012 and extended in 2016 with 69% voter approval . Measure P currently sunsets in March 2033, unless extended by the voters.
Since its inception, Measure P has played an integral role in restoring critical services , strengthening public safety, improving streets and roads, and expanding services to enhance quality of life in Fairfield. Rather than a one-time financial solution, Fairfield has now benefitted from more than 12 years of steady Measure P revenue.
2 Thanks in part to consistent Measure P funding, the number of full -time equivalent (FTE) city employees has bee n restored over the past 12 years to support increased services . These increases include adding crime and fire prevention programs , additional street maintenance crews, enhanced quality of life efforts, and include parks and recreation programs.
Prior to the recession, the maximum FTE employee headcount was 609 employees in 2009. By the time Measure P began in 2013, layoffs reduced that headcount by over 17% to 502 FTE. With Measure P funds, the city restored services and employees, gradually reaching a peak FTE count of 619 in 2023 – a number higher than the prerecession level, but in proportion to the city’s population growth, about 10% below the previous peak.
Long-term fiscal forecasting during past year identified a structural budget deficit driven by recent inflation and other factors . This year a spending reduction plan was implemented for all departments and several vacant employee positions were frozen. Where available, some one- time savings or revenue opportunities were taken.
Measure P Programing:
Since Measure P is a program lasting at least 20 years, from 2013 to 2033, the City of Fairfield takes a long-term integrated approach to planning those revenues. Measure P taxes are General Fund revenue. Historically, Measure P on average represents a lmost 20% of the city’s entire General Fund. Other components of the General Fund include the traditional sales tax managed by the state, the city’s portion of local property taxes, franchise taxes, cannabis taxes, and other miscellaneous fees.
Since Measure P funds have been fully integrated into the overall city budget, they are not set aside as separate accounts to be spent independently. Even if they were separated and independently programmed, u ltimately all general funds are fungible and used as needed to execute the city budget. Instead, each year the Measure P committee builds a budget in core city functions highlighted by the voters’ ballot measure language . The committee then tracks the progress of that budget and Measure P revenues throughout the year.
If needed by changing revenues, a mid -year funding update is produced and tracked for the balance of that fiscal year. As an indication of Measure P impact, reports are presented for the specific departments and programs highlighted by the Measure P budget. Those are listed later within this report.
Fiscal Year 2024 – 2025 Summary:
The past fiscal year was the second year of slowing sales tax revenue following the growth resulting from COVID-era stimulation of the economy. While inflation moderated, higher interest rates and accumulated consumer debt led to modest slowing of retail sales. 3 MEASURE P TRENDS:
The above chart shows Measure P revenue trend from pre -COVID, through C OVID fiscal stimulation and inflation, and the period of higher interest rates and moderating inflation.
Measure P revenues peaked in 2022 driven by higher sales prices and consumers still flush with COVID-era cash. Since that time, there has been a slight downward trend, particularly in the past two years as consumers budgets are tightening.
SUMMARY OF FY 2024 - 2025 FINANCIAL DATA
This year, total Measure P revenue was a drop of 2.58% from prior year actual revenues, and
1.96% below the FY 2024 – 2025 beginning forecast. Final actual revenues were 0.51% below the mid-year revision. This confirms a trend of continued softening sales tax revenue in the city.
Total net Measure P revenue for the past fiscal year was $2 4,721,724. Additional revenue from traditional state sales tax , known as Bradley -Burns tax, was $31,739,380. Our state sales tax includes $5,131,678 - representing the Fairfield portion of the Solano Pool allocated by the state for online sales tax (internet shopping).
In the past year, Measure P represented 43.8% of all sales tax revenue, about 2% lower than the previous year. Measure P also represented 16.6% of all General Fund Revenues, a drop from the previous 18.3%. While sales taxes dropped, the city’s amount of property taxes rose.
Table 1 represents a comparison of the original budget, the mid-year revised budget, and actual end of fiscal year Measure P expenditures . The table represents the broad areas of spending aligned with the voter’s ballot measure – Public Works, Fire Department, Police Department, and Parks and Recreation . Public Works maintains our parks , recreation facilities, and city appearance, creating a secondary “Quality of Life” component, and five total tracking categories.
17.5 19.6 19.7
25.9 25.8 25.4 24.7
0 5
10 15
20 25
30 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Revenue in Millions
Fiscal Year End (June)
Measure P Revenue by Year
4 Table 1 shows that Measure P funded numerous public safety employees including 34 police officers, 19 firefighters, and 6 dispatchers. It also funded the C ity’s two pillars of homeless prevention – Public Works’ Homeless Engagement and Response Team (HEART) and Law Enforcement’s Homeless Intervention Team (HIT), both part of the C ity’s Crisis Action Team (CAT). Measure P also funds a Public Works Street Team to maintain and improve our local city streets. Additionally, funding for the PAL Center, the Aquatics Complex, and the Adult Recreation Center shows emphasis on youth and senior quality of life programs.
The table also shows mid -year adjustments. For example, within Public Works, some additional money was added for funding streets. However, quality of life funds slightly decreased. The Police Department also had slightly reduced funding, but no reduction in supported patrol and dispatch functions.
5 The graph below shows how spending is ranked by category. The largest amount of Measure P funds went to the Police and Fire Departments, as they have the largest budgets. Police, Fire, and emergency response were topics specifically identified on the voters’ ballot measure. “Enhancing Quality of Life” includes both Parks and Recreation plus a component of Public Works.
Quality of Life also includes removing dumped debris, cleanup of homeless camps, streetside trash and eradication of graffiti – responsibilities of Public Works.
The Measure P Oversight Committee, in their quarterly meetings , received updates from City Management and the Finance Department on the use of Measure P funds, as well as revised trends and review of economic data. The committee also received departmental presentations from the City’s Homeless Services Manager, the Fire Departments’ operation, and future fire stations, visited the Adult Recreation Center, reviewed Parks & Recreation Department plans, and received a briefing and tour from the City’s Water division.
6 Improving Quality of Life
Broad Assistance to Address Homelessness: Measure P funds continue to be instrumental in helping several of the City’s departments address one of our most urgent issues – helping those in our city who do not have a house or shelter. The Police Department has the HIT team that addresses homeless at locations or in camps . Rather than making arrests, they use many resources attempting to assist homeless individuals. As mentioned, the Public Works Department manages the HEART team to clean up camps, debris, and graffiti. This is important for the health and welfare of the city’s environment. Both are part of Fairfield’s Crisis Action Team (CAT).
The county manages most social programs that would help homeless individuals. Fairfield has joined Solano County and neighboring cities with the Community Action Partnership Solano (CAP- Solano) Joint Powers Authority to find a more coordinated regional solution to homelessness.
Since Fairfield is the county seat hosting courts, jails, and substance rehabilitation facilities, this was particularly important for our city . The Joint Powers Authority also provides better opportunities to grants and state funding.
Under this partnership, the CAT team is often successful in moving homeless individuals towards more stable shelters, in coordination with non-profit housing and other agencies. The past year’s effort resulted in a 133% increase of unhoused people moved off the streets and into shelter.
In some cases, they have proactively moved homeless individuals toward permanent housing or returned to a family destination . This is done in a deliberate fashion, attempting to clear any outstanding warrants before relocation, and making sure the destination is truly suitable. The Police Department also more frequently issues citations rather than making arrests.
Below is data from the HIT/CAT and HEART teams:
Homeless Intervention/Crisis Action Team (Police)
367 camps posted (0.5% increase)
315 individuals placed in shelter (133% increase, including Homeless Service Division) 18 individuals moved towards home (same as last year)
Summary of HIT/CAT Police Activity:
Calls for service – 1,207 (77% decrease)
Officer initiated incidents – 1,853 (34% decrease)
Felony arrests – 25 (66% decrease)
Misdemeanor arrests – 102 (44% decrease)
Citations issued – 297 (79% increase)
7 Homeless Engagement and Response Team (Public Works)
1,157 camps and sites cleaned up (0.25% decrease over last year) 1,939 cubic yards of camp debris removed (7.5% increase) 1,365 shopping carts retrieved (5.4% increase)
3,100 cubic yards of roadside debris removed (16.6% increase) 456 Adopt-A-Street bags removed (26% increase)
27,904 square feet of graffiti removed (7.1% decrease)
Compared to the previous year, the HEART team had the biggest increase in debris removed, including through Adopt-A-Street bags.
Parks and Recreation
Further improving quality of life, Measure P has helped maintain our Parks & Recreation facilities.
In addition to keeping the many c ity parks open, the following activities were accomplished at our specific locations:
AQUATIC COMPLEX
Swim lessons through June included 2 44 sessions with a combined total of 1,134 participants, down 6% from last year.
Recreation swim totaled 8,254 combined participants, down 26% from last year.
Adaptive Swim had 146 drop-in admission participants, down 21% from last year.
Preschool Playtime with (parent/child) had 149 drop-in admissions.
Three annual events (Spring Egg -Dive-Aganza, Bobbing for Pumpkins, and Santa Splash) totaled 249 guests.
DOWNTOWN THEATER
Our Downtown Theater exceeded their contractual obligation of 39 shows. They included Frazer Trager Presents music performances, Missouri Street and Missouri Street Youth T heater productions, Solano Winds, the Buckingham High School production of “Grease,” and several school and local performances.
8 SENIOR PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
There are 23 active social and recreational clubs at the Adult Recreation Center Hosted ten unique events at the Adult Recreation Center. They included luncheons, dinners, and summer concerts. These events had 729 participants.
Innovative Health Solutions continues to provide lunch for our seniors. They are currently serving between 400 – 425 meals per month.
Police Department
The Police Department continues to operate the largest budget in the city and consistently receives the highest allocation of Measure P funds. In the past year, the department received 50% of all Measure P funding.
Measure P has been critical to maintaining staffing levels, especially as the city’s structural deficit has impacted on the department’s general fund budget. Without this support, sustaining essential services would have been a significant challenge. Currently, Measure P funds 34 of 126 positions, representing 2 7% of the police force . Although budget constraints required the freezing of four sworn officer positions, Measure P has been vital in preserving patrol staffing and ensuring public safety coverage.
In addition, Measure P supports six dispatcher positions, which also represents 28% of our dispatch team, including line and supervisory roles. Due to budget limitations, one dispatch supervisor and one dispatcher position were frozen. Dispatchers are the first point of contact for both police and fire services, making their role critical to community safety. Thanks to Measure P, the department has been able to maintain response times and service levels, with dispatch handling 176,267 calls for service in Fairfield during last year.
Measure P also strengthens our Crime Prevention Unit, which leads key community engagement initiatives. These include 3 4 Neighborhood Watch groups , 7 Business Watch programs, and 12 Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) . These programs are essential to fostering community partnerships and preventing crime – and they are made possible through Measure P funding.
The impact of these investments is evident in our crime statistics. Over the past year, 225 firearms were recovered through proactive efforts by our Patrol and Investigations Divisions. While the homicide rate has remained the same, violent crime has seen notable reductions: robberies by 6%, and aggravated assaults by 8%. Property crime has decreased by 5%, contributing to an overall 6% reduction in total crime. These outcomes reflect the Police Department’s commitment to public safety and operational readi ness. The department’s mission – centered on Safety, Service, and Community is made possible through Measure P funding.
9 Police Activities League (PAL)
Measure P funding has been an intricate part of the development of PAL, who aims to support the underserved and at-risk teens in Fairfield, Travis, and Suisun City. This year total of 380 teens were supported, an increase of 28%.
Data is displayed for the PAL teens as follows.
1. Household Income: Extremely Low, 30% Very Low, and 14% Low.
2. Race: 27% African American, 45% Hispanic, 13% White, 6% Asian
3. Gender: 65% Male, 35% Female
4. Ages: 24% (13 – 14 years old), 44% (15 – 16 years old), 29% (17 – 18 years old)
PAL funding from Measure P rose a slight 1% above the prior year to $67 7,003. Additionally, Soroptimists of Central Solano County provided a Girls Circle Program, including a 10 -week Embracing Boundaries and Consent curriculum. Kaiser funded a Mental Health First Aid Training program to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health challenges. Save Mart CARES Foundation provided forty $50 gift cards. Tech Exchange pr ovided Digital Literacy Workshops for 34 teens, each receiving a laptop to take home.
Here are PAL highlights from the past year:
1. A summer recreation program serving more than 129 teens.
2. Dinners hosted by Chick-fil-A.
3. Food 4 Less and the Matt Garcia Foundation sponsored Glow in the Dark Easter Egg Hunt.
4. Ready to Succeed Program for self-discovery, career exploration, and public speaking. Six Rotary scholars were selected, each awarded up to $4,000 per year for two years.
5. Shop with a Cop supported by Fairfield-Suisun Rotary.
6. Career Development and Mentorship Programs with the Soroptimists.
7. VolunTEEN Program with structured opportunities for teens to contribute to community events.
8. Sew Savvy Program to learn sewing basics from professional seamstress.
9. Mental Health Support and Training.
10. Student Council and Friday Leadership Lounge to provide opportunities for civic involvement, leadership practice, and decision-making.
11. Marketing support from a Youth at Promise Grant that funded branded water bottles, lanyards, and wristbands to increase PAL program visibility.
12. A combined needs assessment and member satisfaction process to guide strategic planning for the next year. This included interviews with members of the Fairfield Youth Commission and other community groups.
10 Fire Department
Fairfield continues to grow and expand, and the Fire Department has adapted to meet that demand.
Measure P’s consistent funding stream has enabled not only greater capacity in emergency response, but also strong investments in fire prevention and training programs. These upgrades helped improve the City’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating from Class 3 to Class 2 (out of 10 classification levels) in 2021 and Measure P has helped sustain that outstanding ISO rating. The Class 1 rating is held by fewer than one percent of U.S. cities, typically exceptionally large cities with extensive specialized equipment. This superb rating supports lower insurance costs for Fairfield’s residents and businesses.
This year, Measure P supported the staffing of 19 firefighters/engineers and provided $634,074 for vehicle replacement and maintenance. Construction of Station 36—slated to open in August 2026— will extend coverage to Green Valley and Cordelia. In anticipation of the new station opening, Measure P funded the deployment of the City’s seventh engine company (Engine 36 – deployed June 2022), which will ultimately be based at that new facility. A new Station 39, identical to Station 36 to save costs, will replace an older facility and improve coverage in the expanding northeast portion of our city.
2025 Fire Department Performance
In the past year, the department handled 16,869 incidents, up 3.2% from 2024 – a 68.7% increase since the passage of Measure P. Station 37 remained the busiest, managing 5,583 incidents (33% of total volume). The station houses the shift Battalion Chief, an engine company, and a full-time truck company, making it the operational hub of the system.
Prevention and Community Safety
These proactive measures reduce fire risks and enhance community safety:
• Conducted 879 annual Fire & Life Safety inspections, identifying 1,500 violations for correction. • Completed 240 building plan reviews and numerous construction inspections, including 150 residential sprinkler systems and 13 kitchen extinguishing systems (hood and duct) Regional Partnerships & Service Expansion
To maximize resources and revenue, the department entered contracts for service:
• Assumed full emergency response for the Cordelia Fire Protection District • Provided Battalion Chief coverage for two shifts in the City of Suisun City Both agencies faced financial pressures, and these agreements created mutually beneficial solutions that enhanced service delivery in their respective communities. Once Station 36 is operational in 2026, response times in Cordelia will improve further.
11 Measure P continues to deliver lasting value by ensuring reliable staffing, expanding service coverage, strengthening prevention efforts, and positioning Fairfield as a regional leader in fire and emergency services.
Improving Streets and Roads
Measure P funds a dedicated street team. It also helps pay for the annual street seal coat program and maintain traffic signals. Below are cumulative statistics from Public Works:
• 3,085 potholes were filled by the Measure P Street Team • 251,000 square feet of street resurfaced
• 200 crosswalk improvements
• Over 30.65 million square ft. of streets and roads have been improved since Measure P began in 2013
Future Considerations for Measure P
Most local governments in California are feeling strong financial pressures on their budgets . A long-term look at Fairfield’s finances shows a structural deficit that could eventually deplete the City’s reserve funds.
Last year’s report highlighted the growing pension liability due to CALPERS investment shortfalls with local governments responsible for covering the revenue shortfall. That shortfall continues to grow until about 2033, and then gradually starts to decline. Other increasing liabilities include shortfalls for street paving and meeting new state electrification requirements , including the requirement to replace current vehicles with more expensive electric versions. Special purpose electric vehicles such as those used by Public Works and Fire Department are particularly more expensive.
Budget cutbacks within the City’s departments and use of one -time revenue and savings have extended the time when the reserve funds would be depleted. However, there remains a deficit that will continue to shrink the City’s financial reserves.
All other cities in Solano County also have local sales taxes like Fairfield’s Measure P. Many are also facing similar structural budget deficits. Four neighboring cities recently raised th eir local taxes during the 2024 election - which became effective on April 1, 2025. The table below summarizes the current total sales taxes for the cities in Solano County. Assembly Bill 3259 increased the maximum allowable sales tax to 9.75% within Solano County. The following table summarizes the current city sales tax situation in Solano County.
12 DATE LAST INCREASE TAX RATE
Vacaville Apr 2018 - 0.5% 8.125%
Dixon Apr 2025 - 1.0% 8.375%
Fairfield No Increase since start in 2013 8.375%
Suisun City Apr 2025 - 0.75% 9.125%
Rio Vista Apr 2025 - 1.0% 9.125%
Vallejo Apr 2023 - 0.75% 9.25%
Benicia Apr 2025 - 0.5% 9.625%
Solano County Maximum Tax Cap 9.75%
Due to the structural budget deficit, in May 2025 the City Council began discussions to consider raising Fairfield’s Measure P tax rate and/or extending the current March 2033 sunset date. That review and dialog continues and if proposed would ultimately be decided by the voters on a future ballot measure.
Measure P Independent Audit
In accordance with the current Measure P ballot measure, an annual independent audit is conducted of Measure P funds. The city’s fiscal year ends on June 30. It takes a couple of months for sales tax revenue numbers to be provided by the state, and for other revenues and expenses to be fully accounted. After finalizing figures, the annual budget is compiled, and an independent audit may proceed.
The most recent independent audit or report on compliance was completed on December 12, 2024, by Eide Bailly and did not reflect any non-compliance. The Measure P Oversight Committee reviewed the Independent Auditor’s report at the February 10, 2025, quarterly meeting.
Investing in Fairfield’s Future
For more than a decade, the City of Fairfield has made strategic investments in building general fund reserves, pension stabilization, economic development, infrastructure improvements, and revitalization. Measure P stabilized cutbacks in city services due to the great recession and has steadily supported restoring and improving a wide range of services to our citizens . Although Measure P is not the sole funding source for all the improvements noted in this report, the improvements and investments could not have been made without M easure P. Measure P continues as a revenue source , completely controlled by our city , to help sustain our financial stability. Measure P is delivering on the promise, and then some. 13 Measure P Oversight Committee
In accordance with the Measure P ordinance, the City Council established an independent five - member Citizen Oversight Committee to oversee the use of those funds. The Committee meets quarterly to review the financials and receive program updates , to include certifying annual audits. The Committee attempts to have these meetings with various departments and locations throughout the City of Fairfield to gain a first-hand view of the funding needs of our city.
The Committee wants to thank the following individuals for helping us collect data from their departments:
Taylor Armour – Fire Department
Samantha Burrows – Homeless Services Division Manager
Ashley Doyle – Finance Department
John Furtado – Finance Department
Ryan Panganiban – Public Works
Fabe Pariera – Police Activity League
Stacy Phillips – Parks and Recreation
Heather Sanderson – Police Activities League
Karen Rees – City Clerk
Measure P Committee Members:
This past year saw three veteran members of the Measure P Committee retire. We thank the following members for their years of valuable service to our city:
Tim Tomko (served since 2013)
Tehraleigh Martin (served since 2020)
Eddie Ramirez (served since 2020)
The current committee consists of:
Chair – Steve Vancil (serving since 2018)
Vice Chair – Nicole Bauman (serving since 2023)
Member – Quoc Ma (serving since 2025)
Member – Deana Morad (serving since 2025)
Member – Richard Romo (serving since 2025)